Penguin Opens Online Library More on Penguin's new eBook program, including info on pricing, specifically, that Penguin eBooks will cost 20 percent less than the print version. I will let media critic Steve Outing express the view I share: "That's nowhere near enough of a discount to encourage e-reading, and it doesn't take into account (and pass along to the consumer) the cost savings of not having to physically print and distribute books. At those rates, the Penguin e-library will be a failure." By Owen Gibson, Guardian Unlimited, August 21, 2001 [Refer]

Online University to Open in 2003 Universitas 21, the global online university formed by a group of major universities, will be officially unveiled next month and will open its doors in 2003. David Cohen, Guardian Unlimited, August 21, 2001. [Refer]

Kent: The Genome Superman Profile of James Kent, who recently published the human genome sequencing algorithm for all to see. And who has some very responsible views on patents and copyrights: "...all of the attention showered on Kent has also led to an avalanche of job offers, but Kent is not tempted in the least to make a foray into industry. 'At least not until the U.S. patent system changes a little bit,' he said. Almost all genomics companies hold patents on genes, which Kent is patently against. 'The human genome is a lot of work to sequence and put together, but it's not a human invention, and not something that we scientists have added so much value to,' he said." By Kristen Philipkoski, Wired News, August 22, 2001. [Refer]

Tunisia Plans a National Online University Again, there are no untapped online learning markets. What I wonder is: how will degrees from the Tunisian online university be regarded in North America and Europe? Is there any reason why they should not be accepted? Or will we set about building tariff-type walls around our educational system? By Daniel Del Castillo, the Chronicle of Higher Education, August 22, 2001. [Refer]

Home Sweet School Time Magazine jumps on the home schooling bandwagon. No surprise there. But the article is worth reading to understand the motivations of home schoolers, and also to see whether the public system and the home school system can work together. By, say, providing a menu of (online?) courses for home students. By John Cloud and Jodie Morse, Time Magazine, August, 2001. [Refer]

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