From hij333@mail.uole.com.ve Sat Aug 28 20:01:38 1999 From: hij333@mail.uole.com.ve (hij333@mail.uole.com.ve) Date: Sat, 28 Aug 1999 13:01:38 -0700 Subject: [LINK] We Lend anyway! Message-ID: <000053d0669b$00005ddb$00004a1c@> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/link/attachments/d911850f/attachment.htm From tom.worthington@tomw.net.au Sun Aug 1 01:27:12 1999 From: tom.worthington@tomw.net.au (Tom Worthington) Date: Sun, 01 Aug 1999 11:27:12 +1000 Subject: [LINK] re: Liberal Party told to Scrap DSTO & Spend $161M PA on R&D Message-ID: <2.2.32.19990801012712.007270c8@tomw.net.au> I wrote Fri, 30 Jul 1999 16:30:16 +1000: >The draft of my talk "Information Technology and the Rural Sector" is at: > http://www.tomw.net.au/papers/itr.html > >... In place of DSTO an Australian Defence Research Agency could be established. This would be >modelled on the US DoD's Defence Research projects Agency (DARPA) and would work by contracting > research to external R&D organisations. DSTO's current budget could be cut to return a >20% productivity bonus to Government and 10% of the remainder retained for administration >(with 10% of the current staff level). The remaining 70% of budget, would provide $161 >million for grants to Australian organisations to conduct research and development..." The Federal Finance Minister, three Senators and an assortment of NSW politicians were present for the Seminar on Saturday. It will be interesting to see if anything develops as a result, of it the media at Internet World'99, where I will be Monday to Wednesday pick it up. Tom Worthington http://www.tomw.net.au tom.worthington@tomw.net.au Ph: 0419 496150 PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617 Visiting Fellow, Dept. Computer Science, Australian National University Publications Director & Past President, Australian Computer Society ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net Traveller launched at IW'99: http://www.acs.org.au/news/traveler.htm From tom.worthington@tomw.net.au Sun Aug 1 01:27:11 1999 From: tom.worthington@tomw.net.au (Tom Worthington) Date: Sun, 01 Aug 1999 11:27:11 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Government Internet Payments Panel Released Message-ID: <2.2.32.19990801012711.00727b38@tomw.net.au> The successful companies for the Federal Government's Internet Payments Panel have been released on the BEP web site at: http://about.business.gov.au/ipp/ I am not sure if this has been officially announced yet, but the web site says they are for use from 1 August. Dr Guy Verney, from Commonwealth Office of Small Business, will be talking about the Business Entry Point at the Government Online Forum, which I am chairing at Internet World'99 in Sydney on Monday: http://events.internet.com/australia99/ Background: http://about.business.gov.au/ipp/backgd.htm "The BEP Management Branch's objective for establishing this Standing Offer Panel is to facilitate the procurement of Internet payment products and related services by Australian Governments. The products and services on this Panel are primarily aimed at providing or enhancing systems for payments to government by businesses... The Panel is in place for 12 months with an option to extend for an additional 6 months. It is expected that the Panel will be supplemented or replaced at that time by new arrangements covering broader aspects of government electronic commerce." Company Contact List: http://about.business.gov.au/ipp/list.htm Company Contact Name Phone Email ACI Worldwide (Pacific) Allison Aldred (03) 9823 4532 aldreda@tsainc.com ANZ Banking Group Michael Kerr (02) 9843 4074 kerrm12@anz.com Australian Business Access Christine Greiser (03) 8341 2400 greiser@aba.net.au Brokat Warwick Williams (02) 9293 2854 wwilliams@brokat.com Camtech Andrew Weller (08) 8303 3300 aweller@camtech.com.au Chimo Richard Jacka (08) 8232 9644 richard@chimo.com.au CITEC Ian Everett (07) 3222 2192 ian.everett@citec.com.au Compaq Tony Webster (02) 6275 4858 tony.webster@compaq.com Comtech Communications Terry Kimball (02) 6257 7695 tkimball@ctis.com.au Creative Digital Technology Philip Burton (02) 9999 2340 philip@creative.com.au Dow Digital Larry Quick (08) 9444 4990 larry.quick@dowdigital.com.au HPA (Hermes Precisa) Phil Hoare (02) 6239 2311 phil.hoare@hpa.com.au Ingenico Craig Godden (02) 9979 9333 cgodden@ingenico.com.au Interact Technology Group John Hayden (02) 6243 0333 john.hayden@interact.net.au Jadco Peter Sharland (02) 9878 8555 peters@jadco.com.au Maxi Multimedia Gerry Thornewell (03) 9262 1672 gerry.thornewell@maxi.com.au North Communications Mark Botsford (07) 3870 8944 mbotsford@northcom.com.au Open Market Nigel Trinca (02) 9255 7747 ntrinca@openmarket.com Opentec Alan Conder (02) 9878 1744 alanc@opentec.com.au QSI Payment Technologies Warren Shaw (07) 3210 2522 warren.shaw@qsi.com.au Stratus Computer Systems Mike Fyson (03) 9866 1255 michael_fyson@stratus.com Telstra Shayne Smith (02) 6209 4269 shayne.smith@telstra.com.au Westpac Banking Corporation Brian Acworth (02) 6275 5289 bacworth@westpac.com.au Tom Worthington http://www.tomw.net.au tom.worthington@tomw.net.au Ph: 0419 496150 PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617 Visiting Fellow, Dept. Computer Science, Australian National University Publications Director & Past President, Australian Computer Society ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net Traveller launched at IW'99: http://www.acs.org.au/news/traveler.htm From rene@pobox.com Sun Aug 1 10:32:06 1999 From: rene@pobox.com (Irene Graham) Date: Sun, 01 Aug 1999 20:32:06 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Net security a worry: survey In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <37a6fa16.32895762@mail.bit.net.au> On Sat, 31 Jul 1999 16:46:05 +1000 tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) wrote: >Source: Email version of ABC News today. > >*Net security a worry: survey* > >A three-nation survey of attitudes towards the Internet has found >people are still sceptical about security on Net. Summary of survey is at: http://www.stiftung.bertelsmann.de/internetcontent/english/frameset.htm?content/c2000.htm "On behalf of the Bertelsmann Foundation in Gutersloh, Germany and in cooperation with the Australian Broadcasting Authority in Sydney, Australia, the Institut fur Demoskopie Allensbach completed a study in June, 1999 ascertaining the current views of the populations in Australia, Germany and the United States with regard to possible risks associated with the Internet and practical ways of selecting and controlling Internet content." The full report, in German, is at: http://www.stiftung.bertelsmann.de/internetcontent/english/download/Bertelsm.pdf English version expected online "approx" August 6. A number of questions were apparently not asked of Australians. Babelfish translation of some of the questions and responses tends to suggest that those not asked of Australians were relative to matters the government has decreed are beyond debate. Selected quotes from the summary follow: >The Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) says people have >genuine concerns about Internet content. "The American and German populations agree that many of the things being shown on television or the Internet nowadays are problematic. (This and a few other questions were not posed in Australia). There is a widespread desire to encounter problematic content. And self-regulation is the most favoured way." >The survey was conducted in Australia amongst 1,200 respondents as >part of an international study on Internet content self-regulation. "The representative survey was conducted with 1200 phone interviews among the general population over 18 years of age and approx. 800 Internet users." >The ABA says while Australians are using the Internet in increasing >numbers, they are concerned about security and violent or >pornographic content. It will be interesting to see whether the responses actually show anything different to what we know from previous surveys. Rough translations of some sections suggest not. >Andree Wright from the ABA says the survey also found Australians >generally favour regulation of Internet content. "The majority of the population in all three countries is convinced that people are by no means powerless in the face of this new media content; rather, many believe, for example, that parents can control which media contents their children are confronted with" "Internet users in the U.S. have greatest confidence in self-regulation, whereas Germans and Australians have comparatively great faith in the major online providers, while also, for example, citing website producers and the courts to a greater degree than the Americans do. A high percentage of Australians also have confidence in government and independent agencies. " Await to see what question was actually asked. It appears, for example, that a higher % of Australians said hotlines should be funded/run by government, than those who said industry should. This could, presumably, be "faith in government and independent agencies", not necessarily faith in goverment/agencies to solve any perceived problem with Net content. "...a large majority of the German and American Internet users interviewed feel it is important that they be able to set the filters themselves. " Appears Australians weren't asked that. >She says the results of the survey will be put to an international >panel in Germany this September. > >"This has been a major initiative to develop a broad set of >strategies to regulate the Internet by industry, academia and >government policy-makers," Ms Wright said. From rene@pobox.com Sun Aug 1 10:37:45 1999 From: rene@pobox.com (Irene Graham) Date: Sun, 01 Aug 1999 20:37:45 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Judge blocks michigan net content law In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <37ab236c.43478810@mail.bit.net.au> On Sat, 31 Jul 1999 16:55:15 +1000 tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) wrote: [...] >and the U.S. Commerce Clause. Tarnow wrote in his decision that >the government should not undermine free speech to protect >children on the Internet, as parents have less-restrictive means >at their disposal to accomplish the task. (Reuters 07/29/99) And the least restrictive means? "Finally, the Court takes judicial notice of the fact that every computer is equipped with an on/off switch." ACLU media release and link to Court decision: http://www.aclu.org/features/f072999a.html Irene From stephen@melbpc.org.au Sun Aug 1 11:38:44 1999 From: stephen@melbpc.org.au (stephen loosley) Date: Sun, 01 Aug 1999 21:38:44 +1000 Subject: [LINK] New army comms system. Message-ID: <4.1.19990801200446.00a4e420@popa.melbpc.org.au> As Tom relates in his book, Net Traveller, in 1997 the U.S. warship USS Blue Ridge (Command and Control) used standard MS Office etc applications for sending email. If this is now also the case for our Australian Defence Forces, one would hope that the U.S Forces share its powerful encryption technology with friendly forces, eg Australian. Otherwise, judging by this news report, CNN war-zone reporting for the masses during UN police actions might soon become a little redundant. -- E-mail Heads to the Front Line http://www.it.fairfax.com.au/breaking/19990727/A57740-1999Jul27.html AAP THE Australian Army unveiled a high technology digital communications systems today which will allow e-mails to be sent to the front line. The $120 million transportable communications system will allow front line troops to communicate with other units, their base, air support and even headquarters in Canberra from anywhere in the world through voice, fax, and e-mail, said Major Alison Creagh of the 1st Joint Support Unit. Project Parakeet is managed by British Aerospace Australia, and designed specifically for Australian Defence Force use. Project Parakeet involves a series of vehicle-mounted modules to provide voice, data, telegraph and facsimile services. -- Happy trails .. Stephen Loosley www.stephen.hm From richard@auscoms.com.au Sun Aug 1 22:59:27 1999 From: richard@auscoms.com.au (richard@auscoms.com.au) Date: Mon, 02 Aug 99 08:59:27 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Follow-up on WebTrust Message-ID: <9908029335.AA933548401@mail.auscoms.com.au> An interesting sidelight to the WebTrust press releases put out last week, and slavishly cut-and-pasted into the daily media. The site for the WebTrust information is http://www.icaa.org.au/webtrust -- which would seem to me counter-intuitive for an organisation trying to raise public awareness. Why not, I asked myself, http://www.webtrust.com.au as a logical place to go? Ahh. Because the people setting up WebTrust didn't bother to register webtrust.com.au as a domain name. It's owned by someone called Citylink Services and was registered -- on June 17th 1999. Now, I'm not privy to the Institute of Chartered Accountants' policy discussions. However, they're putting themselves forward as having a particular expertise in offering a guarantee of business behaviour on the Web -- that the site you go to is the site you expect, and you know with whom you're dealing. However, this same outfit doesn't seem to have thought about user behaviour, and doesn't bother to register the URL which would be most closely associated with its product. Richard Chirgwin From simon@internode.com.au Mon Aug 2 04:30:19 1999 From: simon@internode.com.au (Simon Hackett) Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 14:00:19 +0930 Subject: [Oz-ISP] Re: [LINK] IIA - Australia's new censors In-Reply-To: Message-ID: At 12:03 AM +0930 30/7/99, Tony Barry wrote: >At 11:00 PM 29/7/99, Simon Hackett wrote: >>The IIA supported ammendments which were incorporated into the bill, called >>the 'alternative access provisions'. You have described, above, almost >>exactly how they work, and have precisely described their outcome for any >>ISP who chooses to use them. This is no accident. >> >>So that great alternative that you've described, i.e. to allow ISP's to >>obey the law by simply giving their clients the _option_ to do it on their >>own systems at home instead - well, that exists, in the law, right now. No >>lobbying needed, its all been done. > >I would feel greatly reassured if the ABA stated that this was they way >they hoped/intended to administer the legislation. Indeed, so would I. I guess we await 'news' from the ABA in this regard as time goes by... Simon --- Simon Hackett, Technical Director, Internode Systems Pty Ltd 31 York St [PO Box 284, Rundle Mall], Adelaide, SA 5000 Australia Email: simon@internode.com.au Web: http://www.on.net Phone: +61-8-8223-2999 Fax: +61-8-8223-1777 From brd@dynamite.com.au Mon Aug 2 04:57:01 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Mon, 2 Aug 99 04:57:01 GMT Subject: [LINK] Regulatory attempts show ignorance of Net Message-ID: 37a5251d.2e3.0@dynamite.com.au ComputerWorld http://www2.idg.com.au/CWT1997.nsf/Home+page/4812FC75727A13854A2567BE00257ECC?OpenDocument 2 August 1999 Whilst governments have a role to play in legislating with respect to the Internet, Australian governments' attempts at regulation of the Internet show a lack of knowledge of the medium, That is the view of John Lambrick, manager of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology's legal services. "The concern is that, as with the recent Broadcasting Services Amendment (Online Services) Act enacted to restrict access to Internet pornography, the legislatures have failed to understand - or perhaps don't want to understand - the nature of the Internet and the ability of governments to effectively regulate it," Lambrick said. Lambrick says that single governments cannot effectively regulate the Internet because the activity the government seeks to regulate often takes place beyond its borders. According to Lambrick, international consensus about the powers of a government to regulate activity of individuals outside its boundaries needs to be reached. "For example, Section 9(1) of the Victorian Act provides that a person must not offer or advertise in Victoria the playing of interactive games. If a person legitimately conducts an interactive gaming business in the Netherlands, their Web site, when accessed in Victoria would constitute such an advertisement or offer. Would that person risk arrest if the interactive game was not registered in Victoria and subsequently set foot in the state?" Lambrick asked. Lambrick does see a role for governments to enact legislation to facilitate Internet transactions. "The Australian Internet gaming legislation facilitates transactions in that it creates an environment for a person to gamble online with a solvent body and with a reasonable likelihood that winnings will be paid." "Unfortunately the legislation goes too far by unrealistically attempting to regulate online gaming activity." -- For something that has spread with all the forethought of kudzu, the Internet isn't half bad. -- Newsweek, 2/27/95. Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From danielm@staff.dis.unimelb.edu.au Mon Aug 2 04:56:16 1999 From: danielm@staff.dis.unimelb.edu.au (Moody, Daniel) Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 14:56:16 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Australia still behind in IT development Message-ID: <469A064B22CDD21198FE00104B360CAF4B858B@staff.dis.unimelb.edu.au> Jan, There is a PDF version of the paper on our website at http://www.dis.unimelb.edu.au/research/seminar/papers.htm Regards Daniel > -----Original Message----- > From: Jan Whitaker [SMTP:jwhit@primenet.com] > Sent: Saturday, July 31, 1999 11:41 AM > To: brucekay@ozemail.com.au > Cc: link@www.anu.edu.au; danielm@staff.dis.unimelb.edu.au; > petew@sba.com.au > Subject: RE: [LINK] Australia still behind in IT development > > I just read an excellent paper by Daniel Moody from the Dept of > Information > Systems at Melbourne University and Peter Walsh from Simsion Bowles on a > way > to use accounting principles to value information as assets on the 'books' > of a company. They take into account the production systems, e.g. > hardware/software etc. which are normal, but extend the argument to also > include the ACTUAL information output from the hardware and software. > > Excellent paper titled: Measuring the Value of Information: An Asset > Valuation Approach. > > There wasn't a web address for it on the printed version. Daniel, is the > paper available electronically now, or would you be able to make one > available? We were just discussing the point that many Australian > managers > and execs still treat IT as an overhead rather than an asset. Your paper > shows a way to move to new understandings. > > Cheers, > Jan > > JLWhitaker Associates > Melbourne, Victoria, Australia > jwhit@primenet.com -- http://www.primenet.com/~jwhit/whitentr.htm > > STOP Censorship! http://www.efa.org.au/Campaigns/ > From tswarner@dynamite.com.au Mon Aug 2 05:26:46 1999 From: tswarner@dynamite.com.au (Terry Swarner) Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 15:26:46 +1000 Subject: [LINK] LOTS OF UPPER-CASE LETTERS ARE BURNING MY EYEBALLS References: <2.2.32.19990728212452.0067bef8@tomw.net.au> Message-ID: <37A52C16.BD54C576@dynamite.com.au> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/mixed attachment --------------D18108D76FCFD28AB7D3AA2F Unless they have changed the OCR system in NATO and the MILSPEC for message traffic -- all messages that require OCR (ie: from a typewriter, another ancient device remember by some) musdt be in OCR A or B (not shouting now) and on red or blue drop out forms. OCR font faces are all caps. Also, the default type face and case for the internet is fixed Times New Roman 10 not variable font Courier New (unless you subscriber to the religion of NW US which says that everyone must follow the path of golden programming and change your philosophy (and the standards) to meet the practice). Tom Worthington wrote: > At 09:59 28/07/99 +1000, Rachel Polanskis wrote: > > >...A net legend is that early TTY terminals could only do upper case > >(like telex and the like) ... > > I recall one Defence colleague who pointed out a rule requiring all messages > to be in upper case. This derived from the time when morse operators had to > read hand written messages. > > Tom Worthington http://www.tomw.net.au tom.worthington@tomw.net.au > PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617 > Visiting Fellow, Dept. Computer Science, Australian National University > Publications Director & Past President, Australian Computer Society > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > One Voice Campaign to free CARE workers: http://www.tomw.net.au/onevoice --------------D18108D76FCFD28AB7D3AA2F An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/link/attachments/ec65697e/attachment.htm --------------D18108D76FCFD28AB7D3AA2F-- ---------------------- multipart/mixed attachment A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: tswarner.vcf Type: text/x-vcard Size: 384 bytes Desc: Card for Terry Swarner Url : http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/link/attachments/23c7483c/tswarner.vcf ---------------------- multipart/mixed attachment-- From glen.turner@adelaide.edu.au Mon Aug 2 07:09:58 1999 From: glen.turner@adelaide.edu.au (Glen Turner) Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 07:09:58 +0000 Subject: [LINK] Lots of upper case... References: <2.2.32.19990728212452.0067bef8@tomw.net.au> <37A52C16.BD54C576@dynamite.com.au> Message-ID: <37A54446.484B0E15@adelaide.edu.au> Terry Swarner wrote: > Also, the default type face and case for the internet is fixed > Times New Roman 10 not variable font Courier New There's an RFC saying this? Perhaps you've also confused monospaced IBM Courier with proportionally-spaced Times Roman. My vote for the "character set of the Internet" is the character set of the DEC VT100 :-) -- Glen Turner Network Specialist Tel: (08) 8303 3936 Information Technology Services Fax: (08) 8303 4400 The University of Adelaide 5005 Email: glen.turner@adelaide.edu.au South Australia From oscarptyltd@ozemail.com.au Mon Aug 2 08:20:28 1999 From: oscarptyltd@ozemail.com.au (Clem Clarke) Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 18:20:28 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Internet Gambling Message-ID: <37A554CC.395E7265@ozemail.com.au> Greetings all. The Productivity Commission recently released its preliminary report on Gambling. It shows, amongst other things, that most of the gambling is done by poorer Western suburb people mainly due to the easy access of pokies. Australia also has the dubious distinction of having around 20% of all the pokies in the world. If that wasn't bad enough, we are now, of course, going to have Internet Gambling. Personally, I think it needs to be controlled. I also think (having some very impressionable teenagers) that porn needs to be controlled. I get the general feeling that most posters are not keen on any sort of restrictions. However, does anyone have any idea on how one might go about stopping Internet Gambling (oops, sorry gaming). Cheers, Clem Clarke -- ,-._|\ Clement V. Clarke - Author Jol, EASYJCL, EASYPANEL, OSCAR, 370TO486 / Oz \ oscarptyltd@ozemail.com.au \_,--.x/ P.O. Box 475, Toorak, Victoria, AUSTRALIA, 3142. v Tel (61)-3-9818-8351, Fax (61)-3-9819-2848. From edp@ozmedia.com Mon Aug 2 08:40:53 1999 From: edp@ozmedia.com (Ed Parsons) Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 18:40:53 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Re: New Ministerial Media Release Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19990802084053.00e58c38@mail.oz2.com> At 04:46 PM 02-08-99 +1000, owner-all@minister.dcita.gov.au wrote: >The following Ministerial Media Release is available at: > >http://www.dcita.gov.au/cgi-bin/trap.pl?path=4151 > >PC Price Hack Will Eclipse This Week's Electrical Goods Drop >This week's electrical goods price bonanza will be surpassed in just eleven >months time with axing of the 22 per cent sales tax on computers, Senator Ian >Campbell, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications, >Information Technology and the Arts, told a business form in Perth today. > >Georgia-Kate Schubert > Cheaper computers ? That remains to be seen. Shame that every piece of software that runs on them and many books about them will be taxed at 10%... the computer is the cheap part of the equation. ed ---------------------------------------------------------- Edwin Parsons * Multimedia Australia * edp@ozmedia.com Terramax Pty Ltd (ACN 082 592 452) Melbourne Australia http://www.terramax.com * HiTech Enterprise & Investment ---------------------------------------------------------- From stephen@melbpc.org.au Mon Aug 2 08:59:01 1999 From: stephen@melbpc.org.au (stephen loosley) Date: Mon, 02 Aug 1999 18:59:01 +1000 Subject: [LINK] IBM sorts one trillion bytes in 17 minutes Message-ID: <4.1.19990802183545.00a57e00@popa.melbpc.org.au> IBM server sets world record for sorting data http://www.ibm.com/news/1999/07/213.phtml On July 21, in just 17 minutes, researchers from IBM have set a world record by sorting one trillion bytes of data. IBM's world record was set using an IBM RS/6000 SP.. That's about one-third the time of the previous record of 50 minutes set November 10, 1998, by scientists at Sandia National Laboratories. -- Cheers, Stephen Loosley www.stephen.hm From lannet@lannet.com.au Mon Aug 2 12:01:18 1999 From: lannet@lannet.com.au (Howard Lowndes) Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 22:01:18 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Internet Gambling In-Reply-To: <37A554CC.395E7265@ozemail.com.au> Message-ID: Simple in both cases, locate and use the "Off" switch Howard. PGP key at http://www.lannet.com.au/pgp_key/hfl_pubk PGP key check: 8AD5 2A4E FDA0 A07A 85F1 7ECF 53E4 E6B8 8EF4 CAEB On Mon, 2 Aug 1999, Clem Clarke wrote: > Greetings all. > > The Productivity Commission recently released its preliminary report on > Gambling. It shows, amongst other things, that most of the gambling is > done by poorer Western suburb people mainly due to the easy access of > pokies. > > Australia also has the dubious distinction of having around 20% of all > the pokies in the world. > > If that wasn't bad enough, we are now, of course, going to have Internet > Gambling. > > Personally, I think it needs to be controlled. I also think (having > some very impressionable teenagers) that porn needs to be controlled. I > get the general feeling that most posters are not keen on any sort of > restrictions. > > However, does anyone have any idea on how one might go about stopping > Internet Gambling (oops, sorry gaming). > > Cheers, > > Clem Clarke > > -- > > > ,-._|\ Clement V. Clarke - Author Jol, EASYJCL, EASYPANEL, OSCAR, > 370TO486 > / Oz \ oscarptyltd@ozemail.com.au > \_,--.x/ P.O. Box 475, Toorak, Victoria, AUSTRALIA, 3142. > v Tel (61)-3-9818-8351, Fax (61)-3-9819-2848. > > From nicholls@nsw.bigpond.net.au Mon Aug 2 12:27:16 1999 From: nicholls@nsw.bigpond.net.au (Rob Nicholls) Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 22:27:16 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Internet Gambling In-Reply-To: <37A554CC.395E7265@ozemail.com.au> Message-ID: <000301bedce2$5b10cd60$6e2ec018@RobNicholls.c2.telstra-mm.net.au> Clem, How does "Don't visit sites that offend you" sound? If you can't keep your kids away from Internet gaming sites they will not be dissuaded from going to the local TAB or from buying a scratchy or lottery ticket from a newsagency. Cheers! Rob > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-link@www.anu.edu.au [mailto:owner-link@www.anu.edu.au]On > Behalf Of Clem Clarke > Sent: Monday, 2 August 1999 18:20 > To: link@www.anu.edu.au; Clem Clarke > Subject: [LINK] Internet Gambling > > > Greetings all. > > The Productivity Commission recently released its preliminary report on > Gambling. It shows, amongst other things, that most of the gambling is > done by poorer Western suburb people mainly due to the easy access of > pokies. > > Australia also has the dubious distinction of having around 20% of all > the pokies in the world. > > If that wasn't bad enough, we are now, of course, going to have Internet > Gambling. > > Personally, I think it needs to be controlled. I also think (having > some very impressionable teenagers) that porn needs to be controlled. I > get the general feeling that most posters are not keen on any sort of > restrictions. > > However, does anyone have any idea on how one might go about stopping > Internet Gambling (oops, sorry gaming). > > Cheers, > > Clem Clarke > > -- > > > ,-._|\ Clement V. Clarke - Author Jol, EASYJCL, EASYPANEL, OSCAR, > 370TO486 > / Oz \ oscarptyltd@ozemail.com.au > \_,--.x/ P.O. Box 475, Toorak, Victoria, AUSTRALIA, 3142. > v Tel (61)-3-9818-8351, Fax (61)-3-9819-2848. > > From danny@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au Mon Aug 2 15:04:37 1999 From: danny@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au (Danny Yee) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 01:04:37 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Internet Gambling In-Reply-To: <37A554CC.395E7265@ozemail.com.au> from "Clem Clarke" at Aug 2, 99 06:20:28 pm Message-ID: <199908021504.BAA04683@boomer.anu.edu.au> > If that wasn't bad enough, we are now, of course, going to have Internet > Gambling. > > Personally, I think it needs to be controlled. I also think (having > some very impressionable teenagers) that porn needs to be controlled. I > get the general feeling that most posters are not keen on any sort of > restrictions. > > However, does anyone have any idea on how one might go about stopping > Internet Gambling (oops, sorry gaming). In practice, it doesn't matter how impressionable - or difficult - your teenagers are. Controlling them will always be many orders of magnitude more practical than trying to constrain the behaviour of everyone else on the planet. I think Internet gambling control is _slightly_ less impossible than censorship. Since online gambling requires the ability to transfer money, controls on a person's use of credit cards and other merchant facilities will create major barriers. This might be a way for obsessive gamblers to "remove themselves from temptation". And credit controls certainly should protect your kids from getting into too much trouble. This can hardly be used to stop gambling completely, however. Danny. From richard@auscoms.com.au Mon Aug 2 22:53:42 1999 From: richard@auscoms.com.au (richard@auscoms.com.au) Date: Tue, 03 Aug 99 08:53:42 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Internet Gambling Message-ID: <9908039336.AA933634467@mail.auscoms.com.au> Clem, By now you've already been told, time and time over, that it's up to you as parent; or up to individual users. End of story. Of course nobody's ever eliminated gambling. However, given the objectionable behaviour of casinos (for example, the SMH story last Saturday at http://www.smh.com.au/news/9907/31/index.html) why the hell should they get the automatic right to operate over the Internet, merely because the Internet exists? A casino has three functions: tax collection; money laundering, which all casinos deny but which happens anyway; and ripping off the poor and stupid. In what way are any of these activities in the vanguard of individual freedom? As I've remarked before, too much debate around uses of the Internet ends up being argued as "capability equals right". It's a juvenile attitude which ultimately discredits by association those of us who hope the Internet might contribute to a world that's better, rather than one in which the same horrors are perpetrated more quickly and efficiently. Richard Chirgwin ____________________Reply Separator____________________ Subject: [LINK] Internet Gambling Author: Clem Clarke Date: 2/08/99 18:20 Greetings all. The Productivity Commission recently released its preliminary report on Gambling. It shows, amongst other things, that most of the gambling is done by poorer Western suburb people mainly due to the easy access of pokies. Australia also has the dubious distinction of having around 20% of all the pokies in the world. If that wasn't bad enough, we are now, of course, going to have Internet Gambling. Personally, I think it needs to be controlled. I also think (having some very impressionable teenagers) that porn needs to be controlled. I get the general feeling that most posters are not keen on any sort of restrictions. However, does anyone have any idea on how one might go about stopping Internet Gambling (oops, sorry gaming). Cheers, Clem Clarke -- ,-._|\ Clement V. Clarke - Author Jol, EASYJCL, EASYPANEL, OSCAR, 370TO486 / Oz \ oscarptyltd@ozemail.com.au \_,--.x/ P.O. Box 475, Toorak, Victoria, AUSTRALIA, 3142. v Tel (61)-3-9818-8351, Fax (61)-3-9819-2848. From brd@dynamite.com.au Mon Aug 2 22:52:18 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Tue, 03 Aug 1999 08:52:18 +1000 Subject: [LINK] IBM sorts one trillion bytes in 17 minutes References: <4.1.19990802183545.00a57e00@popa.melbpc.org.au> Message-ID: <37A62122.AAE8309A@dynamite.com.au> stephen loosley wrote: > > IBM server sets world record for sorting data ... > IBM's world record was set using an IBM RS/6000 SP. I heard that this machine is so fast it can complete an infinite loop in 45 minutes 10.3565 seconds. (An oldie but a goodie) -- Dopelar effect (n.) The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when you come at them rapidly. -- unknown Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From brd@dynamite.com.au Mon Aug 2 23:24:50 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Tue, 03 Aug 1999 09:24:50 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Avoid MS Word, US appelate judges warn lawyers Message-ID: <37A628C2.B20AF245@dynamite.com.au> Poor Microsoft, everyone is after them. In an article on problems with word processors, you think they would be a bit more careful about their grammar and spelling. My dictionary gives appellate (not appelate) and the last sentence in this report contains "... they's have a lot of words ...". Oh dear. Anyway, the content may be of interest to linkers. <\brd> Posted 02/08/99 4:26pm by Graham Lea The Register http://theregister.co.uk/990802-000017.html Avoid MS Word, US appelate judges warn lawyers MS Word has been condemned by three US Court of Appeals judges for giving an incorrect word count. Rule 32 of the appeal procedure requires briefs to be no more than 14,000 words (and reply briefs 7000 words), but the hapless party to an otherwise irrelevant case in the Northern District of Illinois was castigated for a false certificate to the court that a brief was 13,824 words long. Rule 32 says that headings, footnotes, quotations etc. count toward the word and line limitations. It turned out there were 15,056 words according to WordPerfect. The faulty product was MS Word 97, which has an option to include footnotes if invoked -- except that it is dimmed and cannot be used if any text is selected, so the count is for the number of words excluding footnotes. This is a problem because the corporate disclosure statement, the table of contents, the table of citations, and the like do not count towards the word limit, so selecting text is essential. It's a bug, of course, although we shall probably be told it is a feature. The judges said: "Current versions of Corel WordPerfect (for both Windows and Macintosh platforms) do not have this problem. WordPerfect does what lawyers may suppose that Word does (or should do): it automatically includes footnotes in its word and character counts." The endorsement of WP continued: "Lawyers who produce their documents with WordPerfect software have an easy job of things under Rule 32." So far as the future is concerned, "Long-run solutions to this problem [Ha! Claiming it's a "feature" and not a "problem" could be contempt of court] must come either from Microsoft Corporation -- which ought to make it possible to obtain a count of words in footnotes attached to a selected text... We will send copies of this Opinion to those responsible... flag this issue in the court's Practitioner's Guide... law firms should alert their staffs to the issue... our clerk's office will spot-check briefs that have been prepared on Microsoft Word." The Opinion concluded: "Counsel who use Word are not entitled to a litigating advantage over those who use WordPerfect." Quite. They deserve our sympathy, though. No wonder Sullivan & Cromwell, Microsoft's lawyers', use WordPerfect: they knew all along that they's have a lot of words to count for the Court of Appeals, and didn't want to look any sillier than necessary. ® -- No one is listening until you make a mistake. -- unknown Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From vivienne.teoh@detya.gov.au Mon Aug 2 23:29:33 1999 From: vivienne.teoh@detya.gov.au (TEOH,Vivienne) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 09:29:33 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] FW: re- linkers Message-ID: <199908022329.JAA01889@name-ext.deetya.gov.au> could you put me on the list. thanks Vivienne Teoh. -----Original Message----- From: Michael Lean [mailto:m.lean@qut.edu.au] Sent: Tuesday, 3 August 1999 8:50 To: TEOH,Vivienne Subject: Re: re- linkers You should contact link@www.anu.edu.au Mike At 03:11 29/07/99 +1000 TEOH,Vivienne wrote to me: >Can I get on the list? > >Vivienne Teoh > > From Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au Mon Aug 2 23:39:39 1999 From: Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au (Roger Clarke) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 09:39:39 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Internet Gambling In-Reply-To: <199908021504.BAA04683@boomer.anu.edu.au> References: <37A554CC.395E7265@ozemail.com.au> from "Clem Clarke" at Aug 2, 99 06:20:28 pm Message-ID: "Danny Yee" wrote: >I think Internet gambling control is _slightly_ less impossible than >censorship. Since online gambling requires the ability to transfer >money, controls on a person's use of credit cards and other merchant >facilities will create major barriers ... Good heavens, Danny, you must be getting old - this might be the first time you've held a more orthodox view than me!!! Money is whatever enough people are prepared to take a risk on as having fairly reliable value-in-exchange. Because credit cards are so traceable, no serious crim would use them (or at least not one readily associated with themselves). Money will continue to mutate in order to serve the interests of people who control enough of it ... Roger Clarke http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/ Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916 mailto:Roger.Clarke@xamax.com.au http://www.xamax.com.au/ Visiting Fellow Department of Computer Science The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA Information Sciences Building Room 211 Tel: +61 2 6249 3666 From Ellen.Hrebeniuk@det.nsw.edu.au Tue Aug 3 00:52:18 1999 From: Ellen.Hrebeniuk@det.nsw.edu.au (Hrebeniuk Ellen) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 10:52:18 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Internet Gambling Message-ID: <5EDE9BFD65AED1119BE208002BE7D74D451CD2@pef2.petersham.tafensw.EDU.AU> Clem, When I was in high school in the '80s, occasionally all the boys would vanish from the main school playground. There were two causes: either there was a fight on or someone had brought a "porno" to school. Perhaps you should worry moe about your kids' schoolmates and less about the Internet. If you're trying to bring your kids up to respect other people and themselves (and they haven't got credit cards), I don't think the availability of porn/gambling on the Internet should be that much of a worry. Why not discuss it with them? You may find that they already know that gambling's a mug's game and that they associate pornography with guys that can't get a date! Ellen Hrebeniuk A/Customer Services Librarian Petersham TAFE Library From povey@dstc.qut.edu.au Tue Aug 3 01:20:15 1999 From: povey@dstc.qut.edu.au (Dean Povey) Date: Tue, 03 Aug 1999 11:20:15 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Re: New Ministerial Media Release In-Reply-To: Your message of "Mon, 02 Aug 1999 18:40:53 +1000." <1.5.4.32.19990802084053.00e58c38@mail.oz2.com> Message-ID: <199908030120.LAA24938@piglet.dstc.edu.au> >At 04:46 PM 02-08-99 +1000, owner-all@minister.dcita.gov.au wrote: >>The following Ministerial Media Release is available at: >> >>http://www.dcita.gov.au/cgi-bin/trap.pl?path=4151 >> >>PC Price Hack Will Eclipse This Week's Electrical Goods Drop >>This week's electrical goods price bonanza will be surpassed in just eleven >>months time with axing of the 22 per cent sales tax on computers, Senator Ian >>Campbell, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications, >>Information Technology and the Arts, told a business form in Perth today. >> >>Georgia-Kate Schubert >> > >Cheaper computers ? That remains to be seen. > >Shame that every piece of software that runs on them and many books about >them will be taxed at 10%... the computer is the cheap part of the >equation. > >ed Not to mention that it is 22% on the wholesale price, and 10% on the retail (although with margins being what they are these days in the PC arena this probably doesn't make that much difference). In addition, consultants now will be charging 10% on top of their normal fees. Which leads me to ponder, has anyone done some serious analysis of the effect of the GST on the IT industry? Sure there is the short term windfall due to switching over systems. But long term there are software costs (which is the most expensive part of an IT purchase these days), plus consulting costs, etc. I guess maybe businesses will just claim these costs as a business input and pass it on to the consumer. Any thoughts? -- Dean Povey, | e-m: povey@dstc.edu.au | JCSI: Java Crypto Toolkit Research Scientist | ph: +61 7 3864 5120 | security.dstc.edu.au/ Security Unit, DSTC | fax: +61 7 3864 1282 | Oscar - C++ PKI Toolkit: Brisbane, Australia | www: security.dstc.edu.au/ | oscar.dstc.qut.edu.au/ From richard@auscoms.com.au Tue Aug 3 00:43:37 1999 From: richard@auscoms.com.au (richard@auscoms.com.au) Date: Tue, 03 Aug 99 10:43:37 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Internet Gambling Message-ID: <9908039336.AA933641065@mail.auscoms.com.au> Come to think of it... Danny wrote: >controls on a person's use of credit cards and other merchant >facilities will create major barriers ... And Roger: >Because credit cards are so traceable, no serious crim would use >them I agree, Roger. I think. The main criminal activity in a casino is laundering money. The main Internet fraud is generating checksum-valid card numbers to defraud merchants. I can't think how you would combine the two: if I use a fake card at an online casino and _win_, how would I collect? If I can't collect, there's no point to the fraud. If I can collect, then I'm traceable. Mind you, if someone finds a way to defraud an online casino they'll probably get an equal mixture of outrage and applause from yours truly... Richard ____________________Reply Separator____________________ Subject: Re: [LINK] Internet Gambling Author: Roger Clarke Date: 3/08/99 9:39 "Danny Yee" wrote: >I think Internet gambling control is _slightly_ less impossible than >censorship. Since online gambling requires the ability to transfer >money, controls on a person's use of credit cards and other merchant >facilities will create major barriers ... Good heavens, Danny, you must be getting old - this might be the first time you've held a more orthodox view than me!!! Money is whatever enough people are prepared to take a risk on as having fairly reliable value-in-exchange. Because credit cards are so traceable, no serious crim would use them (or at least not one readily associated with themselves). Money will continue to mutate in order to serve the interests of people who control enough of it ... Roger Clarke http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/ Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916 mailto:Roger.Clarke@xamax.com.au http://www.xamax.com.au/ Visiting Fellow Department of Computer Science The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA Information Sciences Building Room 211 Tel: +61 2 6249 3666 From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Tue Aug 3 04:12:54 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 14:12:54 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Across america, a troubling 'digital divide' Message-ID: Source: Edupage, 2 August 1999 ACROSS AMERICA, A TROUBLING 'DIGITAL DIVIDE' There is a growing "digital divide" in America, with certain geographic areas investing in high-tech education and businesses and others avoiding it, writes Richard S. Dunham. Dunham cites a study by the Progressive Policy Institute that says the West Coast and the Eastern Seaboard, starting in Virginia and going up to New Hampshire, are the most technologically savvy areas. The states in these areas are investing in high-tech education and Internet access in elementary and secondary schools and attempting to lure high-tech companies through tax breaks and other policies. Dunham says that while these areas are preparing children for the 21st century, areas such as the Deep South and the upper Midwest are still trying to attract any industry that will locate there and are ignoring the innovative, high-tech based economic models that generate more affluence. Dunham says that there is not only a huge difference in geographic regions where technology is concerned, but also racial and economic divisions as well. The National Urban League says that only 16 percent of schools in poor, urban neighborhoods are Internet-accessible. (Business Week 08/02/99) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Tue Aug 3 04:12:59 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 14:12:59 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Digital rights and wrongs Message-ID: Source: Edupage, 2 August 1999 DIGITAL RIGHTS AND WRONGS A number of companies are creating complex software programs to protect intellectual content. The new digital rights management systems empower publishers to establish property rights and terms of use of digital materials. Companies such as AT&T, Liquid Audio, and Microsoft are providing protection of online music, while NextPage's Folio and Xerox's ContentGuard restrict access to electronic documents. Meanwhile, products by IBM, Intertrust Technologies, SoftLock, and Wave Systems aim to protect a variety of digital materials. The catalyst for much of this digital rights development has been the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI), a global coalition that recently released a standard for future digital music players, barring the playing of illegal copies of new songs and preventing free ownership of more than four copies of a recording for personal use. Next year SDMI plans to establish a comprehensive system to allow publishers to set the terms of individual recordings. (Economist 07/17/99) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From david.mitchell@rmit.edu.au Tue Aug 3 05:55:52 1999 From: david.mitchell@rmit.edu.au (David Mitchell) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 15:55:52 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Net security a worry: survey In-Reply-To: <199907310845.SAA25318@boomer.anu.edu.au> References: from "Tony Barry" at Jul 31, 99 04:46:05 pm Message-ID: FYI - The survey results are available in German at . The site also says that the English version should be 'available approx. on August 6'. dm >> Andree Wright from the ABA says the survey also found Australians >> generally favour regulation of Internet content. > >Funny, the article states the "the survey shows..." about the security >concern, but only "the ABA says the survey..." about content concerns. > >Now, where do we find the survey results? > >Danny. David Mitchell Research Fellow Media & Telecommunications Policy Group @ RMIT University e-mail: Home Page: Postal Address: Locked Bag 2400, St. Leonards, NSW, Australia, 1590. From Ellen.Hrebeniuk@det.nsw.edu.au Tue Aug 3 06:50:58 1999 From: Ellen.Hrebeniuk@det.nsw.edu.au (Hrebeniuk Ellen) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 16:50:58 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Across america, a troubling 'digital divide' Message-ID: <5EDE9BFD65AED1119BE208002BE7D74D451CD3@pef2.petersham.tafensw.EDU.AU> Linkers, I think we all know it's happening here too: Barrie Jones distinguished the "information-rich" and the "information-poor" some time ago and has been held in honour by librarians ever since! When you read about "wired" high schools, they're always either private schools or in affluent suburbs, eg Cherrybrook Technology High in Sydney. Perhaps the ACS might consider extending its charitable work to high schools in poorer areas -- any comments, Tom? Ellen Hrebeniuk A/Customer Services Librarian Petersham TAFE Library From danny@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au Tue Aug 3 07:02:31 1999 From: danny@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au (Danny Yee) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 17:02:31 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Internet Gambling In-Reply-To: from "Roger Clarke" at Aug 3, 99 09:39:39 am Message-ID: <199908030702.RAA10495@boomer.anu.edu.au> I wrote: > >I think Internet gambling control is _slightly_ less impossible than > >censorship. Since online gambling requires the ability to transfer > >money, controls on a person's use of credit cards and other merchant > >facilities will create major barriers ... Roger replied: > Good heavens, Danny, you must be getting old - this might be the first time > you've held a more orthodox view than me!!! But of course! I'm a perfectly orthodox anarchist. > Money is whatever enough people are prepared to take a risk on as having > fairly reliable value-in-exchange. Because credit cards are so traceable, > no serious crim would use them (or at least not one readily associated with > themselves). Money will continue to mutate in order to serve the interests > of people who control enough of it ... Sure. But transactions involving money are still a specialised form of transaction and hence, as I said, _slightly_ less impossible to control than network traffic generally. I wasn't thinking of criminals or money laundering at all, only of possible amelioration of "problem" gambling. Danny. From sandied@vicnet.net.au Tue Aug 3 07:13:16 1999 From: sandied@vicnet.net.au (Roadshow) Date: Tue, 03 Aug 1999 17:13:16 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Across america, a troubling 'digital divide' In-Reply-To: <5EDE9BFD65AED1119BE208002BE7D74D451CD3@pef2.petersham.tafe nsw.EDU.AU> Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.19990803171316.006fa9b0@mail.vicnet.net.au> A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 1523 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/link/attachments/2ba9e807/attachment.bin From gtaylor@efa.org.au Tue Aug 3 07:24:11 1999 From: gtaylor@efa.org.au (Greg Taylor) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 17:24:11 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Net security a worry: survey Message-ID: <199908030724.RAA12415@boomer.anu.edu.au> David Mitchell wrote: >FYI - The survey results are available in German at >f>. The site also says that the English version should be 'available >approx. on August 6'. Newswire's analysis on the story suggests the ABA has been very selective: http://newswire.com.au:8008/apcweb/news.nsf/WebLatestNews/C48EE1314EC414234A 2567C10012F485?OpenDocument Summary: Net censorship: The whole truth The majority of Australians don't believe that law enforcement is the best way to control Internet content, according to a survey commissioned by the government body charged with implementing such laws. Late last week, the ABA released a tiny portion of the results from the survey, emphasising the fact that 70% of Australians believe some sort of Net reporting hotline should be introduced. The ABA said full results from the survey would be released in September. However, the other body involved in the survey, the Bertelsmann Foundation, has already released a number of findings from the survey, and they paint a very different picture. In particular, they show that 71% of Australians have doubts about whether law enforcement can effectively help in Net control -- even more than support the idea of a reporting hotline. Greg From stephen@melbpc.org.au Tue Aug 3 08:11:51 1999 From: stephen@melbpc.org.au (stephen loosley) Date: Tue, 03 Aug 1999 18:11:51 +1000 Subject: [LINK] US Congress to legalize digital signatures Message-ID: <4.1.19990803170935.00a581a0@popa.melbpc.org.au> An interesting snippet, but with no url reference in evidence ... -- E-MAIL BILL TO BILL. In mid-July, Congress e-mailed a bill to the president to sign into law. It was an Internet first, but it had a problem - - the president couldn't sign it electronically. He had to use an old-fashioned pen and ink. Why? Because electronic signatures aren't legally binding, according to the Aug. 2 edition of Business Week. But Congress may take care of the problem. It is "drafting a bill that would legalize digital signatures," the magazine reported. "The government would set guidelines to validate and secure online transactions, which should be a boon for E-commerce." -- All information contained herein is Copyright © 1999. Reproduction, in whole or part, is permitted with explicit reference to PoliticsOnline as the source of information. If reproduced electronically, republishers must link to PoliticsOnline and NetPulse. -- PS1: Despite the above notification regarding linking to their site if one reproduces their information, they do NOT include a url address for themselves in their posting. PS2: Although no-one complained at all, please accept my apologies if it appeared that I was having a go at our Army in one of my postings this week. That wasn't the case at all. Regards all, Stephen Loosley www.stephen.hm From stephen@melbpc.org.au Tue Aug 3 09:07:34 1999 From: stephen@melbpc.org.au (stephen loosley) Date: Tue, 03 Aug 1999 19:07:34 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Across america, a troubling 'digital divide' In-Reply-To: <5EDE9BFD65AED1119BE208002BE7D74D451CD3@pef2.petersham.tafe nsw.EDU.AU> Message-ID: <4.1.19990803181704.00911ef0@popa.melbpc.org.au> At 04:50 PM 3/08/99 +1000, Hrebeniuk Ellen wrote: >I think we all know it's happening here too .. When you read about "wired" >high schools, they're always either private schools or in affluent suburbs .. And I must join Sandie here Ellen, your comments are incorrect. For instance, every State school here has an ISDN Internet connection, (128Kbps), provided by the Vic Government. Although yes, access is ISP filtered, it's still quite usable. Sorry Danny, but it's true. We found this filtering adds 1-2 sec or so /url-request for any machine on our 125-terminal State High School computer network, when compared with our previously normal ISP access which I arranged four years ago. In addition, and so far, a third of all State teachers have been provided with new notebook computers. I'm writing this with one right now. And all teachers here will have a new notebook within two years. The other States also have similiar plans. Cheers Ellen, Stephen Loosley www.stephen.hm From lannet@lannet.com.au Tue Aug 3 10:31:07 1999 From: lannet@lannet.com.au (Howard Lowndes) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 20:31:07 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] IBM sorts one trillion bytes in 17 minutes In-Reply-To: <37A62122.AAE8309A@dynamite.com.au> Message-ID: Yes it can, but only at absolute zero in a perfect vacuum. Howard. PGP key at http://www.lannet.com.au/pgp_key/hfl_pubk PGP key check: 8AD5 2A4E FDA0 A07A 85F1 7ECF 53E4 E6B8 8EF4 CAEB On Tue, 3 Aug 1999, Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote: > stephen loosley wrote: > > > > IBM server sets world record for sorting data > ... > > IBM's world record was set using an IBM RS/6000 SP. > > I heard that this machine is so fast it can complete an infinite > loop in 45 minutes 10.3565 seconds. > > (An oldie but a goodie) > > -- > Dopelar effect (n.) The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter > when you come at them rapidly. > -- unknown > > Regards > brd > > Bernard Robertson-Dunn > Canberra Australia > brd@dynamite.com.au > From lannet@lannet.com.au Tue Aug 3 10:42:22 1999 From: lannet@lannet.com.au (Howard Lowndes) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 20:42:22 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Avoid MS Word, US appelate judges warn lawyers In-Reply-To: <37A628C2.B20AF245@dynamite.com.au> Message-ID: It's a sh!thouse system that limits your appeal by its word count. Worse than the old days of school essays. Howard. PGP key at http://www.lannet.com.au/pgp_key/hfl_pubk PGP key check: 8AD5 2A4E FDA0 A07A 85F1 7ECF 53E4 E6B8 8EF4 CAEB On Tue, 3 Aug 1999, Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote: > > Poor Microsoft, everyone is after them. > > In an article on problems with word processors, you think they > would be a bit more careful about their grammar and spelling. My > dictionary gives appellate (not appelate) and the last sentence > in this report contains "... they's have a lot of words ...". Oh > dear. > > Anyway, the content may be of interest to linkers. > <\brd> > > Posted 02/08/99 4:26pm by Graham Lea > The Register > http://theregister.co.uk/990802-000017.html > > Avoid MS Word, US appelate judges warn lawyers > > MS Word has been condemned by three US Court of Appeals judges > for giving an incorrect word count. Rule 32 of the appeal > procedure requires briefs to be no more than 14,000 words (and > reply briefs 7000 words), but the hapless party to an otherwise > irrelevant case in the Northern District of Illinois was > castigated for a false certificate to the court that a brief was > 13,824 words long. Rule 32 says that headings, footnotes, > quotations etc. count toward the word and line limitations. From rw@firstpr.com.au Tue Aug 3 11:10:54 1999 From: rw@firstpr.com.au (Robin Whittle) Date: Tue, 03 Aug 1999 21:10:54 +1000 Subject: [LINK] IBM sorts one trillion bytes in 17 minutes References: <4.1.19990802183545.00a57e00@popa.melbpc.org.au> <37A62122.AAE8309A@dynamite.com.au> Message-ID: <37A6CE3E.6DD534FD@firstpr.com.au> I love this: > Dopelar effect (n.) The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter > when you come at them rapidly. > -- unknown > > Regards > brd Sure enough this is on 50 web sites according to Alta Vista - but the spelling is "Dopeler". Without searching them all, one possible source seems to be: "The Washington Post's "Style Invitational" asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition." http://www.primenet.com/~benmoss/humor/neologisms.html Thanks for this Bernard! - Robin =============================================================== Robin Whittle rw@firstpr.com.au http://www.firstpr.com.au Heidelberg Heights, Melbourne, Australia First Principles Research and expression: Consulting and technical writing. Music. Internet music marketing. Telecommunications. Consumer advocacy in telecommunications, especially privacy. M-F relationships. Kinetic sculpture. Real World Electronics and software for music including: Interfaces Devil Fish mods for the TB-303, Akai sampler memory and Csound synthesis software. =============================================================== From goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au Tue Aug 3 11:24:56 1999 From: goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au (=?iso-8859-1?q?David=20Goldstein?=) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 21:24:56 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] QuickLinks stories Message-ID: <19990803112456.8968.rocketmail@web1301.mail.yahoo.com> Hi all A selection of stories from this week's Quicklinks (http://www.qlinks.net). Cheers David Domain names * EU - Commission investigates Internet agreements (RAPID) The European Commissioner responsible for competition, Mr Karel Van Miert, has ordered his services to look into the licensing agreements between Network Solutions Inc. (NSI) and test bed registrars of second-level Internet domain names in the .com, .org and .net domains. http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/99/596|0|RAPID&lg=EN * Centraal To Appoint Regulators For RealNames (TechWeb) Centraal has appointed three influential netizens to a newly formed Policy Advisory Board to oversee the implementation of Centraal's RealNames system, which enables users to travel around the Web using keywords instead of URLs. http://www.techweb.com/printableArticle?doc_id=TWB19990729S0004 * DOJ, ICANN accused of collusion (CNET News.com) Rep. Tom Bliley, chair of the House Commerce Committee, has complained of collusion between officials from the Justice Department and the nonprofit assuming control of core Internet functions, criticizing discussions about an ongoing antitrust investigation into the dominant registrar of domain names. http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,39947,00.html?owv * Domain name divorce? (MSNBC) The government and the company it blessed with the monopoly to register Internet domain names seem headed toward a messy divorce. http://www.msnbc.com/news/294854.asp * Hearing Turns Into Debate on Obscene Internet Names (New York Times) Network Solutions and the Commerce Department took their increasingly public dispute back to Capitol Hill, where a hearing on "cybersquatting" of Internet domain names and other intellectual property issues was sidetracked by questions about who was responsible for a new flurry of obscene Internet address names. http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/07/cyber/articles/29domain.html * Germany - Denic erstmals zu Schadenersatz verurteilt (dpa) [Registry ordered to pay damages for not transferring domain name to trademark owner] Die in Deutschland für die Vergabe von Internetnamen zuständige Verwaltungs- und Betriebsgesellschaft Denic ist jetzt erstmals zu Schadenersatz verurteilt worden. Nach Ansicht des Landgerichts Magdeburg hätte Denic einen Domain-Namen auf eine Firma übertragen müssen, nachdem deutlich geworden sei, daß diese bessere Rechte an dem Namen als ein schon Registrierter hatte. http://www.yahoo.de/schlagzeilen/19990727/hightech/0933034424- Information society and Internet policy * International Internet Content Summit (Bertelsmann Foundation / INCORE) Texts of the reports for this high-level event covering a variety of areas: self-regulation, content rating, hotlines, law-enforcement. Munich 9 - 11 September 1999 now available on the Web site. http://www.stiftung.bertelsmann.de/internetcontent * WWW9 - International World Wide Web Conference (International World Wide Web Conference Committee) Papers currently invited. Experts from industry, academia, and government will present the latest developments in web technology. The conference program includes tutorials and workshops intended to provide a forum for highly interactive discussion. The final date for submission of papers is 22 November 1999. Amsterdam 15 - 19 May 2000. http://www9.org/0000001446.html Internet access and use * Universal community service (Council of Europe, Maltese govt) Access for all to Internet services at community level. The Conference will bring together national and local authorities, media industry and professionals to discuss policy strategies and practical examples of widening access to Internet services through public access points, as recommended by the Council of Europe. Malta 2 - 3 November 1999. http://www.qlinks.net/comdocs/malta.htm Rating and filtering * Will Your Cable Modem Censor the Web? (Reuters) Cisco, a leading supplier of Internet gear for the cable industry is touting products to allow cable companies to block or restrict consumers from reaching any Web site they choose, drawing sharp criticism from public advocacy groups. http://www.pcworld.com/shared/printable_articles/0,1440,12034,00.html Market & Technology Convergence of telecommunications, media and information technology * AOL Expands Broadband Offerings (InternetNews.com) In a rush to meet the demand for broadband services, America Online has strategically aligned itself with GTE, another regional Bell operating company to provide asymmetrical digital subscriber line services to AOL members in 17 states. http://www.internetnews.com/isp-news/print/0,1089,8_169601,00 .html * BT brings broadband to Britain's big cities (vnu|net) Britain's major cities will be the first to benefit from BT's new broadband Internet services. BT plans to equip around 400 exchanges with asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) technology by March next year. see also BT Press Release, ADSL means broadband UK (BBC), ADSL priced high for consumer (BBC), and comments by Campaign for Unmetered Telecommunications. http://webserv.vnunet.com/www_user/plsql/pkg_vnu_news.right_frame?p_story=87739&p_type= Statistics * Australians Showing More Confidence in E-Commerce (CyberAtlas) A survey by APT Strategies found that the average Australian online shopper is likely to be a wealthy male. The information contained in the surveys shows there is growing confidence in the security of Internet shopping, and increasing satisfaction with the whole online shopping experience. http://cyberatlas.internet.com/big_picture/geographics/print/0 ,1323,5911_171501,00.html * India Paves Way to Net (IDG News) In a flurry of activity aimed at getting the country online, India has licensed over 100 private Internet service providers since it ended a state monopoly. Since December 1998, the access rate per hour has dropped by more than 50 percent to 34 cents per hour from 70 cents per hour - and the number of Internet users in India has doubled to 300,000 from 150,000. http://www.thestandard.net/articles/article_print/0,1454,5723,00.html * Irish Users Increasing Online Purchases (CyberAtlas) Internet users in Ireland are becoming more comfortable with online transactions, as evidenced by a 20 percent jump in the number of online purchasers in the past 12 months, according to the fourth annual survey by the Irish Internet Association (IIA). http://cyberatlas.internet.com/big_picture/geographics/article/0,1323,5911_171251,00.html === ---------------------- David Goldstein email: Goldstein_David@yahoo.com.au post: 5 Coles Lane, Oakington, Cambridge, CB4 5BA, UK phone: + 44 (0)1223 574 857 (h); +44 (0)1223 237 700 (w); +44 (0)7979 965 503 (mobile). ICQ: 32130305. _______________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com.au address at http://mail.yahoo.com.au From rsedc@urgento.gse.rmit.EDU.AU Tue Aug 3 12:53:07 1999 From: rsedc@urgento.gse.rmit.EDU.AU (David Chia) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 22:53:07 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] US Congress to legalize digital signatures In-Reply-To: <4.1.19990803170935.00a581a0@popa.melbpc.org.au> from "stephen loosley" at Aug 3, 99 06:11:51 pm Message-ID: <199908031253.WAA13705@urgento.gse.rmit.EDU.AU> > E-MAIL BILL TO BILL. In mid-July, Congress e-mailed a bill > to the president to sign into law. It was an Internet first, but it > had a problem - - the president couldn't sign it electronically. > He had to use an old-fashioned pen and ink. Earlier this year Bill did electronically sign a joined ecommerce declaration with Ireland with his private key inside a smartcard. It was alleged that following old-fashioned tradition, he then exchanged his smartcard which contained his private key with that from the Irish Prime Minister. It has been speculated that Ireland now has the code to launch ICBMs :) > Why? Because electronic signatures aren't legally binding, > according to the Aug. 2 edition of Business Week. (I am not a lawyer. Do correct me if I am wrong.) However, it appears that all forms of signature may be legally binding if the intent can be proven. This may include a cross (X), machanical stamping, laser printing on a cheque, or the simple electronic characters at the end of emails. In UK there were cases where electronic messages ended with simple characters could not be repudiated in libel cases. In US there are already people being convicted and sent to prison because of emails ended with simple electronic aliases and were sent through anonymiser. Its time to wake up to the reality of the virtual world. DC From tom.worthington@tomw.net.au Tue Aug 3 21:23:35 1999 From: tom.worthington@tomw.net.au (Tom Worthington) Date: Wed, 04 Aug 1999 07:23:35 +1000 Subject: [LINK] re: ACS Releases "Net Traveller - Exploring the Networked Nation" Message-ID: <2.2.32.19990803212335.008b24fc@mail.mpx.com.au> I wrote Tue, 27 Jul 1999 20:48:34 +1000: >The NSW Minister for IT, Kim Yeadon, will officially launch the book at 12.30pm on Monday >2 August when he addresses the Government Online Forum, chaired by Tom Worthington, at >Internet World'99 in Sydney... on the web at: http://www.tomw.net.au/nt/ My talk "A Strong IT Industry for Defending Australia" at the launch of the book seems to have been widely reported in the media, in some cases in a somewhat sensationalized way. To set the record straight, the actual written version is at: http://www.tomw.net.au/egov99/ntl.html Tom Worthington http://www.tomw.net.au tom.worthington@tomw.net.au PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617 Visiting Fellow, Dept. Computer Science, Australian National University Publications Director & Past President, Australian Computer Society ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Send support to CARE workers in Belgrade: http://www.tomw.net.au/onevoice/ From richard@auscoms.com.au Tue Aug 3 22:53:00 1999 From: richard@auscoms.com.au (richard@auscoms.com.au) Date: Wed, 04 Aug 99 08:53:00 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Across america, a troubling 'digital divide' Message-ID: <9908049337.AA933720777@mail.auscoms.com.au> However, Stephen, to quote the old limerick, "It's pretty, but what is it for?" Let me put some thoughts in order. 1) Tony pointed out a couple of weeks ago that the Web in its entirity is the same size as a research library. 2) Some other research posted to Link showed that childrens' source of navigational info was other children. In other words, half of the one-third of kids that used the Web for "research" did so in a closed circle -- which seems to me like a pretty ropy educational model. 3) Most of the technical skills learned now are likely to be obsolete before children complete school. 4) Throughout Australia, it's easier to get computers than smaller classes. Personal opinion only: computers-in-class, now given added impetus by the Internet, is a snowjob of catchphrase management. I know we venerate Barry O Jones for articulating information-rich versus information-poor. However, doesn't it take as one of its assumptions that owning a computer equates to better access to information? Is this something that can be proven? Or is it just another example of the hubris of "people like us"? Is the "digital divide" a fabrication? Richard Chirgwin ____________________Reply Separator____________________ Subject: RE: [LINK] Across america, a troubling 'digital divide' Author: stephen loosley Date: 3/08/99 19:07 At 04:50 PM 3/08/99 +1000, Hrebeniuk Ellen wrote: >I think we all know it's happening here too .. When you read about "wired" >high schools, they're always either private schools or in affluent suburbs .. And I must join Sandie here Ellen, your comments are incorrect. For instance, every State school here has an ISDN Internet connection, (128Kbps), provided by the Vic Government. Although yes, access is ISP filtered, it's still quite usable. Sorry Danny, but it's true. We found this filtering adds 1-2 sec or so /url-request for any machine on our 125-terminal State High School computer network, when compared with our previously normal ISP access which I arranged four years ago. In addition, and so far, a third of all State teachers have been provided with new notebook computers. I'm writing this with one right now. And all teachers here will have a new notebook within two years. The other States also have similiar plans. Cheers Ellen, Stephen Loosley www.stephen.hm From brd@dynamite.com.au Tue Aug 3 23:38:05 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 99 23:38:05 GMT Subject: [LINK] (UK)Gov't e-commerce policy a shambles Message-ID: 37a77d5d.740a.0@dynamite.com.au The Register http://theregister.co.uk/990803-000009.html Posted 03/08/99 1:11pm by Tim Richardson Gov't e-commerce policy a shambles British Prime Minister Tony Blair has the best Web site of all the political leaders in the European Union, it's been revealed. He can now wear his anorak with pride after his site was lauded by a bunch of academic computer experts at two universities in Holland. Still, just as you shouldn't judge a book by its cover -- or a Web site by its flashy gifs -- neither should Blair be hailed as some kind of Web hero. Since coming to power in May 1997 Blair has had no fewer than four people in charge of e-commerce. Peter Mandelson and Barbara Roche shared the responsibility until Mandy left the Government under a financial cloud. That nice Michael Wills had the job afterwards but now he's been booted off to another department following the Government reshuffle that never was. Enter Miss Patricia Hewitt -- MP for Leicester West and a former director of research at Andersen Consulting -- for she is now taking up the job although how long she'll last is anyone's guess. A spokeswoman for the Government said that the rapid turnover of ministerial staff was not restricted to the Department of Trade and Industry. Apparently it's commonplace. This, it seems, is how Government works. All those companies and pressure groups that spent time and effort influencing the decision-makers will now have to start schmoozing all over again. And all those ministers who've gained a little knowledge now have to gen up on something else instead. What a waste. A bit like the Government's indecision over the appointment of the e-commerce envoy to represent the country's best interests in the wired world. Apparently, the decision was left with the 10 Downing Street-- Tony Blair, to be specific -- in March but not a word has been said since. You don't think Tony has been so busy tweaking his Web site and staying up late at nights to surf the Web that he's forgotten to do anything about the envoy? Nah, me neither... ® -- Life is a game where men know the rules but women always win because they know the score -- unknown Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From brd@dynamite.com.au Tue Aug 3 23:47:21 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 99 23:47:21 GMT Subject: [LINK] US govt views Y2K rollover with fatalism Message-ID: 37a77f89.7574.0@dynamite.com.au We haven't had a really good rant on link re the Y2K hype for a while. I wonder if that nice Mr Fist is still of the opinion that it is all overblown marketting guff put about by the Y2K consultants? <\brd> The Register http://theregister.co.uk/990802-000014.html Posted 02/08/99 3:29pm by Thomas Greene in Washington, DC US govt views Y2K rollover with fatalism It was with calm fatalism that the US Senate Y2K Committee listened to discouraging expert testimony last week. No one in the room doubted for a moment the Millennium Bug will initiate a major, worldwide cock-up yielding, at best, an opportunity for Alpha Geeks everywhere to learn from inevitable and widespread system failures. "Since [my involvement with] Y2K, I've become aware in ways I never had before of just how vulnerable the United States is to some kind of breakdown," Committee chairman Sen. Robert Bennett (R -- Utah) said with a wry smile. Clearly he knows something we don't. The witnesses -- none of whom contradicted the Senator -- offered little comfort. The bad news is self-evident. The good news is, well, not terribly good. The Y2K rollover will, with luck, at least provide "essential lessons" and a golden opportunity to "observe the impact of cyber failure", America's Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office (CIAO) director John Tritac remarked, with something bordering on an eccentric scientist's joyful anticipation of some fascinating calamity. The sexy topics for this hearing were cyberterrorism and information warfare. The cast of witnesses included Michael Vadis, director of FBI's National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC); John Koskinen, chairman of the President's Information Coordination Center (ICC); and Richard Schaeffer, director of infrastructure and information assurance for the Department of Defence (DOD). Their theme, endlessly repeated, was that Y2K stuff-ups are going to provide an unfortunate layer of cover for terrorists and hostile military organisations belonging to various tribes without the law, enabling them to visit secret plagues upon information systems graciously maintained by decent Christian peoples. To hear them go on about it, one might imagine that the Internet is in reality a late incarnation of the Carolingian Empire. Barbarians at the Gate No one is saying whether the digital barbarians really are at the gate, or who they are if so. But regardless of how one may interpret the Good vs Evil melodrama, NIPC's Vadis claims it will be extremely difficult to distinguish between a malicious information attack and a Y2K breakdown when the rollover arrives. And he should know. With an interesting mix of hubris and humility he predicted that foreign militaries might try to "equalise their disadvantage in conventional warfare with the United States by going after our soft underbelly -- our dependence on information technology", and try to "take out" essential infrastructure services such as energy, transportation and banking. With that eventuality in mind, the Clinton administration has called for the creation of the Information Coordination Center (ICC), to be established and administered by presidential advisor John Koskinen. The ICC, Koskinen envisages, will serve as an information clearinghouse, speedily organizing and relaying real-time insights into global Y2K fiascoes to military, government, and essential private-sector service providers the world over. The ICC will perform "global situational monitoring" and relay news and advice through its several information centers, or virtual "help desks" as Koskinen calls them, which will be organised according to specific categories of industry. If there should be a problem with a traffic control system, for example, the manager would be routed to the ICC "help desk" manned by the US Department of Transportation; if an electric power grid goes down, the utility would be routed to the ICC desk maintained by the Department of Energy, and so on. Nuclear Attack No one mentioned the ultimate horror, an attack or a critical breakdown involving nuclear power facilities, but the terrible implication lurked throughout the discussion. Indeed, much of Koskinen's testimony centered on potential "energy" problems, though neither he nor anyone else dared utter the N-word. Even technocrats can be superstitious, after all. ICC will come into being on 30 December 1999, and "sunset" in March 2000, so long as Congress approves its US $40-50 million budget. Things look good so far. "As an appropriator," chairman Bennett said, "I must ask whether spending $40 to $50 million for such a brief period is wise." But Bennett is realistic: "If we spend $40 million for a weekend, and it does help us avoid a significant Y2K disaster, then it will be $40 million well spent," he observed. Clearly the ICC budget is a shoo in. Cyberwarfare Conspicuously absent from the hearing was Richard Clarke, national coordinator for infrastructure protection and counter-terrorism for the White House National Security Council (NSC). He had long been expected; but late the night before, White House lawyers acting on behalf of the NSC found a pretext to prevent him testifying. The obvious goal here was to prevent him being grilled on NSC's draft document regarding the Federal Intrusion Detection Network (FIDNet), leaked a day earlier. He had not been "confirmed" by the Senate, the Clinton legal team discovered at the eleventh hour, and no doubt with much relief and delight. Committee co-chair Sen. Christopher Dodd (D -- Conn) was ready with a shopping list of inconvenient questions for Clarke, which he lobbed here and there at the other witnesses who had no such handy escape, and most significantly at NIPC's Vadis, who repeatedly refused to answer some of the Senator's questions. Sandbagged by the Clintonites: it wasn't Vadis but Clarke who, by rights, ought to have been squirming in the hot seat, flagrantly refusing to answer, and sounding creepy because of it. Dodd asked Vadis if there exists any "hard evidence" that hostile military organizations are cyber-attacking the US. "I wouldn't want to answer in this forum," Vadis replied. Dodd pressed him again: "I'm not going to ask for specifics; I'm just asking if there's hard evidence of that occurring." Again Vadis brushed him off, appealing to the public nature of the hearing. "Well, you raised the issue," Dodd observed with mild sarcasm. He concluded that Vadis' "reluctance to answer" offered a strong indication that such evidence must exist. Vadis did not contradict him. Anyone alarmed by all this doomsday talk might still delay the purchase of a petrol generator and the digging of a bomb shelter. Of all the witnesses, DOD's Schaeffer remained the one most optimistic and most easily confident in Christendom's state of preparation to meet the Forces of Darkness on 1 January. Since it is to his outfit that responsibility for handling the gravest misadventures will fall, we think it reasonable to judge the relative state of peril according to his rather sunny demeanour. If Scheaffer's not going to fret, why should we? Of course, we don't know the man personally; he could just be a gifted actor, and inwardly trembling with dread. Hmmm, perhaps we'll keep an eye out for deals on a petrol generator after all... -- The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. -- Martin Luther King, Jr. Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From brd@dynamite.com.au Tue Aug 3 23:54:25 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 99 23:54:25 GMT Subject: [LINK] GAO report: Benefits of Army digitization program uncertain Message-ID: 37a78131.7696.0@dynamite.com.au AUGUST 2, 1999 Federal Computer Week http://www.fcw.com/pubs/fcw/1999/0802/fcw-newsarmy-08-02-99.html GAO report: Benefits of Army digitization program uncertain BY DANIEL VERTON (dan_verton@fcw.com) The Army has not produced conclusive evidence that its $20 billion plan to field dozens of advanced information systems to help soldiers exchange information will make its forces more effective on the battlefield, according to a General Accounting Office report released last week. The report, "Battlefield Automation: Performance Uncertainties are Likely When the Army Fields its First Digitized Division," found that the results of past field evaluations of the Army's digitization effort "have been inconclusive" and showed "no significant increase" in the ability of soldiers armed with information systems to carry out battle operations. Martin Libicki, a defense analyst with Rand Corp. specializing in information warfare and information operations, said there are many ways of looking at the Army's current digitization plans, but results of previous field experiments have been mediocre. "It could be that [digitization of the battlefield] is a much more profound [change] than the Army understands," Libicki said. "Or, we may be asking too much from command and control [technologies]," he said. According to Libicki, although the Army's investment in digitization seems quite steep, given the findings of the GAO report, the uncertain nature of the military threat facing the Army in the future makes the investment a wise decision. Identifying the value of information systems is always problematic, but those last two paragraphs feature an amazing bit of logic. <\brd> Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From ggm@dstc.edu.au Wed Aug 4 00:35:56 1999 From: ggm@dstc.edu.au (George Michaelson) Date: Wed, 04 Aug 1999 10:35:56 +1000 Subject: [LINK] US govt views Y2K rollover with fatalism In-Reply-To: Your message of "Tue, 03 Aug 1999 23:47:21 GMT." 37a77f89.7574.0@dynamite.com.au Message-ID: <15372.933726956@dstc.edu.au> I propose a link sweep: first one to guess how many direct deaths result from Y2K accidents in Aus wins the pool. Of course, we don't get to cash in until 2001. So its a slow comp. My bet is <5. Most days, I'd bet <3. Now if you widen the bet to include second-order deaths, You might argue that up to <20 or maybe even <100. Which is less than the Christmas roadkill. Which we seem to survive collectively. I don't think its worth betting on inconveniences. There will be millions of petty things which get blamed on Y2K. When my partner ran a bookshop it was routine to blame late arrivals of containers of books on customs when we knew full well it was just logjammed waiting to be processed by the shipper themselves. Similarly every minor stuffup on the supermarket is going to be blamed on Y2K to avoid loss-of-face and having to say "its my fault" It might be interesting to bet on the non-events: zero lifts will get stuck due to Y2K there will not be a generalized power outage comparable to the gas thing in Victoria. there will not be a nuclear plant failure of any significance. there will not be a major rail outage. there will not be a catastrophic breakdown of ambulance services. we will get paid. ATMs will work. Collingwood will not win the AFL. -George -- George Michaelson | DSTC Pty Ltd Email: ggm@dstc.edu.au | University of Qld 4072 Phone: +61 7 3365 4310 | Australia Fax: +61 7 3365 4311 | http://www.dstc.edu.au From david.mitchell@rmit.edu.au Wed Aug 4 00:40:35 1999 From: david.mitchell@rmit.edu.au (David Mitchell) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 10:40:35 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Re: Australia's new censors In-Reply-To: <199907300446.OAA16801@m5.c2.telstra-mm.net.au> Message-ID: >>Whether the use of end-user filtering software will meet the definition of >>'alternative access-prevention arrangements' will depend on whether the ABA >>is satisfied that 'the arrangement is likely to provide a reasonably >>effective means of preventing access by those end-users to prohibited >>content and potential prohibited content'. > >May I interpose a flashing amber light here, and slow down this wishful >thinking that end-user filtering may be a workable compromise that can >get everyone out of this scary mess. The question for the ABA is not whether end-user filtering is a workable compromise, but whether end-user filtering will prevent access to those sites that are classified RC, X (or R if in Australia and not protected by an age verification mechanism) by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC). It almost goes without saying that documented problems of overbroad and inappropriate end-user filtering blocking abound. However, this could lead to a market in an end-user filtering product that *only* filtered 'prohibited content' and 'potentially prohibited content' as classified under the terms of the legislation (if the ABA was prepared to tell the public what these classified sites are). ISPs are obviously interested in end-user filtering software as it could remove the requirement for them to block classified sites if the ABA is satisfied etc. There isn't too much concern from the ISPs about whether end-user filtering software works effectively or not, in its broader applications, and therefore if its use becomes more widespread I expect that we will hear more stories about inappropriate blocking until they start to get it right. End-user filtering software is a workable compromise for ISPs as it leaves the decision to censor in the hands of the user, exactly where the ISPs wanted it all along. It isn't a workable compromise for overseas content hosts as they may end up having their sites inappropriately blocked in Australia as a side effect of enforcing the Australian legislative scheme (as more and more people use end-user filtering software). ... >It is clear that end-user filtering is clumsy, error prone, and >dangerous. Your rights as a web publisher can be abused by an unknown >third party, and they don't have to tell you about it. And I doubt >whether the procedures used by the nanny companies for listing and >de-listing of so called offending sites can stand proper legal (or even >ethical) scrutiny. The same thing could be said about the ABA and OFLC classifying sites overseas as 'potentially prohibited content' and 'prohibited content' respectively. I can't recall anything in the legislation that requires the ABA or the OFLC to contact an overseas content host to even inform them that their content is being, or has been, rated in Australia and may therefore be blocked. There is also no process for the ABA or OFLC to regularly check that previously classified content still exists on prohibited sites, a completely unacceptable proposition in a non-static environment like the Internet. So not only do end-user filtering programs have problems, but the legislative scheme in Australia has some of the same sort of fundamental flaws. >But finally, surely it only needs one mistake involving a rich, >commercial ecomm site, and the ensuing damages settlement, to bring this >whole flimsy stack of cards down? Can end-user filtering really be a >sustainable option? > >Thoughts, anyone? End-user filtering software is here but maybe it will take a nice fat lawsuit to convince the people who sell the software that a bit more care is required, both in selecting the sites to block and in ensuring that the blocks in place remain relevant. dm David Mitchell Research Fellow Media & Telecommunications Policy Group @ RMIT University e-mail: Home Page: Postal Address: Locked Bag 2400, St. Leonards, NSW, Australia, 1590. From gbayley@ausmac.net Wed Aug 4 02:55:32 1999 From: gbayley@ausmac.net (Grant Bayley) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 12:55:32 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] IIA Stand Empty Message-ID: Hi everybody, I visited Internet World in Sydney yesterday and noticed an IIA stand. Given the recent directionless comments by IIA about what role it might have in the transitional period leading to BSA enforcement (or lack thereof), should I attach any significance to the fact that the stand was empty and unattended? Grant _______________________________________________________ Grant Bayley gbayley@ausmac.net - IT Manager, Batey Kazoo (www.kazoo.com.au) - Administrator, The AusMac Archive (www.ausmac.net) - Webmaster/Organiser, 2600 Australia (www.2600.org.au) _______________________________________________________ From effectivebusiness@pplications.com.au Wed Aug 4 02:06:01 1999 From: effectivebusiness@pplications.com.au (Mark Hughes) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 12:06:01 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Across america, a troubling 'digital divide' In-Reply-To: <4.1.19990803181704.00911ef0@popa.melbpc.org.au> Message-ID: <000c01bede1d$e6abf700$600254d2@markhugh> NSW public schools have internet connections also. My son's primary school's ISDN gives slow response time - whether that's because of the filtering, or because the ISDN doesn't handle 4 or 5 students surfing at once, I have no idea. A major downside effect with the education system's filtering software is the time wasting from blocking of innocuous sites, and the following process: Enter a search into a search engine. Get back a list of urls. (you know, 'displaying 1-20 of 43,365 hits') Click on the first one. Be told by the system that its not available (due to the filtering software) Click on the next one. Be told by the system that its not available ect For anyone calculating the time delays imposed by filtering software, the wasted time to the user by trying to get to urls that are blocked for no reason may be far more significant than the delay in retrieving pages that are allowed. Those calculating the delays caused by filtering software who don't include the above problem are being flexible with the truth. (as it appears the ABA was with their selective release of results from research) Regards, Mark Mark Hughes Director Effective Business Applications Pty Ltd effectivebusiness@pplications.com.au 61 4 1374 3959 From hartr@redhat.com Wed Aug 4 02:32:38 1999 From: hartr@redhat.com (hartr@redhat.com) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 1999 19:32:38 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [LINK] US govt views Y2K rollover with fatalism In-Reply-To: <15372.933726956@dstc.edu.au> Message-ID: <199908040232.TAA06860@bree.cali.redhat.com> On 4 Aug, George Michaelson wrote: > It might be interesting to bet on the non-events: > Collingwood will not win the AFL. Thank heavens for that (ducking and running for cover, as magpie fans make Linux bigots look like a Sunday school class). -- Robert Hart hartr@redhat.com Red Hat, Inc (California Office) Phone: +1 650 967 0888 Fax: +1 650 965 7307 From jonathan@rmit.edu.au Wed Aug 4 03:31:16 1999 From: jonathan@rmit.edu.au (Jonathan O'Donnell) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 13:31:16 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Digital copyrights and wrongs In-Reply-To: Message-ID: At 2:12 PM +1000 3/8/99, Tony Barry wrote: > Source: Edupage, 2 August 1999 > >DIGITAL RIGHTS AND WRONGS >A number of companies are creating complex software programs to >protect intellectual content. The new digital rights management >systems empower publishers to establish property rights and terms >of use of digital materials. ... Closer to home, the Performing Arts Multimedia Library (PAML) Pilot Project has been looking at this issue. http://www.cinemedia.net/PAML/ "The PAML Pilot Project is being undertaken in Victoria during 1998 and early 1999 and will assist in the creation of electronic, digital and analogue works using new performing arts material. These products will exist in a variety of formats and be available for delivery via different distribution mechanisms. The production process provides a 'test-bed' to explore the legal issues surrounding the production and distribution of performing arts products in the digital environment providing a case study in copyright and intellectual property management." It is being run (or was being run) primarily through Cinemedia in Melbourne. The printed and online resource publications of the PAML Pilot Project will be launched on August 19,1999. Jonathan O'Donnell Director of Information Technology Art, Design and Communication RMIT City campus 6.3.12 Telephone: +61 3 992 52903 mailto:doit@art.rmit.edu.au http://purl.nla.gov.au/net/jonathan From shara@telsyte.com.au Wed Aug 4 03:47:37 1999 From: shara@telsyte.com.au (Shara Evans) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 13:47:37 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Internet Filtering Delay - The End of Internet Telephony in Australia? In-Reply-To: <4.1.19990803181704.00911ef0@popa.melbpc.org.au> References: <5EDE9BFD65AED1119BE208002BE7D74D451CD3@pef2.petersham.tafe nsw.EDU.AU> Message-ID: Stephen, I read your comments on 1-2 second filtering delays with interest. Aside from all the other problems with the Online Services Bill, it has the potential to kill Internet Telephony (eg. telephony over the public Internet) in Australia. Delay (or latency) is defined as the time required for the transmission from origin to destination. Two-way voice telephony is delay-intolerant. Most people can put up with up to 250 ms of (one-way) delay before the interval becomes annoying. At 300 ms and above voice sounds increasingly synthetic. At 400+ ms it becomes unintelligible. The Austel Private Network Design Guide (PNDG) recommends a maximum 700 ms round trip network delay (350 ms in each direction) for connection to the PSTN. Best practice network design utilises a latency budget of no more than 300 ms. The Austel PNDG collates the majority of standard rules and methodologies for the design of private networks within Australia. Adherence to the PNDG is voluntary. The document mainly addresses voice-related issues, and provides advice on how designers should configure private networks to ensure that the mandatory requirements of Austel (ACA) technical standards are met. Interface specifications utilised in the PNDG were developed in accordance with ITU international recommendations. ACIF C519 addresses the industry approach to self-regulation of end-to-end network performance. It is intended to ensure voice quality on fixed and mobile voice telephony networks. The Code specifies the requirements for checking overall end-to-end performance of multi-service deliverer, multi-network environments. It also covers private networks that are connected to public networks. The Code currently does not apply to emerging voice telephony services (including Internet telephony) which use packet, frame or cell-based voice telephony connections. However, these emerging services may use the performance levels in the Code as indicative target objectives. ACIF G519 specifies the following performance levels for fixed and mobile telephony networks (my summary, the Code contains additional detail): 1. FNT-FNT (Fixed Network Terminations to Fixed Network Terminations) is 150 +150 = 300 ms for a roundtrip connection, and 150 ms for a one-way connection. 2. FNT-POI (Fixed Network Terminations to Point of Interconnection) is 150 ms for a roundtrip connection, and 75 ms for a one-way connection. 3. FNT-POC (Fixed Network Terminations to Point of Connect) is 150 ms for a roundtrip connection, and 75 ms for a one-way connection. In the August issue of Systems magazine, Richard Chirgwin researched the economic impact of the OSA Bill (recommended reading for anyone interested in the impact of OSA). In his article he quoted testimony from Internet Sheriff (mfg of a filtering product) to the Senate, wherein the company stated that a properly configured server would impose a delay of around 250 ms (for a blacklist of 20 words -- and a much higher latency for longer lists). These figures do not even take into consideration the fixed and variable delay involved in compressing, packeting and transmitting voice: Fixed Delay: -- Compression delay takes from 20 to 45 ms depending on algorithm -- Inter-process delay refers to the hand-offs that occur within each router/FRAD and take approximately 10 ms at each end. -- Serialisation delay refers to the amount of time it takes to put a packet on a transmission line and is dependent on packet size and line speed. Serialisation can range from 0.5 ms for a 128K packet on a 2 Mbps line, to 128.6 ms for a 1024K packet on a 64 Kbps line. -- Transmission delay is dependent on line speed. Range from 0.25 to 7 ms -- The fixed portion of network delay takes into account switch processing, line serialisation and distance propagation. Network delays are generally in the order of 20-50 ms. -- Buffer delay (in the destination FRAD) is generally configurable by the network operator. FRAD jitter buffers range from 20 to 250 ms. Jitter buffers are sometimes called a smoothing buffer -- Decompression delay generally takes 10 ms or less Variable Delay: -- Queuing delay varies between 0-20 ms for every switch and router in the network. -- Network congestion can introduce variable delays of up to 250 ms (for a managed Australian FR network) and up to several seconds (or more) for the public internet. To give you an example, a VoIP packet transiting over a managed Frame Relay point-to-point link would take a minimum of 52.8 ms (toll quality voice) to a maximum of 637 ms (unintelligible voice). If the same packet were to travel on the Internet all bets are off for maximum delay. If it is true that the content filtering process will introduce a minimum delay of 250 ms, best case packetised voice+filtering would exceed 300 ms one-way delays. I am interested in any feedback/data you or other Link members may have on the network delays induced by filtering devices. With kind regards, Shara Evans Managing Director, Telsyte President, Advanced Networking Forum Australia At 7:07 PM +1000 3/8/99, stephen loosley wrote: >At 04:50 PM 3/08/99 +1000, Hrebeniuk Ellen wrote: > >>I think we all know it's happening here too .. When you read about "wired" >>high schools, they're always either private schools or in affluent suburbs .. > >And I must join Sandie here Ellen, your comments are incorrect. For instance, >every State school here has an ISDN Internet connection, (128Kbps), provided >by the Vic Government. Although yes, access is ISP filtered, it's still quite >usable. > >Sorry Danny, but it's true. We found this filtering adds 1-2 sec or so >/url-request >for any machine on our 125-terminal State High School computer network, when >compared with our previously normal ISP access which I arranged four years >ago. > >In addition, and so far, a third of all State teachers have been provided with >new >notebook computers. I'm writing this with one right now. And all teachers here >will >have a new notebook within two years. The other States also have similiar >plans. > >Cheers Ellen, >Stephen Loosley >www.stephen.hm ************************************************************************* Shara Evans Phone: +61-2-9417-7609 Managing Director Fax: +61-2-9417-7320 Telsyte Mobile: +61-416-258-462 134 Deepwater Road Email: shara @telsyte.com.au Castle Cove NSW 2069 Internet: www.telsyte.com.au Australia From C4IS@EISA.NET.AU Wed Aug 4 03:40:56 1999 From: C4IS@EISA.NET.AU (C4IS) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 13:10:56 +0930 Subject: [LINK] Across america, a troubling 'digital divide' Message-ID: <001e01bede2c$d71a87c0$0400000a@esp> -----Original Message----- From: Mark Hughes Date: Wednesday, August 04, 1999 12:45 PM Subject: RE: [LINK] Across america, a troubling 'digital divide' >NSW public schools have internet connections also. My son's primary >school's ISDN gives slow response time - whether that's because of the >filtering, or because the ISDN doesn't handle 4 or 5 students surfing >at once, I have no idea. > >A major downside effect with the education system's filtering software >is the time wasting from blocking of innocuous sites, and the >following process: > >Enter a search into a search engine. >Get back a list of urls. (you know, 'displaying 1-20 of 43,365 hits') >Click on the first one. >Be told by the system that its not available (due to the filtering >software) >Click on the next one. >Be told by the system that its not available >etc > There may be a business opportunity in this (Create a filter-ready search engine to clip away (or shift to last place) any hits that are "forbidden by gov't- or ISP-imposed filters") Now, who wants to make a million with me doing this... i.e. before the search-engine houses beat us to it (Is there no Search Engine operator who offers a "value-added" service like this? After all they may well be a good place to locate the filters' no-no lists, among others) From danny@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au Wed Aug 4 03:58:37 1999 From: danny@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au (Danny Yee) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 13:58:37 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Re: Australia's new censors In-Reply-To: from "David Mitchell" at Aug 4, 99 10:40:35 am Message-ID: <199908040358.NAA13460@boomer.anu.edu.au> > The question for the ABA is not whether end-user filtering is a workable > compromise, but whether end-user filtering will prevent access to those > sites that are classified RC, X (or R if in Australia and not protected by > an age verification mechanism) by the Office of Film and Literature > Classification (OFLC). Is it possible for ISPs to *mandate* end-user filtering software? That is, is there any legal impediment to putting in their terms and conditions a requirement that the user must run ABA approved filtering software? Of course such a clause would be unenforceable (just think of the fun they are going to have finding filtering software for every operating systems on the planet, for starters), but it might be enough to get them off the hook. I can't see how _voluntary_ use of filtering software by end-users can have much to do with the BSA. After all, the BSA only covers ISPs, not end-users, and it is all about _banning_ prohibted content, not voluntary anything. Danny. From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Wed Aug 4 03:59:01 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 13:59:01 +1000 Subject: [LINK] For operating system buffs Message-ID: > Joke for August 3, 1999 > > IF OPERATING SYSTEMS RAN THE AIRLINES > - Submitted by J. Hovind > _______________________________________ > >UNIX Airways > >Everyone brings one piece of the plane along when they come >to the airport. They all go out on the runway and put the >plane together piece by piece, arguing non-stop about what >kind of plane they are supposed to be building. > >Air DOS > >Everybody pushes the airplane until it glides, then they jump >on and let the plane coast until it hits the ground again. >Then they push again, jump on again, and so on ... > >Mac Airlines > >All the stewards, captains, baggage handlers, and ticket agents >look and act exactly the same. Every time you ask questions >about details, you are gently but firmly told that you don't >need to know, don't want to know, and everything will be done >for you without your ever having to know, so just shut up. > >Windows Air > >The terminal is pretty and colorful, with friendly stewards, >easy baggage check and boarding, and a smooth take-off. After >about 10 minutes in the air, the plane explodes with no warning >whatsoever. > >Windows NT Air > >Just like Windows Air, but costs more, uses much bigger planes, >and takes out all the other aircraft within a 40-mile radius >when it explodes. > >Linux Air > >Disgruntled employees of all the other OS airlines decide to >start their own airline. They build the planes, ticket counters, >and pave the runways themselves. They charge a small fee to >cover the cost of printing the ticket, but you can also download >and print the ticket yourself. When you board the plane, you >are given a seat, four bolts, a wrench and a copy of the >seat-HOWTO.html. Once settled, the fully adjustable seat is >very comfortable, the plan leaves and arrives on time without >a single problem, the in-flight meal is wonderful. You try to >tell customers of the other airlines about the great trip, but >all they can say is, "You had to do what with the seat?" > > *** http://www.Joke-Of-The-Day.com *** - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Wed Aug 4 04:31:35 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 14:31:35 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Re: Australia's new censors Message-ID: At 01:58 PM 4/8/99, Danny Yee wrote: >Is it possible for ISPs to *mandate* end-user filtering software? I suggected this some little while back. >That is, is there any legal impediment to putting in their terms and >conditions a requirement that the user must run ABA approved filtering >software? Of course such a clause would be unenforceable (just think >of the fun they are going to have finding filtering software for every >operating systems on the planet, for starters), The "not technically feasable provisions cut in". So you can say you can do it for Windoze but it's not feasable for BeOS >but it might be enough >to get them off the hook. >From a posting I think I saw on aussie-isp I think IIA hopes it will. I would like a comment on this from ABA though. Tony - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From richard@auscoms.com.au Wed Aug 4 04:45:48 1999 From: richard@auscoms.com.au (richard@auscoms.com.au) Date: Wed, 04 Aug 99 14:45:48 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Internet Filtering Delay - The End of Internet Tel Message-ID: <9908049337.AA933741947@mail.auscoms.com.au> Shara -- [A small correction, not to embarras you but so I don't get outraged phone calls from Clairview: the 250ms was cited correctly to Alan Jones; the expansion of delay as the black list expands was from Antony Healey of Healey Internet] Now for the duh! award to myself for not giving space to the impact of filtering on Internet voice. Questions: a) can Internet voice be okayed by a filter at call establishment and not passed through the filter for the "live" traffic? Would this be legal? b) if I use the f*** word on an Internet voice call, has my ISP broken the law? Richard Chirgwin ____________________Reply Separator____________________ Subject: [LINK] Internet Filtering Delay - The End of Internet Teleph Author: Shara Evans Date: 4/08/99 13:47 Stephen, I read your comments on 1-2 second filtering delays with interest. Aside from all the other problems with the Online Services Bill, it has the potential to kill Internet Telephony (eg. telephony over the public Internet) in Australia. Delay (or latency) is defined as the time required for the transmission from origin to destination. Two-way voice telephony is delay-intolerant. Most people can put up with up to 250 ms of (one-way) delay before the interval becomes annoying. At 300 ms and above voice sounds increasingly synthetic. At 400+ ms it becomes unintelligible. The Austel Private Network Design Guide (PNDG) recommends a maximum 700 ms round trip network delay (350 ms in each direction) for connection to the PSTN. Best practice network design utilises a latency budget of no more than 300 ms. The Austel PNDG collates the majority of standard rules and methodologies for the design of private networks within Australia. Adherence to the PNDG is voluntary. The document mainly addresses voice-related issues, and provides advice on how designers should configure private networks to ensure that the mandatory requirements of Austel (ACA) technical standards are met. Interface specifications utilised in the PNDG were developed in accordance with ITU international recommendations. ACIF C519 addresses the industry approach to self-regulation of end-to-end network performance. It is intended to ensure voice quality on fixed and mobile voice telephony networks. The Code specifies the requirements for checking overall end-to-end performance of multi-service deliverer, multi-network environments. It also covers private networks that are connected to public networks. The Code currently does not apply to emerging voice telephony services (including Internet telephony) which use packet, frame or cell-based voice telephony connections. However, these emerging services may use the performance levels in the Code as indicative target objectives. ACIF G519 specifies the following performance levels for fixed and mobile telephony networks (my summary, the Code contains additional detail): 1. FNT-FNT (Fixed Network Terminations to Fixed Network Terminations) is 150 +150 = 300 ms for a roundtrip connection, and 150 ms for a one-way connection. 2. FNT-POI (Fixed Network Terminations to Point of Interconnection) is 150 ms for a roundtrip connection, and 75 ms for a one-way connection. 3. FNT-POC (Fixed Network Terminations to Point of Connect) is 150 ms for a roundtrip connection, and 75 ms for a one-way connection. In the August issue of Systems magazine, Richard Chirgwin researched the economic impact of the OSA Bill (recommended reading for anyone interested in the impact of OSA). In his article he quoted testimony from Internet Sheriff (mfg of a filtering product) to the Senate, wherein the company stated that a properly configured server would impose a delay of around 250 ms (for a blacklist of 20 words -- and a much higher latency for longer lists). These figures do not even take into consideration the fixed and variable delay involved in compressing, packeting and transmitting voice: Fixed Delay: -- Compression delay takes from 20 to 45 ms depending on algorithm -- Inter-process delay refers to the hand-offs that occur within each router/FRAD and take approximately 10 ms at each end. -- Serialisation delay refers to the amount of time it takes to put a packet on a transmission line and is dependent on packet size and line speed. Serialisation can range from 0.5 ms for a 128K packet on a 2 Mbps line, to 128.6 ms for a 1024K packet on a 64 Kbps line. -- Transmission delay is dependent on line speed. Range from 0.25 to 7 ms -- The fixed portion of network delay takes into account switch processing, line serialisation and distance propagation. Network delays are generally in the order of 20-50 ms. -- Buffer delay (in the destination FRAD) is generally configurable by the network operator. FRAD jitter buffers range from 20 to 250 ms. Jitter buffers are sometimes called a smoothing buffer -- Decompression delay generally takes 10 ms or less Variable Delay: -- Queuing delay varies between 0-20 ms for every switch and router in the network. -- Network congestion can introduce variable delays of up to 250 ms (for a managed Australian FR network) and up to several seconds (or more) for the public internet. To give you an example, a VoIP packet transiting over a managed Frame Relay point-to-point link would take a minimum of 52.8 ms (toll quality voice) to a maximum of 637 ms (unintelligible voice). If the same packet were to travel on the Internet all bets are off for maximum delay. If it is true that the content filtering process will introduce a minimum delay of 250 ms, best case packetised voice+filtering would exceed 300 ms one-way delays. I am interested in any feedback/data you or other Link members may have on the network delays induced by filtering devices. With kind regards, Shara Evans Managing Director, Telsyte President, Advanced Networking Forum Australia At 7:07 PM +1000 3/8/99, stephen loosley wrote: >At 04:50 PM 3/08/99 +1000, Hrebeniuk Ellen wrote: > >>I think we all know it's happening here too .. When you read about "wired" >>high schools, they're always either private schools or in affluent suburbs .. > >And I must join Sandie here Ellen, your comments are incorrect. For instance, >every State school here has an ISDN Internet connection, (128Kbps), provided >by the Vic Government. Although yes, access is ISP filtered, it's still quite >usable. > >Sorry Danny, but it's true. We found this filtering adds 1-2 sec or so >/url-request >for any machine on our 125-terminal State High School computer network, when >compared with our previously normal ISP access which I arranged four years >ago. > >In addition, and so far, a third of all State teachers have been provided with >new >notebook computers. I'm writing this with one right now. And all teachers here >will >have a new notebook within two years. The other States also have similiar >plans. > >Cheers Ellen, >Stephen Loosley >www.stephen.hm ************************************************************************* Shara Evans Phone: +61-2-9417-7609 Managing Director Fax: +61-2-9417-7320 Telsyte Mobile: +61-416-258-462 134 Deepwater Road Email: shara @telsyte.com.au Castle Cove NSW 2069 Internet: www.telsyte.com.au Australia From brd@dynamite.com.au Wed Aug 4 04:57:26 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Wed, 04 Aug 1999 14:57:26 +1000 Subject: [LINK] For operating system buffs References: Message-ID: <37A7C836.5F091953@dynamite.com.au> Tony Barry wrote: > > > Joke for August 3, 1999 > > > > IF OPERATING SYSTEMS RAN THE AIRLINES > > - Submitted by J. Hovind Or:- (from an unknown source in 1995) If Operating Systems Were Beers DOS Beer: Requires you to use your own can opener, and requires you to read the directions carefully before opening the can. Originally only came in an 8-oz. can, but now comes in a 16-oz. can. However, the can is divided into 8 compartments of 2 oz. each, which have to be accessed separately. Soon to be discontinued, although a lot of people are going to keep drinking it after it's no longer available. Mac Beer: At first, came only a 16-oz. can, but now comes in a 32-oz. can. Considered by many to be a "light" beer. All the cans look identical. When you take one from the fridge, it opens itself. The ingredients list is not on the can. If you call to ask about the ingredients, you are told that "you don't need to know." A notice on the side reminds you to drag your empties to the trashcan. Windows 3.1 Beer: The world's most popular. Comes in a 16-oz. can that looks a lot like Mac Beer's. Requires that you already own a DOS Beer. Claims that it allows you to drink several DOS Beers simultaneously, but in reality you can only drink a few of them, very slowly, especially slowly if you are drinking the Windows Beer at the same time. Sometimes, for apparently no reason, a can of Windows Beer will explode when you open it. OS/2 Beer: Comes in a 32-oz can. Does allow you to drink several DOS Beers simultaneously. Allows you to drink Windows 3.1 Beer simultaneously too, but somewhat slower. Advertises that its cans won't explode when you open them, even if you shake them up. You never really see anyone drinking OS/2 Beer, but the manufacturer (International Beer Manufacturing) claims that 9 million six-packs have been sold. Windows 95 Beer: You can't buy it yet, but a lot of people have taste-tested it and claim it's wonderful. The can looks a lot like Mac Beer's can, but tastes more like Windows 3.1 Beer. It comes in 32-oz. cans, but when you look inside, the cans only have 16 oz. of beer in them. Most people will probably keep drinking Windows 3.1 Beer until their friends try Windows 95 Beer and say they like it. The ingredients list, when you look at the small print, has some of the same ingredients that come in DOS beer, even though the manufacturer claims that this is an entirely new brew. Windows NT Beer: Comes in 32-oz. cans, but you can only buy it by the truckload. This causes most people to have to go out and buy bigger refrigerators. The can looks just like Windows 3.1 Beer's, but the company promises to change the can to look just like Windows 95 Beer's - after Windows 95 beer starts shipping. Touted as an "industrial strength" beer, and suggested only for use in bars. Unix Beer: Comes in several different brands, in cans ranging from 8 oz. to 64 oz. Drinkers of Unix Beer display fierce brand loyalty, even though they claim that all the different brands taste almost identical. Sometimes the pop-tops break off when you try to open them, so you have to have your own can opener around for those occasions, in which case you either need a complete set of instructions, or a friend who has been drinking Unix Beer for several years. AmigaDOS Beer: The company has gone out of business, but their recipe has been picked up by some weird German company, so now this beer will be an import. This beer never really sold very well because the original manufacturer didn't understand marketing. Like Unix Beer, AmigaDOS Beer fans are an extremely loyal and loud group. It originally came in a 16-oz. can, but now comes in 32-oz. cans too. When this can was originally introduced, it appeared flashy and colorful, but the design hasn't changed much over the years, so it appears dated now. Critics of this beer claim that it is only meant for watching TV anyway. MVS Beer: Requires minimal user interaction, except for popping the top and sipping. However cans have been known on occasion to explode, or contain extremely un-beer-like contents. Best drunk in high pressure development environments. When you call the manufacturer for the list of ingredients, you're told that is proprietary and referred to an unknown listing in the manuals published by the FDA. Rumors are that this was once listed in the Physicians' Desk Reference as a tranquilizer, but no one can claim to have actually seen it. The biggest problem is before you can drink any one of them you have to buy a really expensive bag of chips to go with it. -- You want a funny tag as well??? Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From brd@dynamite.com.au Wed Aug 4 06:03:35 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 99 06:03:35 GMT Subject: [LINK] Net Investment Smashes Records Message-ID: 37a7d7b7.2f1a.0@dynamite.com.au Just look at what we Australians are competing with!!!!! In the USA, in the first half of 1999, 565 Net startups with an average investment of greater than US$10 million. <\brd> The Industry Standard, 3 August 99 http://www.thestandard.com/articles/display/0,1449,5733,00.html?home.tf Net Investment Smashes Records By Maryann Jones Thompson It doesn't look like the sketchy success of Net stocks and initial public offerings has scared off many venture capitalists: New data shows more dollars are flowing into Net startups than ever before. During the first half of this year, 565 Net startups received a record $6.3 billion - more than the $5.7 billion raised during the entire year of 1998, and more than 1997 and 1996 combined, reports San Francisco-based venture-capital researcher VentureOne. In the second quarter of this year alone, Internet venture funding jumped 53 percent from the $2.5 billion raised in the first quarter to $3.8 billion, a 170 percent increase over the year-ago second quarter. According to the VentureOne, Internet firms are increasingly dominating the growing pool of U.S. venture funds. During 1995, a total of $6.3 billion was invested into U.S. startups, and Net firms garnered 15 percent of the total. Three years later, startup funding had increased to $13 billion, with some 44 percent of the dollars going to the Web. And during the first half of this year, Internet startups grabbed 55 percent of the record $11.4 billion invested overall in the United States. "We are seeing lots of money being raised in a very short period of time," says Rolf Selvig, director of business development at VentureOne. "These venture-backed companies are replacing dollars for time, raising money to fund acquisitions and create combinations that will achieve scale as quickly as possible." Business-to-business services firms are driving Net investment, snagging $2.2 billion of the $6.3 billion raised during the first half. Internet-related software and database companies garnered $1.5 billion, and e-commerce ventures received $1.1 billion. Infrastructure companies and ISPs accounted for the remainder of the total. VIA Networks topped the list of Net deals during the first half of this year with $128 million in funding. Webvan followed with a $120 million round, while JuniorNet placed third with $70 million. -- On leadership: "True leadership must be for the benefit of the followers, not the enrichment of the leaders. In combat, officers eat last. Most people in big companies today are administered, not led. They are treated as personnel, not people." -- Robert Townsend - of "Up the Organisation" fame Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From shara@telsyte.com.au Wed Aug 4 06:11:35 1999 From: shara@telsyte.com.au (Shara Evans) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 16:11:35 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Internet Filtering Delay - The End of Internet Tel In-Reply-To: <9908049337.AA933741947@mail.auscoms.com.au> Message-ID: Richard, Thanks for the clarification. I wouldn't want to put incorrect words in your mouth! Shara At 2:45 PM +1000 4/8/99, richard@auscoms.com.au wrote: >Shara -- > >[A small correction, not to embarras you but so I don't get outraged phone >calls >from Clairview: the 250ms was cited correctly to Alan Jones; the expansion of >delay as the black list expands was from Antony Healey of Healey Internet] > >Now for the duh! award to myself for not giving space to the impact of >filtering >on Internet voice. > >Questions: >a) can Internet voice be okayed by a filter at call establishment and not >passed >through the filter for the "live" traffic? Would this be legal? >b) if I use the f*** word on an Internet voice call, has my ISP broken the >law? > >Richard Chirgwin > >____________________Reply Separator____________________ >Subject: [LINK] Internet Filtering Delay - The End of Internet Teleph >Author: Shara Evans >Date: 4/08/99 13:47 > >Stephen, > >I read your comments on 1-2 second filtering delays with interest. Aside >from all the other problems with the Online Services Bill, it has the >potential to kill Internet Telephony (eg. telephony over the public >Internet) in Australia. > >Delay (or latency) is defined as the time required for the transmission >from origin to destination. Two-way voice telephony is delay-intolerant. >Most people can put up with up to 250 ms of (one-way) delay before the >interval becomes annoying. At 300 ms and above voice sounds increasingly >synthetic. At 400+ ms it becomes unintelligible. > >The Austel Private Network Design Guide (PNDG) recommends a maximum 700 ms >round trip network delay (350 ms in each direction) for connection to the >PSTN. Best practice network design utilises a latency budget of no more >than 300 ms. > >The Austel PNDG collates the majority of standard rules and methodologies >for the design of private networks within Australia. Adherence to the PNDG >is voluntary. The document mainly addresses voice-related issues, and >provides advice on how designers should configure private networks to >ensure that the mandatory requirements of Austel (ACA) technical standards >are met. Interface specifications utilised in the PNDG were developed in >accordance with ITU international recommendations. > >ACIF C519 addresses the industry approach to self-regulation of end-to-end >network performance. It is intended to ensure voice quality on fixed and >mobile voice telephony networks. The Code specifies the requirements for >checking overall end-to-end performance of multi-service deliverer, >multi-network environments. It also covers private networks that are >connected to public networks. The Code currently does not apply to >emerging voice telephony services (including Internet telephony) which use >packet, frame or cell-based voice telephony connections. However, these >emerging services may use the performance levels in the Code as indicative >target objectives. > >ACIF G519 specifies the following performance levels for fixed and mobile >telephony networks (my summary, the Code contains additional detail): > >1. FNT-FNT (Fixed Network Terminations to Fixed Network Terminations) is >150 +150 = 300 ms for a roundtrip connection, and 150 ms for a one-way >connection. > >2. FNT-POI (Fixed Network Terminations to Point of Interconnection) is 150 >ms for a roundtrip connection, and 75 ms for a one-way connection. > >3. FNT-POC (Fixed Network Terminations to Point of Connect) is 150 ms for a >roundtrip connection, and 75 ms for a one-way connection. > >In the August issue of Systems magazine, Richard Chirgwin researched the >economic impact of the OSA Bill (recommended reading for anyone interested >in the impact of OSA). In his article he quoted testimony from Internet >Sheriff (mfg of a filtering product) to the Senate, wherein the company >stated that a properly configured server would impose a delay of around 250 >ms (for a blacklist of 20 words -- and a much higher latency for longer >lists). > >These figures do not even take into consideration the fixed and variable >delay involved in compressing, packeting and transmitting voice: > >Fixed Delay: > >-- Compression delay takes from 20 to 45 ms depending on algorithm >-- Inter-process delay refers to the hand-offs that occur within each >router/FRAD and take approximately 10 ms at each end. >-- Serialisation delay refers to the amount of time it takes to put a >packet on a transmission line and is dependent on packet size and line >speed. Serialisation can range from 0.5 ms for a 128K packet on a 2 Mbps >line, to 128.6 ms for a 1024K packet on a 64 Kbps line. >-- Transmission delay is dependent on line speed. Range from 0.25 to 7 ms >-- The fixed portion of network delay takes into account switch processing, >line serialisation and distance propagation. Network delays are generally >in the order of 20-50 ms. >-- Buffer delay (in the destination FRAD) is generally configurable by the >network operator. FRAD jitter buffers range from 20 to 250 ms. Jitter >buffers are sometimes called a smoothing buffer >-- Decompression delay generally takes 10 ms or less > >Variable Delay: > >-- Queuing delay varies between 0-20 ms for every switch and router in the >network. > >-- Network congestion can introduce variable delays of up to 250 ms (for a >managed Australian FR network) and up to several seconds (or more) for the >public internet. > >To give you an example, a VoIP packet transiting over a managed Frame Relay >point-to-point link would take a minimum of 52.8 ms (toll quality voice) to >a maximum of 637 ms (unintelligible voice). If the same packet were to >travel on the Internet all bets are off for maximum delay. > >If it is true that the content filtering process will introduce a minimum >delay of 250 ms, best case packetised voice+filtering would exceed 300 ms >one-way delays. > >I am interested in any feedback/data you or other Link members may have on >the network delays induced by filtering devices. > >With kind regards, >Shara Evans >Managing Director, Telsyte >President, Advanced Networking Forum Australia > > > > >At 7:07 PM +1000 3/8/99, stephen loosley wrote: >>At 04:50 PM 3/08/99 +1000, Hrebeniuk Ellen wrote: >> >>>I think we all know it's happening here too .. When you read about "wired" >>>high schools, they're always either private schools or in affluent >>>suburbs .. >> >>And I must join Sandie here Ellen, your comments are incorrect. For instance, >>every State school here has an ISDN Internet connection, (128Kbps), provided >>by the Vic Government. Although yes, access is ISP filtered, it's still quite >>usable. >> >>Sorry Danny, but it's true. We found this filtering adds 1-2 sec or so >>/url-request >>for any machine on our 125-terminal State High School computer network, when >>compared with our previously normal ISP access which I arranged four years >>ago. >> >>In addition, and so far, a third of all State teachers have been provided >>with >>new >>notebook computers. I'm writing this with one right now. And all teachers >>here >>will >>have a new notebook within two years. The other States also have similiar >>plans. >> >>Cheers Ellen, >>Stephen Loosley >>www.stephen.hm > > > >************************************************************************* >Shara Evans Phone: +61-2-9417-7609 >Managing Director Fax: +61-2-9417-7320 >Telsyte Mobile: +61-416-258-462 >134 Deepwater Road Email: shara @telsyte.com.au >Castle Cove NSW 2069 Internet: www.telsyte.com.au >Australia ************************************************************************* Shara Evans Phone: +61-2-9417-7609 Managing Director Fax: +61-2-9417-7320 Telsyte Mobile: +61-416-258-462 134 Deepwater Road Email: shara @telsyte.com.au Castle Cove NSW 2069 Internet: www.telsyte.com.au Australia From saliya@hinet.net.au Wed Aug 4 06:16:17 1999 From: saliya@hinet.net.au (Saliya Wimalaratne) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 16:16:17 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Across america, a troubling 'digital divide' In-Reply-To: <001e01bede2c$d71a87c0$0400000a@esp> Message-ID: On Wed, 4 Aug 1999, C4IS wrote: > There may be a business opportunity in this > (Create a filter-ready search engine to clip > away (or shift to last place) any hits that are > "forbidden by gov't- or ISP-imposed filters") > > Now, who wants to make a million with me > doing this... i.e. before the search-engine > houses beat us to it Check out AltaVista: http://image.altavista.com/cgi-bin/globalff Regards, Saliya From me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au Wed Aug 4 07:51:33 1999 From: me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au (Tony Barry) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 17:51:33 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Net beats the jacuzzi Message-ID: Source: Net News 02 August, 1999 NET BEATS THE JACUZZI High-speed Net access is the most important feature in the dream home, easily beating a swimming pool or a jacuzzi. The poll, by Dell Computers, shows that fast Net access is "essential" or "important" to 77% of those surveyed. The next most important home feature is an extra bathroom (44%). Thereís no mention of ho9w the home bar fared. See http://www.dell.com/corporate/media/newsreleases/99/9907/22.htm - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au Wed Aug 4 07:51:51 1999 From: me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au (Tony Barry) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 17:51:51 +1000 Subject: [LINK] 17 million want home networks Message-ID: I wonder if Apple had its own research when it decided on Airport for the iBook? Source: Net News 03 August, 1999 17 MILLION WANT HOME NETWORKS The Yankee group says 17 million US households want to network their PCs, printers and other peripherals. Interest in networking is naturally strong in homes with more than one PC. The survey shows that 68% of PC households have more than one family member who uses the Net. See http://www.yankeegroup.com/webfolder/yg21a.nsf/press/C5B4B2CCB097FA16852567B B0054D4CF?OpenDocument - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au Wed Aug 4 07:51:44 1999 From: me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au (Tony Barry) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 17:51:44 +1000 Subject: [LINK] DB2 supports linux Message-ID: Source: Net News 02 August, 1999 DB2 SUPPORTS LINUX IBM has released the latest version of its DB2 database software, which for the first time can run on Linux. And it is also offering worldwide support for all major versions of Linux running on its Netfinity servers. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au Wed Aug 4 07:51:56 1999 From: me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au (Tony Barry) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 17:51:56 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Java chips Message-ID: Source: Net News 03 August, 1999 JAVA CHIPS Sun will launch a new family of Java chips called MAJC (Microprocessor Architecture for Java Computing) at this month's Hot Chips conference. The device is built around a UltraJava core that executes 128-bit very-long-instruction-word instructions. See http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB19990802S0001 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From taqpah@webone.com.au Wed Aug 4 08:15:13 1999 From: taqpah@webone.com.au (taqpah) Date: Wed, 04 Aug 1999 19:15:13 +1100 Subject: [LINK] An Atlas of Cyberspaces Message-ID: <37A7F686.B71C28A@webone.com.au> I wrote in a Taxonomy of Internet Commerce at http://firstmonday.dk/issues/issue3_10/bambury/index.html "We have invested a communications network of computers with imaginary territory, space and place. In reality there is no "there" on the Internet except in the physical location of cables and hardware. Our spatial conception of the Internet is pure analogy." While this is perhaps literally true it doesn't do justice to the beauty of some of the images in the Atlas of Cyberspaces at http://www.cybergeography.org/atlas/atlas.html A thing of great beauty & utility. http://mp3.com/AH http://mp3.com/TA From effectivebusiness@pplications.com.au Wed Aug 4 13:47:16 1999 From: effectivebusiness@pplications.com.au (Mark Hughes) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 23:47:16 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Internet Filtering Delay - The End of Internet Tel In-Reply-To: <9908049337.AA933741947@mail.auscoms.com.au> Message-ID: <002201bede7f$dd1b0160$600254d2@markhugh> >Questions: > a) can Internet voice be okayed by a filter at call establishment > and not passed through the filter for the "live" traffic? > Would this be legal? > b) if I use the f*** word on an Internet voice call, > has my ISP broken the law? not forgetting of course: c) If an overseas site with risque text converts the text to voice and sends it to me as a voice call, is that breaking the law? d) As for c) but the voice is automatically converted back to text when received at my PC. Regards, Mark Mark Hughes Director Effective Business Applications Pty Ltd effectivebusiness@pplications.com.au 61 4 1374 3959 From stephen@melbpc.org.au Wed Aug 4 13:48:14 1999 From: stephen@melbpc.org.au (stephen loosley) Date: Wed, 04 Aug 1999 23:48:14 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Across america, a troubling 'digital divide' In-Reply-To: <9908049337.AA933720777@mail.auscoms.com.au> Message-ID: <4.1.19990804213946.00a64cd0@popa.melbpc.org.au> At 08:53 AM 4/08/99 +1000, richard@auscoms.com.au wrote: >However, Stephen, to quote the old limerick, "It's pretty, but what is it for? A relevant quote, Richard, especially regarding computers in schools. And, unfortunately, there is even now a surprising number of Australian school students whom are still virtually computer illiterate, especially those from newly arrived migrant families, and for whom this question well applies in regards to computers. True, there are not that many students here in Victoria who might ask that question .. but, still .. >Let me put some thoughts in order. >1) Tony pointed out a couple of weeks ago that the Web in its entirity is >the same size as a research library. >2) Some other research posted to Link showed that childrens' source of >navigational info was other children. In other words, half of the one-third >of kids that used the Web for "research" did so in a closed circle -- which >seems to me like a pretty ropy educational model. Yes indeed it would be, but in my experience it's these American research results that are ropey. By the end of Year Seven, EVERY child at our school, for instance, has demonstrated that they can conduct very efficient and effective boolean searches on any given topic, and that they are reasonably sophisticated in judging the likely trustworthiness of information thus found. Certainly they do share web addresses with each other, and are often given url adresses by we teachers, but, when they want information, they go straight for their favourite search engines, or the library, just like you and me. >3) Most of the technical skills learned now are likely to be obsolete before >children complete school. Except for programming knowledge and skills, this is indeed generally true. But, most students simply use computers as a tool, again just like we do, for help with their research assignments, unless they have chosen a computer elective. So, for most students, this point is irrelevant .. computers are simply a tool, and not so much an object of study in themselves. And, if students understand the underlying concepts, the actual skills required are quickly mastered. >4) Throughout Australia, it's easier to get computers than smaller classes. Well, both would be nice .. but either one will always be very welcome :) And, in any well-run school, I'd bet most of us would rather see another 20 computers than just one extra staff member, and at around the same cost to a school. By that I mean, 80 staff + one = good ... but ... 125 computers + 20 = excellent! >Personal opinion only: computers-in-class, now given added impetus >by the Internet, is a snowjob of catchphrase management. >I know we venerate Barry O Jones for articulating information-rich versus >information-poor. However, doesn't it take as one of its assumptions that >owning a computer equates to better access to information? Is this something >that can be proven? Or is it just another example of the hubris of "people like us"? I don't have current research figures readily to hand regarding these points, Richard, and quite frankly, I really don't much care if some people doubt that utilizing a computer equates to better access to information. However I would suggest that such people try using the internet, or one of the many excellent CD-ROM publications now available, without access to a computer :) We have both computer labs, and some computers in general classrooms, and they are all continually in use throughout the day, including every lunchtime as well as after school. So, let's simply ask the kids what they think about these questions. We adults can, and in the past have, discussed such issues at great length .. the kids just vote with their feet. And Richard, if you, or any linker for that matter, has the time, do come and decide the answers for yourself. I'll personally spring any linker a coffee from our Staff Coffee Fund, and even a donut from the Canteen. But don't expect to escape without sharing some of your time and knowledge with my College Computer Club :) Cheers Richard, Stephen Loosley www.stephen.hm From stephen@melbpc.org.au Wed Aug 4 14:31:48 1999 From: stephen@melbpc.org.au (stephen loosley) Date: Thu, 05 Aug 1999 00:31:48 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Re: Internet Filtering Delay - The End of Internet Telephony in Australia? In-Reply-To: References: <4.1.19990803181704.00911ef0@popa.melbpc.org.au> <5EDE9BFD65AED1119BE208002BE7D74D451CD3@pef2.petersham.tafe nsw.EDU.AU> Message-ID: <4.1.19990805001514.00a68310@popa.melbpc.org.au> At 01:47 PM 4/08/99 +1000, Shara Evans wrote: >Stephen, > >I read your comments on 1-2 second filtering delays with interest. Aside >from all the other problems with the Online Services Bill, it has the >potential to kill Internet Telephony (eg. telephony over the public >Internet) in Australia. Excellent post, Shara. And as linked before, what about video-streaming? (Netmeeting, CuSeeMe) Even virus-scanning software simply kills these. Cheers Shara, Stephen Loosley www.stephen.hm From stephen@melbpc.org.au Wed Aug 4 14:13:59 1999 From: stephen@melbpc.org.au (stephen loosley) Date: Thu, 05 Aug 1999 00:13:59 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Across america, a troubling 'digital divide' In-Reply-To: <000c01bede1d$e6abf700$600254d2@markhugh> References: <4.1.19990803181704.00911ef0@popa.melbpc.org.au> Message-ID: <4.1.19990804234905.00a69550@popa.melbpc.org.au> At 12:06 PM 4/08/99 +1000, Mark Hughes wrote: >NSW public schools have internet connections also. My son's primary >school's ISDN gives slow response time - whether that's because of the >filtering, or because the ISDN doesn't handle 4 or 5 students surfing >at once, I have no idea. Ahh .. without wishing to appear disloyal in any way to my prof. colleagues, this sounds more like a network configuration problem to me. What do they run in terms of hardware / software, and, is there a good school sysadmin? >Those calculating the delays caused by filtering software who don't >include the above problem are being flexible with the truth. Good grief .. in our experience, students very rarely come across sites that are blocked. Certainly never more than one or so a month. I simply cannot imagine such a situation as you describe, with multiple blocks, ever arising. What, exactly, are the students researching to come up with more blocked sites than this? Cheers Mark, Stephen Loosley www.stephen.hm (Still, as ever, for OPT-IN filtering of public Internet access) From goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au Wed Aug 4 16:00:36 1999 From: goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au (=?iso-8859-1?q?David=20Goldstein?=) Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1999 02:00:36 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] ExciteAtHome Engine To Search Entire Web Message-ID: <19990804160036.19509.rocketmail@web1301.mail.yahoo.com> Hi all The Fast Search search engine seems a very good one. Go to http://www.alltheweb.com to check it out. Cheers David ExciteAtHome Engine To Search Entire Web By Malcolm Maclachlan, TechWeb Aug 3, 1999 (11:47 AM) URL: http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB19990803S0014 ExciteAtHome on Tuesday said its new search technology will enable consumers to do what they probably thought they were doing all along -- search the entire Web. The company said its new search engine, due out later this month, will have gone through all estimated 800 million publicly available pages on the Web to create a relevant index of 250 million, according to Kris Carpenter, director of search products and services at ExciteAtHome. The index is being compiled using a combination of software and dozens of human editors, Carpenter said. This is also the approach favored by Inktomi with its Directory Server, released in June. The combined approach enables ExciteAtHome to deliver not only more results, but better-targeted results, Carpenter said. Covering the entire Web actually lets the company filter out a lot of irrelevant material, she said. "With the dramatic increase in content, there is also a lot of crap being produced," Carpenter said. The new ExciteAtHome engine, she said, will be particularly good at filtering out "Web spam", the growing practice of putting up dozens of identical Web pages, usually consisting of marketing material, in hopes that more people will see it. Web spam is one of the main reasons why searches sometimes pull down long lists of seemingly identical links, she said. The announcement comes one day after the release of the Fast Search search engine by Fast Search & Transfer. The Norwegian company said its search engine indexes 200 million pages, making it by far the biggest, at least until ExciteAtHome's new engine comes out. Inktomi, which has search contracts with America Online, Lycos and Yahoo, indexes about 110 million pages. However, the trend among search services lately has been to emphasize relevance over size. Perhaps inspired by the continued success of Yahoo, which utilizes listings compiled by human editors, other search services have been creating similar services. In June, Lycos launched its Invisible Web service. This joint project with Intelliseek provides users with a directory of over 7400 highly targeted databases, many of which were not previously available on the Web. Netscape's new search services, also rolled out in June, relies heavily on its Open Directory project, a list of 675,000 websites among 100,000 categories, compiled by 13,000 human editors. "The fact of the matter is that search is one of the most compelling and most difficult things you can do on the Internet," said analyst Rob Enderle of Giga Information Group. "This is going to be an area where portals start to differentiate themselves." Cataloging the entire Web is actually a big deal because it gives ExciteAtHome the ability to offer increased relevance, Enderle added. He said the expensive practice of hiring large numbers of human editors offers a bonus besides greater relevancy: it makes it very costly for competitors to catch up. In other ExciteAtHome news Tuesday, president George Bell denied rumors that his company was in talks to merge with or be acquired by Yahoo. He said there was no truth to a Monday story in BusinessWeek Online that said Yahoo was prepared to offer $17 billion in stock. === ---------------------- David Goldstein email: Goldstein_David@yahoo.com.au post: 5 Coles Lane, Oakington, Cambridge, CB4 5BA, UK phone: + 44 (0)1223 574 857 (h); +44 (0)1223 237 700 (w); +44 (0)7979 965 503 (mobile). ICQ: 32130305. _______________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com.au address at http://mail.yahoo.com.au From lannet@lannet.com.au Wed Aug 4 21:48:25 1999 From: lannet@lannet.com.au (Howard Lowndes) Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1999 07:48:25 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Across america, a troubling 'digital divide' In-Reply-To: <4.1.19990804234905.00a69550@popa.melbpc.org.au> Message-ID: My experience with a NE Vic school indicates that they get the equip and the connect, but there is little on going support. Either that or the school that contacts me hasn't found the support yet. Howard. PGP key at http://www.lannet.com.au/pgp_key/hfl_pubk PGP key check: 8AD5 2A4E FDA0 A07A 85F1 7ECF 53E4 E6B8 8EF4 CAEB On Thu, 5 Aug 1999, stephen loosley wrote: > At 12:06 PM 4/08/99 +1000, Mark Hughes wrote: > > >NSW public schools have internet connections also. My son's primary > >school's ISDN gives slow response time - whether that's because of the > >filtering, or because the ISDN doesn't handle 4 or 5 students surfing > >at once, I have no idea. > > Ahh .. without wishing to appear disloyal in any way to my prof. colleagues, > this sounds more like a network configuration problem to me. What do they > run in terms of hardware / software, and, is there a good school sysadmin? > > >Those calculating the delays caused by filtering software who don't > >include the above problem are being flexible with the truth. > > Good grief .. in our experience, students very rarely come across sites that > are blocked. Certainly never more than one or so a month. I simply cannot > imagine such a situation as you describe, with multiple blocks, ever arising. > What, exactly, are the students researching to come up with more blocked > sites than this? > > Cheers Mark, > Stephen Loosley > www.stephen.hm > (Still, as ever, for OPT-IN filtering of public Internet access) > From brd@dynamite.com.au Wed Aug 4 23:30:19 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Thu, 05 Aug 1999 09:30:19 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Hackers exploit MS design flaws Message-ID: <37A8CD0B.3D1F7FB7@dynamite.com.au> There are two sorts of freedom, the "Freedom to do what you want" and the "Freedom from what others might want to do to you". It looks as though the MS design people have only looked at the "Freedom to do". Security is concerned with "Freedom from others". There must always be a compromise and balance. However, I would guess that MS' push towards a totally integrated homogeneous user experience (ie personal computing) is fundamentally at odds with a partitioned, safe, secure, heterogeneous computing environment (ie business and the Internet). My observation of MS is that its style is individualistic, introverted, non-cooperative, assertive and control based, characteristics that are reflected in its products. I would suggest that such characteristics are not optimal in a collaborative environment where trust needs to be established (because it is not inherent), where compromise is essential and nobody controls everything. The Register http://theregister.co.uk/990803-000027.html Posted 03/08/99 9:10pm by Graham Lea Hackers exploit MS design flaws Bugs in Microsoft software have given rise to a new class of security problem for which antivirus software is completely ineffective. The problem arises because Microsoft decrees that IE can "trust" MS Office 97 programs and it is therefore possible for hackers to slip in something destructive through this route. This design loophole affects Windows 9x and NT, including Windows 2000. Microsoft acknowledged the problem only because of the publicity in a NYT article on Saturday. Andrew Dixon, the group product manager for MS Office, said Microsoft was "working on testing a solution". An AP follow-up revealed that Microsoft expected "to have an Office fix ready as early as Tuesday". These latest bugs involve a DLL in Office 97, where the JET version 3.5 engine "trusts" Office. The problem is not confined to versions of Office with Access, because JET is included with the standard version as well. Microsoft knew about this, and updated JET to version 4 in Windows 2000 to deal with the particular problem. With version 3.5, JET queries to databases can trigger commands to erase files or discs, as a result of a request from Office for data. Microsoft suggested downloading 8 megabytes of JET 4.0, but then withdrew this suggestion. Juan Carlos Cuartango, a programmer who had previously identified problems in IE and Navigator, found that the trust relationship was at fault, and could allow Trojan Horses to gallop in. Dangerous ActiveX controls An second problem is being experienced by users of recent Compaq and HP PCs, with Compaq admitting it and HP in denial. This concerns a digitally-signed applet that can execute programs when directed by a Web page. Even worse -- it is possible to email the applet. Again, Microsoft knew about this, starting with its discovery in November by Frank Farance of Farance Inc, and its more recent rediscovery by Richard Smith of Pharlap on an HP Pavilion last month. Smith pointed out that two ActiveX controls were dangerous, and could be used on a Web page to embed script code in an HTML email in Outlook or even Eudora. The ActiveX controls allow programs to read and write the Windows registry. As a result, Smith noted, a virus of malicious software could be installed; Windows security checking could be switched off; personal files could be read [by Microsoft for example]; documents could be deleted; and systems files could be removed to stop booting. Smith found four different ActiveX controls on the HP from three different vendors compromised security. He suggested that PC makers should take a closer look at the ActiveX controls that they ship with their hardware. Until Microsoft comes clean about all the problems that have been identified, it may be politic for users to switch off ActiveX controls in IE. -- The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. -- unknown Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au Thu Aug 5 00:22:37 1999 From: Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au (Roger Clarke) Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1999 10:22:37 +1000 Subject: [LINK] CFP for CFP: Computers Freedom & Privacy 2000 Message-ID: [Circulate until October 15, 1999] The Tenth Conference on Computers Freedom and Privacy CFP2000: CHALLENGING THE ASSUMPTIONS http://www.cfp2000.org The Westin Harbour Castle Hotel Toronto, Ontario, Canada April 4-7, 2000 CALL FOR PARTICIPATION The Program Committee of the Tenth Conference on Computers, Freedom, and Privacy (CFP2000) is seeking proposals for conference sessions and speakers. For the past decade, CFP has played a major role in the public debate on the future of privacy and freedom in the online world. The CFP audience is as diverse as the Net itself, with attendees not only from government, business, education, and non-profits, but also from the community of computer professionals, hackers, crackers and engineers who work the code of cyberspace. The themes have been broad and forward-looking. CFP explores what will be. It is the place where the future is mapped. The theme of the tenth CFP conference is 'Challenging the Assumptions'. After a decade of CFP conferences, it's time to examine what we have learned. "On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog" has become a cliche, but we've learned that unless we take measures to protect our identities, people can and do identify us on the Internet. We have talked about the role of government in cyberspace, and some have even suggested that the Net needs no government. But now that increasing numbers of people around the world are relying on the Internet not just as a marketplace of ideas, but the market where they conduct their daily business, the issue of governance has come to the forefront. And even where no rules have been imposed by governments, some argue that standards setters and technology implementers have imposed de facto rules. At CFP2000 we want to re-examine the assumptions we have been making and consider which ones still make sense as we move forward. Proposals are welcomed on all aspects of computers, freedom, and privacy. We strongly encourage proposals that challenge the future, tackle the hard questions, look at old issues in new ways, articulate and analyze key assumptions, and present complex issues in all their complexity. We are seeking proposals for tutorials, plenary sessions, workshops, and birds-of-a-feather sessions. We are also seeking suggestions for speakers and topics. Sessions should present a wide range of thinking on a topic by including speakers from different viewpoints. Complete submission instructions appear on the CFP2000 web site at http://www.cfp2000.org/submissions/. All submissions must be received by October 15, 1999. The CFP2000 Program Committee will notify submitters of the status of their proposals by December 3. ************************************** Workshop on Freedom and Privacy by Design On the first day of CFP2000 we will hold a workshop that explores using -technology- to bring about strong protections of civil liberties which are guaranteed by the technology itself---in short, to get hackers, system architects, and implementors strongly involved in CFP and its goals. Our exploration of technology includes (a) implemented, fielded systems, and (b) what principles and architectures should be developed, including which open problems must be solved, to implement and field novel systems that can be inherently protective of civil liberties. We aim to bring together implementors and those who have studied the social issues of freedom and privacy in one room to generate ideas for systems that we should field, and implementation strategies for fielding them. If you would like to participate, you must submit a short paper or extended abstract on some issue related to the workshop by November 12. Complete submission instructions are available at http://www.cfp2000.org/workshop/ ************************************** CFP Student Competition Full time college or graduate students may compete for financial support to attend the conference and for cash prizes. Three $500 cash prizes will be awarded for the best paper, the best Web presentation, and the submission that best makes use of the vast trove of papers, audio, and video materials from the past ten years of Computers, Freedom, and Privacy conferences. Free CFP conference registrations and travel scholarships will be awarded to the top winners as well as for several honorable mentions. For full submission information, see http://www.cfp2000.org/students/. ************************************** CFP2000 PROGRAM COMMITTEE Chair: Lorrie Cranor, AT&T Labs-Research Ann Cavoukian, Information and Privacy Commissioner, Ontario, Canada Roger Clarke, The Australian National University Karen Coyle, California Digital Library Chuck Cranor, AT&T Labs-Research Lenny Foner, MIT Media Lab Wendy Grossman, Freelance writer and author of net.wars Bruce R. Koball, Technical Consultant Susan Landau, Sun Microsystems Shabbir Safdar, Mindshare Internet Campaigns Pam Samuelson, University of California Berkeley Ari Schwartz, Center for Democracy and Technology David Singer, IBM Barry Steinhardt, ACLU Bruce Umbaugh, Webster University FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT http://www.cfp2000.org/ Roger Clarke http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/ Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916 mailto:Roger.Clarke@xamax.com.au http://www.xamax.com.au/ Visiting Fellow Department of Computer Science The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA Information Sciences Building Room 211 Tel: +61 2 6249 3666 From Ellen.Hrebeniuk@det.nsw.edu.au Thu Aug 5 09:11:55 1999 From: Ellen.Hrebeniuk@det.nsw.edu.au (Hrebeniuk Ellen) Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1999 19:11:55 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Across america, a troubling 'digital divide' Message-ID: <5EDE9BFD65AED1119BE208002BE7D74D451CD9@pef2.petersham.tafensw.EDU.AU> Stephen, I am glad to hear about the computer-literate school kids in Victoria. Unfortunately I see the information-poor (including the digital information-poor) every day in my TAFE college, and most attended Australian schools before coming to us. I have trouble believing that everything's rosy. Are you in an impoverished area? Are you quite sure that schools in areas with high NESB/low income families are doing as well as your own school? And are there as many girls as boys in the computer room at lunch time? Ellen Hrebeniuk A/Customer Services Librarian Petersham TAFE Library From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Thu Aug 5 09:26:34 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1999 19:26:34 +1000 Subject: [LINK] ExciteAtHome Engine To Search Entire Web Message-ID: At 02:00 AM 5/8/99, David Goldstein wrote: >The Fast Search search engine seems a very good one. Go to >http://www.alltheweb.com to check it out. .... >new search engine, due out later this month, will have gone >through all estimated 800 million publicly available pages on >the Web to create a relevant index of 250 million, according to >Kris Carpenter, director of search products and services at >ExciteAtHome. > >The index is being compiled using a combination of software and >dozens of human editors, Carpenter said. Wow! Dozens to cope with 800,000,000. From my days as a librarian I remember it took about one collection development librarian to select good books out of 20,000 items per year at best and one cataloguer might manage to describe a 4,000 documents per year. But then they were filtering ~300,000 items per year down to say 20,000 for a research library. I'm afraid 800m down to 250m is just not good enough. Too much crud is still getting through. The problem has NEVER been retrieval. It's always been filtering for quality. It's not what you index that counts. It how you select what you DON'T index that is vital. Until some machine passes the Turing test it will be humans that decide what is useful and what not. While Google and Project Clever are doing interesting work on rating pages they are doing it on the basis of algorithims which are looking at human judgements based on links. I am unimpressed by systems which can index more rubbish that other systems. Tony - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From brd@dynamite.com.au Fri Aug 6 01:18:26 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Fri, 6 Aug 99 01:18:26 GMT Subject: [LINK] re: Liberal Party told to Scrap DSTO & Spend $161M PA on R&D Message-ID: 37aa37e2.24b0.0@dynamite.com.au Tom Worthington wrote: > > In place of DSTO an Australian Defence Research Agency > > could be established. I guess it was predictable, but the DSTO have released a statement rebutting Tom's suggestion: http://www.dsto.defence.gov.au/corporate/publicity/media/proposal.html Media Release 16/99, 3 August 1999 Defence Science and Technology Organisation Research funding proposal "in the realm of the bizarre" A widely reported proposal* by a retired Defence Department employee to abolish the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) in order to set up a research fund to test and export Internet networking and computing products for rural Australia is "in the realm of the bizarre", according to a DSTO spokesman. DSTO's Manager Corporate Communications, Brian Humphreys, said that the former Defence Department employee, Mr Tom Worthington, is not - as reported in some media - an expert on defence research. Mr Worthington's proposal is contained in a paper entitled "Information Technology and the Rural Sector", which he presented to a seminar on 31 July. "Mr Worthington's concept of abolishing DSTO in order to set up a research fund to testand export Internet networking and computing products for rural Australia is in the realm of the bizarre," Mr Humphreys said. "The proposals contained in his paper disclose no understanding that the purpose ofDefence spending, including on DSTO, is the defence of Australia. "The paper conveys the incorrect impression that DSTO exists and is funded principally for research and development into information technology and the Internet. "Mr Worthington's former role in the Department of Defence was concerned principallywith office automation aspects of the Internet. "He has not worked in DSTO and has not been in a position in which he was able to make an informed assessment of DSTO - either in its information technology area, or any other area." Mr Humphreys said that DSTO research covers a very broad range, from submarine warfare, air defence, and land and sea mine detection to the nutrition and protection of Defence Force personnel. This reflects Australia's reliance on advanced technology for its defence and security. <\quote> While we are on the subject of Defence, there is a piece in the SMH today: http://www.smh.com.au/news/9908/06/national/national1.html Friday, August 6, 1999 Secondhand warships bill nears $400m By MICHELLE GRATTAN, Chief Political Correspondent The project cost of two former American ships bought by the Australian Government may blow out to nearly $400 million, almost four times the original estimate, in the latest allegations of Defence bungling. The two amphibious transport craft, which arrived in 1994, were supposed to have a total purchase and refurbishment cost of $100 million. But the most recent department figuring indicates it may reach $387 million - and the ships are still not ready to be delivered to the Navy. .. <\quote> The gentleman whom I understand was responsible for purchasing the rust buckets^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H amphibious transport craft, has left the Defence forces and joined a private sector Defence Industry supplier. I keep seeing his photo in adverts for the company in the Canberra Times. They seem very proud of him. You can draw you own conclusions about our Defence forces. I'll keep mine to myself. As one lady, for whom I was doing a consulting assignment, said - Watch it Buddy, we're trained to kill. And she was a supply officer. -- I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe. -- unknown Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From richard@auscoms.com.au Fri Aug 6 02:15:28 1999 From: richard@auscoms.com.au (richard@auscoms.com.au) Date: Fri, 06 Aug 99 12:15:28 +1000 Subject: [LINK] re: Liberal Party told to Scrap DSTO & Spend $ Message-ID: <9908069339.AA933905749@mail.auscoms.com.au> One of the most thoroughly ad-hominiem statements I've ever seen. Two paragraphs rebutting the proposal, and five rebutting TW. One might have thought he'd stood for parliament! RC ____________________Reply Separator____________________ Subject: Re: [LINK] re: Liberal Party told to Scrap DSTO & Spend $161 Author: Bernard Robertson-Dunn Date: 6/08/99 1:18 Tom Worthington wrote: > > In place of DSTO an Australian Defence Research Agency > > could be established. I guess it was predictable, but the DSTO have released a statement rebutting Tom's suggestion: http://www.dsto.defence.gov.au/corporate/publicity/media/proposal.html Media Release 16/99, 3 August 1999 Defence Science and Technology Organisation Research funding proposal "in the realm of the bizarre" A widely reported proposal* by a retired Defence Department employee to abolish the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) in order to set up a research fund to test and export Internet networking and computing products for rural Australia is "in the realm of the bizarre", according to a DSTO spokesman. DSTO's Manager Corporate Communications, Brian Humphreys, said that the former Defence Department employee, Mr Tom Worthington, is not - as reported in some media - an expert on defence research. Mr Worthington's proposal is contained in a paper entitled "Information Technology and the Rural Sector", which he presented to a seminar on 31 July. "Mr Worthington's concept of abolishing DSTO in order to set up a research fund to testand export Internet networking and computing products for rural Australia is in the realm of the bizarre," Mr Humphreys said. "The proposals contained in his paper disclose no understanding that the purpose ofDefence spending, including on DSTO, is the defence of Australia. "The paper conveys the incorrect impression that DSTO exists and is funded principally for research and development into information technology and the Internet. "Mr Worthington's former role in the Department of Defence was concerned principallywith office automation aspects of the Internet. "He has not worked in DSTO and has not been in a position in which he was able to make an informed assessment of DSTO - either in its information technology area, or any other area." Mr Humphreys said that DSTO research covers a very broad range, from submarine warfare, air defence, and land and sea mine detection to the nutrition and protection of Defence Force personnel. This reflects Australia's reliance on advanced technology for its defence and security. <\quote> While we are on the subject of Defence, there is a piece in the SMH today: http://www.smh.com.au/news/9908/06/national/national1.html Friday, August 6, 1999 Secondhand warships bill nears $400m By MICHELLE GRATTAN, Chief Political Correspondent The project cost of two former American ships bought by the Australian Government may blow out to nearly $400 million, almost four times the original estimate, in the latest allegations of Defence bungling. The two amphibious transport craft, which arrived in 1994, were supposed to have a total purchase and refurbishment cost of $100 million. But the most recent department figuring indicates it may reach $387 million - and the ships are still not ready to be delivered to the Navy. .. <\quote> The gentleman whom I understand was responsible for purchasing the rust buckets^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H amphibious transport craft, has left the Defence forces and joined a private sector Defence Industry supplier. I keep seeing his photo in adverts for the company in the Canberra Times. They seem very proud of him. You can draw you own conclusions about our Defence forces. I'll keep mine to myself. As one lady, for whom I was doing a consulting assignment, said - Watch it Buddy, we're trained to kill. And she was a supply officer. -- I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe. -- unknown Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From shara@telsyte.com.au Fri Aug 6 03:11:46 1999 From: shara@telsyte.com.au (Shara Evans) Date: Fri, 6 Aug 1999 13:11:46 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Monkey Business Message-ID: Linkers, My sister is finishing her PhD in Linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania. Thinking that talking chimps might be of interest to her, I forwarded the following message that was posted to link. >> >Scientists Teach Chimpanzee to Speak English >> >by Jonathan Leake, Science Editor >> >The Times Company, UK 99/07/25 >> > >> >>>http://www.the-times.co.uk/news/pages/sti/99/07/25/stifgnusa03006.html?1124027 >>>> > >> >RESEARCHERS have for the first time taught apes how to >> >speak. Two animals, a pygmy chimp and an orang-utan, have >> >been able to hold conversations with humans. Her reply: >I know of this work -- this description is exaggerated to >the point of being funny. Just goes to show, you can't believe everything that you read! Shara ************************************************************************* Shara Evans Phone: +61-2-9417-7609 Managing Director Fax: +61-2-9417-7320 Telsyte Mobile: +61-416-258-462 134 Deepwater Road Email: shara @telsyte.com.au Castle Cove NSW 2069 Internet: www.telsyte.com.au Australia From Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au Fri Aug 6 07:01:46 1999 From: Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au (Roger Clarke) Date: Fri, 6 Aug 1999 17:01:46 +1000 Subject: [LINK] CFP: Workshop on Freedom and Privacy by Design Message-ID: CALL FOR PARTICIPATION WORKSHOP ON FREEDOM AND PRIVACY BY DESIGN COMPUTERS, FREEDOM, AND PRIVACY 2000 --> Submissions due November 12, 1999 <-- April 4, 2000 Toronto, Canada http://www.cfp2000.org/ PURPOSE: CFP has traditionally focused strongly on legal remedies as essential instruments in the fight to ensure freedom and privacy. But law is often very slow to catch up to technology, and has limited reach when considering the global scope of modern communication and information technologies. This workshop instead explores using -technology- to bring about strong protections of civil liberties which are guaranteed by the technology itself---in short, to get hackers, system architects, and implementors strongly involved in CFP and its goals. Our exploration of technology includes (a) implemented, fielded systems, and (b) what principles and architectures should be developed, including which open problems must be solved, to implement and field novel systems that can be inherently protective of civil liberties. We aim to bring together implementors and those who have studied the social issues of freedom and privacy in one room, to answer questions such as: o Implementation o How can we avoid having to trade off privacy for utility? o What sorts of tools do we have available? o What sorts of applications may be satisfied by which architectures? o What still needs to be discovered? o What still needs to be implemented? o Is open source software inherently more likely to protect civil liberties, or not? Should we push for its wider adoption? o Motivation o How do we motivate businesses to field systems that are inherently protective of their users' civil liberties---even or especially when this deprives businesses of commercially-valuable demographic data? o How can we encourage users to demand that implementors protect users' rights? o Evaluation criteria o Given some particular goal(s) for a particular project or technology--- such as protecting privacy---can we tell in advance if the end result is likely to help? o How can we tell if a system, once fielded, has achieved its goal(s)? The intended end products of this workshop are: o Ideas for systems that we should field, and o Implementation strategies for fielding them. We will publicize the outcome of the workshop to encourage others who were not at CFP to help in design or implementation of whatever we come up with. If you do not have something to submit to the workshop, you may attend as a spectator, by registering and paying for the workshop in the tutorial registration section. DATE AND LOCATION: The Computers, Freedom, and Privacy conference takes place at the Westin Harbor Castle hotel in Toronto, Canada, from April 4 to April 7, 2000. This workshop runs during the first day. STRUCTURE OF THE WORKSHOP: This is a workshop, not a panel discussion. It will be several hours long, with occasional breaks and refreshments. Workshop members are expected to actively participate. In addition, we will welcome spectators, who will also have occasional opportunities to ask questions and provide feedback. The goal is to discuss a small number of real systems that we should build, and how to go about building and deploying them. Careful technical discussion---whether of software or social factors---will be encouraged. Participants are strongly advised to carefully consider some starting projects and/or methods before attending, perhaps as part of their submissions for membership in the workshop (see below). This will help to focus the discussions and provide us with some seed ideas to be considered. We will attempt to keep careful notes of the entire session, and we will have various media (whiteboards, overhead projectors, computer projection, etc) to make it easy to draw pictures, keep agendas and outlines visible, and so forth---this will not be a collection of talking heads. WHO SHOULD ATTEND AND WHY: The primary participants will be programmers, cryptographers, and systems architects, because we intend real systems to be implemented and must know how to do so. However, we encourage participation from other disciplines, such as: o Lawyers [Architects and implementors must know how not to be bogged down by existing legal strictures.] o Social scientists [Fielded systems must understand sociological lessons from the past.] o Writers who have addressed the intersection of privacy and other civil liberties and technology [Architects and implementors can use guidance on which problems to tackle first.] o Participatory design and accessibility experts [Systems are useless if their intended audience cannot understand and use them.] HOW TO ATTEND: Submissions DUE: --> Friday, November 12, 1999 <-- Submission format: --> flat ASCII (plain text) <-- Submission length: Short paper (1200 words) or abstract (600 words) Notification of acceptance: Friday, January 7, 2000 See below for a CHECKLIST of what you must include in a submission. If you do not have something to submit to the workshop, you may attend as a spectator, by registering and paying for the workshop in the tutorial registration section. Details: If you would like to attend, you must submit a short paper or extended abstract on some issue related to the workshop. Short papers should be limited to 1200 words (about 4 pages); extended abstracts should be limited to 600 words (about 2 pages). Submissions must be in -flat ASCII- (no HTML or Latex markup, no Word documents, no rich text). Use the electronic submission system at http://www.cfp2000.org/submissions/ to submit your entry. You may either cut and paste your submission into the form or follow the instructions to email in your submission. If you wish, you may -also- make available a version with nicer formatting, links, or anything else you wish, by giving us a URL to some version on the web, but you -must- ensure that the flat ASCII version can stand on its own, in case you submit in some format which is inconvenient for us to read. If you already have a long paper available, by all means point us at it---preferably by giving us a URL---but we -also- require that you submit a short paper or extended abstract. This can either be a summarization of the longer paper, or something completely different, but it must stand on its own. Checklist for submissions: A submission must include the following: o Name o Affiliation, if any o Email address o Phone number(s), including area code or country code o Flat ASCII text of the submission Optional elements that may help us: o Homepage URL or other pointer to your work o Biographical information o Other information you feel may be relevant o URL of submission or of related longer works, in a common web format such as HTML, Postscript, or PDF. (No guarantees we will look if it requires proprietary software such as PowerPoint, Word, or Shockwave to read it.) Roger Clarke http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/ Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916 mailto:Roger.Clarke@xamax.com.au http://www.xamax.com.au/ Visiting Fellow Department of Computer Science The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA Information Sciences Building Room 211 Tel: +61 2 6249 3666 From mark.maverick@virgin.com Fri Aug 6 08:10:41 1999 From: mark.maverick@virgin.com (Mark Wall - The Maverick Team) Date: Fri, 6 Aug 1999 09:10:41 +0100 Subject: [LINK] Monkey Business Message-ID: <001e01bedfe3$2da7e260$25eca8c2@wall> Sure this was not an ape-ril fools joke. Mark "We can't all, & some of us don't. That's all there is to it." Eeyore From r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au Fri Aug 6 13:59:39 1999 From: r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au (Rachel Polanskis) Date: Fri, 6 Aug 1999 23:59:39 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] It speaks for itself.... Message-ID: You can't crack what isn't even able to stay online long enough to get cracked..... http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2309474,00.html rachel -- Rachel Polanskis Kingswood, Greater Western Sydney, Australia grove@zeta.org.au http://www.zeta.org.au/~grove/grove.html r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au http://www.nepean.uws.edu.au/ccd/ "Yow! Am I having fun yet?!" - John Howard^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H Zippy the Pinhead From sales1@micro-source.com Fri Aug 6 21:04:48 1999 From: sales1@micro-source.com (sales1@micro-source.com) Date: Fri, 6 Aug 1999 14:04:48 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [LINK] *** Hey, ! PC Liquidation/Surplus VendorList*** Message-ID: <199908062104.OAA06748@harrier.prod.itd.earthlink.net> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/mixed attachment MICROSOURCE DISTRIBUTION WHOLESALE LIQUIDATION HOTSHEET RESELLERS ONLY! 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We will not mail you again. ================================================= Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress this letter can not be considered spam as long as we include: Contact information & a Remove Link, For Removal:MAILTO: sales1@micro-source.com ================================================ ---------------------- multipart/mixed attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/link/attachments/b0cbc201/FinalFP5.htm ---------------------- multipart/mixed attachment-- From jwhit@PrimeNet.Com Fri Aug 6 22:17:00 1999 From: jwhit@PrimeNet.Com (Jan Whitaker) Date: Sat, 7 Aug 1999 08:17:00 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Cybersquatting may be outlawed in US Message-ID: <199908062217.IAA11785@boomer.anu.edu.au> http://cnn.com/TECH/computing/9908/06/cybersquatting.reut/ U.S. Senate passes bill to outlaw 'cybersquatting' August 6, 1999 Web posted at: 3:03 PM EDT (1903 GMT) WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- People who register Internet sites in the names of famous companies with plans to sell the names back to the firms for big money may end up paying big fines instead under legislation passed by the Senate late Thursday. The bill outlaws so-called cybersquatting by imposing fines of up to $100,000 per Internet name on a person who registers a name in "bad faith" by hoping to profit from the association with a trademark owned by someone else. [snip] Jan JLWhitaker Associates Melbourne, Victoria, Australia jwhit@primenet.com -- http://www.primenet.com/~jwhit/whitentr.htm From jwhit@PrimeNet.Com Fri Aug 6 22:17:02 1999 From: jwhit@PrimeNet.Com (Jan Whitaker) Date: Sat, 7 Aug 1999 08:17:02 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Cyberschool coming online for VCE students Message-ID: <199908062217.IAA11794@boomer.anu.edu.au> Question: why is this allowed but the other one announced a few weeks ago, I think registered for higher ed, was found illegal? http://theage.com.au/daily/990807/news/news2.html Teaching by the minute By CAROLYN JONES EDUCATION CORRESPONDENT VCE students will be among the first students of an Australian cyber ``school'' that will aim to provide online teachers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in a range of subjects. Worldschool.com will enable year12 students in Victoria and New South Wales to seek one-on-one advice and tutoring from a pool of online teachers at any time of the day or night. A limited version of the Sydney-based service will be free to Victorian and NSW subscriber students in core subjects such as English, maths, history and geography from next month until the end of the year. A fee schedule will be introduced for the start of the 2000 academic year when the personal teacher option will be offered. A Sydney economics and maths teacher, Mr Geoff Williamson, is behind the concept, which is being funded by a group of private investors. The service has been piloted in several Sydney schools and Mr Williamson said the group was close to finalising its billing format. A smartcard payment option is one method under consideration. Employment advertisements seeking qualified teachers have been placed in Melbourne and Sydney newspapers over the past three weeks. Mr Williamson said he had received 350 replies from teachers interested in working for the service. But he stressed that only those teachers with a minimum of four years' training and at least 12 months' experience would be considered. Teachers would be paid per minute of online contact with a student. ``If a student is working on a maths assignment at home and they're unsure about something, they will be able to call up a teacher and ask for help straight away,'' Mr Williamson said. ``This is not a replacement for schools or for private tutoring but, if you have a student who has to complete an assignment, this a good way of seeking a solution to the problem.'' Worldschool.com offers three distinct services for students who register a personalised identification number: an educational resource database that is indexed according to age, subject and curriculum; subject learning guides; and online teacher access. A fee applies only when students access the online teachers. The number of local and overseas online educational and teaching resources has boomed recently. Some sites offer students access to online teachers and experts such as scientists and astronomers but worldschool.com. is believed to be the first ever site offering immediate and unrestricted personalised teacher access. Victorian students would be matched only to teachers with accreditation from Victorian education authorities. ``From the time the student clicks on to our site, we will find a personal teacher that will take them to someone who is specialised in their particular grade level and subject,'' Mr Williamson said. JLWhitaker Associates Melbourne, Victoria, Australia jwhit@primenet.com -- http://www.primenet.com/~jwhit/whitentr.htm From povey@dstc.qut.edu.au Sat Aug 7 01:32:51 1999 From: povey@dstc.qut.edu.au (Dean Povey) Date: Sat, 07 Aug 1999 11:32:51 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Germans Hold Bank Liable for Using 56-bit Encryption Message-ID: <199908070132.LAA06872@piglet.dstc.edu.au> >From Hacker News Network Germans Hold Bank Liable for Using 56-bit Encryption A German court recently decided to hold a bank liable for losses in connection with a stolen Eurocheque card in part because the 56-bit encryption protecting the card was considered "out-of-date and not safe enough." Are you still relying on DES to keep your data secure? -- Dean Povey, | e-m: povey@dstc.edu.au | JCSI: Java Crypto Toolkit Research Scientist | ph: +61 7 3864 5120 | security.dstc.edu.au/ Security Unit, DSTC | fax: +61 7 3864 1282 | Oscar - C++ PKI Toolkit: Brisbane, Australia | www: security.dstc.edu.au/ | oscar.dstc.qut.edu.au/ From C4IS@EISA.NET.AU Sat Aug 7 09:02:35 1999 From: C4IS@EISA.NET.AU (C4IS) Date: Sat, 7 Aug 1999 18:32:35 +0930 Subject: [LINK] Cybersquatting may be outlawed in US Message-ID: <004d01bee0b3$a617ad90$0400000a@esp> -----Original Message----- From: Jan Whitaker Date: Saturday, August 07, 1999 8:36 AM >http://cnn.com/TECH/computing/9908/06/cybersquatting.reut/ > >U.S. Senate passes bill to > outlaw 'cybersquatting' > > August 6, 1999 > Web posted at: 3:03 PM EDT (1903 GMT) > > WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- People who > register Internet sites in the names of famous > companies with plans to sell the names back > to the firms for big money may end up paying > big fines instead under legislation passed by > the Senate late Thursday. Hmmm... why the rules change with the medium, I'll never understand... E.g. there is no fee for buying a piece of land where you think a major intersection may develop i.e. so that you can later rent or sell it to a fast food franchisee... (I guess that anybody who's surname is the same as one in a big company (e.g. MacDonald) may be free of fee, since they may well have intended to use their choice of "big-name" domain for their own commercial purposes... (e.g. www.macdonalds.com.au for a local second-hand business... ;) ) From stephen@melbpc.org.au Sat Aug 7 14:29:43 1999 From: stephen@melbpc.org.au (stephen loosley) Date: Sun, 08 Aug 1999 00:29:43 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Australian Ed Issues (Was: american 'digital divide') In-Reply-To: <5EDE9BFD65AED1119BE208002BE7D74D451CD9@pef2.petersham.tafe nsw.EDU.AU> Message-ID: <4.1.19990806190631.00911ef0@popa.melbpc.org.au> At 07:11 PM 5/08/99 +1000, Hrebeniuk Ellen wrote: >I am glad to hear about the computer-literate school kids in Victoria. The State Education system has appropriately funded, and managed, computing resources. Ellen, our central computing question is content. For instance, have a look at the links at http://silence.tangtech.com.au/ representing five websites of a current Year Nine I.T. class. In respect of Link members contributing to educational issues.. perhaps we could ask how members would further prepare these students for the future? Cheers Ellen, Stephen Loosley From stephen@melbpc.org.au Sat Aug 7 16:32:50 1999 From: stephen@melbpc.org.au (stephen loosley) Date: Sun, 08 Aug 1999 02:32:50 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Australian Ed Issues (Was: american 'digital divide') In-Reply-To: <4.1.19990806190631.00911ef0@popa.melbpc.org.au> References: <5EDE9BFD65AED1119BE208002BE7D74D451CD9@pef2.petersham.tafe nsw.EDU.AU> Message-ID: <4.1.19990808021345.00a6a360@popa.melbpc.org.au> ; Link Please be aware that the student websites re this subject are exactly that. For example .. a kind Linker writes of one: 1: I was prompted to download a plugin to read a content/type of "text/plain" (!) 