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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 07 Issue 30
Volume 7, Issue 30 Atari Online News, Etc. July 22, 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 #0730 07/22/05
~ Longhorn Now 'Vista'! ~ People Are Talking! ~ PSP Goes Online!
~ Porn E-mail Scheme! ~ AOL Delivers AIM Mail ~ Ban Graffiti?!
~ Windows XP and DoS! ~ Blue Frog Antispam! ~ MagicMac X Updated!
~ Web Jargon Is Confusing ~ 'Doom' Goes Hollywood ~ Mods Under Scrutiny
-* Nigerian Fraudster Jailed! *-
-* Snap.com Plans To Combat Click Fraud *-
-* New Spam Fighting Technique Is Criticized! *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Well, I managed to survive my first week back from vacation without any
visible scars! As usual, it took me about a day to dig out my desk of mail
and other paperwork. It takes me about a week to sort it all out and get
caught up. Never a fun task, but under the circumstances...
So, I've been spending the week getting caught up, and trying to keep
everything else organized and running smoothly - both at home and work.
It's been one really hot and humid week, so our energy levels have been at a
minimum. Maybe we'll be back to "normal" by the end of the weekend! So,
for now, I'll keep this short and get right to this week's issue.
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
MagicMac X Updated
Nils Feske has announced:
The MacOS version of the commercial multitasking OS Magic called"MagiC
Mac" has been updated to version 1.2. You can downloaded the new version
on the website of the software house ASH.
URL: http://www.application-systems.de/magicmacx/
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
joe@atarinews.org
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Well, the trials and tribulations of the
past week have lessened somewhat, and my head is finally spinning a bit
more slowly.
In case you have no idea of what I'm talking about, my father-in-law
passed away last week, and the process of getting things in order is
now well underway.
My father-in-law was 85 years old, and to him computers were still the
stuff of science fiction. He could never quite wrap his mind around the
idea of instant messaging or email was just beyond him.
A childhood friend of his, now living down south, does use a personal
computer for various tasks like genealogy, and gave my father-in-law
his email address. "What the heck and I going to do with this", my
father-in-law asked rhetorically.
Well, I took the email address and set up an email account for him and
typed out emails to his buddy as he dictated them. That's as close as
he ever got to the information age, I'm afraid, but it did make for a
few interesting conversations.
Once, when he was in a particularly inquisitive mood, he asked me, "How
far can you sent one of those email things?"
"Half way around the world", I told him. "How come only HALF way", he
asked.
"Because after that", I explained, "you're coming back!"
He chuckled, but I don't think he really got it. But that's not really
important. The important part is that he got to converse with an old
friend; someone he'd been friends with for more than three quarters of
a century, and got to see at least a little glimpse of my world.
Well, let's get to the news, hints, tips and info from the UseNet.
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
====================================
Here's an interesting one. Patrice Mandin asks about the differences
between TOS versions:
"For a wiki currently in the works, I need a bit of information about
various TOS versions:
ST: 1.00
MegaSTE: 2.02,2.62
TT: 3.01,3.05,3.06
Falcon: 4.00,4.01,4.03
Medusa/Hades/Milan: any version
For each version, I need date of creation, language/country, gemdos
version and aes version. You can have it with any sysinfo-type
program. Thanks.
You can have a look at the current page there:
http://removers.free.fr/wikipendium/wakka.php?wiki=TOS "
Gerhard Stoll supplies the following info:
"Version Date Name Language Kind GEMDOS AES
--------------------------------------------------------------------
0.00 Das Boot englisch ROM
1.00 20.06.1985 Mushroom deutsch RAM 0.13 1.01
1.00 20.11.1985 deutsch RAM 0.19 1.2
1.00 20.11.1985 franz. RAM 0.19 1.2
1.00 06.02.1986 Altes deutsch RAM 0.19 1.2
1.00 06.02.1986 Altes deutsch ROM 0.19 1.2
1.02 22.04.1987 Blitter deutsch ROM 0.19 1.2
1.04 18.05.1988 Beta-Test englisch RAM 0.21 1.3
1.04 08.08.1988 Developer deutsch RAM 0.21 1.04
1.04 22.02.1989 Rainbow deutsch ROM 0.21 1.4
1.04 06.04.1989 Rainbow deutsch ROM 0.21 1.4
1.06 19.06.1989 STE deutsch ROM 0.21 1.4
1.62 STE
2.05 05.12.1990 deutsch ROM
2.06 14.11.1991 deutsch ROM
2.06 10.03.1992 deutsch ROM (1)
2.95 26.04.1996 englisch ROM 0.20 3.20 (2)
3.00 01.03.1990 TTOS ROM
3.01 29.08.1990 TTOS deutsch ROM
3.05 05.12.1990 TTOS deutsch ROM
3.06 24.09.1991 TTOS deutsch ROM 0.20 3.20
4.04 08.03.1993 multi ROM
4.07 10.05.1999 MilanTOS multi Flash
4.08 08.07.1999 MilanTOS multi Flash 0.32
4.08 15.06.2001 MilanTOS multi Flash 0.33 3.42
4.08 20.08.2001 MilanTOS multi Flash 0.33 3.42
4.08 06.10.2002 MilanTOS multi Flash 0.33 3.43
4.08 09.03.2003 MilanTOS multi Flash 0.33 3.43
7.0x multi Flash (3)
(1) STBook
(2) Tos2Win
(3) CENTurbo II, a modified version of 4.04
Without warranty, because I have not all of them.
It is great that we make all things twice. "
Peter West asks Gerhard:
"Where in TOS .HYP did you find this? I can't find it in mine. Or
is yours a different version? Mine is 1.70 by Zorro according to
the Info panel.
The listing above is, of course, incomplete since most of the TOSs
were available in many language versions. (See for instance the
chip numbers listed in the Chips 'n ChipsX Index: 'TOS Versionen')."
Gerhard replies:
"I think we talk about different text.
-------------------------------cut-------------------------------
ftp: //chapelie.rma.ac.be/atari/docs/tos_hyp/tos_493_hyp_en.zip
(1.721.256 bytes) tos.hyp English version
-------------------------------cut------------------------------- "
Peter Feddersen takes the opportunity to ask:
"I have two MEGA STe's. One with an English TOS 2.06 and one with TOS
2.05 in german.
I want to reprogram the German TOS 2.05 with the english one. Is it
legal?
How do I make two separate binary files containing the English
TOS2.06, both EE and EO?
