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| News Headlines For Saturday 20th May 2000 |
| Bios Flashing Guide - Microsoft Security Bulletin (MS00-029) |
- Mailing
List Update
Time: 16:56 EST/21:56 GMT News Source: ActiveWin Posted By: Byron HinsonWe would like to welcome you all to the new and improved ActiveWin mailing list. We have finally sorted out all of the previous problems we had with delivering our list to you all (Our server wouldn't send any more than 200 mailings out). So now you can all look forward to daily e-mails keeping you up to date with everything that is happening in the world of Windows and Microsoft.
- Flink Ink: Perspective
on Integration, Bundling and the Law
Time: 13:35 EST/18:35 GMT News Source: ActiveWin Posted By: Byron HinsonI saw an interesting article today on ZDnet: Can't beat 'em? Throw in the kitchen sink What caught my eye was the last paragraph in which the authors report that it is ironic that Sun is calling for tighter integration between software and hardware while at the same time encouraging the Department of Justice (DoJ) to go after Microsoft for doing the same thing! Sun is bringing in Oracle and Veritas products to form a 'bundled offering' known as Sun Stacks, aimed at integrating solutions for vertical markets. This is very typical marketing strategy in the computer industry and would not have been attracted any interest if it wasn't for the DoJ case against Microsoft. Here are my observations in the form of response to the authors:
- Upcoming Reviews
Time: 12:18 EST/17:18 GMT News Source: ActiveWin Posted By: Byron HinsonIt has been some time since we last posted about what reviews we have coming up this month and early next, so here goes:
Software: Motocross Madness 2 (Gold arrived yesterday), Baseball 2001, Starlancer, Allegiance, Force Commander, Pharoah, The Sims.
Hardware: HP Pocket PC, Matrox G450 - For
Microsoft, beating Sony is a game of time
Time: 09:37 EST/14:37 GMT News Source: Nando InfoTech Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft Corp.'s determination to head off Sony Corp. in the battle to control digital entertainment faces some substantial risks, analysts say.
Can the software giant afford to wait nearly 18 months to release its hugely hyped video game machine called the X-Box? And can its development team deliver the new and complicated operating system on time and sign up enough hot game developers to provide products?
Microsoft is entering the video console business for the first time with its planned launch of the X-Box in fall of 2001.
One rumor is that Microsoft might take over Sega Enterprises to jump-start its entry into the video game console business. Microsoft and Sega were partners in a failed collaboration to offer the Windows CE-based development effort for Sega's Dreamcast console game. - 'NewLove'
wanes: What went right
Time: 06:53 EST/11:53 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Matthew SabeanDire warnings fell flat on Friday when the "NewLove" worm -- loosely based on the "ILOVEYOU" worm that spread like wildfire at the beginning of May -- failed to infect a significant number of computers and seemed to be under control.
The containment of the latest outbreak may demonstrate that users are becoming more savvy when handling unknown e-mail and that virus fighters are better prepared to knock down infections quickly.
We have not gotten a single report," said Tanya Candia, vice president of global marketing with anti-virus software maker F-Secure. "While it evades detection -- quite successfully -- by making itself hard to find, none of our clients are reporting infections."
- MSN
To Offer Integrated Desktop
Time: 06:38 EST/11:38 GMT News Source: BetaNews Posted By: Matthew Sabean
In
the next version of MSN software Microsoft will unveil an integrated
desktop to collaborate with the extremely popular MSN Internet
service. Coming in late May, the preview will give consumers a good
idea of the final plans for the software, which will be released in
the fall. Much like AOL, MSN Internet Service will feature a client
that is built on top of Internet Explorer with an entire army of
features and functions.Since late last year rumors had been circulating about a secret project at the Redmond campus entitled "Mars." After ZDNet's John Dvorak broke the story in one of his columns late February, the software giant was forced to reveal its secret plans for the mystical "integrated desktop" idea.
When BetaNews and ActiveWin collaborated to give readers the inside scoop on the software, representatives of Microsoft stated "Mars is a codename for a project designed to simplify and enhance the Internet experience for MSN users." Later this month users will get a preview of that simplified experience.
- Users
are critical of Microsoft's patch for embattled Oracle e-mail
program
Time: 06:22 EST/11:22 GMT News Source: InfoWorld Posted By: Matthew SabeanIn a rare mea culpa, Microsoft this week admitted that vulnerabilities in its Outlook e-mail program helped propagate the damaging "I Love You" worm, prompting the software giant to release a free security upgrade to protect users from opening and spreading computer viruses.
Yet some observers say that although Microsoft's intention is good, the patch leaves much to be desired.
"This implementation was rushed to market and shows the signs of quickly getting something out to answer criticism and really missing badly," said John Pescatore, network security research director at Gartner, in Stamford, Conn. - Microsoft's
Bauer gets a suntan with The Register
Time: 03:28 EST/08:28 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Alex HarrisThomas Bauer, Microsoft regional OEM director for EMEA, took time out from the Integrator Forum Europe 2000 in Monte Carlo to tell Linda Harrison why system builders need to quit the consumer market, and about the vendor's plans for its tier II OEMs.
Dump your consumer sales and get into the business market if you want to survive. That's the opinion of Thomas Bauer, Microsoft regional OEM director for EMEA, who recommends get big, get specialised, or get out of consumer sales.
- How
To Turn Off Windows Scripting Host
Time: 03:23 EST/08:23 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisRecent virus outbreaks have exploited known vulnerabilities in Visual Basic Scripting under Windows. For example, NewLove and ILOVEYOU both contain attachments ending in .vbs which the user must click on to become infected. In order to limit the risk of infection, users of Windows should turn off Windows Scripting Host. Doing so will prevent you from executing .vbs scripts by double-clicking. For a complete discussion of the pros and cons of removing Windows Scripting Host, see To Script Or Not To Script.
