Hi all, Sorry about this, but I sent the last domain name news out as today's. So here is the real today's version of the news! Don't forget to check out www.auda.org.au/domain-news/ for an archive of the last three months of the news! And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings. Cheers David Stephen Colbert interviews Jonathan Zittrain on his book The Future of the Internet http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/videos.jhtml?videoId=174083 ICANN IDN TLD Allocation Implementation Processes http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-20aug08-en.htm Govt meddling fears hit .hk domain - http://thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=70535&sid=20270854&con_type=1 Cybersecurity and the Law: Dangerous Cybersilence http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/08/19/cybersecurity-infected-software-tech-security-cx_ag_0819infected.html Cyberwar isn't a grand struggle - it's a scary prospect of pure chaos http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/aug/21/blogging.internet Cyber war or cyber riot? [ABC Radio audio] http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2008/2342237.htm Georgia Cyberwar Overblown [Network World] http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/150021/georgia_cyberwar_overblown.html China limits use of Olympians' names online [AP] http://news.smh.com.au/technology/china-limits-use-of-olympians-names-online-20080820-3yr6.html Addressing the growth of the net http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7572583.stm Study Shows Glacial Pace of IPv6 Adoption [IDG] http://computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;883066691 "Wildcarding, the implications for the .au space" ? Melbourne domain name seminar http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=5688 ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** Stephen Colbert interviews Jonathan Zittrain on his book The Future of the Internet Fresh from being awarded his most recent Peabody award, Stephen Colbert interviews Jonathan Zittrain wants to save the good chaos of the Internet and separate it from the bad chaos that will stomp on everything. http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/videos.jhtml?videoId=174083 Analysis: FCC Comcast Order is Open Invitation to Internet Filtering Using words like "misdirection," "obfuscation," "absurd" and "verbal gymnastics," the Federal Communications Commission released its formal decision Wednesday ordering Comcast to stop throttling BitTorrrent traffic, a practice the carrier has repeatedly denied performing. http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/08/analysis-fcc-co.html FCC Order scolds Comcast for changing story on P2P blocking "Surrender, Comcast!" declares the FCC in its Order on P2P blocking. The agency also calls on the public to stay vigilant on the issue and aligns itself more closely with the net neutrality movement. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080820-fcc-order-scolds-comcast-for-changing-story-on-p2p-blocking.html ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** ICANN IDN TLD Allocation Implementation Processes Following the progress on the IDN TLD allocation processes during the ICANN meeting in Paris a new area has been made available to describe IDN policy development and IDN ccTLD allocation developments under ICANN?s IDN Area. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-20aug08-en.htm Fellows Announced for ICANN's Cairo Meeting ICANN announced the 28 successful fellowship applicants who will be attending ICANN's 33rd International Public Meeting in Cairo this November. Please click on http://www.icann.org/en/fellowships to see the complete list of candidates selected as Cairo fellows. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-19aug08-en.htm Telstra tops Canberra lobbyist list Telstra has emerged as the most active employer of Canberra lobbyists in the IT&T field, although others such as Apple and Google also employ external firms to push their agendas with politicians and government workers. ... Another organisation with an A-list roster of tech firms is Government Relations Australia Advisory, which has worked with ARIA, ICANN, Microsoft, eBay and PayPal. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Telstra-tops-Canberra-lobbyist-list/0,139023166,339291434,00.htm ICANN to Hold Auctions for Disputes ICANN announced this week that it will handle any disagreements over who wins the right to new generic top level domains by auction. http://www.thewhir.com/marketwatch/081908_ICANN_to_Hold_Auctions_for_Disputes.cfm ICANN to settle disputes by auction [sun req'd] The body behind the Internet's addressing systems has said that it will settle disputes over who wins the right to new generic top level domains (gTLDs) by auction. http://www.legalbrief.co.za/article.php?story=200808200827208 ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** Govt meddling fears hit .hk domain - ISPs are concerned a new government-dominated structure to administer the territory's .hk domain name will leave end-users without a say. The proposed revamp of the Hong Kong Internet Registration Company will see its number of directors slashed from 13 to eight. http://thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=70535&sid=20270854&con_type=1 Boosting numbers in .ke domain names Domain names have increasingly become part of our daily lives, but the uptake of the .ke (dot ke) is still lagging behind. http://bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9451&Itemid=5843 ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Cybersecurity and the Law: Dangerous Cybersilence Sometimes no news is worse than bad news. When a company's data is stolen by hackers, affected customers typically receive a disturbing note from the breached firm, warning that they could soon become victims of identity theft. http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/08/19/cybersecurity-infected-software-tech-security-cx_ag_0819infected.html Cyberwar isn't a grand struggle - it's a scary prospect of pure chaos When Russian tanks rolled into Georgia, it brought back memories of Soviet-era military conquest - a reminder of the cold war. But whether by accident or design, the fight for South Ossettia appears to have given us a taste of the future as well, with internet attacks on Georgian computer systems resulting in theories about 21st-century warfare spilling out everywhere. The BBC said the situation represented a "virtual echo of battles being fought on the ground", while Slate.com's Evgeny Morozov even enlisted as a Russian cybersoldier to see what was really happening. But while the past fortnight has seen plenty of conjecture, there's been very little hard evidence about the conflict that's taking place in cyberspace. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/aug/21/blogging.internet Cyber war or cyber riot? [ABC Radio audio] The Georgians maintain they've been the victims of cyber-warfare, but there is division within internet security circles about whether what is happening is in fact 'cyber-warfare', whether the Russian government is actually involved and also how significant the event really is. Jart Armin, a London-based internet security analyst, and Gadi Evron, an Israel-based internet security analyst, are interviewed. http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2008/2342237.htm Georgia Cyberwar Overblown [Network World] Last week Russian tanks rolled into South Ossetia while Russian bombers were taking out critical communications infrastructure. But even before the first tank rolled across the disputed borders, another war was brewing in cyberspace. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/150021/georgia_cyberwar_overblown.html China Netcom DNS cache poisoning Websense Security Labs ThreatSeeker Network has detected that the DNS cache on the default DNS server used by the customers of China Netcom (CNC) has been poisoned. When China Netcom customers mistype and enter an invalid domain name, the poisoned DNS server directs the visitor?s browser to a page that contains malicious code. http://www.mag-securs.com/spip.php?article11280 ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** China's Internet chiefs ban names of the Games China's sport authorities have banned the issuing of Internet domain names based on the country's Olympic gold medal-winning athletes to anyone but the medalists themselves. http://english.people.com.cn/90002/94411/95075/6481206.html http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-08/20/content_6954726.htm http://china.org.cn/olympics/news/2008-08/20/content_16281739.htm http://english.eastday.com/eastday/englishedition/nation/u1a3816302.html China limits use of Olympians' names online [AP] China has banned the use of its Olympic gold medalists' names as Internet addresses by anyone but the athletes themselves. The move announced Tuesday came after companies registered the names of winning Chinese athletes at the 2004 Athens Olympics as Web addresses, prompting an outcry by sports fans. http://www.thestate.com/techwire/story/496042.html http://news.smh.com.au/technology/china-limits-use-of-olympians-names-online-20080820-3yr6.html http://news.theage.com.au/technology/china-limits-use-of-olympians-names-online-20080820-3yr6.html http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/08/20/financial/f003358D01.DTL Max Levchin?s Slide Loses Domain Name Challenge PayPal co-founder Max Levchin and his internet widget company Slide have lost a UDRP decision to obtain the domain SlideTV.com and 127 other associated domain names. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/08/19/max-levchins-slide-loses-domain-name-challenge/ ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** Addressing the growth of the net Regular commentator Bill Thompson sees no reason to worry about the future of the internet: ... But it's even better if you can focus on aspects of the network's core architecture that few users ever notice, like the unique numerical addresses assigned to every internet-connected device and the complex mechanisms used to move information between those devices. And if you've got an authoritative report from an international body calling for something to be done then you're on to a winner. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7572583.stm Study Shows Glacial Pace of IPv6 Adoption [IDG] A study this week has revealed just how slow is the rate of adoption for IPv6, the next version of the Internet's main communications protocol, and some experts say black markets where companies trade unused IP addresses may be only a few years away. http://www.pcworld.com/article/150013/2008/08/.html http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/081908-study-shows-glacial-pace-of.html http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/08/19/Study_shows_glacial_pace_of_IPv6_adoption_1.html http://computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;883066691 http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9112976 Lots of Foot Dragging on IPv6 The IPv4 address space is near exhaustion, yet a new report claims that