From: IN%"educom@elanor.oit.unc.edu" 9-MAY-1996 22:01:14.77

REGIONAL BELLS WANT RATE HIKES FOR WIRING SCHOOLS The United States Telephone Association would like to raise the average U.S. monthly phone bill by about $10 over the next five years to pay for wiring schools and libraries with new lines for phones and computers, and to subsidize poor and rural customers. The proposal assumes an $11 billion cost for wiring schools and libraries, with local phone companies paying about a third to a half of that. The rest would come from a surcharge on other services, such as cellular. "No single industry should be held responsible for fulfilling this major goal," says USTA's president. "Each has a role and should make a significant contribution to the national education technology mandate." (Investor's Business Daily 8 May 96 A7)

The "subsidize poor and rural customers" line makes me glad I don't have a phone line.

ALLIANCE SEEKS ELECTRONIC SECURITY An alliance of software companies has established the Electronic Licensing and Security Initiative to develop a system that uses electronic tokens linked to a software package to securely track software rentals, licenses and purchases. The group also plans to develop an electronic clearinghouse to provide and track licenses. Several major software producers, including Microsoft, IBM and AT&T have said they will support the Initiative's technology. (Wall Street Journal 6 May 96 B6)

Anyone know how this is supposed to work? It sounds like a non-anonymous digital cash system, in essence.

IBM'S INFOMARKET TOLL BOOTH IBM has persuaded some 30 companies, including Eastman Kodak, Xerox, Reuters, America Online and Yahoo!, to use its new infoMarket electronic-content clearinghouse for displaying and distributing their wares. The infoMarket concept requires customers to pay for only what they use, with the content providers controlling the information and setting their own prices. "Charging only for what you want is a very attractive scheme," says one electronic database provider. The system is based on "Cryptolopes" -- secure electronic packaging that, when opened, bind the user to a contractual agreement regarding the use of the content. If the content is distributed beyond that agreement, the technology can track its usage and bill the original purchaser for subsequent viewings. "It's a complete break from all other ways information has been published on the Net to date," says an industry consultant. "It turns pass-along from a business threat to a business opportunity." (Business Week 13 May 96 p114)

Again, it's not clear how this is supposed to work. It does remind me of that information-network thing that was promoted on the Extropian lists, except that didn't have any provisions on reuse. -Allen

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