- Microsoft
Security Bulletin (MS00-029) - Patch Available for "IP Fragment
Reassembly" Vulnerability
Time: 03:11 EST/08:11 GMT News Source: Microsoft Product Security Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft has released a patch that eliminates a security vulnerability in Microsoft(r) Windows(r) 95, Windows 98, Windows NT(r) 4.0 and Windows 2000. The vulnerability could be used to cause an affected machine to temporarily stop performing useful work. Frequently asked questions regarding this vulnerability and the patch can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/fq00-029.asp
Issue
The affected systems contain a flaw in the code that performs IP fragment reassembly. If a continuous stream of fragmented IP datagrams with a particular malformation were sent to an affected machine, it could be made to devote most or all of its CPU availability to processing them. The data rate needed to completely deny service varies depending on the machine and network conditions, but in most cases even relatively moderate rates would suffice. The vulnerability would not allow a malicious user to compromise data on the machine or usurp administrative control over it. Although it has been reported that the attack in some cases will cause an affected machine to crash, affected machines in all Microsoft testing returned to normal service shortly after the fragments stopped arriving. Machines protected by a proxy server or a firewall that drops fragmented packets would not be affected by this vulnerability. The machines most likely to be affected by this vulnerability would be machines located on the edge of a network such as web servers or proxy servers.
Affected Software Versions
- Microsoft Windows 95
- Microsoft Windows 98
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Workstation
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server, Enterprise Edition
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server, Terminal Server Edition
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000Advanced Server Patch Availability
- Windows 95: http://download.microsoft.com/download/win95/update/8070/w95/EN-US/259728USA5.EXE
- Windows 98: http://download.microsoft.com/download/win98/update/8070/w98/EN-US/259728USA8.EXE
- Windows NT 4.0 Workstation, Server and Server, Enterprise Edition: http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/Release.asp?ReleaseID=20829
- Windows NT 4.0 Server, Terminal Server Edition: http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/Release.asp?ReleaseID=20830
- Windows 2000 Professional, Server and Advanced Server: http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/Release.asp?ReleaseID=20827 - BIOS
Flashing Guide
Time: 03:09 EST/08:09 GMT News Source: Tweak Town Posted By: Alex HarrisTweak Town has updated their BIOS Flashing Guide which now has added support for Microsoft Windows 95 / 98 / 98se and 2000. Here is a snippet from the article:
With the likes of Abit, Asus, Epox, MSI releasing new bios updates just about every month you really do need to know how to flash your bios with the latest updates. The bios (or cmos) allows you to change system options like CPU Overclocking, Voltages, Time / Date...
You can read more of the Guide here.
| News Headlines For Friday 19th May 2000 |
| Polymorphic Virus - Slashdot |
- Microsoft
invites titans for hors d'oeuvres and big ideas
Time: 16:55 EST/21:55 GMT News Source: Seattle Times Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft plans to hold its fourth annual CEO Summit next week, a Fortune 1000 bash of the titans where the heads of America's largest companies meet to discuss the burgeoning prospects for business and technology.
The exclusive - and secret - list of those attending the event, which runs from Tuesday through Thursday, is thought to include such corporate luminaries as Disney Chief Executive Michael Eisner, computer magnate Michael Dell and Wal-Mart head Lee Scott Jr., who runs the second-largest Fortune 500 company.
Microsoft spokesman Dan Leach said there will be no talk of the government's antitrust case against the company. Rather, the summit will center on the exchange of ideas.
- How
to protect your computer from viruses
Time: 15:59 EST/20:59 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Matthew SabeanComputer users don't need to feel helpless against the onslaught of viruses such as "NewLove."
In addition to installing antivirus software and keeping virus definitions up-to-date, there are other measures people can take to reduce the likelihood that their computers will be infected or damaged by NewLove or similar viruses, according to experts.
First, people can delete any email sent with attachments ending in the letters ".vbs," which indicates a file that's a type of Windows program called a script. Although it's possible that some companies would send legitimate VBS files, it's unlikely, said Kevin Haley, a researcher at Symantec's antivirus research center.
- ActiveWin:
MGI Software PhotoSuite III Platinum Edition Review
Time: 13:30 EST/18:30 GMT News Source: Active Network Posted By: Robert Stein
Julien
has posted his review of MGI Software's PhotoSuite III Platinum
Edition. Here is a snippet from the review:A few years ago touching up pictures for novice computer users was a nightmare and most of them didn’t even imagine doing so. But now due to the digital cameras/scanners & computers revolution, touching up personal photos is now important business for software manufacturers, and every user who wants to touch up its own photos. The brand new PhotoSuite III ‘Platinum Edition’ software that MGI Software has just released is certainly the best software to do so. We were really amazed by all the features it offers with an unrivalled ease of use. It will fit all the novice users’ needs and it’ll even be useful for expert users. This new release comes will several enhancements that we’ll review plus some new features!
- ActiveXBox:
Microsoft XBox E3 2000 Preview
Time: 13:08 EST/18:08 GMT News Source: Active Network/ActiveXBox Posted By: Robert Stein
Well,
we are all back from the E3 Expo. Microsoft has a great line
coming up. Here is a snippet from my Microsoft XBox preview:So, it seems Microsoft waited until the last minute deciding on bringing XBox to the E3 Expo in Los Angeles this year. The rumors on this machine were great - a majestically fluttering butterfly scene, unbelievable ping-ping balls and mousetraps, and many more. Could Microsoft show the public their new steppingstone in console technology? Well, at the last minute Microsoft “created” the XBox Theater, spun off a few thousand posters and brought the gaming industry what they wanted to see. Here is our view from our private, behind-the-scenes look at the latest creation coming from Redmond.
- Microsoft
loses $300 mln/yr in Mexico to piracy-papers
Time: 12:14 EST/17:14 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonSoftware giant Microsoft Corp. (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) loses $300 million a year in sales in Mexico because of rampant software privacy, local newspapers reported on Friday.
Quoting Microsoft Mexico chief executive Felipe Sanchez Romero, several Mexico City newspapers said the Mexican government was also losing out, failing to take in around $200 million a year in taxes.
Sanchez Romero told reporters that six out of every 10 software programmes sold in Mexico are illegal copies, twice the rate of piracy found in developed nations, such as the United States, where he said between 25-30 percent of software sold consists of copies.
- Egreetings Stock Jumps on
Microsoft Pact
Time: 12:14 EST/17:14 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonShares of Egreetings Network Inc. (NasdaqNM:EGRT - news) jumped more than 84 percent in early trade Friday, boosted by an agreement with Microsoft Corp. (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news), the online card provider's largest licensing deal to date.
