Seth's Weekly Citesgleaned from various Web sites, but especially from the USA Today web site: http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/ch.htm
Seth's Weekly CitesDate: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 06:32:24 +0000
From: "Seth H. Ruef"
Subject: E-Mail @ School
A THIRD OF COLLEGE COURSES USE E-MAIL
The annual Campus Computing Project survey shows that nearly 33% of courses offered at the 605 institutions polled use e-mail, up from 25% last year and 8% in 1994. At private universities, the percentage of courses using e-mail is 60% and nearly half of public university courses use it. More than 14% of all institutions put class materials, such as syllabi, on the Web and more than 24% use other Web resources, such as online encyclopedias other Web sites. The No. 1 problem facing campus-computing administrators continues to be user support, both technical and in terms of faculty assistance. "These are flip sides of the same coin," says survey director Kenneth C. Green. "People continue to ask, 'How do we use this stuff?' It's still entirely new." (Chronicle of Higher Education 17 Oct 97)
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 06:34:13 +0000
From: "Seth H. Ruef"
Subject: Microsoft Monop
RENO SAYS MICROSOFT VIOLATED ANTITRUST AGREEMENT
Attorney General Janet Reno has filed a petition in federal court asserting that Microsoft has violated a 1995 consent decree by requiring computer manufacturers who install its Windows 95 operating system to also license and install its Internet Explorer software for browsing the World Wide Web. Reno's charge: "Microsoft is unlawfully taking advantage of its Windows monopoly to protect and extend that monopoly and undermine consumer choice. This administration has taken great efforts to encourage and spur technological innovation, promote competition and make sure that the consumers have the ability to choose among competing products. Today's action shows that we won't tolerate any coercion by dominant companies in any way that distorts competition." The response from Microsoft chief executive Bill Gates: "A fundamental principle at Microsoft is that Windows gets better and makes the PC easier to use with each new version. Today people want to use PCs to access the Internet. We are providing that functionality in Windows, and providing a platform for innovation by thousands of other software companies. It would be a great disservice to our customers if Microsoft did not enhance Windows with Internet-related features, and rapidly distribute updated versions of Windows through PC manufacturers." (New York Times 21 Oct 97)
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 1997 09:14:24 +0000
From: "Seth H. Ruef"
CC: "Bucknell, Dave" Subject: hot sites
Dear Colleagues,
Here again are two hot sites, one for students and one for us.
Bright FuturesHigher Ed
Princeton Review Online sports a new look and additional content on the higher education front, whether you're looking for an internship or the latest spin on affirmative action. http://www.review.com/
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IS NATION'S LARGEST INDUSTRY
A study based on Commerce Department data and sponsored by the American Electronics Association (AEA) and the Nasdaq stock market says that the field of information technology (including both computing and telecommunications) is now the nation's largest industry, ahead of construction, food products, and automobile manufacturing. And the AEA's president took the occasion of the study's release to urge lawmakers to learn more about technology: "Whether we like it or not, high-technology issues are going to be front and center in Washington and in state capitals during the next few years. At the state and national level, policy makers have a lot of positive impressions about the high-technology industry, but often very little knowledge of it. The biggest public policy threat to the high-technology field is the ignorance of technology and of how these industries work." (New York Times 18 Nov 97)
TEXAS EDUCATORS SEE LAPTOPS AS THE $1.25 SOLUTION
Faced with $1.8 billion in projected costs for textbooks over the next six years, the Texas Board of Education is seriously considering replacing textbooks with laptop computers that would be lent to the state's 3.7 million students for a cost of $300 million a year. Board Chairman Jack Christie, who says "there's no way it would not improve student learning," asserts that "a year ago we replaced social studies books that still had Ronald Reagan as President, the Berlin Wall standing and the Soviet Union as one country. With laptops, you can upgrade that for $1.25." (New York Times 19 Nov 97)
TEXAS EDUCATORS SEE LAPTOPS AS THE $1.25 SOLUTION
Faced with $1.8 billion in projected costs for textbooks over the next six years, the Texas Board of Education is seriously considering replacing textbooks with laptop computers that would be lent to the state's 3.7 million students for a cost of $300 million a year. Board Chairman Jack Christie, who says "there's no way it would not improve student learning," asserts that "a year ago we replaced social studies books that still had Ronald Reagan as President, the Berlin Wall standing and the Soviet Union as one country. With laptops, you can upgrade that for $1.25." (New York Times 19 Nov 97)
VIDAL SAYS COMPUTERS ENCOURAGE "LOUSY, REPETITIVE PROSE"
Novelist Gore Vidal says his writing would have suffered over the years had he been using a computer: "In general, people who write on computers don't write nearly as well as those who type or write longhand. They become 'easy settlers,' as we used to call movie writers who settled for their first notion of a scene. The computer page looks too perfect to alter the first time around. Hence, lousy, repetitive prose." (Forbes ASAP 1 Dec 97)
Date: Sun, 23 Nov 1997 17:17:57 +0000
From: "Seth H. Ruef"
Subject: Hot Sites
Dear Colleagues,
Here are some very interesting sites taken from this weekend's edition at USA Today.
