EDUPAGE> Edupage, March 08, 2004

From: Gleason Sackmann <gleason@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: K12Newsletters <k12newsletters@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2004 09:00:00 -0600
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K12NewsLetters - From Educational CyberPlayGround
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Date:         Mon, 8 Mar 2004 17:00:43 -0700
From:         Educause Educause <EDUCAUSE@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Edupage, March 08, 2004
To:           EDUPAGE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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Edupage is a service of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association
whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting
the intelligent use of information technology.
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TOP STORIES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 08, 2004
   Early Ruling Favors Microsoft over Eolas
   Blackboard Going Public
   Bobvila.com Targeted in Can-Spam Suit
   New Online Music Store from Virgin Group


EARLY RULING FAVORS MICROSOFT OVER EOLAS
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has released a preliminary ruling
in favor of Microsoft in its patent dispute with Eolas Technologies,
which had claimed the software giant infringed a patent in its Internet
Explorer browser. Previously a jury had found in favor of Eolas, which
was spun off from the University of California, and had awarded $521
million in damages. A district court judge had already upheld the jury
verdict, but the new ruling from the Patent and Trademark Office
invalidates the patent claim. An attorney who represented Eolas said it
was "routine and typical" for the Patent and Trademark Office to
invalidate a patent as the first step in its process and said he
expects the claim will ultimately be upheld. A Microsoft spokesman
conceded that the ruling is "just one step in their review process,"
but said Microsoft remains confident they will prevail in the lawsuit.
CNET, 5 March 2004
http://news.com.com/2100-1023_3-5171073.html

BLACKBOARD GOING PUBLIC
Blackboard Inc., which sells software and services to many colleges and
universities, filed papers last week with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission for an initial public offering (IPO). The IPO is
valued at about $75 million, though the number of shares to be offered
was not released. Blackboard showed a net loss in 2003 of $1.4 million,
down significantly from $41.7 million in 2002 and $41.8 million in
2001. According to Blackboard, approximately 1,100 of the nation's
colleges and universities are currently customers of the company.
Chronicle of Higher Education, 8 March 2004 (sub. req'd)
http://chronicle.com/prm/daily/2004/03/2004030804n.htm

BOBVILA.COM TARGETED IN CAN-SPAM SUIT
A California ISP has become the first plaintiff in a lawsuit filed
under the recently enacted Can-Spam Act. Hypertouch alleges that
BVWebTies, owner of Bobvila.com, violated that law when it sent
Hypertouch subscribers e-mail with spoofed headers and without valid
postal mail addresses. BVWebTies is also accused of sending e-mail to
users who had opted out of e-mail lists. A spokesperson from Hypertouch
said the company does not believe the law provides adequate protection
from spammers but that BVWebTies did not meet even the minimal
requirements established by the antispam law. According to Jupiter
Research, many e-mail marketers continue to send mail that does not
comply with the Can-Spam Act. Jupiter Research's David Daniels said
his company found that surprising because the terms of the law are
fairly easy to satisfy. Hypertouch is suing for damages and legal costs
and to bar BVWebTies from sending further illegal spam.
Internet News, 5 March 2004
http://www.internetnews.com/xSP/article.php/3322311

NEW ONLINE MUSIC STORE FROM VIRGIN GROUP
British entrepreneur Richard Branson's company, Virgin Group Ltd.,
will add an online music store and digital jukebox by the end of
August, joining the record label, airline, and several other companies
under the Virgin umbrella. The new venture, called Virgin Digital, will
offer songs for sale or by subscription and access to Radio Free Virgin
Internet radio stations. Customers will be able to copy songs from
Virgin Digital onto CDs. Prices were not released, but Zack Zalon,
president of Virgin Digital, said they would be "hyper competitive."
The Virgin Digital software will support Microsoft's Windows Media
Audio format, which can be played on most music devices other than
those from Apple Computer. MusicNet will provide the music delivery
services for Virgin Digital.
Reuters, 8 March 2004
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?storyID=4519615

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EDUPAGE> Edupage, March 08, 2004

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