Thanks for the Support
Read about the Internet Scout Project in the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/11/circuits/articles/11scou.html
Everyone here at the Internet Scout Project would like to thank those of you who took the time to respond to our Letter to Readers of October 6, about why you like receiving the Scout Reports and how you use them. We received over 2,000 cheering and inspiring responses, and we will be asking many of you for permission to quote your words in upcoming funding proposals and articles. You've also let us know how much you would miss the reports if they were to be discontinued. However, we do not expect that will be the case.
In fact, several of you have used your own platforms to give the Scout Reports and the project excellent exposure over the last few weeks. Most recently, George Robinson, one of our readers, wrote an article for the Circuits section of yesterday's (November 11) New York Times. If others have additional ideas for exposure or possible funding sources, please write to Susan Calcari, the director of the Internet Scout Project at scal@cs.wisc.edu.
Thanks again to George and to all of you for your continued support and good wishes!
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Scout Report for Science & Engineering
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/report/sci-eng/1999/se-991110.html
Volume 3, Number 5 of the Scout Report for Science & Engineering is available. The In the News section annotates ten resources on the string of recent important fossil discoveries. [MD]
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Entrez - New PubMed System
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi
The US National Library of Medicine has recently released a new version of its PubMed search service (originally reviewed in the July 18, 1997 Scout Report). Titled Entrez, the new service integrates information from a number of databases (nucleotide sequences, protein sequences, macromolecular structures, whole genomes, and MEDLINE) at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Entrez provides access "to over 10 million citations in MEDLINE, PreMEDLINE, and other related databases, with links to participating online journals." Its new single search interface includes four new menus that display field limits, indexes, search history (active for one hour), and a clipboard where users can store up to 500 items for one hour. These improvements promise to make what is already one of the most used and authoritative online resources for current medical research information even more invaluable. [MD]
[Back to Contents]The Bertrand Russell Archives
http://www.mcmaster.ca/russdocs/russell.htm
No-Frames Version
http://www.mcmaster.ca/russdocs/russell1.htm
Located at McMaster University since 1968, the Bertrand Russell archives holds a large amount of Russell's correspondence, manuscripts, tapes, and photographs. The online version of the archive offers a number of resources of interest to researchers and students in Russell Studies. The highlight of these is BRACERS (Bertrand Russell Archives Catalogue Entry and Retrieval System), a database of 64,000 records of correspondence between Russell and over 29,000 people and groups, searchable by a number of fields. Returns include sender and receiver, date, and in some cases, notes. The full text of some letters is also available online. A separate listing of the people and groups corresponding and the number of letters to and from each one is also available. Additional resources at the site include a gallery of high-resolution annotated images, a bibliography, tables of contents for the Russell Journal (1971-present), a listing of forthcoming works on Russell, information on the Russell Editorial Project, a discussion list, quotations, and links to related sites, among others. Despite its awkward layout, this site is a necessary first stop for anyone interested in one of the 20th century's most influential liberal thinkers. [MD]
[Back to Contents]Perseus Image Browser
Perseus Project -- Tufts University
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/
European Mirrors:
Berkin, Germany
http://perseus.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/
Oxford, England
http://perseus.csad.ox.ac.uk/
The Perseus Project at Tufts University (discussed in the January 1, 1999 Scout Report) has recently added a new image browsing tool to its digital library of the ancient world. Users can access more than 30,000 images in several ways. Probably the easiest is via the internal keyword search engine, or Lookup Tool. Most searches will return multiple image categories, such as coins, sculptures, or sites. A sample search for "Zeus," for example, produced over 550 thumbnails under various headings. Users can access the images by clicking on the adjacent Thumbnail menu bar and full catalog entries by clicking the category headings on the search return page or from the thumbnails. The Image Browser can be loaded within one of the art and archaeology catalogs by clicking the View Thumbnails button at the top of the results page, or from the Browse Images link at the top of any art and archaeology catalog page. [MD]
[Back to Contents]DoubleTwist
http://www.doubletwist.com/
