Headlines from around the Web for Thursday, March 13, 2008
Compiled by Melanie Bender
How Did H-1B Visas Get Such a Bad Reputation?
NetworkWorld
As the April 1 deadline to file H-1B visa applications nears, the debate is heating up among IT industry watchers and skilled workers over whether the often maligned program adequately serves U.S. companies or American workers as it was originally intended.
Harvard Grad Students Hit in Computer Intrusion
ComputerWorld
Harvard University is offering a year of free credit monitoring to over 6,000 individuals after their Social Security numbers were compromised when a Web server for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences was hacked in February.
CIOs Promote 'Fusion' Strategy
ComputerWorld
Forget about mere IT-business alignment. At many companies, the new name of the game is melding technology and business operations, with CIOs getting a say in setting not only IT plans but business strategies as well.
Microsoft Executives Urge More Long Term U.S. Investment in Tech
InformationWeek
The United States risks falling behind other countries in innovation if the government doesn't invest and shape policy to keep it ahead,Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and chief research officer Craig Mundie warned in a speech and discussion with Virginia's technology leaders Thursday.
United States, Germany Will Share Biometric Data
Federal Computer Week
The United States and Germany will share some biometric information in their respective fingerprint databases, officials from both countries announced Tuesday. It is hoped the arrangement will help stymie the efforts of known and suspected terrorists from entering each country.
Is Parallel Computing the Next Big Thing?
CIO Insight
Parallel computing has been hyped for years as the next big thing in technology. But now, Microsoft's chief research officer thinks it's time to set the company's long-term technological direction in line with this idea.
NTP Soon to Feature Extra Timeliness
Government Computer News
Internet Engineer Task Force engineers are sharpening the Network Time Protocol's granularity of time measurements, as well as making the veritable time-synchronization standard compatible with version 6 of the Internet Protocol.
Winter Olympics Security Hinges on Information Sharing
Washington Technology
Information sharing needs to improve between the U.S. and Canadian governments, and between public agencies and the private sector, to prepare for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, an industry expert told Congress yesterday.
Password-Stealing Hackers Infect Thousands of Web Pages
InfoWorld
According to McAfee researchers, hackers looking to steal passwords used in popular online games have infected more than 10,000 Web pages in recent days. The infected Web sites look no different than before, but the attackers have added a small bit of JavaScript code that redirects visitors' browsers to an invisible attack launched from the China-based servers.
Next Tax Proposed to Replace Md. Tech Tax
The Baltimore Sun
Support is mounting in the General Assembly for a plan to replace Maryland's new computer services tax with an income tax surcharge on top earners. If approved, the income tax would take effect July 1, the day the technology tax would otherwise go into effect.
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