I have tried a number of TosDump programs, but they only seem to
generate one single *.img file containing both EPROMS (mainly for use
in emulation programs)!
Any help would be appreciated!"
Coda tells Peter:
"Either use an eprom programmer to dump each chip separately, or get a
program off the net that will split the TOSDUMP image into its high and
low counterparts. If you are sending the eproms and code to someone to
burn them, they will probably do this for you anyway."
Rory McManon asks for help with his sleeping keyboard:
"I was just using my falcon when the keyboard stopped working.
It's something on the motherboard because I tested the keyboard on
another falcon and it works fine. I tested the connector on the
motherboard on the keyboard connector where 5v should be and it's not
there. I could not see a fuse or anything near the keyboard connector
to check or replace."
Mark Duckworth tells Rory:
"Well an easy but improper way would be to solder a wire from another 5V
source to it. If you probe the board in that area (+ end of big
capacitors) you can find another source. You must have had a short or
something and there must be a fuse or something blown. Rodolphe would
know best."
Joakim Högberg adds:
"I think it may be the same issue as was discussed in [an] old thread:
I have had the same prob you are seeing, and managed to take 5v from
another source. Not 100% sure it was the exact same pin as is described
in the posting that the above URL is pointing to."
'Phantom' tells Rory:
"If you take 5v from another source and it makes the keyboard work then
it may be alright to use it like that.
However, If possible I would try to discover what caused the problem as
another part of the Falcon may also be affected by this problem.
If you are not getting power at the pins were the keyboard connects to
the motherboard. It is possible that you have a broken solder joint
under one or more of the connecting pins.
You could try carefully moving each pin and see if any seem loose. And
if you want to do a more careful look. Take the case apart and look
under the board were the pins are to see if you have a broken solder
joint.
If all seems well then we need to find out where the tracks of these
pins goes to next and look there for trouble.
If you have the case apart or have the proper Falcon diagrams, then we
could track them back to the next component and so on.
However I feel that its probably a broken track or bad solder joint,
like what happens with the Mouse and Joystick ports. The solder joints
get worked loose from unplugging the mouse and
joysticks.
If you have done work on your Falcon before and have removed the
keyboard a few times. It could be the same thing.
If you have a soldering Iron and some solder, and the time. I would go
over each joint and see if that fixes the problem. If it doesn't, then
thats one thing out of the way.
Generally thats how you fix problems like this, unless you know for sure
what's causing it.
You eliminate what could be causing the problem and what's left is
usually the problem that needs fixed.
If you do go for the 5v fix from another source. Just notice if you
have any problems with any programs when running the machine."
Rory checks some things out and posts:
"I ran 5v from another point and the keyboard lit up. However the
keyboard is sending keystrokes to the motherboard, but they are not
registering to the motherboard. The HD spinup bar will shrink to
nothing despite pressing the keyboard. The keyboard is good as it
works on another falcon. I think there might something a little more
serious. Rodolphe any ideas or should I send the board? 68B50?"
Ronald Hall jumps in and asks Rory:
"I know this is a dumb question, so forgive me for asking, but it is
plugged onto the keyboard header correctly, right?
Reason I ask is I made the same mistake myself when I was re-casing my
Falcon in a Wizztronics rack case.
It acted something like you describe."
Well folks, that's all for this week. It's time for me to console my
wife again. The up-side is that, since I have to remain the 'strong'
one, I'm not falling apart myself. That'll come later, once she's
recovered to some extent.
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 - GTA Changes To Adult-Only!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Game Mods Under Scrutiny!
Doom Goes Hollywood!
And much more!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Sony's PSP Goes Online
Sony Computer Entertainment will release a system software update for its
PlayStation Portable (PSP) next week that will add several new functions
to the handheld gaming device, including browse the Internet and download
TV programs, the company said Thursday.
Chief among the additions to version 2.0 of the software will be a Web
browser. Accessible from the PSP's main menu, the browser supports HTML
4.01 and will allow access to most Web sites.
The PSP already has a wireless LAN for online gaming and for downloading
software from the Internet, but Sony hasn't officially allowed users to
browse the Web. However, users quickly found a way to exploit a Web browser
included in the "Wipeout Pure" game to enable access to Web sites.
Instructions for doing this can be found easily on the Internet, but the
software update will make Web browsing both official and much easier.
Also new will be support for downloading video in the MPEG4 AVC format.
This was demonstrated at an event in Tokyo Thursday by connecting a PSP
with the new software to a PSP portal site that will be launched next week
by SoNet, a Sony-affiliated Internet service provider in Japan. The portal
will offer downloads of TV programs and other content. Prices for the
service were not disclosed.
Other new features include the capability to transfer photos from one PSP
to another via an ad hoc wireless LAN, and support for additional media
formats including the AAC audio format.
The version 2.0 software update will be available via the PSP's built-in
update function or in UMD (Universal Media Disc) form from July 27, the
company said. Information on whether the update will be simultaneously
available to users outside Japan was not immediately available.
Sony also announced plans to launch a white PSP, called the PSP-1000KCW.
At present the console is available only in black. The white version will
be available in Japan starting on September 15. A value pack that includes
the PSP, headphones, a memory card and other accessories will cost $220,
which is the same price as the black PSP. International launch plans were
not disclosed.
Majesco Ships Pulse-Pounding 'Nanostray' for Nintendo DS
Launching its first title for the Nintendo DS handheld system, Majesco
Entertainment Company, an innovative provider of digital entertainment
products and content, today announced it has shipped Nanostray, an
addictive 3D shooter developed by Shin'en.
"We are thrilled to bring the first 3D shooter to the Nintendo DS," said
Ken Gold, vice president of Marketing for Majesco. "Nanostray looks great,
utilizes the touch screen functionality and wireless link features of the
Nintendo DS and will provide consumers with an exciting game play
experience."
An intense, pulse-pounding 3D shooter, Nanostray offers touch screen
support, local area network play, an arsenal of weapons and beautifully
designed environments. Additional highlights include:
* Five exciting modes of play such as:
- Adventure Mode -- straight, one-player shooter fun across 8
different stages;
- Arcade -- play individual stages for high-score honors;
- Challenge -- 22 challenges to unlock in Arcade mode;
- Multiplayer -- a two-player, wireless link battle extravaganza;
- Gallery/Jukebox -- allows players to unlock artwork, models and
songs from the game.
