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Hackers and internet rabble-rousers are fighting the increasing savviness of the web population with ever more devious routes for their poisonous little viruses. The newest method is masquerading the worm "Gigger" as a software update from Microsoft. Though not considered a high threat, since few computers have been infected so far, the worm is capable of deleting all files on an infected hard drive. Written in JavaScript, the virus propagates itself through Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, and mIRC, or Instant Relay Chat channels. The subject header for the sent email reads "Outlook Express Update."
DoubleClick beats fourth-quarter expectations
In what could be a signal that the worst may be over for internet advertising, online ad network DoubleClick posted fourth quarter results that exceeded expectations. DoubleClick lost $64 million, or 48 cents a share, in the fourth quarter. Its revenue was down to $96 million from $132.3 million in the same period in the year 2000. Before accounting for all expenses, the company actually turned a small profit of one cent per share, or $1.66 million. The company’s online media unit, which is the side of the company directly responsible for selling ads to online publishers, posted $27.2 million in revenue, down 55 percent from the $60.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2000, but better than its third quarter 2000 revenue, $22.2 million.
MSN: We're now up to 7.7 million users
Microsoft says its Microsoft Network internet access service gained some three-quarter million new subscribers in the last quarter, giving it a total of 7.7 million users. MSN officials credit the gain in subscribers to a campaign to lure people away from AOL with lower monthly fees. Additionally, MSN was redesigned. Despite the growth, its subscriber base still falls far short of that of its main rival, America Online, which has more than 33 million subscribers. MSN says its other fee-based services also attracted many new customers. Specifically, many people who use the Hotmail free web-based email service coughed up the cash to pay for extra storage space. MSN itself has not become profitable as of yet.
Lycos and Fox team up for joint promotions
You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours: Spanish internet company Terra Lycos has paired up with Fox to promote its internet sites during Fox sports programming. In turn FoxSports.com will be promoted across the Lycos network, and a new web site will be created, FoxSports.Lycos.com. The goal is for the new web site to displace ESPN.com as the leading sports site, no small feat given that FoxSports gets less than one-tenth of the traffic that ESPN.com gets. Lycos claims that the deal marks its most ambitious marketing partnership to date. The partnership means that Lycos spots will appear when Fox televises sporting events with large audiences, such as the Super Bowl and World Series as well as basketball and hockey games. Advertisers will have the option of buying space on both the site and on air.
Jailbirds of a feather click together at new site
Inspired by Friends Reunited, the British version of Classmates.com, several British ex-cons have launched a new web site called ConvictsReunited.com. The typo-riddled site, which doesn’t seem to be a hoax, aims to put old cellmates and fellow inmates back in touch with one another, whether for the sake of personal nostalgia or for more nefarious purposes. The site serves as a sort of private, safe space where current and former convicts can track one another. “This site is run by ex-convict personnel only, no part of this site was created by non-convicts so we understand your needs better,” it says. ConvictsReunited claims to have a large database of prisoners and ex-prisoners. In spite of a message saying, “should you find old friends or colleagues … you may be able to share those old times again, or work together on your latest venture,” the site posts a disclaimer noting that it doesn’t encourage criminal activity.
January 16, 2002 © 2002 Media Life
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