Al Gore's selection of Joseph Lieberman as his vice presidential running mate was warmly received by high-tech industry advocates.

But his strong stands on key technology issues won't go far in differentiating the two major parties competing for the presidency. Democrats in high tech cheered Lieberman's selection, saying Vice President Gore had selected a running mate with a long track record on policy and legislation, with established and industry-friendly positions on everything from high-tech visas to spam. And high-tech Republicans were left somewhat disarmed by the choice, acknowledging that the Democratic senator from Connecticut was likely to be warmly received in Silicon Valley and other high-tech centers. But almost nobody expects Lieberman's tech record to figure prominently in the coming race, even among industry insiders. And that's largely because of the industry's success in bringing both Democrats and Republicans around to seeing things its way. Virtually unfelt two presidential elections ago, the computer industry's political muscle has molded the major parties' positions almost exactly to their liking. The presidential campaign of Texas Gov. George W. Bush has made headway in Silicon Valley by promising tort reforms and promoting school vouchers--an educational reform Bush and Lieberman support but Gore doesn't. But on major issues like research and development funding and increased visas for foreign workers, the major candidates' positions are in relative harmony.