* Heads-Up Display instantly shows players enemy locations and weapon-
types; information on player ship and weapon status and score;
* Touch screen features such as boss scanning, on-the-fly weapon
management, and a live radar;
* Wide array of powerful weapons with corresponding sub-weapon like
Seekers, Pulses, Single-shots and Lightning;
* Cool variety of multi-player modes and options included timed battles,
sudden death, and bonus races.
Developed exclusively for Nintendo DS by Shin'en, the creators of the
Iridion Game Boy Advance series, Nanostray is now available for a suggested
retail price of $29.99.
'Doom' Film Shoots for Video Game Style
A movie version of classic video game series "Doom" takes some visual cues
from the world of games, according to a clip of the film shown on Sunday.
The original "Doom" was one of the first video game runaway successes when
it debuted more than a decade ago and it helped establish the
first-person-shooter genre in which killing aliens, mutants or demons is
central to the plot.
In first-person-shooters, the player often looks at the world down a
gunsite, and that is exactly the point of view in part of the movie,
according to a clip shown at the Comic-Con convention in San Diego.
The movie starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson follows a team battling demons
on Mars, where a research lab experimenting has discovered horrible
secrets. In a clip from the unfinished movie, the camera closes in on an
eye of a soldier - and then "turns around" and begins watching the world
and telling the tale from the soldier's point of view.
A cheer went up through the video-game fan crowd as two hands reached up
in front of the screen and shoved ammunition into a gun a typical player
point-of-view shot. The camera then continued from the shooter's point of
view as he wandered through a dark building, blasting and blowing up demons
jumping in from every angle.
The original "Doom" was launched in 1994 by developer id Software and last
year publisher Activision Inc. released "Doom 3," with a similar plot line
as the new movie. Universal Pictures, controlled by General Electric Co.,
plans to open the movie on Oct. 21, 2005.
Resident Evil 5 Coming to 360, PS3
Since January, GameCube owners have been the only American gamers who have
been able to enjoy Resident Evil 4. But while the best-selling, critically
lionized title will arrive on US PlayStation 2s until the fall, it looked
like Xbox owners would never be able to help Leon S. Kennedy slay the
series' signature undead hordes.
However, Capcom announced Resident Evil 5 is coming to Microsoft's
next-generation console, the Xbox 360, as well as Sony's PlayStation 3.
The announcement came in the form of a press release on the
English-language section of the Investor Relations part of Capcom's
Japanese corporate Web site.
The news came as only a small surprise, as Capcom executives had declared
their admiration for both Sony and Microsoft's next-gen consoles when they
were unveiled in mid-May. "Utilizing the PlayStation 3's and Xbox 360's
unprecedented power, Resident Evil 5 promises to revolutionize the series
by delivering an unbelievable level of detail, realism, and control," read
the release.
The announcement of an Xbox 360 Resident Evil 5 does mark an increasing
change of heart for Capcom. Traditionally, the company has only given
Microsoft's current-generation console, the Xbox, tepid support in the form
of re-releases of older titles such as Genma Onimusha. However, that
changed this E3, with the unveiling of Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance and
Final Fight: Streetwise, two top holiday titles which will ship on the Xbox
and PlayStation 2 simultaneously.
Capcom's brief announcement did not mention a ship date for Resident Evil 5
for the Xbox 360, which is due in Q4 2005, or the PlayStation, which
currently has a "Spring 2006" launch window. American Capcom reps told
GameSpot that they "do not have any further details at this time" on the
announced versions or a potential version for Nintendo's Revolution, which
was not mentioned in the release.
However, Nintendo fans shouldn't give up hope entirely. Resident Evil 4
spent nearly four years in development, meaning that Resident Evil 5 likely
won't arrive before the Revolution's expected late 2006 launch. Given that
the Revolution development kits went out in March, a version of the game
could still be in development for the mystery-shrouded console.
While Capcom's release had little information on Resident Evil 5, the
latest issue of Famitsu revealed many details about the game. It features an
interview with the game's producer, Jun Takeuchi, best known as the producer
of Genma Onimusha and Onimusha 3. He also worked on Resident Evil 1 and 2,
handling character animation and directing the creation of gun models.
Images of Resident Evil 5 featured in the magazine shows that the series'
setting has dramatically changed. Instead of the creepy dark atmosphere of
previous installments, RE5 takes place in a hot and sandy desert city under
a pounding sun. There are also scenes of unlit areas such as alleyways and
buildings which sport the same shadowy atmosphere as previous installments.
The Famitsu images show an unshaven man in a short-sleeved shirt who
appears to be the main character in Resident Evil 5. Armed with a handgun
and knife belted to his shoulder, he is outnumbered and being chased by a
mysterious group of enemies shown in silhouette.
Takeuchi commented that RE5's setting was inspired by the 2001 war movie
Black Hawk Down, in which a crowd of angry Somalis swarms over an American
helicopter after it crash-lands. Technically, the surviving soldiers have a
lot of room to run inside the city, but are quickly cornered by the massive
crowd that comes after them. Takeuchi says that he hopes to achieve a
similar kind of experience and "madness" in RE5.
When asked about the unshaven man, Takeuchi said that the core developers
for RE5 include staff members that worked on RE1, hinting that it might
possibly be Chris Redfield from the original Resident Evil. Takeuchi also
revealed that RE5 will be an authentic sequel to the series' main storyline
rather than a side story. He added that if the main character is indeed
Chris, the developers might be preparing to create some kind of a
conclusion to the series' long storyline.
In terms of the mysterious enemies, Takeuchi commented that they are only
displayed in shadows because they will feature new elements that can't be
disclosed yet. However, he hinted that the talking enemies in Resident Evil
4 were something he hopes to expand on in RE5.
As expected, Resident Evil 5 will take advantage of the PS3 and Xbox 360's
high-definition graphics. Takeuchi said that one of the main goals of RE5's
development was to use said graphics to deliver a tangible "atmosphere" to
the game, to the point where the player can almost feel the hot air of the
desert.
When asked about how RE5 will actually play, Takeuchi said that he hopes to
bring back RE4's gameplay in RE5. He commented that Resident Evil 4 caused
a lot of excitement at Capcom, since director Shinji Mikami had
successfully made major changes while still keeping the essence of the
series intact.
When Takeuchi was asked about the game's release, he avoided giving a
straight answer, only stating jokingly that it will come out "before the
launch of PlayStation 4." Later, Takeuchi explained that projects for
next-generation consoles will easily spend three to five years in
development, and that work on RE5 is expected to take a bit of time, since
it's currently Capcom's main focus.
