Technology Issues: Bush vs. Kerry

TechSoup News
Technology Issues: Bush v Kerry
President Bush and Senator John Kerry may not agree on most fundamental issues like stem cell research and health care, but technology is one area where the candidates share similar viewpoints.

Both politicians espouse the importance of technological innovation, focusing efforts on increasing broadband and Wi-Fi accessibility and developing hydrogen fuel-cell technology. Each supports a tax cut for technology research and development. At different times, Bush and Kerry have both mentioned that technology can improve the quality of our nation’s healthcare system. [Original Story

Question of the Week: What's the Difference Between a Switch and a Hub

Date: 10/28/04
TechSoup Question of the Week
Author: Christian Nielsen

Question: "We have an office with 4 computers all sharing Internet through a Belkin 4 port router connected to a Westell DSL modem (1.2Mbps download). All the computers work well. We are looking to add 2 more computers that will share Internet access also. A few folks told me to buy a hub and connect it to the router. Others told me get a switch and add that to the router. I am very confused. What is the difference between a hub and a switch? What do I need to expand to 2 more computers that will share my DSL?" Read the Answer

I-Names Offer New Way to Stave Off Spam

Date: 10/26/04
TechSoup News
By Sarah Hawkins

There's a new secret weapon in the fight against spam. Launched yesterday, an experimental spam combating service -- developed by a consortium of organizations and Internet broker companies and led by Identity Commons -- offers privacy-protected global Internet addresses, or i-names.

"I-names are the first universal private address -- an Internet address owned and controlled by a user for as long as they want, but spam-proof because it is not an e-mail address," Identity Commons president Owen Davis explained in the press release. [Original Story]

Electronic Voting: Better Elections or Just More Problems?

Date: 10/25/04
TechSoup: How-To: Hardware
By Henry Kumagai

Four years ago, with hanging chads in the news and the reliability of the U.S. electoral system in question, states and counties quickly embraced a technical solution: electronic voting machines. After all, went the thinking, with computers there should be no messy paper ballots, hanging or pregnant chads, or any of the other problems.

This year counties in 29 states plus the District of Columbia will offer touch-screen voting machines which will tally an estimated 50 million votes, according to the Washington Post. In California, the Los Angeles Times estimates that 30 percent of voters -- 4.5 million voters in 10 counties -- will cast their ballots using e-voting machines.

With the imbroglio of 2000 fresh in voters' minds, however, critics fear that this haste to embrace e-voting will mire another presidential election in ambiguous and contention-filled results. Will this pivotal election be remembered, not for hanging chads, slim margins, and recounts, but for inaccuracies due to computer crashes and data corruption? [Original Story]

Volunteer Posse Plays Crucial Role in Browser Launch

Date: 10/21/04
TechSoup News
By Sarah Hawkins.

With volunteers helping on every aspect of the campaign, release parties around the globe, and a full-page ad in the New York Times, the Mozilla Foundation is launching its new Firefox 1.0 Web browser in true open-source style.

Using a grassroots effort to tap into the mainstream media, the Mozilla Foundation is seeking donations to fund a full-page advertisement in the New York Timesto coincide with the launch. A $30 donation ($10 for students) will get your name in the ad that outlines the browser's features and benefits. [Original Story]