What's New @ IEEE in Communications

VOLUME 5 NUMBER 4 APRIL 2004

CONTENTS:
1. IEEE Magazine Examines Networked Virtual Environments
2. The Illusion of Web Privacy: IEEE Spectrum Reports
3. Chicago Hosts Enterprise Networking Conference @ SUPERCOMM
4. New IEEE Standard Adds Copper Cable Interface to 10 Gb/s Ethernet
5. Proceedings for IEEE International Conference on Networks Released
6. IEEE Journal Explores Link Between Music and Engineering
7. Online Peer Review: Faster Publishing Through IEEE Manuscript Central
8. New Edition of Bestselling Real-Time Systems Design Book Now Available
9. IEEE 802.11 Hits One Out of the Park
10. Half-Year Dues Now Available on IEEE Memberships, Publications
11. Contract Engineering: A Viable Career Alternative
12. New Study Says DSL Priced Right for Growth

WHAT'S NEW THIS WEEK IN IEEE XPLORE?
Find the latest technical papers online:
ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/weekinfo.jsp

1. IEEE EXAMINES NETWORKED VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS
With the ever-increasing demand for new services and applications to help drive market growth, networked virtual environments (NVEs) may be considered yet another advanced service in the merging of multimedia computing and communication technologies. NVEs, the subject of April's issue of IEEE Communications Magazine, allow multiple users to experience 3D computer-generated virtual worlds over the network, with applications ranging from virtual shopping and entertainment, to medicine, collaborative design, architecture, and education/training. The guest editorial on the topic is now accessible to all readers at: www.comsoc.org/ci1/Public/2004/apr/index.html

2. THE ILLUSION OF WEB PRIVACY
For the ordinary netizen, it's surprisingly hard to be anonymous online, according to an article from IEEE Spectrum. Senior Associate Editor Steven Cherry writes that that online anonymity does get in the way of efforts to clean up spam and fraud. Yet there are all sorts of situations where we need Internet communications to be anonymous: whistle-blowing, the confidentiality of medical and legal records, human rights activism, and political dissent. Read more: www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY/resource/apr04/0404webs.html

3. CHICAGO HOSTS ENTERPRISE NETWORKING CONFERENCE @ SUPERCOMM
The Fourth International Enterprise Networking and Services Conference (EntNet), will be held in conjunction with the SUPERCOMM conference in Chicago, Illinois from 21 to 22 June. The EntNet conference brings visionaries, vendors, practitioners, and technologists to a common forum for discussion of enterprise networking and services issues and solutions. EntNet attendees can take advantage of the technology demonstrations on the SUPERCOMM exhibition floors, and then listen to industry and research experts at EntNet panel sessions, tutorials, and workshops. The conference will cover areas such as enterprise wireless strategies and enabling technologies, real-time enterprise (RTE) challenges, next generation e-commerce networks and more. For more information, or to register visit: www.comsoc.org/confs/entnet/2004/index.html

Don't miss the next conference you need for your career. IEEE sponsors more than 300 technical conferences and workshops each year, highlighting the latest technological advances. Find events through the IEEE ConferenceSearch Web site at www.ieee.org/conferencesearch/

4. NEW IEEE STANDARD ADDS COPPER CABLE INTERFACE TO 10 Gb/s ETHERNET
The IEEE Standards Association has approved a standard that adds a copper cable interface to 10 Gb/s Ethernet, providing an economical way for Ethernet switches and server clusters located within 15 m of each other in equipment rooms and data centers to be interconnected at higher speeds. Before approval of this standard, 1 Gb/s was the fastest available Ethernet rate over copper cabling. The new standard, IEEE 802.3ak™2004, complements the standards for 10 Gb/s Ethernet fiber optic cable interfaces approved in 2002. For further details: standards.ieee.org/announcements/pr_8023ak.html

5. PROCEEDINGS FOR IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NETWORKS RELEASED
The proceedings of the 11th IEEE International Conference on Networks (ICON 2003), held in Sydney, Australia in September, are now available from the IEEE Online Catalog & Store. The focus of the conference is on new and original research results in the areas of design, implementation and applications of computer communications and networks. Topics from this year's conference include ad-hoc and sensor networks, addressing and location management, approaches for mobility and intermittent connectivity, label switching protocols and more. For more information, or to purchase, visit: shop.ieee.org/store/product.asp?prodno=EX671
***IEEE members save up to 60% off the list price for conference proceedings titles***

Institutions with subscriptions to IEEE online collections may have access to these proceedings, depending on their access rights, through IEEE Xplore: ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentCon.jsp?puNumber=8945

