Over the past eight years, spending for technology in education has reached $6.2 billion and top companies are extensively involved in educational projects to push the high tech agenda. IBM, Apple, Intel and Microsoft are some of the leaders in this area. According to a 1997 presidential report, the $6.2 billion needs to triple to $18 billion to reach all schools. Critics, however, see the eLearning movement as dangerous if schools start accepting free products and services from high-tech companies in exchange for allowing advertising on school computers. (Business Week, 25 Sept 00)

University of Wisconsin-Madison won't ban Napster's download service on campus, professing respect for intellectual property. Other educational institutions have also declined to bar Napster. No legal action against the University of Wisconsin is planned. (Wisconsin State Journal, 29 Sept 00)

A group of 400 independent British music labels has created a new way to license music broadcast online. Represented by the Association of Independent Music (AIM), the new method will let broadcasters license music from an entire group of labels through a single agreement. A six-month pilot will offer the labels' music, without threat, while bargaining with the union to establish a fair financial agreement to be paid retroactively. The initiative is an alternative to the U.S. licensing structure and gives independent labels collective power against top competitors such as BMG, EMI and Warner. (Industry Standard, 25 Sept 00)

A joint study designed to determine the success of the federal eRate (education rate) initiative, revealed that over 95% of all US schools have at least one computer connected to the Internet. This is up from 65% in 1996. The study was conducted by the Urban Institute and Department of Education. The eRate funds help schools acquire cable connections, telephone infrastructure, computer equipment, satellite, dynamic simulation language service or contract with an ASP. (Newsbytes, 11 Sept 00)

Students at the University of Oregon can now log on to the network from many locations on campus using only a laptop and an access card. By the end of the year, 24 access points will reach 80 percent of the campus. As access points increase, students will be able to roam freely around campus without disconnecting from the network. Two of the university's concerns, load balancing and privacy, are being addressed. (Industry Standard, 11 Sept 00)

A wide range of eBooks will be included in Simon & Schuster's Fall 2000 catalog. The platforms for the Simon and Schuster digital books will be: Microsoft Reader, Glassbook, SoftLock.com, peanutpress.com and Gemstar's Softbook Reader and Rocket eBook. Paul Saffo from the Institute for the Future thinks that the novella and short story may make a comeback in this format. Sites such as Blosm and MightyWords, could help build a following for unknown authors. (PC World.com, 8 Sept 00)