Currently in beta, this new portal for genetic research will offer a variety of biological data "from multiple public sources," research tools, online education resources, news, and professional and commercial information. The heart of the site will be the data, which can be accessed by users without an expertise in bioinformatics via several automated agents (Research, Cluster Retrieval, and Human Genome Analysis) that provide in-depth information on selected genetic sequences. After entering a sequence, users run the selected agent and are then notified when the report is available, usually within 24 hours. Currently, users are limited to one genetic sequence at a time and will be notified by email when all of the site is available in December. While obviously of limited use at this time, the site promises to be a major resource for life scientists. [MD]
[Back to Contents]Two Updated Reference Resources on the US Federal Government
Understanding the Federal Courts [.pdf, 417K]
http://www.uscourts.gov/UFC99.pdf
How Our Laws are Made -- THOMAS
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html
New editions of two helpful reference works on the US Federal Government have been recently released. The first is the 1999 edition of Understanding the Federal Courts, an overview of the "operation, and administration of the entire federal court system." The report covers the relationship between the courts and the other branches of government, the structure and jurisdiction of the federal courts, and an overview of the judicial process and administration. A list of legal terms and directories of the US District Courts and Courts of Appeals is also included. Recently updated by the House of Representatives Parliamentarian, the 22nd edition of How Our Laws Are Made reflects changes in congressional procedures since the last edition was published in 1997. The guide is offered as a plain text document or by chapter in HTML format. [MD]
[Back to Contents]University of Illinois Department of Mathematics Preprints [.dvi, .ps, .gz]
http://www.math.uiuc.edu/Preprints/
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Mathematics Home Page contains an archive of current and previous preprints dealing with Algebraic Number Theory, K-Theory, and the department's Faculty and Graduate Student Research Reports. Each of these sections is frequently updated. Some recent K-theory titles include "Higher Intersection Theory on Algebraic Stacks" and "On the K-theory of Local Fields." Algebraic Number Theory titles include "An Explicit Algebraic Family of Genus-one Curves Violating the Hasse Principle" and "A Generalization of Eichler's Criterion for Fermat's Last Theorem." Unprocessed new submissions are also accessible. A link to the department's homepage provides information on the various types of math research being conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. [KR]
[Back to Contents]Two from the National Security Archive
Declassified Documents on Iran and the United States
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB21/index.html
Secrets From Behind the (Crumbling) Iron Curtain
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/news/19991105/index.html
Though the first has received relatively scant attention from the press, two major anniversaries have passed over the past two weeks. Twenty years ago on November 4, the American embassy in Tehran was seized by militant students, an act which radicalized the revolution and severely damaged relations between the two countries. On November 8, 1989, the Berlin Wall fell when the checkpoints were unexpectedly opened. The National Security Archive (last discussed in the October 22, 1999 Scout Report) has recently placed online two small collections of documents related to these events. The first is a sample from the Archive's new project on US-Iran relations since World War II. The annotated declassified documents date from 1947 to 1991 and include a CIA cable, National Security Decision Directives, and Department of State memorandums. The second collection consists of recently obtained verbatim transcripts of such historic meetings as that between Solidarity leader Walesa and German chancellor Kohl on the day the Berlin Wall fell, Soviet leader Gorbachev's meetings with Hungarian communist reformers, and "the Czechoslovak Communist Party's central committee's rationale for not calling in the troops in the face of mass protests in November 1989." [MD]
[Back to Contents]DOJ for Kids and Youth
http://www.usdoj.gov/kidspage/
Text-Only
http://www.usdoj.gov/kidspage/indextxt.html
This site from the Department of Justice (DOJ) hosts a number of crime and crime-prevention related resources aimed at younger users. These can be browsed by targeted audience (K-5 or 6-12) or subject (Safety, Substance Abuse Prevention, Criminology, US Government, etc.). The age and quality of the resources vary, but highlights include Internet Do's & Don'ts, Crime Detection, Famous FBI Cases, Working Dogs, and an overview of a federal prosecutor's job. A collection of resources and guides aimed at teachers and parents is also provided. [MD]
[Back to Contents]E-Collections
This new mailing list is designed for users involved in developing electronic collections of information. Suggested topics to be discussed include "collection development strategies, identifying/assessing/acquiring content, collaborative collecting at local/regional/national levels, and other topical aspects of electronic collection management." [MD]
