Chicago Computer Guide This Week
For November 9 - 15, 2001

CONTENTS:
I.    This Week's Calendar of Events
II.   Broadband, Pt. 4
III.  Frontline Expo Comes to Chicago
IV.   Aftermath of September 11: Immigration Policy Q & A
V.    Chicago Computer Company News
VI.   Chicago Computer Dealers


==============Special Events===============================

The world's largest trade show featuring automatic identification 
and data capture/communication technologies:

Frontline Solutions Expo - is coming to Chicago, 
November 13-15, 2001 at McCormick Place!

Frontline Solutions Expo showcases the technologies that streamline 
supply chain communications, optimize resources, cut costs from the 
bottom line and manage 100% accurate information about raw materials, 
work in progress, inventory, shipments, assets and personnel.

See how the new generation of technology tools is delivering new and 
exciting business benefits!

To register go to http://www.frontlinexpo.com/index1.html.

=========================================================

I. This Week's Chicago Computer Events

Event: Developments in Immigration Law free seminar 
Date:  November 14, 2001 
Topic:  Visa Options for Allied Healthcare Workers.
Place: Immigration Law Assoc., 8930 Gross Point Rd., Suite 500, 
Skokie, IL 60077. 
Information: Materials and refreshments will be provided. To register 
by phone, please call (847) 581-0400 or e-mail 
ewalder@immig-chicago.com.
The seminar will address the available visa options for nurses, 
physical therapists, and medical technologists.


Event: CACHE Meeting
Date: November 18, 2001
Place: The Levy Senior Center, 2019 W Lawrence Ave., Chicago, IL
Time: 9:00am
Information: Call 800-797-5465 or go to http://www.chicagocache.org.
Chicago's first computer user group, founded in 1975. Our member 
systems are predominantly IBM compatibles and are used at home 
and business settings. We range from novice to expert and from 
amateur to professional.

Event: Giant Computer Show and Sale
Date: November 18, 2001
Place: Tinley Park Convention Center, I-80 & Harlem Ave., 
Tinley Park, IL
Time: 9:30am - 3:00pm
Information: You can call the hotline at 708-974-3123 or go to  
http://www.giantcomputershow.com.
Dealers from throughout the Midwest converge to offer bargains 
on most computers and peripherals.

=================================================                               

II. Broadband, Pt 4
By Wayne Krakau

Well, we are now back to the mundane coverage of the 
everyday world. This means a continuation of my series on 
broadband communications. I know it's not as exciting as 
watching the continuously updated coverage of anthrax false 
alarms, but we do have to get on with our lives. 
For more on this go to http://www/chicago-computer.com/novkrak.htm.


III. Frontline Expo Comes to Chicago
By John Burnell, Editor-In-Chief, Frontline Solutions Magazine 
and Jane Yallum, Director, Market Development, Frontline 
Solutions Expo

Companies have invested unprecedented billions in information 
technology in the past and will continue to do so. Why would 
anyone commit millions of dollars and resources for networks, 
servers, e-mail and enterprise applications? 
Click here, http://www.chicago-computer.com/novshow.htm, 
for more.

IV. Aftermath of September 11: Immigration Policy Q & A
By Paul Nakadomari

Immigration Law Associates, P.C. has received many calls and 
e-mails from clients and others enquiring about the status of U.S. 
immigration policy in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks. 
Based upon these calls, it is apparent that there has been a lot of 
incorrect information regarding U.S. immigration reported.
Click here, http://www.chicago-computer.com/novwalder.htm for more.

***************************************************************************************
V. Chicago Computer Company News

Statement From Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan Regarding The 
Microsoft Settlement

     CHICAGO, Nov. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The following statement is 
from Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan:
     Today, my office settled our participation in the historic 
Microsoft
lawsuit.  The agreement is a victory for consumers, for taxpayers and 
for our state.
      The Department of Justice and the settling states reached an 
agreement that ends Microsoft's unlawful conduct, increases 
competition and gives consumers more choices.
      The settlement provides prompt and effective relief.  We can 
provide
further relief for our economy by removing the uncertainty created by
protracted litigation.
       After the Department of Justice and the states won their case 
against
Microsoft, Illinois and Ohio opposed the break-up of Microsoft.  My 
goal has
always been compliance. Today's agreement achieves that in several 
important ways:

-- It gives computer manufacturers flexibility to deal freely with
   competing software developers.

