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The InformationWeek July 2006 Archive « June 2006 | Main | August 2006 » |
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Daily News Podcast For Tuesday, August 1
In today's daily news podcast, we report on how Cisco's John Chambers is changing the networking giant's pricing structure, delve into how a price war is making Intel and AMD the chip industry's biggest losers, and hear about how a leader in the Linux community has taken aim at the free software movement. We have an in-depth report on Web video, and the comments of the day focus on how less than two weeks after publicly announcing 12 new tenets for playing fair, Microsoft seems to have relapsed into its old ways.
Your host today is Alice LaPlante.
Radio Killed The MP3 Star?
Imagine free music available 24 hours a day -- not .99 cents -- which you can choose according to the musical style. Better still, the music is accompanied by commentary identifying what it is, and random contextual information, as well as occasional breaking-news, podcast-like audio feeds.
It's called "radio."
Continue reading "Radio Killed The MP3 Star?..."
Days After Entering 12-Step Program, Microsoft Falls Off Wagon
Whatever happened to the "12 tenets," announced just 10 days ago, that were supposed to help a seemingly humbled and repentant Microsoft assume a more ethical stance toward allowing competition? Could it be that its self-imposed 12-step program has already failed to cure Microsoft of its monopolistic impulses?
Continue reading "Days After Entering 12-Step Program, Microsoft Falls Off Wagon..."
Daily News Podcast For Monday, July 31
In today's daily news podcast, Intel fills out its Core 2 Duo processor line; Amazon makes a foray into the movie business; IT buyers gain a PC pricing tool; Skype releases new toolbars for Office, Outlook Express, and Thunderbird; women bloggers gather in Silicon Valley; Oracle ships a new warehouse builder tool; and Senator Ted Stevens says he's open to appearing on Jon Stewart's The Daily Show for a rebuttal about his Internet "tubes" statement.
Today's In Depth is about Microsoft, and our editorial comments are about health care technology.
Your host today is Johanna Ambrosio.
'Sys Admin Day' Still Not A Hallmark Holiday
Companies spend hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars on elaborate software packages, security technology, servers, and desktops. We talk about "pushing the envelope" and "best of breed" when it comes to tech. But how often do we talk about our systems administrators in the same way? Come on, admit it. Rarely, if ever.
Continue reading "'Sys Admin Day' Still Not A Hallmark Holiday..."
Health Care Tech: Steps And Missteps
We're making some progress toward building a national health care infrastructure. But it remains painfully slow going, in part because of the scope and complexity involved, and in part because of politics and other agendas.
Continue reading "Health Care Tech: Steps And Missteps..."
Apple's Copy Protection Isn't The Problem
Cory Doctorow, noted sci-fi writer and Boing Boing editor, marshals a strong argument against digital rights management in InformationWeek. But his assertion that there's no good DRM oversimplifies an issue that's best framed in compromises rather than absolutes.
Apple's DRM has benefited the public and the music industry. It was Apple's technology platform that convinced the music industry to sell music and videos online. The iPod and its FairPlay DRM created a legal digital music market where none had existed before. While the iPod ecosystem isn't without its problems, it's clear that Apple and its DRM have done some good.
Continue reading "Apple's Copy Protection Isn't The Problem..."
Meet Your New Code Host: Google
NewsForge is reporting that later today, Google will announce a hosting service for open-source projects. The addition to Google Code will be similar, in many ways, to SourceForge; it will also, however, include a new issue tracking tool and other perks created especially for smaller, independent open-source projects.
Continue reading "Meet Your New Code Host: Google..."
ERP Makeover: The Pig's Next Gig
Enterprise resource planning software--despite a long record of achievement in business process improvement--suffers from a lingering image problem. It's that ERP projects have a tendency to become resource hogs that waddle over budget and past deadline. New software in development by SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft promises to overcome the drawbacks of the past. But will ERP really get easier to deploy and manage? Or are ERP vendors merely putting lipstick on a pig?
Continue reading "ERP Makeover: The Pig's Next Gig..."
Daily News Podcast For Friday, July 28
In today's daily news podcast, Google's click-fraud case is settled, as is a lawsuit against the parent company of infamous file-sharing network Kazaa; Microsoft files an interesting new patent application and sends mixed signals about Vista's release date; and a pair of California college students face jail time for hacking into a professor's computer. The In Depth report is on reviews and personal tech, and the comments of the day are on renting or owning digital music.
Your host today is Valerie Potter.
Digital Music: Rent Or Own?
For music lovers, the advent of the iTunes online music store has been an incredible boon. The ability to legally download individual tracks from a huge catalog at 99 cents a pop is delicious (and a little dangerous for your wallet).
Continue reading "Digital Music: Rent Or Own?..."
In Search Of A Low-Cost Wireless Internet Camera... That Works
Hawking Technologies announced yesterday a new, $129.99 wireless video camera that features automatic router configuration and URL setup. The proof, as always, is in the pudding. But that price and that feature (auto config and setup) sound pretty earth-shattering to me.
For years, I've been looking for a good wireless Internet camera that's inexpensive and easy to set up. Is that so much to ask?
Continue reading "In Search Of A Low-Cost Wireless Internet Camera... That Works..."
Open-Source Darwin Fades
According to a message posted on the OpenDarwin.org Web site, the self-named attempt to build and maintain an independent open-source implementation of the operating system beneath Apple's OS X has come to the end of its road, with some of the blame being laid squarely on Apple's doorstep. This follows on the heels of a blistering editorial in Daemon News (a BSD news site) by OpenDarwin team member Rob Braun, which eviscerated Apple's management of the canonical Darwin code and its own open-source efforts. No matter how you read this, this can only be bad for Apple's credibility, given the ruckus it made about open source and OS X in the product's early days.
Continue reading "Open-Source Darwin Fades..."
Daily News Podcast For Thursday, July 27
In today's daily news podcast, the lead news items are about data warehouse-oriented enhancements in Oracle's core database product line, Microsoft's pending browser upgrades, and the first crop of graduates from the first outsourcing certification program. The daily commentary is on Google's addition of traffic data to Google Maps.
Your host today is Tom Smith.
One Laptop Per Child Hits Resistance In India
The well-intentioned One Laptop Per Child initiative has always faced the question, "Buy technology, or spend more on teachers?" Reports out of India suggest that country will choose people.