To join, send an email to:
mailbase@mailbase.ac.uk
In the body of the message, type:
join e-collections yourfirstname yourlastname
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Britannica.com
http://www.britannica.com/
As is probably well-known to most readers, a few weeks ago Encyclopaedia Britannica decided to place the entire contents of its 32-volume set online for free. The decision was widely reported both online and in the print press, and the site promptly crashed under the huge strain. Though a bit slow and sometimes buggy, Britannica.com is now officially up and running, offering full access to the encyclopedia content as well as articles from over 75 magazines. The front page of Britannica.com is partially designed as a news portal, with recent US and world stories. From the front page, users can also select from fifteen broad categories (e.g., Books, Health, History, Science, Society, etc.) and access news, selected Websites from Britannica's Internet guide, and the relevant encyclopedia entry. Detailed encyclopedia entries and articles (as well as related books and Websites) for specific topics are accessed through the keyword search engine at the top of the page. Users may find that the Britannica server is still having difficulty meeting the high demand and that several search requests or visits are necessary. However, when the site does provide returns, it offers a depth of reliable, if somewhat basic, information that few other sites can match. With time, Britannica.com will no doubt smooth out the rough edges and become a primary reference resource for general users and K-12 students. [MD]
[Back to Contents]President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion Fourth Summary of Assessment Information
http://www.y2k.gov/new/4thquarterly.html
Released on Wednesday, the President's fourth and final report on the year 2000 computer problem is optimistic, stating that conversion work in vital industries has been completed or virtually completed. At the same time, the President warned against complacency, pointing out that numerous small business, local governments, health care facilities, and some nations have lagged behind. For the most part, the 83-page report offers little new information but summarizes the key findings of the President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion. [MD]
[Back to Contents]The World Reports
http://www.hg.org:80/currwr.html
Lex Mundi
http://www.lexmundi.org/
Published three to four times a year by Lex Mundi, a worldwide organization of over 150 independent law firms, The World Reports features articles written by and for attorneys covering worldwide legal developments. The current issue, winter 1999, contains a European Union update focusing on the Euro, pieces on banking in several countries, and World Perspectives from the Bahamas, India, Delaware, and New Zealand. Users can also browse an index of full-text past articles from 1989 to the present by topic and jurisdiction. Additional resources include a collection of Guides to Doing Business written by Lex Mundi members for their respective jurisdictions. [MD]
[Back to Contents]Yahoo! Politics [RealPlayer]
http://politics.yahoo.com/
In yet another sign that the campaign season fast approaches, Yahoo has recently created this political news site. While the site does not offer substantially more than can be found elsewhere on Yahoo, it packages the resources in a convenient one-stop format for news and information on the White House, Supreme Court, Congress, and State and Local governments. The front page of the site features breaking national political news, weekly video spotlights in which candidates share their thoughts on selected issues, a listing of each day's online events, and links to related sites and more coverage. Both the White House and Supreme Court sections contain news stories from the past week and a number of related links, and the last two sections feature information on members of Congress, Governors, and State Senators and Representatives. While certainly not a complete or comprehensive source of political information, Yahoo! Politics is nonetheless useful as a current awareness resource, and users following the 2000 elections may want to add the site to their other bookmarked sources of political news. [MD]
[Back to Contents]floraguide
http://www.floraguide.com/html/ingles/ingles.html
Created by Jose Manuel Sanchez and available in seven languages, this large metasite offers thousands of botanical links. The site is helpfully divided into commercial and non-commercial databases, and the non-commercial sites are organized by subject and then sometimes subdivided by topic. For instance, the Gardens and Horticulture section breaks down into five separate topics, offering a total of 403 links. The commercial directory is divided by country or region (36), selected via a pull-down menu bar. Other site features include a discussion forum (only a few messages at present), a list of sources for related software, links to databases on Spanish plants and trees created by Sanchez, and an internal search engine. [MD]