Date: Tue, 02 Dec 1997 21:16:42 +0000
From: "Seth H. Ruef"
Subject: On-line Journals
LIBRARIANS ESTABLISH ELECTRONIC JOURNAL LICENSING PRINCIPLES
A coalition of 15 Dutch scientific research libraries, concerned over the anticompetitive implications of the proposed merger of two major scientific journal publishers, Reed Elsevier and Wolters Kluwer, has adopted a set of principles aimed at bolstering their position in negotiations with publishers over electronic journals. The principles stipulate that libraries that subscribe to a print version of a journal should not have to pay more than an additional 7.5% for electronic access to that same journal, and that libraries should not pay more than 80% of the print rate to subscribe exclusively to the electronic version. A group of German librarians who helped draw up the principles are expected to sign on as part of the coalition, and it's hoped that many European libraries will follow suit. "We've been talking about a 'journal crisis' for years," says one of the Dutch librarians. "It looks like it's finally arrived. We're fed up."
(Science 28 Nov 97)
Date: Tue, 02 Dec 1997 21:13:29 +0000
From: "Seth H. Ruef"
Subject: The Shrinking Web?!
MSN TO DROP EUROPEAN INTERNET ACCESS Microsoft Network plans to stop offering Internet access in Europe next year, devoting its resources to developing more content instead. The company currently offers branded Internet access services in France, Germany and the U.K. via lines leased from local telecom carriers. MSN customers in those countries will be turned over directly to the telecommunications firms, which will provide continued Internet access with a link to MSN services. "All we care about is that if someone clicks on the MSN icon on their desktop, they'll get a seamless connection to our site," says MSN's general manager. There are no plans to change MSN functions in the U.S., he adds.
(InfoWorld Electric 26 Nov 97)
Janet Reno must have some pretty heavy clout!
Date: Tue, 02 Dec 1997 21:14:44 +0000
From: "Seth H. Ruef"
Subject: The bigger they are ...
MAIL FROM MICROSOFT NETWORK REJECTED BY AMERICA ONLINE
Mail sent to AOL users by MSN members using the latest version of the service (version 2.5) is being rejected by AOL for undetermined technical reasons. Each company is convinced that the problem is at the other end, and both claim to be anxious to resolve the problem.
(1 Dec 97 News.Com)
Date: Fri, 05 Dec 1997 13:53:33 +0100
From: Seth Ruef
Subject: Hot Sites (well, maybe just warm)
Historic Invention
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the invention of the transistor, Bell Labs invites us all to join an around-the-globe museum tour. A virtual one, that is. You'll learn about the invention that is possibly second only to the wheel.
http://www.lucent.com/liveson/
Civil Rights
With info on everything from fair housing and elderly issues to disability policy and hate crimes, the new civilrights.org site boasts that it's the "definitive source" for online resources on civil rights.
http://www.civilrights.org/
Date: Tue, 09 Dec 1997 11:59:06 +0100
From: Seth Ruef
Subject: Hot Sites (Cites)
Dear Colleagues,
Here are a few more for the bookmarks.