Continue reading "One Laptop Per Child Hits Resistance In India..."
Map That Traffic Jam
How many times have you had this experience: You're driving along the highway, either in a highly congested area or a road you're not familiar with, and you hit a traffic backup that leaves you effectively parked for, say, an hour. You curse the road, the cars around you, your fate. You ponder how useless radio traffic reports are, since they only help you if they occur--and how unlikely is this?--five minutes before you need to jump off that road at a particular exit and take an alternate route. Perhaps you've pondered the Internet's potential to solve this problem in the distant future. Well the future may be here sooner than you think, courtesy of Google's addition of traffic data to Google Maps.
Continue reading "Map That Traffic Jam..."
The Myth Of The 'Flying Car'
It's the fantasy of every frustrated driver who's ever been caught in traffic: to push a button, take off, and soar above the gridlock like an airplane. But don't hold your breath. You'll never "drive" a "flying car."
Continue reading "The Myth Of The 'Flying Car'..."
Bringing A Business Sensibility To IT
It goes without saying that the entire reason a company invests in technology is to support its business goals. But too often there is a disconnect between corporate operations and the IT organization. This is unfortunate because it prevents businesses from getting the maximum value from their technology resources.
Continue reading "Bringing A Business Sensibility To IT..."
Bringing A Business Sensibility To IT
It goes without saying that the entire reason a company invests in technology is to support its business goals. But too often there is a disconnect between corporate operations and the IT organization. This is unfortunate because it prevents businesses from getting the maximum value from their technology resources.
Continue reading "Bringing A Business Sensibility To IT..."
Daily News Podcast For Wednesday, July 26
In today's daily news podcast, a chip price war helps customers, but hurts Intel and AMD; IBM changes its server software pricing for the dual-core era; Power.org creates standard specifications; HP is set to acquire Mercury Interactive for $4.5 billion; hackers holding data for ransom is on the rise; Sun swings to loss on charges for job cuts; Office exploits reveal a new direction in attack strategies; and the United States accounts for most spam.
Today's In Depth is about developments in the mobile world, and our editorial comments are about ICANN's possible independence.
Your host today is Johanna Ambrosio.
Who Owns The Internet?
The U.S. government is commencing to begin thinking about making ICANN a private entity. The self-imposed deadline for privatization is September 30, and a hearing about whether and how to actually make this happen is scheduled for this week at the Commerce Department.
Continue reading "Who Owns The Internet?..."
Abra Kadabra! Here's Another Photo Magic Trick!
Here's a neat (and low-cost) trick: Make 3D prints using your existing camera, existing printer and standard printing paper. Sounds like magic, doesn't it?
Continue reading "Abra Kadabra! Here's Another Photo Magic Trick!..."
Network Security Courtesy Of A Fist Full Of Chips
Why pay tens of thousands of dollars on a firewall or other network security device when you can get comparable protection from one at a fraction of the cost? That's the promise behind security system-on-chip technology that embeds virtual private network, firewall, and other capabilities into network appliances at the silicon level, eliminating the need for the software and integrated circuits that make security appliances more expensive and generate more heat in your data center.
Continue reading "Network Security Courtesy Of A Fist Full Of Chips..."
More Penny-Pinching HMOs Outsource Americans' Private Medical Data To India
If you've had some nasty or embarrassing illness in the past 12 months, perhaps an ailment so unusual or damning you'd prefer to hide it from your employer, friends, and loved ones, then here's a shocker: There's a good chance a stranger in far-off India knows all about it. And the kicker: It was your health care provider that told him of your secret battle with plantar warts, rampant hirsutism, and pathological addiction to eBay.
Continue reading "More Penny-Pinching HMOs Outsource Americans' Private Medical Data To India..."
Daily News Podcast For Tuesday, July 25
In today's daily news podcast, we report on how TCS, backed by Microsoft as both an investor and a customer, is set to launch Chinese operations; delve into how Microsoft's Exchange Server 2007 Beta 2 is now "feature complete"; and hear about software that aims to make wikis feel "less nerdy." We have an in-depth report on all the recent activity in the semi-conductor industry. And the comments of the day focus on why people keep searching for the perfect metaphor to frame the debate on net neutrality.
Your host today is Alice LaPlante.
Funding Innovation Where It's Incubated
For the kick-off session at its annual faculty summit in Redmond, Wash., last week, Microsoft convened a panel of tech leaders and educators to wax philosophic about hot IT topics of the day: declining federal research spending, job competition from India and China, and why the United States can't attract kids to math and science. There's been a lot of ink spilled about those shortcomings of American competitiveness lately. But this confab had an ace in the hole.
Sitting on a stage between Microsoft exec Craig Mundie, the White House's Science and Technology Policy Office's associate director, the CEO of the National Center for Women & Information Technology, and the dean of UC Berkeley's engineering college was Dan Mote, the president of the University of Maryland and a co-author of a federal report released last fall that's got the attention of everyone from the president to Congress. "Students do not see opportunity in our field," said Mote, referring to IT and computer science. And it's not just kids in poor districts--even the rich kids don't get jazzed about tech. That's going to be a problem as computer companies hunt for the next generation of workers.
In our July 17 cover story, InformationWeek looked at what Microsoft, IBM, Intel, SAP, and other tech companies are doing to attract today's grade-school and high-school kids to computer science--and why they're not always bullish about the prospects.
Continue reading "Funding Innovation Where It's Incubated..."
Two Digital Camera Magic Tricks
Software developers have figured out how to "stitch" together or combine images to do "magic tricks" with your digital photos.
Continue reading "Two Digital Camera Magic Tricks..."
Net Neutrality: The Frenzied Search For The Perfect Metaphor
Listening to last week's lively audio debate on net neutrality between Vint Cerf and Dave Farber, I was struck (again) by something.
Net neutrality. What a terrible name for such an important issue.
Continue reading "Net Neutrality: The Frenzied Search For The Perfect Metaphor..."
Did Intel's New Processors Fuel AMD's ATI Acquisition?
Advanced Micro Devices could have stayed on its current path and likely continued to gain share in the x86 processor market. But on Monday, AMD executives rolled the dice and made one of the most costly acquisitions in semiconductor history by adding the graphics processing capabilities of ATI Technologies to its portfolio.
