COMMUNICATIONS-RELATED HEADLINES for April 10, 2002

ANTITRUST
Windows Features Not Vital, Expert Says

BROADBAND
Telecom Firms in Broadband Business Get Relief From Right-of-Way
Rules

DIGITAL DIVIDE
Barclays Donates To Mobile Telecentre in Ghana

EDTECH
UK Study: Teacher Training On Computers 'Poor'

INTERNET
Web Free-Speech Advocate Takes On Filtering Software

ANTITRUST

WINDOWS FEATURE NOT VITAL, EXPERTS SAY
A witness in the ongoing Microsoft antitrust case testified that removing
key software from the operating system would not have an adverse effect on
the Windows operating system. Andrew W. Appel, a professor of computer
science at Princeton, pointed out that Microsoft already offers "modular"
versions of the operating system. The testimony could be extremely helpful
for state prosecutors who are pushing to "unbundle" the Windows operating
system, thus allowing computer makers to substitute programs from Microsoft
competitors. Microsoft contends that customers enjoy having a bundle of
applications that work together and that it would be impossible to remove
some programs such as Internet Explorer without rendering the Windows
operating system useless. After examining the source code Appel said that
much of the Windows operating system is built in a modular fashion and it
would not be too difficult a task, and that Microsoft has already developed
a tool to identify files that would disrupt the Windows system if they were
removed.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Jonathan Krim]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22498-2002Apr9.html)

BROADBAND

TELECOM FIRMS IN BROADBAND BUSINESS GET RELIEF FROM RIGHT-OF-WAY RULES
Telecommunications companies' complaints against local governments are
getting the attention of the Bush administration and state governments. The
telecom industry is claiming that municipalities are making it too difficult
to continue broadband expansion. In response to the complaints, more and
more state legislatures have passed laws limiting the municipalities rights
to regulate use of the their streets and other "rights of way". Seventeen
telecom companies have formed a lobbying group called Industry Rights-of-Way
Working Group to ask the FCC to limit government fees to "only the actual
and direct costs incurred in managing" public rights of way. FCC Chairman
Michael Powell has said that there is a "growing concern about rights of way
as a barrier" and the FCC will "tee up and put the spotlight on these
issues." Local officials are saying telecom companies are trying to blame
them for industry problems stemming from a glut of fiber and that the
telecom industry seeks to avoid paying for damage to the streets when
installing new wires.
[SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Andrew Caffrey]
(http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1018403314933037360,00.html?mod=telecomm
unications%5Fprimary%5Fhs)
(Requires Subscription)

DIGITAL DIVIDE

BARCLAYS DONATES TO MOBILE TELECENTRE IN GHANA
The Mobile Telecentre-To-Go, a UNDP initiative, received a $5,000 check to
support its ongoing work to expand the IT market base and integrate IT into
schools and businesses. Launched in February 2001, the program serves 24
schools in Accra and works with 80 trainees a day. Barclays has had a
relationship with the UNDP since 1993 and pledge ongoing support for ICT
projects in Ghana and other African nations. The Regional Program
Coordinator said, "With the increase in demand well beyond our projections,
we will welcome with great appreciation and thanks, the second by Barclays
to support the replication of the project in other African countries."
[SOURCE: AllAfrica.com, AUTHOR: Accra Mail]
(http://allafrica.com/stories/200204090661.html)

EDTECH

UK STUDY: TEACHER TRAINING ON COMPUTERS 'POOR'
A recent report has revealed that while England's National Grid for Learning
Strategy has made "an important contribution" to information and
communication technology, the training for teachers was "unsatisfactory" and
"has not yet had an impact." Since the release of the report there has been
improvement in teacher training, but in six out of 10 departments using
information communication technologies (ICT) there has been little evidence
that it has had a "beneficial impact on teaching." The report concluded that
the government would need to "set out broad intentions" for ongoing funding,
design a long-term national strategy for high-speed Internet access, and
build ICT training into the national program for school managers.
[SOURCE: BBC News, AUTHOR, BBC]
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/education/newsid_1921000/1921381.stm)

INTERNET

WEB FREE-SPEECH ADVOCATE TAKES ON FILTERING SOFTWARE
Bennett Haselton sits down with the Wall Street Journal for a Q&A session
about Web censorship, how filtering software can fail, and the current
debate around Web filters in libraries. Mr. Haselton uses his Web site,
www.peacefire.org, to track the mistakes of Web-filtering software and uses
his research to support efforts to stop mandatory filtering.
[SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Niles Randolph]
(http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1016676856162787960,00.html?mod=article-
outset-box)

------------------------------------------------------------------------