Its shares shot up 2 at 4-3/8 to the No. 2 spot among the biggest percentage gainers on Nasdaq. San Francisco-based Egreetings entered into an agreement with Microsoft Thursday to become the exclusive application service provider for the online card services of Microsoft's network of Internet services, MSN.
The new licensing agreement offers substantial revenue potential for Egreetings and Microsoft through advertising and electronic commerce opportunities, Egreetings said. Egreetings will build, host and manage the customized service on all of MSN's sites, which reach more than 41 million visitors, and will give MSN consumers the chance to send free online cards.
- New
Matrox G200 - G400 Bios
Time: 12:12 EST/17:12 GMT News Source: E-Mail Posted By: Byron HinsonMatrox has released a new bios for the G200 and G400 set of cards. You can read more about the new release right here.
- Netscape
Secure Socket Layer Security Hole
Time: 05:05 EST/10:05 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisA flaw in Netscape browsers doesn't validate a site with its secure certificate, allowing malicious users to impersonate a secure site. An update is available.
Like a security guard asleep at the front desk, Netscape's certificate management is leaving some doors unsecured. On May 12, 2000, CERT, an Internet security organization, reported on a security deficiency regarding the way Netscape's browser validates SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificates. This security hole has the potential of exposing e-commerce customers' sensitive data to a malicious Web site operator. With the help of testing from KeyLabs, BugNet was able to validate the security hole as well as Netscape's recently released security update for that hole.
- Messaging's
not-so-instant revolution
Time: 05:03 EST/10:03 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisInstant messaging, once considered a toy for teenagers, could be the next killer business app -- provided it overcomes what industry insiders say is the AOL stumbling block.
The latest IM technologies will be on display at the Instant Messaging 2000 show in Boston next Tuesday, including combinations of text with voice and video technology. In the lead-up to the conference, versions of the technology designed for wireless devices have been popping up, work on an official standard has been making serious headway, and a version of IM has gone open source.
- Key
Microsoft antitrust player to launch telephony start-up
Time: 05:01 EST/10:01 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft has patched several security holes in its Internet Explorer and Office software, closing five potential avenues for online attacks against its customers.
The flurry of specific bug patches comes as Microsoft moves to implement broader security measures. The company came under heavy criticism for its security policies following the widespread damage caused by the "I Love You" virus, which exploited standard features of Microsoft's Outlook email application.
Microsoft this week yielded to that criticism, pledging to implement safeguards in Outlook. Four of the patched holes are in Microsoft's IE browser. All of them made computers vulnerable to invasions by malicious Web site operators, or senders of HTML email.
- Microsoft
fixes quintet of security holes
Time: 04:59 EST/09:59 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft has patched several security holes in its Internet Explorer and Office software, closing five potential avenues for online attacks against its customers.
The flurry of specific bug patches comes as Microsoft moves to implement broader security measures. The company came under heavy criticism for its security policies following the widespread damage caused by the "I Love You" virus, which exploited standard features of Microsoft's Outlook email application.
Microsoft this week yielded to that criticism, pledging to implement safeguards in Outlook. Four of the patched holes are in Microsoft's IE browser. All of them made computers vulnerable to invasions by malicious Web site operators, or senders of HTML email.
- New
virus more destructive than "Love"
Time: 04:57 EST/09:57 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisA new virus on the loose could make the Love Bug pale by comparison. Antivirus firms monitoring the new outbreak say only a handful of instances have so far been reported to them. But they caution that the virus has the potential to spread rapidly and cause even more damage than its recent predecessor.
"Everything on the computer is destroyed," said Vincent Weafer, director of Symantec's antivirus research center. Perhaps even more disquieting than the destructive payload is the fact that the virus alters itself to sneak around traditional virus scanners.
- MS
Love Bug cure worse than the disease?
Time: 04:52 EST/09:52 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft’s remedy to the ILOVEYOU virus may cause more problems than the original virus.
"Microsoft has reported several cases of functionality failure surrounding the Outlook updates. The most significant of these involves the updates' installation procedures," reports Windows web site Ent Ent.
Also affected are the updates themselves, users of Palm and Windows CE synchronisation software, recipients of PowerPoint presentations, users who route documents from Word, and a long list of third party software. According to Microsoft itself, there is no uninstall procedure and if the patch installation goes awry - as Microsoft has admitted has happened ‘in some cases’ the recommendation is to uninstall and then reinstall the Microsoft Office suite from scratch.
- Sony
sues another software firm over PlayStation emulator
Time: 04:43 EST/09:43 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Matthew SabeanSony is suing another software developer for allegedly infringing patents with a program designed to allow PlayStation games to be played on a PC.
Sony's suit against Los Angeles-based Bleem comes after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco lifted a preliminary injunction that barred Bleem from using images of PlayStation video games in ads.
Sony has filed numerous other actions against Bleem claiming copyright infringement and misappropriation of trade secrets. Bleem creatively countered with an antitrust claim alleging Sony holds an illegal monopoly in the video game business.
- Slashdot
Lashes Back at MS
Time: 04:30 EST/09:30 GMT News Source: Wired Posted By: Matthew SabeanGeek-news hub Slashdot.org typically features various discussions about the open-source software movement. Now it's featuring an open-source legal spat between itself and Microsoft, to boot. Last week, Microsoft's lawyers sent a letter to Slashdot demanding that it remove several messages in one of its discussion forums. The message -- which discussed Microsoft's tweaks to an open-source security protocol called "Kerberos" -- violated copyright law, Microsoft claimed.
Slashdot ignored the demand and posted Microsoft's letter online, unleashing a tempest of anti-Microsoft rhetoric from Slashdot posters.
Thursday Slashdot upped the ante, posting a terse letter from Slashdot's attorney challenging the legal validity of Microsoft's original demand.
- Sneaky
virus keeps changing its name
Time: 04:25 EST/09:25 GMT News Source: MSNBC Posted By: Matthew SabeanA nasty new virus that is smart enough to evade antivirus software by continuously changing its name is on the loose. Antivirus firm Trend Micro said the bug, called “NEWLOVE” but unrelated to the recent ILOVEYOU virus, has hit one U.S. firm, attacking 5,000 machines.
The virus is “Polymorphic,” meaning it has the ability to change itself as it propagates. Each time it infects a machine, it takes on a new name, which makes it harder for potential victims to recognize and harder for antivirus programs to detect.
