e-Clippings 8.1.01

"Truth is not matching. It is neither a label nor a mental
reflection. It is something we make in the encounter with the world
that is making us. We make sense not in cognition, but in replay.
That is my definition of intellection, if not, indeed, scholarship.
Representation not replica."
-Marshall McLuhan, The Global Village, 1986
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Cool Site(s):
Distributed Computing: I am fairly certain I have mentioned both of
these sites before but I wanted to refresh your memory of them and
point out some amazing numbers. "SETI @Home" uses idle time
on your computer to process data from the radio telescope at Arecibo,
Puerto Rico sorting through the noise and looking for signs of
extraterrestrial life. Even if you think we are all alone, this is a
massive display of distributed computing, i.e. linking together
normal PCs to perform huge tasks.
United Devices operates in the same way as SET@Home but for a much
more earth-bound purpose, finding proteins which can fight cancer. As
the SETI program is parsing through data on radio noise, the UD
program is using spare time on your computer to analyze proteins that
are considered likely to have potential as cancer fighting agents.
This is a fairly new program but look at the numbers, it has already
gathered over 33 thousand YEARS of computing time!
Finally, I consider both to be worthwhile and they both make neato
keen screensavers.

SETI @ Home
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
Users: 3,178,408
Total CPU Time: 681998.755 years
SETI BEGINS TO LOOK FOR OPTICAL BEACONS FROM ALIEN WORLDS
Instead of listening for extraterrestrial intelligence, scientists
are now looking for it. A group of California astronomers has
designed special equipment to search out powerful light pulses
reaching Earth from other star systems.
http://sciam.rgc2.com/servlet/cc?lJpDUWEhLosLkmFHKsgLmDhknE0EAZ

www.ud.com
United Devices
Members: 511,046
Devices: 830,735
Total CPU Time: 33,151:122:21:10:28 (y:d:h:m:s)
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NEWS

Lessons e-Learned
We have the technology to reinvent teaching, says MIT's distance-
learning guru, but do we have the will?
http://www.techreview.com/web/leo/leo073101.asp
Future Forward: The New England Technology Summit
Join technology movers-and-shakers from around New England for demos
of hot new technologies, conversations about setting IT strategy, and
analyses of the issues that will shake up the technology world next
year, and beyond. It's also a great opportunity to network and do
business with other technology entrepreneurs, executives, and
investors from around New England. Speakers include Dean Kamen,
president of DEKA Research; Craig Benson, co-founder of Cabletron
Systems; Steve Randich, chief technology officer of the Nasdaq Stock
Market; and Helen Greiner, president of iRobot. Date: October 25-27,
2001 Place: Woodstock Inn & Resort, Woodstock, Vermont
www.futureforward.com

CIO: Quick Poll Report: CIOS SHY AWAY FROM E-LEARNING
E-learning may be a good idea, but it is not good enough to withstand
more pressing priorities for CIOs in these tight economic times.
Slightly more than 83 percent of respondents to a Quick Poll on
CIO.com say they do not have an e-learning initiative underway,
though many still recognize its potential.
http://www.cio.com/poll/073101.html

Audible.com: WHO IS THE "ON-LINE LEARNER"?
What type of person chooses to pursue a degree on-line rather than in
a traditional classroom? And are they confident their on-line degree
will be worth anything in the marketplace? Hear this MarketplaceTech
report on how high tech is changing education. [Note: Real
Media/Media Player Format]
http://asx.e-media.com/audible/2001/06/061201_marketplacetech_0016.asx

Fastrak-CONSULTING: LEARNING SWAP SHOP
Peer-to-peer technology, in the form of systems such as Napster,
created a popular revolution that just for while threatened the smug
complacency of the media industry and spawned talk of the
next 'Internet revolution'. With Napster on the retreat in the face
of a barrage of lawsuits, the P2P bandwagon may be grinding to a
halt, but the potential for positive application of the power of peer-
to-peer communication over networks is still alluring, not least to
the e-learning industry.
http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/features/swapshop.htm

CNET: SCHOOL'S OUT FOR VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY
Harcourt Higher Education, which launched a much-ballyhooed online
college in Massachusetts last year, is closing the school's virtual
doors this fall without a single mortarboard tossed in the air.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-6721108.html?tag=mn_hd

Sylvan Learning Systems will mobilize its adult e-learning
concerns into a new division, the firm announced Tuesday. The firm
said the new division will supervise four adult and higher-education
online programs. The four programs are Canter & Associates, Walden
University, Sylvan Teachers Institute, and OnlineLearning.net. The
success of Canter & Associates, which provides graduate training to
35,000 teachers annually, prompted Sylvan to combine the adult e-
learning units, says Sylvan vice president Steve Drake. "The
structure they're creating makes perfect sense--it's not something
that's going to change the company. It clearly implies that Sylvan is
focused on this higher-education business as another avenue of growth
for the company," says Peter Appert of Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11693-2001Jul17.html

AFTER YEARS OF STRUGGLE, WGU LIVES ON
The architects of Western Governors University (WGU) had lofty goals
for the university. WGU was to harness online technologies to provide
a top-of-the-line education for all, says Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt.
After spending five years and $19 million on the undertaking, Leavitt
and other Western governors say the reality falls short of the dream.
Only 500 students are currently enrolled, and so far only two
diplomas have been awarded. WGU's focus has also narrowed: most
students are IT workers or teachers pursuing master's degrees. About
85 percent of WGU's students work full time, and the average student
age is 40. Although the school has been granted "candidacy
status," it still awaits formal accreditation.
http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/print/1,1442,295010792,00.html