Continue reading "Did Intel's New Processors Fuel AMD's ATI Acquisition?..."
Coming Real Zune Now?
Microsoft, which obviously didn't learn any lessons at all from the failures of the "buzz marketing" that sank its Origami "ultra mobile PC" gizmo, has unleashed a strange (as in odd . . . very, very odd) Web site that may sink Zune, the media player it confirmed it will unleash on a breathlessly awaiting world later this . . . uh, should I say "year" here, or the way things have been going with Microsoft lately, would "decade" be safer?
Continue reading "Coming Real Zune Now?..."
Coming Real Zune Now?
Microsoft, which obviously didn't learn any lessons at all from the failures of the "buzz marketing" that sank its Origami "ultra mobile PC" gizmo, has unleashed a strange (as in odd . . . very, very odd) Web site that may sink Zune, the media player it confirmed it will unleash on a breathlessly awaiting world later this . . . uh, should I say "year" here, or the way things have been going with Microsoft lately, would "decade" be safer?
Continue reading "Coming Real Zune Now?..."
Interesting Spam Article
"The State Of Spam," by Christopher Heun, provides a good catch-up on current spam volume, its changing nature, and current enforcement activities (governmental and private sector alike). It's a must-read for anybody who deals with junk e-mail on a daily basis.
Continue reading "Interesting Spam Article..."
Daily News Podcast For Monday, July 24
In today's daily news podcast, Yahoo and Sony BMG are offering DRM-free music, while U.S. adults are warming up to podcasts. SCO claims IBM tampered with crucial trial evidence, Intel and AMD are in a quad-core war, and today's In Depth looks at Microsoft, including Vista and quarterly earnings. The Editor's Note introduces new columnist Eric Hall. (To find the links referenced in the note, see the original blog version of it.)
Your host today is Mitch Wagner.
New Columnist Tackles Tech
New columnist Eric Hall adds a much more technical voice to InformationWeek. Eric is a hands-on network specialist whose focus (so far--we're giving Eric freedom to write on whatever he thinks is most important) has been on how to keep your servers humming.
In his latest contribution, Eric takes a look at VMware, virtualization technology designed to allow users to run multiple operating environments without running multiple hardware systems.
Continue reading "New Columnist Tackles Tech..."
Intel Makes Branding Gamble With 'Leap Ahead' And Core 2 Duo
The next year will determine if Intel's processor portfolio overhaul of the past few weeks will successfully put the brakes on rival Advanced Micro Devices' market share assault of the past two years. But AMD executives believe Intel has again made a big error in giving up positions of strength by abandoning two of the most well-known brands in the technology industry: Intel Inside and Pentium.
Continue reading "Intel Makes Branding Gamble With 'Leap Ahead' And Core 2 Duo..."
What If You Could Google Objects, Not Just Words?
Right now, you can google any word or combination of words. But what if you could google actual things or objects?
UK designer Callum Peden has come up with a product idea for Google. It's just an idea, but a really good one.
Continue reading "What If You Could Google Objects, Not Just Words?..."
Daily News Podcast For Friday, July 21
In today's daily news podcast, the horse race between Dell and Hewlett-Packard for the lead PC shipment position continues, with HP closing in on Dell; a U.S. judge denies the federal government's request to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that AT&T broke the law by assisting the NSA to eavesdrop on millions of Americans' telephone conversations; YouTube is being sued for copyright infringement; and (surprise, surprise!) the majority of bloggers prefer to write about themselves rather than to discuss politics or technology. Meanwhile, the Editor's Note examines one person's opinion of digital rights management.
Your host today is Barbara Krasnoff.
Barracuda Attacks Image-Based Spam
Yesterday Barracuda Networks announced an upgrade to its Spam Firewall product that provides the ability to apply optical character recognition, or OCR, techniques to incoming e-mail. This is an important escalation in the spam/anti-spam arms race, and something that will hopefully become more common.
Continue reading "Barracuda Attacks Image-Based Spam..."
Will You Join The DRM Dance?
Back in the bad old days of the 1970s, Sony came out with a wonderful machine called a Betamax video tape recorder. The idea was that consumers could tape their favorite programs off of their televisions and watch them at their leisure. No longer would people have to rush home in a panic in order to catch that week's episode of Star Trek--you could watch Johnny Carson at 9 a.m. and your favorite daytime soap at 1 a.m. if you wanted.
But Universal City Studios didn't see it that way.
Continue reading "Will You Join The DRM Dance?..."
Social Bookmarking For Cheapskates
Social bookmarking sites like Digg where users vote on the quality of links -- the best rising to the top -- are transforming the Web-using experience. They do this by harnessing the power of public opinion to vet, filter and rank "content."
Now -- at last -- someone has harnessed the power of the Web 2.0 to discover and rank great deals. Call it social bookmarking for cheapskates.
Continue reading "Social Bookmarking For Cheapskates..."
Daily News Podcast For Thursday, July 20
In today's daily news podcast, we report on the guilty verdict against the UBS systems administrator who brought down the company network, explain why the spam problem is worse than ever, and explore the decision by the Texas attorney general that money set aside for books can't be used to buy hardware or other equipment, even when dedicated to school work. We also have an in-depth report on Intel. And the comments of the day focus on how the Windows 98 operating system still seems to have some life in it.
Your host today is Alice LaPlante.
The Slow, Lingering Death Of Win98
Pretty much anything about Vista makes for a surefire hit with InformationWeek readers. Take "Top 10 Windows Vista Hits And Misses." Or "20 Questions About Windows Vista." People can't seem to get enough of Vista, Vista, Vista. Which bodes well for Microsoft's next-generation operating system, right?
Well, maybe.
Continue reading "The Slow, Lingering Death Of Win98..."
Group Wants U.S. Gov. To Reveal Who's Asking For H-1B Workers Now
Should the U.S. Dept. of Labor provide public access to a government database that purportedly contains information about employers planning to hire H-1B workers for fiscal 2007, which starts on Oct. 1, 2006?
Kim Berry, president of advocate group Programmers Guild, says he wants U.S. tech workers to have the chance to more fairly compete for jobs that might otherwise go to foreigners.