According to antivirus firm Symantec Corp., the virus randomly chooses its name from a recently opened file from the victim’s Start/Document folder in the Microsoft Start menu. That could make the virus particularly tricky — an infected employee could then send another employee a familiar-sounding attachment, like “ReviewForm.vbs” or “MayExpenseReport.vbs.”
The e-mail arrives with no text — merely a subject line and attachment title that match.
| News Headlines For Thursday 18th May 2000 |
- Apples
& Oranges: AT&T and Microsoft
Time: 12:45 EST/17:45 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew SabeanWith public opinion polls showing little support among the American public for splitting apart Microsoft, lawyers for the government are invoking the 1982 divestiture of AT&T as justification for their unprecedented plan. But equating the breakup of AT&T to the dismemberment of Microsoft is like comparing apples and oranges.
AT&T was a private monopoly fostered by the federal and state governments in the early 20th century to promote telephone service throughout the country. In exchange for a guaranteed profit, AT&T was heavily regulated to ensure that every American had reasonable access to the telephone network and that the phone company’s earnings were restricted to certain levels.
A half-century later, AT&T voluntarily agreed to a divestiture in order to escape the many restrictions that had been imposed over time, particularly as new technologies changed the dynamics of the telecommunications industry.
- Self-inflicted
wounds
Time: 12:41 EST/17:41 GMT News Source: The Boston Globe Posted By: Matthew SabeanI sometimes use this space to defend Microsoft Corp. against the US Justice Department. I do so for three reasons:
Much of the case against Microsoft is bogus.
To the extent that the company has done wrong, dismantling it is a grossly disproportionate response.
And finally, why bother? If Microsoft continues its recent idiocies, it will end up eviscerating itself. First there was the antitrust case, which the company could have settled painlessly a couple of years ago. Then there was the Love Bug virus that attacked millions of Microsoft-based computers worldwide, because Microsoft intentionally left dangerous security holes in its products. And now comes Microsoft's legal threat against Slashdot, one of the Internet's most respected technology sites.
- MS
claims breakup will kill next-generation Windows project
Time: 09:21 EST/14:21 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Matthew SabeanIn an extraordinary covert filing by Microsoft in the antitrust case, the company claims that it would be too risky to develop Next Generation Windows Services if Microsoft is split into two companies.
The exact wording is: "Microsoft cannot undertake such a risky venture [developing NGWS], which will cost more in constant-dollar terms than Boeing's development of the 747 or NASA's first mission to the moon, unless Microsoft can call upon all of the company's resources in seeking to make it a success. Those resources include people and technologies on both sides of the bright line the government seeks to draw through Microsoft's tightly knit organisation." Microsoft then goes on to claim that: "Consumers will suffer if Microsoft no longer has the ability to undertake ambitious projects like Next Generation Windows Services, which (if successful) promises to transform the way in which consumers use the Internet, to the benefit of the entire economy."
- Bush
A Microsoft Shareholder
Time: 06:45 EST/11:45 GMT News Source: NYPost Posted By: Matthew SabeanGeorge W. Bush's financial-disclosure records show he's a multimillionaire with a huge trust fund, thousands of acres in Texas - and profits from Microsoft.
Bush's investments in Microsoft - up to $102,000 in stock - are notable because he has sent signals that he's on Bill Gates' side in the Clinton Justice Department's antitrust lawsuit against the software giant. Bush has met privately with Gates, the mega-billionaire Microsoft founder, and has said he prefers "innovation over litigation" when asked about the lawsuit.
- Microsoft
falls in Europe
Time: 06:35 EST/11:35 GMT News Source: CNNfn Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft shares fell in Frankfurt trading Thursday morning after the government called on a U.S. district judge to reject the software giant's call to delay plans to split the company. Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft fell 1.20, or more than 1.5 percent, to 75.70. The government and 19 states vigorously defended their plans to split the world's biggest software company for violating antitrust laws.
- Microsoft
Tests Win 2000 Bug Fix
Time: 06:30 EST/11:30 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft has confirmed that it has released a beta-test version of the first bug-fix update for its Windows 2000 operating system.
The update--officially referred to as a service pack--is posted in beta form on Microsoft's MSDN Web site for developers. It is due to ship sometime this summer. Microsoft still recommends that users deploy Windows 2000 now and add Service Pack 1 when it becomes available, instead of waiting for the bug-fix update, a spokesperson says.
- MSN
Update Targets AOL
Time: 06:25 EST/11:25 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Matthew SabeanIn its upcoming update to MSN, Microsoft takes on consumer Internet access king America Online with an integrated desktop to go online, use e-mail, send instant messages, and peer through a portal to the rest of the Web.
Microsoft will preview its portal update by the end of May and expects to release the final version in fall. New MSN Internet access subscribers will find a simpler, animated installation process. Microsoft targets "an integrated consumer experience," says Joe Peterson, general manager of MSN immersive consumer experience. "It's not just about browsing."
- Windows
Media Heads for TV
Time: 06:20 EST/11:20 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Matthew SabeanThe worlds of broadcasting and Webcasting are inching closer, and in the near future, they may be one and the same. Microsoft and video systems maker SeaChange International will work together on a system to deliver video on demand using the Windows Media format. The idea would be to create a single file that could be streamed to both TVs and PCs.
Thirty-five percent of U.S. households will use interactive TV by the end of 2005, according to a recent report by Jupiter Communications.
- No
surprise here: DOJ rips MS remedy
Time: 06:14 EST/11:14 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Matthew SabeanCalling Microsoft's suggestions neither "serious" nor "sensible," the Department of Justice and 19 state attorneys suing Microsoft took apart -- in 73 pages of detail -- the software giant's suggested remedy proposal in the ongoing antitrust case against it.
The government, which filed its reply memorandum late Wednesday evening, didn't deviate from trial watchers' expectations. It took issue with every component of Microsoft's suggestions, from the company's proposed delays to accommodate more hearings, to its claims that a breakup into two companies, as suggested by the government, would be unprecedented.
- Microsoft
Security Bulletin (MS00-033) - Patch Available for "Frame
Domain Verification", "Unauthorized Cookie
Access", and "Malformed Component Attribute"
Vulnerabilities
Time: 06:01 EST/11:01 GMT News Source: Microsoft Product Security Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft has released a comprehensive patch that eliminates three security vulnerabilities in Microsoft(r) Internet Explorer 4 and 5:
- The "Frame Domain Verification" vulnerability, which could allow a malicious web site operator to read, but not change or add, files on the computer of a visiting user.
