Stories by Nancy Weil

AOL, Time Warner Will Allow Consumers Choice

Consumers subscribing to Time Warner Inc.'s broadband cable services after it merges with America Online Inc. (AOL) will not be locked into using AOL or an affiliated ISP (Internet service provider), the companies announced today.

AOL 5.0 draws another class-action suit

America Online (AOL) has been slapped with another class-action lawsuit claiming that version 5.0 of its Internet access software renders operating systems unstable and, in some cases, inoperable, and effectively blocks computer users from being able to connect to competing ISP (Internet service provider) networks.

Gates Launches Interactive Version of MSN Mobile

Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates announced agreements with a host of wireless service providers and device makers and also demonstrated the MSN Mobile 2.0 software during a talk today at the CTIA Wireless 2000 show in New Orleans.

New Privacy Rules Could Affect IT Vendors

Proposed U.S. federal rules aimed at protecting the privacy of information that consumers disclose to financial institutions could affect hardware and software makers that finance the products they sell directly to users.

UPDATE: AOL 5.0 Draws Another Class-Action Suit

America Online Inc. (AOL) has been slapped with another class-action lawsuit claiming that version 5.0 of its Internet access software renders operating systems unstable and, in some cases, inoperable, and effectively blocks computer users from being able to connect to competing ISP (Internet service provider) networks.

UPDATE: Ford, Trilogy Pair on Web Sites

Ford Motor Co. and Trilogy Software Inc. are starting a company to create and operate Ford Internet sites aimed at customers, offering information about products and services.

Bogus Web Site Solicits Funds for McCain

Unsolicited e-mail, or spam, purporting to support U.S. Senator John McCain in his bid for the presidency is soliciting donations via a Web site that has nothing to do with the Arizona Republican.

Compaq rolls out e-biz initiative, Unisys deal

Compaq Computer on Wednesday detailed a three-phase initiative aimed at companies doing business on the Internet, including a deal under which Compaq will use Unisys's proprietary Cellular MultiProcessing (CMP) architecture in ProLiant servers.

Compaq Launches Biz Service Web Site

NOTE TO EDITORS: This story includes information that was disclosed to the IDG News Service under the condition that it not be made available to the general public until Tuesday, Feb. 15. We are making this story available internally to the IDG editorial community for your convenience in planning the forthcoming issue of your print publication. If any other public news source -- print or online -- breaks the embargo, the embargo will be considered irrelevant.

MCI Worldcom's Q4 pips forecast

Citing increased revenue from Internet and data communications businesses, MCI Worldcom today reported fourth-quarter 1999 net income of $US1.24 billion or 42 cents per common share, excluding after-tax gains of $64 million.
The consensus estimate of 24 analysts surveyed by First Call/Thomson Financial had the company finishing the quarter at 41 cents per share. The results compare to $460 million in net income, or 15 cents per share reported for the fourth quarter of 1998.

Real DoS Hack Victims Weren't Web Sites

Here's a sobering thought to end this week of hacking attacks: while attention has focused on the top-name e-commerce sites that were stunned by the denial of service (DoS) attacks, thousands of computers with constant Internet access were compromised to carry out the cyber crimes. Those computers are most likely in corporate offices, small businesses, universities and, perhaps, homes with high-speed Internet access.

MCI WorldCom Q4 Edges Out Forecast, Boosts Stock

Citing increased revenue from Internet and data communications businesses, MCI WorldCom Inc. today reported fourth-quarter 1999 net income of US$1.24 billion or 42 cents per common share, excluding after-tax gains of $64 million.

Web Publishing Future Hinges on XML

XML (Extensible Markup Language) is central to the future of Web publishing, executives from major vendors in that market said today during speeches at the Seybold Seminars Publishing 2000 conference, where companies are pledging broader product support for XML in future releases.

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