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TELECOM Digest Wed, 25 May 2005 19:40:00 EDT Volume 24 : Issue 233 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Police Raid Bit Torrent Site; Shut it Down; Take Away Computers (Minter) Heir Apparent at Microsoft (Lisa Minter) Calling Card Call Blocked by Caller-ID ?!? (trevor_a47@hotmail.com) More on Verizon Fiber/FiOS (Lee Sweet) Re: Tangled up Over DSL - Some Cell Phone Users Demand (William Warren) Re: First Place, Web Promotion, Unsolicited Calls? (Steve Sobol) Re: Very Early Modems (Julian Thomas) Telecom and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Digest for the Internet. All contents here are copyrighted by Patrick Townson and the individual writers/correspondents. Articles may be used in other journals or newsgroups, provided the writer's name and the Digest are included in the fair use quote. By using -any name or email address- included herein for -any- reason other than responding to an article herein, you agree to pay a hundred dollars to the recipients of the email. =========================== Addresses herein are not to be added to any mailing list, nor to be sold or given away without explicit written consent. Chain letters, viruses, porn, spam, and miscellaneous junk are definitely unwelcome. We must fight spam for the same reason we fight crime: not because we are naive enough to believe that we will ever stamp it out, but because we do not want the kind of world that results when no one stands against crime. Geoffrey Welsh =========================== See the bottom of this issue for subscription and archive details and the name of our lawyer; other stuff of interest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Lisa Minter <lisa_minter2001@yahoo.com> Subject: Police Raid Bit Torrent Site; Shut it Down; Take Away Computers Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 17:43:14 -0500 Government shuts down Web site used to steal "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith." Federal agents and movers busy all day Wednesday hauling away computer equipment, servers, other files. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Federal agents launched a crackdown Wednesday on users of a popular new technology used to steal the latest "Star Wars" movie and other large data files, according to immigration officials. The campaign was described by government officials as the first-ever criminal action against operators of the file-sharing program known as BitTorrent. BitTorrent, described as Hollywood's version of the Napster scourge that rocked the music industry several years ago, has been used by Internet users to download massive files, such as movies and video games, quickly and far more easily than they could in the past. BitTorrent captured headlines last week when it was revealed that "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" was available for free online. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced in a statement a crackdown against top members of a file-sharing network that is based on BitTorrent and calls itself Elite Torrents. Government agents said the onslaught included 10 search warrants and the shut down of a central Web site used to coordinate all file-sharing activity on the Elite Torrents network. That Web site, Elitetorrents.org, had a selection of copyrighted works that government officials described as "virtually unlimited." The sixth and final installment of the "Star Wars" franchise was available for downloading on Elitetorrents.org more than six hours before it was released on theaters Thursday after midnight, according to the government statement. Within 24 hours, more than 10,000 copies of the "Star Wars" film had been swiped. Find this article at: http://money.cnn.com/2005/05/25/technology/piracy/index.htm NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, CNN/Money. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ From: Lisa Minter <lisa_minter2001@yahoo.com> Subject: An Heir Apparent at Microsoft? Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 17:46:19 -0500 Report: Server unit boss Eric Rudder, 38, seen as early leader in race to one day lead company. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - A published report said that the head of Microsoft's server business could be an early front-runner to eventually run the world's No. 1 software company, although current leadership has given no indication they are anywhere close to leaving the company. The New York Times reported Wednesday that Eric Rudder, 38, a senior vice president at the software company, is being seen as a leading candidate among Microsoft executives. Microsoft Chairman and co-founder Bill Gates and CEO Steve Ballmer are both only 49 and not likely to leave the company any time soon, the newspaper said. Rudder's group has grown at 15 to 20 percent annually for the last few years, reaching $10 billion a year in sales. He's also seen as a leader