Showing headlines posted by dcparris

Montreal and Quebec, Wednesday November 9, 2005 - FACIL, for the collective appropriation of free information technology, is proud to announce the 2005 edition of the Quebec Free Software Week (la Semaine québécoise de l'informatique libre SQIL), from November 12-20, 2005, in many regions of Quebec. The theme for the week is Connecting people. The SQIL program includes presentations by university researchers, free software installation festivals, demonstrations of solutions intended for enterprise and government, teaching workshops in and educational milieu, screening of documentaries and festivities.

Henry Blodget writes: "(First, I should clarify my position regarding Microsoft: My position is not that Microsoft's web business sucks. It doesn't. Microsoft is either the third or fourth strongest web company on the planet. My position is that the common idea that Microsoft is going to do what it has done in many software businesses--come from behind, bury Google and Yahoo!, and rule the web--is ludicrous. Microsoft has been trying to come from behind on the web for a decade, and it is almost as far behind now as when it started. A few more years--or Microsoft Live, or AdCenter--is not going to change this.)"

[Well, it sure beats them having to innovate! - Ed]

SEOUL- US software giant Microsoft has sealed a 30 million dollar deal with South Korean Internet portal Daum Communications to settle an anti-trust suit and put the two firms in a new partnership. The deal ends a legal battle with Daum, which had accused Microsoft of violating anti-trust rules by unfairly incorporating its MSN instant messaging software into the Windows system.

Forget viruses, 419 email fraudsters and server meltdowns. The biggest potential threat to your online security could come from the growing menace of 'click' kiddies, a leading security firm warns... A growing legion of semi-computer-literate teens short of something to do could be the biggest danger to security on the web. Where traditional hackers go after specific targets, be it a bank's database or a telecom company's corporate infrastructure, gangs of youths who barely know what they're doing are running programs causing inestimable damage to businesses and individuals alike.

Companies shouldn't rush to upgrade to Microsoft Windows Vista, according to analysts at Gartner, who believe most firms could safely hold back until 2008. The majority of improvements in Vista will be security-related and most of this functionality "is available via third-party products today", Gartner claimed in a research note published on Friday.

[Apparently the report, "Ten reasons you should and shouldn't care about Microsoft's Windows Vista client", only addresses *some* of Vista's weaknesses. They probably didn't have time to account for all of them. - Ed]

A great many people find new interfaces downright puzzling. However, most interfaces share common features. Having been there and done that, Don Parris shows the technologically challenged how to find their way around nearly any graphical interface, whether it's an operating system GUI or a new office suite.


Diggable

A group of high-profile technology vendors have formalised plans to promote Open Document Format for Office Applications (OpenDocument) as a global standard after a meeting at IBM last week, according to an IBM executive.

Bernard Golden writes: "With respect to the first two arguments, Microsoft is going to have some very angry ex-allies when they become aware that there is a significant difference between application and output, and that mandating an output format has nothing to do with the application creating the output. Nothing irritates a political player more than finding out that he or she has been taken advantage of for someone else's agenda. In any case, these two arguments are just cover for the real issue Microsoft has, which revolves around the third issue: control of file formats."

[The question is, will these guys realize they've been had? - Ed]

Elizabeth Millard writes: "A financial analyst predicts that the ubiquity of computer viruses, and Apple's success in its music ventures, will drive more and more Windows users to switch to Macs."

[Well, there was an article somewhere about Apple making significant gains, thanks to the Ipod. This will be something to keep our eyes on. A lot of GNU/Linux users also use Macs. - Ed]

For years, Red Hat and SUSE have dominated the enterprise Linux distribution space. But that duopoly may be in trouble, because the Debian-based GNU/Linux-derived Ubuntu has a little help from Big Blue.

There's really no point in stating the obvious, Google has always been a supporter of Mozilla Foundation and especially its Firefox browser. In case you missed it, there's even an integrated Google search field in the Firefox structure and the homepage is set to Google.com by default. And since this friendship is going so well, it seems that soon Firefox could include features developed by Google and thus promote both brands once more.

Just one week after the launch of Live.com, Microsoft has added support for Firefox to its new services-based Web site. But the upgrade is not entirely bug free; a minor flaw causes the tabs in search results to display improperly. The problem will be fixed shortly, according to developers.

Microsoft Corp. is concerned about rootkit features in CDs from Sony BMG artists and is evaluating the situation to see if any action needs to be taken, a spokesperson said. The Redmond, Wash., software maker said that the security of its customers' information is a "top priority" and that the company is concerned by software like that deployed by Sony to block illegal CD copying.

[Wow! Microsoft concerned about Sony? You mean Windows isn't a rootkit? - Ed]

Opinion: Yes, Linux will be attacked more often in the days ahead, but far fewer attacks will get through than do on Windows.

Arxceo used embedded Linux to build a small anti-reconnaissance, anti-intrusion device the size of an eyeglasses case. The Ally ip100 can be installed in front of wireless access points or at the edge of 100Mbps networks, where it provides behavior-based intrusion detection and prevention,

Moodle is a free, open source course management system, based on sound educational principles. Many institutions across the world (around 6500 in 128 countries, as registered on the Moodle site) are taking advantage of the low cost, scalability, and extensive feature set of Moodle to deliver their e-learning.

[Moodle is an excellent tool, matching Docent almost feature for feature. - Ed]

The appeal of Linux for manufacturers of mobile phones is growing rapidly. Motorola, the second biggest manufacturer in the world, first experimented with the OS in 2001 and has since sold more than 3 million Linux phones in Asia. They are now shipping three Linux phones globally, with another coming next year. They plan to move all of their phones to Linux over time.

Ingrid Marson writes: " "Think small, start small, scale up." The strategy ex-Wal-Mart executive Michael Bergdahl claims was responsible for creating one of the most successful businesses ever, is good advice for organisations looking to adopt open source."

NEW YORK (FORTUNE) - Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates advocated major changes for his company to take on new competitors in this leaked memo from October 30. Before you place your bets, here are three things you should understand about Microsoft, and its battle with the increasingly threatening world of online services like Google, Yahoo, Ebay, Amazon and Salesforce.

[Hmmm... so now even the mainstream press is questioning whether Microsoft can survive this paradigm shift, as Ferris mentioned in his earlier article. - Ed]

Two Americans considered the founding fathers of the Internet, Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn, are set to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ most prestigious civil award, during a ceremony at the White House Wednesday.

[I wonder where RMS, Torvalds, et. al. would be without these folks? Come to think of it, what about the rest of us? - Ed]