traffic on the modernized IPv6 protocol is slow and migration to the newer address spaces is sluggish. In a year-long study of 2,393 peering and backbone routers conducted by Arbor Networks, the majority of respondents (customer and peering interfaces) said IPv6 traffic is a small percentage of overall traffic. http://www.opticallynetworked.com/news/article.php/3766321 ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** "Wildcarding, the implications for the .au space" ? Melbourne domain name seminar A seminar and cocktail party sponsored by Melbourne law firm Cooper Mills Lawyers to discuss the .au domain name space, wildcarding and the implications for .au with special guest Ehud Gavron will be held on Tuesday September 2. http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=5688 http://www.domainpulse.com/2008/08/20/wildcarding-implications-au-space-melbourne-seminar/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/wildcarding-the-implications-for-the-.au-space-melbourne-domain-name-seminar.html Melbourne IT Seeks to Diversify to Ensure Future The internet is meant to be a safe harbour from recession. But no harbour is completely safe - otherwise it would be a lake - so domain registrar Melbourne IT is deepening its earnings streams through cyber diversification. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24208902-30538,00.html Melbourne IT warns of slowing economic growth Slowing economic growth and a tight skills market will make it a challenging year for the IT industry, according to Melbourne IT?s chief. http://www.arnnet.com.au/index.php/id;975653726 Melbourne IT spends up on systems Domain name and hosting specialist Melbourne IT today unveiled plans to embark on a year-long major technology refresh project, targeting everything from its accounting, billing and provisioning systems to its storage network and data centre. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Melbourne-IT-spends-up-on-systems/0,130061791,339291367,00.htm Melbourne IT on track for profit growth [AAP] Domain name manager and online services provider Melbourne IT Ltd says it is on track to deliver a sixth consecutive year of growth in revenue and profit after booking a 20 per cent lift in half year profit. http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=507449 VeriSign adds SSLs for internationalised domain names [sub req'd] http://telecom.paper.nl/news/article.aspx?id=226636 ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Sedo Sells JTR.com for $90,000 Three character domain name leads sales chart for Sedo this week. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/08/19/sedo-sells-jtrcom-for-90000/ Domain parking is dead Why parking domains is dead and what you can do to join the web revolution. http://domaininformer.com/guides/General_Information/articles/080819domainparkingis.html Search Engine Strategies Domain Live Auction We are live blogging the Domain Auction at the Search Engine Strategies conference in San Jose. Please note that these are not the official results and while we do our best to provide correct results, there may make an occasional mistake. See the live results after the jump. http://www.domainnamenews.com/domain-auction/search-engine-strategies-domain-live-auction/2014 ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Tech giants near agreement on human rights code Some of the biggest technology and internet companies in the world have agreed a set of standards to protect human rights online that they hope the whole IT industry will adopt. The move could affect companies' privacy policies worldwide. http://out-law.com/page-9362 EBay changes aim for fewer critics and more sellers EBay will unveil sweeping changes today to encourage more fixed-price sellers as part of a wider attempt to transform the business from global car boot sale to worldwide shopping mall. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/aug/20/ebay.efinance EBay Is Planning to Emphasize Fixed-Price Sales Format Over Its Auction Model Acknowledging that most online shoppers cannot be bothered with auctions, eBay plans Wednesday to announce changes to its fee structure that emphasize fixed prices over bidding. The move is intended to help eBay compete more effectively with Amazon .com and other big online retailers. http://nytimes.com/2008/08/20/technology/20ebay.html http://iht.com/articles/2008/08/20/technology/20ebay.php Some eBay sellers frustrated with rule changes [AP] Some people who sell things on eBay are fed up with new rules the company has been imposing in hopes of making the auction site more attractive to online shoppers. Now even more changes are coming in the next few weeks, but this time eBay Inc. hopes it can cool tempers. http://news.smh.com.au/technology/some-ebay-sellers-frustrated-with-rule-changes-20080212-1rp9.html http://news.theage.com.au/technology/some-ebay-sellers-frustrated-with-rule-changes-20080212-1rp9.html eBay paves the way for the end of the auction EBay confirmed today sweeping changes to the way it runs the business paving the way to replace its auction model with more fixed-price sales to take on Amazon. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article4573766.ece EBay moves further from auction roots with pricing, payment changes Ebay Inc. today announced that it is cutting the cost to list an item in its fixed-price format by more than 70%, a move the online auctioneer said provides sellers its most competitive price list yet. