@eLaw.com.hk by yip tse & tang, solicitors + notaries 葉謝鄧律師行

Typical policies and procedure on managing software

The following is sourced for the Hong Kong Institute of Education and is a typical set of polices and procedures on managing software within an organisation as part of the software asset management. Business managers is made aware that there had been criminal prosecutions by the Customs & Excise Department on possession of pirated software copies against companies in Hong Kong. Therefore, having a software asset management policy is a must for each and every enterprise using software in their day-to-day business operation:

Appoint a compliance officer or an officer responsible for managing software assets to oversee and to act as a focal point for matters related to SAM and intellectual property;

Promulgate internal instructions in respect of the proper management and use of computer software to ensure that each staff member clearly understands the requirements;

Ensure general awareness of all staff members to use only authorized software;
Acquire software legitimately;

Keep software licences;

Keep software inventory up-to-date;

Maintain and implement proper procedures for installing and distributing software;

Conduct periodic software asset audit; and

Confirm proper licensing and authorization for all software used.

What is Software Asset Management?

The amendments to the Copyright Ordinance introduced in 2001 criminalised the possession of pirated software by business corporations, including non-profit-making organisations and schools. Because of that, many enterprises has formulated a software asset management policy and practice in order to ensure the the full observance of the law and compliance of the software licence agreements.

Internet2

Internet2® is a consortium being led by 200 worldwide universities working in partnership with industry and government to develop and deploy advanced network applications and technologies, accelerating the creation of tomorrow's Internet. Internet2 is recreating the partnership among academia, industry and government that fostered today's Internet in its infancy. The primary goals of Internet2 are to:

Create a leading edge network capability for the research community

Enable revolutionary Internet applications

Ensure the rapid transfer of new network services and applications to the broader Internet community

The JUCC (Joint Universities Computer Centre) has established a 45 Mbps Internet2 connection through HARNET (Hong Kong Academic and Research Network) to the United States. This Internet2 link is shared by all the 8 JUCC member institutions. After thorough testing, the connection was finally established in late Oct 2002.

The academics and researchers from the tertiary institutions in Hong Kong have alreadystarted many Internet2 collaborative research activities with their overseas peers. Examples include

Atmospheric research

Distance learning projects using videoconferencing technology

Bioinformatics databases

Grid Computing

Telemedicine

In addition, the HARNET Internet2 connection has been enhanced to support advanced networking features. For example, the next generation network protocol, IPv6, is currently supported together with IPv4. HARNET has also been enhanced to support IP multicast, which allows effective point-to-multipoint network communications.

More information on Internet2 can be found at: http://www.jucc.edu.hk/Internet2

Experimenting the use of Internet2 by academia

Internet2 is a consortium being led by 200 worldwide universities working in partnership with industry and government to develop and deploy advanced network applications and technologies, accelerating the creation of tomorrow's Internet. Internet2 is recreating the partnership among academia, industry and government that fostered today's Internet in its infancy. The primary goals of Internet2 are to:

Create a leading edge network capability for the research community

Enable revolutionary Internet applications

Ensure the rapid transfer of new network services and applications to the broader Internet community

The JUCC (Joint Universities Computer Centre) has established a 45 Mbps Internet2 connection through HARNET (Hong Kong Academic and Research Network) to the United States. This Internet2 link is shared by all the 8 JUCC member institutions. After thorough testing, the connection was finally established in late Oct 2002.

The academics and researchers from the tertiary institutions in Hong Kong have alreadystarted many Internet2 collaborative research activities with their overseas peers. Examples include

Atmospheric research

Distance learning projects using videoconferencing technology

Bioinformatics databases

Grid Computing

Telemedicine

In addition, the HARNET Internet2 connection has been enhanced to support advanced networking features. For example, the next generation network protocol, IPv6, is currently supported together with IPv4. HARNET has also been enhanced to support IP multicast, which allows effective point-to-multipoint network communications.

