Brandon Bailey

Most people who use the Internet know the difficulty of remembering all the passwords they need to check e-mail, chat online, download music and transfer funds. Experts advise against using the same password for multiple accounts, in case it falls into the wrong hands.

In the tech industry's first major disagreement with the Obama administration, Silicon Valley companies are voicing alarm about a proposal that could require corporations to pay billions of dollars in US taxes on foreign earnings.

Oracle's decision to buy Sun Microsystems was a surprise for many in Silicon Valley, but analysts say the deal is a logical outgrowth of two related trends that are reshaping the tech industry as it wrestles with a bruising global recession.

No matter who wins the White House, Silicon Valley is looking forward to a president who understands the value of technology and innovation — far better, some would say, than at any time in recent years.