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Update for IT Executives: January 14, 1999 In This Issue:
ITAA Conducts Webcast Briefing on Y2K Information Disclosure
Act The webcast featured Marc Pearl, General Counsel and Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, ITAA; Michael Aisenberg, Galland, Kharasch & Garfinkel; Walter Andrews, Wiley, Rein & Fielding; Robert Bell, Wiley, Rein & Fielding; Agnes Dover, Hogan & Hartson; Jacob Pankowski, McKenna & Cuneo, L.L.P.; and Rich Parrino, Hogan & Hartson. "Our goal in hosting this national webcast was to help the marketplace gain the benefits and learn how to take full advantage of the new law," said ITAA President Harris Miller. "The intent of the Act is to speed Y2K repairs through greater information sharing among parties. To facilitate this process, the law provides a set of carefully proscribed liability protections. We perceive, however, that substantial misunderstandings about the purpose, nature and scope of the new law, which was supported by the President and passed unanimously by Congress last October, continue to persist. ITAA is trying to help companies from every sector of the economy put this new law to immediate use through a vigorous discussion of new legal terms like Y2K statements and Y2K readiness disclosures; providing information on the anti-trust, trade disparagement, and republishing provisions; and discussing the new Securities and Exchange Commission disclosure rules." ITAA has related resources available on its website, including guidelines & suggested legends at http://www.itaa.org/year2000/irdaguide.htm and a summary of the Y2K law at http://www.itaa.org/year2000/irdasum.htm. A similar webcast, featuring M.I.T.'s Sloan Distinguished Professor of Management and author of "Competing on Internet Time: Lessons from Netscape and its Battle with Microsoft", Michael Cusimano, was offered by ITAA's Software Division's Best Practices Program on December 15th, 1998. Cusimano's message focussed on the Internet's affect on business strategy as a whole, emphasizing "Internet time" which is virtually instantaneous, causing competitive advantage to appear and disappear overnight. Cusimano advised companies to embrace the traditional business values of vision and leadership while adapting in the new environment. Cusimano's webcast will be offered again this spring. Webcasting is sponsored by ITAA's Software Division and Intersolv, Inc. ITAA contacts: Marc Pearl, Jon Englund or Doug Sabo. ITAA Defends FCC Against Capitol Hill Criticism While noting that Sen. Burns has established a laudable record on behalf of the Internet and has demonstrated an enlightened attitude on most high tech issues, ITAA President Harris Miller said that regrettably this particular question reflects a disagreement among friends. "ITAA is disappointed in the Burns' letter because we believe it runs counter to the general pro-consumer intent of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. Section 706 should not be used as a Trojan horse to gut the pro-competitive requirements of the Act. We support the Federal Communications Commission efforts that encourage broadband deployment to consumers by encouraging competition among multiple providers. If the FCC were to grant the so-called 'regulatory relief' sought by entrenched telecommunications providers under Sec. 706, consumers would be the losers." ITAA has participated in the FCC's Section 706 proceedings; copies of ITAA's Section 706 proceedings on September 25, September 14 and April 6, 1998 are available at http://www.itaa.org/isec/pubs/archive.htm. ITAA contact: Mark Uncapher ITAA Coordinates International Domain Name Organizing
Meeting The bylaws of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the newly created non-profit entity assigned some authority over the Internet's centralized functions, including the protocol, addressing and domain names activities, call for the incorporation of the Domain Names Supporting Organization (DNSO) to support ICANN's activities. The goal of the Washington, D.C. meeting is to arrive at a broad-based consensus on the structure for the DNSO. ITAA software division Senior Vice President, Jon Englund, is pleased with the efforts of the many contributing entities, stating,"We are making progress in developing the 'constitution' for the Domain Names Supporting Organization. It is a challenging effort in self-governance for the private sector and users alike, but critical to the stability of the Internet as it moves forward. ITAA has been working hard to bring together the various stakeholders from around the world, building upon areas of common ground." Other specific issues the meeting will address include membership structure for the DNSO, composition and membership of the Names Council, and funding of DNSO and ICANN. Coordinating organizations joining ITAA are the Commercial Internet Exchange (CIX); Council of European National Top level domain Registries (CENTR); European ISP Association (EUROISPA); International Chamber of Commerce (ICC); International Trademark Association (INTA); Internet Council of Registrars (CORE); Network Solutions, Inc. (NSI); Policy Oversight Committee (POC); World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA). ITAA contact: Pete Smith or Jon Englund. The Techforce Initiative: Building IT-School-to-Work (STW)
Partnerships for a Skilled Workforce