More information on Internet2 can be found at: http://www.jucc.edu.hk/Internet2

Theft of Online Game Weapons

A few years ago, young people in Hong Kong have begun to be attracted by online games. Many games are fighting or war programs offering virtual weapons which can be purchased by players. The weapons have a money value. The higher level a player attained in the game with your virtual weapon, the more monetary value your weapon is worth.

Beginning in 2003, there are increasing number of complaints regarding virtual weapons being stolen from online game players' account. According to the police's report, some complaints refer to online gaming accounts being misused thus accumulating large sums to the victims' monthly bills. From the police's enquiry, there are several ways in which the culprits could have stolen the virtual weapons or misuse the accounts. These methods may in fact be criminal in nature and the culprits may therefore be subject to criminal prosecution:-

Social Engineering - victims could have revealed their user ID or passwords to their online game partners or even to close friends thus allowing their accounts to be abused by the culprits. The related offence can be : unauthorised access to computer through telecommunications.

Plug-ins - Some victims revealed that they have downloaded plug-in programs for online games so that the game can be set at "auto play" mode. These plug-ins are often downloaded from unknown sources and some may contain hacking program such as Trojan Horse. Hacking amounts to unauthorised access to computer, access to computer with dishonest intent and criminal damage

Hong Kong Law Firm provides legal information for Free

Yip, Tse & Tang, a Hong Kong law firm reputable on providing legal services to the mass market is dedicated to offer FREE legal information and materials on-line. Legal information belongs to the public domain and people should be allowed free and easy access to it," says Thomas Tse, IT Partner of the firm.

InternetSolicitor.com was set up by Yip, Tse & Tang, Solicitors and launched in 1999. It is constituted by partners and solicitors of Yip, Tse & Tang and aims achieving the mission. As early as 1997, the firm set up the award-winning Chinese law portal www.solicitor.com.hk. In 2004, the firm set up another law portal www.8989.com.hk in order to provide multi-media law contents on the Internet. Both web-sites are FREE for access and use. @eLaw.com.hk is also one of it. Offical website of Yip, Tse &Tang, solicitors is at www.ytt.com.hk.

In 2000, Yip, Tse & Tang was selected by the ITS Department, HKSAR Government as a Reference Case on use of e-commerce on professional services

Technology Court in High Court of Hong Kong

Source: Judiciary, HKSAR Government

For the Benefit of the Legal Profession and Court Users

With a view to enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of court support services, the Judiciary is pleased to introduce the first Technology Court in Hong Kong.

The Technology Court is a direct response to the changing needs of court services today. Court users and the legal profession will be able to take advantage of the new courtroom technologies now in place to facilitate the conduct of proceedings.

Fully Integrated Courtroom Technologies

The Technology Court is equipped with user-friendly features and facilities, including video conferencing, multimedia presentation of evidence, electronic documentation and exhibits handling, and enhanced interpretation services-all integrated into a centrally controlled network. Moreover, a customised projection system has also been installed at the court lobby so that proceedings may be broadcast to interested parties who cannot be accommodated in the trial court.

Video Conferencing

With the aid of video conferencing facilities, not all witnesses are required to be in court to give evidence. The facilities provide court users with a convenient and less expensive option for taking evidence from overseas witnesses. Parties to the proceedings can save the time and expense of travelling overseas.

Multimedia Presentation of Evidence

The Technology Court enables the presentation of evidence by way of a multimedia platform, incorporating audio, video, and digital signals with graphics, text, film, and computer animation. The components of the multimedia platform include an electronic whiteboard, a visualiser, projectors with motorised projection screens, personal computers with LCD monitors, audio and video players and recorders for a variety of formats (including CD, VCD, DVD, MD and MP3), and a fully integrated sound system.