[Back to Contents]Social Progress Web Gallery -- CMC
http://www.civilization.ca/membrs/canhist/progrese.html
The Canadian Museum of Civilization (CMC) (originally reviewed in the April 21, 1998 Scout Report for Social Sciences) has recently unveiled a new section that will chronicle social progress in Canada. The first two exhibits, available in both English and French, document the history of the Canadian labor movement and the evolution of Canada's electoral system. The former traces the development of organized labor in Canada from the craft movement through the creation of craft unions to postwar organizing and the challenges of organized labor in the 1980s and 1990s. Each of the six sections offers a selection of short histories and Voices, a collection of photos, texts, and audio pieces (.wav) that showcase the views of people on both sides of the struggle. The content of the second feature, on the History of the Vote, is rather disappointing, more of an advertisement for a related book than a true online exhibit. The feature contains nine "mini-sections" which briefly chart electoral history through the experiences of representative individuals or groups. A timeline and bibliography round out the section. [MD]
[Back to Contents]Lycos Zone
http://www.lycoszone.com
In the tradition of Yahooligans (reviewed in the March 22, 1996 Scout Report) and other so-called "green spaces," Lycos has created a new online safe haven for young users which is fairly self-contained, with the exception of the advertisements. (In response to criticisms regarding aggressive marketing to children at similar sites, Lycos claims that the ads are clearly marked and will not collect any personal information.) The site is composed of four sections: the Fun and Games Zone, the Homework Zone, the New and Cool Zone, and an area for parents and teachers. The first two sections are fairly deep, with numerous resources and activities aimed at various age levels. Some links in the Homework Zone lead users outside the site, but they are first presented with a gateway page informing them that they are leaving and offering advice on not divulging personal information. [MD]
[Back to Contents]1000-2000 A Thousand Years -- Christian Science Monitor (CSM) [Flash]
http://www.csmonitor.com/atcsmonitor/specials/athousandyears/index.html
The first in a series of special millennium reports from the CSM, this attractive site explores scientific theories and discoveries of the past 1000 years. The site basically consists of six articles on this subject, accompanied by several special features such as the evolution of the telephone and the microchip revolution. Also included is an interactive timeline of discoveries (sometimes slow loading), viewable by year or topic, and links to other related millennium stories. Additional special features on sports, religion, and home and family life are scheduled to appear over the next several months. [MD]
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RealPlayer 7 (Beta)
http://www.real.com/player/index.html
Hot on the heels of embarrassing privacy revelations concerning its RealJukebox, RealNetworks this week released a (for the first time cross-platform) beta version of the next RealPlayer. RealPlayer 7 features a new interface, an expanded streaming channel directory, and Take5, a daily updated five-minute serving of entertainment and entertainment news. Mac users should be pleased not only with the cross-platform release, but also with the stability of RealPlayer 7, which in initial tests seemed considerably superior to the RealPlayer G2 for Mac. [MD]
[Back to Contents]Invisible Web
http://www.invisibleweb.com/
Calling itself "the search engine of search engines," this site indexes over 10,000 databases, archives, and search engines, offering users links to targeted search sources for their queries instead of hundreds or thousands of Webpages. Users can search by keyword, perform an advanced search, or browse a list of entries organized under the "Hot List." A sample search for "linux" yielded twelve relevant searchable resources. Searches for "American History" produced 50 hits, while "British History" only gave us a disappointing four returns, none of which were particularly relevant. Some of the search returns are simply links to the appropriate page off-site, but many are offered on-site with a brief introduction, access information, and a keyword search form (which, if filled out, will then lead users to a results page from the source site). While its usefulness will vary substantially depending on the subject of the search, this site is definitely worth a look. [MD]
[Back to Contents]GetRight [Java}
http://www.getright.com
GetRight is a popular tool that assists users in all aspects of the downloading process. It has an easy-to-use interface and can be integrated with most browsers (IE, Navigator, Opera) to take control of certain downloads. While the ability to resume downloads that were interrupted for any reason is the selling point of GetRight, it also comes with a multitude of configuration options that will make power users smile. GetRight is available for Windows 3.1/95/98 and NT. It is licensed as shareware and can be registered for $20. [JB]
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Whither Microsoft and the Department of Justice?