U.S. workers should have the opportunity right now to look at requests employers have made to the DOL to fill IT positions with H-1B visa holders--before the foreign workers can legally begin the jobs starting on Oct. 1, says Berry.
If American workers can check out which employers are hiring for which jobs and at what wages, well, then maybe some interested (or out-of-work) American techies will have a shot to apply for those jobs before they're filled by foreigners.
Continue reading "Group Wants U.S. Gov. To Reveal Who's Asking For H-1B Workers Now..."
The 'Drama Queen' of Software Installations
I have installed a lot of PC software. A LOT of software. Back in the day it was a piece of cake: copy the EXE file, add it to your path statement, maybe edit a little parameters file, and you were good to go.
Windows, of course, changed all that. The typical Windows installation has become a production worthy of Cecil B. DeMille, with the blessings and curses of the license agreement, the shriek of your hard drive as temp files are copied, directories initialize, cab files spring into being, registry entries are set, and DLLs are sprinkled across your hard disk like seed across a field. Thermometer graphics rise and fall, progress meters progress, desktop icons are created, and registration information is extracted from you like molars.
But for a truly epic installation, I have to give the Oscar for Best Drama to Symantec's Norton Internet Security upgrade. I just went through it not once, but twice. It is longer than the death scene from "Camille," and more emotionally draining. Is it going to start? Do I have enough disk space? What is it doing now? Will it ever, ever, ever end?
Continue reading "The 'Drama Queen' of Software Installations..."
The 'Drama Queen' of Software Installations
I have installed a lot of PC software. A LOT of software. Back in the day it was a piece of cake: copy the EXE file, add it to your path statement, maybe edit a little parameters file, and you were good to go.
Windows, of course, changed all that. The typical Windows installation has become a production worthy of Cecil B. DeMille, with the blessings and curses of the license agreement, the shriek of your hard drive as temp files are copied, directories initialize, cab files spring into being, registry entries are set, and DLLs are sprinkled across your hard disk like seed across a field. Thermometer graphics rise and fall, progress meters progress, desktop icons are created, and registration information is extracted from you like molars.
But for a truly epic installation, I have to give the Oscar for Best Drama to Symantec's Norton Internet Security upgrade. I just went through it not once, but twice. It is longer than the death scene from "Camille," and more emotionally draining. Is it going to start? Do I have enough disk space? What is it doing now? Will it ever, ever, ever end?
Continue reading "The 'Drama Queen' of Software Installations..."
Daily News Podcast For Wednesday, July 19, 2006
In today's daily news podcast, Intel launches the newest Itanium with a new price-performance pitch; Microsoft teams up with two new partners, Nortel and XenSource; summer IT job hunting is looking up; spyware makers are reportedly delivering Vonage ads; hackers turn to open-source models; and the Senate science leader is ridiculed for remarks about the Internet. The Editor's Note mulls whether a national student tracking program should get a passing grade.
Your host today is Patricia Keefe.
Continue reading "Daily News Podcast For Wednesday, July 19, 2006..."
Spammers Trying To Do To Blogs What They Did To E-Mail
Blog comment spam -- advertising slipped into the "comments" section of blog entries -- has been around awhile. It tends to trickle in. Various schemes exist to combat it, but most blogs are completely unprotected.
Though the mainstream press hasn't noticed, there was a radical increase in spam over the weekend. Who's doing it? And why the sudden increase?
Continue reading "Spammers Trying To Do To Blogs What They Did To E-Mail..."
Microsoft Makes Its Peace With Open Source
Last month, I noted in the Linux Pipeline newsletter that Microsoft's new leadership was likely to adopt a far more pragmatic, and positive, attitude towards open-source software. I was right about what would happen, but wrong about the timing: In just two weeks, with two decisions, Microsoft has already largely demolished years of anti-Open Source dogma.
Continue reading "Microsoft Makes Its Peace With Open Source..."
Dude! Wanna Be In The National Student Database?
It's been a while since I've been in college or hung around with anyone who is, but I distinctly recall that no matter who was paying the freight, a student's grades were delivered only to the student. Even paying parents had no right to see the results. In the weird halfway house of adulthood that makes up the college experience, students are considered adults in some areas, children in others. Grades fell into the adult side of the class. And my guess is this goes for student health and other records as well.
Continue reading "Dude! Wanna Be In The National Student Database?..."
Thanks, Uncle Sam. I'm Wasting More Time Filling Out Your Forms
Americans, on average, spend nearly 29 hours a year filling out forms--on paper or online--required by the federal government.
Continue reading "Thanks, Uncle Sam. I'm Wasting More Time Filling Out Your Forms..."
Farnborough Airshow: Where IT Meets Top Gun
It's Tuesday, the second day of the U.K.'s massive Farnborough Airshow. The only thing hotter than the molten, 90-plus degree heat on the tarmac is the scorching flybys by some of the world's most advanced military and civilian aircraft. But these days, it takes more than wings to keep these birds in the air.
Continue reading "Farnborough Airshow: Where IT Meets Top Gun..."
Hiring Hackers: Would You Ever Trust Your Network Security To An Ex-Thief?
As the saying goes, if you can't beat them join them. But in the case of ex-hackers who abandon their criminal lives to pursue careers in corporate security, these security wizards often have already beaten the system and are now choosing to exploit it further by profiting from the expertise they gained at the expense of the organizations they once menaced.
Continue reading "Hiring Hackers: Would You Ever Trust Your Network Security To An Ex-Thief?..."
Hiring Hackers: Would You Ever Trust Your Network Security To An Ex-Thief?
As the saying goes, if you can't beat them join them. But in the case of ex-hackers who abandon their criminal lives to pursue careers in corporate security, these security wizards often have already beaten the system and are now choosing to exploit it further by profiting from the expertise they gained at the expense of the organizations they once menaced.
Continue reading "Hiring Hackers: Would You Ever Trust Your Network Security To An Ex-Thief?..."
Daily News Podcast For Tuesday, July 18
In today's daily news podcast, Microsoft releases a new Vista Beta 2 build, a worm hits MySpace, and Intel is getting ready to debut a powerful new Itanium chip. My editorial comments on the news of the day look at our reviews of Firefox Version 2 Beta 1 and the Firefox-based Flock Web browser (and what the Flock is up with that?).
Your host today is Mitch Wagner.