Capcom may exhibit a one- to two-minute High Definition trailer of
Resident Evil 5 at the Tokyo Game Show, which is where the images of the
game in Famitsu were taken from.
'GTA' Game Rating Changed to Adults-Only
The video game industry on Wednesday changed to adults-only the rating of
"Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," a best-selling title in which explicit
sexual content can be unlocked with an Internet download.
The decision followed intense pressure from politicians and media watch
groups.
Grand Theft Auto's producer, Rockstar Games, said it was now working on a
new version of the game that would satisfy the original "M" for mature
rating. It said it would provide new labels to any retailer willing to
continue selling the version currently on store shelves.
Rockstar's parent, Take Two Interactive, also admitted for the first time
Wednesday that the sex scenes had been built into the retail game - not
just the PC version but also those written for Xbox and PlayStation2
consoles.
Company officials had previously suggested that a modification created by
outsiders added the scenes to the game, last year's best seller in
consoles.
"There is sex content in the disc," Take-Two spokesman Jim Ankner told The
Associated Press. "The editing and finalization of any game is a
complicated task and it's not uncommon for unused and unfinished content
to remain on the disc."
The sex scenes, inserted in a game whose main character seeks bloody
vengeance on gang-filled streets while pickup scantily clad women, had
prompted outrage from parent's groups and politicians including Sen.
Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.
In a statement, the president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board
(ESRB) said the sex scenes were programmed by Rockstar "to be inaccessible
to the player."
But ESRB chief Patricia Vance also acknowledged that the "credibility and
utility" of the industry-run board's initial "M" rating had been "seriously
undermined."
Many retailers sell "M" rated games, which "may be suitable for persons
ages 17 and older," according to the rating board. but won't sell
"AO"-labeled games at all.
Take-Two also said Wednesday that it expects to suffer financially. It
lowered its expectations for its current quarter and fiscal year to set
aside funds for returns of the games, and figured that net sales could
decrease by more than $50 million during the quarter ending July 31.
Shares of Take-Two rose 12 cents to close at $27.07 on the Nasdaq, but
later dropped $3.07, or 11.3 percent, in after-hours activity.
The ratings change was vindication for Patrick Wildenbourg, the Dutch
programmer who developed and freely distributed the modification that
unlocked the controversial content in the game's PC version.
Such "mods" are wildly popular in the hardcore gaming community and -
authorized or not - exploit the medium's interactive nature to extend the
playing life of many popular titles.
Take-Two president Paul Eibeler stressed in a statement that only an
unauthorized "mod" makes the sex scenes available, and said "the decision
to re-rate a game based on an unauthorized third party modification
presents a new challenge for parents, the interactive entertainment
industry and anyone who distributes or consumes digital content."
That prompted an angry reaction from David Walsh, founder of the National
Institute on the Media and the Family, a Minneapolis-based group that
monitors the industry.
Walsh criticized Rockstar for what he called a "carefully worded statement"
that leaves the impression that "modders" are responsible for the content.
"They did not take responsibility for the fact that this code was created
within their company and placed on disks and shipped to responsible
retailers."
The Parents Television Council, another group that monitors sex and
violence in the media, said it was pleased with the rating switch but
called on Rockstar to voluntarily recall the game and offer refunds to
anyone who purchased it.
"I tip my cap to that first step of showing responsibility," said Tim
Winter, the council's executive director. "Phase two needs to be absolutely
getting to the bottom of this coding issue. How did it get into that game?
How did it get past the ratings board?"
The ESRB was formed 11 years ago amid congressional pressure to crack down
on violent video games. The board now issues ratings for more than 1,000
game titles each year.
Game makers must submit a lengthy form describing the most extreme content,
and turn over visual samples and scripted dialogue as each game nears the
final stages of development.
Atari Gets Tagged
Vallone Calls for Boycott of Video Game Maker
New York City Council Member Peter F. Vallone, Chair of the Public Safety
Committee and leader of the fight against graffiti, has called for Atari to
scrap plans to release a graffiti based video game that is described as "a
groundbreaking graffiti game play system, designed to sharpen your skills
as you tag with aerosol spray cans, rollers, markers, stickers and
stencils."
"From what Atari's putting out, it appears they want to make crime exciting
and to teach children how to get away with breaking the law," stated
Vallone, a former prosecutor. "I'm just glad they aren't giving out cans of
spray paint with this game."
"I think irresponsible corporations like Atari must get the message loud
and clear, we don't want them supporting criminals and punks and if they do
we won't support them."
Atari has announced that they plan on releasing "Getting Up: Contents Under
Pressure" in September 2005. In this game players are encouraged to break
the law by destroying property and hiding from the police. Vallone is
threatening a boycott of Atari if they decide to release this irresponsible
game.
"I think Atari will soon learn that they are going to be a 'Company Under
Pressure,'" threatened Vallone.
Vallone recently blasted Time Magazine for promoting graffiti by displaying
a gigantic billboard with various art and tags by infamous graffiti
artists. One of these vandals Time hired had a long criminal record and was
paid over $20,000 for his efforts. Vallone also called on Time to donate at
least $20,000 for anti-graffiti and clean up programs throughout New York
City. The same criminal that Time Magazine hired is also in this video game
as a so-called "mentor" to novices.
"This punk is going to have an awful lot of money to buy spray paint and
destroy our city because of two irresponsible corporate neighbors," stated
Vallone.
As a result of this recent publicity Vallone's office received numerous
calls from a publisher of a graffiti website http://www.animalnewyork.com,
stating that Vallone's name would be tagged throughout the city. The
website also provided a link calling Vallone a "punk" and urging people to
call his office.
Vallone has doubled the penalties for graffiti and introduced a number of
anti-graffiti measures to help fight this quality of life crime. He
recently drafted legislation banning the possession of spray paint and
other graffiti tools by anyone under 21 years of age.
Over the last few years there has been a rise in graffiti throughout New
York City. The Mayor even highlighted this growing quality of life problem
in his State of the City, announcing a major graffiti initiative including
creating an 80 member NYPD anti-graffiti task force with coordinators in
every precinct.
"Graffiti is the classic example of a gateway crime. It lets crime and
lawlessness get its ugly foot in the door," stated Vallone.
The following is the text of a letter sent July 18, 2005 from Peter F.
