She will be replaced by Republican Rick Snyder, a founder of Gateway computers who has used his personal fortune to back start-up companies in Michigan.

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An FTC decision from an incident at Gateway Computers in 2004 specifies that companies must get opt-in consent from users before making a material change to privacy policies.

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America Online, which Webcast Monday's East Palo Alto technology forum, has promised 100, 000 free accounts for those who use the Power Up centers, while the Wiatt Family Foundation will provide 50, 000 new Gateway computers.

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Years ago, Gateway only sold computers online, just like Dell.

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Dell and Gateway have changed the way computers are sold by allowing customers to configure their own systems, by telephone or over the Internet, and simply shipping them the box.

ECONOMIST: Direct hit

" Sold in shopping malls and discount stores and not just small computer stores -- the norm for the time -- the C64 became many people's gateway into the world of computers, said Brian Bagnall, author of "On the edge: The spectacular rise and fall of Commodore.

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Created Google: Internet gateway uses more than 10, 000 networked computers to comb through 3 billion Web pages.

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Having seen their profit margins squeezed mercilessly, some of America's biggest suppliers of personal computers, including Compaq, Dell, Gateway and Hewlett Packard, have expanded into the fast-growing hosting business.

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While it has stumbled in the past in areas like customer service and never gained a foothold selling computers to medium and large businesses, Gateway has withstood the collapse of most of its direct-selling PC counterparts.

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