Reviews: Firefox 2.0 Beta 1, And What The Flock Is Up With That New Browser?
Today we have a review of Firefox 2.0 beta 1 that's sure to be a crowd-pleaser, as well as a good review of a new browser, based on Firefox, called Flock.
For months now, Firefox 2.0 has been getting a bum rap because there's really no significant new features in it. Critics say Firefox 2.0 really doesn't deserve to be called 2.0; it's really just an incremental upgrade from the current version.
All of that is true--but largely irrelevant to our review, which describes and praises the upgrades, minor though they are.
Continue reading "Reviews: Firefox 2.0 Beta 1, And What The Flock Is Up With That New Browser?..."
The Postcard Has Finally Been Licked
The postcard -- a photo or graphic on one side with a note and addressing and postage on the other -- was patented in 1861 by John P. Charlton. Since then, tourists and holiday makers have been sending them back home to friends and family to share their experiences abroad. Oftentimes, vacationers reach home before the postcards do.
Now, after 145 years the postcard's days are numbered, thanks to a new, free, and very cool Web 2.0 alternative. Sorry, Charlton.
Continue reading "The Postcard Has Finally Been Licked..."
Microsoft Takes Another Step Away From SOHO, Home Users
Microsoft cut off support for Windows 98 and Windows Millenium Edition (ME) last week. It was not a very responsible decision. There are still plenty of PCs running 98 and ME out there, and denying them the protection of security updates will make them vectors of infection for PCs running supported Windows versions in the long run.
Microsoft might like to pooh-pooh the issue, but its own actions tell you something about the size of the problem: It felt it had to announce a solution for its corporate customers -- small-business and home users need not apply.
Continue reading "Microsoft Takes Another Step Away From SOHO, Home Users..."
Microsoft Takes Another Step Away From SOHO, Home Users
Microsoft cut off support for Windows 98 and Windows Millenium Edition (ME) last week. It was not a very responsible decision. There are still plenty of PCs running 98 and ME out there, and denying them the protection of security updates will make them vectors of infection for PCs running supported Windows versions in the long run.
Microsoft might like to pooh-pooh the issue, but its own actions tell you something about the size of the problem: It felt it had to announce a solution for its corporate customers -- small-business and home users need not apply.
Continue reading "Microsoft Takes Another Step Away From SOHO, Home Users..."
Daily News Podcast For Monday, July 17
In today's daily news podcast, we report on a D.C. law firm's claims that an IBM worker hacked its computers, explain about Microsoft's introduction of software that turns old PCs into thin clients, and explore vendors' hopes that the .mobi domain will finally earn some respect. We also have an in-depth report on the OpenDocument Format. The comments of the day focus on how Wikipedia's founders are going off in highly divergent directions on their Web 2.0 projects.
Your host today is Alice LaPlante.
Mark Cuban Says The Internet Is Boring. Oh, That It Were So
Mark Cuban's recent blog entry pays tribute to the Internet by declaring it boring. It works, and we take it for granted. He compares it to indoor plumbing, with similar dependence and lack of excitement.
The thing he ignores: the wireless Web.
Continue reading "Mark Cuban Says The Internet Is Boring. Oh, That It Were So..."
Spawn Of Wikipedia
So can commoners--as the British like to refer to those not of aristocratic birth--be trusted? That's the question that two of the founders of Wikipedia appear to have asked themselves recently. And they appear to have come up with radically different answers.
Continue reading "Spawn Of Wikipedia..."
Apple's MacBook: Hot Enough To Fry An Egg
No really, it is. At least it sure looks that way from this picture of someone cooking an egg on a MacBook.
Unfortunately, the source link provided from the Unofficial Apple Weblog returns a page that doesn't contain the cited post or picture. So perhaps some skepticism is in order.
It may be, however, that the site originally hosting the picture can't handle the traffic. That's a pretty common occurrence when small sites get noticed in the blogosphere.
This screenshot of an Intel Core Duo running at 153 degrees Fahrenheit certainly makes computer-top cuisine seem possible.
Continue reading "Apple's MacBook: Hot Enough To Fry An Egg..."
Skype Gets Reverse-Engineered
According to a blog post by Charlie Paglee, a Chinese technology company has successfully reverse-engineered the core Skype protocols. It's clear that the company is a long way from productizing this into something that will "compete" with Skype on a feature basis, but it's an interesting and important milestone nonetheless.
Geronimo Rides, Novell Switches Sides
Apache Geronimo is rapidly maturing as an open-source application server and, in its 1.0 version, venturing outside the protected bounds of its previously out-of-view camp. But can Geronimo keep moving and slip past the well-guarded doors to the enterprise the way JBoss did?
Continue reading "Geronimo Rides, Novell Switches Sides..."
Daily News Podcast For Friday, July 14
In today's daily news podcast, the U.S. State Department reveals details about the June attacks on its computer systems, and a year after announcing the position, the Department of Homeland Security still hasn't named an assistant secretary for cybersecurity and telecommunications. Microsoft is pledging to appeal the fine levied against it by the EU, Cisco reveals vulnerabilities in its VoIP and router software, and a zero-day exploit is out for Microsoft PowerPoint.
Today's In Depth report is on reviews and personal tech, and the comments of the day are on not upgrading to Vista.
Your host today is Valerie Potter.
Doing H-1B Math, In Dollars And Sense
Foreign tech workers who enter the U.S. with H-1B visas are paid about $25,000 a year less than American workers with the same skills, according to the Programmers Guild, an advocate organization for U.S. tech professionals.
And the guild's president, Kim Berry, is hoping that Congress will "correct" current wage rules that are supposed to keep the pay playing field level between American professionals and H-1B visa holders, but aren't.
Current regulations have loopholes that allow employers to hire H-1B workers at wages 25% or more lower than Americans earn for the same jobs, says Berry. And that's one of the big factors that make hiring H-1B workers so attractive, he says.
Continue reading "Doing H-1B Math, In Dollars And Sense..."
Windows Reactionaries, Unite!
Whenever Microsoft releases a new version of Windows, there's always a backlash from people using previous versions. "It's all just a bunch of hype," they say. "Why should I spend a lot of money to upgrade when Windows Me works just fine?"
Continue reading "Windows Reactionaries, Unite!..."
