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Open secret
With memories of the Cold War fading away, the Department of Energy (DoE) of the US government is planning to post an Internet web page for people hungry for nuclear secrets. The DoE will start with a detailed account of every bit of bomb fuel it ever made and where it all went. it even plans to post nuclear weapon design on the Net. Hazel 0 Leary, the energy secretary opines that this will educate the public and make them understand the threat that they face from the amount of plutonium stored all around the globe.

Exclusive net
CompuServe of Colombus, Ohio, has begun offering an Internet-only service to customers worldwide. The service, called Sprynet, is meant to build up a new market for CompuServe. It includes free software and unlimited Internet access from local phone numbers for a flat fee of US $19.95 a month. But Sprynet customers will be initially barred from more than 200 public forums on which sex-related issues are discussed online. Thus, CompuServe would be the first Internet service provider to restrict information.

Exotic virus
With the number of Netizens in India going up by leaps and bounds, it is high time they watch out for more than 400 viruses which are active in the country's computer network. The viruses with exotic names like good news, concept, one-and- half, print screen, Changu Mangu and Tequila, can be downloaded with normal net material. They can reformat the hard-disc and render the stored data useless in n -o time. The needle of suspicion points to unscrupulous anti-virus software makers. Many of the viruses remain inactive for a long time and hence are undetected, but when they strike the companies offer virus protection software which the consumer is forced to buy.

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