For more information visit the Techforce Initiative website at http://www.techworkforce.org/programs/stw.htm. ITAA contact: John Donaldson Miller Keynotes Legg Mason Investor Conference Focussing on the four key issues of e-commerce, the workforce shortage, critical information infrastructure protection and service company prospects and challenges after Y2K, Miller's message to the Legg Mason participants was optimistic. "The future of the IT services industry is very bright, with the follow-on to Y2K, electronic commerce and critical information infrastructure protection presenting major opportunities for forward looking companies," Miller said. Legg Mason is a financial and investment management company focussing on individual and institutional investments, which has been in business since 1899. ITAA contact: Tinabeth Burton. New E-Commerce Coalition Formed The organization is reviewing a national electronic signature bill for the private sector and consumers. Senator Spencer Abraham (R-Michigan) plans to introduce legislation early in the 106th Congress that would create a legal framework enabling the private sector to accept electronic signatures in transactions, a right that was given to the government in a bill passed last year. "This bill is the next logical step in the 'mainstreeting' of e-commerce," said Englund, adding that the Abraham legislation builds on the success of last year's bill and aims to benefit consumers as well as corporate interests. ITAA contact: Jon Englund. Briefing with U.S. Trade Representative's Office Set ITAA Files Comments Before FCC Mark Uncapher, ITAA Vice President, Information Services and Electronic Commerce Division summed up the FCC filing, "In short, ITAA supports protecting our information technology companies from unfair competition from incumbent local telephone companies who could use their monopoly power to force customers to buy additional services. We support letting our customers choose from a broad array of competitors." ITAA contact: Mark Uncapher. Update on World Trade Organization's Electronic Commerce Work
Program Currently the WTO work program on e-commerce is being handled by 4 groups within the WTO - the Council on Goods, the Council on Services, the Council on Intellectual Property, and the Council on Trade and Development. These groups will focus on 3 broad questions: (i) How do existing WTO agreements affect electronic commerce? The councils will submit reports on e-commerce, including recommendations for possible future WTO work for consideration by trade ministers at the December 1999 WTO ministerial. The ministers will adopt reports which could, if recommended by councils, call for a negotiating mandate. "The work the WTO is doing on electronic commerce and on the upcoming 2000 service negotiations will significantly impact the IT industry and is a priority global public policy issue for ITAA," commented Sheila O'Neill, ITAA Vice President, Global Affairs. ITAA intends to continue to closely follow WTO work on e-commerce as well as its work on the upcoming 2000 negotiations on trade in services. ITAA Contact: Sheila O'Neill Policy Summit and Capitol Hill Fly-In Dates Announced ITAA member company executives will gain substantive information about the policies and initiatives that affect the bottom-line. Government relations professionals and corporate CEOs attend the IT Policy Summit to take part in an annual dialogue with government leaders about the policies and positions that will help grow the IT industry and help continue the dramatic U.S. economic expansion. To register for IT Policy Summit and Capitol Hill Fly-In on March 15 and 16, visit http://www.itaa.org/events/polsum.htm. ITAA contact: Linda Schnell. ISAAC '99 to Address Software and System Assurance
Concerns Key speakers at ISACC'99 will include Edward Yourdon (Software Guru and Consultant), Gary Beach (CEO of CIO magazine), Harris Miller (President of ITAA) Peter Tippett (CEO of International Computer Security Association), Ray Kammer (Director of National Institute of Standards and Technology), Jeffrey Voas (Chief Scientist of Reliable Software Technologies), and Jeffrey Hunker (Director of Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office). In addition to exclusive sponsorship opportunities, there is also exhibit space available. For more information on ISACC'99 visit http://www.isacc.com/. ITAA contact: Linda Schnell. New Staff Join ITAA Renee Winsky brings over 10 years association management experience to ITAA. Most recently, she was the Manager of Local Government Services for the National League of Cities (NLC), overseeing various activities including fee-based services, awards programs, federal grant projects, and publication production. Her time with NLC began in 1992 as the Administrative Officer for NLC's affiliate organization the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA). Tinabeth Burton previously served as Deputy Director of Public Affairs to House Speaker Newt Gingrich, where she focussed on communications with grassroots and Washington-based coalitions. Prior to joining the Speaker's Office, Burton was Finance Director of GOPAC, the political training and education organization, from June 1996 through May 1998, and Political Conference Coordinator from October 1995 through June 1996. A former Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, Burton has also worked for the National Foundation for Women Legislators and Young and Rubicam, Inc. Nathan Ridnouer, a 1993 graduate of George Mason University, was a five-year veteran of the National League of Cities before joining ITAA. His most recent position there was Staff Associate in the Local Government Services (LGS) Subcenter of Education and Information Resources. Ridnouer also served as a membership resource in crucial areas of Y2K and IT issues for the League. ITAA 1999 Calendar of Events January
February
March
April
May
July
October
Also of Note… Workforce Programs Taking off Classes are beginning for ITAA's Pass It On Workforce program in New Jersey (Jan. 19th), Virginia (Jan 25th), and Texas (Feb. 1st). Classes will train individuals with disabilities in IT skills such as network administration and programming….Colorado, Tennessee, Oregon and Maine have been selected as sites to host the Recruiting in the Information Technology Age (RITA) ITAA Workforce programs. Companies in these states can still get involved as mentors or trainers. ITAA contact: Kim Baker. Feature Treatment ITAA Out Front…
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