in making an outreach effort to Microsoft customers, moving away from the company's corporate headquarters near Seattle to its office in Paris to be closer to its full range of global customers. Before he took over the server business two years ago, Rudder served as Gates' technical assistant for four years, which the newspaper reports was seen as a sign he was being groomed. That tenure is the longest that anyone has served in that position. The newspaper lists some other top executives who could also be candidates to eventually succeed Gates and Ballmer. They include Steven Sinofsky, a senior vice president leading the Office business; Chris Jones, a vice president guiding Windows development; Yusuf Mehdi, a senior vice president in charge of MSN; and J Allard, a vice president who heads the Xbox team. Find this article at: http://money.cnn.com/2005/05/25/technology/microsoft_successor/index.htm NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new articles daily. *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, in this instance, CNN/Money. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ------------------------------ From: trevor_a47@hotmail.com Subject: Calling Card Call Blocked by Caller-IS ?!? Date: 25 May 2005 14:05:21 -0700 I tried to use a calling card today (IDT is the provider, off the shelf, no activation required), I entered the pin and then dialed the number as prompted, and then I got a message that blocked calls are blocked, and to press *(whatever) to unblock my number before dialing. (This wasn't a calling card message, it was the standard one you get.) This has never happened before. I thought the calling card company's outgoing number was shown. I call this person fairly often, and he's does have blocked calls blocked. Now I have to go buy a different card. Anyone ever heard of this? Calls from calling cards being blocked? ------------------------------ From: Lee Sweet <lee@datatel.com> Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 17:45:01 -0400 Subject: More on Verizon Fiber/FiOS (PAT, I think the Digest is burping again.. got several of 230 and several more of 231, and some of the 231 content was the same as 230...) Catching up on back reading, and here is some more info on Verizon network/telco fiber, something I know a bit about, since my development is being *100%* converted to FiOS this summer! I've had several back and forth conversations with our Telecom committee folks, who are talking with Verizon about several points I and others have raised including these: 1. We don't have a choice. The copper is being disconnected, and fiber installed. If you have DSL, you will be replaced with the lowest FiOS tier. It's not been said if this will cost more than the current special pricing for DSL in the future or not. We have been told that people that signed up for the special '1 year commitment of DSL' will *not* be penalized for that term, anyway. But, we will be all fiber by the end of the summer. 2. The internal copper telco wiring in your home will be connected to the new OND (Optical Network Device? I forget) demarc, and your telephone lines will be converted at that time. Network connectivity is via a Cat5e or better cable to be connected to the OND and then to a new router that you 'have' to use since it has some special troubleshooting 'stuff' in it. I intend to put my Vonage box behind that, and then my other router and switches behind that, as is the case now. (Good thing I know networking... :-) ) The network connection can be an issue in many cases, since most people don't have their current router near the demarc (but in some convenient room where telco copper lines went), and it's unclear how much inside network cabling Verizon will do as part of this installation. :-) 3. With 15 down/2 up, there's no reason VoIP shouldn't work very well. I currently use Vonage over a cable modem (4 down/768k up, theoretically, and it's fine). I've read the terms of service for FiOS (see http://www.verizon.com/fios ) and as far as I can see, all/most of the DSL terms of service still apply). 4. And, as was stated, all the future features/issues of video-on- demand, satellite-equivalent channels (what they *really* want the fiber in place for) is up in the air. Note that the current Verizon DirecTV arrangement is for new customers only, and is merely a billing discount; there's no delivery of DirecTV signals over Verizon lines at this time, either copper or fiber, that I'm aware of! Hope that's useful! Lee Sweet lee@datatel.