Virtualization Goes Mainstream
Yesterday the server-class VMware Server 1.0 was formally released with the official price of $0. This news follows Tuesday's announcement by Microsoft that the desktop-class Virtual PC 2004 now has a price tag of $0, too, and that the server-class Virtual Server 2005 will also be free when used with Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition (but not for other platforms--yet). Apart from these big-name products, there's also a horde of specialty virtualization products that also have the price of zero. But the release of VMware Server is the biggest such product released for free, and it signifies a major shift in the positioning of virtualization technology within the industry as a whole.
Continue reading "Virtualization Goes Mainstream..."
One Small Step For Bloggers, One Giant Step For Journalism
The San Francisco Chronicle reports this morning that Apple won't continue to bully bloggers for the name of the internal source who leaked secret company information to them last year. An appeals court ruled May 26 that Apple could not force the bloggers to reveal the identity of the person. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, which had challenged the Apple lawsuit, told The Chronicle the decision means that bloggers and other online journalists have the same right to protect their sources as traditional reporters. I extend my sympathy to Steve Jobs, who must be struggling with the news that he's only human, for the damage this vendetta must have done to Apple's once-vaunted corporate culture.
Continue reading "One Small Step For Bloggers, One Giant Step For Journalism..."
One Small Step For Bloggers, One Giant Step For Journalism
The San Francisco Chronicle reports this morning that Apple won't continue to bully bloggers for the name of the internal source who leaked secret company information to them last year. An appeals court ruled May 26 that Apple could not force the bloggers to reveal the identity of the person. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, which had challenged the Apple lawsuit, told The Chronicle the decision means that bloggers and other online journalists have the same right to protect their sources as traditional reporters. I extend my sympathy to Steve Jobs, who must be struggling with the news that he's only human, for the damage this vendetta must have done to Apple's once-vaunted corporate culture.
Continue reading "One Small Step For Bloggers, One Giant Step For Journalism..."
Daily News Podcast For Thursday, July 13
In today's daily news podcast, we look at tips on how to stay happy with Windows XP, along with licensing plans and a new beta for Vista; Illinois outlaws "pretexting"; 'digital dirt' can derail job seekers; technical architects are being asked for credentials; voice and VoIP phishing is on the rise; the UBS case goes to the jury; and Europeans debate what to do about their overly complex software patent system. The In Depth report covers the EU's decision to fine Microsoft $357 million, while the Editor's Note looks at the brewing battle between Wi-Fi freeloaders and coffee shop owners.
Continue reading "Daily News Podcast For Thursday, July 13..."
Is Google Earth Falling Apart?
No. (Cheap, fear-mongering headlines should always be answered "Yes" or "No" to save readers from the certain inanity to follow.)
But there's more to it than that.
The story begins with an e-mail from a reader who wrote, "Google mapping technology is falling apart."
If true, that claim would make an interesting story. Given that a similar report appeared this morning in The Register, stating that Google had erased Malta, it seemed plausible.
Continue reading "Is Google Earth Falling Apart?..."
Wi-Fi And The Freeloaders
The latest chapter in high-tech rudeness involves a battle brewing between steaming café and coffee shop owners and Wi-Fi freeloading laptop users. The problem is that some laptop users see nothing wrong with turning their corner coffee bars into extensions of their office--if not their actual office. They come in to take advantage of the free Internet access and end up displacing the paying clientele by hogging tables for hours while spending next to nothing. And they think nothing of it.
Continue reading "Wi-Fi And The Freeloaders..."
Daily News Podcast For Wednesday, July 12
In today's daily news podcast, we analyze the latest browser market share figures that show new gains by Firefox, detail new servers announced by Sun Microsystems, and outline the latest software-as-a-service initiative from Microsoft. In the daily commentary, we explain why the sale, resale, and resale again of consumer data should give you pause.
Your host today is Tom Smith.
Google Goes Back To Its Wolverine Roots
Google has once again proven it's a step ahead. It could have chosen the overcrowded, overpriced Silicon Valley to set up a new center employing 1,000 workers, but it instead chose Ann Arbor, home of co-founder Larry Page's alma mater, the University of Michigan.
Continue reading "Google Goes Back To Its Wolverine Roots..."
IT Security: An Overconfidence Problem?
Network security threats seem to be everywhere, but system administrators believe their companies aren't at greater risk than in the past. This potentially false sense of security was expressed by nearly 90 percent than 2,100 companies surveyed as part of InformationWeek 2006 Global Security Study. So where is the bravado coming from at a time when security researchers are warning us that risk has never been greater as cyber criminals cash in on malware's profit potential?
Continue reading "IT Security: An Overconfidence Problem?..."
IT Security: An Overconfidence Problem?
Network security threats seem to be everywhere, but system administrators believe their companies aren't at greater risk than in the past. This potentially false sense of security was expressed by nearly 90 percent than 2,100 companies surveyed as part of InformationWeek 2006 Global Security Study. So where is the bravado coming from at a time when security researchers are warning us that risk has never been greater as cyber criminals cash in on malware's profit potential?
Continue reading "IT Security: An Overconfidence Problem?..."
Weapons Of . . . Genuine Advantage?
I wrote about Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage program in my e-mail newsletter (here's an online version) this week, and mentioned that once you click "Install" it can't be uninstalled. But that turns out to be not quite the case.
Continue reading "Weapons Of . . . Genuine Advantage?..."
Weapons Of . . . Genuine Advantage?
I wrote about Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage program in my e-mail newsletter (here's an online version) this week, and mentioned that once you click "Install" it can't be uninstalled. But that turns out to be not quite the case.
Continue reading "Weapons Of . . . Genuine Advantage?..."
Daily News Podcast For Tuesday, July 11
In today's daily news podcast, Microsoft shows off the new basic look for Vista, while Windows 98 and Me support ends; Mozilla releases the Firefox 2.0 beta; the White House tries to get the NSA wiretap suit dismissed; fans push back against file-sharing lawsuits; a legal setback raises questions about SCO's survival; and the FBI warns job hunters about online scams. Our Editor's Note analyzes the obvious and not-so-obvious results of our annual global security survey.
Continue reading "Daily News Podcast For Tuesday, July 11..."
Spy Photo, Name, Of Microsoft's 'iPod Killer' Leaked
We reported here July 5 that Microsoft was working on an "iPod killer" that would be on sale by Christmas.