- The "Unauthorized Cookie Access" vulnerability, which could allow a malicious web site operator to access "cookies" belonging to a visiting user.
- The "Malformed Component Attribute" vulnerability, which could allow a malicious web site operator to run code of his choice on the computer of a visiting user.Affected Software Versions:
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01Patch Availability:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/download/critical/patch6.htm - Online
Businesses Use Microsoft Passport Single Sign-In and Wallet
Services to Provide Customers With Secure and Convenient
Shopping
Time: 05:47 EST/10:47 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew SabeanThe recipe for online frustration is all too familiar to many Internet users. Enter a Web site, type in a user name and a password. Enter another Web site, type in another user name and password. Repeat until feelings of irritation are thoroughly stirred.
Microsoft Passport, designed to minimize such exasperating experiences, continues to attract online merchants who want to make using the Internet easier for their customers. The Microsoft Passport single sign-in service allows consumers to use the same user name and password at any participating Web site -- creating a more efficient, comfortable and enjoyable Internet experience. Single sign-in also helps Web sites eliminate the hassle of creating, protecting and managing user names and passwords for their users.
- Microsoft
Unveils Latest Version of XML Parser Technology Preview
Time: 05:48 EST/10:48 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew SabeanFurthering its commitment to the support and promotion of the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Extensible Markup Language (XML), Microsoft Corp. today announced the newest version of its MSXML parser with built-in support for version 2.0 of the Simple API for XML (SAX2). The decision to implement the SAX2 programming interface, rather than develop a new one, is a reflection of Microsoft's commitment to deliver the features its customers demand. SAX2 is designed to enable faster and more efficient processing of XML by allowing programs to read, review and process XML files without having to load the entire document into memory.
- Microsoft
Delivers "Fast Boot" Support for Partners in Windows
Millennium Edition
Time: 05:47 EST/10:47 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft Corp. today announced "fast boot" support for industry partners in the Microsoft® Windows® Millennium Edition (Me) operating system. Windows Me, combined with "fast boot"-optimized PC hardware like the Dell Dimension PC, will provide home users with faster access to their information, communications and entertainment any time.
Many home users today use their PC to perform quick tasks, such as looking up the latest news and weather. For those home users, Microsoft is working with its associates to improve boot time with Windows Me on new PCs. Microsoft has also made several improvements in Windows Me to enable faster-booting PCs, including registry improvements, removal of real mode and faster device initialization. In addition, Microsoft has provided a boot-time-measurement tool for computer manufacturers to help enable a true "fast boot" PC, with boot times of 30 seconds or less. This tool will help computer manufacturers identify which drivers and devices provide optimal boot-time performance on any given PC configuration.
- Microsoft
invests in storage management vendor
Time: 02:21 EST/07:21 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft and storage vendor CommVaultSystems Inc. on Wednesday extended an existing strategic alliance between the two companies. Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) invested an undisclosed amount in CommVault -- a vendor of network-attached storage and storage-area network products for Windows 2000 and Unix -- and can tout CommVault's Galaxy product as a way to store and manage data across heterogenous platforms from a central Windows platform.
- Transmeta
chips expected in devices next month
Time: 02:19 EST/07:19 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisThe first announcements of hotly anticipated products using Transmeta's low-power Crusoe chip could come next month, chief executive David Ditzel said today.
"The logical place to look for systems would be at PC Expo," the June convention in New York where tech firms show off upcoming products, Ditzel said in an interview with CNET News.com. The comments came after his speech at PricewaterhouseCooper's Technology Forecast: 2000 in Santa Clara, Calif.
- Microsoft
IE browser bug bites the Mac
Time: 02:17 EST/07:17 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft's browser bug team is working to patch an Internet Explorer glitch that afflicts Apple Macintosh computers running the latest iteration of IE. The bug, which can expose private files and, in some circumstances, grant unauthorized access to sites on a company's intranet, first cropped up in late 1997. Microsoft patched it then, only to reintroduce the bug with the release of IE 5.
- Microsoft
proposal derided as "neither serious nor sensible"
Time: 02:15 EST/07:15 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft's proposal to keep the company intact while accepting restrictions on its business practices would not prevent the company from abusing its monopoly, the government said today.
In a sharply worded filing with the judge overseeing the historic antitrust case, the Justice Department (DOJ) and 19 states disagreed with Microsoft's contention its antitrust misconduct does not warrant a breakup of the company.
| News Headlines For Wednesday 17th May 2000 |
| Logitech QuickCam Express Review - Graphics Card Round Up - Ask Your Conscience |
- Government
prepares to defend plan to break up Microsoft
Time: 06:44 EST/11:44 GMT News Source: Mercury Center Posted By: Matthew SabeanGovernment attorneys prepared to go before a federal judge today to defend their proposal to break up Microsoft Corp. -- their last chance to sway the judge before he holds a hearing on what remedies to impose on the company.
The Justice Department and 17 states were filing a rebuttal to Microsoft's request to dismiss a plan that would split the company into two businesses -- one to develop the company's dominant Windows computer operating system and the other for Microsoft's Office software, Microsoft Network Internet services and game divisions. The two companies would have to stay separate for at least 10 years.
The plan was proposed as a remedy to behavior found to be anticompetitive -- and illegal -- by U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson.
- Microsoft
Preps Win2000 Datacenter Beta 2
Time: 04:18 EST/09:18 GMT News Source: TechWeb Posted By: Alex HarrisAs it preps Beta 2 of Windows 2000 Datacenter for ISPs, transaction processing applications, and large data warehouses, Microsoft (stock: MSFT) said it remains on track for a summer ship date. However, a slight delay is possible, a company official conceded. When Windows 2000 and Windows 2000 Advanced Server shipped on Feb. 17, officials promised the high-end datacenter version -- Microsoft's so-called "Unix killer" -- would be available within 120 days, or by mid-June. That may not be the case.
- Microsoft
and Carta form alliance to deliver solutions for online
government services
Time: 04:00 EST/09:00 GMT News Source: Microsoft Daily News Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft has formed an alliance with Carta Inc. to help governments take advantage of the Internet.
