[11941] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
"Ask Dr. Internet" for January, 1998
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Michael S. Hart)
Wed Jan 21 20:12:57 1998
Date: Wed, 21 Jan 1998 14:06:49 -0600
From: "Michael S. Hart" <hart@prairienet.org>
To: PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
This is "Ask Dr. Internet" for January, 1998
Answering questions from December and January
Contents:
Q000.
More about possible "Year 2000" bugs that will affect computing.
Q00.
More About Microsoft Including Internet Explorer in Windows.
Q0.
Why Do I Get Much Faster Access When I Telnet or FTP or HTTP
to a Site with the IP [Internet Protocol] Numerical Address,
than I Do If I Just Type In the www.subdomain.domain, etc?
Q1.
Why Are Big Systems Dropping Text Based Email Services,
and Forcing Everyone Onto the Web?
Headlines from Edupage
****
Q00.
More About Microsoft Including Internet Explorer in Windows.
A000.
An important question: not only is there a "year 2000" question
facing a lot of people and computers in two years but a "newbie"
who has been on the Net just one day just brought up the problem
that there is not supposed to be a leap day of February 29th, in
the year 2000, because it is evenly divisible by 400. I had the
ddate program in place all along, before the year 2000 thingies,
and it cured the normal year 2000 problem with no effort. BUT I
just tested it and it thinks there IS a February 29th, 2000.
Any suggestions or comments?!?
A00.
Comment: According to the news programs, MicroSoft replied
to the United States government order to stop the bundling
of Internet Explorer with Windows by saying:
"Removing MicroSoft Internet Explorer Windows Useless."
In further developments, a Microsoft witness said the company's response
to a December order -- to remove all Internet Explorer files from Windows
operating software, thereby disabling the program -- was devised by a
small group of lawyers and software developers, along with Chairman
Bill Gates. That's not unusual, according to Microsoft's chief
operating officer: "Bill makes all the important decisions here."
(Wall Street Journal 15 Jan 98)
This should come as no surprise to either the Justice Department
or the media, as Bill stated quite clearly in his book The Road Ahead:
"The Internet is becoming so important that Windows will only thrive
if it is clearly the best way to gain access to the Internet."
Q0.
Why Do I Get Much Faster Access When I Telnet or FTP or HTTP
to a Site with the IP [Internet Protocol] Numerical Address,
than I Do If I Just Type In the www.subdomain.domain, etc?
A0.
The answer is simple, but not one a lot of people will like.
The reason this process is so slow is the same reason a new
computer running new software may appear slow when compared
to an old computer running old software. Interfaces. . . .
When you type in:
Name: promo.net
or
Address: 207.213.173.5
you get two different places to start with. . .if you typed
in the "name" as "promo.net" then your host computer has to
ask another [DNS=Domain Name Servers] computer to translate
those words into the numbers 207.213.173.5. . .this process
can take so much time that your host machine "times out" to
kill the process, and you think you cannot get to promo.net
or other sites.
Therefore, in your files of aliases, addresses, bookmarks--
all the places you keep addresses, you should also keep the
IP address, the one with the numbers, so you avoid hassles.
I, personally, write aliases for all my ftp, telnet, rlogin
and other operations, so I just type fpromo to ftp to promo
. . .and the alias [like a batch file or macro] does it all
for me, and usually much faster than "ftp promo.net"
However, be forewarned, if your host computer is backed up,
then your alias command can take a long time to execute: I
have had such backups when it became necessary for me to do
this all from the command line. . .though I usually use the
macro editors to cut and paste the command from lists I use
just for those purposes, and for when I am logged into some
computer on which I have not installed my own alias files.
If you want to learn more about aliases, batch files, shell
scripts, etc., just ask. . .we will try to answer.
Q1.
Why Are Big Systems Dropping Text Based Email Services, and
Forcing Everyone Onto the Web?
A1.
I am sure you have heard lots of people complaining that schools
and other institutions are rushing into the computer age quickly
. . .too quickly. . .BUT. . .this is a great example of just the
kind of people who complain of this doing exactly that!
Many political administrators who don't know any better, or even
system administrators who SHOULD know better, are eliminating an
extraordinary amount of "Plain Vanilla" access to the Internet.
People who for years have been logging in, getting and sending a
lot of email, subscribing to discussion groups, accessing UseNet
. . .all of the normal Internet activities. . .are now being the
next generation of victims of the "Superhighway Steamroller" the
powers that be are using to force everyone into using GUI's [the
Graphical User Interfaces] that have overridden all other things
computers and the Internet have been doing all these 30 years.
Because of the popularity of GUI's such as Windows and the Macs,
many systems are now voiding accounts which have been in use for
years or decades, and are forcing their users to get new program
software, new hardware, new modems, pretty much new everything--
just so plain text accounts can be eliminated.
However, what they don't take into account is that plain text is
much more efficient than GUI's. . .as 90% of the cpus and videos
are pretty much "frosting on the cake" when it comes to actually
delivering information.