2: My browser crashed approximately 3 seconds later.... And, I must telll you, 'shift pie click' will give you a heart attack. Still, aside from the risks of adventurous coding/scripting, I still wonder what Linkers think is the most useful thing I can tell the class over 45 minutes on Monday morning in the computer lab. Cheers all .. Stephen Loosley From tom.worthington@tomw.net.au Mon Aug 9 04:13:25 1999 From: tom.worthington@tomw.net.au (Tom Worthington) Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 14:13:25 +1000 Subject: [LINK] re: Liberal Party told to Scrap DSTO & Spend $161M PA on R&D Message-ID: <2.2.32.19990809041325.007162b0@tomw.net.au> At 01:18 6/08/99 GMT, Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote: > http://www.dsto.defence.gov.au/corporate/publicity/media/proposal.html >Media Release 16/99, 3 August 1999 Defence Science and Technology Organisation >Research funding proposal "in the realm of the bizarre" ... It is good to see the Department of Defence is helping increase royalties to the charity Technical Aid to the Disabled, from my book: http://www.tomw.net.au/nt/ ;-) However, it is unfortunate that Brain Humphreys from DSTO didn't read the book, which provides the background for the proposals made in my talk. The talk was made available to the Office of the Minister for Defence and comment invited beforehand (none were received). Had the same been done with the DSTO media release, I could have corrected the inaccuracies in it. >A widely reported proposal* by a retired Defence Department employee to >abolish the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) ... The proposal is available at: http://www.tomw.net.au/papers/itrs.html >... a research fund to test and export Internet networking and computing products for >rural Australia is "in the realm of the bizarre", according to a DSTO spokesman... The idea was to more efficiently target Defence R&D spending. The Federal and state cabinet ministers, politicians and business people it was presented to didn't seem to think this was a bizarre idea. >"Mr Worthington's concept of abolishing DSTO in order to set up a research fund to testand > export Internet networking and computing products for rural Australia is in the realm of >the bizarre," Mr Humphreys said. The proposal was for all aspects of defence research. IT and rural spinoffs were used as examples, since the original presentation was for a rural IT conference. One of the less IT orientated applications was to exploit Australian research in pilotless surveillance aircraft. >"The proposals contained in his paper disclose no understanding that the purpose > ofDefence spending, including on DSTO, is the defence of Australia. The proposal was based on my analysis of the success of commercialization at Cambridge (England) and from being involved in preparing the IT R&D strategy report "Sink or Swim" prepared for the Federal Government. This is detailed in the last chapter of my book. >"The paper conveys the incorrect impression that DSTO exists and is funded >principally for research and development into information technology and the Internet. A recent trend has been to use IT to improve the effectiveness of military personnel and hardware. As an example, a submarine without an effective computer system is not much use in the current military environment. >"Mr Worthington's former role in the Department of Defence was concerned >principallywith office automation aspects of the Internet... My defence work has included : 15 June 1999 to 30 July 1999: Member of the Defence Common Operating Environment Project Team. 8 December 1998 to 15 June 1999: Director Technical Issues, Defence IS Y2K Project Office 1 July 1997 to 7 December 1998: Special Adviser, Defence Internet/Intranet Policy. 7 December 1996 to 30 June 1997: Manager Defence Information Management Architecture October 1994 to 6 December 1996: Defence Web Master September 1990 to October 1994: Senior Policy Adviser - Data Administration Standards February 1990 to September 1990: On secondment to Headquarters Australian Defence Force This did involve work on office automation and the Internet. However, as OA systems become more sophisticated the boundary with and military command and control blurs. One example was a visit to exercise Tandem Thrust'97, as detailed in the book. I reported on the US military's use of commercial-off-the-shelf office automation technology for C3I at the exercise. Some suggestions from this were adopted for the ADF's Deployable Joint Force Headquarters and used in PNG for drought relief operations. >"He has not worked in DSTO and has not been in a position in which he was able to >make an informed assessment of DSTO - either in its information technology area, >or any other area." In my years making policy on the use of IT for the Defence organization, I was a client of DSTO. However, it proved frustratingly difficult to get practical, timely and useful information from DSTO. >Mr Humphreys said that DSTO research covers a very broad range, from submarine warfare, air >defence, and land and sea mine detection ... Submarine warfare, air defence, and land and sea mine detection would all appear to have a significant IT component. ps: The scrapping of X.400 and GOSIP doesn't appear to have been disputed by DSTO. Tom Worthington http://www.tomw.net.au tom.worthington@tomw.net.au PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617 Visiting Fellow, Dept. Computer Science, Australian National University Publications Director & Past President, Australian Computer Society ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Send support to CARE workers in Belgrade: http://www.tomw.net.au/onevoice/ From philip.mccrea@cmis.csiro.au Mon Aug 9 06:47:10 1999 From: philip.mccrea@cmis.csiro.au (Philip McCrea) Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 16:47:10 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Internet Awards presentation Message-ID: <3.0.32.19990809164432.012fcb40@pophost.nsw.cmis.csiro.au> Melbourne-based linkers may be interested in the following information about the AFR/Telstra Internet awards night. Phil --------------------------------------------- Melbourne's landmark venue, the Melbourne Town Hall will play host to the Australian Financial Review/Telstra Australian Internet Awards on Tuesday 31 August 1999. The evening heralded as the "Oscars of the Internet" will pay tribute to the finest websites across the country celebrating the innovators of our industry. A host of well known presenters, performers and industry leaders will attend the star studded occasion which is expected to attract over 500 guests. 20 prestigious awards will be presented during a black tie dinner ceremony. To confirm your seat at the AFR/Telstra Australian Internet Awards for 1999 please complete the attached booking form and fax to Leanne Hunter, Podium Event Marketing on 02 9660 2898. Tickets are available at a cost of $150.00 each. Payment is accepted by credit card only. PLEASE NOTE Tickets are not confirmed (or tentatively held) until the Booking Form has been received at this office. No hard copy tickets will be issued. Confirmation of your booking will be received via email. Please contact Podium at email leanneh@podium.com.au or telephone 02 9660 2822 for further ticket enquiries. Leanne Hunter Producer & Director Podium - The Event Producer Suite 2, 63 Johnston Street PO Box 177 Annandale NSW 2038 Tel 02 9660 2822 Fax 02 9660 2898 From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Mon Aug 9 07:40:39 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 17:40:39 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Silicon Graphics Betting On Linux Message-ID: Source: Edupage, 4 August 1999 SILICON GRAPHICS BETTING ON LINUX On Monday, Silicon Graphics Inc. reportedly will announce that it will use the Linux operating system for its high-end computers. Linux is seen as a competitor to Microsoft NT, and is seen by many as a good value considering that the only costs involved come from service and support. Silicon will continue to make computers for the NT operating system ranging from $8,945 to $14,000 but use only Linux for the more powerful Silicon Graphics computers in the years to come. (Investor's Business Daily 08/02/99) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Mon Aug 9 07:40:44 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 17:40:44 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Dispute over online music is settled Message-ID: Source: Edupage, 6 August 1999 DISPUTE OVER ONLINE MUSIC IS SETTLED The recording industry formally announced yesterday that it will drop all litigation associated with Diamond Multimedia Systems' Rio portable MP3 Internet music player. The industry had hoped to block the Rio, but those hopes were dashed in June when a federal appeals court decided that 1992 federal piracy laws do not apply to the music player. The recording industry is now working with makers of MP3 music players to formulate guidelines for Internet music by year's end. (New York Times 08/05/99) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Mon Aug 9 07:40:34 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 17:40:34 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Scramble to fix computer security flaws Message-ID: Source: Edupage, 4 August 1999 SCRAMBLE TO FIX COMPUTER SECURITY FLAWS Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, and Compaq Computer are all working to fix security flaws in software that configures Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser to run certain programs without alerting users. The flaws would allow a hacker to send destructive programs to affected computers via e-mail or to draw a user to a Web page that would place a virus on the user's hard drive. Meanwhile, the victim would not be notified of the security risk because Internet Explorer security controls and antivirus software cannot detect this type of invasion. Furthermore, users would not have to actively trigger these harmful programs as with the Melissa virus. Users could activate malicious programs simply by reading an e-mail message. One of the security flaws is that Internet Explorer now loads Word, Excel, and Powerpoint documents without warning users. However, these Microsoft programs have the potential to launch executable code that is destructive. In the future, Microsoft says it will not allow documents written in these programs to bypass security checks. Microsoft is working on a security patch, which will be posted on the Web. The flaws were announced last week, but no reports of hackers taking advantage of these flaws had been reported as of Aug. 2. (New York Times 08/03/99) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Mon Aug 9 07:40:51 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 17:40:51 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Sega shoots ahead with hot console, at&t online pact Message-ID: Source: Edupage, 6 August 1999 SEGA SHOOTS AHEAD WITH HOT CONSOLE, AT&T ONLINE PACT Sega Enterprises has signed a deal with AT&T that will allow its Dreamcast console to be the first home gaming system with Internet connectivity. This deal marks a growing desire on the part of console makers, such as Sega, Sony and Nintendo, to take advantage of the Internet as well as online gaming. AT&T believes that the deal with Sega will help to expand its WorldNet subscriber base. Under the deal, AT&T WorldNet will provide users of the Sega Dreamcast console a keyboard and access to a specialized portal site that offers chat, game reviews, previews of new games, as well as the usual Web surfing and e-mail capabilities. (Los Angeles Times 08/05/99) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Mon Aug 9 07:41:00 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 17:41:00 +1000 Subject: [LINK] New wave of firms bets consumers are ripe for internet 'micropayments' Message-ID: Source: Edupage, 6 August 1999 NEW WAVE OF FIRMS BETS CONSUMERS ARE RIPE FOR INTERNET 'MICROPAYMENTS' Several new companies are offering ways for consumers to make "micropayments" online, with the aim of encouraging consumers to spend more freely on small items. For example, iPin will announce a plan Monday to enable consumers to roll small purchases onto their monthly ISP bills. Consumers who sign up with iPin will give the company their e-mail address and select a personal identification number. IPin says the use of PINs will be faster than using credit card numbers and will encourage impulse spending. IPin, which has already formed deals with a few small ISPs, is now testing its technology with AT&T's WorldNet Service. Retailers will pay iPin a lower processing fee than they would pay to credit card companies. IPin will then share these retailer fees with ISPs. Using a similar strategy, eCharge includes small purchases on consumers' phone bills. The company has a partnership with AT&T, through which it has access to most U.S. phone users. ECharge collects a fee from retailers, which it splits with AT&T and the local phone company involved. (Wall Street Journal 08/05/99) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From brucekay@ozemail.com.au Mon Aug 9 08:13:02 1999 From: brucekay@ozemail.com.au (Bruce Kay) Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 18:13:02 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Germans Hold Bank Liable for Using 56-bit Encryption In-Reply-To: <199908070132.LAA06872@piglet.dstc.edu.au> Message-ID: <001201bee23f$00482e20$77a86ccb@au.ibm.com> Hmmmmm... even though the U.S. Commerce Department and Defence Department still restrict export of greater-than-40-bit encryption??? wow. Bruce Kay Bruce Kay Information Management Consulting Phone: +61 2 6254 8978 Mobile: +61 412 213 689 Fax: +61 2 6254 7896 Email: brucekay@ozemail.com.au The views expressed are the views of the author only, and do not represent the views of any other organisation. -----Original Message----- From: owner-link@www.anu.edu.au [mailto:owner-link@www.anu.edu.au]On Behalf Of Dean Povey Sent: Saturday, 7 August 1999 11:33 To: link@www.anu.edu.au Subject: [LINK] Germans Hold Bank Liable for Using 56-bit Encryption >From Hacker News Network Germans Hold Bank Liable for Using 56-bit Encryption A German court recently decided to hold a bank liable for losses in connection with a stolen Eurocheque card in part because the 56-bit encryption protecting the card was considered "out-of-date and not safe enough." Are you still relying on DES to keep your data secure? -- Dean Povey, | e-m: povey@dstc.edu.au | JCSI: Java Crypto Toolkit Research Scientist | ph: +61 7 3864 5120 | security.dstc.edu.au/ Security Unit, DSTC | fax: +61 7 3864 1282 | Oscar - C++ PKI Toolkit: Brisbane, Australia | www: security.dstc.edu.au/ | oscar.dstc.qut.edu.au/ From glen.turner@adelaide.edu.au Mon Aug 9 09:42:53 1999 From: glen.turner@adelaide.edu.au (Glen Turner) Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 09:42:53 +0000 Subject: [LINK] Silicon Graphics Betting On Linux References: Message-ID: <37AEA29D.F0390956@adelaide.edu.au> Tony Barry wrote: > SILICON GRAPHICS BETTING ON LINUX The suspicion is that SGI are going to adopt Linux and phase out their Irix UNIX OS. SGI have been actively porting to Linux and contributing the parts of the OS they care about (mainly to enable high-bandwidth video streaming) into the Linux OS. This seems a reasonable strategy if SGI sees its advantage more in shipping very impressive boxes than in maintaining a not-so-impressive operating system. I would also expect supercomputer manufacturers to adopt a similar strategy, as again the OS is a cost centre and the real value of the product is the hardware. Adding a popular OS simply makes their hardware more attractive, as it reduces training and support costs and allows application portability. Application portability at the source level is desired by supercomputer centres, as the narrower gap between desktop and supercomputer environments allows for a wider customer base for supercomputer rental time. From stephen@melbpc.org.au Mon Aug 9 09:45:15 1999 From: stephen@melbpc.org.au (stephen loosley) Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 19:45:15 +1000 Subject: [LINK] ASIC Gull Awards Message-ID: <4.1.19990809193836.00a642f0@popa.melbpc.org.au> Net Users Offered Land Packages on Mars Source: AAP | Published: Monday August 9 6:17:56 PM http://www.theage.com.au/breaking/19990809/A8304-1999Aug9.shtml Internet users have been urged to report dodgy email investment opportunities after a Sydney man was offered a block of land on Mars for as little as $10. World wide web browsers - or indeed anyone coming across a shady deal - have been asked to pass on any details to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). The move could even win them a $50 prize as part of ASIC's monthly "Gull Award - tales of the truly gullible". ASIC said its latest winner was Mike Miller from Dee Why, on Sydney's northern beaches, who reported an investment scheme advertising land packages on Mars. The Mars Land Authority, based in Dandenong, Victoria, offered cash-only land packages of 100 to 1,000 hectares on Mars for $10-$45. ... An ASIC spokeswoman said the commission was investigating the scheme. She said such information from consumers helped ASIC catch scam operators and shut them down. "Anyone who spots a financial scam should let ASIC know," she said. The entrant of the most outrageous, far-fetched or unbelievable scam will win $50. -- Happy trails .. Stephen Loosley www.stephen.hm From me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au Mon Aug 9 12:58:02 1999 From: me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au (Tony Barry) Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 22:58:02 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Money shuffle Message-ID: Source: Net News 05 August, 1999 MONEY SHUFFLE A report by Jupiter Communications today says 95% of consumer online spending (a total of $11 billion) is money that previously would have been spent at traditional retailers. The study found the impact of online sales varied by industry, with the consumer software market especially vulnerable. About 35% of this market will move online by 2002. See http://www.jup.com/jupiter/press/releases/1999/0804.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au Mon Aug 9 12:58:10 1999 From: me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au (Tony Barry) Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 22:58:10 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Microsoft - try again Message-ID: Ooopss... Source: Net News 05 August, 1999 TRY AGAIN Microsoft today placed a Web server running the latest beta of Windows 2000 outside its firewall, and invited hackers to see if they could break security. Unfortunately, the server crashed. See http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2309474,00.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From jmorris@intercode.com.au Mon Aug 9 15:59:03 1999 From: jmorris@intercode.com.au (James Morris) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 01:59:03 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Newswire: IT the most outsourced business operation Message-ID: By Cosima Marriner (http://www.newswire.com.au/9908/itoutsr.htm): "Few companies plan to outsource business operations other than IT, according to a survey of chief financial officers (CFOs). " [...] "However, just 8% intend to outsource any other business function." [...] It's obviously not surprising, but to me it seems to confirm the failure of many companies to realise the value of technology and an appropriately skilled IT workforce as assets alongside recognised core business areas. - James. -- James Morris From goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au Mon Aug 9 17:36:52 1999 From: goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au (=?iso-8859-1?q?David=20Goldstein?=) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 03:36:52 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] news release ~ The twenty enemies of the Internet Message-ID: <19990809173652.1525.rocketmail@web1303.mail.yahoo.com> Hi Link A news release of interest from Reporters Sans Frontiers on countries restricting access to the Internet. Cheers David >Press Release - 9 August 1999 Reporters Sans Frontiers The twenty enemies of the Internet http://www.rsf.fr/uk/alaune/ennemisweb.html Forty-five countries restrict their citizens' access to the Internet - usually by forcing them to subscribe to a state-run Internet Service Provider (ISP). Twenty of these countries may be described as real enemies of this new means of communication. On the pretext of protecting the public from "subversive ideas" or defending "national security and unity", some governments totally prevent their citizens from gaining access to the Internet. Others control a single ISP or even several, installing filters blocking access to web sites regarded as unsuitable and sometimes forcing users to officially register with the authorities. The Internet is a two-edged sword for authoritarian regimes. On the one hand, it enables any citizen to enjoy an unprecedented degree of freedom of speech and therefore constitutes a threat to the government. On the other, however, the Internet is a major factor in economic growth, due in particular to online trade and the exchange of technical and scientific information, which prompts some of these governments to support its spread. The economic argument seems to be winning the day in countries such as Malaysia and Singapore, where controlling "dangerous" sites is proving difficult for the authorities. Moreover, web surfers can find ways round censorship: encoding, going through servers that offer anonymity when consulting banned sites or sending email, connecting via GSM telephones and cellphones, and so on. Reporters Sans Frontières has selected 20 countries that it regards as enemies of the Internet because they control access totally or partially, have censored web sites or taken action against users. They are: the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), Belarus, Burma, China, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and Vietnam. Belarus In line with its repressive attitude towards other media, Alexander Lukashenka's government does not leave its citizens free to explore the Internet independently. Access is supplied by a single ISP, Belpak, which belongs to the state. Burma Censorship is total, due to a state monopoly on access. In addition, a law passed in September 1996 obliges anyone who owns a computer to declare it to the government. Those who fail to comply may face up to 15 years in prison. Central Asia and the Caucasus In most of these countries, the authorities control or restrict Internet access. In Tajikistan, a single ISP, Telecom Technologies, owned by the government, offers web access - and only in the capital, Dushanbe. Turkmenistan, a "black hole" where information is concerned, offers even more restricted access. Although there are privately owned ISPs in Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, their operations are controlled by the telecommunications ministry, which is responsible for chastising those who speak out against the government. In Kazakhstan, and to a lesser extent in Kirghizia, the authorities demand prohibitively expensive usage and connection fees from private ISPs. China Although Internet use is spreading rapidly, the government is trying to keep up pressure on users. They are closely monitored and are supposed to register with the authorities. In January 1999 a computer technician, Lin Hai, was sentenced to two years in prison by a Shanghai court for giving the email addresses of 30,000 Chinese subscribers to a dissident site that publishes an online magazine from the United States. Meanwhile officials fearing disturbances as the tenth anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre (4 June 1999) drew near ordered the closure of 300 cybercafÈs in Shanghai, on the pretext that they did not have the necessary authorisation. In order to prevent the Chinese from finding information on the web, the authorities have blocked access to some sites. This happened to the BBC in October 1998. Zhang Weiguo, editor of the New Century Net (www.ncn.org) site, in Chinese, launched in the United States in 1996, estimates that it takes two months on average for the Chinese authorities to track down the relay server of a site and block access to it. The sites then change their address. Some censored pages are distributed by email, like underground newspapers that are photocopied and passed around secretly. Cuba The government controls the Internet, just as it does other media. There is no free expression in Cuba at national level. About ten independent - and illegal - news agencies such as Cubanet and Cuba Free Press telephone reports to organisations based in Miami which publish them on their web pages. But this news is still the subject of repression: in October 1998, a foreign ministry official filed a complaint for "insult" against Mario Viera, of the independent agency Cuba Verdad, following publication of an article criticising him on the US-based Cubanet site. The journalist is still awaiting trial, and faces an 18-month prison sentence if convicted. Iran Censorship of the Internet is identical to that affecting other media and covers the same subjects: sexuality, religion, criticism of the Islamic Republic, any mention of Israel, the United States, and so on. Because of the filters put in place by the authorities, access to some sites is banned: medical students are denied access to web pages that deal with anatomy, for instance. Iraq People in Baghdad have no direct access to the Internet. Web sites of the official press and certains ministries are maintained by servers based in Jordan. In any case, because of the embargo very few people own computers. Libya It is impossible to explore the web from Libya. The government carefully keeps the population away from international information networks with the aim of maintaining control of their minds. North Korea People in Pyongyang cannot access the Internet. The government deliberately prevents the population from seeing any news other than its own propaganda. The few official sites aimed at foreigners (the national news agency, newspapers and ministries) are maintained by servers located in Japan. Saudi Arabia Even though 37 private companies have been given permission to operate as ISPs, all traffic at the moment goes through the servers of the Science and Technology Centre, a public body, which is equipped with filters banning access to sites that provide "information contrary to Islamic values". The Internet is officially regarded as "a harmful force for westernising people's minds". Sierra Leone As part of their repression of the opposition press, the authorities have also attacked an online newspaper. In June 1999, two journalists from the daily The Independent Observer, Abdul Rhaman Swaray and Jonathan Leigh, were arrested. They were accused in particular of collaborating with the online newspaper "Ninjas", which is published on a site based abroad (www.sierra-leone.cc) by journalists who have gone into hiding. Sudan Through Sudanet, the only ISP, the state controls the few connections to the Internet possible in this country where freedom of expression is often suppressed. Syria Internet access is officially banned to individuals. Offenders may face a prison sentence, just as they may for "unauthorised" contacts with foreigners. Only official organisations are allowed access to the Internet through the public telecommunications authority, whose ISP maintains web sites for state newspapers, the national news agency and a few ministries. Tunisia The Tunisian Internet Agency (ATI) controls the two privately owned ISPs, which are in fact connected with the authorities: one is run by President Ben Ali's daughter and the second by another person close to the government. Their central servers control the access of certain users. In November 1998, following publication by Amnesty International of a report on human rights violations, a web site with the address www.amnesty-tunisia.org, deliberately designed to create confusion with the non-government organisation, praised the president's work for human rights. The director of the public relations agency that launched the site - one of whose biggest customers is the Tunisian government - claimed that he was merely coming to the country's defence. Meanwhile, access to Amnesty International's official site was blocked by the authorities. Vietnam Anyone who wants to access the Internet has to ask for permission from the interior ministry and sign up with one of the two state-owned ISPs. Access is blocked to sites maintained by Vietnamese organisations based abroad and international human rights organisations. On 9 June, the Police Ministry ordered the post office to cancel the journalist Nguyen Dan Que's Internet account, after this former political prisoner had released a communique through the Internet calling for freedom a month earlier. Recommendations Reporters Sans Frontières calls on the governments of these 20 countries to immediately: - abolish the state monopoly on Internet access and, where appropriate, stop controlling private ISPs, - cancel the obligation for citizens to register with the government before obtaining Internet access, - abolish censorship through the use of filters, and stop blocking access to certain sites maintained by foreign servers, - protect the confidentiality of Internet exchanges, particularly by lifting controls on electronic mail, - call off the legal proceedings undertaken against Internet users who have done no more than exercise their right to freedom of expression. Reporters Sans Frontières calls on Burma, China, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan to ratify and enforce the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 19 of which stipulates that "everyone shall have the right (...) to receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers (...)". The organisation also asks those states that have signed the covenant (Azerbaijan, Belarus, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Libya, North Korea, Uzbekistan, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and Vietnam) to respect the undertakings they made by doing so. >For further information, please contact RSF. === ---------------------- David Goldstein email: Goldstein_David@yahoo.com.au post: 5 Coles Lane, Oakington, Cambridge, CB4 5BA, UK phone: + 44 (0)1223 574 857 (h); +44 (0)1223 237 700 (w); +44 (0)7979 965 503 (mobile). ICQ: 32130305. _______________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com.au address at http://mail.yahoo.com.au From goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au Mon Aug 9 19:23:04 1999 From: goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au (=?iso-8859-1?q?David=20Goldstein?=) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 05:23:04 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] White House Executive Order on unlawful use of the Internet Message-ID: <19990809192304.6056.rocketmail@web1301.mail.yahoo.com> Hi Link An Executive Order from the White House some of you will find interesting on unlawful conduct that involves the use of the Internet. Cheers David >From http://library.whitehouse.gov/ThisWeek.cgi?type=p&date=3&briefing=9 or try http://library.whitehouse.gov/Week.cgi. Cheers David August 6, 1999 EXECUTIVE ORDER THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary (Little Rock, Arkansas) _____________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release August 6, 1999 EXECUTIVE ORDER - - - - - - - WORKING GROUP ON UNLAWFUL CONDUCT ON THE INTERNET By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to address unlawful conduct that involves the use of the Internet, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Establishment and Purpose. (a) There is hereby established a working group to address unlawful conduct that involves the use of the Internet ("Working Group"). The purpose of the Working Group shall be to prepare a report and recommendations concerning: (1) The extent to which existing Federal laws provide a sufficient basis for effective investigation and prosecution of unlawful conduct that involves the use of the Internet, such as the illegal sale of guns, explosives, controlled substances, and prescription drugs, as well as fraud and child pornography. (2) The extent to which new technology tools, capabilities, or legal authorities may be required for effective investigation and prosecution of unlawful conduct that involves the use of the Internet; and (3) The potential for new or existing tools and capabilities to educate and empower parents, teachers, and others to prevent or to minimize the risks from unlawful conduct that involves the use of the Internet. (b) The Working Group shall undertake this review in the context of current Administration Internet policy, which includes support for industry self-regulation where possible, technology-neutral laws and regulations, and an appreciation of the Internet as an important medium both domestically and internationally for commerce and free speech. Sec. 2. Schedule. The Working Group shall complete its work to the greatest extent possible and present its report and recommendations to the President and Vice President within 120 days of the date of this order. Prior to such presentation, the report and recommendations shall be circulated through the Office of Management and Budget for review and comment by all appropriate Federal agencies. Sec. 3. Membership. (a) The Working Group shall be composed of the following members: (1) The Attorney General (who shall serve as Chair of the Working Group). (2) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget. more (OVER) 2 (3) The Secretary of the Treasury. (4) The Secretary of Commerce. (5) The Secretary of Education. (6) The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (7) The Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. (8) The Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration. (9) The Chair of the Federal Trade Commission. (10) The Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration; and (11) Other Federal officials deemed appropriate by the Chair of the Working Group. (b) The co-chairs of the Interagency Working Group on Electronic Commerce shall serve as liaison to and attend meetings of the Working Group. Members of the Working Group may serve on the Working Group through designees. WILLIAM J. CLINTON THE WHITE HOUSE, August 5, 1999. === ---------------------- David Goldstein email: Goldstein_David@yahoo.com.au post: 5 Coles Lane, Oakington, Cambridge, CB4 5BA, UK phone: + 44 (0)1223 574 857 (h); +44 (0)1223 237 700 (w); +44 (0)7979 965 503 (mobile). ICQ: 32130305. _______________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com.au address at http://mail.yahoo.com.au From richard@auscoms.com.au Mon Aug 9 22:36:08 1999 From: richard@auscoms.com.au (richard@auscoms.com.au) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 99 08:36:08 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Silicon Graphics Betting On Linux Message-ID: <9908109342.AA934238173@mail.auscoms.com.au> Glen wrote: >Adding a popular OS simply makes their hardware more attractive, >as it reduces training and support costs and allows >application portability. Not to mention that professional services can be deducated from tax faster than software...my spend on the hardware is fixed, ie regardless of the OS I need a box. But if I spend 10k on professional services and 0 on software, my tax position is better than someone who spends 8k on software and 2k on prof services. Richard Chirgwin ____________________Reply Separator____________________ Subject: Re: [LINK] Silicon Graphics Betting On Linux Author: Glen Turner Date: 9/08/99 9:42 Tony Barry wrote: > SILICON GRAPHICS BETTING ON LINUX The suspicion is that SGI are going to adopt Linux and phase out their Irix UNIX OS. SGI have been actively porting to Linux and contributing the parts of the OS they care about (mainly to enable high-bandwidth video streaming) into the Linux OS. This seems a reasonable strategy if SGI sees its advantage more in shipping very impressive boxes than in maintaining a not-so-impressive operating system. I would also expect supercomputer manufacturers to adopt a similar strategy, as again the OS is a cost centre and the real value of the product is the hardware. Adding a popular OS simply makes their hardware more attractive, as it reduces training and support costs and allows application portability. Application portability at the source level is desired by supercomputer centres, as the narrower gap between desktop and supercomputer environments allows for a wider customer base for supercomputer rental time. From jwhit@PrimeNet.Com Mon Aug 9 23:00:45 1999 From: jwhit@PrimeNet.Com (Jan Whitaker) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 09:00:45 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Newswire: IT the most outsourced business operation Message-ID: <199908092300.JAA10373@boomer.anu.edu.au> Agreed, James, but could it also be that firms really can't afford the salaries and therefore are trying to cope with the reality of scarce human resources? Just a thought. Jan At 01:59 10/08/99 +1000, you wrote: >By Cosima Marriner (http://www.newswire.com.au/9908/itoutsr.htm): > >"Few companies plan to outsource business > operations other than IT, according to a survey > of chief financial officers (CFOs). " > [...] >"However, just 8% intend to outsource any other > business function." > [...] > >It's obviously not surprising, but to me it seems to confirm the failure >of many companies to realise the value of technology and an appropriately >skilled IT workforce as assets alongside recognised core business areas. > > >- James. >-- >James Morris > > > > JLWhitaker Associates Melbourne, Victoria, Australia jwhit@primenet.com -- http://www.primenet.com/~jwhit/whitentr.htm From povey@dstc.qut.edu.au Mon Aug 9 23:17:20 1999 From: povey@dstc.qut.edu.au (Dean Povey) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 09:17:20 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Germans Hold Bank Liable for Using 56-bit Encryption In-Reply-To: Your message of "Mon, 09 Aug 1999 18:13:02 +1000." <001201bee23f$00482e20$77a86ccb@au.ibm.com> Message-ID: <199908092317.JAA11460@piglet.dstc.edu.au> >Hmmmmm... >even though the U.S. Commerce Department and Defence Department still >restrict export of greater-than-40-bit encryption??? > >wow. > Well actually only greater-than-64-bits is restricted now, and 128 bits is available for banking, health, insurance and web merchants. Still, most (all?) banks in Australia still use 56 bits to protect their EFTPOS/ATM networks. > >>From Hacker News Network > >Germans Hold Bank Liable for Using 56-bit Encryption > >A German court recently decided to hold a bank liable for losses in >connection with a stolen Eurocheque card in part because the 56-bit >encryption protecting the card was considered "out-of-date and not safe >enough." Are you still relying on DES to keep your data secure? > -- Dean Povey, | e-m: povey@dstc.edu.au | JCSI: Java Crypto Toolkit Research Scientist | ph: +61 7 3864 5120 | security.dstc.edu.au/ Security Unit, DSTC | fax: +61 7 3864 1282 | Oscar - C++ PKI Toolkit: Brisbane, Australia | www: security.dstc.edu.au/ | oscar.dstc.qut.edu.au/ From povey@dstc.qut.edu.au Mon Aug 9 23:19:19 1999 From: povey@dstc.qut.edu.au (Dean Povey) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 09:19:19 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Microsoft - try again In-Reply-To: Your message of "Mon, 09 Aug 1999 22:58:10 +1000." Message-ID: <199908092319.JAA13874@piglet.dstc.edu.au> >Ooopss... > >Source: Net News 05 August, 1999 > >TRY AGAIN >Microsoft today placed a Web server running the latest beta of Windows 2000 >outside its firewall, and invited hackers to see if they could break security. >Unfortunately, the server crashed. See >http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2309474,00.html > and crashed, and crashed ... :-) -- Dean Povey, | e-m: povey@dstc.edu.au | JCSI: Java Crypto Toolkit Research Scientist | ph: +61 7 3864 5120 | security.dstc.edu.au/ Security Unit, DSTC | fax: +61 7 3864 1282 | Oscar - C++ PKI Toolkit: Brisbane, Australia | www: security.dstc.edu.au/ | oscar.dstc.qut.edu.au/ From brd@dynamite.com.au Mon Aug 9 23:28:42 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Mon, 9 Aug 99 23:28:42 GMT Subject: [LINK] House urges White House to protect small businesses Message-ID: 37af642a.5069.0@dynamite.com.au In the USA, the home of the free market and world's best practice (at least in some people's eyes) a few don't think much of contract bundling (which has a lot in common with Oz Fed Gov IT outsourcing). <\brd> AUGUST 9, 1999 Federal Computer Week http://www.fcw.com/pubs/fcw/1999/0809/fcw-polsmallbiz-08-09-99.html House urges White House to protect small businesses BY COLLEEN O'HARA (ohara@fcw.com) The Clinton administration must work quickly to define strong regulations that will protect small businesses from the increasingly common practice of combining small individual contracts into one large pact, members of a House panel said last week. Members of the House Small Business Committee told officials from the Small Business Administration and the Office of Federal Procurement Policy to put in place a strong final rule on the practice of so-called contract bundling so that small businesses do not miss out on federal business opportunities. Contract bundling shuts out small businesses, according to small business advocates, because when smaller contracts are combined into a larger one, small businesses typically cannot compete for the larger contract because the businesses lack the resources or capital to adequately meet the contract's demands. Meanwhile, Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) questioned whether contract bundling should be allowed at all. "Is bundling simply a way to give big businesses an opportunity to get bigger or rich [businesses] the opportunity to get richer?" he asked. "We really need to take these questions somewhere else because this is a flawed policy." -- It's a nice sunny day outside. Thank god for the blinds. -- unknown Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From jonathan@rmit.edu.au Tue Aug 10 00:01:18 1999 From: jonathan@rmit.edu.au (Jonathan O'Donnell) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 10:01:18 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Australian Ed Issues (Was: american 'digital divide') In-Reply-To: <4.1.19990806190631.00911ef0@popa.melbpc.org.au> References: <5EDE9BFD65AED1119BE208002BE7D74D451CD9@pef2.petersham.tafe nsw.EDU.AU> Message-ID: At 12:29 AM +1000 8/8/99, stephen loosley wrote: ... >For instance, have a look at the links at http://silence.tangtech.com.au/ >representing five websites of a current Year Nine I.T. class. In respect >of Link members contributing to educational issues.. perhaps we could >ask how members would further prepare these students for the future? I would tell them about the annual Ars Digita prize (http://arsdigita.org/prize/). >From http://arsdigita.org/prize/ : ==================== ** Rationale ** We believe that the most useful and interesting sites on the Internet have yet to be built. The wellspring of Internet creativity has always been non-commercial individual effort. With proper engineering, a single dedicated person can build and run a popular world-wide service of real significance. We focus on young people doing non-commercial stuff because we think (1) they will make the best use of the money, (2) they will live long enough to change the world through their direct efforts. ** About the Prize ** The winner of the Prize gets the following: + a $10,000 check + an all-expenses paid trip to the computer science research laboratories at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which includes all-day seminar on Web service design, taught by Philip Greenspun, focusing on the use of the open-source ArsDigita Community System toolkit (http://photo.net/wtr/thebook/community.html) + lunch with Dave Clark, Chief Protocol Architect of the Internet from 1981-89, Tim Berners-Lee, developer of the World Wide Web, and Michael Dertouzos, head of the Laboratory of Computer Science + dinner with Hal Abelson and Gerry Sussman, co-developers of the Scheme programming language, co-authors of what we think is the best book ever written about computers (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0262011530/photonetA/), and inspiring teachers of a generation of MIT students + use of a Web server running a professionally-maintained relational database management system (see "the book" [http://photo.net/wtr/thebook/] for why this is so important to high quality Web service). This is to assist the winner in producing even better work in the future. The first runner-ups will each get a check for $1,000 and will join the winner on his or her trip to MIT. They will also get use of a RDBMS-backed Web server for their future projects. There will be up to five first runner-ups. The second runner-ups will each get free hardcopies of Philip and Alex's Guide to Web Publishing ("the book") and Edward Tufte's Visual Explanations (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0961392126/photonetA). There will be no limit to the number of second runner-ups. ==================== PS: My favourite finalist project is Escalation: http://brainsoft.ne.mediaone.net/escalation/arsdigita.htm Jonathan O'Donnell Director of Information Technology Art, Design and Communication RMIT City campus 6.3.12 Telephone: +61 3 992 52903 mailto:doit@art.rmit.edu.au http://purl.nla.gov.au/net/jonathan From marghanita@ramin.com.au Tue Aug 10 00:22:26 1999 From: marghanita@ramin.com.au (M. da Cruz) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 10:22:26 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Newswire: IT the most outsourced business operation References: Message-ID: <37AF70C2.26B0@ramin.com.au> Actually the problem isn't the outsourcing of IT, it is the lack of appreciation of the need for Direction and Management of IT beyond, software and hardware and the expectation that vendors can provide Enterprises, with the necessary Direction and Management of IT along with the equipment. See: Service Delivery over the Internet, Internet World 99, August 1999. Paper at: www.ramin.com.au/marg/services.html. Build or Buy services for your Online Strategy? - eGOVERNMENT.AU Internet World workshop, August 1998. Paper at:www.ramin.com.au/marg/borb.html. Outsourcing, ACS NSW branch conference, December 1996. Paper at: : www.ramin.com.au/marg/outsourcing.html. Marghanita James Morris wrote: > It's obviously not surprising, but to me it seems to confirm the failure > of many companies to realise the value of technology and an appropriately > skilled IT workforce as assets alongside recognised core business areas. -- Marghanita da Cruz, Principal Consultant, Ramin Communications, http://www.ramin.com.au mailto:marghanita@ramin.com.au PO Box 341 Annandale NSW 2038, Tel:(+61)0414-869202. From Ellen.Hrebeniuk@det.nsw.edu.au Tue Aug 10 00:43:58 1999 From: Ellen.Hrebeniuk@det.nsw.edu.au (Hrebeniuk Ellen) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 10:43:58 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Australian Ed Issues (Was: american 'digital divide') Message-ID: <5EDE9BFD65AED1119BE208002BE7D74D451CDC@pef2.petersham.tafensw.EDU.AU> Linkers, Stephen Loosley asked: > I still wonder what Linkers think is the most useful thing I can tell the > class over 45 minutes on Monday morning in the computer lab. I don't know the parameters of the course, Stephen, but how about: - vagaries of search engines and how to avoid them - broad, narrow and related search terms - determining authority, accuracy,objectivity, currency and scope of information sources - netiquette (have there been any punch-ups in the playground as a result of flames?) - exploration of other services besides the WWW and email On the other hand, I wouldn't want you to invade the turf of the school librarian :) Ellen Hrebeniuk A/Customer Services Librarian Petersham TAFE Library From richard@auscoms.com.au Tue Aug 10 01:56:34 1999 From: richard@auscoms.com.au (richard@auscoms.com.au) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 99 11:56:34 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Newswire: IT the most outsourced business oper Message-ID: <9908109342.AA934250199@mail.auscoms.com.au> Surely the two are related. A manager who fails to understand the strategic value of IT will also fail to provide IT with strategic direction. Likewise, a manager who fails to understand the strategic value of IT will outsource is as a cost centre. (Also, a manager who fails to understand the strategic value of IT is most likely to be sucker-bait for the golf-course-salesman!) Richard Chirgwin ____________________Reply Separator____________________ Subject: Re: [LINK] Newswire: IT the most outsourced business operati Author: Date: 10/08/99 10:22 Actually the problem isn't the outsourcing of IT, it is the lack of appreciation of the need for Direction and Management of IT beyond, software and hardware and the expectation that vendors can provide Enterprises, with the necessary Direction and Management of IT along with the equipment. See: Service Delivery over the Internet, Internet World 99, August 1999. Paper at: www.ramin.com.au/marg/services.html. Build or Buy services for your Online Strategy? - eGOVERNMENT.AU Internet World workshop, August 1998. Paper at:www.ramin.com.au/marg/borb.html. Outsourcing, ACS NSW branch conference, December 1996. Paper at: : www.ramin.com.au/marg/outsourcing.html. Marghanita James Morris wrote: > It's obviously not surprising, but to me it seems to confirm the failure > of many companies to realise the value of technology and an appropriately > skilled IT workforce as assets alongside recognised core business areas. -- Marghanita da Cruz, Principal Consultant, Ramin Communications, http://www.ramin.com.au mailto:marghanita@ramin.com.au PO Box 341 Annandale NSW 2038, Tel:(+61)0414-869202. From bpa@iss.net.au Tue Aug 10 02:47:23 1999 From: bpa@iss.net.au (Brenda Aynsley) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 12:17:23 +0930 Subject: [LINK] Internet Awards presentation References: <3.0.32.19990809164432.012fcb40@pophost.nsw.cmis.csiro.au> Message-ID: <37AF92BB.809AFDD9@iss.net.au> Philip McCrea wrote: > Melbourne-based linkers may be interested in the following information > about the AFR/Telstra Internet awards night. > Phil [snip] WARNING > No hard copy tickets will be issued. Confirmation of your booking will > be received via email. > oo that must mean this is an online-technology-aware event then? With both organisers and attendees similarly well acquainted with the Internet > Payment is accepted by credit card only. [snip] > Please contact Podium at email leanneh@podium.com.au or telephone 02 9660 > 2822 for further ticket enquiries. ah, no not quite > Tickets are available at a cost of $150.00 each. cough*&@$# splutter how much? am I really a cheapskate? NOTE: no answers are required to this rhetorical question, I know the answer already. brenda -- Current Net Legislation will slow us down and cost us more! Tell you Local Federal Member NOW it will hurt your business For more info visit http://www.efa.org.au/Campaigns/99.html -- Brenda Aynsley - http://www.iss.net.au/bpabio.html Internet Educator, Website Developer, Computer Support person Phone:+61 8 8357 8844 Fax:+61 8 8373 3829 Mobile:+61 412 662 988 From goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au Tue Aug 10 09:06:57 1999 From: goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au (=?iso-8859-1?q?David=20Goldstein?=) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 19:06:57 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Wired News ~ Reefer Madness Hits Congress Message-ID: <19990810090657.16113.rocketmail@web1305.mail.yahoo.com> Hi Link A Wired story from the USA about banning Internet discussion and links to sites dealing with illegal drugs. Cheers David Reefer Madness Hits Congress by Debbi Gardiner and Declan McCullagh http://www.wired.com/news/print_version/politics/story/21152.html?wnpg=all 12:15 p.m. 6.Aug.99.PDT Hide that hookah. Chuck that chillum. Congress is in session, and weed Web sites are no longer safe. A proposed bill that bans Internet discussions of the use of unapproved drugs and links to such sites has not just normally mellow potheads but also journalist groups in a huff. "This is just legislators spinning their wheels," says Andrew, a San Francisco Web system administrator who says he enjoys a good bong hit three times a week. "It offends me that legislators have nothing better to do than grandstand since our society has real problems that have real solutions," says Andrew, who asked that his last name not be used. About a dozen senators have signed on to support the Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act, but its primary leaders are Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat and longtime Internet regulatory enthusiast, and Orrin Hatch, the arch-conservative Utah Republican who chairs the Senate Judiciary committee. If the measure becomes law, it will create a new federal felony -- punishable by a fine and three years in prison -- that covers Web pages that link to sites with information about where to buy "drug paraphernalia" such as roach clips, bowls, and bongs. Even editors of news organizations that publish articles about drug culture and link to related sites will be subject to arrest and prosecution. "It is going to be a tough thing for news organizations, but more importantly it strikes at the news consumer who wishes to test information provided by the media against their own experience," says Paul McMasters, First Amendment ombudsman at the Freedom Forum, a foundation devoted to freedom of the press. "Why would anyone want to keep people from finding the truth out for themselves or linking to facts?" "You would be liable," says Eugene Volokh, a law professor at UCLA. "It's a very serious problem for people who want to link for legitimate news purposes." Groups fighting for drug legalization are also upset about a second portion of the Hatch-Feinstein bill. It creates another felony, punishable by up to 10 years in the federal pen, banning distribution "by any means" of information about "the manufacture or use of a controlled substance" if the recipient might use it to get high. "It is yet another illustration of politicians trying to escalate a war they can't win," says David Boaz, vice president of the libertarian Cato Institute. "The dirty little secret that maybe nobody has told Dianne Feinstein is that it's not very hard to grow marijuana." "If you had links on your Web site to sites like High Times magazine, you could be threatened with a count of indirect advertising," said R. Keith Stroup, head of NORML. Banning linking is close to banning sales of all marijuana paraphernalia, says Dana Larsen, editor of the Vancouver-based Cannabis Culture magazine. "Preventing linking to sites selling drug paraphernalia cuts down on sales [of] these items. I think that the federal government is definitely afraid of the power of the Web to spread uncensored information that they can't control." But Larsen believes that even if Hatch and Feinstein get their way, their plan will disappear into smoke. "Ultimately, this law will be selectively enforced.... It is totally impossible to ban all linking to drug-related sites. The Web is too large," Larsen says. The Church of Scientology -- normally an ardent opponent of all illicit drugs -- is, for once, not eager to embrace a measure designed to limit their use. "When you attempt to cut a communication line, you get big problems," says the group's San Francisco director, Jeff Quiros. "You can't block communication without getting upset and in a turmoil. Not talking about drugs, limiting the education to drugs, is to go in the opposite direction of understanding. People need understanding in order to gain judgment." The Feinstein-Hatch collaboration is not unique. The two combined to push forth the "Dirty Pixels" law of 1996 that made it a felony to possess computer-generated images of naked children. Feinstein has tried with similar anti-drug online measures in the past. Last year she introduced a bill -- that ultimately didn't go anywhere -- designed to limit online drug paraphernalia sales. The Clinton administration said it has not taken a position on the plan. "We'll have to study it. We would have to look to see if it has already been passed," said Bob Weiner, acting public affairs director of the White House drug policy office. The Hatch-Feinstein bill amends an existing law that already criminalizes the sale of certain types of pipes, water pipes, carbs, cocaine spoons, chillums, bongs, and wired cigarette papers. Their proposal covers "the use of any communication facility to post, publicize, transmit, publish, link to, broadcast, or otherwise advertise" drug paraphernalia-related information in any way. Copyright © 1994-99 Wired Digital Inc. All rights reserved. === ---------------------- David Goldstein email: Goldstein_David@yahoo.com.au post: 5 Coles Lane, Oakington, Cambridge, CB4 5BA, UK phone: + 44 (0)1223 574 857 (h); +44 (0)1223 237 700 (w); +44 (0)7979 965 503 (mobile). ICQ: 32130305. _______________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com.au address at http://mail.yahoo.com.au From tom.worthington@tomw.net.au Tue Aug 10 20:19:31 1999 From: tom.worthington@tomw.net.au (Tom Worthington) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 06:19:31 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Internet Awards presentation Message-ID: <2.2.32.19990810201931.006e9fbc@mail.mpx.com.au> At 12:17 10/08/99 +0930, Brenda Aynsley wrote: >... that must mean this is an online-technology-aware event then? With both >organisers and attendees similarly well acquainted with the Internet ... Or they are just being cheap. ; -) I got sent a very nice "bronze" award, in the form of a GIF image, for reaching the semi-finals. Perhaps we will soon see digital certificates issued by schools. Tom Worthington http://www.tomw.net.au tom.worthington@tomw.net.au PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617 Visiting Fellow, Dept. Computer Science, Australian National University Publications Director & Past President, Australian Computer Society ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Send support to CARE workers in Belgrade: http://www.tomw.net.au/onevoice/ From Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au Tue Aug 10 23:41:57 1999 From: Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au (Roger Clarke) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 09:41:57 +1000 Subject: [LINK] RFI: 'Information wants to be free' Message-ID: I'm rushing out a conference paper on 'freedom of information', and how I.T. has dramatically changed the whole idea, and how boring old FoI lawyers ought to have noticed by now ... http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/II/DarkAges.html One of the stepping-off points is the constructively ambiguous old aphorism 'information wants to be free'. It was used most famously by John Perry Barlow in his 'Economy of Ideas' paper in Wired 2.03 (March 1994): http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/2.03/economy.ideas_pr.html A while back I ran the Richard Stallman usage to ground, and summarised what I'd found at: http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/EC/WillPay.html#Reconc See: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/shouldbefree.html (1992) http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/why-free.html (1994) But everyone always seems to attribute its coinage to Stewart Brand. Trawls using MetaCrawler and in Wired Archives don't turn up anything that helps much. His personal home-page doesn't help at all: http://www.well.com/user/sbb/ (I think he's got bored by the whole thing, and moved on). Can any linkers point me to sources that will help me get the paternity right; and better still will ensure that I include in the list of possible meanings whatever it was its originator actually meant! Please email to me off-link, and I'll consolidate and post. Thanks! ... Roger Roger Clarke http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/ Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916 mailto:Roger.Clarke@xamax.com.au http://www.xamax.com.au/ Visiting Fellow Department of Computer Science The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA Information Sciences Building Room 211 Tel: +61 2 6249 3666 From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Wed Aug 11 05:32:49 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 15:32:49 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Asia Pacific hub for voice and data networks opens in Sydney Message-ID: >Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 11:24:46 +1000 (EST) >From: owner-all@minister.dcita.gov.au >subject: New Ministerial Media Release >Sender: owner-all@minister.dcita.gov.au >Precedence: bulk > >The following Ministerial Media Release is available at: > >http://www.dcita.gov.au/cgi-bin/trap.pl?path=4185 > >Asia Pacific hub for voice and data networks opens in Sydney >The Commonwealth Government today welcomed the opening of Lucent's Asia >Pacific NetCare Service Centre in North Ryde. > >Terry O'Connor, Senator Alston's office >Andrew Maiden, Mr Fahey's office > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From brd@dynamite.com.au Wed Aug 11 06:56:32 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 99 06:56:32 GMT Subject: [LINK] Fancy working as a Net censor? Message-ID: 37b11ea0.4745.0@dynamite.com.au 11/08/99 10:15 www.newswire.com.au./9908/fancyw.htm Fancy working as a Net censor? Angus Kidman As the kick-off date for Australian Net censorship draws nearer, the Australian Broadcasting Authority has begun seeking staff to help implement the controversial legislation. Under the Net censorship legislation, the ABA will act as a clearing house for complaints about inappropriate Net content. If a site is deemed to require an X or NC rating, it can be blocked or banned, although the precise mechanism for doing this hasn't been determined. That mechanism will be set in an industry code, which the ABA has to approve as conforming to the legislation. The ABA will also carry out educational programs to promote safe and sensible Net usage. Last weekend, the ABA advertised for a position in its online services section "to work in a team on complaints concerning online content". Required skills for the position include proven analytical, investigative and communications skills. Surprisingly, a detailed knowledge of the Net isn't deemed essential; the selection criteria only require "knowledge of, or capacity to quickly acquire knowledge of, online services and broadcasting legislation". As well as handling complaints, ABA staff will have to liase with ISPs and industry bodies. For their trouble, the position pays between $43,378 and $50,242 per annum. The Broadcasting Services Amendment (Online Services) Bill 1999 takes effect from January 1, 2000. The ABA has said it expects to employ at least five people in administrative and educational roles associated with the bill. -- Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich by promising to protect each from the other. -- Oscar Ameringer Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From brd@dynamite.com.au Wed Aug 11 07:28:26 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 99 07:28:26 GMT Subject: [LINK] U.S. Companies Aim to Dominate Japan's Internet Business Message-ID: 37b1261a.4cc6.0@dynamite.com.au Some interesting thoughts about competing with the US and with consequences of moving servers off-shore. <\brd> AsiaBizTech http://www.nikkeibp.asiabiztech.com/wcs/leaf?CID=onair/asabt/cover/79163 U.S. Companies Aim to Dominate Japan's Internet Business August 9, 1999 (TOKYO) -- Japanese Internet industry experts are increasingly concerned that the U.S. lead in the sector may result in a domination by U.S.