Technology

William Ulrich's new book is "The Year 2000 Software Crisis" (Yourdon Press). It is a guide to solving the problems that will arise in the millennium when computer software will translate the two-digit shorthand '00 as 1900, not 2000. For companies world-wide this computer failure could lead to business failure. Ulrich is President of Tactical Strategy Group, Inc. and a strategic Year 2000 advisor for corporations and government agencies.

The Head of MIT's Laboratory for Computer Science, Michael Dertouzos. Fifteen years ago he predicted an "Information Marketplace" like that of the Internet. In his new book, he continues to look ahead to the future of the information age, and how it will affect our lives: "What Will be: How the New World Information Will Change Our Lives."

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews "Classics for Dummies" on CD-Rom on the EMI label.

Newspaper columnist and the etiquette expert, Judith Martin, otherwise known as Miss Manners. Her new book is "Miss Manners' Basic Training: Communication" (Crown News) about the social issues of phone answering machines, e-mail, and cyberspace.

An excerpt from a recent panel discussion in Philadelphia on the future on the Internet. It was moderated by Terry Gross and took place November 1, 1996 at the University of Pennsylvania. The guests include James Gleick, who writes about technology for the New York Times Sunday Magazine; Paul Ginsparg, a theoretical physicist in Los Alamos; Sherry Turkle, author of "Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet"; and Paul Evan Peters, the Executive Director of the Coalition for Networked Information. Peters died a few days after participating in this panel.

Intel is the world's largest manufacturer of microprocessing chips, and the seventh most profitable company among the Fortune 500. Grove was born in Hungary and emigrated to the United States in 1956. He spoke very little English when he arrived. In 1963, he received his Ph.D from the University of California, at Berkeley. Grove participated in the founding of Intel and became its president in 1979 and chief executive in 1987. His newest book "Only the Paranoid Survive" reveals some of the philosophy and strategy behind his success.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg looks at how email technology is altering the way we write letters.

Edward Tenner is author of "Why Things Bite Back" from Knopf. It's about the unintended effects that new technological breakthroughs bring. Tenner is also a researcher at Princeton University in the Department of Geological and Geophysical Sciences.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg comments on Microsoft's new on-line magazine and wonders whether traditional journalistic forms will work on the Web.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg considers whether the Internet is on the way to making English the official language of the world.

Spy-watcher and gadget collector, Keith Melton who's book, "The Ultimate Spy Book" (DK Publishing) has been published recently.

Author and Professor of Law, James Boyle. What are intellectual property rights and who owns your genetic information? In his book "Shamans, Software and Spleen" (Harvard University Press), James Boyle explores the dilemmas posed by the information age - the ethical, legal and economic implications of who owns and controls access to information. (Interview by Barbara Bogaev).

Steven Levy recounts the dramatic battle between world chess champion Garry Kasparov and the cutting edge chess program "Deep Blue."

Commentator Steven Levy on Apple computer.

John Perry Barlow is the co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which defends civil liberties in cyberspace. Barlow is also a former cattle rancher in Wyoming, and a former lyricist for the Grateful Dead. The Electronic Frontier Foundation is located at 1667 K St. NW, Suite 801, Washington, D.C. 20006-1605.

Steve Jobs is one of the founders of Apple Computers; and he led the development of the Macintosh computer. In 1985 he founded NeXT Computer. It's mission is to develop customized software for businesses; two of their applications are OPENSTEP and NEXTSTEP. Jobs is also the owner of the computer animation company, Pixar. They've made the first feature-length computer-animated film, "Toy Story," in conjunction with Walt Disney, Inc. Jobs will talk with Terry about the future of computer technology.

Bruce Taylor, President and Chief Counsel of the National Law Center for Children and Families. His organization is a resource and education center which assists law enforcement and prosecutors in the enforcement of obscenity and child exploitation laws. He helped draft the legislation in the Communications Decency Act. (The National Law Center Children and Families is located in Fairfax, VA, (703) 691-4626.)

Two weeks ago Congress passed a sweeping new telecommunications bill, the biggest overhaul of telecommunications law in 62 years. The bill contains a provision (the Communications Decency Act) which makes obscenity on the internet illegal, punishable by fines of up to $100,000 and prison sentences to "knowingly" transmit to minors material deemed "indecent" on on-line services.

Nigel Spicer, President of Microsystems Software, Inc. They developed a parental-control software called Cyber Patrol.

Jerry Berman is Executive Director of the Center for Democracy and Technology. Its mission is to develop public policies that advance democratic values and constitutional civil liberties in new computer and communications technologies. His group has joined a coalition of on line services, telecommunications companies, librarians, and others in filing a federal suit seeking less restrictive means to protect minors on the internet. (The Center for Democracy and Technology is located in Washington, D.C. (202) 637-9800.)