Another thing they don't take into account is the huge number of
sites that are run with donated "hand me downs" such as XT or AT
machines from a while back. Try running Windows and MicroSoft's
Internet Explorer on those, and you will see what the people who
are forced out of their plain text accounts have to put up with.
There is more that I have received about this than I should ever
be able to pass on in good conscience, but if you need help from
anyone in fighting this sort of thing, just let me know.
Headlines from Edupage
JUDGE CHALLENGES MICROSOFT CLAIMS
Having been told by Microsoft that it cannot unbundle Internet Explorers
from Windows 95 because Windows will not operate properly without several of
the Explorer files, Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson says that, with the help
of a technician, he successful uninstalled Explorer from a new PC in about
90 seconds. "If the process is that simple, I'd like to have it confirmed
by the government. If it is not that simple, I'd like to have it refuted by
any evidence Microsoft plans to introduce." Microsoft says that
uninstalling Explorer removes only 3% of the browser files from a PC's hard
disk. (Washington Post 20 Dec 97)
NEW DOMAIN NAME GROUP OFFERS TO EXPAND MEMBERSHIP
The Geneva-based Policy Oversight Committee -- the group attempting to
replace the U.S. government's role as Internet domain name allocator -- has
offered to increase its membership from 11 to 20 members, including
representatives of Internet service providers and users. The committee
hopes this latest move will help to deflect some of the criticism it has
faced, but some members say this latest move is too insignificant to give it
the moral authority it will need to do its job effectively. Currently, there
are 200 organizations supporting the Geneva group's efforts. "I think that
1,000-plus members need to be recruited first to give it credibility," says
one British committee member. The U.S. will give up its responsibility on
March 31, 1998. (TechWeb 16 Dec 97)
TACTICAL SHIFT BY WORKSTATION COMPANIES
Silicon Graphics Inc.'s plan to allow SGI graphics software to run on
Microsoft's Windows NT operating system provides new evidence that a growing
number of companies are giving up on Unix and instead standardizing on
Windows NT. SGI hopes to be able to use its experience in developing
high-end graphics software without having to spend a great deal of time
building the underlying technology represented by an operating system.
(Washington Post 17 Dec 97)
DEBATE OVER PRIVACY ISSUE: REGULATION VS. SELF-REGULATION
[Who Watches The People Who Watch You?]
Civil libertarians are unhappy with the Federal Trade Commission's decision
to allow self-policing and "voluntary guidelines" by companies that maintain
personal information on people -- companies such as Lexis-Nexis, Equifax,
and Information America. "Privacy Times" newsletter editor Evan Hendricks
says: "The reality is that many of the players here don't have a very good
history of complying either with the Fair Credit Reporting Act or voluntary
guidelines. Congress should just do its job and pass a law and give
Americans the rights they deserve." But FTC chairman Robert Pitofsky says:
"This is an impressive step in the direction of self-regulation. The
history of self-regulation is you start here and then see where you go in
the future." (New York Times 18 Dec 97)
SAFE ACT STILL IN DANGER
[I guess this one goes both ways, eh?]
The Security and Freedom Through Encryption (SAFE) Act, sponsored by U.S.
Rep. Robert Goodlatte (R-Va.) is intended to protect citizens' right to use
and sell strong encryption products, and prohibits the U.S. government from
requiring citizens to give their private encryption keys to a third party.
The bill, originally introduced in 1996 and modified last year, is still
under attack from the FBI and national security lobbyists, who maintain that
even with the modifications the bill could undermine law enforcement
efforts. Goodlatte, who points out that the bill had about 250 cosponsors
at last count, says: "Anytime we're dealing with anybody who claims that
legislation threatens national security or law enforcement, we have to take
that seriously. But we have nothing to apologize for. This is a pro-law
enforcement measure." (Net Insider 13 Jan 98)
NETSCAPE OFFERS "CUSTOMER CHOICE" IN LATEST BROWSER BATTLE
Netscape Communications has launched its "Customer Choice" program, an
initiative that invites consumers to access software that will switch their
default browser to Netscape Communicator and uninstall Microsoft's Internet
Explorer software. Netscape currently has some 35,000 Web sites that
include icons that can be clicked on to download free browser software.
(InternetWeek 24 Dec 97)
MICROSOFT TO BUY HOTMAIL
Microsoft will acquire closely held Hotmail Corp., one of the leading
providers of free e-mail service. The reported deal calls for Microsoft to
hand over $300 million to $400 million in stock for the service, which
boasts 9.5 million subscribers, but has yet to post a profit. Microsoft
will offer Hotmail as part of a collection of free content services, which
includes Expedia, CarPoint and an online stock trading and tracking site.
(Wall Street Journal 2 Jan 98)
NETWORKING FOR THE HOME
Now that networking companies have successfully wired the corporate market,
they're targeting residential users in 1998. "The potential is huge...
