One of the US government's leading economic experts in the Microsoft anti-trust trial has said he doesn't believe phenomenal numbers of Netscape browsers were downloaded from the Internet last year, dismissing statistics in Microsoft documents. Microsoft lawyer Michael Lacovara had showed economist Franklin Fisher documents showing that 1.8 million copies of the Navigator browser had been downloaded over the Web in a week last October. That would put the annual rate of downloads near 100 million. "I don't believe that, I don't believe they believe that, I don't believe you believe that," said Fisher.
The US government has alleged that Microsoft blocked Netscape from the most efficient methods of distributing its browser, via downloads, through the software giant's exclusive contracts with computer manufacturers and ISPs. If Microsoft can show that Netscape's distribution was not hindered, it could undermine a major portion of the anti-trust suit.
Big Deal: Taiwan's leading computer maker Acer and IBM are planning an $8 billion alliance, according to reports from Taiwan last night. They will share product purchasing and development of new lines, the Economic Daily News reported. The deal, which would turn Acer into IBM's Asia-Pacific manufacturing centre, was partially prompted by IBM's need for greater efficiency in its PC division.
The Right Price: Following concern over possible overcharging of customers in supermarkets, SuperValu is piloting electronic price labels on shelves. An electronic link between the checkout scanning system and the price label on the shelf ensures that the price a customer sees is what is charged at the checkout.
Circumventing Costs: Eircell has introduced a system to cut the cost of calls from fixed-line phones to mobiles. The £550 ProLink is connected to the Eircell network and to a company's in-house phone system. Calls made through it are charged at the mobile-to-mobile rate, now 10p.
Race To The Park: The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has launched a new 100-acre science and technology park in Cabinteely, Co Dublin. The Cherrywood park is part of a 400-acre development expected to create over 7,000 jobs - one of the largest concentrations of employment in the State. Already, Lucent Technologies is relocating 450 staff to the facility.
Our Friends In The North: Northern Ireland's software sector could generate revenue of £2 billion and up to 15,000 jobs in the next five years, according to a new strategy document. Software companies based in the republic could capitalise on this boom, according to Mary Cryan of Cryan Consulting, who compiled "It's the Future". She urged southern companies restricted by a skills shortage to work with partners in the North to tap into the labour pool there, but also warned that Northern Ireland could steal a march on the rest of the country in telecoms infrastructure and e-commerce.
Airtel On Airtime: Irish software developer Airtel ATN has won a multi-million-dollar contract with the US-based corporation ARINC, to supply software for its new communications technology for the aviation industry. Airtel ATN software was chosen to route messages through ARINC's air-ground data communications system, Aeronautical Telecommunication Network, billed as a step towards an "Internet in the sky".
No More Secrets: China has heaped scorn on last month's Cox report, arguing it could not have stolen information on US nuclear technology because the same information is readily available on the Internet. Before going online to show the availability of nuclear information, a Chinese cabinet spokesman said that because of the Internet, there were no longer secrets and therefore nothing to steal. The US Congress Cox committee had accused China of stealing secret information on US nuclear technology, including seven types of warheads, in a spying campaign spanning 20 years.
Design-Adrive: Mechanical design engineers across Europe can compete to create computer-aided designs for Formula One cars. Hewlett-Packard and Jordan Grand Prix are inviting engineers to compete for the title of "Challenge Champion" by designing a part of a Formula One car. Info: www.jordangp.com
Foreign Affairs: Websites attacking the Malaysian government may be funded by foreign elements to tarnish the country, according a junior minister there. Sites supporting the jailed former minister Anwar Ibrahim have mushroomed since his sacking in September sparked a political crisis. A government "anti-defamation committee" has downloaded over 3,000 offending pages and the government is considering legal action against their authors.
In Brief...British Sky Broadcasting has launched its Skynow Internet service provider . . . Clumsy PC users prone to accidentally deleting files can avail of a freeware version of the Emergency Undelete file recovery tool for Windows NT, available for download from www.executive.com . . . Microsoft has piggybacked on the huge hype surrounding Phantom Menace, the new Star Wars film, by timing the cinema release of a recruitment ad to coincide with the film's premiere in Ireland on July 16th . . . Forging ahead in the battle to be least prepared for Y2K is Venezula whose government has said it needs to spend $1.5 billion to prevent computer chaos . . . Swedish mobile phone company Europolitan has chosen Iona's Orbix system for registration of subscribers over the Internet . . . Apple's iMac has won gold in the BusinessWeek Annual Design Awards . . .