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 18:17:44 -0400 From: William Warren <william_warren_nonoise@comcast.net> Subject: Re: Tangled up Over DSL - Some Cell Phone Users Demand to Stand Jack Decker wrote: > http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/3195270 > Some Cell Phone Users Demand to Stand Alone > By JOHN C. ROPER > Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle > A growing number of U.S. consumers are cutting the cord on traditional > home telephone service, choosing instead to exclusively use cell > phones. > But many of these consumers have found ditching their land-line phone > service, and its accompanying cost, isn't possible if they want speedy > DSL, or digital subscriber line, Internet service in their homes. > Providers such as SBC Communications require customers to buy > residential phone service to have access to their broadband lines, a > tactic consumer advocacy groups say is unfair. The independents, such as Covad, have had to order and use separate loops since they started in business. Cross-subsidy and competition issues aside, the Bells are certainly _able_ to offer the service on a technical level. William ------------------------------ From: Steve Sobol <sjsobol@JustThe.net> Subject: Re: First Place, Web Promotion, Unsolicited Calls? Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 15:22:00 -0700 Organization: Glorb Internet Services, http://www.glorb.com usenet@outshine.com wrote: > Has anyone recently received an unsolicited call from someone > representing "First Place?" They apparently make a Web promotion > product. Any information at all would be helpful. Yeah, feh ... can't remember which product First Place Software publishes ... WebPosition Gold, maybe? ... No, it looks like WPG was bought by WebTrends. Heh, but when I do a search on First Place Software, a sponsored link to WPG comes up, so I guess I was right! > Today I received an unsolicited call from them. The agent asked if I > owned outshine.com and then told me he had a product that would help > my site to make a lot of money. He asked me to open up a Web browser. > Unfortunately, I didn't give him a chance to give me a URL. > I told him to put me on his do not call list. He REFUSED. I asked > for his name. He refused. I told him he was violating at least US > law, and he needed to respond. He simply repeated, "don't you want to > make money with your site?" Idiots. Yup, WebTrends was the company that had a buggy log analysis product and couldn't help me fix the many bugs I had over a period of about eighteen months, and started sending me nastygrams about trademark infringement when I registered WebTrendsSucks.com even though I had just registered it, and never used it for email or a web site. WebTrends is at 851 SW 6th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97204. If you were on the federal DNC list, the FTC can fine them for the violation. If not, you may be able to sue them yourself under the 1991 Telephone Consumer Protection Act. I would not advise doing anything, however, unless you call a lawyer (except if you're going to file the DNC violation with the FTC). JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638) Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / sjsobol@JustThe.net / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED "The wisdom of a fool won't set you free" --New Order, "Bizarre Love Triangle" ------------------------------ From: Julian Thomas <jt@withheld_on_request> Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 19:02:25 -0400 Subject: Re: Very Early Modems <as usual pse obscure my email address - tnx> In <20050525215416.33CD91505B@massis.lcs.mit.edu>, on 05/25/05 was typed: >> However, in the 1950s, IBM developed card-to-card directly without >> paper tape and "over AT&T lines". Modems were developed to take good >> advtg of the available bandwidth (about 1200 baud). Undoubtedly the >> equipment and implementation was developed in close cooperation with >> AT&T. > This was the IBM "Card-to-card" transceiver. I don't know when they > first came out, but the Army started implementing them in a nationwide > network in September of 1956. I saw one in operation between the GE Lynn Mass facility and somewhere else in 1960 or 61, in the same room as the 704. <snip> > I believe they used 4-wire leased lines, with data access arrangement > boxes provided by Ma Bell. So the signals going into the big grey box > next to the reader/punch were analogue. I don't recall what the > transmission rate was, but they sent EBCDIC directly without any > translation to a 5-channel code and no added headers. No, it would NOT have been EBCDIC, which didn't emerge until System/360 around 1965. Try BCD or maybe some 2 out of 12 code. Julian Thomas: ID=jt domain=jt-mj period net http://jt-mj.net In the beautiful Finger Lakes Wine Country of New York State! Warpstock 2005: Hershey, Pa. October 6-9, 2005 - http://www.warpstock.org There are very few personal problems that cannot be solved by a suitable application of high explosives. ------------------------------ TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, Yahoo Groups, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copyrighted. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occasional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. 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