Bay, Cisco, 3Com are rubbing their hands and dying to get into it," says a
sales director for Bay Networks' NetGear product line. Meanwhile, Cisco
Systems is a little more conservative in its forecast: "Residential
networking will be on the front page of all the papers next year, but it
won't be material (in terms of sales)," says the company's chief technology
officer. Key to the success of selling networking products for the home
will be simplicity, something the current products are not known for: "You
need a Ph.D. in networking for a Cisco router. Consumer networking products
have to be like running your toaster or your blender. It's that simple,"
says a spokesman for Compaq, which also has expressed an interest in the
field. (Investor's Business Daily 5 Jan 98)
HP UNVEILS LOW-COST MMX PC
Hewlett-Packard is selling a $799 computer based on Intel's popular 200 MHz
Pentium microprocessor, complete with MMX technology. The price doesn't
include a monitor, which must be purchased separately. HP's previous
lowest-cost PC sold for $999, excluding a monitor. "Our goal is to be No. 1
in this category," says an HP general manager. (Wall Street Journal 5 Jan 98)
E-MAIL USE ON THE RISE
A recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management shows that 86%
of the 757 human resource professionals polled now use e-mail, but 49% of
their companies don't train employees in the proper use of electronic
messaging and 48% don't have written e-mail policies. Sixty-three percent
say their firms do not officially allow personal use of the company e-mail
system, but do not monitor messages. Six percent had been asked to produce
copies of e-mail messages as evidence for lawsuits. (Miami Herald 12 Jan 98)
YAHOO!, MCI TEAM UP ON NEW ONLINE SERVICE
Yahoo! and MCI are developing a new Yahoo Online service, geared toward home
PC users. The service will offer Yahoo!'s existing e-mail, chat and other
communications functions through its Web site, and will carry the tag line
"powered by MCI Internet." The collaboration will enable Yahoo!, which
started out as an Internet search engine, to compete more effectively
against services such as America Online and CNET's Snap!. (Wall Street
Journal 13 Jan 98)
INTEL TAKES "INTEL INSIDE" PROGRAM TO WEB, ANGERING PUBLISHERS
[I guess bloatware didn't force enough people to by new hardware. . . .]
Some big Web publishers are outraged by the new Intel marketing program
"Optimized Content," which offers them a 25% subsidy if they will add
features that will enhance the performance of systems based on Intel's
newest and most expensive chips -- but slow down all users who have less
powerful machines. Intel says it's trying to encourage the adoption of
features will allow users to enjoy 3D virtual reality scenes, but
publishers are accusing the company of encroaching on their editorial
independence by forcing them to make their sites less friendly to the great
majority of visitors. The marketing program requires publishers to
"prominently" promote the fact that they are offering "Optimized Content."
With consumers now increasingly tempted to buy low-cost PCs with less
powerful chips, the "Optimized Content" program is a way to promote Intel
chips that deliver more power -- and more profit to Intel. (Wall Street
Journal 16 Jan 98)
ASIA'S ECONOMIC WOES WILL LEAD TO LOWER PC PRICES
Because Asian countries provide the world with vast quantities of personal
computer components (including memory chips, motherboards, disk drives,
CD-ROM drives, and floppy drives), already-cheap PC prices are dropping
even further because the plunging Asian currencies are allowing American
manufacturers to get more value for their U.S. dollars. (USA Today)
[Several kinds of Spam]
A METHOD TO AOL'S MADNESS
When an interviewer complained that he kept getting free disks ("I have 23
floppies and 2 CDs from AOL"), America Online CEO said, "Well, don't you
have friends to give them to?" Interviewer: "It just doesn't make sense
that you keep sending this stuff." Case: "Well, it does make sense.
Maybe we're stupid, but it does make sense. There are probably better ways
to distribute software in the long run. For example, in the last few
years, we've been successful in getting AOL built into just about every
computer - built into Windows 95, built into Macintosh - as well as in
partnering with everybody. So the need to mail out disks has diminished
somewhat. But we do track you through these programs. And the economics of
it works terrifically well. So there is a method to the madness."
(Washington Post 19 Jan 98)
SPAM WAR UPDATE
As soon as Sanford Wallace and Walt Rines, well-known senders of
unsolicited mass mailings ("spam") over the Internet, found a new service
provider, antispammers immediately flooded the provider with phone calls,
e-mails and threats. "All of the sudden we get all these complaints saying
you're harboring basically spam hell - the devil, himself. They threatened
to put us on a blacklist and made it seem like they were going to cut off
our sites at their routers and crack down on how we can get our information
out to the world." An executive at the upstream provider of the company
hit by the antispam attack says: "There are two kinds of terrorists in
this: the spammers and the antispammers, and I'm not sure which camp is
more objectionable to deal with." (News.Com 19 Jan 98)
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You can find the complete history of "Ask Dr. Internet" at the
web site "promo.net" and thanks so much to Pietro di Miceli, a
wonderful webmaster, without whom Dr. Internet would just be a
listserver, instead of one of the top websites in the world.
Thanks Pietro!!!!