BizJournals: ONLINE LEARNING HAS ITS LIMITS, CONSULTANT SAYS
"I still think that instructor-led training will be around for a
while, just because we're people creatures. I think it'd be a shame
if we just relied on our computers for training without having
personal interaction."
http://seattle.bcentral.com/seattle/stories/2001/07/23/focus5.html

TRENDS SECTION

WHO'S YOUR WEB DADDY?
Think the Net is a bastion of freedom that can't be controlled? Think
again. Already, its power base has narrowed to just three companies,
and MS owns a big chunk of the Web.
http://www.backwire.com/go.asp?cid=63488&nhid=3359&uid=8954

CNET: COMMENTARY: READING ONLINE LIBRARIES
Gartner believes that success in distributing to students content
normally published by university and academic publishers--and the
large-scale penetration of the e-learner market--requires a formal,
contractual relationship with libraries. Selling pages at 25 cents to
individuals and without contracted membership fees does not seem a
good way to ensure long-term business viability.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-201-6674332-0.html?tag=lh

THE BEGINNING OF THE END
See you later, PC monitor. Hitachi announces it will stop making
cathode ray tubes at the end of this year. It plans to focus solely
on LCD's. Can others be far behind?
http://www.backwire.com/go.asp?cid=63304&nhid=3355&uid=8954

It's time to give an old technology a second look for the processing
power, file sharing and collaboration capabilities it can provide.
DocFinder: 5327
http://www.nwfusion.com/research/2001/0730feat.html

EMERGING TECH SECTION

'RICH' SAYS HELLO: AT&T RELEASES VOICE SOFTWARE
AT&T unveiled new voice software, calling it "the most human-sounding
computer-speech system in the world." The product is the first
launched by AT&T Labs, and its ability to recreate any voice
indicates intriguing possibilities for commercial applications
http://click.idg.email-publisher.com/maaacOzaaQcCsa9nkbob/

XYBERNAUT BEGINS SHIPPING WEARABLE COMPUTER
Wearable computer innovator Xybernaut began shipping its Mobile
Assistant V, company officials said. The MA-V is the first upgrade to
Xybernaut's revolutionary MA-4TC wearable computer system.
http://click.idg.email-publisher.com/maaacOzaaQcCta9nkbob/

Tracking Bloggers With Blogdex (Culture 2:00 a.m. PDT)
MIT's Media Lab just rolled out Blogdex, which tracks the most
popular links across thousands of weblogs. The plan is to help the
media get a handle on the explosion of personal news. By Leander
Kahney.
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,45546,00.html?tw=wn20010730

from: Davenetics
TAKE OUT THE PAPERS AND THE TRASH (AND THE PHONE) ---
There are two competing ideas about how we will use cell phones in
the future. In one hand, you have the companies that are stuffing
phones full of calendars and software and everything you need to be
able to carry your life in your pocket. In the other hand are phones
that are good for a few hours and then you toss them in the garbage.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1004-200-6721403.html

PART OF GLASS: In as little as two years, your handheld--or even your
whole PC--could be one single glass panel. Talk about marketing
success...I already want one, without even seeing it.
http://www.backwire.com/go.asp?cid=63312&nhid=3355&uid=8954

Expo Focus on Securing E-Books (Culture 2:00 a.m. PDT)
The arrest of a Russian hacker who figured out how to crack Adobe
Acrobat files makes this week's BookTech West conference timely
indeed. Kendra Mayfield reports from San Francisco.
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,45635,00.html?tw=wn20010731

SECURITY SECTION

SYMANTEC STOPS WORMS AT THE SOURCE
Symantec Web Security combines antivirus software with a filter to
stop viruses before they attack.
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,56084,tk,dn072501X,00.asp

HACKERS GET HIGH
According to The Honeynet Project, hacking is now at an all-time
high. It says high-profile organizations should be very, very
worried...and wary.
http://www.backwire.com/go.asp?cid=63487&nhid=3359&uid=8954

HUMOR AND MISC. SECTION

MEET MY SON, "YOUR NAME HERE"
A couple puts the name of their future baby boy up for auction on
eBay and Yahoo. Right now, looks like he's gonna be called "No
Bidders."
http://www.backwire.com/go.asp?cid=63470&nhid=3359&uid=8954

Modern Geeks Show Off Ancient PCs (Business 2:00 a.m. PDT)
The first East Coast Vintage Computer Festival brought techies out of
the woodwork to see outdated computers strut their stuff. Our photo
gallery from this year's show will take you back to the days of 5K of
RAM and desk-shaking disk drives.
http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,45699,00.html?tw=wn20010731

Planet Doesn't Monkey Around (Hollywood Tech 7:00 a.m. PDT)
The remake of Planet of the Apes isn't half-bad. The simians look
great, and NRA President Charlton Heston rails against humans
carrying guns. By Farhad Manjoo.
http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,45604,00.html?tw=wn20010727
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This email is provided for information purposes only. Mention or
discussion of a product, company or person does not represent any
official endorsement or criticism of the same. All authors and
organizations retain complete copyright.
*********************************************************************
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