Microsoft and Internet solutions provider Carta have announced they will collaborate to develop advanced software and services built on the Microsoft® Windows® DNA platform for online government services. The two companies will develop and market solutions that will enable governments to move their services online and to operate more efficiently by giving citizens 24-hour access to information, services and transactions.
- Microsoft
commits to expanded Windows security with support for smart
cards, biometrics
Time: 03:58 EST/08:58 GMT News Source: Microsoft Daily News Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft is dedicated to making the latest security technology more widely available.
At Networld+Interop 2000 last week in Las Vegas, Microsoft pledged to expand the security capabilities of the Windows platform. Microsoft also urged technology companies to work together to eliminate the obstacles in the way of adoption of stronger security measures. The company highlighted smart cards and biometrics as technologies that would provide more transparent, secure and manageable security on a mass scale, while eliminating the need for passwords.
- MS
again slammed on security
Time: 03:56 EST/08:56 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisSo much for the friendly assistant.
That's the hard lesson learned after last week's discovery of a security hole that subverts the powerful functions of Microsoft Office Assistant.
The hole, which allows an attacker to write a script that can do anything once on a user's computer, gets activated by clicking on a Web page or HTML-enabled e-mail. The script can then add or delete files.
- Analysts:
Lycos bailed out while it could
Time: 03:54 EST/08:54 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisTerra Networks' buyout of Lycos today raises the stakes in the race to create a global Internet services company.
The deal marks the first time a U.S. Internet portal has been acquired by a foreign firm. Yet the deal was inevitable, given Lycos' position in the marketplace, analysts said.
Although Lycos has maintained its status as a top-five Web portal in terms of audience reach, many analysts have doubted the company's ability to close the gap with market leaders America Online, Yahoo and Microsoft's MSN.
"The perception has been that Lycos has been sitting on its hands for a long time," said Patrick Keane, an analyst at Jupiter Communications. "In my opinion, they're no longer in this AOL-Yahoo competitive category.
- Intel,
Mitsubishi to work on advanced cell phones
Time: 03:52 EST/08:52 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisIntel is teaming with Mitsubishi Electric to develop chips for third-generation cell phones.
The deal, which will be detailed in Japan, helps bolster Intel's presence in the wireless market, an area of increased focus for the chip giant. Last October, Intel said it would spend roughly $1.6 billion to acquire DSP Communications, a maker of the chips that accompany a digital signal processor in a wireless handset.
The joint effort will focus initially on Japan, but the companies hope eventually to sell the same products in Europe and other areas. Intel did not give a specific date when the chips will arrive, but the product is intended to reach the market at the same time as third-generation cell phones, most likely next year.
- Ellison
touts Oracle service's "threat" to Windows
Time: 03:50 EST/08:50 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisOracle chief executive Larry Ellison today announced plans to launch a Web service that will store and manage data for businesses and consumers.
Businesses can use the online service to store all their corporate data, including Web pages, human resources records and email, so the information isn't strewn across thousands of hard drives on various computers, Ellison said. Consumers can use the service to deposit personal data, from music files to pictures, he added.
"If you want to back up your data, if you want a copy of your data that you can search, share and maintain multiple versions, we will have a public site that offers this," he said.
- Ask
Your Conscience
Time: 03:39 EST/08:39 GMT News Source: Enfused Posted By: Alex HarrisToday at Enfused, we've posted Emily "Your Conscience" Murray's latest "Ask Your Conscience" column.
"Ask Your Conscience" is an advice column for gamers. Emily recieves various questions about video games, life or both, and then attempts to provide quality answers to these questions.
The topics for this week's columns include discussion of spending time away from the PC, meeting women interested in gaming (for guys); and finally, a discussion about why losing interest in gaming happens and how to deal with it.
You can read Emily's column at Enfused by clicking here.
- Graphics
Card Round-up
Time: 03:33 EST/08:33 GMT News Source: EuroGamer Posted By: Alex HarrisFollowing on from last week's "Guide To Graphics Card Jargon", EuroGamer has today posted its round-up of the new generation of graphics cards, with close looks at the latest offerings from 3dfx, ATi and NVIDIA, a peek at some of the other companies out there, a hint at what we can expect later in the year, and some suggestions on which graphics card might be best for you. Here is a snippet of the article:
But here's something that should make you hot under the collar. The Radeon supports ATI's "MAXX" technology, which allows them to put two processors on to a single graphics card and (more or less) double the performance. If a single Radeon 256 chip can provide the level of performance that ATI are promising, imagine what two of them working in parallel could do! Drool.
You can read more of the article here.
- Logitech
QuickCam Express Review
Time: 03:30 EST/08:30 GMT News Source: Tweak Town Posted By: Alex HarrisTweak Town have posted their review of the Logitech QuickCam Express Webcam and here is a snippet of the article:
William from PC INDEX Australia have supplied us with a Logitech QuickCam Express for some reviewage here at TweakTown. The Logitech QuickCam Express is an affordable / easy to use / stylish webcam, which allows you to send video images and photos over the Internet to ANY recipient worldwide... Read On...
You can read more of the review here.
| News Headlines For Tuesday 16th May 2000 |
| Outlook Security |
- Klein:
Put Trust in Antitrust
Time: 16:03 EST/21:03 GMT News Source: Wired Posted By: Matthew SabeanLook out, big business: The U.S. antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft is just the beginning.
The Justice Department's top antitrust official said Tuesday that aggressive antitrust suits are crucial to protecting competition in economies dominated by technology.
"Given the speed of today's economy, antitrust is going to become the only legitimate form of government intervention," said Joel Klein, assistant attorney general, in a speech at the Woodrow Wilson International Center.
- NT4
called the least secure OS
Time: 14:28 EST/19:28 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Matthew SabeanSecurityFocus.com is one of the U.S.' leading security companies. It also administers the Bugtraq mailing list, perhaps the most well read security mailing list in existence. On that list, security bug problems are found, examined and, if proven to be real, are then listed on SecurityFocus' vulnerability database.
As you might guess, it's a very busy database. How busy? Would you believe that on last Friday, May 11, alone there were eight new security problems? Believe it.