-based companies. The number of global Internet users continues to grow rapidly and is now at a level of about 200 million people. About a half of those, or 100 million, are in the United States. And about 20 million Japanese are regular Internet users, accounting for around 10 percent of the world total. Some industry experts are optimistic. They say that the different business cultures of Japan and the United States will serve as barriers to prevent U.S. companies from taking over. However, another prevailing view is that over time Japan's Internet business sector will be dominated by U.S. companies. Japanese companies could encounter very tough fights. And it may even be difficult for them to survive on their own. Four main reasons support this viewpoint. * American companies have not only survived in the harsh U.S. marketplace, but have prospered and built up valuable business know-how; * They boast a high level of Internet-related technologies; * Because of relatively high stock prices, they have secured ample funding; and * The Japanese market itself is gradually becoming more open. Put all these facts together, the analysts say, and that gives the U.S. companies a considerable advantage over their Japanese competitors. It could be true that the only way for Japanese companies to survive the onslaught is to join hands with one of the top U.S. Internet business players. Additionally, another concern for Japan is that, from 1998, many new patents relating to Internet business processes have been granted to U.S. companies. For example, in February 1998 a patent was granted for a 'Virtual shopping card' that allows shoppers to make a single payment for any number of goods bought online, to avoid paying separately. Then, in March 1998, another patent was granted for 'real-time payment authorization' in which a user's card is authorized at the same time as the customer is logging on to a shopping site. In April 1998, a patent was granted for 'reverse auctions' in which the buyers first specify what it is that they want to buy and the maximum price they are prepared to pay for it. These patents and others are being awarded to U.S. companies. Another example is the embedding of URL addresses in e-mail messages. In August 1998, a U.S. patent was awarded for even this simple process. These types of patents that relate to the way that e-business is conducted are not recognized in Japan. However, in the United States, where protection of intellectual copyrights is a national policy, patents are being awarded for these types of ideas. That, in turn, is helping the United States to consolidate its control over worldwide Net businesses. Some might think that because U.S. patents are not valid in Japan, then there is no need to worry about any problems cropping up here. But that is not true. There are no national borders in the field of e-commerce or its medium, the Internet. If a service is made available on the Internet then it can be accessed from anywhere. The argument could be made, therefore, that a service offered in Japan but accessed by customers in the U.S. market is actually not being offered only in Japan, but also in the United States. In order to cut the costs of providing online services, it is common for Japanese Internet companies to set up operations in the United States, and then to actually target those services at Japanese customers. In this case, the argument could be made that, because the servers are in the United States, the services should be subject to U.S. patent laws. Furthermore, it is unlikely that U.S. companies will start pushing to protect their patent rights soon. They will likely adopt a strategy of waiting patiently for some time until the Japanese Internet business market has grown, and they can then make legal claims for damages to be awarded retroactively. It is important for Japanese companies to come up with some way of avoiding or dealing with this scenario. If not, they may find that U.S. companies dominate the Internet, and that could severely restrict their attempts to develop online services. -- You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone. -- Al Capone Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From stephen@melbpc.org.au Wed Aug 11 09:27:32 1999 From: stephen@melbpc.org.au (stephen loosley) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 19:27:32 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Telstra recommendations? Message-ID: <4.1.19990811190343.00a71c20@popa.melbpc.org.au> Hello all, The following is a compilation of posts to the melbpc newsgroup. Perhaps linkers (eg Stewart?) may well have further information? Subject: Telstra Moving Goal Posts Date: Sun, 08 Aug 1999 07:39:40 GMT From: chrisso@melbpc.org.au (Chris) Newsgroups: melbpc.general For all of those who have fine tuned fax machines/fax modems to achieve Telstra's recommended -18.0 dBm (Optimum range -17.0 to -19.0dBm), they have now, as per faxstream, changed it to -16.0db (Optimum range 15.0 to 17.0 dBm )(sic) So if you achieved -18.0 dBm, you are now out of range. My -19.5 used to rate "Excellent" now it rates "Good". Changing it to -16.3 is back to "Excellent". They must have published this somewhere, maybe an internal memo??? -- Subject: Re: Telstra Moving Goal Posts Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 05:38:19 GMT From: chrisso@melbpc.org.au (Chris) Newsgroups: melbpc.general >What does this mean in practical terms for users? Quote from Faxstream __________________________________________________ Did you know that 85% of fax transmission problems are caused by transmission level being set incorrectly? The transmission level is the calculated signal level arriving at your local exchange. Telstra recommends the fax machine be adjusted for a transmission level of 15.0 to 17.0 dBm as the optimum range. Contact supplier for adjustments. _________________________________________________ Unquote I have a pile of test results showing that the optimum range should be 17.0 to 19.0 dBm so as you can see, if I achieved 18.0dBm, right in the middle, now it would be, (with a range of 15 - 17), out of range. So if I had transmission problems, it would be my fault, but it WAS alright beforehand. Test faxstream on 1300 368 999 from your fax/fax modem program, send one page and wait for ringback with a response fax showing results. Note: Testfax records your number for marketing, to remove your number, fax one page to: 1800 639 437. This is shown on the faxstream results fax. -- Happy trails .. Stephen Loosley www.stephen.hm (PS Thanks Jonathon, and specially Ellen, for your fine suggestions regarding the High School Year Nine I.T. syllabus. I'll get some of the brighter kids to work on what can become official digital certificates:) From sales1@micro-source.com Wed Aug 11 02:16:07 1999 From: sales1@micro-source.com (sales1@micro-source.com) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 02:16:07 Subject: [LINK] ***PC Liquidation/Surplus VendorList*** Message-ID: <199908111252.WAA10705@boomer.anu.edu.au> MICROSOURCE DISTRIBUTION WHOLESALE LIQUIDATION HOTSHEET RESELLERS ONLY! WEBSITE: http://www.micro-source.com ***LIQUIDATION/SURPLUS SPECIALS*** http://www.micro-source.com/Vendorlist.htm CLOSING DOWN September 10, 1999 will be the final day of operation @ MicroSource Distribution. MicroSource Distribution at this time needs to devote all of it's resources into it's parent information company.   ATTN: RMA... If you are in possession of MicroSource merchandise which requires RMA service, we ask that all RMA reside in our warehouse no later than July 9th, 1999. All RMA request will be expediently handled HERE. Place order here. http://www.micro-source.com/Vendorlist.htm MicroSource Distribution's Vendor List We offer you a revolutionary way to purchase wholesale pc parts. We are selling our invaluable vendor lists. We are talking "TRUE" wholesale prices. You will not only be able to partake in Southern California PC part purchasing from "true" importers and "direct" wholesalers. You will also enjoy many of the benefits of dealing with "true" importers and "direct" wholesalers such as "21 & 30 Day Net" Payment. When folks need to move merchandise because they have a flood of product arriving at the port in a couple of days they will do whatever it takes to move merchandise, in small or large quantities, as long as it moves. You have always known that virtually anyone can do pc part wholesale out of Southern California because this is were 92% of all pc goods arrive into this country from Asia and then are distributed to the rest of the continental United States. Now no matter where you are you can also compete with the larger distributors. Most Vendors are not listed in a phonebook or for that matter-ANYWHERE. A lot of these vendors are large warehouses where those in the "know" purchase their goods. If you have great products at ridiculous wholesale prices you don't need a sales team, the products sell themselves. All the Vendors are located in the  Southern California area, shipping is fast and convenient.  Most of the companies have low minimum orders and allow you to order in small quantities or some will even drop ship the products for you.  Most of these Vendors even offer the option to be put on their EXCLUSIVE email lists.  You'll be one of the first people to be notified of their hottest deals.  You'll learn about their hottest deals the moment they occur!  Any way you look at it, getting the wholesale computer products you need at the prices you need doesn't get quicker than this!  The MicroSource Vendor List will save you hundreds of hours in locating wholesale computer products you can resell for for real margins. Buy directly from the Liquidation/Surplus Sources. Save 20-50%+ CD ROM DISC DATABASE In these lists we picked the top 100 Vendors that we've bought from throughout the years. ORDER ONLINE INSTANTLY with a Company/Personal check. Save $87 Get all 4 lists for only $249! & we include a FREE Purchasing Tool Software. The MicroSource Vendor List will save you hundreds of hours in locating wholesale computer products you can resell for for real margins. MicroSource Distribution 16025 E. Gale Ave., Unit #A4 #707 City of Industry, CA 91745 TEL (888) 242-4174 FAX (626) 913-8105 Questions/Sales ICQ # 41380149 AOL IM # MSDsales1 http://www.micro-source.com/Vendorlist.htm ================================================= ABOUT THIS E-MAIL This email is sent to customers who have subscribed to our "HOTLIST" to receive notification of Surplus/Liquidation products via email. To be removed from a future mailing, reply and please, include in the subject = remove and consider it done!! We will not mail you again. ================================================= Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress this letter can not be considered spam as long as we include: Contact information & a Remove Link, For Removal:MAILTO: sales1@micro-source.com ================================================ From sales@micro-source.com Wed Aug 11 07:05:29 1999 From: sales@micro-source.com (sales@micro-source.com) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 07:05:29 Subject: [LINK] ***PC Liquidation/Surplus VendorList*** Message-ID: <199908111741.DAA03185@boomer.anu.edu.au> MICROSOURCE DISTRIBUTION WHOLESALE LIQUIDATION HOTSHEET RESELLERS ONLY! WEBSITE: http://www.micro-source.com ***LIQUIDATION/SURPLUS SPECIALS*** http://www.micro-source.com/Vendorlist.htm CLOSING DOWN September 10, 1999 will be the final day of operation @ MicroSource Distribution. MicroSource Distribution at this time needs to devote all of it's resources into it's parent information company.   ATTN: RMA... If you are in possession of MicroSource merchandise which requires RMA service, we ask that all RMA reside in our warehouse no later than July 9th, 1999. All RMA request will be expediently handled HERE. Place order here. http://www.micro-source.com/Vendorlist.htm MicroSource Distribution's Vendor List We offer you a revolutionary way to purchase wholesale pc parts. We are selling our invaluable vendor lists. We are talking "TRUE" wholesale prices. You will not only be able to partake in Southern California PC part purchasing from "true" importers and "direct" wholesalers. You will also enjoy many of the benefits of dealing with "true" importers and "direct" wholesalers such as "21 & 30 Day Net" Payment. When folks need to move merchandise because they have a flood of product arriving at the port in a couple of days they will do whatever it takes to move merchandise, in small or large quantities, as long as it moves. You have always known that virtually anyone can do pc part wholesale out of Southern California because this is were 92% of all pc goods arrive into this country from Asia and then are distributed to the rest of the continental United States. Now no matter where you are you can also compete with the larger distributors. Most Vendors are not listed in a phonebook or for that matter-ANYWHERE. A lot of these vendors are large warehouses where those in the "know" purchase their goods. If you have great products at ridiculous wholesale prices you don't need a sales team, the products sell themselves. All the Vendors are located in the  Southern California area, shipping is fast and convenient.  Most of the companies have low minimum orders and allow you to order in small quantities or some will even drop ship the products for you.  Most of these Vendors even offer the option to be put on their EXCLUSIVE email lists.  You'll be one of the first people to be notified of their hottest deals.  You'll learn about their hottest deals the moment they occur!  Any way you look at it, getting the wholesale computer products you need at the prices you need doesn't get quicker than this!  The MicroSource Vendor List will save you hundreds of hours in locating wholesale computer products you can resell for for real margins. Buy directly from the Liquidation/Surplus Sources. Save 20-50%+ CD ROM DISC DATABASE In these lists we picked the top 100 Vendors that we've bought from throughout the years. ORDER ONLINE INSTANTLY with a Company/Personal check. Save $87 Get all 4 lists for only $249! & we include a FREE Purchasing Tool Software. The MicroSource Vendor List will save you hundreds of hours in locating wholesale computer products you can resell for for real margins. MicroSource Distribution 16025 E. Gale Ave., Unit #A4 #707 City of Industry, CA 91745 TEL (888) 242-4174 FAX (626) 913-8105 Questions/Sales ICQ # 41380149 AOL IM # MSDsales1 http://www.micro-source.com/Vendorlist.htm ================================================= ABOUT THIS E-MAIL This email is sent to customers who have subscribed to our "HOTLIST" to receive notification of Surplus/Liquidation products via email. To be removed from a future mailing, reply and please, include in the subject = remove and consider it done!! We will not mail you again. ================================================= Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress this letter can not be considered spam as long as we include: Contact information & a Remove Link, For Removal:MAILTO: sales1@micro-source.com ================================================ From pseeney@circit.rmit.edu.au Wed Aug 11 23:12:01 1999 From: pseeney@circit.rmit.edu.au (Seeney, Pam) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 09:12:01 +1000 Subject: [LINK] FW: Seminar, Thursday, 26 August, 1999 4.00 - 5.30pm Message-ID: <40210A6ABD88D211BC8F0060B03CE57610A3BE@circit1.circit.rmit.edu.au> Apologies if information has been cross-posted. The Centre for International Research on Communication and Information Technologies (CIRCIT) invites you and your colleagues to a seminar on: 'Australian Software Expertise in International eCommerce' > Presenter: Wayne Fitzsimmons, Vice President, Operations, Mooroolbark > OpenDirectory Labs > > This seminar will discuss experience of establishing Australian > software capability in the international arena. In November 1997 > Wayne Fitzsimmons headed a management buy-out of directory technology > developed by Datacraft, forming OpenDirectory Pty Ltd. OpenDirectory > opened a small office in the US using funds from a modest capital > raising and a small IR&D grant from the Commonwealth. By mid-1998 > they had made major sales to the Bank of America and in Europe to > Cable and Wireless Communications, ISP service. In October 1998 they > were acquired by Platinum Technology of Chicago, Illinois, who were, > in turn, acquired by Computer Associates International of New York, > the world's second largest software company, > in June 1999. > > OpenDirectory now employs 8 developers in Mooroolbark, shortly to be > expanded to some 21, and is involved with some extremely large leading > edge eCommerce initiatives, such as Identrus, partnering with the > leading technology vendors in this area - Baltimore Technology, > Rainbow,Authentic8, Verisign etc. Their software runs as an > application of a Relational Database (CA's OpenIngres RDBMS), and has > found broad acceptance in industries where managing very large numbers > of customers and associated information is seen as a crucial business > function - banks, carriers, ISP's, insurance companies, government, > defence departments etc. > > As places are limited, please confirm your attendance with Pam Seeney > Venue: Seminar room, Level 3, Building 21, RMIT University. Enter via > laneway off Russell St (near corner of LaTrobe Street between Old > Magistrates' Court & Police Garage); see map and photo on our Web site > at http://www.circit.rmit.edu.au/map.html > Date: Thursday, 26 August, 1999 > Time: 4.00 - 5.30pm (followed by refreshments) > RSVP: Pam Seeney Phone: 03 9925 2829 Fax: 03 9925 3122 > Email: pseeney@circit.rmit.edu.au > From brd@dynamite.com.au Wed Aug 11 23:43:48 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 99 23:43:48 GMT Subject: [LINK] The Slow March of History Message-ID: 37b20ab4.735b.0@dynamite.com.au Some interesting thoughts in James Fallows' article. I would take issue with one statement: "... two technologies revolutionized 20th-century existence. One was electricity, and the other was the telephone" I would suggest that only one technology was responsible - electrical engineering (the telephone is just one application of electricity - unless you use the string and tin can model, which has a few disadvantages). Clean water and the sewerage system are responsible for more improvements in public health than any amount of medical science. And what is essential for the operation of water and sewerage systems? Electrical motors. I don't suppose it would come as a surprise if I mentioned that I am an Electrical Engineer - and proud of it. <\brd> The Industry Standard http://www.thestandard.com/articles/display/0,1449,5781,00.html?home.of The Slow March of History By James Fallows For 19 and a half of the past 20 years, I have worked in journalism. During the other six months, which just ended, I was inside a software firm (a great big one, based in Redmond), on a project to develop better software for writers. This experience taught me a lot about why software does and does not get better (about which, more later). It also reinforced my fascination with the way the related technologies of the Internet Economy - code-writing, chip-making, network-building and creating sites for the Web itself - are driving other changes in the way we live and work. Whether technology can actually drive history has been debated by historians. A generation ago, Daniel Boorstin - the author of a series of influential histories, later to become the Librarian of Congress - was roughed up by other scholars for suggesting that machines and inventions might be as important as Big Ideas, such as freedom and nationalism, in shaping how societies evolve. It's obvious now that Boorstin was right. If anything, it's too obvious. At this stage in the Internet's evolution - when its potential effects seem enormous, and when everyone involved has a stake in hyping every new development - it may be useful to set a benchmark of how much, or rather how little, the Internet has already changed our lives. Historians 1,000 years from now will say that two technologies revolutionized 20th-century existence. One was electricity, and the other was the telephone. Just behind these in importance is the combination of medical and agricultural inventions that roughly doubled human life expectancy in this century. Behind that we have the automobile, the airplane, the secrets of the atom - and behind them, the computer. It's conceivable that histories of the 21st century will show that the spread of the Net - or of mobile devices, or whatever - mattered as much as electricity and the telephone have in the 20th. (The main competition is likely to come from biogenetics.) But it's amazing what the Net has not changed. Location, Location, Location In theory, it doesn't matter where people live, as long as they can connect to the Net. But if face-to-face contact weren't still crucial, flights wouldn't be jammed, there would be no traffic and real estate prices wouldn't be soaring from San Francisco to San Jose. Much as the "paperless office" era has only increased the demand for paper, the rise of the Internet has - for now - only underscored the importance of place. New Communities I "know" people from Web discussion sites I've never met and never will. But I don't know them in a deeply different way from the pen pals I had in junior high school - or from the way CBers knew each other when calling "breaker" over the radio 20 years ago. Tyrants Aplenty Fifty years ago, George Orwell and others said that information technology was sure to oppress us. For the last 10 years, we've heard the reverse: that it will magically empower the individual and make oppression obsolete. This could be true some day. For now, it still takes bombs to get the attention of a Milosevic or a Saddam Hussein. The big setback for tyranny - the collapse of the Soviet Empire - came back in the Arpanet age. And if the Net were going to mean a breakthrough in our domestic politics, would the likely choices in the next election be … the ones we've got? Unfiltered Info In theory, every person can now be his own editor, producing a customized daily news feed. And it's true, the research power of the Net is enormous, and network TV in particular has been laid low. But this shift is due as much to cable TV as to the Internet - and in most other parts of the information ecology, from books to movies or music, the blockbuster pattern of one huge, Titanic-style success, surrounded by many pathetic failures, is stronger than ever. What the Internet has accomplished so far is something of great importance to those inside the business. E-commerce has taken us further toward making the world one big marketplace. Quaint local businesses, from drugstores to stock brokerages, are facing enormous pressures. Those who are clever and quick on the draw are reaping enormous fortunes. Yet in most important respects, the Internet has only just begun to show its impact. In this column, which I'll write every other week, I hope to chronicle some of the ways in which the people and the businesses and the technologies of the Net are shaping 21st century lives. The contemporaries of Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell had the privilege of watching technological history as it was being made. I'm ready for a similar show. James Fallows is the author of Breaking the News and five other books. He is now writing about technology and politics from Seattle. -- If engineers built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, the first woodpecker to come along would destroy civilization. -- unknown Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From kaaren.blom@cit.act.edu.au Thu Aug 12 01:14:09 1999 From: kaaren.blom@cit.act.edu.au (kaaren.blom@cit.act.edu.au) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 11:14:09 +1000 Subject: [LINK] No subject given Message-ID: <9908129344.AA934420572@mh-cit.cit.act.edu.au> Please add my name to your list of subscribers. Thanks, Kaaren Blom CIT From ggm@dstc.edu.au Thu Aug 12 01:31:21 1999 From: ggm@dstc.edu.au (George Michaelson) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 11:31:21 +1000 Subject: [LINK] The Slow March of History In-Reply-To: Your message of "Wed, 11 Aug 1999 23:43:48 GMT." 37b20ab4.735b.0@dynamite.com.au Message-ID: <18600.934421481@dstc.edu.au> Bernard, claiming sewage and water for Electricity is revisionist CRAP. Chadwick, who cleaned up London did it with Steam and muscle power. Electricity may be the marvel of the 20th century but it didn't make that revolutionary change. Find another one! cheers -George -- George Michaelson | DSTC Pty Ltd Email: ggm@dstc.edu.au | University of Qld 4072 Phone: +61 7 3365 4310 | Australia Fax: +61 7 3365 4311 | http://www.dstc.edu.au From jonathan@rmit.edu.au Thu Aug 12 03:21:32 1999 From: jonathan@rmit.edu.au (Jonathan O'Donnell) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 13:21:32 +1000 Subject: [LINK] The Slow March of History In-Reply-To: 37b20ab4.735b.0@dynamite.com.au Message-ID: At 11:43 PM +0000 11/8/99, Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote: > >Some interesting thoughts in James Fallows' article. > >I would take issue with one statement: "... two technologies >revolutionized 20th-century existence. One was electricity, and >the other was the telephone" > >I would suggest that only one technology was responsible - >electrical engineering (the telephone is just one application of >electricity - unless you use the string and tin can model, which >has a few disadvantages). ... A few years back, someone (Wired?) canvassed opinions about the most important technology of the 20C - the one that might come before the word '-age', as in 'steam-age', 'stone-age', ... >From that discussion came one opinion that the most revolutionary technology of the 20C was the institutionalisation of systems for setting standards (say that 10 times quickly...). Behind such advances as electrical engineering is a basic agreement to cooperate at some fundamental level. Sure, there are lots of things that we don't agree on (when we need an earth wire, for example, or PAL vs NTSC), but there have been amazing advances in the areas where we have agreed to agree. Does the fact that we can agree on an Internet Protocol indicate that we can agree on other, more fundamental social issues? I hope that it does. Jonathan O'Donnell Director of Information Technology Art, Design and Communication RMIT City campus 6.3.12 Telephone: +61 3 992 52903 mailto:doit@art.rmit.edu.au http://purl.nla.gov.au/net/jonathan From richard@auscoms.com.au Thu Aug 12 04:15:51 1999 From: richard@auscoms.com.au (richard@auscoms.com.au) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 99 14:15:51 +1000 Subject: [LINK] The Slow March of History Message-ID: <9908129344.AA934431381@mail.auscoms.com.au> Johnathan wrote: >Behind such advances as electrical engineering is a basic agreement >to cooperate at some fundamental level. [I'm going to take bits of your note out of order, John, hope you don't mind] The more things change, the more they stay the same. Standardisation on the use of AC for distribution rather than DC was inhibited most of all by one man -- Thomas Edison -- who lobbied hard for DC distribution against the lesser-known AC proponent Nikolai Tesla. Edison's reason for resisting standardisation was that it would have undermined the value of his patents. However, he at least gets remembered better, because he was a good ol' boy and Tesla was a funny-looking foreigner. Richard Chirgwin ____________________Reply Separator____________________ Subject: Re: [LINK] The Slow March of History Author: "Jonathan O'Donnell" Date: 12/08/99 13:21 At 11:43 PM +0000 11/8/99, Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote: > >Some interesting thoughts in James Fallows' article. > >I would take issue with one statement: "... two technologies >revolutionized 20th-century existence. One was electricity, and >the other was the telephone" > >I would suggest that only one technology was responsible - >electrical engineering (the telephone is just one application of >electricity - unless you use the string and tin can model, which >has a few disadvantages). ... A few years back, someone (Wired?) canvassed opinions about the most important technology of the 20C - the one that might come before the word '-age', as in 'steam-age', 'stone-age', ... >From that discussion came one opinion that the most revolutionary technology of the 20C was the institutionalisation of systems for setting standards (say that 10 times quickly...). Behind such advances as electrical engineering is a basic agreement to cooperate at some fundamental level. Sure, there are lots of things that we don't agree on (when we need an earth wire, for example, or PAL vs NTSC), but there have been amazing advances in the areas where we have agreed to agree. Does the fact that we can agree on an Internet Protocol indicate that we can agree on other, more fundamental social issues? I hope that it does. Jonathan O'Donnell Director of Information Technology Art, Design and Communication RMIT City campus 6.3.12 Telephone: +61 3 992 52903 mailto:doit@art.rmit.edu.au http://purl.nla.gov.au/net/jonathan From brd@dynamite.com.au Thu Aug 12 05:15:23 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 15:15:23 +1000 Subject: [LINK] The Slow March of History References: <18600.934421481@dstc.edu.au> Message-ID: <37B2586B.361805C1@dynamite.com.au> George Michaelson wrote: > > Bernard, claiming sewage and water for Electricity is > revisionist CRAP. Very funny. > Chadwick, who cleaned up London did it with Steam and > muscle power. http://www.ucl.ac.uk/civileng/edwin.htm Edwin Chadwick (1800-1890), a nineteenth-century sanitary reformer, has had a profound influence on the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at University College London. Chadwick was working in the context of the population of London in the middle of the nineteenth century. Are you suggesting that we could shift today's quantities of sewerage and water using team and muscle power? > Electricity may be the marvel of the 20th century but it > didn't make that revolutionary change. My usual argument is that civil engineering is more responsible for good health than is medicine. I was stretching it when I changed the claim to electricity being responsible for good health because it (electricity) is essential for water and sewerage systems. However, it's an arguable point and arguments can be informative, but I suspect, in this case, not on Link. -- There's an old story about the person who wished his computer were as easy to use as his telephone. That wish has come true, since I no longer know how to use my telephone. -- Stroustrup Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au Thu Aug 12 05:54:16 1999 From: r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au (Rachel Polanskis) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 15:54:16 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] The Slow March of History In-Reply-To: <37B2586B.361805C1@dynamite.com.au> Message-ID: On Thu, 12 Aug 1999, Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote: > George Michaelson wrote: > > > > Electricity may be the marvel of the 20th century but it > > didn't make that revolutionary change. > > My usual argument is that civil engineering is more responsible > for good health than is medicine. I was stretching it when I > changed the claim to electricity being responsible for good > health because it (electricity) is essential for water and > sewerage systems. However, it's an arguable point and arguments > can be informative, but I suspect, in this case, not on Link. I think this is one of these postulations that can't really be answered all that well. Steam power, electricity, medicines and so on are all dependant on one another for their existence. A chemist will tell you that being able to crack hydrocarbons is the big one of the 20th Century while an engineer will tell you it's the ball bearing. They are all right, but...... There's that ad on TV at the moment that is something like "before you can have this (showing techy gadget), you have to have these (microchips)..." That seems pretty close to the idea to me. One thing that can't be disputed though is that the population growth of the planet has taken off in the last 100 years bringing with it far more Leonardos, Michaelangelos and so on than ever before. There are more great minds working on the same problem today than in the whole history of the world. Maybe that's the answer? rachel -- Rachel Polanskis Kingswood, Greater Western Sydney, Australia grove@zeta.org.au http://www.zeta.org.au/~grove/grove.html r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au http://www.nepean.uws.edu.au/ccd/ "Yow! Am I having fun yet?!" - John Howard^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H Zippy the Pinhead From Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au Thu Aug 12 06:12:52 1999 From: Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au (Roger Clarke) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 16:12:52 +1000 Subject: [LINK] RFI: Impact of EC on Encyclopaedia Britannica Message-ID: I have a distinct memory of an authoritative report (WSJ or FT, maybe?) on the severe impact on Encyclopaedia Britannica's revenue of the migration of competitors to CD-ROM, followed by Internet accessibility. After trawling years of email archives, I've located on the ecommcourse cases site at: http://www.usc.edu/schools/business/atisp/ec/cases/sub-pages/general.htm the Thomas Gerace case, Harvard N9-396-051 of 1995 (which in 13 pages plus exhibits, "investigates the history of Encyclopedia Britannica, the shift from paper to CD-ROM and ultimately other media forms of distribution"). But that's all I can find! Can anyone help me with a more recent citation and/or URL? Please reply to me, not to the list or lists! I'll report back. Thanks ... Roger Roger Clarke http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/ Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916 mailto:Roger.Clarke@xamax.com.au http://www.xamax.com.au/ Visiting Fellow Department of Computer Science The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA Information Sciences Building Room 211 Tel: +61 2 6249 3666 From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Thu Aug 12 07:45:10 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 17:45:10 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent Message-ID: Source: Edupage, 11 August 1999 NETSCAPE'S BROWSER SHARE NOW 25 PERCENT Netscape's Navigator browser is continuing to lose ground to Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) according to a new study from WebSideStory, which found that Netscape now holds just 25 percent of the browser market. Just this March Netscape had more than a third of the browser market, but the number of users has dwindled as many are defecting to IE, which the study says has 75.3 percent of the market. Meanwhile Zona Research analyst Clay Rider says Microsoft's 75 percent share is not as impressive as it sounds, given that Windows has more than 90 percent of the market share of desktop users. Zona will publish its own figures on browser usage this week. (PC World Online 08/09/99) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Thu Aug 12 07:45:17 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 17:45:17 +1000 Subject: [LINK] File storage matter of trust Message-ID: Source: Edupage, 11 August 1999 FILE STORAGE MATTER OF TRUST Internet startup i-drive is betting that people are ready to place their files on a Web-based hard drive. The company has launched a free, Web-based storage service that CEO Jeff Bonforte believes will erase the barrier between Web content and personal files. The service will be aimed at consumers, students, and business travelers, and its Web-based drop-box will be able to store Internet content as well as personal files. The company wants to become the Hotmail of Web-based storage, hoping its free file storage concept will be used by consumers to remove the headache of adding attachments to e-mail messages. Privacy advocates, however, say the concept poses security and privacy risks for consumers that move their private electronic data onto the Web. Marc Rotenberg of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) notes that while i-drive encrypts file transfers, it does not make a written guarantee that data will be kept secure. (Wired News 08/09/99) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From Ellen.Hrebeniuk@det.nsw.edu.au Thu Aug 12 08:29:21 1999 From: Ellen.Hrebeniuk@det.nsw.edu.au (Hrebeniuk Ellen) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 18:29:21 +1000 Subject: [LINK] The Slow March of History Message-ID: <5EDE9BFD65AED1119BE208002BE7D74D451CE4@pef2.petersham.tafensw.EDU.AU> Dear Richard, On Link you referred to: > AC proponent Nikolai Tesla. You spell it "Nikola"--Nikolai is a Russian name, but Tesla was Serbian. Gotta get these funny foreign names right! Ellen Hrebeniuk Part-Slav and fellow Linker From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Thu Aug 12 08:57:48 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 18:57:48 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Database assistance needed Message-ID: Forwarded to the list by Tony Barry because - >To: owner-link@www.anu.edu.au >Subject: BOUNCE link@online.anu.edu.au: Admin request: >/^subject:\s*help\b/i >Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999 17:29:58 +1000 >From: ramin > > >Hi all > >We have never engaged in self-promotion or any other stuff like that on >the lists but we are now getting d-d-desperate for a database guru to >come and join our dub-dub-dub team here in Sydney. Please send any >names or suggestions to me. We currently have a 70GB database that is >growing by 1-2GB per day and we need serious brainpower to bring it to >heel plus Internet know-how. > >OK, so how is this relevant to Link/ICA? >We track advertising on the Internet in AU, NZ, SG, MY, TH, HK, CN, TW, >KR, UK, and the USA. The databases are spread around the world >including racks at UUNet and what has been happening is that the >complexity of targeting and the sheer volume of advertisers, primarily >in the US, has started to slow down all our processes and we need >to look at scalability on a scale and rate that is hard to digest. >US advertising is several times greater than the ROW combined as best >as we can see it. > >And for some numbers, online advertising in Australia grew from $2.7m >in June to $3.5m in July and the hockey stick curve is starting to >materialise. Carramba! > >Thanks all > > >!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > >Ramin Marzbani >www.consult ACN 070 079 122 > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From bscott@gtlaw.com.au Thu Aug 12 23:40:44 1999 From: bscott@gtlaw.com.au (bscott@gtlaw.com.au) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 09:40:44 +1000 Subject: [LINK] New Ministerial Media Release Message-ID: <4A2567CB.00828989.00@gtmta.gtlaw.com.au> Presumably the Government plans to achieve "high speed, affordable bandwidth" in Australia by introducing legislation to blow out network operators' compliance costs and clog up their systems with filtering software (i.e. the Dark Ages Legislation). Certainly a novel approach. I have doubts about how effective it will be in achieving these aims. Brendan ---------------------- Forwarded by Brendan Scott/Gilbert & Tobin/61 on 13/08/99 09:28 AM --------------------------- The following Ministerial Media Release is available at: http://www.dcita.gov.au/cgi-bin/trap.pl?path=4187 High speed, affordable bandwidth - A key challenge Access to telecommunications bandwidth and the price of that bandwidth will continue to underpin the future growth of the information economy in Australia and globally, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard Alston, said today. Terry O'Connor, Senator Alston's office Brendan Scott Lawyer Recent papers: Explaining the Dark Ages Legislation: http://www.gtlaw.com.au/pubs/sobershock.html Criticising the Dark Ages Legislation: http://www.gtlaw.com.au/pubs/newdarkage.html From Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au Thu Aug 12 23:57:26 1999 From: Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au (Roger Clarke) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 09:57:26 +1000 Subject: [LINK] 'Information wants to be free' Message-ID: A mere 24 hours ago, I asked linkers for leads on the origins of the above pregnant aphorism. Thanks to the multiple linkers who assisted with it. There's no entirely certain answer; but there's a lot of info now at: http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/II/IWtbF.html If anyone has a copy of: Brand S. (1987) 'The Media Lab: Inventing the Future at MIT', ISBN 0140097015, Viking Penguin, 1987 and can have a flip through looking for the quote, I'd much appreciate it! Roger Clarke http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/ Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916 mailto:Roger.Clarke@xamax.com.au http://www.xamax.com.au/ Visiting Fellow Department of Computer Science The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA Information Sciences Building Room 211 Tel: +61 2 6249 3666 From brucekay@ozemail.com.au Fri Aug 13 04:53:57 1999 From: brucekay@ozemail.com.au (Bruce Kay) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 14:53:57 +1000 Subject: [LINK] ***PC Liquidation/Surplus VendorList*** In-Reply-To: <199908111741.DAA03185@boomer.anu.edu.au> Message-ID: <000801bee547$d9b662c0$41a86ccb@au.ibm.com> Could you please piss off from our distribution list with your SPAM! We are not interested in your bloody American advertising shit! -----Original Message----- From: owner-link@www.anu.edu.au [mailto:owner-link@www.anu.edu.au]On Behalf Of sales@micro-source.com Sent: Wednesday, 11 August 1999 7:05 To: link@www.anu.edu.au Subject: [LINK] ***PC Liquidation/Surplus VendorList*** MICROSOURCE DISTRIBUTION WHOLESALE LIQUIDATION HOTSHEET RESELLERS ONLY! WEBSITE: http://www.micro-source.com ***LIQUIDATION/SURPLUS SPECIALS*** http://www.micro-source.com/Vendorlist.htm CLOSING DOWN September 10, 1999 will be the final day of operation @ MicroSource Distribution. MicroSource Distribution at this time needs to devote all of it's resources into it's parent information company.   ATTN: RMA... If you are in possession of MicroSource merchandise which requires RMA service, we ask that all RMA reside in our warehouse no later than July 9th, 1999. All RMA request will be expediently handled HERE. 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Save $87 Get all 4 lists for only $249! & we include a FREE Purchasing Tool Software. The MicroSource Vendor List will save you hundreds of hours in locating wholesale computer products you can resell for for real margins. MicroSource Distribution 16025 E. Gale Ave., Unit #A4 #707 City of Industry, CA 91745 TEL (888) 242-4174 FAX (626) 913-8105 Questions/Sales ICQ # 41380149 AOL IM # MSDsales1 http://www.micro-source.com/Vendorlist.htm ================================================= ABOUT THIS E-MAIL This email is sent to customers who have subscribed to our "HOTLIST" to receive notification of Surplus/Liquidation products via email. To be removed from a future mailing, reply and please, include in the subject = remove and consider it done!! We will not mail you again. ================================================= Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress this letter can not be considered spam as long as we include: Contact information & a Remove Link, For Removal:MAILTO: sales1@micro-source.com ================================================ From Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au Fri Aug 13 05:56:50 1999 From: Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au (Roger Clarke) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 15:56:50 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Re: 'Information wants to be free' Message-ID: I wrote this morning: >http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/II/IWtbF.html >If anyone has a copy of: >Brand S. (1987) 'The Media Lab: Inventing the Future at MIT', >ISBN 0140097015, Viking Penguin, 1987 >and can have a flip through looking for the quote, I'd much appreciate it! Wow! Two linkers sent me the location of the book in my nearest library (ANU), including confirmation that it isn't out on loan: http://library.anu.edu.au/search/t?SEARCH=The+Media+Lab%3A+Inventing+the+Future+ at+MIT Another told me the page-number in the book (p.202 of the hard-copy). Another said they had it, and would check if no-one else had already done so! Quite a community this ... The web-page has been updated. Many thanks!! Roger Clarke http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/ Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916 mailto:Roger.Clarke@xamax.com.au http://www.xamax.com.au/ Visiting Fellow Department of Computer Science The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA Information Sciences Building Room 211 Tel: +61 2 6249 3666 From edp@ozmedia.com Fri Aug 13 06:38:53 1999 From: edp@ozmedia.com (Ed Parsons) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 16:38:53 +1000 Subject: [LINK] 'Information wants to be free' Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19990813063853.00da1664@mail.oz2.com> Hi, At 09:57 AM 13-08-99 +1000, Roger Clarke wrote: > >A mere 24 hours ago, I asked linkers for leads on the origins of the above >pregnant aphorism. > >Thanks to the multiple linkers who assisted with it. > >There's no entirely certain answer; but there's a lot of info now at: >http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/II/IWtbF.html I didn't see this first time round, I think I can come close to answering the question. "Information wants to be free" is a phrase that changed over the years. The phrase "Information should be free" was uttered by Peter Samson who was a legendary member of the Tech Model Railroad Club at MIT. IIRC the TMRC was a eccentric group of people who engineered fantastic automatic model railways using components from telephone exchanges , (relays etc). I would put the phrase as being coined circa 1959. Members of the TMRC were able to get their hands on a computer donated to MIT called TX-0 which was a computer used to test another computer called TX2. TX-0 was one of the first fully transistorised computers ever built - delivered to MIT in (?) 1959. It had some cute features, flexowriter, CRT display (more like an oscilloscope than a real CRT) and a speaker , which was used, eventually, to play monotone music. An interesting side note is that on the prompting of Jack Dennis(?), Peter Samson wrote a program for the TX-0 to play music. This was a very very early development. When I was researching the history of CSIRAC (Australias first electronic computer and the oldest surviving electronic computer in the world!) I found something quite exciting. Speaking to old timers at MIT and others in the computer history field the common belief was that the first somg played on a computer was Daisy at Bell Labs in 1957. This was commemorated in Kubricks 2001 as the giant HAL reverted back to childhood played "Daisy" as it's last memory... however Kubrick should have had Hal play a tune called The Girl with the Flaxen Hair , because on CSIRAC in the year 1955 that very tune could be played using the inbuilt speaker in the main console desk of CSIRAC.. right here in Australia! Unfortunately the DAISY story gets recounted time and time again, however I think there is enough evidence that the first electronic computer to play music was CSIRAC. We found the paper tape for CSIRAC to play the song back in 1996 when looking through stuff held my Melbourne University, the last place CSIRAC worked as an operational machine. CSIRAC is now part of the collection of Museum of Victoria. ed ---------------------------------------------------------- Edwin Parsons * Multimedia Australia * edp@ozmedia.com Terramax Pty Ltd (ACN 082 592 452) Melbourne Australia http://www.terramax.com * HiTech Enterprise & Investment ---------------------------------------------------------- -----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK----- Version: 3.1 GAT d- s: a C+++ ULX++++ P++ L++ E- W+++ N++ o+ K w O M V PS+ PE Y++ PGP+ t+ 5 X- R+ tv+ b+ DI++ D+ e h r+++ y++++ ------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------ From Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au Fri Aug 13 07:46:08 1999 From: Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au (Roger Clarke) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 17:46:08 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Re: Impact of EC on Encyclopaedia Britannica Message-ID: I asked about references to the Encyclopaedia Britannica experience. These interleaved e-lists represent is a pretty well-informed community!! Blake Ives remembered that it was featured in: Shapiro C. & Varian H.R. (1999) 'Information Rules: A Strategic Guide to the Network Economy' Harvard Business School, 1999. (So *that's* why I couldn't find it in my e-archives - I'd actually seen it in atoms, not bits!!). The most important parts are at pp. 19-21 and 26. Shapiro and Varian reference the following: Melcher R.A. (1997) 'Dusting off the Britannica' Business Week, 20 Oct 97 http://www.businessweek.com/1997/42/b3549124.htm On the ecommcourse cases site at: http://www.usc.edu/schools/business/atisp/ec/cases/sub-pages/general.htm there's the Thomas Gerace case, Harvard N9-396-051 of 1995 (which in 13 pages plus exhibits, "investigates the history of Encyclopedia Britannica, the shift from paper to CD-ROM and ultimately other media forms of distribution"). Julie Johnson points out that this can be purchased online from http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu/ "Peter O'Shea" drew my attention to an item in: http://www.ecommercetoday.com.au/ E-Commerce Today, Issue 18, October 29, 1998 called 'Encyclopaedia Britannica 'caught napping'' That's a paid subscription service, but Peter was happy for this community to read the item. It's below, with the appropriate markings on it. Thanks to the helpers! ... Roger -------------------------------------------------------------------------- E-Commerce Today http://www.ecommercetoday.com.au/ Issue 18, October 29, 1998 Copyright The TMTE Group, based in Sydney, Australia: http://www.ecommercetoday.com.au/cpyright.htm And please don't change text and credit where due. Encyclopaedia Britannica 'caught napping' Businesses which sell information-based goods or services would be wise to "sacrifice traditional business models" and will eventually have to use the internet to survive, the UK and Australian head of Encyclopaedia Britannica has warned. Tim Pethick, MD, Encyclopaedia Britannica International, told the E-Business Symposium in Melbourne this week that even though the amount of information produced has risen dramatically in the last three decades (60% of all books ever published in the western world have been published since the 1960s, he says) the emergence of the internet had forced his organisation to fight for its life. In 1991, Encyclopaedia Britannica sold about 400,000 encyclopedia sets internationally; this year it sold 10,000. "We were caught napping by the information age," Pethick said. "Encyclopaedia Britannica has changed more in the last few years than in its 230-year history." Some of this was due to the launch of a CD-rom competitor, Encarta, and Encyclopaedia Britannica's CD sales have since offset the slump only slightly, he said. The internet, by empowering customers through search engines and endless choice, had brought about the "democratisation of information provision". Browsing through a volume of Encyclopaedia Britannica had been replaced by surfing the net. Encyclopaedia Britannica adapted by offering information in another format - electronically - and now offers a wide range of search and information facilities on its website. It now gets 40,000 new customers trialing its subscription-based information-on-demand internet services globally, every month. "Subscription-based models can work on the internet," he said. Its main client targets are colleges and universities. Pethick said the information age will have as much impact on business and society as the agrarian and industrial revolutions. "Businesses can either be excited by the change or stunned by the headlights, but the smart ones will be those that see the change coming and regard it as an opportunity." -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roger Clarke http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/ Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916 mailto:Roger.Clarke@xamax.com.au http://www.xamax.com.au/ Visiting Fellow Department of Computer Science The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA Information Sciences Building Room 211 Tel: +61 2 6249 3666 From goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au Fri Aug 13 16:47:39 1999 From: goldstein_david@yahoo.com.au (=?iso-8859-1?q?David=20Goldstein?=) Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 02:47:39 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] SMH article on privacy ~ 'Someone's watching' Message-ID: <19990813164739.22397.rocketmail@web1303.mail.yahoo.com> Hi Link This is a long article from Saturday's Sydney Morning Herald dealing with privacy. For those interested, you may wish to check out the online version at http://www.smh.com.au/news/9908/14/features/features5.html. Cheers David Saturday, August 14, 1999 PRIVACY Someone's watching Photograph by QUENTIN JONES http://www.smh.com.au/news/9908/14/features/features5.html Everywhere, every day, more information is collected on you. Tracking you on the Internet is only the latest intrusion in what some already see as the end of privacy. BEN HILLS snoops on the snoopers. Two years ago, Beverly Dennis, a 57-year-old grandmother who lives alone in the US Midwest State of Ohio, received a long and intimate letter from someone she had never met. It referred to the magazines she read, her interest in physical fitness, her income, her birthday and the fact that she was divorced. The letter went on to detail explicit sexual fantasies the writer had about Dennis involving the use of Neutrogena, her brand of hand lotion. When she went to the police, her embarrassment quickly turned to horror. The author of the letter was Hal Parfait, a criminal serving a seven-year sentence in a Texas prison for invading another woman's home, threatening to kill her children, then raping her. But it was how Parfait had obtained Dennis's most private information that stunned readers of Mother Jones, the US magazine that broke the story. The trail went back some years received a questionnaire from a company called Metromail, one of the largest data collection agencies in the world, which claims to hold information on 90 per cent of people in the United States. Tempted by the offer of discount grocery coupons, she filled it in. Metromail had contracted with the Texas Department of Corrections to have prisoners input the details of millions of people like Dennis onto an electronic database for about half the normal cost of "outside" labour. That was how Parfait got her details and reached out to her from his cell. And what details. Following up on the story, The New York Times managed to obtain without much trouble 25 closely typed spreadsheet pages containing no fewer than 900 titbits of information about Dennis, sifted out of the ether by a computerised cross-matching of the questionnaire with other databases held by government and private corporations - called data-mining. There, available to anyone for a small price, was her life - not just her name and address, telephone number, age, income, marital status and hobbies, but whether she had dentures, the brands of antacid tablet she took, and how often she used room deodorisers, sleeping pills and hemorrhoid remedies. The leaking of Dennis's information made many, even in the land of the First Amendment, pause to wonder about the security of the other vast electronic warehouses that secretly store data on us all. Simon Davies, an international privacy campaigner, estimates that every adult in the developed world is on 200 different databases. That prison in Texas, for example, handled data for: Coca-Cola, the tobacco companies R.J. Reynolds and Phillip Morris, the magazines Time, Life and Seventeen, the world's largest cosmetic company, L'Oreal, and the motel chains Days Inn and Six Flags. Imagine what a determined criminal could do with that, and these are just a high-profile handful of the thousands of corporations that deal in data about us. The case of Dennis highlights what is increasingly becoming the world's - not just America's - crisis of confidence in confidentiality, the inability of either business or government to control the collection and trafficking in the most intimate information about individuals. As Scott McNealy, chief executive of the giant Sun Microsystems, declared arrogantly earlier this year: "You have zero privacy. Get over it." The process has been accelerated by the explosive growth of commerce on the Internet - worldwide, it is expected to reach $US45 billion ($70 billion) next year - where national boundaries have been described as not even speed bumps on the information superhighway. But it is by no means confined to cyberspace. Walk around any big Western city and you are under continual surveillance by thousands of private and publicly owned video cameras - in the shops, on the trains, on the streets, at the football, even when you ride in a taxi. Installing them is a $50 million-a-year industry in Sydney alone. And for those who believe in privacy safeguards, check an Internet clip called Slowcricket in which a security camera captures a couple enjoying what they thought was unobserved sex in an otherwise deserted section of a sports stadium. Telephone your stockbroker, Telstra, the National Australia Bank or any number of help lines and you will be told your conversation may be recorded. Told, not asked. You won't be told if yours is one of more than 1,000 Australian phones that law enforcement agencies tapped by warrant last year, let alone if your calls are among the millions monitored by satellite with no safeguards at all under international security arrangements, such as the Australia-US-UK Echelon program. Fill in a warranty card, subscribe to a magazine, get a dog licence - these are just a few of thousands of transactions that can lead to information about you being sold, pooled and computer cross-matched without your knowledge or consent so that you can be targeted by direct marketing organisations using mail, telephone or e-mail. Want 1,000 names of ethnic Greek trail-bike riders who buy oversize designer clothes and believe in astrology? Not a problem. Government, of course, is the biggest of all brothers. Some now believe computer cross-matching using tax-file numbers goes far beyond what was intended with the hated Australia Card proposal, defeated a decade ago in what may go down as the last great victory for privacy campaigners. There was scarcely a murmur of dissent last May when State and Federal governments announced the establishment of a $50 million national database on which the DNA of millions of people will eventually be recorded. And then there is the murky world of private surveillance and industrial espionage. Some of the equipment now available is straight from Star Wars - an English company, for instance, is circulating a demonstration video showing how data on a computer can be "read" from a van parked outside the building where it is operating by monitoring the minute amounts of electromagnetic radiation it emits. Even the US, home of freebooting business laissez-faire and one of the few Western democracies with no privacy laws at all, now appears to be groping towards regulation. In January, Vice-President Al Gore said: "We need to do more to protect privacy. When you have individuals filling a prescription at a drug store and the information is immediately downloaded to a computer network to be sold to the marketers of other medicines, that patient's privacy has been ravaged. And it's not right, and it's not fair." EVEN Lord Mayor Frank Sartor has to sign in as he enters the small, stuffy, windowless room beneath the Sydney Town Hall where the watchers watch. It is from here that, day and night, seven days a week, the 46 City Council video cameras that spy on the city are monitored under tight security. Two council workers watch as the cameras swing through a pre-programmed pattern of surveillance of the spots identified by police as Sydney's top crime locations. If they see something suspicious - a man running through Hyde Park (just a jogger), a woman loitering near Chinatown (waiting for a bus) - they zoom in. The technology is not yet as advanced as in England, where infra-red and night vision cameras can detect movement through walls and identify a cigarette packet at 1,000 metres. Nor does Australia yet have CFR (computerised face recognition) which allows a computer to pluck an individual from a crowd. But can this brave new technology be far off? If the camera spots a crime in progress, the video-feed is patched through to police posts opposite Town Hall or in The Rocks - whichever is closer to the scene - and police are dispatched. Since the surveillance began, the watchers have reported 363 crimes, and the police have arrested 53 people, including one man wanted for a stabbing murder whose alibi was broken by video footage, and a gang of eight, using attractive young women as decoys, who savagely bashed and kicked a man on the George Street cinema strip. After much hand-wringing over their intrusiveness, the cameras were installed last December as a last resort to cut back on street violence that shopkeepers feared could turn the city into a no-go area. One location alone, the intersection of George and Liverpool streets, had an average of no fewer than 60 offences a month, ranging from bag-snatching to assault. With an election soon, Sartor is pleased to claim that the surveillance has paid off - the city area has dropped out of the list of the State's top 20 crime spots for the first time the police can remember. It is not all down to the cameras, however - street lighting has been improved, as has police patrolling - and no-one yet has evidence that the criminals have not simply been chased a few blocks away. Sartor says he was "very conscious about the privacy issue" when working out the rules for the council's video surveillance because he had been deeply embarrassed when snapped by a Daily Telegraph photographer apparently jaywalking against the lights across Pitt Street. Tapes are kept in a bank of time-locked safes until wiped after 21 days; operators have to use electronic identification which leaves an "audit trail". In fact, if anything, the council has been criticised for not going far enough. One curiosity is that only "violent" crime can be reported; police will not be told, for instance, if the watchers see an apparent drug deal going down. Sartor also says he is under pressure to extend the coverage: "The public always want more cameras ... We will review it again in six months." And here, of course, is the nub of the problem. While privacy advocates fret about life in a goldfish bowl, law-and-order types believe that the more surveillance the better. Who can forget the chilling footage from a northern England shopping mall video camera that captured two 10-year-old children leading away two-year-old James Bulger to be battered to death? In Australia, mobile phone records are part of the police case against the alleged killers of the MP John Newman, and DNA evidence from saliva on a letter will be used against the woman accused in the poisoned Arnott's biscuit extortion case. So is this a price we should pay? Sydney is already saturated with no-one knows how many thousands of video cameras, not all of them subject to the same strict protocols as those at Town Hall, and some subject to none at all. The Roads and Traffic Authority, the monorail, CityRail, Star City casino, government offices and just about every retail store in the city have their own unco-ordinated, unregulated surveillance. A Melbourne security consultant says economics and improved communications are driving the surveillance boom - companies are saving millions by sacking their security guards and centralising operations. "The other night one of our operators spotted some kids mucking around near one of our sites in Perth," he says. "He called out over the PA system, 'Oi, you kids - piss off.' They looked like they had seen a ghost - they had no idea he was watching them from 4,000 kilometres away." Who cares? The NSW Privacy Committee gave several examples of abuse of video information when it examined the issue three years ago, in response to union complaints about workplace surveillance. That inquiry led last year to NSW becoming the first place in the world to control videoing of employees - no cameras are allowed in lavatories now, for instance - although there is still no protection for the public. In one case, the owner of a store selling wedding dresses was dobbed in by a sales assistant for misuse of a hidden camera. Not only did she videotape her unsuspecting customers in their underwear, but the shop owner would listen in on the bride-to-be discussing prices with a friend or relative, and use the information to strike a keen bargain. On another occasion, according to Chris Puplick, the NSW Privacy Commissioner, an attractive woman photographed at a police speed trap was inundated with "lurid and suggestive" phone calls from police and RTA officers who illicitly obtained her details from her vehicle registration. There was "disciplinary action". "THIS is our state-of-the-art model," says Andre Jaworski, electrical engineer and former officer in "the Polish KGB", clutching what looks like an aluminium-clad paperback book with a pinhole in the cover. "You can conceal it inside anything, and it can be monitored up to 300 metres away." The tiny video camera - it can be adapted to pick up conversation, too - transmits a microwave signal to a small colour screen. The whole box of tricks is mounted inside what looks like an ordinary briefcase. This must-have accessory for Sydney's James Bonds does not come cheap at $9,000. So who would buy such a thing, I ask the director of Spymaster Surveillance of Neutral Bay, bespoke supplier of surveillance equipment. "Criminals and private eyes," laughs Jaworski. "The police can't afford it." Here, for a price, you can obtain a minute radio transmitter that can be built into a pen or a mobile phone; a bug that can be attached to your phone; a video camera disguised as a bedside radio - it's called a "nanny-catcher" because it can be used to spy on child-carers, but is also used by people who suspect their partners of infidelity. Is all this legal? "It's legal to make it. It's legal to sell it. It's legal to buy it," says Jaworski. "How you use it - that's a fine point." He does not mention the Commonwealth Telecommunications Interception Act or the NSW Listening Devices Act, both of which make it a crime to covertly record someone's telephone calls. The penalty is up to two years' jail, although prosecutions are so rare the surveillance community generally holds the law in contempt. Check the Internet if you want to find even more sophisticated ways of spying on your friends, neighbours or business competitors. It is not hard to find cheap knock-offs of a $US245,000 state-of-the-art British device called the GSTA-1400, which is supposed to be available only to law enforcement and security agencies, and which can intercept calls from mobile phones and crack their supposedly inviolable codes in 2 1/2 minutes, enabling unrestricted, undetectable eavesdropping. Other companies offer devices called laser microphones which can decipher conversations in buildings by monitoring the vibrations of windows. Computer programs called "snoopers" are available which can be sent down the telephone line to rat around among your most confidential files. Obtain a hair or a flake of dead skin from someone, and any number of laboratories in the US will give you a complete DNA breakdown for as little as $US200, a service popular with men suspicious about their children's biological parentage. Where is it all going to end? Michael Bloomberg monitors workers at his business news service like a hawk - not only their e-mail (which has a special filter designed to censor out naughty words), but also with ID cards which record their movements, and video cameras trained on them at their desks. Other employers routinely drug-test employees, check their criminal and credit records, and may even insist on lie-detector tests. Not all this intrusion is malign or threatening, of course. For $US25 a month, parents of children attending 13 child-care centres in the US can tune in from work on Webcam to see how their kids are doing. In the US, the UK and in South Australia, welfare agencies bug children's hospital wards to detect abusive parents suffering from Munchausen's syndrome by proxy, and have come to the alarming conclusion that as many as one case in five put down as a cot death is in fact murder by a parent. "It doesn't matter who you are or how careful you are, you are always vulnerable to being listened to or videotaped," says Phillip Egge, who operates Websters Corporate Security, a Newcastle company specialising in counter-surveillance. "It's totally illegal, but everyone does it." John Bracey, a director of the 400-member Australian Institute of Private Detectives, estimates that Australia-wide there are 500,000 legal video-surveillance operations every year. Governments and insurance companies are the biggest customers, and road accident and workers' compensation claimants suspected of malingering are the usual targets. "Far and away the greatest threat to people's privacy is government departments who gather and swap information among themselves in secret," he says. "We don't even have the right to know what they hold, let alone correct it if it's wrong." Like many of his colleagues, Bracey is so paranoid about the ability of snoopers - government and private - to hack into computers that he stores no sensitive information on his computer hard disk. Every night he disconnects his modem and downloads data onto floppies which he locks in a safe. Hard information about the extent to which industrial espionage is used in Australia is difficult to come by because targets are usually reluctant to own up. One case was detected by Egge's company in Newcastle a decade ago, at the height of the battle between the Newcastle-based AWS consortium and Melbourne's AMECON syndicate for the $5 billion contract to build the Anzac-class frigates for the Navy. During a routine sweep of the AWS boardroom at the old State dockyards on the Carrington peninsula, where the most sensitive details of the bid were discussed, Egge discovered a sophisticated electronic eaves-dropping device. The police were called in, but failed to discover who had planted it. LAST April, Privacy International - a global network of lawyers, journalists, academics and civil liberties campaigners - staged its first annual Orwell award, honouring the author of 1984, the book which gave us Big Brother. It is awarded to "the government and private sector organisation which has done the most to invade personal privacy". Second prize went to Ellensys, a Massachusetts data-collection company most people outside the US had never heard of. What Ellensys did to earn the honour was "secretly collecting the pharmaceutical records of millions of patients from 15,000 pharmacies". And that was the silver. Gold went to the computer industry giant Intel, which caused outrage in the online community when it was discovered that it had secretly put an identifying number on the Pentium III microchip which forms the heart of most of the latest computers - a number that would enable anyone whom users contacted on the Internet to identify them. This might seem harmless enough, even beneficial - the originators of the computer virus Melissa, which threatened to do untold damage to computers around the world, were tracked down by this unique number. But it is only the tip of the iceberg of data that can now be gathered, without consent, on any innocent Internet user who does not take extraordinary precautions, such as building "firewalls" around his database and using an encryption program, such as Blowfish. The Internet has created the potential for a global intelligence database described by Junkbusters - a US Internet privacy group - as "a surveillance machine of unprecedented breadth and depth posing unacceptable privacy risks to the public". The unauthorised and undetectable use of "cookies" - programs which may be sent via the Internet to anyone who logs onto a site - may enable your every movement, every click of the mouse, to be tracked, recorded and sold to someone hoping to make a profit from it. Remember, says one Internet guru, "you are no longer watching the ads - the ads are watching you". Log onto a golfing Web site and you may receive a catalogue of products in the mail. Consult a financial planning advice page and within seconds you may get a junk-call from a telemarketer pitching life insurance. You might as well have a bar code stamped on your forehead. As e-commerce booms, barely a day goes by without a new security breach coming to light. In April the Nissan car company mass e-mailed people a list of 24,000 of their potential customers. Yahoo!, one of the world's busiest Internet portals, blamed a "software glitch" for making accessible customers of Vitanet, a nutritional supplement marketer - not just their names, but a list of products they bought, partial credit-card numbers, even a map showing where they lived. The most celebrated case of privacy violation on the Internet involved Timothy McVeigh, an officer in the US Navy, who was dismissed for homosexuality in 1998 after a customer service operator at his Internet service provider told a navy investigator he used the pseudonym BoySearch. McVeigh sued (unlike Australia, the US has a tort of privacy) and collected big-time in an out-of-court settlement. "WELCOME to the warren," says Chris Puplick, ushering the visitor into his office in a rackety, century-old, recycled factory in Surry Hills. "Watch out for bugs falling from the ceiling." The six-legged kind, he hastens to reassure me. Puplick, a former Liberal senator, is the State's official civil rights warrior. He divides his time between his duties as president of the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board and Privacy Commissioner, a new title created last year by what the privacy campaigner Roger Clarke has described as "the strongest contender in the world for the prize of worst ever privacy legislation". The new law does not cover the private sector, nor the government agencies most likely to violate people's privacy, such as the police. There are, as yet, no penalties for violations. The office has a staff of precisely five and a budget of $500,000 to handle 1,500 complaints a year and protect the privacy of 5 million people. While Puplick wouldn't go as far as Clarke, he acknowledges that privacy legislation in Australia is "a mess". There is national and State legislation regulating the use of data by government, but not the private sector. Laws against phone tapping, but not clandestine videotaping or computer-snooping. A patchwork quilt of regulation varying from State to State covers medical records, details of births, deaths and marriages, adoption, guardianship and financial information. The ad hoc, piecemeal nature of the regulations reflects the relatively recent origin of privacy as a right. It was not until 1948 that an internationally accepted definition was adopted in Article 12 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, to which Australia is a signatory, which says: "No-one shall be subject to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence ... Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such attacks." The high-water mark for civil libertarians came in the 1970s when many countries - particularly those in Western Europe - passed legislation sharply restricting the use of information that could be kept on individuals by government or business, and providing remedies and penalties for breaches. Since then, the tide has turned. When Puplick was summonsed to give evidence to the Wood royal commission into police corruption, the first question put to him was: "Why do you think privacy legislation should be used to protect pedophiles from investigation?" Surprisingly, Puplick is most concerned not about the threat posed by electronic databases or computer snooping but by the gathering of DNA. State and Federal governments agreed earlier this year to establish a national database called Crimtrac containing the unique genetic data of everyone accused of a crime - a detection tool police claim will be as revolutionary as the introduction of fingerprinting nearly a century ago. In Britain, where a similar system has been operating for two years and has collected DNA of 250,000 people, it is routine for police to perform what is known, chillingly, as a "blooding" whenever a serious crime, such as rape, occurs, where the criminal leaves behind a bit of his biology. Officers go door to door asking thousands of residents to give a genetic sample, usually a swab from inside the cheek, to try to identify the offender. What concerns Puplick are the broader implications. What if the DNA sample shows a person has a genetic predisposition to a life-threatening disease that could be passed on to his children? Should he be told? What about his relatives who may also carry the same gene? What happens if a gene is discovered that is linked to violent behaviour, alcoholism or homosexuality? Are we ready to plunge down the slippery slide of eugenics? The only potential good news on the horizon is that later this year - after flip-flopping for more than three years on a "non-core" election promise - the Howard Government will try to get some legislation through Parliament regulating private-sector use of personal data. Privacy advocates are not holding their breath, however. The aim of the legislation is not so much to protect privacy as to bring Australia into line with European Union rules which require people to give specific consent to the use of data about them. The Government has reassured business that it will be "light touch" legislation which will provide a legal framework for industry self-regulation codes. Big Brother (or more accurately the thousands of Little Brothers watching over us) is not exactly quaking in his boots. They know all about you It IS tucked away above a frock shop and next to an architect and a sports medicine surgery, with no sign visible from the street. But this small, anonymous office on the main street of Mosman can supply more information about more people in Australia than you would believe possible. Want a list of people who believe in astrology, buy sex toys, collect coins, play bowls, drink imported wine, own pets, like to bet, subscribe to Business Review Weekly, Vogue or Jesuit publications, ride trail bikes, own mobile homes ... The Mailing List Centre can do a deal for you. It claims to be the largest of the 27 Australian companies that provide lists of names and addresses to mail-order companies. Direct marketing is booming thanks to companies such as this - last year, for the first time, it overtook conventional advertising with revenues of $9 billion. This one centre can provide you with 300 mailing lists containing 25 million names - equivalent to a listing for every man, woman, child and business in the country. A large mail-shot might involve sending 100,000 pieces of junk mail. The most valuable lists are not made available to potential rivals, for obvious reasons. Coles Myer, for instance, believes that its "Fly Buys" loyalty card scheme, the largest in the country with more than 4 million names, will one day become its greatest asset. Every detail of every purchase of every customer is logged onto a giant database. Many people will welcome being targeted for special offers, even (as happened to one woman in England) being sent a personalised letter reminding them that it is time they bought more tampons. But consider the case of Robert Rivera, a 59-year-old Los Angeles man who slipped on a slick of spilt yogurt in a Vons supermarket, shattering his kneecap. When it came to negotiating a settlement, the supermarket lawyers threatened to use data from his loyalty card to prove that he bought a lot of liquor. So how do junk mail companies get your name? The Mailing List Centre doesn't collect the names; it acts as a broker for other companies that do. Sports clubs, magazines, wineries, people who sell car accessories, all sell their subscription lists, says Caroline Gracie, the company's general manager. Government, officially at any rate, is not as forthcoming as in the United States, where you can even buy photos from people's driving licences. But some councils in Australia do supplement their incomes by selling the names of people who have swimming pools, make applications for building permits, or have dog licences. But the biggest source of the highly personal data that is of greatest use to marketers are the lists compiled by companies such as Pacific CDL in Melbourne, which claims to have 700,000 people on its files. Promising a shot at winning a Holden Vectra car, and telling respondents "your confidentiality is assured", Pacific CDL has been able to compile the most extraordinary database. The four-page questionnaire sent to me last month asks 88 multiple-choice questions, and I guess would take an hour or more to complete. As well as my name, age, address, occupation, income, religion and the names of my children, they want to know how much my house is worth, what credit cards I have, how much I spend at the supermarket, what kind of car I drive, whether my dog has fleas, whether my daughter uses Carefree Breathable Liners, and whether anyone in my household suffers from ulcers, arthritis, hemorrhoids or thrush. Who on earth would fill in a thing like this, I ask Gracie. "People with high incomes don't fill them in," she replies. "People who are intelligent don't fill them in. It's the ... [pause] ... less affluent people." Under a new code of conduct operating from July 1, members of the Australian Direct Marketing Association are supposed to get consumers' consent for their details to be sold. However, the === ---------------------- David Goldstein email: Goldstein_David@yahoo.com.au post: 5 Coles Lane, Oakington, Cambridge, CB4 5BA, UK phone: + 44 (0)1223 574 857 (h); +44 (0)1223 237 700 (w); +44 (0)7979 965 503 (mobile). ICQ: 32130305. _______________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com.au address at http://mail.yahoo.com.au From gbayley@ausmac.net Fri Aug 13 18:13:06 1999 From: gbayley@ausmac.net (Grant Bayley) Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 04:13:06 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Another fatally backdoored law from DCITA Message-ID: (CC: Senator Alston via DCITA web page) Have a read of this press release, folks: http://www.dcita.gov.au/cgi-bin/trap.pl?path=4189 Now, before you all rejoice about how you can now reverse engineer that secret new Microsoft protocol, wait till you get to the end and let these words sink in: "Information derived from decompilation of a program about its interfaces with other software or about errors in a defective copy, including Y2K problems, or which is required for testing system security cannot be used or communicated to others for any other purpose, without the copyright owner's permission." By this reasoning, if I find a critical flaw in a piece of software that would compromise the security of all people using the software, I am not allowed by law to release details of such a flaw without the copyright owners permission. In the case of the Cold Fusion vulnerability a few months back, Allaire just sat on it for months after being informed of the vulnerability. In the meantime a truckload of people's sites got hacked as word spread of the problem. I guess we're back to the bad old days of only the bad guys having the information. Now it's legislated... This looks like it might only apply to problems discovered in the midst of decompilation of a software product, though. It may not apply to a standard security advisory that was discovered by sheer luck or using a regressive, brute force test. The fact I'm even confused about whether it applies or not speaks volumes about the extreme lack of consultation these DCITA people do with industry and the people actually doing reverse compilations of software, checking it for security problems then releasing appropriate advisories to the public if the software developer does not respond within the de-facto standard period of two weeks. Now it appears they need not respond at all. _______________________________________________________ Grant Bayley gbayley@ausmac.net - IT Manager, Batey Kazoo (www.kazoo.com.au) - Administrator, The AusMac Archive (www.ausmac.net) - Webmaster/Organiser, 2600 Australia (www.2600.org.au) _______________________________________________________ From hartr@redhat.com Fri Aug 13 21:58:22 1999 From: hartr@redhat.com (hartr@redhat.com) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 14:58:22 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <199908132158.OAA20322@bree.cali.redhat.com> On 12 Aug, Tony Barry wrote: > NETSCAPE'S BROWSER SHARE NOW 25 PERCENT I wonder if they are counting machines running Linux - as none of these use IE (!!) and most use Netscape (some use nothing and some use lynx). Early this year a conservative (it is believed) estimate of 12 million Linux users was made... -- Robert Hart hartr@redhat.com Red Hat, Inc (California Office) Phone: +1 650 967 0888 Fax: +1 650 965 7307 From hartr@redhat.com Fri Aug 13 22:03:36 1999 From: hartr@redhat.com (hartr@redhat.com) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 15:03:36 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [LINK] File storage matter of trust In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <199908132203.PAA20331@bree.cali.redhat.com> On 12 Aug, Tony Barry wrote: > FILE STORAGE MATTER OF TRUST > Internet startup i-drive is betting that people are ready to > place their files on a Web-based hard drive. This is but another take on the Application Service Provisioning market. If you believe the people that are telling you that computing will be ubiquitous (I do and am involved in some aspects of that technology), having someone else responsible for storing, backing up and protecting the security of your information is a necessary part of the picture. Essentially, ASPs will need to be able to show that they can secure a user's information in much the same way that a bank secures our money. There is one interesting addition to the level of trust we give banks though - the ASP needs to convince its users that it is not looking at a user's information itself! A major problem associated with this is the attitude of many governments to strong encryption... -- Robert Hart hartr@redhat.com Red Hat, Inc (California Office) Phone: +1 650 967 0888 Fax: +1 650 965 7307 From hartr@redhat.com Fri Aug 13 22:19:57 1999 From: hartr@redhat.com (hartr@redhat.com) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 15:19:57 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [LINK] Another fatally backdoored law from DCITA In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <199908132220.PAA20365@bree.cali.redhat.com> On 14 Aug, Grant Bayley wrote: > (CC: Senator Alston via DCITA web page) > > Have a read of this press release, folks: > > http://www.dcita.gov.au/cgi-bin/trap.pl?path=4189 > > Now, before you all rejoice about how you can now reverse engineer that > secret new Microsoft protocol, wait till you get to the end and let these > words sink in: > > "Information derived from decompilation of a program about its interfaces > with other software or about errors in a defective copy, including Y2K > problems, or which is required for testing system security cannot be used > or communicated to others for any other purpose, without the copyright > owner's permission." > > By this reasoning, if I find a critical flaw in a piece of software that > would compromise the security of all people using the software, I am not > allowed by law to release details of such a flaw without the copyright > owners permission. In the case of the Cold Fusion vulnerability a few > months back, Allaire just sat on it for months after being informed of > the vulnerability. In the meantime a truckload of people's sites got > hacked as word spread of the problem. Hmmm I am also confused as to how this law applies to open source (aka "free") software such as Linux. I have read things twice and one reading had me believing that because it applies to 'decompilation' (which is of course unneccessary when you have the source code), there is no problem. However, re-reading it I find that I am still worried (not an unusuale event as lawyers, particularly those drafting legislation, and I do frequently not seem to share a common language). Anyone care to hazard a guess about this? It is quite possible that this government does not believe open source software is an important part of the software industry and therefore legislation need not take any cognisance of open source software. Based on their performance in other IT related areas, it is fairly certain their only interest in penguins is the tourist trade surrounding Phillip Island... -- Robert Hart hartr@redhat.com Red Hat, Inc (California Office) Phone: +1 650 967 0888 Fax: +1 650 965 7307 From Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au Sat Aug 14 00:31:55 1999 From: Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au (Roger Clarke) Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 10:31:55 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Re: 'Information wants to be free' Message-ID: We've now got Stewart Brand's explanation about when he first used it: http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/II/IWtbF.html As part of a paper I'm giving this coming week in Melbourne, I've prepared a set of interpretations of what it might mean: http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/II/DarkAges.html#SS I'd greatly appreciate constructive criticism of that set, and additional interpretations and references! Roger Clarke http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/ Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916 mailto:Roger.Clarke@xamax.com.au http://www.xamax.com.au/ Visiting Fellow Department of Computer Science The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA Information Sciences Building Room 211 Tel: +61 2 6249 3666 From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Sat Aug 14 03:19:30 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 13:19:30 +1000 Subject: [LINK] 'Information wants to be free' Message-ID: At 04:38 PM 13/8/99, Ed Parsons wrote: >because on CSIRAC in the year >1955 that very tune could be played using the inbuilt speaker in >the main console desk of CSIRAC.. right here in Australia! I remember music being played on SILLIAC (The University of Sydney computer - now in the )owerhouse Museum) somewhere in the late '50s. Can't remeber the tune though. Tony - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From danny@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au Sat Aug 14 13:35:49 1999 From: danny@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au (Danny Yee) Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 23:35:49 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent In-Reply-To: <199908132158.OAA20322@bree.cali.redhat.com> from "hartr@redhat.com" at Aug 13, 99 02:58:22 pm Message-ID: <199908141335.XAA16937@boomer.anu.edu.au> > > NETSCAPE'S BROWSER SHARE NOW 25 PERCENT > I wonder if they are counting machines running Linux - as none of these > use IE (!!) and most use Netscape (some use nothing and some use lynx). > > Early this year a conservative (it is believed) estimate of 12 million > Linux users was made... Yes, but analysis of my web server logs suggests just under 0.5% of Web users are running Linux. Not enough to contribute much to the IE versus Netscape figures. Danny. From jwhit@PrimeNet.Com Sat Aug 14 23:21:11 1999 From: jwhit@PrimeNet.Com (Jan Whitaker) Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 09:21:11 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] New Ministerial Media Release Message-ID: <199908142321.JAA25052@boomer.anu.edu.au> How can Alston/O'Connor continue to spout such hypocrisy? You would think they had some shame, or at least a bit of guts to stand on one side of the issue, and stop with the rhetorical hyperbole. But I guess that would be too much of an ask. Keep up the articles, Brendan. Jan At 09:40 13/08/99 +1000, bscott@gtlaw.com.au wrote: >Presumably the Government plans to achieve "high speed, affordable bandwidth" in >Australia by introducing legislation to blow out network operators' compliance >costs and clog up their systems with filtering software (i.e. the Dark Ages >Legislation). Certainly a novel approach. I have doubts about how effective it >will be in achieving these aims. > >Brendan > >---------------------- Forwarded by Brendan Scott/Gilbert & Tobin/61 on 13/08/99 >09:28 AM --------------------------- > > > >The following Ministerial Media Release is available at: > >http://www.dcita.gov.au/cgi-bin/trap.pl?path=4187 > >High speed, affordable bandwidth - A key challenge >Access to telecommunications bandwidth and the price of that bandwidth will >continue to underpin the future growth of the information economy in >Australia and globally, the Minister for Communications, Information >Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard Alston, said today. > >Terry O'Connor, Senator Alston's office > > >Brendan Scott >Lawyer > >Recent papers: >Explaining the Dark Ages Legislation: >http://www.gtlaw.com.au/pubs/sobershock.html >Criticising the Dark Ages Legislation: >http://www.gtlaw.com.au/pubs/newdarkage.html > > > JLWhitaker Associates Melbourne, Victoria, Australia jwhit@primenet.com -- http://www.primenet.com/~jwhit/whitentr.htm From andrew@netregistry.au.com Sun Aug 15 00:28:55 1999 From: andrew@netregistry.au.com (Andrew Whyte) Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 10:28:55 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent References: <199908141335.XAA16937@boomer.anu.edu.au> Message-ID: <37B609C7.9E7EFFC2@netregistry.au.com> Danny Yee wrote: > > > > NETSCAPE'S BROWSER SHARE NOW 25 PERCENT > > > I wonder if they are counting machines running Linux - as none of these > > use IE (!!) and most use Netscape (some use nothing and some use lynx). > > > > Early this year a conservative (it is believed) estimate of 12 million > > Linux users was made... > > Yes, but analysis of my web server logs suggests just under 0.5% of Web > users are running Linux. Not enough to contribute much to the IE versus > Netscape figures. > > Danny. Erm, yes but the other issue is that probably most people running Linux, and netscape aren't big Websurfers ? Or certainly not in proportion to Win(9[58]|NT) users. There is an increasing amount of sites out there that are using horrid things like FrontPage components and IE specific tags, as well as Java applets which run better in IE. Don't know about you, but I'm sick of having Netscape crash loading a Java app. It's 100% predictable. I'm curious what site your logs info came from ? Obviously certain sites are going to attract a certain crowd, and most of them may be Windows users that either are uncapable of running a Unix variant, or simply aren't interested. Or even prefer IE. Market share numbers on software are very unsubstantial, Saying that, for example, 65% of server machines run Windows NT, could simply be stated because 65% of machines sold for server type uses come pre installed with Windows NT, that means nothing if it's formatted the second the end user takes command. It's correct, but very inaccurate to state. I for one would be happy to try IE, if it ever was made available for Linux, I would give it a go, and give it my own fair judgment. But if it can't do, what Netscape does for me. In a method I like. I'm not going to switch. :-) Just some thoughts... -- Andrew Whyte Senior System Administrator _____________________________________________ NetRegistry http://www.netregistry.au.com Tel: +61 2 9699 6099 | Fax: +61 2 9699 6088 PO Box 2088 Sydney NSW 1043 Australia From danny@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au Sun Aug 15 03:47:02 1999 From: danny@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au (Danny Yee) Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 13:47:02 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent In-Reply-To: <37B609C7.9E7EFFC2@netregistry.au.com> from "Andrew Whyte" at Aug 15, 99 10:28:55 am Message-ID: <199908150347.NAA24050@boomer.anu.edu.au> > Erm, yes but the other issue is that probably most people running Linux, > and netscape aren't big Websurfers ? Or certainly not in proportion to > Win(9[58]|NT) users. Is that actually true? I would have thought the average Linux user would spend more time online than the average Windows users... > There is an increasing amount of sites out there that > are using horrid things like FrontPage components and IE specific tags, as well as Java > applets which run better in IE. Don't know about you, but I'm sick of having Netscape > crash loading a Java app. It's 100% predictable. I don't know about this, as I don't enable Java (or Javascript). Netscape crashes on me maybe once a month. > I'm curious what site your logs info came from ? I've run figures on two different sites I maintain. One is that of an Australian charity/aid agency (Community Aid Abroad) and the other is the server where I work (Anatomy department, Sydney Uni). The methodology is counting unique host/agent pairs, which will count dual-booters once for each OS -- and proxy summation will favour minority OSes. ** I'd love to see comparative figures from other sites, if anyone has some logs handy... (I can send you my scripts.) ** The figures from these sites have always been roughly consistent, and I can't see any obvious reason why either would appeal more to users of one OS over another. (If anything they should favour Linux, since my personal site includes a bit of free software stuff.) Observations (note that these figures are estimates of _the web using public_, not of sales or deployment or anything else): - Linux has around 0.5%, increasing slowly (I think this is still pretty impressive) - there are still slightly more people using other Unices (X11, anyway) than Linux, at least for web browsing (I'd guess these are mostly students and employees on big Solaris boxes) - there are around the same number of people using WebTV as using Linux - despite Apple's profitability, MacOS's share has been dropping slowly, now down to just under 6%. - there will probably never be as many people using Windows 98 as Windows 95 (30% still trailing 45%) Danny. P.S. While on the subject of Linux and free software, any feedback on a now revised paper on Development, Ethical Trading, and Free Software http://www.anatomy.usyd.edu.au/danny/freedom/ip/aidfs.html would be welcome. (Though I'm about to go to Pakistan for five weeks.) From ash@melbpc.org.au Sun Aug 15 13:33:42 1999 From: ash@melbpc.org.au (Ash Nallawalla) Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 23:33:42 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent In-Reply-To: <199908132158.OAA20322@bree.cali.redhat.com> Message-ID: At three sites where I monitor such stats -- none of the sites is OS-specific -- the ratio of NS:IE is about 50:50, with the IE hits being slightly higher some weeks. This has gone on for several months, so the competition is intense. From ash@melbpc.org.au Sun Aug 15 13:53:10 1999 From: ash@melbpc.org.au (Ash Nallawalla) Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 23:53:10 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Leaving comments on web sites Message-ID: This is for IE users only at this point. NS to come. A friend in the US alerted me to this program, which takes 2-3 minutes to load in IE. You need to restart the PC to use it. http://www.thirdvoice.com/ It runs as a plugin in IE. It opens a new control panel on the left of the browser window and you can go to your web destination and look at the comments "left" on that site (actually they are left at thirdvoice) The Microsoft home page is crawling with notes from Linux fans, presumably left from other people's PCs. :-) I anticipate some interesting legal issues here. There are two similar programs: http://www.utok.com/ and http://www.odigo.com/ (I have not tried them, so note that I didn't say "identical". :-)) - Ash From sccm@netrax.net Sun Aug 15 17:29:41 1999 From: sccm@netrax.net (Michael McPherson) Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 13:29:41 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [LINK] Private Virtual Municipal Area Networks (VMAN) Message-ID: Six Months ago, I made reference in this forum to my local community e-commerce business model. Presently I am seeking a list of professional contractors experienced in building, providing and maintaining turnkey Private Virtual Municipal Area Networks. Is anyone aware of any turnkey Private Virtual Municipal Area Network (VMAN) contractors ? Michael McPherson sccm@netrax.net Cause Marketing Communications From richard@auscoms.com.au Sun Aug 15 22:59:01 1999 From: richard@auscoms.com.au (richard@auscoms.com.au) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 99 08:59:01 +1000 Subject: [LINK] File storage matter of trust Message-ID: <9908169347.AA934757953@mail.auscoms.com.au> However, Robert, I'm concerned at what I might call the knowledge model involved. App Service Provision is predicated that "you don't need to know what goes on under the bonnet". Some issues that arise in my mind: 1) Is it wise to deskill the organisation, particularly in the field which is arguably its most important asset into the future? 2) Can I integrate one application into another when the app infrastructure resides outside my company? 3) What are my prospects of mobility should the ASP turn out to be unsatisfactory? How hard is it to change -- particularly given that good loyalty practice suggests that while the technologies will be standard, the processes embedded in the ASP will be proprietary so as to make transport difficult. I believe there is a role for ASPs. However, as is normal with anything new and excititing, its boosters do the snake oil pitch instead of trying to find the natural and sensible market for the service. Richard Chirgwin ____________________Reply Separator____________________ Subject: Re: [LINK] File storage matter of trust Author: Date: 13/08/99 15:03 On 12 Aug, Tony Barry wrote: > FILE STORAGE MATTER OF TRUST > Internet startup i-drive is betting that people are ready to > place their files on a Web-based hard drive. This is but another take on the Application Service Provisioning market. If you believe the people that are telling you that computing will be ubiquitous (I do and am involved in some aspects of that technology), having someone else responsible for storing, backing up and protecting the security of your information is a necessary part of the picture. Essentially, ASPs will need to be able to show that they can secure a user's information in much the same way that a bank secures our money. There is one interesting addition to the level of trust we give banks though - the ASP needs to convince its users that it is not looking at a user's information itself! A major problem associated with this is the attitude of many governments to strong encryption... -- Robert Hart hartr@redhat.com Red Hat, Inc (California Office) Phone: +1 650 967 0888 Fax: +1 650 965 7307 From david.mitchell@rmit.edu.au Sun Aug 15 23:29:49 1999 From: david.mitchell@rmit.edu.au (David Mitchell) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 09:29:49 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Another fatally backdoored law from DCITA In-Reply-To: <199908132220.PAA20365@bree.cali.redhat.com> References: Message-ID: Re the concern below, the legislation (s.47G) allows the use of information derived from decompilation for purposes that allow decompilation in the first place. So you would be able to pass on details of a flaw, for the purposes of correcting the flaw (as decompilation is allowed for this purpose), for instance. dm >On 14 Aug, Grant Bayley wrote: >> (CC: Senator Alston via DCITA web page) >> >> Have a read of this press release, folks: >> >> http://www.dcita.gov.au/cgi-bin/trap.pl?path=4189 >> >> Now, before you all rejoice about how you can now reverse engineer that >> secret new Microsoft protocol, wait till you get to the end and let these >> words sink in: >> >> "Information derived from decompilation of a program about its interfaces >> with other software or about errors in a defective copy, including Y2K >> problems, or which is required for testing system security cannot be used >> or communicated to others for any other purpose, without the copyright >> owner's permission." >> >> By this reasoning, if I find a critical flaw in a piece of software that >> would compromise the security of all people using the software, I am not >> allowed by law to release details of such a flaw without the copyright >> owners permission. In the case of the Cold Fusion vulnerability a few >> months back, Allaire just sat on it for months after being informed of >> the vulnerability. In the meantime a truckload of people's sites got >> hacked as word spread of the problem. David Mitchell Research Fellow Media & Telecommunications Policy Group @ RMIT University e-mail: Home Page: Postal Address: Locked Bag 2400, St. Leonards, NSW, Australia, 1590. From r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au Sun Aug 15 23:34:28 1999 From: r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au (Rachel Polanskis) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 09:34:28 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Leaving comments on web sites In-Reply-To: Message-ID: On Sun, 15 Aug 1999, Ash Nallawalla wrote: > This is for IE users only at this point. NS to come. I believe UNIX "Mosaic" was the first program to have an "annotate" function. rachel Rachel Polanskis University of Western Sydney, Nepean Senior UNIX Admin PO Box 10, Kingswood NSW 2747 Systems && Operations Information Technology Services, Kingswood r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au Phone: +61 (0247) 360 291 From r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au Sun Aug 15 23:45:02 1999 From: r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au (Rachel Polanskis) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 09:45:02 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent In-Reply-To: <37B609C7.9E7EFFC2@netregistry.au.com> Message-ID: On Sun, 15 Aug 1999, Andrew Whyte wrote: > I for one would be happy to try IE, if it ever was made available for Linux, I would give it a go, and give it my own fair judgment. You're not missing much. I tried the Solaris version of IE and it was almost identical to the Windows native one (it crashed a lot)........ rachel Rachel Polanskis University of Western Sydney, Nepean Senior UNIX Admin PO Box 10, Kingswood NSW 2747 Systems && Operations Information Technology Services, Kingswood r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au Phone: +61 (0247) 360 291 From Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au Mon Aug 16 00:33:31 1999 From: Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au (Roger Clarke) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 10:33:31 +1000 Subject: [LINK] The Internet Threatens Freedom of Information Message-ID: I've been tussling with a new paper for the last few days, and now have a draft worth reviewing. I'd appreciate constructively negative feedback! Freedom of Information? The Internet as Harbinger of the New Dark Ages This paper was prepared for presentation at a Conference on 'Freedom of Information and the Right to Know' Communications Law Centre and the International Commission of Jurists Melbourne, 19-20 August 1999 http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/II/DarkAges.html Abstract There's a common presumption that the Internet has brought with it the promise of openness, democracy, the end of inequities in the distribution of information, and human self-fulfilment. Any such conclusion would be premature. The digital era has ambushed and beguiled us all. Its first-order impacts are being assimilated, but its second-order implications are not. Powerful institutions perceive their interests to be severely theatened by the last decade of technological change and by the shape of the emergent 'information economy'. Elements of their fightback are identified, particularly extensions to legal protectionism, and the active development and application of technologies that protect data from prying eyes. Many of the features that have ensured a progressive balance between data protections and freedom of access to data have already been seriously eroded, and the new balance that emerges from the current period of turmoil may be far less friendly to public access. Suggestions are made as to how particular features of the impending New Dark Ages might be avoided, subverted or prevented. Roger Clarke http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/ Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916 mailto:Roger.Clarke@xamax.com.au http://www.xamax.com.au/ Visiting Fellow Department of Computer Science The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA Information Sciences Building Room 211 Tel: +61 2 6249 3666 From Gordon.Keith@antdiv.gov.au Mon Aug 16 00:54:07 1999 From: Gordon.Keith@antdiv.gov.au (Gordon Keith) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 00:54:07 +0000 Subject: [LINK] Another fatally backdoored law from DCITA References: <199908132220.PAA20365@bree.cali.redhat.com> Message-ID: <37B7612F.A40594C9@antdiv.gov.au> > It is quite possible that this government does not believe open source > software is an important part of the software industry and therefore > legislation need not take any cognisance of open source software. > > Based on their performance in other IT related areas, it is fairly > certain their only interest in penguins is the tourist trade > surrounding Phillip Island... Not true! http://www.antdiv.gov.au/science/bio/adelie_penguins/index.html The penguin monitoring program at the Australian Antarctic Division, part of the Commonwealth Environment portfolio is alive and well. There are at two or three people employed by the government to monitor penguins, that's half the number Alston thinks he needs to monitor the web. We even stick electronic monitoring equipment on them and have telnet access to weighbridges located in their rookeries. So there is an IT component to the government interest in penguins. But as to their interest in open source penguins, I sadly suspect you are right. Regards Gordon Gordon Keith Programmer Marine Science Support Australian Antarctic Division http://www.antdiv.gov.au From povey@dstc.qut.edu.au Mon Aug 16 01:19:32 1999 From: povey@dstc.qut.edu.au (Dean Povey) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 11:19:32 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent In-Reply-To: Your message of "Fri, 13 Aug 1999 14:58:22 MST." <199908132158.OAA20322@bree.cali.redhat.com> Message-ID: <199908160119.LAA08685@piglet.dstc.edu.au> >On 12 Aug, Tony Barry wrote: >> NETSCAPE'S BROWSER SHARE NOW 25 PERCENT > >I wonder if they are counting machines running Linux - as none of these >use IE (!!) and most use Netscape (some use nothing and some use lynx). > >Early this year a conservative (it is believed) estimate of 12 million >Linux users was made... > I'd say this estimate was done by counting user-agent tags in the webserver logs of some popular sites, so I am sure that Linux was included. There is an estimated 100 million Internet users, so Linux can at most count for 12%. Assuming all the Linux users use Netscape, this would mean that Linux users account for nearly half the users of Netscape! The sad fact is that people can't be bothered to spend an hour to download a new browser when the one shipped with their desktop seems to work just fine. That and the fact, that Netscape are _very_ late with Communicator 5.0 just adds to the decline. I've given up on Netscape as the beast to topple Microsoft (I'm investing my hopes in Linux instead.). Cheers. -- Dean Povey, | e-m: povey@dstc.edu.au | JCSI: Java Crypto Toolkit Research Scientist | ph: +61 7 3864 5120 | security.dstc.edu.au/ Security Unit, DSTC | fax: +61 7 3864 1282 | Oscar - C++ PKI Toolkit: Brisbane, Australia | www: security.dstc.edu.au/ | oscar.dstc.qut.edu.au/ From marghanita@ramin.com.au Mon Aug 16 01:55:15 1999 From: marghanita@ramin.com.au (M. da Cruz) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 11:55:15 +1000 Subject: [LINK] File storage matter of trust References: <9908169347.AA934757953@mail.auscoms.com.au> Message-ID: <37B76F83.14A@ramin.com.au> Richard, If transaction authentication and encryption can be sorted out - then where the data is housed becomes irrelevant and there is an excellent opportunity to provide redundancy for the storage of the data - because it will be meaningless unless it can be decrypted. Data security is a "soft" not a physical function. App Service Provision is the logical next step for Outsourcing, however, these applications will provide more than a browser front end to the current type of applications -this was the opportunity provide by Intranets. The new Internet mediated services integrate business functions and software into a service. Again see http://www.ramin.com.au/marg/services.html Marghanita richard@auscoms.com.au wrote: > > However, Robert, I'm concerned at what I might call the knowledge model > involved. App Service Provision is predicated that "you don't need to know what > goes on under the bonnet". > > Some issues that arise in my mind: > 1) Is it wise to deskill the organisation, particularly in the field which is > arguably its most important asset into the future? > 2) Can I integrate one application into another when the app infrastructure > resides outside my company? > 3) What are my prospects of mobility should the ASP turn out to be > unsatisfactory? How hard is it to change -- particularly given that good loyalty > practice suggests that while the technologies will be standard, the processes > embedded in the ASP will be proprietary so as to make transport difficult. > > I believe there is a role for ASPs. However, as is normal with anything new and > excititing, its boosters do the snake oil pitch instead of trying to find the > natural and sensible market for the service. > > Author: > A major problem associated with this is the attitude of many > governments to strong encryption... -- Marghanita da Cruz, Principal Consultant, Ramin Communications, http://www.ramin.com.au mailto:marghanita@ramin.com.au PO Box 341 Annandale NSW 2038, Tel:(+61)0414-869202. From marghanita@ramin.com.au Mon Aug 16 02:02:43 1999 From: marghanita@ramin.com.au (M. da Cruz) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 12:02:43 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent References: <199908132158.OAA20322@bree.cali.redhat.com> Message-ID: <37B77143.5C65@ramin.com.au> Try accessing the http://www.comsec.com.au new and improved site with Netscape version 3.0 you get presented with "Sorry, to access the Comsec site you must be running either a Netscape Browser which is version 3.01 or later or a Microsoft Browser which is version 3.02 or later with javascript enabled. Both a Netscape and Microsoft download a new verson of the browser button are presented. The IE button indicates the Free MS IE. By the way, I battled on with my Netscape 3.0 version and managed to transact my business successfully. Marghanita -- Marghanita da Cruz, Principal Consultant, Ramin Communications, http://www.ramin.com.au mailto:marghanita@ramin.com.au PO Box 341 Annandale NSW 2038, Tel:(+61)0414-869202. From richard@auscoms.com.au Mon Aug 16 02:27:17 1999 From: richard@auscoms.com.au (richard@auscoms.com.au) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 99 12:27:17 +1000 Subject: [LINK] File storage matter of trust Message-ID: <9908169347.AA934770450@mail.auscoms.com.au> Marghanita -- I didn't mention security, although it's a concern. I mentioned application integration. You say: >The new Internet mediated services integrate business functions and >software into a service. Which is true enough -- _but_ that doesn't mean that this is the best model to integrate business functions and software. Security is a concern which can be addressed, but if the model is wrong, security is a peripheral concern. Richard Chirgwin ____________________Reply Separator____________________ Subject: Re: [LINK] File storage matter of trust Author: Date: 16/08/99 11:55 Richard, If transaction authentication and encryption can be sorted out - then where the data is housed becomes irrelevant and there is an excellent opportunity to provide redundancy for the storage of the data - because it will be meaningless unless it can be decrypted. Data security is a "soft" not a physical function. App Service Provision is the logical next step for Outsourcing, however, these applications will provide more than a browser front end to the current type of applications -this was the opportunity provide by Intranets. The new Internet mediated services integrate business functions and software into a service. Again see http://www.ramin.com.au/marg/services.html Marghanita richard@auscoms.com.au wrote: > > However, Robert, I'm concerned at what I might call the knowledge model > involved. App Service Provision is predicated that "you don't need to know what > goes on under the bonnet". > > Some issues that arise in my mind: > 1) Is it wise to deskill the organisation, particularly in the field which is > arguably its most important asset into the future? > 2) Can I integrate one application into another when the app infrastructure > resides outside my company? > 3) What are my prospects of mobility should the ASP turn out to be > unsatisfactory? How hard is it to change -- particularly given that good loyalty > practice suggests that while the technologies will be standard, the processes > embedded in the ASP will be proprietary so as to make transport difficult. > > I believe there is a role for ASPs. However, as is normal with anything new and > excititing, its boosters do the snake oil pitch instead of trying to find the > natural and sensible market for the service. > > Author: > A major problem associated with this is the attitude of many > governments to strong encryption... -- Marghanita da Cruz, Principal Consultant, Ramin Communications, http://www.ramin.com.au mailto:marghanita@ramin.com.au PO Box 341 Annandale NSW 2038, Tel:(+61)0414-869202. From ggm@dstc.edu.au Mon Aug 16 03:13:37 1999 From: ggm@dstc.edu.au (George Michaelson) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 13:13:37 +1000 Subject: [LINK] 'Information wants to be free' In-Reply-To: Your message of "Sat, 14 Aug 1999 13:19:30 +1000." Message-ID: <3027.934773217@dstc.edu.au> I have a cassette tape copied (from an LP) of a GPO research computer playing tunes, including "Daisy" from around that time. I think "world first" is going to be as contentious as the US claim to have invented computing. I think we can all agree that sometime early in the 1950's people did this. cheers -George -- George Michaelson | DSTC Pty Ltd Email: ggm@dstc.edu.au | University of Qld 4072 Phone: +61 7 3365 4310 | Australia Fax: +61 7 3365 4311 | http://www.dstc.edu.au From dtebbutt@ozemail.com.au Mon Aug 16 03:20:26 1999 From: dtebbutt@ozemail.com.au (Dan Tebbutt) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 13:20:26 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Leaving comments on web sites In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: At 9:34 AM +1000 16/8/99, Rachel Polanskis wrote: >On Sun, 15 Aug 1999, Ash Nallawalla wrote: > >> This is for IE users only at this point. NS to come. > >I believe UNIX "Mosaic" was the first program to have >an "annotate" function. Actually, Tim Berners-Lee told me his very first prototype WWW broswer - a GUI app on NextStep - included a respond/annotate function. So that's back to about 1990. Any other prior art, before some scumbag files for a patent on this..... DanT ===== Dan Tebbutt, Technology Writer, Melbourne Australia The Australian (http://www.newsit.com.au) Ph: +61-3-9292-1370 Fax:+61-3-9292-2803 Email: dtebbutt@ozemail.com.au "The revolution will be televised ... on pay-per-view." From dtebbutt@ozemail.com.au Mon Aug 16 04:40:15 1999 From: dtebbutt@ozemail.com.au (Dan Tebbutt) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 14:40:15 +1000 Subject: [LINK] The Slow March of History In-Reply-To: References: <37B2586B.361805C1@dynamite.com.au> Message-ID: At 3:54 PM +1000 12/8/99, Rachel Polanskis wrote: >There are >more great minds working on the same problem today than in the >whole history of the world. > >Maybe that's the answer? and there i was thinking the answer was 42.... dant ===== Dan Tebbutt, Technology Writer, Melbourne Australia The Australian (http://www.newsit.com.au) Ph: +61-3-9292-1370 Fax:+61-3-9292-2803 Email: dtebbutt@ozemail.com.au "The revolution will be televised ... on pay-per-view." From r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au Mon Aug 16 04:38:36 1999 From: r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au (Rachel