Vallone Jr., Chair - Public Safety Committee of the Council of the City of
New York, to Mr. Bruno Bonnell, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of
Atari, Inc., with copies to Mr. Marc Metis, Senior Vice President,
Marketing, Atari, Inc., Hon. Eliot Spitzer, Hon. Michael R. Bloomberg, Hon.
A. Gifford Miller, Hon. Raymond W. Kelly, Hon. Richard A. Brown, Hon.
Robert M. Morgenthau, Hon. Charles J. Hynes, Hon. Robert T. Johnson, and
Hon. Daniel M. Donovan, Jr.:
I write concerning your intended release of a video game called "Getting
up: Contents Under Pressure" in September 2005. I request that a copy of
this game be sent to me so that I may review it. However, based on the
advance promotion on your website, it is clear that it would be completely
inappropriate for your company to release this "how to manual" for graffiti
vandals.
Your website boasts of the following:
-- "A groundbreaking graffiti game play system, designed to sharpen your
skills as you tag with aerosol, rollers, markers, paste, stickers and
stencils"
-- "Unique 'intuition' system allowing you to find ideal places to tag"
-- "Authentic tags from fifty real life graffiti artists six of whom
appear in game as mentors"
-- "Sneak mode -- infiltrate areas and avoid capture as you creep
silently through the city"
-- "Create tags in pressure situations"
By copy of this letter, I am requesting that our law enforcement
authorities also review this with an eye toward determining whether or not
it gives specific instructions on how to commit a crime, which has been
considered to be "aiding and abetting" in the past.
Interestingly enough, on your own website a debate is occurring between the
criminals on one side who believe your game will result in too many novices
spraying graffiti over the "tags" of the veterans, and the punks on the
other side who believe that any game that promotes graffiti is a good game.
What a wonderful debate you have sponsored! I hope you are very proud of
the contribution you have already made to society.
We here in New York City are working diligently to stamp out this scourge
of graffiti. I have written legislation which doubles the jail time for
these criminals, and a second offense can now result in up to one year in
jail. You are personally encouraging children to deface neighborhoods,
break the law, and wind up behind bars. This is an appalling lack of
responsibility on your part. If Atari sees fit to profit from criminality,
then I will ensure that all law-abiding parents and citizens band together
and refuse to allow this or any other Atari product in their homes. If this
game is released, it will prove beyond all doubt that there is no depth to
which a corporation such as yours will sink in search of profit.
Video Game 'Mods' Under Scrutiny
With many video games, there's no "game over" screen, no reason to ever get
bored. In a long-standing practice called "modding," fans create their own
new chapters, artwork and other twists to extend the lives of their
favorite games. Many game makers freely encourage the practice and give
away free software tools to help.
But some in the industry are now wondering about the ratings implications
posed by mods after a Dutch programmer created one that unlocks a hidden
sex level in the violent action game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas." After
all, video games aren't like the feature films you see in the theater or
get on a DVD. They're made of software code. They're malleable.
The Grand Theft Auto mod, called "hot coffee," was developed by Patrick
Wildenborg, who made downloads freely available on the Internet about a
month ago.
Most major retailers promptly removed the game from store shelves after the
Entertainment Software Rating Board, an industry body, changed its rating
Wednesday to "adults only" from "mature."
Like souping up car engines or expanding the capacity of TiVo digital video
recorders, modding is largely unsolicited and uncompensated.
For most, modding is all about the love of games, not of dollars - though
many large publishers have found ways to cash in on the tinkering that can
change the way characters appear or add elements the creators hadn't
intended.
Though most mods are written for PC games, it is becoming increasingly
popular on consoles.
In 1999, modders turned Half-Life's "X-Files" world of government
conspiracies and alien invasions into Counter-Strike, a multiplayer game
that pits soldiers against terrorists. The mod, which remains popular to
this day, had completely new maps, weaponry, graphics and sound effects.
Half-Life's owner, Valve Corp., eventually released Counter-Strike to
commercial success. Many workers at the Bellevue, Wash., company are
themselves former modders.
"Hot coffee" in many ways is unique among mods because it accessed content
left in the game by its maker, Rockstar Games, instead of adding new
material, said Jeff Gerstmann, senior editor at the review and news Web
site GameSpot.
When the sex scene was discovered, Rockstar initially blamed malicious
hackers for the problem but later conceded that the material had been left
in the game by its commercial developers.
It depicts the fully clothed lead character having sex with a woman wearing
a thong and T-shirt. The mini-game can be won or lost depending on how well
players fill up an "excitement meter."
Even though Rockstar admitted the mini-game was hidden in the retail game,
the "San Andreas" ratings flap could change the way game companies view
mods.
In a statement, the Entertainment Software Rating Board's chief, Patricia
Vance, called on the industry to proactively protect games from illegal
modifications by third parties, "particularly when they serve to undermine
the accuracy of the rating."
But completely stopping modders could to be a near impossible task, said
Sid Shuman, an editor for GamePro.com.
"It's something, frankly, that digital entertainment is not really well
equipped to deal with. You can't really stop people from making changes,"
he said. "People will always find where that one file is, and they will
always be able to modify it."
Another catch is that the game-development process involves programming
concepts or levels that are never fully explored but left in games because
altering or removing them could cause other parts to stop working.
"Grand Theft Auto" was released in October with an "M" rating, for players
17 and older. It was last year's top console game, selling more than 5.1
million copies in the U.S., according to market analyst NPD Group. Xbox and
PC versions were released last month.
Rockstar has now stopped making that version of "Grand Theft Auto" and is
working on secure update that complies with an "M" rating.
In a bit of irony the company is apt not to find amusing, Rockstar says it
will also offer a downloadable patch to fix the sexual content in current
PC versions.
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Nigeria Jails Woman in $242 Million Email Fraud Case
A Nigerian court has sentenced a woman to two and half years in jail after
she pleaded guilty to fraud charges in the country's biggest e-mail scam
case, the anti-fraud agency said on Saturday.
Amaka Anajemba, one of three suspects in a $242 million fraud involving a
Brazilian bank, would return $48.5 million to the bank, hand over $5
million to the government and pay a fine of 2 million naira ($15,000), the
agency said.
Scams have become so successful in Nigeria that anti-sleaze campaigners
say swindling is one of the country's main foreign exchange earners after
oil, natural gas and cocoa.
Anajemba's sentencing by a Lagos High Court on Friday is the first major
conviction since the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was
established in 2003 to crack down on Nigeria's thriving networks of email
fraudsters.
