Search continues for a technological solution to privacy concerns An Internet standards organization, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), gave its official blessing to a “privacy system” that has already been included in, among other things, Microsoft’s IE (Internet Explorer) 6.0 browser. The Platform for Privacy Preferences, or P3P, is a specification for codes that Web sites are supposed to insert into their pages to specify whether or not they will release customers’ names to other parties, and other such matters. IE 6, which is bundled with Microsoft’s Windows XP operating system, reads these codes and displays messages to the user or takes other actions. For example, IE 6 can block personally identifying cookies if they are sent from Web servers, such as advertisers’ servers, other than those used by an e-commerce site itself. Sites that have no policies may trigger warnings to surfers that “no privacy” is offered. AT&T has posted its own software, Privacy Bird, for users of IE 5.01 and higher on Windows platforms. The beta software is customizable by users to detect and display a variety of Web site policies. P3P has been criticized by privacy advocates because it offers a false sense of security for Web surfers. Web sites can and do change their privacy policies, which can expose customers’ personal data in unexpected ways. And there is little enforcement if a site cuts corners on its privacy behavior. From the point of view of e-commerce sites, however, there isn’t much to argue against converting your privacy policies into machine-readable code. There’s a cost involved, but potential customers being warned away from your site may cost you even more. W3C APPROVES P3P AS A STANDARD AFTER WIDESPREAD ADOPTION https://www.wired.com@a6r.ms/?4e58 AT&T OFFERS FREE, BETA “PRIVACY BIRD” P3P SOFTWARE https://www.privacybird.com@e.la/?61e0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – E-BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY REVIEW: FIRST 3-BY-5-INCH PC A new company called OQO (pronounced oh-cue-oh) showed a fascinating new “modular” PC at Microsoft’s Windows Hardware Engineering Conference last week. The device, smaller than 3 by 5 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick, is a full-fledged PC running Windows XP Professional. Other players have announced tiny computers before — notably IBM and Xybernaut. But OQO’s “Ultra-Personal Computer” is arguably the first of its kind with a real ship date and attractive price. The company, created by several engineers from Apple’s Titanium PowerBook group, says its product will sell before the Christmas this year for about $1,500. The device attaches to a keyboard to become a laptop, plugs into a full-sized monitor to become a desktop, and so forth. It sports a 1GHz Crusoe processor for low power consumption and comes with a 10GB hard drive and 256MB of RAM, plus USB, FireWire, and both WiFi and Bluetooth for wireless connectivity. OQO ULTRA-PERSONAL COMPUTER OFFERS TINY MODULARITY https://www.tiscali.co.uk@th.gs/?7568 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – LIVINGSTON’S TOP 10 NEWS PICKS O’ THE WEEK 1. BizRate says U.S. e-commerce will rise 44 percent https://www.bizreport.com@a2.tc/?420 2. Tax proposals for Internet have little traction https://www.gigalaw.com@n6.be/?808 3. How Langa List achieved an 80 percent renewal rate https://www.contentbiz.com@836.as/?bf0 4. Women use online shopping as substitute for TV https://cyberatlas.internet.com@1c.to/?fd8 5. Copy-protected, $16 Dataplay disks go on sale soon https://www.cnn.com@a6r.ms/?13c0 6. Secret method for searching Google with date ranges https://www.researchbuzz.com@5a0.tc/?17a8 7. New iMacs surf the Web only half as fast as PCs https://www.wired.com@3n.be/?1b90 8. How one site does auto-linkbacks to its referrers https://www.diveintomark.org@31.dk/?1f78 9. PHP tips: Encoder allows use of encrypted code https://www.builder.com@54.vg/?2360 10. Apple releases the iToilet (a hilarious parody) https://www.raytracer25.btinternet.co.uk@e.la/?2748 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – WACKY WEB WEEK: AN INTERACTIVE, MULTI-PLAYER XML GAME A new attraction on the Internet is First2Zero.com, a cutting-edge Flash 5 experiment in which multiple players can challenge each other to a variation of Darts. The demonstration was designed by KMPinternet.com, who describe themselves as “e-business architects” located in Stockport, United Kingdom. They say the purpose of the project was “to create a platform on which real-time XML messaging through a multimedia interface could be demonstrated.” By clicking icons in the browser window of First2Zero, you can start a 1- or 2-player game on the same PC or, what’s more interesting, challenge someone anywhere on the Internet to play against you. The game is fascinating and a little addictive. To make it interesting, you can’t just point a dart with your mouse. Instead, a “power bar” that varies in intensity determines the strength of each throw. You should definitely try this, but be aware that the site is a bit slow to load and plays music (for those of you in cubicles plagued with snoopy co-workers). FIRST2ZERO.COM DEMONSTRATES MULTIMEDIA XML MESSAGING https://www.first2zero.com@836.as/?c388 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – E-BUSINESS SECRETS: Our mission is to bring you such useful and thought-provoking information about the Web that you actually look forward to reading your e-mail. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: E-Business Secrets is written by InfoWorld Contributing Editor Brian Livingston (http://SecretsPro.com). Research director is Ben Livingston (no relation). Brian has published 10 books, including: Windows Me Secrets: https://www.amazon.com@isbn.at/?0764534939 Windows 2000 Secrets: https://www.amazon.com@isbn.at/?0764534130 Win a gift certificate good for a book, CD, or DVD of your choice if you’re the first to send a tip Brian prints. Mail to:Brian@SecretsPro.com Technology Industry