6. IEEE JOURNAL EXPLORES LINK BETWEEN MUSIC AND ENGINEERING
The April 2004 issue of Proceedings of the IEEE addresses the exciting synthesis of engineering and music, and new technologies for human-system symbiosis. Papers in this issue address human-technology interaction and music perception; gestural control of sound synthesis; robotic interface for embodied interaction; and auditory displays in human-machine interfaces; among others. Contributors include a transdisciplinary team of engineering and music professionals. A preview, including the editor's introduction, is available online at: www.ieee.org/pubs/proceedings/current.xml

Subscribers will be able to access the entire contents of this issue online through the IEEE Xplore delivery system at: ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?puNumber=5

7. ONLINE PEER REVIEW: FASTER PUBLISHING THROUGH IEEE MANUSCRIPT CENTRAL
Papers submitted to IEEE publications are appearing in print faster than ever thanks to the online peer-review tool known as IEEE Manuscript Central. The system allows authors, editors and peer reviewers to collaborate online, reducing the time between when a paper is submitted and when it is approved for publication. The journals of one IEEE Society, the IEEE Lasers & Electro-Optics Society, have seen a 19% improvement in time from when articles are first received to when they are posted electronically. More than half of IEEE journals and magazines now require their authors to submit papers online.

For more information on IEEE peer-review guidelines, visit: ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/Peerreview.jsp

8. NEW EDITION OF BESTSELLING REAL-TIME SYSTEMS DESIGN BOOK NOW AVAILABLE
Author Phillip Laplante has updated his bestselling guide to building real-time systems with the release of "Real-Time Systems Design and Analysis, Third Edition." This new edition from IEEE Press and John Wiley & Sons maintains its predecessors' systems-based approach devised to help engineers write problem-solving software. Dr. Laplante incorporates a survey of related technologies and their histories, complete with hands-on instructions and insights into decreasing ramp-up times. Chapters discuss hardware considerations and software requirements, software systems design, performance estimation and optimization, and engineering considerations.

To purchase or find more information, visit: www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471228559.html
***IEEE members: Receive a 15% discount on any Wiley-IEEE Press titles. Use code 18493 at checkout***

9. IEEE 802.11 HITS ONE OUT OF THE PARK
Fans of the San Francisco Giants baseball team will soon be able to use their wireless devices to log on from their seats at SBC Park and surf the Internet, view player statistics or simply check their email. The stadium is now one of the largest wireless connectivity "hot spots" in the world thanks to the deployment of the widely used wireless local area network standard, IEEE 802.11™, also known as Wi-Fi. For more, visit: www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/fun.games/03/31/wifi.baseball.reut/index.html

10. HALF-YEAR DUES NOW AVAILABLE ON IEEE MEMBERSHIPS, PUBLICATIONS
Dues on new IEEE memberships and additional IEEE Society memberships are now available at half price through 15 August 2004. Discounted rates on new subscriptions to IEEE publications are also available to IEEE members during this period. Individual memberships and subscriptions become active upon payment and continue through the remainder of 2004. IEEE Societies focus on specific technologies such as communications and aerospace engineering or focus on general technology subjects. There are 120 publications that may be added to membership during this half-year cycle. To join IEEE, visit www.ieee.org/join. To add societies or publications to existing memberships, visit: www.ieee.org/addservices

One Society to consider joining is the IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT), focusing on environmental, health and safety implications of technology, and engineering ethics and professional responsibility. SSIT is profiled in this month's issue of The Institute: http://www.theinstitute.ieee.org/portal/index.jsp?pageID=institute_level1_article&TheCat=2201&article=tionline/legacy/inst2004/apr04/4w.featuresociety.xml

11. CONTRACT ENGINEERING: A VIABLE CAREER ALTERNATIVE
In today's job market, employment opportunities vary tremendously. While most engineers still seek permanent full-time positions, many have turned to equally viable alternatives: contract engineering and consulting. So, how do you know if one of these options is right for you? Paul Kostek weights the pros and cons, and offers some tips and resources for would-be contractors and consultants. In the latest edition of IEEE-USA Today's Engineer: www.todaysengineer.org/Mar04/contract.asp

12. NEW STUDY SAYS DSL PRICED RIGHT FOR GROWTH
According to a recent survey by the Yankee Group, U.S. households would be more likely to upgrade to a speedy broadband connection if the service were priced similarly to their current dial-up service. The study reports that more than seventy percent would move to a broadband service priced somewhere between $10 and $25 dollars per month, which is closer to a typical DSL monthly service than the cost of cable modem service. For more on this, visit: zdnet.com.com/2100-1104-5178050.html

WHAT'S NEW @ IEEE IN COMMUNICATIONS is a monthly, opt-in e-mail update designed to provide you with the latest news regarding IEEE activities, industry trends, career development tips, and new IEEE product releases. We welcome your feedback on this service.

Managing Editor: John Platt j.platt@ieee.org
Editor: Michael Spada m.spada@ieee.org

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