Electronic Whiteboard: On-screen Annotation

An electronic whiteboard or a touch-screen LCD monitor used together with markup software will allow parties to annotate electronically on documents displayed on screens in the courtroom. Notes or other explanatory markings will then be captured, stored or printed for circulation or court records.

Visualiser: Image Capture and Display

A visualiser is a document camera capable of capturing and displaying images of hardcopy documents, physical objects, or negatives. Such images can be instantaneously broadcast on in-court display screens or saved in the computer for further annotation using the electronic whiteboard or touch-screen markup facilities

Electronic Documentation and Exhibits Handling

All data is safely stored in a central data bank that handles common multimedia and file formats and is fully indexed for instantaneous retrieval of information. Data protection is strictly observed and access to data is restricted to the parties concerned.

Enhanced Interpretation Services

The system can cater for multilingual or multi-dialect consecutive interpretation through dedicated channels, enabling a defendant to select his preferred language.

Other Features

The Technology Court provides Digital Audio Recording and Transcription Services and allows the examination of vulnerable witnesses via Closed Circuit Television. It is also wired to facilitate real-time court reporting and transcription services.Application for the Use of Facilities.

A formal application has to be made before the level of court where the case is heard or tried. The court may from time to time prescribe and revise the charges levied for the facilities.

Electronic Time Stamping

Hongkong Post is partnering with The Chinese University of Hong Kong on providing e-timestamping service for the Internet and e-commerce community. Electronic Time-Stamping (e-TS) is a secure online notary mechanism, which certifies that a set of data has existed and has not been altered since a specific point in time. It serves as a trusted third party witnessing the existence and particulars of electronic data.

Regardless of the format and the content, any electronic data can be timestamped. e-TS can be applied to online business transactions, e-mails, secure messaging, intellectual property protection and other time-sensitive services.

A FREE trial to create your own timestamping is available online now. You can visit in Hongkong Post website www.hongkongpost.gov.hk or click www.e-timestamping.com to have a free trial and get more details.

New Usage of e-Cert : Online securities trading at KGI

KGI, one of the largest equity and futures brokerages in Hong Kong, has adopted e-Cert in its online securities services. You can now enjoy a more secure online trading environment by using e-Cert to place orders, amend or cancel buy/sell order instructions, enquire order status, etc. With e-Cert, your online identity cannot be easily faked by others. In addition, confidential data such as password and financial information are well protected during online securities transactions.

It is easy to get started. Once you have successfully applied a KGI online securities trading account, you can register to use e-Cert to login at www.kgieworld.com. Just associate your HKID number to KGI online securities trading account to finish the registration.

By trading with e-Cert at KGI, you can enjoy the following privileged offers:

Free real time snapshot market data - EasyQuotes (Hong Kong) (100 quotes/month)

KGI's online futures clients can enjoy FREE real time quotes & Intelligent Market Strategies services.

Hongkong Post's new root certificateadmitted to Microsoft Root Certificate Program

Hongkong Post's new root certificate ("Hongkong Post Root CA 1") was admitted to the Microsoft Root Certificate Program

Starting from April 2004, Hongkong Post's new root certificate ("Hongkong Post Root CA 1") was admitted to the Microsoft Root Certificate Program, in addition to the old root certificate ("Hongkong Post Root CA") which had already been admitted in July 2003. The program aims at protecting Microsoft customers from security issues related to the use of public key infrastructure (PKI) certificates. This means that Internet Explorer and Outlook Express users of Windows XP and Windows 2003 will now trust certificates issued by Hongkong Post under the two root certificates.

Users on platforms before Windows XP can also pick up and install the two Hongkong Post root certificates to their operating systems when they perform the Windows Update at URL, http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com. Please note that Root Certificate Update is not a critical update and users need to explicitly click-open the optional Windows 98/ME/NT/2000 Update list to include the Root Certificate Update.

The admission of Hongkong Post to the Microsoft Root Certificate Program is a solid proof of the trustworthiness of the Hongkong Post CA System and e-Cert.