-- It gives computer companies the ability to freely place on 
Microsoft's
   operating system their so-called middleware products such as 
browsers,
   media players and instant messaging software.

-- It gives independent software and server vendors access to 
Microsoft's
   internal operating system interfaces and protocols so those vendors
   can develop products that compete with Microsoft.

-- It sets forth a strong compliance process that includes a 
three-person
   technical committee to monitor whether the agreement is being 
honored
   and to report any breaches to the Department of Justice and the
   states, who in turn have the right to inspect Microsoft's books on
   those matters.

-- A related agreement with Microsoft seeks reimbursement for 
   Illinois' cost of litigation so taxpayers won't foot costs of this 
   lawsuit.

     I agree with Attorney General Ashcroft that this settlement 
is consistent with the relief we might have obtained had we gone 
forward in court.  And I agree that it has the advantage of 
immediacy and certainty.  In the days since the Department of 
Justice announced its settlement with Microsoft, the states
have strengthened the agreement and made it more 
enforceable.
     The battle has been won.  It is time to move on.

***************************************************************************************
Qwest Communications and American Hospital Association Sign 
Agreement To Advance the Use of Technology in Hospitals

    DENVER and CHICAGO, IL/PRNewswire/ -- The American Hospital
Association (AHA) and Qwest Communications International Inc., the
broadband communications company, have announced that they are 
working together to facilitate greater use of communications technology 
across the nation's hospitals and health care systems.  AHA and Qwest 
will build a healthcare portal for use by AHA members and the health 
care 
field.  Additionally, to help create a common technology infrastructure 
for 
the field, AHA has exclusively endorsed Qwest as the network services 
provider of choice for its more than 4,600 member hospitals and their 
related organizations.
    Part of a broader technology strategy, AHA's endorsement of Qwest 
will help the nation's hospitals and other health care providers in 
choosing 
a communications company capable of helping hospitals to enhance 
patient 
care and improve operational efficiencies.  AHA plans to work with 
Qwest 
and other technology companies to help health care providers with the 
sizable technology requirements mandated under the Health Insurance 
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
     The AHA has also engaged Qwest and some of its industry-leading 
partners such as Sun Microsystems, Inc. to design, develop and host a 
portal from which the entire health care field can access critical 
data, 
such as regulatory information, best practices, research, educational 
materials 
and leadership tools.  Among many other benefits, the portal will 
provide a 
place for convening health care leaders via chat rooms, house new 
easily 
accessible technology applications for improving operational 
efficiencies, 
and make available products and services through e-commerce.
     For more information about the AHA portal or the AHA/Qwest Network
Solutions, please contact AHA at 1-800-242-4677 or visit 
http://www.ahafinancialsolutions.com or Qwest at 1-800-743-3793, 
ext. AHA (242) or visit http://www.qwest.com.

********************************************************************************

CDW Launches Training Offerings for Tech Industry Professionals 

         VERNON HILLS, Ill. /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine a line of work 
where half of someone's skills become outdated in a few years.  
That's the case in the information technology (IT) field, where 
professionals face a constant need to update their skills.  CDW 
Computer Centers, Inc., has launched "Learning Solutions," a 
comprehensive lineup of technology training services.
         Approximately 50 percent of an IT professional's skills will 
become outdated in three to five years, according to a 2000 Merrill 
Lynch study on technology learning and education.  CDW's new 
Learning Solutions offerings are designed to help IT pros update and 
develop their skills by offering more than 1,000 courses, from 
vendor-authorized certification programs (Microsoft, Cisco, Citrix and 
others) to technical and application courses, customized technology 
training and even business skills instruction.  Course offerings 
include 
instructor-led classes, self-paced e-learning programs, hands-on 
"e-labs" 
and live, instructor-led webcasts.  CDW is working with two leading
training providers, Productivity Point International and KnowledgeNet, 
to
offer customers this comprehensive array of training options.
      CDW customers can choose from the following offerings from 
Productivity Point International:

 -- Instructor-led certification classes - Industry-certified 
instructors lead 
    vendor-authorized certification programs from Microsoft, Citrix,
     Lotus, Novell and others.