Details are now leaking out about the name -- it will be called the "Zune" -- and its design, according to this leaked photo, will look *a lot* like Apple's iPod.
Continue reading "Spy Photo, Name, Of Microsoft's 'iPod Killer' Leaked..."
Why India's Wage Inflation Won't Bring Outsourced Tech Jobs Back To The U.S.
U.S. companies outsource to India primarily to save money. But tech wages on the subcontinent are rising at about 15% per year. Many U.S. programmers welcome this news--as Indian salaries rise, it's less likely that their jobs will be offshored. Or so they think. But a conversation I had this morning with the CEO of one of India's fastest-growing outsourcers reveals why jobs sent to India aren't coming back anytime soon.
Continue reading "Why India's Wage Inflation Won't Bring Outsourced Tech Jobs Back To The U.S...."
Same Old Security Song And Dance? Yes And No
The results of InformationWeek's annual Global Security Survey got me to thinking that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Continue reading "Same Old Security Song And Dance? Yes And No..."
The 5 Biggest Surprises From The 2006 InformationWeek Global Security Survey
A tip of the hat to all the InformationWeek readers who participated in this year's Global Security Survey. In this week's issue, I wrote a story analyzing the survey's results and drilling down beyond the numbers by speaking with a few of you who took the survey and other security pros who likewise had interesting things to say. The data and interviews were insightful. Here are the five biggest surprises I encountered while covering the survey:
Continue reading "The 5 Biggest Surprises From The 2006 InformationWeek Global Security Survey..."
Google's Gdrive Stands For 'Government Drive'
Blogger Corsin Camichel reports sighting Google's Gdrive, the company's long-rumored online storage service, following an expedition into Writely's directory structure.
Camichel says he discovered a test page for Gdrive, code-named "Platypus," in the main directory of Google's Writely online word processor. And he kindly posted a screenshot.
Continue reading "Google's Gdrive Stands For 'Government Drive'..."
Are There Weak Links In The Data Broker Chain?
The multibillion-dollar data brokering industry is not only growing rapidly, but the chains of data buyers and sellers are getting longer and longer. Sellers of consumer marketing data, from industry giants like Acxiom and ChoicePoint down to companies that sell marketing lists online, swear they take every precaution to protect the data they hold and sell it only to businesses that won't misuse the information or leave it vulnerable to theft. But one has to wonder at what point the chains become so long that the links become weak and the promises of those at the top are no longer honored.
Continue reading "Are There Weak Links In The Data Broker Chain?..."
Can These Data Center Employees Be Saved?
This is a story of politics and disarray in a couple of data centers that were allegedly combined over a year ago. That they still, to this day, have different cultures, operating procedures, and expectations this far along into things tells you much about what's very wrong with this picture.
And it serves as a powerful cautionary tale to anyone who may be tempted to play the game in a way that cuts them off from the rest of their coworkers. But I get ahead of myself.
Continue reading "Can These Data Center Employees Be Saved?..."
Where's The Outrage?
Are we becoming numb to scandal and controversy? In the world of technology, there's always plenty to go around.
Some of the controversy shows up in tech product advertising.
A new ad campaign by Sony showcasing a new white Sony PlayStation Portable, depicts a black woman, wearing all black, and a white woman, wearing all white, fighting each other. Some say it's racist, others say it's sexist.
Continue reading "Where's The Outrage?..."
Daily News Podcast For Monday, July 10
In today's daily news podcast, we report on the top five things you should know before installing Office 2007 Beta 2, review a new tool designed to protect against zero-day attacks, and hear about how the term "googling" is now an official entry in the dictionary. The comments of the day are about Microsoft's decision to support the OpenDocument Format.
Your host today is Alice LaPlante.
Forcibly Led To ODF Water, Microsoft Finally Drinks
It's not like Microsoft had much choice in the matter. Even Brian Jones, an Office program manager, admitted in his blog that it was government demands that pushed Microsoft to finally do it (after he made some snarky comments that the firm hasn't seen much demand for it from corporate or consumer customers).
What I'm talking about, of course, is Microsoft's capitulation to finally support the OpenDocument Format (ODF), an XML-based file format for office applications standardized by OASIS in 2005.
Continue reading "Forcibly Led To ODF Water, Microsoft Finally Drinks..."
FON Home? Just Say 'No Privacy'
I am just enough of a rebel to think FON has a really cool idea with its plan to sell a million WiFi routers for $5 and turn home DSL and broadband connections into a worldwide wireless network. But I'm not quite rebel enough to commit to being a Fonero myself. I'm bothered only a little bit by the criminality. But I'm bothered a lot more by the privacy problems.
Continue reading "FON Home? Just Say 'No Privacy'..."
FON Home? Just Say 'No Privacy'
I am just enough of a rebel to think FON has a really cool idea with its plan to sell a million WiFi routers for $5 and turn home DSL and broadband connections into a worldwide wireless network. But I'm not quite rebel enough to commit to being a Fonero myself. I'm bothered only a little bit by the criminality. But I'm bothered a lot more by the privacy problems.
Continue reading "FON Home? Just Say 'No Privacy'..."
Linux Users Beware: SCO's Still Got You In Its Sights
In Monday's issue of InformationWeek, I take a closer look at the latest turns in SCO's quixotic court fight against IBM. To get you through the weekend, here's a critical tidbit you need to know about now if you're a Linux user, or if you're even thinking about using Linux.
Continue reading "Linux Users Beware: SCO's Still Got You In Its Sights..."
Daily News Podcast For Friday, July 7
In today's daily news podcast, researchers will demonstrate new methods to bypass network access control technologies at the Black Hat conference later this month, Intel has invested $600 million in WiMax company Clearwire, the Office 2007 delay might mean some companies' licensing agreements will expire before the new suite is rolled out, Microsoft will provide translation tools for the OpenDocument Format and Microsoft's Open XML, eBay's PayPal president Jeff Jordan is stepping down, and Microsoft has been hit with a second spyware lawsuit. Today's In Depth report focuses on reviews and personal tech, and the comments of the day are on the march of malware.
Your host today is Valerie Potter.
The March Of Malware
A friend called me the other day. She's an independent bookkeeper who works for many small businesses, usually in their offices on their computers. She's often their first line of tech support, even though that falls way outside her job description.
