Joining a Digital Library, December 12, 1999. netLibrary.com has purchased the right to distribute books online, already numbering in the thousands. The service, which is both free and fee-based, and has already lined up 700 libraries as customers.
New York Times, CyberTimes (registration required)
Surging Number of Patents Engulfs Internet Commerce, December 11, 1999. Web site owners may be forced to curtail the use of links to products and services due to the patent claims of other companies.
Publishers are Racing to Convert Books to Bytes, December 9, 1999. The demand for electronic books has not escalated, but many libraries are preparing for the future by investing in thousands of digital titles.
Copyright Decision Threatens Freedom to Link, December 10, 1999. Judge Campbell, of the US DC Ct. in Salt Lake City, issued an injunction against two vocal critics of the Mormon church who had posted copies of copyrighted church material on their site.
The Legacy of Microsoft’s Trial, December 6, 1999. This is a thoughtful article on the impact software has had on our society, and the associated ramifications of its regulation by the government.
Privacy Group Sues for U.S. Files on Spying, December 4, 1999. Is the NSA storing vast amounts of Internet traffic in a global surveillance project? Scary business.
Online Answers Raise Questions, December 11, 1999. Two recent ventures, in Maryland (USLaw.com) and California (FreeAdvice.com), are using “live online lawyers” to provide professional advice, but not legal services, for free.
Libraries Under Pressure to Install Internet Filters, December 13, 1999. Throughout the country, public libraries are coming under increasing pressure to either eliminate free Web access for users, or to institute restrictions for minors.
New Computer System at Library of Congress, December 9, 1999. With over 122 million items in the collection, LC has undertaken a $40 million program to improve access to this invaluable resource.
Maryland to Get Internet Proposals, December 9, 1999. A special panel is proposing numerous progressive efforts to move this state forward in its use of online services, ranging from e-commerce to email addresses assigned at birth!
Lawmakers to Investigate Whether E-Commerce Sites Violate Tax Law, December 9, 1999. California lawmakers are reviewing whether Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and Borders.com should be collecting state use tax.
Wall Street Journal Interactive
Justice Files ‘Findings of Law Brief’ in Microsoft Trial as Talks Continue, December 6, 1999. Four violations of the Sherman Act comprise the final phase of the government’s case in their 71-page court filing.
Consumer Advocates File Petition Alleging Privacy Danger in E-Mail, December 3, 1999. Major privacy groups requested that AOL, Microsoft and Netscape be forced to eliminate the tracking of user data compiled to facilitate intensive targeting for marketing purposes.
Conference Report: Search Engine Strategies 99, December 6, 1999. An interesting overview of this conference and its participants, who are often at cross purposes in their perspectives on how to best serve Web users.
Europeans Going Digital, December 6, 1999. After a somewhat slow start, the use of computers and the Web are surging throughout Europe. In some countries, this growth will quickly outpace corresponding usage here in the U.S.
To Tax or Not to Tax? December 4, 1999. The Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce, appointed by Congress, meets again this month in an attempt to create an acceptable policy of taxing e-commerce.
Search Engine Lawsuit O’Plenty, December 6, 1999. This article goes details the recent Web related law suit between Playboy and a former playmate. The issue was her use of descriptive meta tags on her personal Web site. Included are quite a few useful associated Web links on other similar cases.
Searcher, November/December 1999
End Of the Century Grab Bags. A compilation of URLs recommended by Searcher’s readers, this collection has something for everybody.
Internet Tips: Printing Web Pages, December 1999. Sometimes its the simple things that can drive you nuts. Frustrated by your browser’s inability to print URLs? Wish your browser would refrain from printing a Web site’s background images? Here’s how to customize what–and how–your Web browser prints.
Computer in Libraries, November/December 1999
Does the Web Spell Doom for CD and DVD? Is the CD-ROM format on the way out? What formats will prevail, and how you should plan for the future are the focus of this article.
Stop Hackers Before They Attack, December, 1999. Protect your personal computer from hackers attaching through your high-speed Internet connection.