ZDNet News Special Report [RealPlayer]
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/special/msdojendgame.html
"The Microsoft Anti-Trust Case" - An Online Newshour Focus
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/cyberspace/july-dec99/microsoft_index.html
"Microsoft on Trial" -- CNNfn Special Report
http://cnnfn.com/news/specials/antitrust/
"Microsoft on Trial" -- BBC News Special Report
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/special_report/1998/04/98/microsoft/newsid_201000/201889.stm
"Justice VS. Microsoft" -- MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.com/news/COMJUSTICEVSMS_Front.asp
"US vs Microsoft" -- Chicago Tribune
http://chicagotribune.com/business/businessnews/ws/0,1246,8297,00.html
Findings of Fact - United States of America v. Microsoft Corporation [.pdf, WP6]
http://usvms.gpo.gov/
Findings of Fact -- Yahoo! News
http://biz.yahoo.com/msft/
"Excerpts From 'Findings' on Microsoft" -- Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-11/06/105l-110699-idx.html
US vs Microsoft -- Policy.com
http://www.policy.com/reports/dojvsms/030298a.html
Freedom to Innovate Network (FIN) -- Microsoft
http://www.microsoft.com/freedomtoinnovate/default.htm
Microsoft Editorial Cartoons
http://www.cagle.com/microsoft/
In a strongly worded preliminary judgement released on November 5, US District Court Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson determined that Microsoft is, in fact, a predatory monopoly. Within 30 days, attorneys for both sides will be back before Judge Jackson to present their own findings of law, arguments as to how the judge should rule based on the findings of fact. A final decision is not expected until next year. While Microsoft's stock dipped very slightly when the news first arrived, investors, for the most part, have remained very optimistic about the company's future. This optimism is shared by the software giant, as evidenced by a defiant speech by Bill Gates at a recent shareholders meeting. One of the reasons for this is the belief that no matter how the case proceeds in the short term, Microsoft will be able to drag it out for possibly four or five more years with appeals. In addition, the DC Court of Appeals is widely believed to be sympathetic to the company and may try to smooth the waters and offer some partial escape. However, a rarely used section of the federal antitrust statute may allow the DOJ to take the case directly to the Supreme Court, circumventing the Court of Appeals. In either case, the future of the company is still a matter of some debate, as these resources demonstrate.
Users may want to begin with the special feature from ZDNet News, which includes breaking news, analysis, a timeline, and audio and video segments. Additional special reports containing a variety of resources are also available from PBS Online Newshour, CNNfn, BBC News, MSNBC, and the Chicago Tribune. At the US District Court for the District of Columbia site, users can read the full text of Judge Jackson's 206-page Findings of Fact in HTML, .pdf, and Wordperfect 6 formats. A searchable and browseable version of the Findings is available from Yahoo! News; while the Washington Post has placed key excerpts online. Policy.com offers a review of the relevant anti-trust law and key cases to help put this trial in perspective. Organized by Microsoft, the Freedom to Innovate Network (FIN) "is a non-partisan, grassroots network of citizens and businesses who have a stake in the success of Microsoft and the high-tech industry." The FIN site contains policy issue statements and commentary on the trial from Microsoft's viewpoint. Finally, Darly Cagle's excellent Pro Cartoonists Index features a large (over 75) collection of editorial cartoons on the trial from newspapers around the world. [MD]
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From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-1999. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/
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Copyright Susan Calcari and the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, 1994-1999. The Internet Scout Project (http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/), located in the Computer Sciences Department of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, provides information about the Internet to the U.S. research and education community under a grant from the National Science Foundation, number NCR-9712163. The Government has certain rights in this material. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of the entire Scout Report provided this paragraph, including the copyright notice, are preserved on all copies.
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The Scout Report (ISSN 1092-3861) is published weekly by Internet Scout
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