The agency said in a statement that the judgment was "a landmark
achievement by EFCC in the fight against advance fee fraud, corruption and
other related crimes."
Typically fraudsters send out junk e-mails around the world promising
recipients a share in a fortune in return for an advance fee. Those who pay
never receive the promised windfall.
Anajemba, whose late husband masterminded the swindling of the Sao
Paolo-based Banco Noroeste S.A. between 1995 and 1998, was charged along
with Emmanuel Nwude and Nzeribe Okoli.
The prosecution said the three accused obtained the $242 million by
promising a member of the bank staff a commission for funding a
non-existent contract to build an airport in Nigeria's capital Abuja.
All three accused pleaded not guilty, but Anajemba later changed her mind
to enter a guilty plea in order to receive a shorter sentence.
Her prison term was backdated to start in January 2004 when she was first
taken in custody. The trial of the two others who maintained their not
guilty pleas was adjourned to September.
Ranked the world's second most corrupt country after Bangladesh by sleaze
watchdog Transparency International, Nigeria has given new powers to the
EFCC which is prosecuting about 200 fraud and corruption cases.
The anti-fraud agency has arrested over 200 junk mail scam suspects since
2003. It says it has also confiscated property worth $200 million and
secured 10 other convictions.
Next Version of Windows Named 'Vista'
Microsoft Corp. dropped the code name Longhorn on Friday, announcing the
next version of its flagship Windows operating system will be called
Windows Vista.
The world's largest software maker also said it will release the first of
two test versions to developers and information technology professionals by
Aug. 3.
The company did not say when it expects to release a second test version
to a broader audience, but said it remains on target to ship the
oft-delayed update to Windows XP sometime in the second half of next year.
Microsoft gave an internal gathering of its employees in Atlanta the first
word about the new name Thursday.
"The core idea around Windows Vista is bringing clarity to the user so they
can focus on what matters most," Brad Goldberg, general manager for Windows
product management said Friday.
Vista's features will include better ways to visualize data, such as seeing
through windows that are stacked atop each other, more natural file
organization and faster searching.
The operating system will also be designed to better protect computers
against viruses and spyware.
Windows XP Flaw Exposes Users to Denial-of-Service Attacks
A flaw in Windows XP causing computers to crash and be forced offline
escaped Microsoft's latest round of security patches, according to
researchers. After a security group made the vulnerability public,
Microsoft warned the announcement could put customers at risk.
The Windows Remote Desktop Service - designed to permit people to access
their computers remotely - has a flaw that could allow attackers to launch
a denial-of-service (DoS) assault, causing the computer to become
unresponsive, according to Security Protocols, the group that announced
the flaw.
By default, the service is turned off in Windows, and a firewall should
prohibit the DoS attack, according to Microsoft.
Microsoft says it is "aggressively investigating the public reports."
Microsoft has known of the flaw since May, when the vulnerability was
brought to the company's attention, according to Security Protocols.
Microsoft said it will release a patch in August for the flaw. The software
maker said it has not heard of any Windows XP users falling prey to the
security hole.
"Our investigation has determined that this is limited to a denial of
service, and therefore an attacker could not use this vulnerability to take
complete control of a system," according to a Microsoft advisory released
over the weekend.
Security Protocols, which first alerted Microsoft of the vulnerability on
May 4, described the flaw as "boring" because it was a hole that opened
machines only to denial-of-service attacks.
Earlier this month, Microsoft released a raft of patches for its Internet
Explorer and Microsoft Word applications. These fixes were designed to
patch what Microsoft termed "critical" vulnerabilities. Unlike the latest
Windows Remote Desktop Services flaw, Microsoft announced that attackers
were exploiting these software holes actively.
Secunia, a security watchdog based in Denmark, gives the latest Windows
security flaw a "moderately critical" rating.
While Microsoft admits the flaw exists, the company decried making the
vulnerability public. Now that the flaw is known publicly, Microsoft fears
customers are at risk.
In a related announcement, security company Sophos announced a ZombieAlert
program, notifying organizations when one of their computers are infected.
Zombie computers often are the source of waves of unsolicited e-mail and
denial-of-service attacks. Sophos estimates zombie computers deliver half
of the spam users receive.
AOL Delivers AIM Mail
As of today, the 22 million active AOL Instant Messenger users will
officially have access to America Online's new AIM Mail service, designed
to be seamlessly integrated into the messaging service. The new mail
service will allow users to use their AIM Screen Name as their email
address and allows up to 2 GB of email storage.
AIM Mail will be instantly accessible once users download the updated
version of the AIM 5.9 software. Other tweaks to the messaging service
includes an expanded Buddy List feature that can accommodate up to 400
buddy names, can store more contact information for each buddy and allows
for double the writing space for "more creative" away messages.
"We are very excited to invite AIM users to activate their AIM Mail
accounts, which are ready and available today," Chamath Palihapitiya, AOL
vice president and general manager for AIM and ICQ, said. "We are also
thanking our users for making their AIM Screen Name a core part of their
identity by giving them the chance to win really cool prizes simply by
activating their AIM Mail."
The prizes are part of a sweepstakes accompanying the system-wide
auto-upgrade that will begin rolling out across the AIM network over the
next week. AIM Mail users could win a Starbucks gift card, T-Mobile
Sidekick, Apple iPod Shuffle, Sony PlayStation Portable, or, the grand
prize - a 2005 MINI Cooper S.
In other AOL news, the company said it's offering its 80 million AOL users
unlimited e-mail storage capacity. The upgrade will roll out over a period
of a few weeks.
"With unprecedented e-mail storage capacity, our members will be able to
keep every single message and attachment they ever receive, if they wish,"
Mark Greatrex, executive vice president, Access Marketing, AOL said.
"Unlimited storage resources will enable members to save and access to all
of their e-mail content, attachments and folders, anytime, anywhere, and
easily share them with friends and family."
Also, dial-up users will have access to AOL's Multiple Simultaneous Log-Ins
feature - allowing for up to seven AOL Screen Names on a single account and
the ability to sign into AOL simultaneously from multiple locations.
Both new features will be available to AOL members at no extra charge.
These upgrades comprise a small part of AOL's plans to revamp its services.
In addition to having plans to relaunch an improved AOL.com Web site later
this summer, the company has, in the past few months, built a browser into
AIM, released a developer's tool that allows companies to include AIM into
video games, launched a VOIP service and a blog service aimed at teens.