One of her clients' computers had been acting funny. She loaded up some anti-virus software, and sure enough it told her the machine had a Trojan. She cleaned it, restarted, and there was the Trojan again. A few attempts later, the Trojan was still there. That's when she called me.
Continue reading "The March Of Malware..."
Why People Hate Those Stupid Apple Ads
Apple is taking a lot of heat for its current series of TV and online video ads, which compare PCs and Macs by anthropomorphizing the platforms as two guys.
The PC guy is a pudgy, uncharismatic, and unfashionable bore. The Mac guy is a younger, vaguely hipper, healthier looking down-to-earth guy.
Continue reading "Why People Hate Those Stupid Apple Ads..."
Daily News Podcast For Thursday, July 6
In today's daily news podcast, Google says Congress' failure to act on net neutrality could bring lead to antitrust complaints, new technology disables digital cameras, tech pros aren't worried about losing their jobs, and a security researcher promises a browser bug a day in July. Our in-depth reports look at five things you need to know about VoIP, how Intel's chip plans give WiMax a mighty push forward, and 20 years of PC viruses. And my Editor's Note looks at accidental entrepreneurs.
Your host today is Mitch Wagner.
Accidental Entrepreneurs
If you're at all dissatisfied with your job, this is a tough week for you. You've got a four-day weekend behind you, and the height of the long, hot summer ahead of you. Plenty of time to sit and daydream about telling the boss to take a hike and making money doing what you love.
Many of you have personal Web sites you work on in your spare time, either blogs or little e-businesses or software-as-a-service applications. Wouldn't it be great if you could just make a living on that stuff and leave the paycheck-to-paycheck grind behind?
The subjects of our article on accidental entrepreneurs did just that.
Continue reading "Accidental Entrepreneurs..."
Why You've Never Heard Of The Best Phone Ever
I recently bought what I believe is the coolest landline phone with the most useful features of any phone out there. It's called the ClearSounds CLC50 Freedom Phone.
If you're under the age of 60 and have good hearing, you've probably never heard of this phone. The reason is that it's designed for older people with hearing loss.
My own hearing is perfect. But I still love this phone. Here's why.
Continue reading "Why You've Never Heard Of The Best Phone Ever..."
India's Refusal To Open Domestic Markets Could Put Outsourcing Industry At Risk
Technology and business services outsourcing is India's Golden Goose. But the country's refusal to open many of its own markets to foreign competition may be putting that gilded bird's future at risk, and along with it, the ability of U.S. companies to freely tap the Indian IT talent they say they need. Here's the connection...
Continue reading "India's Refusal To Open Domestic Markets Could Put Outsourcing Industry At Risk..."
Daily News Podcast For Wednesday, July 5
In today's daily news podcast, EMC fills a major security hole with its RSA purchase, SCO's legal setback should help Linux users breathe easier, accidental tech entrepreneurs turn their hobbies into livelihoods, a lawsuit says Microsoft's WGA is actually spyware, survivor accounts are released in 9/11 podcasts, and cell phone talkers are as bad as drunk drivers. Our In Depth report looks at what lies ahead for consumers in the digital living room, while the Editor's Note ticks off seven security lessons learned from the UBS trial.
Here are some other links mentioned in the podcast:
Blog: Fight For Your Entertainment Rights
InformationWeek's special page devoted to the UBS trial coverage
Blog: Our Data Isn't Secure, So What Are We Going To Do About It?
Your host today is Patricia Keefe.
Proposed GM-Nissan-Renault Deal: Innovative Or Unpatriotic?
A friend who works in IT at General Motors has been keeping some odd hours lately. GM is in the process of creating one global IT organization, and my friend is working with IT pros on the other side of the world who are pouring their morning tea just as most Michiganders are getting ready to call it a night.
Continue reading "Proposed GM-Nissan-Renault Deal: Innovative Or Unpatriotic?..."
On The Road To A Wireless Internet, This Milepost Matters
On the road trip toward a genuinely useable mobile Internet, we haven't even started the car yet. We're still playing rock-scissors-paper over who's going to ride shotgun. But a couple of things last week--Intel's announcements about WiMax chief among them--suggest the scenery is about to change.
Continue reading "On The Road To A Wireless Internet, This Milepost Matters..."
A Matter Of National Security
Coming off the terrible embarrassment of the theft of a Veterans Administration computer containing the personal information of more than 26 million veterans and their family members, the federal government desperately needs to prove it is capable of protecting data. The government is making some efforts to prove it is regaining control but these steps may not be enough.
Continue reading "A Matter Of National Security..."
A Matter Of National Security
Coming off the terrible embarrassment of the theft of a Veterans Administration computer containing the personal information of more than 26 million veterans and their family members, the federal government desperately needs to prove it is capable of protecting data. The government is making some efforts to prove it is regaining control but these steps may not be enough.
Continue reading "A Matter Of National Security..."
Virtualization May Be Security Problem, Not Solution
Here's another reason rootkits are the scariest technology around. We've heard some good news about virtualization as a promising defense against malware lately, but along comes Joanna Rutkowska to burst our bubble. Ms. Rutkowska outlines what she calls Blue Pill, a virtualization-based rootkit that uses AMD's SVM/Pacifica virtualization technology to take over the OS of a PC.
Continue reading "Virtualization May Be Security Problem, Not Solution..."
Virtualization May Be Security Problem, Not Solution
Here's another reason rootkits are the scariest technology around. We've heard some good news about virtualization as a promising defense against malware lately, but along comes Joanna Rutkowska to burst our bubble. Ms. Rutkowska outlines what she calls Blue Pill, a virtualization-based rootkit that uses AMD's SVM/Pacifica virtualization technology to take over the OS of a PC.
Continue reading "Virtualization May Be Security Problem, Not Solution..."
Firefox Keeps Up With Political Candidates
Today, there are more than 1,500 extensions available for the Firefox Web browser. If you need Firefox to do something, at this point, there'a a very good chance that you can find an extension capable of doing it.
Recently, however, a Firefox extension did manage to break some new ground. It become one of the first to delve into politics -- not by taking a political stand, but by helping you to make informed decisions about political issues and candidates.
Continue reading "Firefox Keeps Up With Political Candidates..."
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