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9113078 Few lives left for Second Life-Companies abandon virtual world The companies that rushed to set up bases within the cult virtual world of Second Life appear to have wasted their time as many have shut down and others are "ghost towns", an Australian researcher has found. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/08/20/1218911810203.html http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/08/20/1218911810203.html Virtual Worlds Get Real About Punishment Virtual worlds have often been called the digital equivalent of the Wild West, where animated alter egos can live in a fantasy frontier. But in some of these universes, a sheriff has come to town. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/19/AR2008081902706.html Convicts log on as US updates jail-mail system [AP] When Melvin Garcia was sent to prison almost a decade ago for racketeering, he had never used a computer. Now he sends 50 emails a month from a federal prison in West Virginia, punctuating notes with emoticons. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10528066 ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Greenpeace Raises Alarm Over Rising E-Waste in Africa As e-waste continue to pose health problem to the international communities, especially the third world countries, Greenpeace has called on the world's electronics companies to eliminate hazardous chemicals from their products, saying toxic waste from wealthy nations' gadgets ends up being dumped in poor countries despite laws prohibiting it. http://vanguardngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14706 http://allafrica.com/stories/200808200424.html Poisoning the poor ? Electronic Waste in Ghana [news release] The latest place where we have discovered high tech toxic trash causing horrendous pollution is in Ghana. Our analysis of samples taken from two electronic waste (e-waste) scrap yards in Ghana has revealed severe contamination with hazardous chemicals. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/poisoning-the-poor-electroni Intel Moves to Free Gadgets of Their Recharging Cords Intel has made progress in a technology that could lead to the wireless recharging of gadgets and the end of the power-cord spaghetti behind electronic devices. http://nytimes.com/2008/08/21/technology/21intel.html ********************** SPAM ********************** Has Beijing led to a crop of anything other than medals? Yes: malware, spam and general internet crap. Possibly the most annoying is the rise in spam bearing subject lines such as "Beijing Olympics cancelled". http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/aug/21/spam.email.internet Sex and software diet fuels spam growth The ?inconvenient truth?, according to Bradley Anstis, vice president of products at Marshal, which carried out the research, is that despite complaints about spam volumes, it?s clearly a profitable enterprise for spammers and popular with many people. http://cbronline.com/article_news.asp?guid=781A882F-926F-47F0-B96F-962F5EFAF5E4 Spam sales surge-Almost 30 per cent of internet users admit to buying goods from spam emails About 30 per cent of internet users have bought goods advertised in spam emails, research from internet security vendor Marshal has found. http://www.channelweb.co.uk/crn/news/2224273/spam-sales-surge Sex, drugs and software lead spam purchase growth In further news of interest to security resellers, 29 per cent of internet users have purchased goods from spam emails, according to new research by Internet security company Marshal. The most commonly purchased items include sexual enhancement pills, software, adult material and luxury items such as watches, jewellery and clothing. http://channelbusiness.com/channel-news/sex-drugs-and-software-lead-spam-purchase-growth ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Nelson Mandela's name hijacked in internet fraud In a statement on Wednesday night, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said it wanted to warn the public about the scheme, which appears to be a variation on the "advance fee" or "419" frauds which originated in Nigeria. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nigeria/2592034/Nelson-Mandelas-name-hijacked-in-internet-fraud.html Cyberwar isn't a grand struggle - it's a scary prospect of pure chaos When Russian tanks rolled into Georgia, it brought back memories of Soviet-era military conquest - a reminder of the cold war. But whether by accident or design, the fight for South Ossettia appears to have given us a taste of the future as well, with internet attacks on Georgian computer systems resulting in theories about 21st-century warfare spilling out everywhere. The BBC said the situation represented a "virtual echo of battles being fought on the ground", while Slate.com's Evgeny Morozov even enlisted as a Russian cybersoldier to see what was really happening. But while the past fortnight has seen plenty of conjecture, there's been very little hard evidence about the conflict that's taking place in cyberspace. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/aug/21/blogging.internet Cyber war or cyber riot? [ABC Radio audio] The Georgians maintain they've been the victims of cyber-warfare, but there is division within internet security circles about whether what is happening is in fact 'cyber-warfare', whether the Russian government is actually involved and also how significant the event really is. Jart Armin, a London-based internet security analyst, and Gadi Evron, an Israel-based internet security analyst, are interviewed. http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2008/2342237.htm Georgia Cyberwar Overblown [Network World] Last week Russian tanks rolled into South Ossetia while Russian bombers were taking out critical communications infrastructure. But even before the first tank rolled across the disputed borders, another war was brewing in cyberspace. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/150021/georgia_cyberwar_overblown.html Cybersecurity and the Law: Dangerous Cybersilence Sometimes no news is worse than bad news. When a company's data is stolen by hackers, affected customers typically receive a disturbing note from the breached firm, warning that they could soon become victims of identity theft. http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/08/19/cybersecurity-infected-software-tech-security-cx_ag_0819infected.html Computer games industry threat to downloaders: 'pay up or we'll sue' The computer games industry has launched an unprecedented assault on illegal downloads, demanding payment from thousands of families who obtained the latest releases over the internet without paying. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/gadgets_and_gaming/article4569180.ece Computer games developers to target filesharers Five of the world's top computer games developers are hoping to serve notice on the users, many of them families, with each one required to pay ?300 immediately to settle or risk being taken to court. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2587924/Computer-games-developers-to-target-filesharers.html uk: Computer game pirate to pay US firm ?16,000 A British woman has been ordered to pay more than ?16,000 to an American computer games company after illegally sharing its files over the internet. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/aug/19/piracy.games Scammers defraud Aussies of $36m a year: police Australians lose at least $36 million a year to so-called Nigerian scammers who continue to fleece naive internet users because victims fail to report incidents. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/08/20/1218911772460.html http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/08/20/1218911772460.html Web scammers keep fleecing Aussies Australians lose at least A$36 million (NZ$44.6 million) a year to so-called Nigerian scammers via the internet. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10528220 ************************** PRIVACY ************************** No such thing as privacy: top Australian judge People's willingness to talk loudly on mobile phones and reveal personal information about themselves online indicates that the privacy laws may require a rethink, says the country's top judge, Murray Gleeson. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/08/20/1219262357987.html http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/08/20/1219262357987.html Internet Providers' New Tool Raises Deep Privacy Concerns ... Peering inside the digital packets of data zipping across the Internet -- in real time, for tens of thousands of users at once -- was commercially impractical until recently. But the ceaseless march of processing power has made it feasible. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/20/AR2008082003259.html Germans urge tougher laws after new privacy scandal German politicians called for tougher privacy laws on Tuesday after officials revealed personal and financial information on millions of Germans was readily available for cash on the Internet. http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSLJ8331920080819 Sale of bank data alarms Germany Data protection officials in Germany have called for privacy laws to be tightened amid a scandal over illegal sales of personal data. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7572774.stm ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** 'Rampant piracy' of Olympics footage must be stopped, says IOC [AP] The International Olympic Committee asked Sweden to help stop file-sharing website The Pirate Bay from spreading illegal downloads of ceremonies at the Beijing Games, government officials said. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10528075 Thousands of UK file-sharers face legal action Thousands of people suspected of sharing music, films and games over the Internet will be pursued through the courts for damages, lawyers for entertainment companies said on Wednesday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKLK9620920080820 Comcast to Slow Web Service at Times to Its Heaviest Users The Comcast Corporation plans to slow service to its heaviest Internet users during periods of congestion after regulators ordered the company to devise a new method for managing its Web traffic. http://nytimes.com/2008/08/21/technology/21comcast.html FCC Orders Comcast to Stop Blocking Some Large Files Comcast is testing new technologies that would slow the transmission of Internet files for its biggest users by as much as 20 minutes during times of heavy network congestion. But the nation's largest cable provider has promised not to target specific content, such as video files that compete with its cable television business. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/20/AR2008082003321.html ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** iTunes blocked in China after protest stunt Access to Apple's online iTunes Store has been blocked in China after it emerged that Olympic athletes have been downloading and possibly listening to a pro-Tibetan music album in a subtle act of protest against China's rule over the province. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/08/20/1218911831534.html http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/08/20/1218911831534.html ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ Global reach of paedophile mastermind Philip Thompson A global investigation into internet child abuse has led to 50 arrests in Britain with dozens more expected, police said yesterday. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4561092.ece Disney Dialing Up Kids Again Two years after its mobile ventures failed, Disney launches new effort to connect with young cell phone users. http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/08/20/disney-mobile-services-tech-wire-cx_ew_0820disney.html ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** The European Broadband Portal The European Broadband Portal (EBP) is a follow up action of the European Commission resulting from the Bridging the Broadband Gap Conference (14-15 May 2007, Brussels) which concluded that there was a need to support public authorities in areas under-served by broadband to improve supply and conditions of supply. The project seeks to create a coherent on-line community of relevant stakeholders, providing them with the tools for effective sharing of experiences and good practices and a participatory environment for seeking common and shared solutions. http://www.broadband-europe.eu/ au: RBA goes after eBay, PayPal The Reserve Bank has issued a stern warning to online auction giant eBay Australia, urging it to stop forcing PayPal onto its sellers. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24212649-15306,00.html Reserve Bank tackles PayPal The Reserve Bank of Australia today said it would shortly hold meetings with eBay subsidiary PayPal over the online auction giant's attempt to force sellers to offer PayPal as a payment option. http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Reserve-Bank-tackles-PayPal/0,139023166,339291389,00.htm Reserve Bank weighs in on eBay?s PayPal push The Reserve Bank of Australia?s Payment Systems Board is entering discussions with PayPal and its owner eBay to encourage the payment provider to voluntarily remove the no-surchage and no-steering rules that have come under fire by the ACCC for being anti-competitive. http://computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;537738192 ********************************* COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS ********************************* Palm, Once a Leader, Seeks Path in Smartphone Jungle ... In 1997 the former Hewlett-Packard engineer was asked by Apple's founder, Steven P. Jobs, to lead the hardware engineering division at the company, which was then struggling. ... Those experiences should serve him well as he seeks to resuscitate Palm, whose roots in Silicon Valley go back to the PalmPilot, the revolutionary handheld computer, and the Treo, which turned heads as one of the first smartphones. http://nytimes.com/2008/08/20/technology/20palm.html http://iht.com/articles/2008/08/20/technology/20palm.php What is going to be new in Microsoft's Windows 7? We don't know: it's a secret. However, Microsoft has finally started to talk about its next operating system via a new blog called Engineering Windows 7. This is being written by the top two people on the project, senior vice-presidents Steve Sinofsky and Jon DeVaan. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/aug/21/microsoft.windows ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Google, other tech giants start battle with broadcasters Using YouTube videos and old-fashioned lobbying, Google launched a campaign Monday to mobilize public support for opening up unused portions of the TV spectrum for unlicensed Internet devices and expanded broadband access. http://www.siliconvalley.com/news/ci_10238656 ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** US 'white space' spectrum debate to get hotter Over the next few weeks, the Federal Communications Commission is expected to make a decision that could completely change the mobile-broadband landscape in the United States for years to come. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/082008-white-space-spectrum-debate.html Push to sell TV spectrum for mobiles in Australia Suppliers of Australia's mobile phone handsets are urging the federal Government to accelerate the sale of TV spectrum for mobile phones after huge demand crashed some of Telstra's 3G-based mobile videos during the Olympics. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24217013-5013041,00.html ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN ********************************** uk: Paedophile who had 241,000 child porn images is jailed indefinitely A paedophile who acted as a "librarian" for a global internet child abuse ring was handed an indefinite jail term yesterday after one of the biggest undercover police investigations into online child abuse. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/aug/19/childprotection Six men facing child pornography charges Two men from Western Australia are among six men facing Australian courts for allegedly downloading child abuse images on a worldwide child pornography network. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/08/19/2339693.htm +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2008 --------- David Goldstein address: 4/3 Abbott Street COOGEE NSW 2034 AUSTRALIA email: Goldstein_David §yahoo.com.au phone: +61 418 228 605 (mobile); +61 2 9665 5773 (home) "Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim Flannery Win a MacBook Air or iPod touch with Yahoo!7. http://au.docs.yahoo.com/homepagesetReceived on Thu Aug 21 2008 - 01:38:44 UTC
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