Blue Frog Antispam Tech Targets Spamvertized Sites
Blue Security, a California startup company, believes spammers have gone
far enough in poisoning the e-mail experience. Tired of watching the
problem grow, the company on Tuesday released "Blue Frog" software to make
spammers pay for their bad behavior. But there are questions about the
legality of the new approach.
In the natural world, the Blue Frog is so poisonous that its predators
leave it alone out of fear of becoming violently ill. Blue Security hopes
to apply the same concept to controlling spam, making sending spam so
painful that those involved in the business will stop.
"We're really frustrated," said Eran Reshef, Blue Security founder and CEO.
"We've had enough and we're not going to put up with it." The startup,
founded in 2004, now is offering free downloads of a beta version of its
spam-combating client software.
Blue Security's approach uses the carrot-and-stick method to reduce spam.
Spammers are asked to adhere to a Do Not Intrude Registry of people who do
not wish to receive unwanted e-mail, much like telemarketers are asked to
abide by the Do Not Call Registry.
Users of Blue Frog receive a "honeypot" address that Blue Security
advertises publicly. When spammers send unwanted e-mail to those addresses,
Blue Frog responds with a warning to stop.
If warnings are ignored, the Blue Frogs installed on Blue Community
members' machines automatically post complaints on the Web sites advertised
by the spammers. For each spam message received by the community, a single
complaint is posted. This procedure essentially creates enough disruption -
indeed, bordering on a denial-of-service attack - to prevent potential
customers from accessing the spammer's Web site.
"Blue Security takes an active approach that deters spammers by interfering
with their ability to do business, compelling them to comply with the
Registry and stop sending spam to Blue Community members," according to the
company.
Offenders have only two options: They can stop sending spam or, if they
choose to continue, they will suffer from Blue Frog user complaints.
"That's going to make spammers' lives very hard," said Reshef.
Reshef is quick to deny his tactic is illegal or unethical. While some
reports suggest that the Blue Frog technology might create a cavalry of
antispammers hammering an offender's Web site to the point where it cannot
accept any traffic at all, Blue Frog is safe and ethical, said Reshef.
When the software "complains," it is a one-to-one response, according to
the company.
Although several previous attempts - including one by Lycos - to stop
spammers in this manner have failed, the Blue Frog system identifies the
actual spammers, said Reshef.
Two spammers already have downloaded the registry, said Reshef.
"We have to face the fact filters don't solve the problem," he said. While
filters hide spam, the numbers of spam messages still are growing.
"If enough people abandon the idea of passively filtering spam and realize
that unrelenting action is required, we can together stand up for our
online rights and reclaim the e-mail experience," he said.
New Spam-Fighting Technique Criticized
Escalating the war on spam, a California company wants to let thousands of
users collaborate to disable the Web sites spammers use to sell their
wares.
A leading anti-spam advocate, however, criticized Blue Security Inc.'s Blue
Frog initiative as being no more than a denial-of-service attack, the
technique hackers use to effectively shut down a Web site by overwhelming
it with fake traffic.
"It's the worst kind of vigilante approach," said John Levine, a board
member with the Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial E-mail.
"Deliberate attacks against people's Web sites are illegal."
Levine recalled a screen saver program that the Web portal Lycos Europe
distributed briefly last year. The program was designed to overwhelm sites
identified by Lycos as selling products pitched in spam.
Eran Reshef, Blue Security's founder and chief executive, denied any
wrongdoing, saying Blue Frog was merely empowering users to collectively
make complaints they otherwise would have sent individually.
Here's how the technique works:
o When users add e-mail addresses to a "do-not-spam" list, Blue Security
creates additional addresses, known as honeypots, designed to do nothing
but attract spam.
o If a honeypot receives spam, Blue Security tries to warn the spammer.
Then it triggers the Blue Frog software on a user's computer to send a
complaint automatically.
o Thousands complaining at once will knock out a Web site and thus
encourage spammers to stop sending e-mail to the "do-not-spam" list.
Reshef acknowledges that the technique only works if enough users - say,
100,000 - join. The program is initially free, but Reshef said Blue
Security might eventually charge new users.
Snap.com Plans to Combat 'Click Fraud'
People scoffed nearly a decade ago when serial entrepreneur Bill Gross
proposed an online search engine that ranked results based on how much
advertisers were willing to pay to have their links tied to specific
requests.
But the concept developed into a revolutionary idea that turned Internet
search engines into massive moneymaking machines.
Now Gross hopes to shake things up again with Snap.com, which is providing
another commercial twist on search engines while also promising to deliver
more useful results than industry leaders Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc.
"We feel there is so much more innovation that can take place in search,"
Gross said Monday. "It's hard to say that little Snap will ever beat
Google, but I think we can become a viable alternative."
As Snap gears up to shift out of test phase, the search engine's parent
company - Pasadena-based Perfect Market Technologies Inc. - has raised $10
million in a venture capital round led by Mayfield, a Menlo Park firm.
Gross and Snap CEO Tom McGovern intend to use some of that money to spread
the word about a system that he believes can deliver better value for
advertisers.
Google, Yahoo and other search engines make money by distributing
sponsored Web links that are tied to a search query or the content
displayed on a page. Advertisers pay commissions whenever the commercial
links are clicked on, even if the traffic doesn't result in a sale.
Gross pioneered this "pay-per-click" approach at GoTo.com, which later
changed its name to Overture Services before Yahoo bought it for $1.7
billion in 2003. Google introduced its own pay-per-click model, known as
AdWords, in 2002.
As it has emerged into a highly effective marketing tool, the pay-per-click
system has spawned more mischief, too. Looking for a competitive advantage,
some advertisers have repeatedly clicked on a rival's link in an attempt to
drain their marketing budgets. Other rogue Web sites belonging to the ad
networks maliciously click on commercial links to generate more commissions
for themselves.
The estimates on the prevalence of so-called "click fraud" vary widely.
Critics of the system say 10 to 20 percent of the clicks are bogus - done
by a person or automated program with no intention of buying something.
Others say incidents of fraud are vastly overblown.
Gross is among those who believe click fraud is a big problem. He aims to
change things with a "cost per action" system that only charges ad
commission when a purchase is actually completed.
"I believe the commercial side of search will evolve toward cost-per-action
in the next five to 10 years," Gross said.
Other entrepreneurs also are trying to improve upon ideas they conceived
years ago. For example, the co-founders of online price and shopping
comparison site MySimon.com are taking another stab at the niche. Michael
Yang and Yeogirl Yun recently raised $7.2 million in venture capital to
back Become.com, a search engine that pulls together product reviews and
prices.