Polanskis) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 14:38:36 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] The Slow March of History In-Reply-To: Message-ID: On Mon, 16 Aug 1999, Dan Tebbutt wrote: > At 3:54 PM +1000 12/8/99, Rachel Polanskis wrote: > > >There are > >more great minds working on the same problem today than in the > >whole history of the world. > > > >Maybe that's the answer? > > and there i was thinking the answer was 42.... No..... 42 is how old you are when you finally realise that you're having a mid life crisis, and it's too late to go to the backup. ;) rachel (I'm nowhere near 42 yet, so what would I know?!) Rachel Polanskis University of Western Sydney, Nepean Senior UNIX Admin PO Box 10, Kingswood NSW 2747 Systems && Operations Information Technology Services, Kingswood r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au Phone: +61 (0247) 360 291 From r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au Mon Aug 16 04:48:03 1999 From: r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au (Rachel Polanskis) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 14:48:03 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent In-Reply-To: <199908132158.OAA20322@bree.cali.redhat.com> Message-ID: On Fri, 13 Aug 1999 hartr@redhat.com wrote: > On 12 Aug, Tony Barry wrote: > > NETSCAPE'S BROWSER SHARE NOW 25 PERCENT > > I wonder if they are counting machines running Linux - as none of these > use IE (!!) and most use Netscape (some use nothing and some use lynx). I think you'd find it was a "drop in the ocean" compared to the installed base of IE clients. > Early this year a conservative (it is believed) estimate of 12 million > Linux users was made... Compared to how many copies of Win-xxx out there already, each one with a "tightly integrated" web browser? I just don't think Linux rates when it comes to the numbers game. They (linuxers) sure are a very vocal minority group though.... rachel Rachel Polanskis University of Western Sydney, Nepean Senior UNIX Admin PO Box 10, Kingswood NSW 2747 Systems && Operations Information Technology Services, Kingswood r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au Phone: +61 (0247) 360 291 From Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au Mon Aug 16 08:14:53 1999 From: Roger.Clarke@anu.edu.au (Roger Clarke) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 18:14:53 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Another fatally backdoored law from DCITA Message-ID: I drew the concerns expressed on link about the Copyright Amendment (Computer Programs) Bill 1999 to the attention of the relevant senior executive in the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department. I gather that the Bill was enacted on Friday 13 August. (A whole one business day later, it isn't up on AustLII yet - c'mon fellers, hurry up!). It was the subject of the following Media Release: http://www.dcita.gov.au/cgi-bin/trap.pl?path=4189 The following response was provided by the relevant officer, Chris Creswell. I'm sure that linkers who contact him will do so in a manner that doesn't reflect badly on the link community (:-)} ______________________________________________________________________________ It's a misconception to describe the Bill as proposing a ban on reverse engineering. All it does is carve out exceptions to existing copyright protection. The exceptions may not be wide enough to please everyone but they go about as far as is consistent with our international obligations and difficulty in pleasing all interests is not unusual in this area. The law will not stop people notifying others of the existence of a security flaw unless they got that information from the decompilation. The following points may be useful in assisting the people concerned to understand what it does. * At present decompilation to discover the problem with a malfunctioning program, or to check the security of a program is an infringement. When the Bill comes into operation, it will remove this legal impediment to error-correction and security testing - undeniably a major advance. * At present, the publication of information on an error or security flaw discovered by decompilation would not be a copyright infringement (unless a substantial part of the program code were publicised) - but of course the decompilation would be an infringement. While the Bill will allow decompilation to correct errors and test security, s.47G will make the act of decompilation retrospectively an infringement if information derived from it is passed on without permission. That is, s.47G will do NO MORE than put people back to the position they ARE NOW IN if information that they pass on without permission is derived from the decompilation. * The EC directive on computer software protection gives only a qualified right to decompile for error-correction which is arguably not as extensive as the Australian legislation. * Any information about an error or security flaw in a program not derived from decompilation can be disclosed without fear of infringement, eg, "there is a problem with program X and users should take it up with the producer/supplier". Once the discoverer of such an error or flaw had passed the information to the producer (assuming the producer is the copyright owner), the latter would risk legal liability to users for any loss suffered by them if it failed to alert them to the problem. * As to "free" software which the copyright owner has licensed for use generally, it could be expected that such licence would extend to decompilation for error correction and security testing and that s.47G would operate according to its terms. That is, information could be passed on because the "consent of the owner of the copyright", to which passing on decompilation information is made subject by s.47G, could be inferred. * Contrary to the assumption made in the e-mails, there was consultation with affected interests, much of it carried out by DOCITA, and this issue was extensively considered during the drafting of the Bill. ______________________________________________________________________________ Roger Clarke http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/ Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, 78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916 mailto:Roger.Clarke@xamax.com.au http://www.xamax.com.au/ Visiting Fellow Department of Computer Science The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA Information Sciences Building Room 211 Tel: +61 2 6249 3666 From m.lean@qut.edu.au Mon Aug 16 07:27:18 1999 From: m.lean@qut.edu.au (Michael Lean) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 17:27:18 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Blacklist of Internet Advertisers Message-ID: <3.0.5.32.19990816172718.0095f200@pop.qut.edu.au> Blacklist of Internet Advertisers At last, some sensible, non-emotional publicity about spamming and unwelcome advertising on news and Usenet groups. There is, of course, a list of offenders, but in addition this site also thoughtfully provides information on how to improve the net junk mail situation without getting too hot under the collar. Suggestions for using the Blacklist range from boycotting the business, filtering their e-mail, filing lawsuits in small claims court, and even (shudder!) consulting with the denizens of the alt.revenge newsgroup. Spammers can be removed from the active blacklist if the do not re-offend within three months, however their name will stay in an archive file just in case. The site is not strictly negative in its approach to spamming, and includes information about how to successfully advertise on the net without offending anyone. Overall, a fine resource to include in your anti-spam and commercial advertising arsenal. http://www-math.uni-paderborn.de/~axel/BL/ courtesy of Netsurfer Digest From gbayley@ausmac.net Mon Aug 16 12:22:40 1999 From: gbayley@ausmac.net (Grant Bayley) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 22:22:40 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Another fatally backdoored law from DCITA In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Probably a bit late to "contact" anybody about this one, Roger... :-) I'll reply as appropriate below., however... On Mon, 16 Aug 1999, Roger Clarke wrote: > It's a misconception to describe the Bill as proposing a ban on > reverse engineering. All it does is carve out exceptions to existing > copyright protection. The exceptions may not be wide enough to please > everyone but they go about as far as is consistent with our international > obligations and difficulty in pleasing all interests is not unusual in this > area. The law will not stop people notifying others of the existence of a > security flaw unless they got that information from the decompilation. The > following points may be useful in assisting the people concerned to > understand what it does. > Wassenaar, right? The law appears to act in the interests of those companies that subscribe to the policy of "security by obscurity". That is, it lulls companies with bugs in their software into a false sense of security by providing strongly worded legal protections against the "white hat" hacker types that will publish appropriate advisories in industry standard fashion but no protection whatsoever from "black hat" hackers that will simply keep the information to themselves and in some cases exploit it to the detriment of the consumer. The law does indeed satisfy the interests of a majority of people (the ones likely to have been consulted on the issue), but provides no incentive for companies to take responsibility for their buggy and/or flawed software. > * At present decompilation to discover the problem with a > malfunctioning program, or to check the security of a program is an > infringement. When the Bill comes into operation, it will remove this legal > impediment to error-correction and security testing - undeniably a major > advance. Again, this assumes there is some incentive for the company whose software is being tested to actually release a fix. Making it illegal for people to release information gained from decompilation certainly doesn't provide any... > > * At present, the publication of information on an error or security > flaw discovered by decompilation would not be a copyright infringement > (unless a substantial part of the program code were publicised) - but of > course the decompilation would be an infringement. While the Bill will > allow decompilation to correct errors and test security, s.47G will make the > act of decompilation retrospectively an infringement if information derived > from it is passed on without permission. That is, s.47G will do NO MORE > than put people back to the position they ARE NOW IN if information that > they pass on without permission is derived from the decompilation. So companies that fail to inform their customers about security problems even after being informed through appropriate, legal channels, may continue to do nothing, by my understanding... > > * The EC directive on computer software protection gives only a > qualified right to decompile for error-correction which is arguably not as > extensive as the Australian legislation. > Any reasons why we could not have taken a world-leading approach to companies that fail to resolve security issues in their software either through source code scrutiny or in response to appropriately obtained outside anaylsis? > * Any information about an error or security flaw in a program not > derived from decompilation can be disclosed without fear of infringement, > eg, "there is a problem with program X and users should take it up with the > producer/supplier". Once the discoverer of such an error or flaw had passed > the information to the producer (assuming the producer is the copyright > owner), the latter would risk legal liability to users for any loss suffered > by them if it failed to alert them to the problem. > Can I presume such a liability would only exist if the user of the software had not agreed to the onerous terms and conditions of using most commercial software thse days which state that the company provides no guarantee of fitness for a particular purpose. If they had not agreed to these terms and conditions, the customers themselves might be liable, presumably. > * As to "free" software which the copyright owner has licensed for use > generally, it could be expected that such licence would extend to > decompilation for error correction and security testing and that s.47G would > operate according to its terms. That is, information could be passed on > because the "consent of the owner of the copyright", to which passing on > decompilation information is made subject by s.47G, could be inferred. I've re-thought my comments about free software. The only scenario I could see this law even being applicable is if you have a particularly nasty copyright holder on free software and a set of precompiled binaries that are decompiled and information released without the copyright holders' permission.. I'm perhaps understating the rarity of this situation because with the majority of free software, the source code is already available for public consumption - decompilation simply isn't necessary. > > * Contrary to the assumption made in the e-mails, there was > consultation with affected interests, much of it carried out by DOCITA, and > this issue was extensively considered during the drafting of the Bill. > I don't believe I was asserting that no consultation at all took place - merely that the only interests I can see being served in this law are those of the corporate software providers whose source code is not open and whose allegiance is to the bottom line, not to the security or otherwise of their customers. I presume it is these people primarily that were consulted. I do believe that my comment still stands re: only the "black hat" guys having the information - they simply don't have regard for this type of law. The only people I can think of that are likely to get seriously done over by it are the "white hats" that do a decompilation and get frustrated by a companies' slack response to something equating roughly to a security hole the size of a D9 bulldozer. If you're not sure what sort of thing I'm referring to, head across to www.eeye.com and read up about the recent flaw in Microsoft's Internet Information Server, a flaw that affected nearly 75% of all such servers on the Internet and one Microsoft was unwilling to address in a reasonable time frame. Perhaps the Government need a few more "what if" guys with no commercial interest on staff? Grant _______________________________________________________ Grant Bayley gbayley@ausmac.net - IT Manager, Batey Kazoo (www.kazoo.com.au) - Administrator, The AusMac Archive (www.ausmac.net) - Webmaster/Organiser, 2600 Australia (www.2600.org.au) _______________________________________________________ From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Mon Aug 16 11:08:27 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 21:08:27 +1000 Subject: [LINK] Another fatally backdoored law from DCITA In-Reply-To: Message-ID: At 06:14 PM +1000 16/8/99, Roger Clarke wrote: >The following response was provided by the relevant officer, Chris >Creswell. I'm sure that linkers who contact him will do so in a manner >that doesn't reflect badly on the link community (:-)} ... > The law will not stop people notifying others of the existence of a >security flaw unless they got that information from the decompilation. My days of decompilation are long since past and did not extend further than the z80 chip but these thoughts come to me. In the privacy of one's own home, without another consenting adult present even, one finds that [ludicrous example], buffer overflow on port 96 can be used to feed arbitrary code into a CPU via a particular M*cr*S**t program. By chance this program comes up in conversation late at night over dinner/at the pub/via email with a friend who is a very sharp code cutter of renown who comments on the continuing security weaknesses of M*cr*S**t's products. You agree that these problems do occur and mention that many vendors have problems with buffer overflow and that while commonly used ports are now well protected others probably are not and you make a joke about a TV program your father used to watch - Number 96. Your friend then discovers the flaw without decompilation. I have a feeling that most security flaws do NOT require the transfer of detailed technical information for them to be exploited merely a hint. The sort of hint we have often seen used in "Yes Minister". I also suspect that the holes that require detailed technical information are yet to be found .... Tony - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From hartr@redhat.com Mon Aug 16 17:31:11 1999 From: hartr@redhat.com (hartr@redhat.com) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 10:31:11 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent In-Reply-To: <199908141335.JAA20061@mail.redhat.com> Message-ID: <199908161731.KAA03226@bree.cali.redhat.com> On 14 Aug, Danny Yee wrote: >> > NETSCAPE'S BROWSER SHARE NOW 25 PERCENT > >> I wonder if they are counting machines running Linux - as none of these >> use IE (!!) and most use Netscape (some use nothing and some use lynx). >> >> Early this year a conservative (it is believed) estimate of 12 million >> Linux users was made... > > Yes, but analysis of my web server logs suggests just under 0.5% of Web > users are running Linux. Not enough to contribute much to the IE versus > Netscape figures. And a site that was specifically attractive to Linux users would (and does) show a significantly different picture. So I am not sure that 0.5% measured at a web site is accurate either! -- Robert Hart hartr@redhat.com Red Hat, Inc (California Office) Phone: +1 650 967 0888 Fax: +1 650 965 7307 From hartr@redhat.com Mon Aug 16 17:41:19 1999 From: hartr@redhat.com (hartr@redhat.com) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 10:41:19 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <199908161741.KAA03260@bree.cali.redhat.com> On 16 Aug, Rachel Polanskis wrote: >> Early this year a conservative (it is believed) estimate of 12 million >> Linux users was made... > > Compared to how many copies of Win-xxx out there already, each one > with a "tightly integrated" web browser? > > I just don't think Linux rates when it comes to the numbers game. > They (linuxers) sure are a very vocal minority group though.... If the 12 million figure is correct - and the figure of 250 million Windows PCs is correct, then 12 Million Linux users is statistically significant for Netscape. This is particularly so as none of the Linux machines is running IE... -- Robert Hart hartr@redhat.com Red Hat, Inc (California Office) Phone: +1 650 967 0888 Fax: +1 650 965 7307 From tom.worthington@tomw.net.au Mon Aug 16 21:11:36 1999 From: tom.worthington@tomw.net.au (Tom Worthington) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 07:11:36 +1000 Subject: [LINK] File storage matter of trust Message-ID: <2.2.32.19990816211136.006e4614@tomw.net.au> At 08:59 16/08/99 +1000, richard@auscoms.com.au wrote: >... App Service Provision is predicated that "you don't need to know what >goes on under the bonnet"... This doesn't seem so different to old fashioned computer bureaus, where you rented capacity on a remote computer system. >1) Is it wise to deskill the organisation, particularly in the field which is >arguably its most important asset into the future? ... Most organizations are not in the information or knowledge business. They build or sell good or services. I have seen many organizations with terrible IT system, but prosper anyway. We can expect to see some ISPs taking on the role of supplier of OA services to clients. It makes sense if you use e-mail and the web a lot to just simply leave all your electronic documents on the server and run your OA from there. Then you don't need local storage in your office, or even an office. >2) Can I integrate one application into another when the app infrastructure >resides outside my company? Provided this is planned in advance, it should be no more difficult. >3) What are my prospects of mobility should the ASP turn out to be >unsatisfactory? This issue came up when looking at electronic archives for Commonwealth agencies. Provided some conservative standards are used, it should be okay. Tom Worthington http://www.tomw.net.au tom.worthington@tomw.net.au PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617 Visiting Fellow, Dept. Computer Science, Australian National University Publications Director & Past President, Australian Computer Society ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Send support to CARE workers in Belgrade: http://www.tomw.net.au/onevoice/ From brd@dynamite.com.au Mon Aug 16 22:54:23 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 99 22:54:23 GMT Subject: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent Message-ID: 37b8969f.1102.0@dynamite.com.au The Register http://theregister.co.uk/990816-000004.html Posted 16/08/99 11:56am by Graham Lea Opera user base grows despite 'end' of browser war Facts are getting in the way of Microsoft's claim that there is not a market for browsers. Opera, the Norwegian browser that sells for $35 after a 30-day free trial, has established itself as the contender, according to research company BrowserWatch. The latest figures show Internet Explorer with 43.7 per cent, Navigator with 35.4 per cent and Opera with 9.46 per cent (which Opera claims has now climbed to 10.2 per cent). The data are derived from visitors to BrowserWatch, who are mostly developers, Web site designers, journos and browser nuts. In the latest reported period Opera was used by 7076 visitors, which indicates a reasonable sample size. Other news from Opera, apart from its recent release of the beta for BeOS (it's 1.38MB), is that a version for Psion/EPOC32 is about 80 per cent complete and should be next. This is likely to be followed by a Mac version (now around 70 per cent complete, after a false start). A Linux version (about 35 per cent done) has a side-development in the form of a separate text-only small and fast browser that supports JavaScript and is said to be suitable for use in mobile phones. It also works with Windows, and is a candidate to replace Lynx. Opera won't be tied to a release date yet. Jon von Tetzchner, Opera's CEO, said that tests show that Opera for Linux, which is based on the new QT2.0 by Troll Tech, is faster than Netscape. Free/Net/BSD versions are expected to follow. Opera has managed to negotiate the opera.com name at last (it was operasoftware.com), which should make it easier to find. -- The art of war is to avoid big battles. -- Sun Tzu Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From mark.maverick@virgin.com Mon Aug 16 22:52:53 1999 From: mark.maverick@virgin.com (Tigger .... Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, fun, fun, fun.) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 23:52:53 +0100 Subject: [LINK] Blacklist of Internet Advertisers References: <3.0.5.32.19990816172718.0095f200@pop.qut.edu.au> Message-ID: <001c01bee83a$136843e0$ba3ca8c2@oemcomputer> In my humble and often wrong opinion the only difference between spamming and bulk e-mail (as in bulk snail mail) is the almighty dollar. If an ISP's find successful ways to charge per outward e-mail address as does the post office charge per letter for bulk snail mail you watch the change of attitude. ,--_|\ _ / Mark Wall \._,--._/ v Perth Western Australia ----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Lean To: Sent: 16 August 1999 08:27 Subject: [LINK] Blacklist of Internet Advertisers > Blacklist of Internet Advertisers > At last, some sensible, non-emotional publicity about spamming and > unwelcome advertising on news and Usenet groups. There is, of course, a > list of offenders, but in addition this site also thoughtfully provides > information on how to improve the net junk mail situation without getting > too hot under the collar. Suggestions for using the Blacklist range from > boycotting the business, filtering their e-mail, filing lawsuits in small > claims court, and even (shudder!) consulting with the denizens of the > alt.revenge newsgroup. Spammers can be removed from the active blacklist if > the do not re-offend within three months, however their name will stay in > an archive file just in case. The site is not strictly negative in its > approach to spamming, and includes information about how to successfully > advertise on the net without offending anyone. Overall, a fine resource to > include in your anti-spam and commercial advertising arsenal. > http://www-math.uni-paderborn.de/~axel/BL/ > > courtesy of Netsurfer Digest > From richard@auscoms.com.au Mon Aug 16 23:16:10 1999 From: richard@auscoms.com.au (richard@auscoms.com.au) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 99 09:16:10 +1000 Subject: ASPs (Was Re[2]: [LINK] File storage matter of trust) Message-ID: <9908179348.AA934845335@mail.auscoms.com.au> Tom, >>... App Service Provision is predicated that "you don't need to know what >>goes on under the bonnet"... >This doesn't seem so different to old fashioned computer bureaus, where >you rented capacity on a remote computer system. I agree. What _has_ changed is the outside world. My argument is that _for some_ the ASP is putting an old patch on new clothes. >>1) Is it wise to deskill the organisation, particularly in the field >>which is arguably its most important asset into the future? ... >Most organizations are not in the information or knowledge business. Or, quite possibly, most organisations don't _know_ that they're in the information or knowledge business. A brick is worth about five cents; it sells for 50. The other 45c can be seen as a valuation of knowledge: where to get the best raw materials, who has the best sales channel, transport efficiencies, marketing, what colours architects are getting excited about, etc etc etc. >They build or sell good or services. I have seen many organizations with >terrible IT system, but prosper anyway. Yes, but for how long will that be viable? In ten years' time, will you be able to make the same statement? >We can expect to see some ISPs taking on the role of supplier of OA >services to clients. It makes sense if you use e-mail and the web a lot to >just simply leave all your electronic documents on the server and run your >OA from there. Then you don't need local storage in your office, or even >an office. Fair enough. But I'd argue that office automation is, in some ways, a poor example. From the user point of view, I agree that WP etc is so mundane as not to matter. From the ASP point of view, though, this creates a problem: how does an ASP create long-term profit growth if it's just feeding from the bottom of the market? I'd note, Tom, that few ASPs are attracted by OA. Hewlett-Packard's offering, for example, is based on a customer management application environment -- ie, call centre, database and so on. So HP isn't trying to feed at the bottom: it's going straight for the highest-value apps. Other examples abound... >>2) Can I integrate one application into another when the app >>infrastructure resides outside my company? >Provided this is planned in advance, it should be no more difficult. Considering how painful app integration is, "no more difficult" is hardly encouraging ... >>3) What are my prospects of mobility should the ASP turn out to be >>unsatisfactory? >This issue came up when looking at electronic archives for Commonwealth >agencies. Provided some conservative standards are used, it should be >okay. I agree, to a point. But there's a problem: not I, but the ASP, determines the standards used. If I've deskilled my company, I have no means to assess whether the ASP is using conservative standards. So the argument gets circular rather quickly. (The same applies to security: we can recite the full panolpy of security technologies an ASP _could_ use to defend itself, but the customer has no way of knowing whether the system is secured well, unless it had enough skills not to need an ASP in the first place.) I guess that the ASP debate arouses all my sceptical instincts. It gets endorsement with very little critical examination, simply because it's Internet And Therefore Exciting. I try to look for bear traps because that's my nature... Richard Chirgwin From brd@dynamite.com.au Mon Aug 16 23:41:01 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 99 23:41:01 GMT Subject: [LINK] Outsourcing. Health RFT and Lundy. Message-ID: 37b8a18d.19ee.0@dynamite.com.au 1. The decision re the Health RFT is about to be made, if you believe OASITO. Their original plan for Health was a decision in April, handover by the end of June. Ha! Such optimists. Maybe that's what OASITO really stands for - Office of Asset Sales and IT Optimists. 2. At http://community.news.com.au/ Senator Kate Lundy, Shadow Minister for Information Technology, joins us to discuss the state of IT in Australia and the Government's I.T. outsourcing program. 7.00pm tonight 3. Also in today's Australian: Outsourcing savings vanish By SENATOR KATE LUNDY 17aug99 http://technology.news.com.au/features/f90817a.htm Twelve months after the first clustered contract began in the public service, the cracks in the Federal Government's IT outsourcing program have become visible. The Coalition's projection of $1 billion in savings has already been revised by 75 per cent, and it now appears that even these savings will not materialise. The evidence is stacking up in Australia and overseas that outsourcing information technology is not delivering savings. International research conducted by Lacity and Wilcox shows that only about half the IT outsourcing contracts deliver the promised 20-30 per cent savings. Finance Minister John Fahey, responsible for the federal IT outsourcing program, was able to announce cost savings only because the Department of Finance reduced the budget allocation for the agencies involved. Technically the figures are true, because the bottom line showed the savings for this financial year and the out-years. But closer investigation through the Senate budget estimates hearings revealed Fahey's claims are farcical. For example, the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) gave evidence that the outsourcing vendor was costing the department more, not less. DIMA is the largest department in the Cluster 3 IT outsourcing contract, awarded to CSC just over 12 months ago. The Finance Department does not take responsibility for this cost blow-out. It just negotiated the contract with CSC with the help of highly paid New York legal firm Shaw Pittman Potts Trowbridge. Any increase in costs must be found within the recurrent budget of the department. Unfortunately for DIMA, about 10 per cent of contracted service outcomes (service level agreements, or SLAs) were not delivered, allegedly resulting in significant financial penalties against the vendor, thus demonstrating that there was no improved quality trade-off from the loss of savings. The Australian Tax Office, having just signed a five year contract with EDS, is in a similar position. It has foregone $20 million up-front for five years, providing the substance of Fahey's public statement that $100 million would be saved by outsourcing Tax Office IT over five years. Interestingly, it is not just savings that has drawn attention to the IT outsourcing program to date. Australian IT companies have been losing opportunities to multinational IT corporations such as IBM, CSC and EDS. The Government has not been immune to criticism, and Fahey and Richard Alston have gone on the offensive to deflect criticism that the IT outsourcing program is pushing many innovative Aussie companies out of business. To this end, the Australian Information Industry Association and the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DoCITA) funded a report titled The IT Engine Room. This report chronicled the serious impact the outsourcing program is having on small-to-medium IT firms, particularly those that previously had export and growth opportunities arising from government contracts, and which now find themselves being squeezed by multinationals. Unfortunately, the report fails to tackle the concerns of Australian IT companies, preferring to use the opportunity to defend the role of multinationals in Australia. In what has to be the IT industry policy faux pas of the year to date, the lead recommendation focuses on attracting "multinational centres of excellence". In a report that is obviously being presented as a serious issues paper by the Government and the leading industry association, the AIIA, this is a grave indictment. The outsourcing program itself is skated over despite attracting some of the strongest criticism and presenting the most significant opportunity for government to support industry growth in a practical and meaningful way. With the Government failing to deliver promised savings and industry development outcomes for Australian IT companies, it is time this program, with its structure designed to give work to multinational corporations at the expense of local business, was reviewed. Senator Kate Lundy is Shadow Minister Assisting in IT. www.katelundy.dynamite.com.au -- Always forgive your enemies: nothing annoys them so much. -- Oscar Wilde Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From hartr@redhat.com Tue Aug 17 00:36:06 1999 From: hartr@redhat.com (hartr@redhat.com) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 17:36:06 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [LINK] File storage matter of trust In-Reply-To: <9908169347.AA934757953@mail.auscoms.com.au> Message-ID: <199908170036.RAA03956@bree.cali.redhat.com> On 16 Aug, richard@auscoms.com.au wrote: > > However, Robert, I'm concerned at what I might call the knowledge model > involved. App Service Provision is predicated that "you don't need to know what > goes on under the bonnet". Well, apart from us technophiles (probably an over-repesented set on Link and certainly so amongst Linux users), I am strongly of the opinion (based on my experience as an IS/IT manager) that the vast majority of users really DON'T want to know what is going on under the computer's bonnet (as is the case with the majority of today's vehicle users). For most people, computers are a means to an end and most definitely not the end itself. Thus most users don't want even to 'word process' or 'spread sheet' - they want to write a letter or complete their expenses. Most users don't want to drive a car - they simply want to get to their destination and the car is the most convenient way (if you have one). Similarly, most users don't want to use a computer - they simply want to get their work done. Those of us in the IT world that forget this are likely to have our noses rubbed in it very hard - and (for the users' sake) hopefully very quickly! Most users regard what goes on 'under the hood' of their car AND their computer as a 'black box' - ie something that just does the work if they push and pull the levers the right way. Given this 'black box' approach, the ASP model is completely understandable: it helps free people even more from having to tweak. > Some issues that arise in my mind: > 1) Is it wise to deskill the organisation, particularly in the field which is > arguably its most important asset into the future? It depends if IT skills really ARE the most valuable asset of most organisations. It certainly is for some, but I would argue that it is not so for most organisations - and as computing becomes ever simpler (we hope) it will become even less so. Right now, any organisation processing information does need to have IT skills. But that should not be the case in the future. They should just be good at processing information (which does not require good IT skills of itself). Considering the car analogy again, I would suggest we are still at the Model T Ford level of technology in IT - if you wanted to use a vehicle back then, you needed to understand how to tweak it and so it is with IT today. When IT reaches the level of sophistication of you average consumer car today, users will need to tweak the IT as little as they currently do their cars. > 2) Can I integrate one application into another when the app infrastructure > resides outside my company? It depends - which is exactly the same answer I would be forced to give if you wanted to do this inside the company. If planned for, you will certainly be able to do that. You will also find it much easier to integrate apps that are from totally different environments (for example, apps that run on X Windows and apps that run on MS Windows). But as is alwys the case, everything will not go with everthing else: revisiting the he car, you need to fit the right size tyres or use the right sort of fuel...small mismatches will work clunkily (wrong octane rating) and big mismatches simply will not work (diesel in a petrol vehicle). > 3) What are my prospects of mobility should the ASP turn out to be > unsatisfactory? How hard is it to change -- particularly given that good loyalty > practice suggests that while the technologies will be standard, the processes > embedded in the ASP will be proprietary so as to make transport difficult. ASPs and ISPs will not be the same organisations (necessarily). So switching your connectivity should not matter. Furthermore, you will probably integrate a number of apps from a number of different online application providers into an online desktop of some kind at your ASP. The ASP from whom you buy your service is almost certainly not the only source of the apps (or even app mix) you wish to use. The critical issue in moving will not be your apps - but your data. It will be essential, for the ASP market to expand considerably, that not only is data security at a sufficiently high level to ease users' fears - but that users will have the ability to access that data and 'withdraw it' (ie shift back it in house or to another ASP). This sounds very similar to bank confidence, without which our banking system collapses - and is (with some added twists). > I believe there is a role for ASPs. However, as is normal with anything new and > excititing, its boosters do the snake oil pitch instead of trying to find the > natural and sensible market for the service. I hope I am doing no such thing as pushing snake oil! But as with all IT, there are people who misrepresent the techology (either from lack of understanding, laziness or in order to push some agenda). Application service provisioning is only really getting started. It has limitations and rough edges and a whole raft of technological, legal and sociological issues to be solved. I expect the technical issues to be solved easily (as is generally the case) - and the legal and sociological ones to be solved with the same speed and level of expertise as has occurred for the Internet - ie not very quickly and not very expertly (or perhaps in the case of some legislation we could name, very quickly and appallingly inexpertly). As a technical IT person who travels a great deal, I very much look forward to the situation where I do not have to lug a laptop around with me if I want secure remote access to my data and applications. I want to be able to access my applications and data securely from any net connected machine anywhere in the world - maybe even from the LCD display on my friend's microwave cooker (in a net connected world). We are not there yet, but we are definitely headed in that direction - and it is user demand for ubiquitous, simple, secure access to their data and applications that will drive us there - eventually, despite idoitic politicans, competing proprietary technologies - and yes even snake oil salesmen! -- Robert Hart hartr@redhat.com Red Hat, Inc (California Office) Phone: +1 650 967 0888 Fax: +1 650 965 7307 From gbayley@ausmac.net Tue Aug 17 01:52:21 1999 From: gbayley@ausmac.net (Grant Bayley) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 11:52:21 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] KROLL-O'GARA INFORMATION SECURITY GROUP ACQUIRES PACKET STORM SECURITY (fwd) Message-ID: (Packet Storm Security was a great resource on the internet for freeware information security software, patches, files etc before being removed from Harvard's computer science department following a letter from John "JP" Vranesevich from "AntiOnline", a site curiously devoted to "putting an end to malicious hackers".) From: jkw To The Supporters of Packet Storm Security: As you may already be aware, there have been numerous rumors on the Net recently regarding the revival of Packet Storm Security through corporate sponsorship. I am pleased to announce that the rumours are indeed true, and that Packet Storm will now be hosted by Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O'Gara. I have carefully considered the direction and future of PSS since it was taken down by Harvard, and have entertained innumerable offers from a wide variety of corporate, non-profit, and private entities to host the site. Kroll-O'Gara has presented me with the most impressive vision and plans for PSS. Not only does Kroll-O'Gara intend to preserve the original ideals and intent of PSS, but they have developed an exciting and definitive roadmap for the logical evolution of the site. Packet Storm Security had reached a stage where it was much more than a full time job for one person. For the last year I have been working a minimum of 60 hours a week to maintain the high quality of the site. In order to sustain my vision of PSS as *the* resource on the Internet for freeware Information Security tools, it became necessary to acquire the resources that only a dedicated corporate sponsor could provide. I have talked at length with Matt Barrie (PSS Program Manager) at Kroll-O'Gara ISG, and I believe that they have grand and noble goals for the future of Packet Storm Security. Unfortunately, I will not be with PSS in the future, however, because I have recently accepted an extremely enticing offer elsewhere in the Information Security industry. I do, nevertheless, give my strongest support to the new maintainers of the site, and I'm excited about what's in store for the future of PSS. To all of my valued friends and supporters of the site: I sincerely hope that you too will continue through your contributions and suggestions to help make Packet Storm what it was! Your support has been and will continue to be invaluable in ensuring that PSS is *the* resource for freeware Information Security tools. Respectfully, Ken Williams Founder Packet Storm Security ********** PRESS RELEASE ********** For more information, contact: Vicky Wu Charles Breed PR Manager VP of Marketing KVO Public Relations Securify, Kroll-O'Gara Company (650) 919-2027 (650) 812-9400 x107 vicky_ku@kvo.com cbreed@securify.com Matt Barrie matt@securify.com packetstorm@securify.com KROLL-O'GARA INFORMATION SECURITY GROUP ACQUIRES PACKET STORM, THE PREMIER WEB SITE FOR INFORMATION SECURITY TOOLS & DATA Packet Storm Security is positioned to be the Internet's largest single source for computer security threat information, tools and patches PALO ALTO, Calif., August, 17, 1999 In response to the growing demand for current and accurate information and tools on computer security, Securify, the Information Security Group of The Kroll-O'Gara Company (Nasdaq: KROG), announced today the acquisition of Packet Storm Security; a website created and maintained by Ken Williams, a renowned computer security expert. Averaging over 400,000 hits per day, generating over 7 gigabytes of traffic, Packet Storm Security is an established resource for many government agencies and major corporations. "Packet Storm Security provides a strong, long term Internet presence for Securify," states Dr. Taher Elgamal, President of Securify. "It is a state of the art resource for our customers and we see it as the nucleus for a number of exciting additional security management services." Packet Storm is one of the largest and most well recognized information security resources on the Internet today. The site consists of over 45,000 security related programs, such as up to date tools, patches, advisories, vulnerabilities. Considering this massive repository of information, Packet Storm Security is the ideal site for finding up-to-date information on the latest threats that face corporate networks and computer systems. This site has been frequented by system administrators, engineers, programmers, from organizations such as AT&T, DoD, NSA, FBI, IBM, Microsoft, GTE, ISS, KPMG, E&Y, InterNIC, Alcatel, NCSC, McAfee, NIST, USAF, Sprint CA, UK Govt., Mitre, Allied Signal, and CitiGroup bank. "Our customers have asked for a single source data point to inform and educate them on the ever increasing number of information security threats," states Jules Kroll, CEO and Chairman of Kroll-O'Gara Inc. "We will be dedicating a significant effort to making this site extremely useful for anyone involved with computer security." Packet Storm Security is in the process of being updated and refined prior to being posted in September at http://www.securify.com/packetstorm # # # About Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O'Gara Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O^Gara is composed of highly regarded industry experts that provide objective information security services to businesses and government agencies. These services include network and system security review and repair, product assessment, the creation and implementation of secure e-commerce sites, architecture and design. They also employ internally developed proprietary software that combines best-of-breed security tools and client information to analyze and assess network security issues as a scientific discipline. Their approach employs standard, well-tested methodology, and treats security as both a business and a technical issue. The Information Security Group is unique in the security field in that it not only provides the assessment and recommendations, but also actual implementation and deployment. For more information, please access their web site at www.securify.com, or contact the company at (650) 812-9400. Contact Vicki Wu of KVO Public Relations at (650) 919-2027. About The Kroll-O'Gara Company The Kroll-O'Gara Company is a leading global provider of a broad range of specialized products and services designed to supply solutions to a variety of security needs. Kroll-O'Gara provides governments, business, and individuals with information, analysis, training, and products to mitigate the growing risks associated with white-collar crimes, fraud, physical attacks, threats of violence, and uninformed decisions based upon incomplete or inaccurate information. The company is organized into four primary business groups: Investigations & Intelligence Group, Security Products & Services Group, Voice and Data Security Group, and the Information Security Group. Based in New York City, New York, and Fairfield, Ohio, Kroll-O'Gara employs more than 2,600 people in 60 offices and plants around the world. For more information, please access the company's web sites at www.securify.com or www.kroll-ogara.com. From Gavin.Longmuir@sge.net Tue Aug 17 01:34:15 1999 From: Gavin.Longmuir@sge.net (Gavin Longmuir) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 11:34:15 +1000 Subject: Do you trust the CA? - was RE: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent In-Reply-To: <37B77143.5C65@ramin.com.au> Message-ID: <001001bee850$9e548700$1f01020a@sge-gavin.staff.sge.net> > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-link@www.anu.edu.au [mailto:owner-link@www.anu.edu.au]On > Behalf Of M. da Cruz > Subject: Re: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent > > Try accessing the http://www.comsec.com.au new and improved site with > Netscape version 3.0 you get presented with > > "Sorry, to access the Comsec site you must be running either > a Netscape > Browser which is version 3.01 or later or a Microsoft > Browser which is > version 3.02 or later with javascript enabled. I haven't looked at the Javascript/JScript differences, but there is little said about CA expiry. That's because the CA's are embedded into the browser (comes pre-configured with trusts) have/will have expired certificates. So the consumer just needs to download a current browser with new CA certificates, and of course we trust them!! Note no .AU CA's in the pre-configured list, even there is a "push" to ensure that Australian Government sites but only be signed by .AU CA's! Not many of them around, and none of them have forked out the cash to MS or AOL/Netscape to be added in their browsers. And also you have to use at least MSIE 5.x (I call it Mossie - for some of it's side effects) allow certificates to work Y2K. Worst part of all this is on the server side of SSL you can only sign with one organisation. Hmm... wish I had some shares in Verisign/RSA! Gavin. -- Gavin Longmuir - Secure Gateway Environment Project Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Australia Voice:+61 2 6271 6486 Mobile:0418 22 1803 FAX:+61 2 6272 3010 mailto:Gavin.Longmuir@sge.net PGP fingerprint: 6E 68 B6 D7 37 46 BA 3C 04 D7 44 B6 EB 15 3D BA From r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au Tue Aug 17 02:21:37 1999 From: r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au (Rachel Polanskis) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 12:21:37 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] computer recycling Message-ID: One of the wheelbarrows I like to push is that one of reminding people about what goes into the pile of glass, metal and plastic that sits on their desks, paid for at great expense and then obsoleted a year or two later. I came across this link on Slashdot which goes a long way towards describing what the problem is, and what is (and isn't) being done to resolve it. http://www.insidedenver.com/business/0816cov1.shtml Very interesting reading and a bit of an eye opener for those of you about to whack that Pentium or Powermac in the dumpster..... rachel Rachel Polanskis University of Western Sydney, Nepean Senior UNIX Admin PO Box 10, Kingswood NSW 2747 Systems && Operations Information Technology Services, Kingswood r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au Phone: +61 (0247) 360 291 From gbayley@ausmac.net Tue Aug 17 01:52:21 1999 From: gbayley@ausmac.net (Grant Bayley) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 11:52:21 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] [Oz-ISP] KROLL-O'GARA INFORMATION SECURITY GROUP ACQUIRES PACKET STORM SECURITY (fwd) Message-ID: (Packet Storm Security was a great resource on the internet for freeware information security software, patches, files etc before being removed from Harvard's computer science department following a letter from John "JP" Vranesevich from "AntiOnline", a site curiously devoted to "putting an end to malicious hackers".) From: jkw To The Supporters of Packet Storm Security: As you may already be aware, there have been numerous rumors on the Net recently regarding the revival of Packet Storm Security through corporate sponsorship. I am pleased to announce that the rumours are indeed true, and that Packet Storm will now be hosted by Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O'Gara. I have carefully considered the direction and future of PSS since it was taken down by Harvard, and have entertained innumerable offers from a wide variety of corporate, non-profit, and private entities to host the site. Kroll-O'Gara has presented me with the most impressive vision and plans for PSS. Not only does Kroll-O'Gara intend to preserve the original ideals and intent of PSS, but they have developed an exciting and definitive roadmap for the logical evolution of the site. Packet Storm Security had reached a stage where it was much more than a full time job for one person. For the last year I have been working a minimum of 60 hours a week to maintain the high quality of the site. In order to sustain my vision of PSS as *the* resource on the Internet for freeware Information Security tools, it became necessary to acquire the resources that only a dedicated corporate sponsor could provide. I have talked at length with Matt Barrie (PSS Program Manager) at Kroll-O'Gara ISG, and I believe that they have grand and noble goals for the future of Packet Storm Security. Unfortunately, I will not be with PSS in the future, however, because I have recently accepted an extremely enticing offer elsewhere in the Information Security industry. I do, nevertheless, give my strongest support to the new maintainers of the site, and I'm excited about what's in store for the future of PSS. To all of my valued friends and supporters of the site: I sincerely hope that you too will continue through your contributions and suggestions to help make Packet Storm what it was! Your support has been and will continue to be invaluable in ensuring that PSS is *the* resource for freeware Information Security tools. Respectfully, Ken Williams Founder Packet Storm Security ********** PRESS RELEASE ********** For more information, contact: Vicky Wu Charles Breed PR Manager VP of Marketing KVO Public Relations Securify, Kroll-O'Gara Company (650) 919-2027 (650) 812-9400 x107 vicky_ku@kvo.com cbreed@securify.com Matt Barrie matt@securify.com packetstorm@securify.com KROLL-O'GARA INFORMATION SECURITY GROUP ACQUIRES PACKET STORM, THE PREMIER WEB SITE FOR INFORMATION SECURITY TOOLS & DATA Packet Storm Security is positioned to be the Internet's largest single source for computer security threat information, tools and patches PALO ALTO, Calif., August, 17, 1999 In response to the growing demand for current and accurate information and tools on computer security, Securify, the Information Security Group of The Kroll-O'Gara Company (Nasdaq: KROG), announced today the acquisition of Packet Storm Security; a website created and maintained by Ken Williams, a renowned computer security expert. Averaging over 400,000 hits per day, generating over 7 gigabytes of traffic, Packet Storm Security is an established resource for many government agencies and major corporations. "Packet Storm Security provides a strong, long term Internet presence for Securify," states Dr. Taher Elgamal, President of Securify. "It is a state of the art resource for our customers and we see it as the nucleus for a number of exciting additional security management services." Packet Storm is one of the largest and most well recognized information security resources on the Internet today. The site consists of over 45,000 security related programs, such as up to date tools, patches, advisories, vulnerabilities. Considering this massive repository of information, Packet Storm Security is the ideal site for finding up-to-date information on the latest threats that face corporate networks and computer systems. This site has been frequented by system administrators, engineers, programmers, from organizations such as AT&T, DoD, NSA, FBI, IBM, Microsoft, GTE, ISS, KPMG, E&Y, InterNIC, Alcatel, NCSC, McAfee, NIST, USAF, Sprint CA, UK Govt., Mitre, Allied Signal, and CitiGroup bank. "Our customers have asked for a single source data point to inform and educate them on the ever increasing number of information security threats," states Jules Kroll, CEO and Chairman of Kroll-O'Gara Inc. "We will be dedicating a significant effort to making this site extremely useful for anyone involved with computer security." Packet Storm Security is in the process of being updated and refined prior to being posted in September at http://www.securify.com/packetstorm # # # About Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O'Gara Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O^Gara is composed of highly regarded industry experts that provide objective information security services to businesses and government agencies. These services include network and system security review and repair, product assessment, the creation and implementation of secure e-commerce sites, architecture and design. They also employ internally developed proprietary software that combines best-of-breed security tools and client information to analyze and assess network security issues as a scientific discipline. Their approach employs standard, well-tested methodology, and treats security as both a business and a technical issue. The Information Security Group is unique in the security field in that it not only provides the assessment and recommendations, but also actual implementation and deployment. For more information, please access their web site at www.securify.com, or contact the company at (650) 812-9400. Contact Vicki Wu of KVO Public Relations at (650) 919-2027. About The Kroll-O'Gara Company The Kroll-O'Gara Company is a leading global provider of a broad range of specialized products and services designed to supply solutions to a variety of security needs. Kroll-O'Gara provides governments, business, and individuals with information, analysis, training, and products to mitigate the growing risks associated with white-collar crimes, fraud, physical attacks, threats of violence, and uninformed decisions based upon incomplete or inaccurate information. The company is organized into four primary business groups: Investigations & Intelligence Group, Security Products & Services Group, Voice and Data Security Group, and the Information Security Group. Based in New York City, New York, and Fairfield, Ohio, Kroll-O'Gara employs more than 2,600 people in 60 offices and plants around the world. For more information, please access the company's web sites at www.securify.com or www.kroll-ogara.com. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. From ggm@dstc.edu.au Tue Aug 17 03:34:36 1999 From: ggm@dstc.edu.au (George Michaelson) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 13:34:36 +1000 Subject: [LINK] computer recycling In-Reply-To: Your message of "Tue, 17 Aug 1999 12:21:37 +1000." Message-ID: <8840.934860876@dstc.edu.au> Cuba is very happy to receive old PC's. My brother helps fill a container every year or so from the UK. cheers -George -- George Michaelson | DSTC Pty Ltd Email: ggm@dstc.edu.au | University of Qld 4072 Phone: +61 7 3365 4310 | Australia Fax: +61 7 3365 4311 | http://www.dstc.edu.au From marghanita@ramin.com.au Tue Aug 17 03:51:48 1999 From: marghanita@ramin.com.au (M. da Cruz) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 13:51:48 +1000 Subject: [LINK] File storage matter of trust References: <9908169347.AA934770450@mail.auscoms.com.au> Message-ID: <37B8DC54.7C38@ramin.com.au> The answers to your questions are not determined by whether the organisation has outsources its IT services or not. If a third party offers a service by way of a software package to run on an inhouse computer or via the Internet, then an organisation needs a risk/cost/benefit analysis of the options - not have a blanket policy. Marghanita richard@auscoms.com.au wrote: > > Some issues that arise in my mind: > > 1) Is it wise to deskill the organisation, particularly in the field which is > > arguably its most important asset into the future? > > 2) Can I integrate one application into another when the app infrastructure > > resides outside my company? > > 3) What are my prospects of mobility should the ASP turn out to be > > unsatisfactory? How hard is it to change -- particularly given that good > loyalty > > practice suggests that while the technologies will be standard, the processes > > embedded in the ASP will be proprietary so as to make transport difficult. -- Marghanita da Cruz, Principal Consultant, Ramin Communications, http://www.ramin.com.au mailto:marghanita@ramin.com.au PO Box 341 Annandale NSW 2038, Tel:(+61)0414-869202. From lannet@lannet.com.au Tue Aug 17 04:05:16 1999 From: lannet@lannet.com.au (Howard Lowndes) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 14:05:16 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] computer recycling In-Reply-To: Message-ID: A very moot point. I haven't yet found an acceptable (to me) method of disposing of dead, never to be recussitated, 'puters. What are the acceptable means folks are using for getting rid of machines that have really expired? Howard. PGP key at http://www.lannet.com.au/pgp_key/hfl_pubk PGP key check: 8AD5 2A4E FDA0 A07A 85F1 7ECF 53E4 E6B8 8EF4 CAEB On Tue, 17 Aug 1999, Rachel Polanskis wrote: > One of the wheelbarrows I like to push is that one of reminding people > about what goes into the pile of glass, metal and plastic that sits on their > desks, paid for at great expense and then obsoleted a year or two later. > > I came across this link on Slashdot which goes a long way towards describing > what the problem is, and what is (and isn't) being done to resolve it. > > http://www.insidedenver.com/business/0816cov1.shtml > > Very interesting reading and a bit of an eye opener for those of you about > to whack that Pentium or Powermac in the dumpster..... > > > rachel > > Rachel Polanskis University of Western Sydney, Nepean > Senior UNIX Admin PO Box 10, Kingswood NSW 2747 > Systems && Operations Information Technology Services, Kingswood > r.polanskis@nepean.uws.edu.au Phone: +61 (0247) 360 291 > From marghanita@ramin.com.au Tue Aug 17 04:57:16 1999 From: marghanita@ramin.com.au (M. da Cruz) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 14:57:16 +1000 Subject: Do you trust the CA? - was RE: [LINK] Netscape's browser share now 25 percent References: <001001bee850$9e548700$1f01020a@sge-gavin.staff.sge.net> Message-ID: <37B8EBAC.321D@ramin.com.au> >From a presentation to Internet World the upgrade to the comsec site, was in response to a perceived need for more tutorial type entry points to the features of the service. There was no mention of improved security nor for that matter the apparent "must have javascript" philosophy. On the subject of Certificates, in the past, I have downloaded new Verisign certificates into my existing browser. So, I am not sure I agree with your point about requiring a new version of a browser to deal with expired certificates. Also, doesn't this indicate the way that the Australian Goverment certificates could be handled? Marghanita >Gavin Wrote: >I haven't looked at the Javascript/JScript differences, but there is little >said about CA expiry. That's because the CA's are embedded into the browser >(comes pre-configured with trusts) have/will have expired certificates. So >the consumer just needs to download a current browser with new CA >certificates, and of course we trust them!! Note no .AU CA's in the >pre-configured list, even there is a "push" to ensure that Australian >Government sites but only be signed by .AU CA's! Not many of them around, >and none of them have forked out the cash to MS or AOL/Netscape to be added >in their browsers. And also you have to use at least MSIE 5.x (I call it >Mossie - for some of it's side effects) allow certificates to work Y2K. >Worst part of all this is on the server side of SSL you can only sign with >one organisation. Hmm... wish I had some shares in Verisign/RSA! -- Marghanita da Cruz, Principal Consultant, Ramin Communications, http://www.ramin.com.au mailto:marghanita@ramin.com.au PO Box 341 Annandale NSW 2038, Tel:(+61)0414-869202. From gbayley@ausmac.net Tue Aug 17 01:52:21 1999 From: gbayley@ausmac.net (Grant Bayley) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 11:52:21 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] [Oz-ISP] KROLL-O'GARA INFORMATION SECURITY GROUP ACQUIRES PACKET STORM SECURITY (fwd) Message-ID: (Packet Storm Security was a great resource on the internet for freeware information security software, patches, files etc before being removed from Harvard's computer science department following a letter from John "JP" Vranesevich from "AntiOnline", a site curiously devoted to "putting an end to malicious hackers".) From: jkw To The Supporters of Packet Storm Security: As you may already be aware, there have been numerous rumors on the Net recently regarding the revival of Packet Storm Security through corporate sponsorship. I am pleased to announce that the rumours are indeed true, and that Packet Storm will now be hosted by Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O'Gara. I have carefully considered the direction and future of PSS since it was taken down by Harvard, and have entertained innumerable offers from a wide variety of corporate, non-profit, and private entities to host the site. Kroll-O'Gara has presented me with the most impressive vision and plans for PSS. Not only does Kroll-O'Gara intend to preserve the original ideals and intent of PSS, but they have developed an exciting and definitive roadmap for the logical evolution of the site. Packet Storm Security had reached a stage where it was much more than a full time job for one person. For the last year I have been working a minimum of 60 hours a week to maintain the high quality of the site. In order to sustain my vision of PSS as *the* resource on the Internet for freeware Information Security tools, it became necessary to acquire the resources that only a dedicated corporate sponsor could provide. I have talked at length with Matt Barrie (PSS Program Manager) at Kroll-O'Gara ISG, and I believe that they have grand and noble goals for the future of Packet Storm Security. Unfortunately, I will not be with PSS in the future, however, because I have recently accepted an extremely enticing offer elsewhere in the Information Security industry. I do, nevertheless, give my strongest support to the new maintainers of the site, and I'm excited about what's in store for the future of PSS. To all of my valued friends and supporters of the site: I sincerely hope that you too will continue through your contributions and suggestions to help make Packet Storm what it was! Your support has been and will continue to be invaluable in ensuring that PSS is *the* resource for freeware Information Security tools. Respectfully, Ken Williams Founder Packet Storm Security ********** PRESS RELEASE ********** For more information, contact: Vicky Wu Charles Breed PR Manager VP of Marketing KVO Public Relations Securify, Kroll-O'Gara Company (650) 919-2027 (650) 812-9400 x107 vicky_ku@kvo.com cbreed@securify.com Matt Barrie matt@securify.com packetstorm@securify.com KROLL-O'GARA INFORMATION SECURITY GROUP ACQUIRES PACKET STORM, THE PREMIER WEB SITE FOR INFORMATION SECURITY TOOLS & DATA Packet Storm Security is positioned to be the Internet's largest single source for computer security threat information, tools and patches PALO ALTO, Calif., August, 17, 1999 In response to the growing demand for current and accurate information and tools on computer security, Securify, the Information Security Group of The Kroll-O'Gara Company (Nasdaq: KROG), announced today the acquisition of Packet Storm Security; a website created and maintained by Ken Williams, a renowned computer security expert. Averaging over 400,000 hits per day, generating over 7 gigabytes of traffic, Packet Storm Security is an established resource for many government agencies and major corporations. "Packet Storm Security provides a strong, long term Internet presence for Securify," states Dr. Taher Elgamal, President of Securify. "It is a state of the art resource for our customers and we see it as the nucleus for a number of exciting additional security management services." Packet Storm is one of the largest and most well recognized information security resources on the Internet today. The site consists of over 45,000 security related programs, such as up to date tools, patches, advisories, vulnerabilities. Considering this massive repository of information, Packet Storm Security is the ideal site for finding up-to-date information on the latest threats that face corporate networks and computer systems. This site has been frequented by system administrators, engineers, programmers, from organizations such as AT&T, DoD, NSA, FBI, IBM, Microsoft, GTE, ISS, KPMG, E&Y, InterNIC, Alcatel, NCSC, McAfee, NIST, USAF, Sprint CA, UK Govt., Mitre, Allied Signal, and CitiGroup bank. "Our customers have asked for a single source data point to inform and educate them on the ever increasing number of information security threats," states Jules Kroll, CEO and Chairman of Kroll-O'Gara Inc. "We will be dedicating a significant effort to making this site extremely useful for anyone involved with computer security." Packet Storm Security is in the process of being updated and refined prior to being posted in September at http://www.securify.com/packetstorm # # # About Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O'Gara Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O^Gara is composed of highly regarded industry experts that provide objective information security services to businesses and government agencies. These services include network and system security review and repair, product assessment, the creation and implementation of secure e-commerce sites, architecture and design. They also employ internally developed proprietary software that combines best-of-breed security tools and client information to analyze and assess network security issues as a scientific discipline. Their approach employs standard, well-tested methodology, and treats security as both a business and a technical issue. The Information Security Group is unique in the security field in that it not only provides the assessment and recommendations, but also actual implementation and deployment. For more information, please access their web site at www.securify.com, or contact the company at (650) 812-9400. Contact Vicki Wu of KVO Public Relations at (650) 919-2027. About The Kroll-O'Gara Company The Kroll-O'Gara Company is a leading global provider of a broad range of specialized products and services designed to supply solutions to a variety of security needs. Kroll-O'Gara provides governments, business, and individuals with information, analysis, training, and products to mitigate the growing risks associated with white-collar crimes, fraud, physical attacks, threats of violence, and uninformed decisions based upon incomplete or inaccurate information. The company is organized into four primary business groups: Investigations & Intelligence Group, Security Products & Services Group, Voice and Data Security Group, and the Information Security Group. Based in New York City, New York, and Fairfield, Ohio, Kroll-O'Gara employs more than 2,600 people in 60 offices and plants around the world. For more information, please access the company's web sites at www.securify.com or www.kroll-ogara.com. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. From h.raiche@acif.org.au Tue Aug 17 06:52:37 1999 From: h.raiche@acif.org.au (Holly Raiche) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 16:52:37 +1000 Subject: [LINK] ACIF Draft Code Calling Number Display Message-ID: <01BEE8CF.C3D58FE0@ACIF-HOLLY> The Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF) invites public comment from industry and consumers on its recently released DR ACIF C522 Calling Number Display Industry Code. The Draft Calling Number Display Industry Code deals specifically with CND (Calling Number Display) and Calling Line Identification (CLI) and refines the more general provisions of Part 13 of the Telecommunications Act 1997. The Draft Code is aimed at all telecommunications providers who offer CND products. It sets the rules that govern how providers inform their customers of their choices for enabling and blocking CND services and how they meet service delivery standards in relation to implementing customer choice. The Australian Communications Industry Forum is an industry initiative established to develop and administer industry technical and operating arrangements that promote the long term interests of end-users and the efficienty and international competitiveness of the Australian communicaitons industry. It is owned and resourced by industry, with a membership encompassing all industry sectors. ACIF welcomes your input. Copies of the Draft Code (DR C522: 1999) can be obtained from ACIF: Telephone: 02 9959 9111 Fascimile: 02 9954 6136 E-mail: acif@acif.org.au website: www.acif.org.au PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD CLOSES AT 5:00 PM FRIDAY 1 OCTOBER 1999 From gbayley@ausmac.net Tue Aug 17 01:52:21 1999 From: gbayley@ausmac.net (Grant Bayley) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 11:52:21 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] [Oz-ISP] KROLL-O'GARA INFORMATION SECURITY GROUP ACQUIRES PACKET STORM SECURITY (fwd) Message-ID: (Packet Storm Security was a great resource on the internet for freeware information security software, patches, files etc before being removed from Harvard's computer science department following a letter from John "JP" Vranesevich from "AntiOnline", a site curiously devoted to "putting an end to malicious hackers".) From: jkw To The Supporters of Packet Storm Security: As you may already be aware, there have been numerous rumors on the Net recently regarding the revival of Packet Storm Security through corporate sponsorship. I am pleased to announce that the rumours are indeed true, and that Packet Storm will now be hosted by Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O'Gara. I have carefully considered the direction and future of PSS since it was taken down by Harvard, and have entertained innumerable offers from a wide variety of corporate, non-profit, and private entities to host the site. Kroll-O'Gara has presented me with the most impressive vision and plans for PSS. Not only does Kroll-O'Gara intend to preserve the original ideals and intent of PSS, but they have developed an exciting and definitive roadmap for the logical evolution of the site. Packet Storm Security had reached a stage where it was much more than a full time job for one person. For the last year I have been working a minimum of 60 hours a week to maintain the high quality of the site. In order to sustain my vision of PSS as *the* resource on the Internet for freeware Information Security tools, it became necessary to acquire the resources that only a dedicated corporate sponsor could provide. I have talked at length with Matt Barrie (PSS Program Manager) at Kroll-O'Gara ISG, and I believe that they have grand and noble goals for the future of Packet Storm Security. Unfortunately, I will not be with PSS in the future, however, because I have recently accepted an extremely enticing offer elsewhere in the Information Security industry. I do, nevertheless, give my strongest support to the new maintainers of the site, and I'm excited about what's in store for the future of PSS. To all of my valued friends and supporters of the site: I sincerely hope that you too will continue through your contributions and suggestions to help make Packet Storm what it was! Your support has been and will continue to be invaluable in ensuring that PSS is *the* resource for freeware Information Security tools. Respectfully, Ken Williams Founder Packet Storm Security ********** PRESS RELEASE ********** For more information, contact: Vicky Wu Charles Breed PR Manager VP of Marketing KVO Public Relations Securify, Kroll-O'Gara Company (650) 919-2027 (650) 812-9400 x107 vicky_ku@kvo.com cbreed@securify.com Matt Barrie matt@securify.com packetstorm@securify.com KROLL-O'GARA INFORMATION SECURITY GROUP ACQUIRES PACKET STORM, THE PREMIER WEB SITE FOR INFORMATION SECURITY TOOLS & DATA Packet Storm Security is positioned to be the Internet's largest single source for computer security threat information, tools and patches PALO ALTO, Calif., August, 17, 1999 In response to the growing demand for current and accurate information and tools on computer security, Securify, the Information Security Group of The Kroll-O'Gara Company (Nasdaq: KROG), announced today the acquisition of Packet Storm Security; a website created and maintained by Ken Williams, a renowned computer security expert. Averaging over 400,000 hits per day, generating over 7 gigabytes of traffic, Packet Storm Security is an established resource for many government agencies and major corporations. "Packet Storm Security provides a strong, long term Internet presence for Securify," states Dr. Taher Elgamal, President of Securify. "It is a state of the art resource for our customers and we see it as the nucleus for a number of exciting additional security management services." Packet Storm is one of the largest and most well recognized information security resources on the Internet today. The site consists of over 45,000 security related programs, such as up to date tools, patches, advisories, vulnerabilities. Considering this massive repository of information, Packet Storm Security is the ideal site for finding up-to-date information on the latest threats that face corporate networks and computer systems. This site has been frequented by system administrators, engineers, programmers, from organizations such as AT&T, DoD, NSA, FBI, IBM, Microsoft, GTE, ISS, KPMG, E&Y, InterNIC, Alcatel, NCSC, McAfee, NIST, USAF, Sprint CA, UK Govt., Mitre, Allied Signal, and CitiGroup bank. "Our customers have asked for a single source data point to inform and educate them on the ever increasing number of information security threats," states Jules Kroll, CEO and Chairman of Kroll-O'Gara Inc. "We will be dedicating a significant effort to making this site extremely useful for anyone involved with computer security." Packet Storm Security is in the process of being updated and refined prior to being posted in September at http://www.securify.com/packetstorm # # # About Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O'Gara Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O^Gara is composed of highly regarded industry experts that provide objective information security services to businesses and government agencies. These services include network and system security review and repair, product assessment, the creation and implementation of secure e-commerce sites, architecture and design. They also employ internally developed proprietary software that combines best-of-breed security tools and client information to analyze and assess network security issues as a scientific discipline. Their approach employs standard, well-tested methodology, and treats security as both a business and a technical issue. The Information Security Group is unique in the security field in that it not only provides the assessment and recommendations, but also actual implementation and deployment. For more information, please access their web site at www.securify.com, or contact the company at (650) 812-9400. Contact Vicki Wu of KVO Public Relations at (650) 919-2027. About The Kroll-O'Gara Company The Kroll-O'Gara Company is a leading global provider of a broad range of specialized products and services designed to supply solutions to a variety of security needs. Kroll-O'Gara provides governments, business, and individuals with information, analysis, training, and products to mitigate the growing risks associated with white-collar crimes, fraud, physical attacks, threats of violence, and uninformed decisions based upon incomplete or inaccurate information. The company is organized into four primary business groups: Investigations & Intelligence Group, Security Products & Services Group, Voice and Data Security Group, and the Information Security Group. Based in New York City, New York, and Fairfield, Ohio, Kroll-O'Gara employs more than 2,600 people in 60 offices and plants around the world. For more information, please access the company's web sites at www.securify.com or www.kroll-ogara.com. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. From billd@lisp.com.au Tue Aug 17 10:04:19 1999 From: billd@lisp.com.au (Bill D'Arcy) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 20:04:19 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] The Lundy Chat Message-ID: Linkers Tonight I tried to take part in the Kate's chat through News Limited's site. Alas, it mounted disdainful alerts to my Netscape v3 browser and swallowed my question. It was to have been: Senator, do you support the introduction of a national information policy, along the lines advocated by ALP president and Monash University Adjunct Professor, Barry Jones? Have you read Barry's recent speech in which he claimed that politicians were suffering from "a failure of nerve"and didn't understand the issue? Will you be urging the party to adopt such a policy at its next national conference? Do you hold out much hope of the party adopting such a policy, given that IT has been lumped with sport and youth affairs at a junior portfolio level? When do you expect Information to a standalone senior shadow ministry? And, in the meantime, are you going to tell Kim to stop making hollow remarks, such as: "Making a secure, prosperous Australia in the coming century demands all of us mastering the new information age." But, no, Rupert's applied a Java gag on me. ---------------------------------------------------- Bill D'Arcy mailto:billd@lisp.com.au "Simplicity is the key to truth." Bloke in the pub From I'm@stephen.hm Tue Aug 17 10:35:59 1999 From: I'm@stephen.hm (stephen loosley) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 20:35:59 +1000 Subject: [LINK] GPS system calender being reset Message-ID: <4.1.19990817202401.009a68a0@popa.melbpc.org.au> Hello all, Just as a break from the 'Packet Storm Security' emails, this may be of interest to link-folk who like to muck around in boats especially with earlier (pre 1994) GPS equipment. -- GPS System All At Sea This Weekend http://it.fairfax.com.au/breaking/19990817/A18814-1999Aug17.html Tuesday 17 August 1999 AAP A PROGRAMMING problem similar to the millennium bug could render global positioning systems useless this weekend. Authorities say the units, which are usually battery-operated and about the same size as a mobile phone, may experience problems from Thursday until next Tuesday when the system calendar is reset. GPS units are used by boating enthusiasts, bushwalkers, the military, surveying companies, airlines and many others to provide precise positions from a ring of 24 satellites orbiting the earth. The GPS network, controlled from a US base in Colorado, began operating on 6 January 1980 and was designed to work over a rolling cycle of 1024 weeks, or about 20 years. The first cycle will end on Saturday at 10am (AEST), at which time the system calendar will roll over to 0000. Authorities say users of older GPS units, especially ones made before 1994, may find their receivers display inaccurate positions and times, or even cease to function altogether. -- Happy trails .. Stephen Loosley www.stephen.hm From gbayley@ausmac.net Tue Aug 17 01:52:21 1999 From: gbayley@ausmac.net (Grant Bayley) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 11:52:21 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] [Oz-ISP] KROLL-O'GARA INFORMATION SECURITY GROUP ACQUIRES PACKET STORM SECURITY (fwd) Message-ID: (Packet Storm Security was a great resource on the internet for freeware information security software, patches, files etc before being removed from Harvard's computer science department following a letter from John "JP" Vranesevich from "AntiOnline", a site curiously devoted to "putting an end to malicious hackers".) From: jkw To The Supporters of Packet Storm Security: As you may already be aware, there have been numerous rumors on the Net recently regarding the revival of Packet Storm Security through corporate sponsorship. I am pleased to announce that the rumours are indeed true, and that Packet Storm will now be hosted by Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O'Gara. I have carefully considered the direction and future of PSS since it was taken down by Harvard, and have entertained innumerable offers from a wide variety of corporate, non-profit, and private entities to host the site. Kroll-O'Gara has presented me with the most impressive vision and plans for PSS. Not only does Kroll-O'Gara intend to preserve the original ideals and intent of PSS, but they have developed an exciting and definitive roadmap for the logical evolution of the site. Packet Storm Security had reached a stage where it was much more than a full time job for one person. For the last year I have been working a minimum of 60 hours a week to maintain the high quality of the site. In order to sustain my vision of PSS as *the* resource on the Internet for freeware Information Security tools, it became necessary to acquire the resources that only a dedicated corporate sponsor could provide. I have talked at length with Matt Barrie (PSS Program Manager) at Kroll-O'Gara ISG, and I believe that they have grand and noble goals for the future of Packet Storm Security. Unfortunately, I will not be with PSS in the future, however, because I have recently accepted an extremely enticing offer elsewhere in the Information Security industry. I do, nevertheless, give my strongest support to the new maintainers of the site, and I'm excited about what's in store for the future of PSS. To all of my valued friends and supporters of the site: I sincerely hope that you too will continue through your contributions and suggestions to help make Packet Storm what it was! Your support has been and will continue to be invaluable in ensuring that PSS is *the* resource for freeware Information Security tools. Respectfully, Ken Williams Founder Packet Storm Security ********** PRESS RELEASE ********** For more information, contact: Vicky Wu Charles Breed PR Manager VP of Marketing KVO Public Relations Securify, Kroll-O'Gara Company (650) 919-2027 (650) 812-9400 x107 vicky_ku@kvo.com cbreed@securify.com Matt Barrie matt@securify.com packetstorm@securify.com KROLL-O'GARA INFORMATION SECURITY GROUP ACQUIRES PACKET STORM, THE PREMIER WEB SITE FOR INFORMATION SECURITY TOOLS & DATA Packet Storm Security is positioned to be the Internet's largest single source for computer security threat information, tools and patches PALO ALTO, Calif., August, 17, 1999 In response to the growing demand for current and accurate information and tools on computer security, Securify, the Information Security Group of The Kroll-O'Gara Company (Nasdaq: KROG), announced today the acquisition of Packet Storm Security; a website created and maintained by Ken Williams, a renowned computer security expert. Averaging over 400,000 hits per day, generating over 7 gigabytes of traffic, Packet Storm Security is an established resource for many government agencies and major corporations. "Packet Storm Security provides a strong, long term Internet presence for Securify," states Dr. Taher Elgamal, President of Securify. "It is a state of the art resource for our customers and we see it as the nucleus for a number of exciting additional security management services." Packet Storm is one of the largest and most well recognized information security resources on the Internet today. The site consists of over 45,000 security related programs, such as up to date tools, patches, advisories, vulnerabilities. Considering this massive repository of information, Packet Storm Security is the ideal site for finding up-to-date information on the latest threats that face corporate networks and computer systems. This site has been frequented by system administrators, engineers, programmers, from organizations such as AT&T, DoD, NSA, FBI, IBM, Microsoft, GTE, ISS, KPMG, E&Y, InterNIC, Alcatel, NCSC, McAfee, NIST, USAF, Sprint CA, UK Govt., Mitre, Allied Signal, and CitiGroup bank. "Our customers have asked for a single source data point to inform and educate them on the ever increasing number of information security threats," states Jules Kroll, CEO and Chairman of Kroll-O'Gara Inc. "We will be dedicating a significant effort to making this site extremely useful for anyone involved with computer security." Packet Storm Security is in the process of being updated and refined prior to being posted in September at http://www.securify.com/packetstorm # # # About Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O'Gara Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O^Gara is composed of highly regarded industry experts that provide objective information security services to businesses and government agencies. These services include network and system security review and repair, product assessment, the creation and implementation of secure e-commerce sites, architecture and design. They also employ internally developed proprietary software that combines best-of-breed security tools and client information to analyze and assess network security issues as a scientific discipline. Their approach employs standard, well-tested methodology, and treats security as both a business and a technical issue. The Information Security Group is unique in the security field in that it not only provides the assessment and recommendations, but also actual implementation and deployment. For more information, please access their web site at www.securify.com, or contact the company at (650) 812-9400. Contact Vicki Wu of KVO Public Relations at (650) 919-2027. About The Kroll-O'Gara Company The Kroll-O'Gara Company is a leading global provider of a broad range of specialized products and services designed to supply solutions to a variety of security needs. Kroll-O'Gara provides governments, business, and individuals with information, analysis, training, and products to mitigate the growing risks associated with white-collar crimes, fraud, physical attacks, threats of violence, and uninformed decisions based upon incomplete or inaccurate information. The company is organized into four primary business groups: Investigations & Intelligence Group, Security Products & Services Group, Voice and Data Security Group, and the Information Security Group. Based in New York City, New York, and Fairfield, Ohio, Kroll-O'Gara employs more than 2,600 people in 60 offices and plants around the world. For more information, please access the company's web sites at www.securify.com or www.kroll-ogara.com. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. From tonyb@dynamite.com.au Tue Aug 17 12:15:42 1999 From: tonyb@dynamite.com.au (Tony Barry) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 22:15:42 +1000 Subject: [LINK] The Lundy Chat In-Reply-To: Message-ID: At 08:04 PM +1000 17/8/99, Bill D'Arcy wrote: >Have you read Barry's recent speech > I just did. I recommend you all do also. Tony - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - phone +61 2 6241 7659 mailto:me@Tony-Barry.emu.id.au http://purl.oclc.org/NET/Tony.Barry From dtebbutt@ozemail.com.au Tue Aug 17 12:57:55 1999 From: dtebbutt@ozemail.com.au (Dan Tebbutt) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 22:57:55 +1000 Subject: [LINK] GPS system calender being reset In-Reply-To: <4.1.19990817202401.009a68a0@popa.melbpc.org.au> Message-ID: At 8:35 PM +1000 17/8/99, stephen loosley wrote: >GPS System All At Sea This Weekend >http://it.fairfax.com.au/breaking/19990817/A18814-1999Aug17.html >Tuesday 17 August 1999 > >AAP A PROGRAMMING problem similar to the millennium bug could render global >positioning systems useless this weekend. great to see AAP picking up on the tech news. wonder where they got the story lead from ... (hint hint: http://technology.news.com.au/news/4255331.htm ) (hint: http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/audio/1999/08/item19990817212233_1.htm ) [snip] >The first cycle will end on Saturday at 10am (AEST), at which time the system >calendar will roll over to 0000. but they got the DAY wrong: the changeover is at 10am SUNDAY AEST (midnight Sat/Sun GMT) all the info you could want at the US Coast Guard site: http://www.navcen.uscg.mil/gps/geninfo/y2k/gpsweek.htm then there is this shocking combination of beat up and misinformation from the ABC and the Dept of Foreign Affairs: http://www.abc.net.au/news/1999/08/item19990817164345_1.htm Government warns of unsafe flying in region for six days Australia has warned against flying on small airlines or planes in the Asia-Pacific for six days from Thursday. Australia's Foreign Affairs Department says global positioning satellite (GPS) equipment could malfunction or fail. GPS navigation is used widely by ships, planes and on the ground throughout the world to accurately plot positions. Foreign Affairs says it would be prudent for Australians not to use small overseas airlines from Thursday to the following Tuesday. Besides the days bearing no relation to anything, if they had bothered to ask Air Services Australia they would know GPS is not qualified as a primary navigation means ... mainly for the reason that the yanks artificially reduce the resolution to prevent enemies using it against them. dant@goshdarn.com ===== Dan Tebbutt, Technology Writer, Melbourne Australia The Australian (http://technology.news.com.au) Ph: +61-3-9292-1370 Fax:+61-3-9292-2803 Email: dtebbutt@ozemail.com.au "The revolution will be televised ... on pay-per-view." From rw@firstpr.com.au Tue Aug 17 13:36:25 1999 From: rw@firstpr.com.au (Robin Whittle) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 23:36:25 +1000 Subject: [LINK] ADMA debacle & the end of my consumer advocacy work References: <01bee85b$f5164d20$0400a8c0@Chris> Message-ID: <37B96559.79FDCC02@firstpr.com.au> (Posted to Link and Internet Commerce Australia lists.) Bringing to an end a battle which begun in early September last year, the ACCC has approved the Australian Direct Marketing Association's code of conduct, which covers direct mail open-slather telemarketing and electronic commerce. The determination, my comments on why this is a complete debacle and all the background material is at: http://www.firstpr.com.au/issues/tm/ While I agree with Chris Connolly that the amended ADMA code which the ACCC approved today is significantly different from what ADMA first proposed, I believe that in all important respects, ADMA got exactly what they wanted: Government approval of a code with minimal consumer protections, not just in their field of direct mail, but also in telemarketing and electronic commerce - two fields in which they have virtually no coverage or expertise. (ADMA still doesn't have a public email address!) I believe the ACCC *has* rolled over. Not as quickly as at first - but in the end they merely tinkered with the details of ADMA's cynical and incompetently drafted "code", and then approved it. The ACCC's own determination contains more than enough reasons why they should have rejected this code outright in respect of telemarketing and e-commerce. If the ACCC had restricted the code to direct mail, with the various improvements regarding compliance, then I would describe this as a major win for consumers. This bad outcome is no reflection on the advocates. I think that collectively we did an *excellent* job of detailing the many failings of ADMA's shabby scheme. The problem lies entirely with the ACCC, which has used some of our input to improve a few details of the code, and then ignored the rest of our fundamental criticisms. This win by the ADMA signals the end of my involvement in consumer advocacy. Since 1992 I have worked very hard, and I believe in terms of communication, submissions and ideas, very "effectively" on a number of campaigns. I am one of a number of highly motivated and similarly "effective" advocates in the privacy, freedom of speech and consumer fields. Perhaps in other campaigns the effectiveness has been translated into results, but in the fields I have worked in the outcomes have all been worst-case. Therefore the effort on these issues has been entirely (or almost entirely) a waste of time: 1 - Telemarketing 2 - Calling Number Display 3 - Internet censorship 4 - Cryptography (to a lesser extent) Today we have a worst-case government response on telemarketing - approval for open-slather telemarketing with no effective opt-out scheme. The Calling Number Display outcome is similarly worst-case. The service is widely promoted without any information about opting out, and most people are unaware their number is being sold. Most people don't even know what a reverse directory is. The Internet censorship situation is worst-case too. The cryptography situation is close to worst-case - but ultimately no government can win a against the need for and free availability of strong cryptography. So the great bulk of my consumer advocacy efforts over the years have produced no tangible result. I am involved in a number of other fields in which my efforts *do* produce tangible results, are very much appreciated and in many cases are paid for as well. That is what I will be concentrating on in the future. I do not wish to discourage other advocates from continuing the good fight, but at this point I have to cut my losses. I hope that Chris and others appeal this decision. On telemarketing, there are many clear reasons why the ACCC's final assesement is at odds with all the evidence. For instance their statement about there being no evidence that consumers are not joining ADMA's opt-out scheme due to privacy concerns is easily proven by showing how few consumers are currently in it (a few thousand perhaps) compared to the 70+% of ~ten million adult consumers who entirely reject telemarketing. For my own sanity, I have to set a limit - and I will not be involved in any further work on this issue, or any other. I can still add things to the web site, and all that material will remain - more than enough ammo to demolish the ACCC's spineless compliance with ADMA in court. There are systematic reasons for these failures in the advocacy issues I happen to have been involved in. I think the most important chain of events is: 1 - An effective majority of people vote for a federal government which is ideologically opposed to consumer protection. Basically, the Liberal party (despite its lofty, formally stated principles) sees the world as being composed of two types of people: a - The stalwart people who run businesses. b - The riff-raff - who should be kept ignorant and powerless in order that they be a source of cheap labour, ready consumers of the products and services of business and to provide a strong tax-base. 2 - Once a government like this is installed, and its priorities filter through to the regulatory agencies, then the rapacious (and sometimes self-destructive) hunting and herding instincts of the marketing people are unconstrained, and consumers are like fish in a barrel. All the most thorough and detailed consumer advocacy will be considered, and then largely ignored. Later, consumers will be said to have been *consulted*." There must be reasons why people vote for such destructive governments. One is that some people are greedy and aspire to an upper-middle-class lifestyle - and they think that a greedy, socially divisive government will help them. A second element is that many people are incapable of discerning between strong, wise, principled leaders and those who are strong only in terms of belligerence, bravado and puffery. (All parties have suffered from leaders driven by ego, rather than principles.) Of course this is a simplification of rich and perplexing reality - but I think that these processes are so powerful and destructive that they should be better recognised. If we had a decent government, then we wouldn't need volunteer consumer advocates. It is a primary responsibility of government to systematically protect citizens from threats (such as hostile foreign powers, telemarketers and terrorists) which the citizens cannot protect themselves from on an individual basis. This is pretty obvious to me - why else would we bother with governments? I argued the case for this exhaustively to the Senate IT Committee, because I thought they had not understood. http://www.firstpr.com.au/issues/#sc-it At some stage, a sufficient proportion of the population will learn or relearn the truth about the priorities of current Federal government (not that all Labor governments are perfect) and there will be a new government. If the alternative government is principled and wise, then the outcome for consumers will improve. The dangers include it being badly led, that it will be too conciliatory to rapacious business demands and that it will seek to claim the "middle-ground" by adopting many policies of its opponents. In the US today, many people get two or more telmarketing calls at home each day. That would drive people slowly, but surely, mad. As telecommunications costs drop, things could get this bad here. I remain optimistic that Australians will not allow this degeneration to occur, but I admit that I have no concrete basis for this optimism. I live in hope that the Labor party will adopt a core election promise of the eradication of telemarketing - and be swept into office! Perhaps it should be the Democrats - some of whose senators have taken a strong interest in privacy in general and Calling Number Display in particular. In the meantime, consumer advocates will be keeping the flame alive - the flame of a principled, caring society - even if every battle ends in defeat. - Robin =============================================================== Robin Whittle rw@firstpr.com.au http://www.firstpr.com.au Heidelberg Heights, Melbourne, Australia First Principles Research and expression: Consulting and technical writing. Music. Internet music marketing. Telecommunications. Consumer advocacy in telecommunications, especially privacy. M-F relationships. Kinetic sculpture. Real World Electronics and software for music including: Interfaces Devil Fish mods for the TB-303, Akai sampler memory and Csound synthesis software. =============================================================== From gbayley@ausmac.net Tue Aug 17 01:52:21 1999 From: gbayley@ausmac.net (Grant Bayley) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 11:52:21 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] [Oz-ISP] KROLL-O'GARA INFORMATION SECURITY GROUP ACQUIRES PACKET STORM SECURITY (fwd) Message-ID: (Packet Storm Security was a great resource on the internet for freeware information security software, patches, files etc before being removed from Harvard's computer science department following a letter from John "JP" Vranesevich from "AntiOnline", a site curiously devoted to "putting an end to malicious hackers".) From: jkw To The Supporters of Packet Storm Security: As you may already be aware, there have been numerous rumors on the Net recently regarding the revival of Packet Storm Security through corporate sponsorship. I am pleased to announce that the rumours are indeed true, and that Packet Storm will now be hosted by Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O'Gara. I have carefully considered the direction and future of PSS since it was taken down by Harvard, and have entertained innumerable offers from a wide variety of corporate, non-profit, and private entities to host the site. Kroll-O'Gara has presented me with the most impressive vision and plans for PSS. Not only does Kroll-O'Gara intend to preserve the original ideals and intent of PSS, but they have developed an exciting and definitive roadmap for the logical evolution of the site. Packet Storm Security had reached a stage where it was much more than a full time job for one person. For the last year I have been working a minimum of 60 hours a week to maintain the high quality of the site. In order to sustain my vision of PSS as *the* resource on the Internet for freeware Information Security tools, it became necessary to acquire the resources that only a dedicated corporate sponsor could provide. I have talked at length with Matt Barrie (PSS Program Manager) at Kroll-O'Gara ISG, and I believe that they have grand and noble goals for the future of Packet Storm Security. Unfortunately, I will not be with PSS in the future, however, because I have recently accepted an extremely enticing offer elsewhere in the Information Security industry. I do, nevertheless, give my strongest support to the new maintainers of the site, and I'm excited about what's in store for the future of PSS. To all of my valued friends and supporters of the site: I sincerely hope that you too will continue through your contributions and suggestions to help make Packet Storm what it was! Your support has been and will continue to be invaluable in ensuring that PSS is *the* resource for freeware Information Security tools. Respectfully, Ken Williams Founder Packet Storm Security ********** PRESS RELEASE ********** For more information, contact: Vicky Wu Charles Breed PR Manager VP of Marketing KVO Public Relations Securify, Kroll-O'Gara Company (650) 919-2027 (650) 812-9400 x107 vicky_ku@kvo.com cbreed@securify.com Matt Barrie matt@securify.com packetstorm@securify.com KROLL-O'GARA INFORMATION SECURITY GROUP ACQUIRES PACKET STORM, THE PREMIER WEB SITE FOR INFORMATION SECURITY TOOLS & DATA Packet Storm Security is positioned to be the Internet's largest single source for computer security threat information, tools and patches PALO ALTO, Calif., August, 17, 1999 In response to the growing demand for current and accurate information and tools on computer security, Securify, the Information Security Group of The Kroll-O'Gara Company (Nasdaq: KROG), announced today the acquisition of Packet Storm Security; a website created and maintained by Ken Williams, a renowned computer security expert. Averaging over 400,000 hits per day, generating over 7 gigabytes of traffic, Packet Storm Security is an established resource for many government agencies and major corporations. "Packet Storm Security provides a strong, long term Internet presence for Securify," states Dr. Taher Elgamal, President of Securify. "It is a state of the art resource for our customers and we see it as the nucleus for a number of exciting additional security management services." Packet Storm is one of the largest and most well recognized information security resources on the Internet today. The site consists of over 45,000 security related programs, such as up to date tools, patches, advisories, vulnerabilities. Considering this massive repository of information, Packet Storm Security is the ideal site for finding up-to-date information on the latest threats that face corporate networks and computer systems. This site has been frequented by system administrators, engineers, programmers, from organizations such as AT&T, DoD, NSA, FBI, IBM, Microsoft, GTE, ISS, KPMG, E&Y, InterNIC, Alcatel, NCSC, McAfee, NIST, USAF, Sprint CA, UK Govt., Mitre, Allied Signal, and CitiGroup bank. "Our customers have asked for a single source data point to inform and educate them on the ever increasing number of information security threats," states Jules Kroll, CEO and Chairman of Kroll-O'Gara Inc. "We will be dedicating a significant effort to making this site extremely useful for anyone involved with computer security." Packet Storm Security is in the process of being updated and refined prior to being posted in September at http://www.securify.com/packetstorm # # # About Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O'Gara Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O^Gara is composed of highly regarded industry experts that provide objective information security services to businesses and government agencies. These services include network and system security review and repair, product assessment, the creation and implementation of secure e-commerce sites, architecture and design. They also employ internally developed proprietary software that combines best-of-breed security tools and client information to analyze and assess network security issues as a scientific discipline. Their approach employs standard, well-tested methodology, and treats security as both a business and a technical issue. The Information Security Group is unique in the security field in that it not only provides the assessment and recommendations, but also actual implementation and deployment. For more information, please access their web site at www.securify.com, or contact the company at (650) 812-9400. Contact Vicki Wu of KVO Public Relations at (650) 919-2027. About The Kroll-O'Gara Company The Kroll-O'Gara Company is a leading global provider of a broad range of specialized products and services designed to supply solutions to a variety of security needs. Kroll-O'Gara provides governments, business, and individuals with information, analysis, training, and products to mitigate the growing risks associated with white-collar crimes, fraud, physical attacks, threats of violence, and uninformed decisions based upon incomplete or inaccurate information. The company is organized into four primary business groups: Investigations & Intelligence Group, Security Products & Services Group, Voice and Data Security Group, and the Information Security Group. Based in New York City, New York, and Fairfield, Ohio, Kroll-O'Gara employs more than 2,600 people in 60 offices and plants around the world. For more information, please access the company's web sites at www.securify.com or www.kroll-ogara.com. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. From gbayley@ausmac.net Tue Aug 17 01:52:21 1999 From: gbayley@ausmac.net (Grant Bayley) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 11:52:21 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] [Oz-ISP] KROLL-O'GARA INFORMATION SECURITY GROUP ACQUIRES PACKET STORM SECURITY (fwd) Message-ID: (Packet Storm Security was a great resource on the internet for freeware information security software, patches, files etc before being removed from Harvard's computer science department following a letter from John "JP" Vranesevich from "AntiOnline", a site curiously devoted to "putting an end to malicious hackers".) From: jkw To The Supporters of Packet Storm Security: As you may already be aware, there have been numerous rumors on the Net recently regarding the revival of Packet Storm Security through corporate sponsorship. I am pleased to announce that the rumours are indeed true, and that Packet Storm will now be hosted by Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O'Gara. I have carefully considered the direction and future of PSS since it was taken down by Harvard, and have entertained innumerable offers from a wide variety of corporate, non-profit, and private entities to host the site. Kroll-O'Gara has presented me with the most impressive vision and plans for PSS. Not only does Kroll-O'Gara intend to preserve the original ideals and intent of PSS, but they have developed an exciting and definitive roadmap for the logical evolution of the site. Packet Storm Security had reached a stage where it was much more than a full time job for one person. For the last year I have been working a minimum of 60 hours a week to maintain the high quality of the site. In order to sustain my vision of PSS as *the* resource on the Internet for freeware Information Security tools, it became necessary to acquire the resources that only a dedicated corporate sponsor could provide. I have talked at length with Matt Barrie (PSS Program Manager) at Kroll-O'Gara ISG, and I believe that they have grand and noble goals for the future of Packet Storm Security. Unfortunately, I will not be with PSS in the future, however, because I have recently accepted an extremely enticing offer elsewhere in the Information Security industry. I do, nevertheless, give my strongest support to the new maintainers of the site, and I'm excited about what's in store for the future of PSS. To all of my valued friends and supporters of the site: I sincerely hope that you too will continue through your contributions and suggestions to help make Packet Storm what it was! Your support has been and will continue to be invaluable in ensuring that PSS is *the* resource for freeware Information Security tools. Respectfully, Ken Williams Founder Packet Storm Security ********** PRESS RELEASE ********** For more information, contact: Vicky Wu Charles Breed PR Manager VP of Marketing KVO Public Relations Securify, Kroll-O'Gara Company (650) 919-2027 (650) 812-9400 x107 vicky_ku@kvo.com cbreed@securify.com Matt Barrie matt@securify.com packetstorm@securify.com KROLL-O'GARA INFORMATION SECURITY GROUP ACQUIRES PACKET STORM, THE PREMIER WEB SITE FOR INFORMATION SECURITY TOOLS & DATA Packet Storm Security is positioned to be the Internet's largest single source for computer security threat information, tools and patches PALO ALTO, Calif., August, 17, 1999 In response to the growing demand for current and accurate information and tools on computer security, Securify, the Information Security Group of The Kroll-O'Gara Company (Nasdaq: KROG), announced today the acquisition of Packet Storm Security; a website created and maintained by Ken Williams, a renowned computer security expert. Averaging over 400,000 hits per day, generating over 7 gigabytes of traffic, Packet Storm Security is an established resource for many government agencies and major corporations. "Packet Storm Security provides a strong, long term Internet presence for Securify," states Dr. Taher Elgamal, President of Securify. "It is a state of the art resource for our customers and we see it as the nucleus for a number of exciting additional security management services." Packet Storm is one of the largest and most well recognized information security resources on the Internet today. The site consists of over 45,000 security related programs, such as up to date tools, patches, advisories, vulnerabilities. Considering this massive repository of information, Packet Storm Security is the ideal site for finding up-to-date information on the latest threats that face corporate networks and computer systems. This site has been frequented by system administrators, engineers, programmers, from organizations such as AT&T, DoD, NSA, FBI, IBM, Microsoft, GTE, ISS, KPMG, E&Y, InterNIC, Alcatel, NCSC, McAfee, NIST, USAF, Sprint CA, UK Govt., Mitre, Allied Signal, and CitiGroup bank. "Our customers have asked for a single source data point to inform and educate them on the ever increasing number of information security threats," states Jules Kroll, CEO and Chairman of Kroll-O'Gara Inc. "We will be dedicating a significant effort to making this site extremely useful for anyone involved with computer security." Packet Storm Security is in the process of being updated and refined prior to being posted in September at http://www.securify.com/packetstorm # # # About Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O'Gara Securify, the Information Security Group of Kroll-O^Gara is composed of highly regarded industry experts that provide objective information security services to businesses and government agencies. These services include network and system security review and repair, product assessment, the creation and implementation of secure e-commerce sites, architecture and design. They also employ internally developed proprietary software that combines best-of-breed security tools and client information to analyze and assess network security issues as a scientific discipline. Their approach employs standard, well-tested methodology, and treats security as both a business and a technical issue. The Information Security Group is unique in the security field in that it not only provides the assessment and recommendations, but also actual implementation and deployment. For more information, please access their web site at www.securify.com, or contact the company at (650) 812-9400. Contact Vicki Wu of KVO Public Relations at (650) 919-2027. About The Kroll-O'Gara Company The Kroll-O'Gara Company is a leading global provider of a broad range of specialized products and services designed to supply solutions to a variety of security needs. Kroll-O'Gara provides governments, business, and individuals with information, analysis, training, and products to mitigate the growing risks associated with white-collar crimes, fraud, physical attacks, threats of violence, and uninformed decisions based upon incomplete or inaccurate information. The company is organized into four primary business groups: Investigations & Intelligence Group, Security Products & Services Group, Voice and Data Security Group, and the Information Security Group. Based in New York City, New York, and Fairfield, Ohio, Kroll-O'Gara employs more than 2,600 people in 60 offices and plants around the world. For more information, please access the company's web sites at www.securify.com or www.kroll-ogara.com. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. ---- Email "unsubscribe aussie-isp" to majordomo@aussie.net to be removed. From jwhit@PrimeNet.Com Tue Aug 17 21:32:52 1999 From: jwhit@PrimeNet.Com (Jan Whitaker) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 07:32:52 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] Outsourcing. Health RFT and Lundy. Message-ID: <199908172132.HAA21684@mars.planet.net.au> At 11:41 16/08/99 GMT, you wrote: >From the Kate Lundy report: > >Unfortunately, the report fails to tackle the concerns of >Australian IT companies, preferring to use the opportunity to >defend the role of multinationals in Australia. > >In what has to be the IT industry policy faux pas of the year to >date, the lead recommendation focuses on attracting >"multinational centres of excellence". What's sad is that we don't know if Australia is one of the 'nationals' in the formula or not. Jan JLWhitaker Associates Melbourne, Victoria, Australia jwhit@primenet.com -- http://www.primenet.com/~jwhit/whitentr.htm From jwhit@PrimeNet.Com Tue Aug 17 21:42:20 1999 From: jwhit@PrimeNet.Com (Jan Whitaker) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 07:42:20 +1000 (EST) Subject: [LINK] IT staff shortage article Message-ID: <199908172142.HAA24255@mars.planet.net.au> [the very last paragraph is really 'cute'] http://theage.com.au/daily/990818/news/news7.html IT experts log off, head off By GARRY BARKER TECHNOLOGY WRITER Australia's quest to become the clever country has hit a new snag. Universities around the country are facing a shortage of staff in their information technology departments due to an exodus of IT specialists to overseas jobs. The universities and other tertiary institutions are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with salaries as high as $250,000 a year offered by American and European IT companies and universities. The IT school at Swinburne University has six vacancies, including one professorship, and is having difficulty filling them, says the head of the school, Professor Doug Grant. Griffith University also recently lost four of its senior people who left to set up their own IT enterprise. Professor Grant said money, opportunity and a desperate worldwide shortage of talent caused by the IT explosion were the factors drawing people away. Adding to universities' difficulties is a lack of PhD students to boost research programs. The dean of engineering and information technology at the Australian National University in Canberra, Professor Darryl Williamson, said: ``The issue is money. Good IT graduates with honors degrees now command starting salaries of at least $65,000 a year. Few continue to higher degrees. This means the source of researchers in universities, and the people to train those coming along behind, has dried up. ``I have heard stories of Australians offered salaries as high as $250,000 to set up research centres in universities in the US. Australia has a high reputation in IT and our people are certainly head-hunted.'' An accurate measure of the present shortfall is all but impossible. Senator Richard Alston, federal Minister for Communications, puts the total shortfall figure for Australia at about 60,000. Morgan and Banks, the country's largest recruitment agency, says it is at least 35,000 and possibly much higher when business needs are included. But the general manager of the Victorian Education Department's professional and leadership development centre and multimedia, Mr Graham Marshall, said IT education efforts in schools should lead to the closure of the gap within one or two years. [laugh/guffaw/falling on floor - excuse me? 1 -2 years??? If Mr. Marshall is a Link member, perhaps he'd like to correct the obviously misquoted representation in this story. No one's maths could be so poor, so it must have been garbled on the interview tape.] JLWhitaker Associates Melbourne, Victoria, Australia jwhit@primenet.com -- http://www.primenet.com/~jwhit/whitentr.htm From tom.worthington@tomw.net.au Tue Aug 17 21:19:17 1999 From: tom.worthington@tomw.net.au (Tom Worthington) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 07:19:17 +1000 Subject: ASPs (Was Re[2]: [LINK] File storage matter of trust) Message-ID: <2.2.32.19990817211917.007401d0@tomw.net.au> At 09:16 17/08/99 +1000, richard@auscoms.com.au wrote: >... But I'd argue that office automation is, in some ways, a poor >example. From the user point of view, I agree that WP etc is so mundane as not >to matter... I would like to see systems built from simple OA modules and then partly automated. I have seen so many fancy automated systems built which were useless because they were inflexible. >... a customer management application environment -- ie, call centre, database and >so on. So HP isn't trying to feed at the bottom: it's going straight for the >highest-value apps. These applications may not do what the organization wants and therefore cripple operations. Perhaps we could have a system based on embedded meta-data which learns what the common tasks are and offers to automate them while the system is in operation. >...the ASP, determines the standards used. If I've deskilled my company, I have no >means to assess whether the ASP is using conservative standards... You could use formal standards, accepted industry practice or hire an expert to tell you what to do. If you are silly enough to believe what the vendor tells you, then you get what you deserve. >... the customer has no way of knowing whether the system is secured well, unless >it had enough skills not to need an ASP in the first place... The customer could ask for formal standards, or some form of industry accreditation or get their own expert to check it. Also they could secure the information themselves, by encrypting it, adding digital signatures and the like. Tom Worthington http://www.tomw.net.au tom.worthington@tomw.net.au PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617 Visiting Fellow, Dept. Computer Science, Australian National University Publications Director & Past President, Australian Computer Society ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Send support to CARE workers in Belgrade: http://www.tomw.net.au/onevoice/ From brd@dynamite.com.au Tue Aug 17 22:41:29 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 08:41:29 +1000 Subject: [LINK] The Lundy Chat References: Message-ID: <37B9E519.929CFE42@dynamite.com.au> Bill D'Arcy wrote: > > Linkers > Tonight I tried to take part in the Kate's chat through News > Limited's site. Alas, it mounted disdainful alerts to my > Netscape v3 browser and swallowed my question. Bill, you can always upgrade and try again next week: SENATOR KATE LUNDY Our chat last night with Senator Kate Lundy had to be postponed due to technical difficulties. The chat has been rescheduled to next Tuesday 24 Aug at 7pm AEST when Senator Lundy will be joining us to chat on the issue of the Government's I.T. outsourcing policy. -- Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From brd@dynamite.com.au Tue Aug 17 22:53:47 1999 From: brd@dynamite.com.au (Bernard Robertson-Dunn) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 08:53:47 +1000 Subject: [LINK] IBM cops NZ court action Message-ID: <37B9E7FB.18DC7E1@dynamite.com.au> I draw two conclusions from this article. 1. Managing large scale IT by contract (4,00 pages, in this case) is dangerous 2. Large and complex government projects are very difficult. Can anyone see any similarities with the Oz Fed Gov outsourcing strategy? <\brd> Fin Review http://www.afr.com.au/content/current/inform/inform1.html 18/8/99 IBM cops NZ court action By Rob Hosking, Wellington IBM is being sued by the New Zealand Government as the result of a bungled $NZ132 million ($108 million) computer project. New Zealand finance minister Bill Birch yesterday confirmed the government will be suing IBM for breach of the 4,000-plus page contract. He would not give a figure as to how much compensation the government is seeking. Some conclusions have already been drawn from INCIS. Treasury papers released earlier this year said it was unlikely the Government would take on such a large and complex project again in one single development. -- A person who knows all the answers, has an opinion on everything, has a certainty backed up by rational argument, has very little possibility of further progress. Such a person is unlikely to walk away from a discussion with anything more than a reaffirmation of how right he or she has been all along. --Edward deBono Regards brd Bernard Robertson-Dunn Canberra Australia brd@dynamite.com.au From richard@auscoms.com.au Tue Aug 17 23:03:38 1999 From: richard@auscoms.com.au (richard@auscoms.com.au) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 99 09:03:38 +1000 Subject: ASPs (Was Re[2]: [LINK] File storage matter of trust) Message-ID: <9908189349.AA934930993@mail.auscoms