-Seth
River Legacy
In India, the ancient Sarasvati River is the stuff of legends. Now with the help of satellite imagery, aerial photographs and field surveys, it flows through cyberspace.
http://www.probys.com/sarasvati/
Online Graffiti
Art Crimes is bigger than ever. Or, how about huge. You may never feel the same way about graffiti again. You'll even find interviews and articles on the artists.
http://artcrimes.gatech.edu/
Educational Resource
To begin to understand the enormity of the Web's educational potential you have to go to a site like Carnegie Mellon's English Server. The term "vast" may be an understatement.
http://english-www.hss.cmu.edu/
Date: Tue, 09 Dec 1997 21:49:01 +0000
From: "Seth H. Ruef"
Subject: Distance Ed.
WESTERN GOVERNORS U. TO OFFER CLASSES NEXT MONTH
After two years of planning, the Western Governors University will begin offering its first electronic classes next month. First on the roster are two degrees: a general associate's degree and one focusing on semiconductor manufacturing technology. University officials met last week with representatives of four regional accrediting agencies, which will work together to evaluate the new institution. (Chronicle of Higher Education 12 Dec 97)
SREB TO OFFER COLLEGE DEGREES BY INTERNET
The Southern Regional Education Board, based in Atlanta, will begin this January to use the Internet to deliver for-credit courses from 50 Southern universities, which will set their own fees and decide what they will accept as transfer credit. The SREB expects to expand its offerings to 1,500 courses. (AP 8 Dec 97)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 1997 19:19:34 +0000
From: "Seth H. Ruef"
Subject: Cyberthief
Dear Colleagues,
One of my IB-ITGS required readings is in fact an article from 'Rolling Stone' magazine about Kevin Mitnick, entitled 'Cyberthief'. My students will get a big kick out of this news.
Yours, Seth
VANDAL POSTS RANSOM NOTE ON YAHOO Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 09:37:00 +0100
From: Seth Ruef
Organization: AISL
To: "International Educators Forum"
Subject: Hot Sites
Dear Colleagues,
Please have a look at these sites gleaned from the USA today Hot Sites issue. -Seth ------ Invention Center
For inventors, the Web could be the best thing since sliced bread. The Inventors Resource offers everything from an inventors yellow pages to info on copyrights.
http://www.gibbsgroup.com/
Poison Control
The Poison Information and Education System site asks whether you know where Carbon Monixide may be lurking in your house. Just point and click to find out.
http://www.njpies.org/
Asia Online
AskAsia says it's dedicated to providing quality K-12 resources on Asia. The site more than meets its goal with its Vietnam Challenge. Stay tuned as Vietnam war veterans prepare for a "journey of reconcilliation."
http://www.askasia.org
Date: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 08:12:10 +0100 From: Seth Ruef Organization: AISL To: "International Educators Forum"
Subject: Health Hot Site
X-Lyris-To:
Dear Colleagues,
The following 'cite' was taken from a longer list at USA Today for Jan 21. It is a super site for Health and Science classes as well as perhaps those of us (I speak for myself) who may need (or want) to shape up. Seth
Staying Alive
If you're looking for some reasons not to break that New Year's resolution about keeping physically fit, the federal Centers for Disease Control offer plenty of them. No-nonsense stuff.
http://www.mindspring.com/community/featurepgs/fitness98/
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 1998 13:30:56 +0000
From: "Seth H. Ruef"
Subject: Hot Site for Communication 101
Communication Skills
Whether you're conducting a meeting or an interview, interpersonal skills are key to effectiveness. The University of Kansas offers "Virtual Communication Assistants" to help us perfect those skills. http://www.ukans.edu/cwis/units/coms2/virtualassistants.html
From the USA Today HOT SITES for this weekend.
Seth Ruef
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 1998 07:32:40 +0000
From: "Seth H. Ruef"
To: "International Educators Forum"
Subject: Plagiarism
SLEUTH FINDS PLENTY OF PLAGIARISM ON THE NET
Cancer researcher Marek Wronski used the National Library of Medicine's PubMed to find instances of 30 allegedly plagiarized medical papers ostensibly authored by a Polish chemical engineer. PubMed offers a push-button function labeled "find related articles," which uses statistical algorithms to identify root words in an article, and then searches for similar instances of the root words in other articles. Additional research by Wronski has unearthed 29 more suspect papers. The engineer, who claimed to have authored 125 articles in a 13-year career, now faces charges of plagiarism.