 -- Self-paced e-learning courses - Online education with Web
    collaboration and distance learning focusing on technical and
    application education.  Business skills and project management
     training are also offered.  More than 900 courses are available.

 -- e-Labs - Online labs offer technical students the ability to 
develop
    real-world configuration and administration skills on servers, 
routers
    and switches.

-- Custom Learning Solutions - Customized classes, designed using
   training experts and consultants, to create an education program
   specific to a customer's technical training needs.

        Customers can also enroll in Cisco network and design 
certification  courses as well as Microsoft certification courses from 
KnowledgeNet.  

*************************************************************************************

Chicago Tech Companies Launch Emergency Asset Management 
System to Support N.Y. Disaster Relief Efforts

    CHICAGO, IL /PRNewswire/ -- 2Xchange, a Chicago software 
company specializing in Web-based asset management and 
redeployment technologies, has announced that it has launched the 
Emergency Asset Management System (EAMS), in conjunction with 
divine, inc. and DaVinci Software, Inc., Chicago-based technology 
companies and co-sponsors of the initiative.  EAMS, a Web-based 
system ( http://www.eams.org ) that makes it easy for businesses to 
contribute to relief efforts while helping agencies in need to quickly 
and efficiently secure the goods and services they require, has been 
launched  to aid the ongoing disaster relief efforts in New York.
    It is estimated the recovery efforts will take as long as 18 
months. 
That means there is an ongoing need for donated goods and services.
    The Web-based EAMS platform, powered by software developed 
and implemented by 2Xchange, allows corporations to post listings of 
assets that they are donating to the relief effort on the EAMS Web 
site, 
http://www.eams.org .  New York City and State agencies and the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are able to source 
goods and services when needed directly from the EAMS site.
     The EAMS system streamlines the current paper-based methods of 
tracking, monitoring, taking inventory, warehousing, and distributing 
donated goods and services, helping to ensure that donated items get 
to the agencies and individuals when they most need them.
     "We are excited about the opportunity to utilize the EAMS.  This 
will give the 300-plus affiliated chambers of commerce another 
opportunity
to participate directly in the disaster efforts.  Additionally, using 
the EAMS
will give us the ability to efficiently make available the 
contributions to
the over 10,000 affected businesses," said Nancy Ploeger, Executive 
Director of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.
      "Certainly, as we have seen, there's no shortage of generosity as
individuals and corporations in America have consistently reached 
out to help in response to disasters of all kinds.  The problem is that 
these 
good intentions frequently overwhelm the capabilities of relief 
agencies to 
handle the donations of non-cash assets," said Stephen Meade, chief 
executive officer of 2Xchange.  "That's why we are so proud to offer 
the EAMS system to the disaster relief efforts in New York.  We believe 
we will be able to connect the generous donations of companies and 
individuals with the departments and agencies that need those items 
most."
    Once a business registers with EAMS, it can post items it intends 
to
donate to the relief effort.  Government or relief agencies also 
register 
and post items that they need.  An online credit system is utilized to 
enable the agencies and affected businesses to acquire the donated 
goods if and when needed.   The system also is capable of taking 
online donations of volunteer time.
    EAMS is currently soliciting donations of goods and human services 
on the EAMS Web site, and the City of New York is expected to begin 
posting its needs there as well.  Companies and individuals wishing to 
donate goods and services should go to http://www.EAMS.org and 
register.
    2Xchange is a provider of Business-to-Business software for the 
Global 2000's $1.2 TRILLION non-cash transaction industry.  2Xchange 
is a subsidiary of GBUCs, LLC.  Among GBUCs' other products is 
RONAStar, 
a software product that simplifies asset transfers in and among large 
corporations and governmental units.  For more information visit 
http://www.2xchange.com 

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VI. Chicago Computer Dealers

Click here at http://www.chicago-computer.com/deals.htm for our list 
of computer dealers and some of the lowest prices in town!

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