They ranged from Microsoft Outlook Express allowing buffer overflows that could be used to run malicious code to a problem with BugZilla, another bug-tracking system, by which Unix commands could be passed on to the system via a Web-based bug-reporting subsystem. The other six were a pair of Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) problems, a MS IE vulnerability , an NTMail Server proxy hole, a W2K problem and, rounding off that day's problem children, an Office 2000 issue.
- NetMechanic
Says Netscape 6.0 Not Fully DHTML Compatible
Time: 14:16 EST/19:16 GMT News Source: InternetNews Posted By: Matthew SabeanNetMechanic Inc. this week announced that administrators of sites that utilize Dynamic HTML (DHTML) scripts need to be aware that the latest release of the Netscape browser, version 6.0, is causing significant incompatibility problems.
Since the browser was released in April, it has been triggering a backlash from users because of its handling of Dynamic HTML.
NetMechanic said it is releasing information about the problem in the hopes of preventing Web site developers from unknowingly becoming the victims of browser incompatibility, one of the most significant problems faced by those who manage a Web site. The main cause of incompatibility on a Web site tends to be a lack of the resources that are required to continually view and test a site using each of the many available browsers.
- Why
Microsoft Might Not Drag Its Feet
Time: 14:05 EST/19:05 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Matthew SabeanIt's not so hard to understand Microsoft 's legal strategy. Microsoft's lawyers insist they'll win big on appeal. But they're also in no hurry to get to the appeals court--they want six more months to explain why breaking up the company is a bad idea.
But if they'll win on appeal anyway, why take all that time? Because you never know what might happen. An appeal is risky--you might lose. But in the meantime, a new president might tell the Justice Department to dump the case. The state attorneys general might go back to chasing Big Tobacco. A judge might drop dead. It might be an ugly victory--but a good lawyer would rather win ugly than lose pretty.
So Microsoft's strategy is to win on appeal--but delay that appeal as long as possible. Delaying is standard legal practice. It's probably good legal strategy.
- Microsoft
allies want to testify
Time: 13:57 EST/18:57 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Matthew SabeanThe pro-Microsoft Association for Competitive Technology group will file a motion in federal court on Tuesday, requesting that companies which could be affected by the government's proposed breakup proposal in the DOJ antitrust case "be allowed to testify as to the harm it would bring to their business and customers."
ACT wants its members and other IT firms to be given a chance to participate in the remedy phase of the case, ACT officials said. ACT submitted a friend of the court brief on behalf of Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT ) to Judge Jackson prior to Jackson's delivery of his conclusions of law in early April.
On Wednesday of this week, the DOJ is slated to issue its rebuttal to Microsoft's proposed remedies it submitted to Judge Jackson a week ago.
- Office
2k for $5? How Microsoft buys its way into education
Time: 10:34 EST/15:34 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Matthew SabeanAfter some spadework, we're starting to get a clearer picture of Microsoft's deal-making with US educational institutions. As we reported earlier this week, the business end of the deal from the student's point of view is that you get a copy of Office 2000 for $10, but there are various different permutations in operation that'll get you software for $5, $2 or even for free, depending on where you study.
It doesn't seem to be exactly for sale. The software is obtained under some form of implementation of a Microsoft Enterprise License Agreement (ELA) entered into with a particular educational institution, or with a group of them. The organisation pays for the licences, and therefore the sum paid by the student seems to be whatever the organisation deems it should claw back for media costs and admin.
But what does the organisation pay for the licences? We're grateful to the University System of Maryland for telling us the cost is "less than $14 per license for each year of the three year agreement, with two optional years available after that." Maryland quotes the normal retail cost at $150, and says the deal, struck last July, is worth $1.5 million, with 22,000 students expected to take it up.
- New
'Love Bug' Theory: More Than 40 Authors
Time: 08:10 EST/13:10 GMT News Source: TechWeb Posted By: Matthew SabeanPhilippine investigators said on Tuesday a diskette seized in a Manila flat from where the ``Love Bug'' is suspected to have spread has a program with characteristics of the destructive computer virus.
It also credits more than 40 people for creating the program, investigators said.
The National Bureau of the Investigation (NBI) said the diskette, one of 17 seized from the lowermiddle-class flat in the Manila suburb of Pandacan, contained a virus program reported to be authored by computer school student Michael Buen.
- Microsoft
covers political bases to fight antitrust case
Time: 07:59 EST/12:59 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft is intensifying lobbying and will give the Republican and Democratic national conventions about $1 million each in money, software and services as political contributions toward fighting the U.S. government's antitrust case, according to a report.
The Wall Street Journal's online edition reported the news, citing Microsoft representatives.
The software company, which has spent $2.6 million so far in the 1999-2000 election cycle, is also raising support for a group of private and nonprofit associations that also oppose the government's antitrust case. Microsoft is countering extensive lobbying and public relations campaigns by such rivals as IBM, Oracle, America Online and Sun Microsystems, the Journal reported.
- Tuning
Up Digital Copyright Law
Time: 07:53 EST/12:53 GMT News Source: Wired Posted By: Matthew SabeanThe Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 was supposed to clear up copyright issues in the Internet era.
That hasn't exactly happened. Instead, there have been a series of lawsuits between the recording and motion picture industries, private companies and individual users, seeking clarification on how intellectual property is protected as music and video moves to the digital world.
The fact that several issues have been raised –- including DeCSS and reverse engineering, Napster and music piracy, and webcasting rights -- should not be a surprise, experts say. The DMCA was intentionally written to be vague so that the courts and the copyright office could later determine the details.
- Critics
Blast MS Security
Time: 07:48 EST/12:48 GMT News Source: Wired Posted By: Matthew SabeanIf you're a Windows 2000 user, be warned: Your security software may not work the way you think it does.
Microsoft intentionally designed Windows 2000 so that export versions can use a notoriously weak encryption method to scramble information sent over the Internet and intranets, leaving sensitive data exposed to hackers and eavesdroppers.
This design choice has alarmed security experts, not least because so many Microsoft products recently have had so many problems. The company spent the last week acknowledging embarrassing security holes in its Hotmail service, Internet Explorer browser , and Outlook mail client.
- Government
and Business Leaders Discuss Ways to Fight International
Cybercrime
Time: 05:40 EST/10:40 GMT News Source: New York Times Posted By: Matthew SabeanSenior Western government officials and business leaders on Monday worked on developing more powerful tools to fight cybercrime amid a growing number of international Internet attacks.