(Science 23 Jan 98)
Seth
From Edupage
Date: Mon, 02 Feb 1998 23:18:31 +0000
From: "Seth H. Ruef"
To: "International Educators Forum"
Subject: The Cookie Jar
Reply-To: "Seth H. Ruef"
SUING FOR RIGHTS TO THE COOKIE JAR
The publisher of The Putnam Pit, a Tennessee newspaper, is suing the town of Cookeville, claiming that his federal civil rights were violated when the town refused to share its "cookies" -- electronic markers that a Web site leaves on a PC when it visits. The publisher has been feuding with the city for some time and wants access to the cookies to determine whether city officials are wasting company time cruising the Internet. Cookeville maintains that the cookies are privileged, but a spokesman for the Electronic Frontier Foundation says that argument may not stand up in court, pointing out that in the past, courts have ruled that government-created paper documents are in the public domain.
(Business Week 26 Jan 98)
From Edupage for February 1
Date: Wed, 04 Feb 1998 11:02:33 +0000
From: "Seth H. Ruef"
EDUPAGE IN FRENCH
We are please to announce that, after a hiatus of several months, there is once again a French-language version of Edupage, available http://cursus.edu/thot.asp/ Welcome once again to our French-speaking readers of Edupage. Nous sommes heureux d'annoncer qu'après un hiatus de plusieurs mois, la traduction française d'Edupage est de retour. Effectuée par Cursus, La formation à distance sur demande, elle est accesible à: http://cursus.edu/thot.asp Elle est également disponible sur abonnement électronique gratuit. Bienvenue à nouveau aux lecteurs francophones d'Edupage.
To subscribe to Edupage: send mail to: with the message: subscribe edupage Louis Sullivan (if your name is Louis Sullivan; otherwise, substitute your own name). To unsubscribe send a message to: with the message: unsubscribe edupage. (If you have subscription problems, send mail to .)
-- Seth Ruef
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 23:22:58 +0000
From: "Seth H. Ruef"
Subject: Power Computing Closes
Dear Colleagues,
For those of you invested in Power Computing products, this from Edupage. S. Ruef
POWER COMPUTING SHUTS DOWN
Power Computing Corp., which until last summer was the fastest-growing PC company of the 1990s, has closed its doors, after failing to make the transition from being an Apple Macintosh clone maker to a Wintel machine maker. The company had stopped production of the Wintel machines in December, citing parts shortages, but said it planned to start back up early this year. According to a security guard at Power Computing headquarters, "The show is over, the monkey is dead, and they've folded the tent." (Tampa Tribune 9 Feb 98)
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 22:40:54 +0000 From: "Seth H. Ruef"
Subject: School Laptops
Dear Colleagues,
While our schools ponder whether or not to even require students type assignments, read what some top universities are already doing.
LAPTOPS REQUIRED OF INCOMING FRESHMEN
Freshmen entering the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2000 will be required to have laptop computers. Students can either bring their own laptop (if it meets proper specifications) or buy the machines themselves through Student Stores on campus. The university will offer low-interest, four-year loans for students who wish to finance the purchase, and will increase its financial aid budget to provide needy students with additional grant assistance to help cover the cost of the laptops. Some of the other institutions that require or will soon require students to have laptop computers are Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Carnegie-Mellon, Virginia Tech, and Western Carolina University.
http://www.unc.edu/news/newsserv/univ/elaptop.html
Seth Ruef
(taken from Edupage)
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 1998 05:43:04 +0000
From: "Seth H. Ruef"
Organization: AISL
To: "International Educators Forum" ief@esp.educ.uva.nl
Subject: Laptop Correction
Dear Colleagues,
The following appeared in Edupage in the issue following the Georgia Tech laptop article. Seth
----- YOU CAN USE A LAPTOP, YOU CAN USE A DESKTOP
Georgia Tech's computer requirement for freshmen was stated incorrectly in the announcement cited in our last issue, which said that Tech requires students to own laptops; Georgia Tech has corrected the report, saying it permits students to choose either laptop OR desktop machines. (Our own guess, though it's just a guess, is that Georgia Tech policy allows students to bring laptops to class but not desktops.)
Edupage is written by John Gehl () and Suzanne Douglas (). Telephone: 770-590-1017
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