Show of 8-2-2003

Siggraph Held Last Week in San Diego

ACM SIGGRAPH has grown from a handful of computer graphics enthusiasts to a diverse group of researchers, artists, developers, filmmakers, scientists, and other professionals who share an interest in computer graphics and interactive techniques.
This years exhibits included more complex animation
?This all centers on Moore?s law, Darin Grant, Chair of this years convention, Software and hardware prices are going down and capabilities are going up.
Off-the-shelf software that stole the show: Maya and Adobe Photoshop.
Award winning Exigo was a nightmarish battle between armor-clad warriors and goblin, was created by several unknowns fro Hungary.

Rick Chapman?s Book, ?In Search of Stupidity"
Why did Microsoft succeed?
- ?#2 in 86 and #1 in 2001 in software company earnings ranking
- Only software company to make both top ten lists
MS did not make a fatal mistake and stayed on top
- Forced by programmers (like Netscape?s code rewrite)
- Forced by WallStreet (like Ashton Take or Lotus)
Was run by programmers who were business men

The Old Way
- Problems with the CD Jukebox
- Wiring the Stereo System and All Those Speakers
The New Way
- Use the Wireless LAN for Music Distribution
- Rip CD songs into MP3 files
- Place all MP3 in a central repository with suitable subdirectories
- Download and install a free Broadcast Server (SHOUTcast from WinAmp)
- Receivers need computer, wireless card, player.
- Just point player at port 8000 of server and listen

Microsoft Security Flaw May Trigger Next Worm

WorldCom in the Hot Seat Again

Redirecting traffic to by-pass origination and termination fees
Termination fees are usually 2 to 3 cents per minute on interstate calls
Traffic sent through Canada or laundered through small phone companies
Header information forged with fake originating address
Long distance calls may look like local calls on caller ID
Saved over $1B since 1994
Called ?Project Invader? or ?Project Scorpion?? Classified company secret.
US Governments may bar Worldcom from Federal Contracts
- Temporary ban for 1 month.
- GSA considering whether is should extended to 3 years

Data Dump Required Before Flights

Date of birth, home address, phone numbers will be checked
Look for people wanted for ?crimes of violence.?
Look for domestic groups accused of terrosism
Exclusions praised by Electronic Frontier Foundation
- No health or financial data will be used.
- Information will be retained for days, not years
- No IRS or deadbeat dad databases will be used

Stratford ?Trends? Seminar Series

Trends in Information Systems (July 23, 2003) ? Richard Shurtz
Trends in Open Systems (August 26, 2003) ? Billy Ball
Other topics will include Information Security, Wireless Technology, Digital Design and Animation, Telecommunication Technology, Network Management, e-Business, Web Services, Security and Biometrics, 64 Bit Processing on the Desktop, and Broadband Regulatory Ease

DVD-R and DVD-RW (first and most prevalent)
DVD+R and DVD+RW (a close second)
DVD-RAM (data backup only)
Latest multi-standard writers are the best bet
- Get a Dual DVD Writer (+ and -) if backup is not important
- Get multi-DVD writer (+, -, and RAM) if backup is important

Laptops Sales Dollars Top Desktop

Stratford News