DIGITAL DIVIDE
Computers in Churches, Laundromats May Bridge Digital Divide
W3C Announces Disability Guidelines
E-GOVERNMENT
Bush Signs E-Government Bill
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
U.S. Clears Russian Tech Firm in E-Book Copyright Case
DIGITAL DIVIDE
COMPUTERS IN CHURCHES, LAUNDROMATS MAY BRIDGE DIGITAL DIVIDE
Basic information technology literacy has only a marginal effect on the
ability of underserved groups to capitalize on the economic opportunities
commonly linked with IT expertise. This was the finding of a study led by
Penn State University professor Lynette Kvasny. Entitled "The Challenges of
Redressing the Digital Divide: A Tale of Two Cities," her conclusions are
based on her research of two Georgia cities that implemented technology
initiatives to address the digital divide. Kvasny notes that the most
disadvantaged social groups have such limited regular access to technology
training that they are rarely able to carry those skills with them once the
training is over. The study examined programs implemented in Atlanta and
LaGrange, Georgia.
[SOURCE: EurekaAlert!, AUTHOR: Margaret Hopkins, Penn State University]
(http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-12/ps-cic121302.php)
W3C ANNOUNCES DISABILITY GUIDELINES
The culmination of five years of work, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
has finalized guidelines for Web browsers and media players designed to
maximize accessibility for users with disabilities. The User Agent
Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) are the third in a series of recommendations
under the group's Web Accessibility Initiative. UAAG suggestions include
making commands executable via keyboard or mouse and ensuring that
applications can be used easily with assistive technologies.
[SOURCE: CNET News, AUTHOR: Paul Festa]
(http://news.com.com/2100-1023-978272.html)
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative:
(http://www.w3.org/WAI/)
E-GOVERNMENT
BUSH SIGNS E-GOVERNMENT BILL
President Bush signed the E-Government Act of 2002 into law yesterday,
culminating a legislative effort to simplify the flow of information among
federal agencies and with the general public. The law establishes an Office
of Information within the Office of Management and Budget, which will be run
by a federal CIO responsible for coordinating the government's electronic
information resources. The law also requires online publications such as a
federal telephone directory, a National Library, Web sites for individual
federal courts, a directory of agencies and a site for agency proceedings
and electronic rulemaking. Although the concept of e-government has existed
for quite some time, lobbyists note that the isolated pockets of information
discovered following terrorist attacks in 2001 spurred lawmakers to pass the
bill. Harris Miller, president of the Information Technology Association Of
America, said that the law is indicative of a larger goal: a day when
"e-government means government, and there's no distinction. One day we won't
need to put the 'e' in front of it anymore."
[SOURCE: The New York Times, AUTHOR: Paul Festa, CNET News)
(http://www.nytimes.com/cnet/CNET_2100-1023-978297.html)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
U.S. CLEARS RUSSIAN TECH FIRM IN E-BOOK COPYRIGHT CASE
The first case filed under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998
failed to clear its first legal hurdle yesterday as a US District Court in
California acquitted Russian software developer ElcomSoft of charges that
its eBook reader software violated copyright law. The primary question was
not whether the Russian company could be sued under US law but whether or
not the company willfully created the program with the intent to violate
copyrights. Throughout the case, Elcomsoft maintained their intent to allow
users with legitimate copies of eBooks to make backup copies. Several cases
are pending regarding similar claims, including file-swapping software
developers KaZaa and Morpheus.
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, AUTHOR: Ariana Eunjung Cha]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3965-2002Dec17.html)
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