Gross's record of innovation helped separate Snap from other startups
trying to elbow their way into the search engine industry, said Allen
Morgan, Mayfield's managing director.
"It's kind of like the Big Bang is happening right now," Morgan said. "The
search market is exploding infinitely and in all directions. We feel like
it's opening a pretty interesting opportunity for a company like Snap."
But not all investors admire Gross. After the dot-com bust, a group of
prominent investors sued him, alleging he and his wife had been looting
their business incubator, Idealab, to support lavish lifestyles. Gross
brushed off the complaints as sour grapes, and a judge eventually rejected
an attempt to liquidate Idealab so investors could recoup some of their
losses.
Morgan, who is joining Snap's board of directors, is betting Snap can
become a more refined search engine alternative - a sort of Target to
Google's Wal-Mart.
But Snap faces a long haul ahead. Mountain View-based Google handled 1.8
billion U.S. search requests last month, giving it a 36.9 percent share of
the market, according to comScore Networks. Sunnyvale-based Yahoo ranked
second with 1.5 billion U.S. searches, or 30.4 percent of the market. As of
Monday, Snap had processed just 16.4 million search requests since its site
debuted nine months ago.
Feds Accuse Firms in Porn E-Mail Scheme
Federal regulators accused seven companies Wednesday of hiring others to
send illegal e-mails with pornographic messages to tempt consumers to visit
adult Internet sites.
The government said four of the firms already agreed to pay nearly $1.2
million to settle the charges, making it among the most aggressive
government crackdowns on pornographic e-mail operations.
The Federal Trade Commission described the practice as "electronic
flashing" and said at least some of the unwanted e-mails were sent to
children. The threat of children unwittingly receiving smut in their
inboxes helped drive the U.S. government to impose restrictions on sending
commercial e-mails last year.
The FTC said the messages were not prominently marked "sexually explicit,"
did not include instructions for consumers to block future e-mails and did
not include a postal address, all required under federal law.
Consumers complained about receiving the pornographic e-mails and forwarded
copies of the troublesome messages to a special e-mail address set up by
the FTC (spam(at)uce.gov), said Jonathan M. Kraden, an attorney with the
agency's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "We received thousands of
messages," Kraden said.
The FTC said the seven companies did not send e-mails directly to consumers
but operated affiliate programs, paying others to send unwanted messages to
drive Internet traffic to adult Web sites. The FTC said under the "Can
Spam" law, defendants in such cases are liable because they paid others to
send e-mails on their behalf.
The government said investigators from Microsoft Corp. helped track the
companies. Microsoft, which operates its MSN online subscription service
and offers free "Hotmail" e-mail accounts, analyzed the pornographic sites
advertised in the unwanted e-mails to identify the companies responsible,
the FTC said.
The FTC said it directed the Justice Department to file civil lawsuits
against three of the companies: T.J. Web Productions LLC of Henderson,
Nev.; Cyberheat Inc. of Tucson, Ariz.; and Impulse Media Group Inc. of
Seattle. The lawsuits seek unspecified payment to the government for "every
violation" of the federal anti-spam law.
The attorney for T.J. Web Productions, Lawrence G. Walters of Altamonte
Springs, Fla., said the company was still negotiating with the Justice
Department. Walters said there were "legitimate concerns and legal
variables" over the government's claims. "If necessary, our client is
prepared to litigate those issues," he said.
Executives with Cyberheat did not return telephone messages left by The
Associated Press. An executive with Impulse Media Group, Seth Schermerhorn,
declined to comment immediately.
The FTC said four of the companies agreed to settle cases against them.
BangBros.com Inc. of Miami agreed to pay $650,000; MD Media of Bingham
Farms, Mich., agreed to pay $238,743; APC Entertainment Inc. of Davie,
Fla., will pay $220,000; and Pure Marketing Solutions LLC of Miami and
Internet Matrix Technology of New Orleans will together pay $50,000, the
FTC said.
The attorney for MD Media, Danny E. Adams of Kelley Drye in Washington, did
not immediately respond to a phone call and e-mail request for comment. The
phone numbers listed on Internet records for BangBros.com and Pure
Marketing Solutions were disconnected, and the companies did not respond to
e-mail requests for comment. Executives for APC Entertainment did not
respond to a telephone message from the AP.
Internet Jargon Confuses Consumers, Says Pew Study
Faced with technology buzzwords like "RSS" and "podcasting," many Americans
are responding with a blank stare, according to a new study by the Pew
Internet and American Life Project.
Although only 3 percent of Internet users do not know such security terms
as spam, spyware or firewall, a full 70 percent of users are unaware that
"phishing" refers to the threat of fraudulent e-mail that can cause people
to disclose their private financial information.
The survey found an even higher level of unfamiliarity with other emerging
terms. More than 90 percent of Internet users are unsure what RSS, or
Really Simple Syndication, is, while 87 percent of survey participants said
they were not sure what "podcasting" was all
about.
"The findings are another reminder that new and exciting technology
developments that seize the interest of industry officials and journalists,
such as podcasting and RSS feeds, usually take a while to register in the
wider public," said Lee Raine, director of the Pew study.
As in previous surveys about consumer knowledge of the Internet, the study
found men more than women and younger more than older users were likely to
be aware of new terminology.
In addition, the survey found, not surprisingly, that users who spend more
time on the Internet have a greater chance of understanding current
Internet jargon.
The confusion over terminology is causing some companies to reword their
marketing to consumers, said Su Li Walker, consumer analyst with the Yankee
Group.
While Yahoo makes RSS feeds available through its My Yahoo service, the
search engine describes it as continual updating of headlines.
Cable providers that are marketing Voice over IP, or VoIP, shy away from
using the term in advertising, instead preferring "digital voice" to
describe phone calls routed across the Internet.
To overcome the barrier associated with understanding these terms,
companies are placing less emphasis on the technical descriptions and more
on the services provided by these technologies.
"The benefits need to be described," said Walker. For example, while RSS
leans heavily on technical jargon, once its benefits are described, users
warm up to the concept, explained the analyst.
Clearly, refusing to interpret for consumers the benefits of technology
laden with jargon can harm a business. "Consumers might turn away from
technology," said Walker.
=~=~=~=
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Atari Online News, Etc.
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not necessarily reflect those of the staff, or of the publishers. All
material herein is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing.
