Tasty Bits from the Technology Front: TBTF for 1995-05-23: Hot Java, Sunscreen, and a registration virus

TBTF for 1995-05-23: Hot Java, Sunscreen, and a registration virus

Keith Dawson (dawson at world dot std dot com)
Tue, 23 May 1995 20:18:12 -0400

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>>From Edupage:

HOT JAVA AND SUNSCREEN FOR THE INTERNET
Sun Microsystems' newest products are geared toward making the Net more fun
and safer for corporate use. Hot Java focuses on jazzier Web site design,
turning a still page into a moving picture. "This is the difference
between black-and-white and color television," says Sun's chief technical
officer. "You can see the difference because things come alive," says an
industry newsletter editor. Sunscreen allows companies to build global
networks for data sharing by piggybacking on the Internet, in effect
turning the public network into a virtual private network, complete with
firewalls and other security measures. (Wall Street Journal 1995-05-19 B4)

[Several folks on the Apple-Internet mailing lists are urging Apple to
embrace Hot Java technology and incorporate it into Cyberdog as an Open-
Doc "part."]

SOFTWARE PIRACY STILL A CONCERN
A survey of 54 countries last year showed software piracy increasing to
$14.9 billion, up from $12.8 billion in 1993. The U.S. boasted the lowest
piracy rate, but was still a source of concern at 35%. In Europe the rate
is 58%, and in Asia 68%. In Indonesia, Thailand and Nicaragua, 98% of the
software in use is illegally obtained. (Investor's Business Daily 1995-05-19
A4)

[Indonesia at 98% surprises me less than US at 35%.]

STOPPING "SOFTLIFTERS"
Microsoft is testing an anti-software-pirating effort in England called
LegalWare. The product consists of disks and a workbook to help companies
understand the implications of software piracy and audit their own systems.
Another tactic is included in beta versions of Windows 95 -- a small viral
routine called Registration Wizard. The software gathers information on
every system hooked up to a network, and monitors what software is being run on
which machine. It then compiles a list of Microsoft programs and
competitor's products by machine, which is reported to the company when
customers sign up for Microsoft Network. Customers will have to disable
the program if they object to the intelligence-gathering. (Information
Week 1995-05-22 p.88)

[This is a truly nefarious move on the part of Bill the Prince of Insuffic-
ient Light. Want to bet M'soft has to backpeddle and remove this registration
"virus" from Win95?]

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______________________________________________________
Keith Dawson dawson at world dot std dot com dawson@atria.com
Layer of ash separates morning and evening milk.

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