Experts from the public and private sector attending a conference of the Group of Eight industrialized nations said more cybersleuths were needed as well as ways to reduce bureaucracy that slows down investigations.
"It's a worldwide challenge. No state can solve the problem itself," said Hubert Marty, a French police investigator who specializes in solving Internet crimes.
- Release
schedule postponed for new Mac OS
Time: 05:38 EST/10:38 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Matthew SabeanA final version of Apple Computer's Mac OS X won't come out until early next year, although the effect of an apparent delay to the release schedule will be minimal, according to analysts.
Chief executive Steve Jobs said at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, Calif., today that Apple will release a "public beta" of its next operating system for desktops this summer containing a futuristic interface called "Aqua," with a final version to arrive early in 2001.
This appears to represent a postponement of a final version of the OS by approximately six months, although the schedule will allow users to gain access to upcoming technology. In January, Jobs said Apple would release a commercial version of Mac OS X by the middle of this year.
- Microsoft
Adds New Security Features To Outlook
Time: 05:30 EST/10:30 GMT News Source: TechWeb Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft said Monday it will offer new security features for its Outlook e-mail program in the wake of the destructive "Love" virus.
The Outlook Email Security Update, scheduled to be available for free download the week of May 22, will offer three security features designed to combat viruses.
One prevents users from accessing several file types when sent as e-mail attachments, including executables and batch files that contain executable code used to spread viruses. Another feature prompts customers with a dialog box when an external program tries to access their Outlook address books or send e-mail on their behalf.
- Napster
Updates Its Beta
Time: 05:25 EST/10:25 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Matthew SabeanBeta version 6.0 streams MP3s, supports instant messaging, and handles Windows Media Audio files.
Napster has quietly released an updated Napster 2.0 Beta 6 upgrade of its controversial digital music swapping software. It adds a host of community features and support for copyright-friendly Windows Media Audio files, not just the popular MP3 format.
The newest Napster, posted Sunday, also comes with an instant messaging client. This lets you easily exchange messages with those with whom you're sharing music files. Another feature lets you automatically begin listening to music files as they are downloaded onto your computer.
| News Headlines For Monday 15th May 2000 |
| Review: Belkin USB 4-Port Hub - Microsoft XBox Preview |
- MS Games Screenshots from
E3
Time: 17:36 EST/22:36 GMT News Source: Active Network Posted By: Alex HarrisHere are some new screenshots from upcoming Microsoft Games:
Microsoft Casino - Screenshot 1, Screenshot 2, Screenshot 3, Screenshot 4, Screenshot 5
Combat Flight Simulator - Screenshot 1, Screenshot 2, Screenshot 3, Screenshot 4, Screenshot 5, Screenshot 6, Screenshot 7
Conquest - Screenshot 1, Screenshot 2, Screenshot 3, Screenshot 4, Screenshot 5, Screenshot 6, Screenshot 7, Screenshot 8, Screenshot 9, Screenshot 10
Crimson Skies - Screenshot 1, Screenshot 2, Screenshot 3, Screenshot 4, Screenshot 5, Screenshot 6, Screenshot 7, Screenshot 8, Screenshot 9, Screenshot 10
Dungeon Siege - Screenshot 1, Screenshot 2, Screenshot 3, Screenshot 4, Screenshot 5, Screenshot 6, Screenshot 7, Screenshot 8, Screenshot 9, Screenshot 10
Loose Cannon - Screenshot 1, Screenshot 2, Screenshot 3, Screenshot 4, Screenshot 5, Screenshot 6, Screenshot 7, Screenshot 8, Screenshot 9, Screenshot 10, Screenshot 11, Screenshot 12, Screenshot 13, Screenshot 14
Midtown Madness 2 - Screenshot 1, Screenshot 2, Screenshot 3, Screenshot 4, Screenshot 5, Screenshot 6, Screenshot 7, Screenshot 8, Screenshot 9, Screenshot 10, Screenshot 11 - Windows
Easy Hacker Target
Time: 16:13 EST/21:13 GMT News Source: Computer World Posted By: Alex HarrisThe renowned user-friendliness -- and popularity -- of Windows software will continue to make the platform a prime target for hackers, warned users and analysts in the aftermath of the "I Love You" virus and its variants last week.
In addition, they said, Windows' evolution from a stand-alone desktop environment gives it features that can be exploited relatively easily by hackers in a networked world.
In fact, the speed and ferocity with which the so-called Love Bug propagated itself across millions of Windows computers worldwide -- while leaving users of Unix, Linux and Macintosh operating systems untouched -- underscores that fact.
- CopyFaster
for Windows 2000 1.0 Beta 1 Released
Time: 15:58 EST/20:58 GMT News Source: BetaNews Posted By: Alex HarrisCopyFaster makes Windows 2000 Explorer copy big files faster when copying to and from the same hard drive. CopyFaster does this by causing less hard drive head seeking and by using uncached file access to prevent wasted memory-to-memory copying to and from the cache. Enable CopyFaster and copy files in Windows 2000 Explorer normally by using the Edit menu, or drag and drop, etc. Visit CopyFaster's web site at http://www.lowtek.com/copyfaster/ for more information and help, including sample performance graphs and screenshots.
You can download CopyFaster for Windows 2000 1.0 Beta 1 here.
- Windows
Tweaking Guide
Time: 15:53 EST/20:53 GMT News Source: Absolute PC Posted By: Alex HarrisIf you’re one of those people who can take a shower or brew a cup of coffee while waiting for your computer to boot up, then you’re just like me. Running a 400Mhz Pentium2 with 128MB of RAM doesn’t make my box speed up much. So I got to wonder about possible ways to shorten boot time and generally give Windows a cleaner feel.
After consulting some good friends and various sources, I tested this guide on three of my boxes and a few of my friends to see that it really does do the job. Although never proven in any of the tests run, the law of Unlikely Probability states that the unlikely can and will happen. So be careful modifying files and I will not be held responsible if your computer dies.
- Ballmer,
Klein square off in print
Time: 15:51 EST/20:51 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisThe U.S. Justice Department's proposed breakup of Microsoft would "destroy" the consistency of the way the company's Windows operating system works on personal computers, making computers harder to use, the company's chief executive officer wrote in an essay released yesterday.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, writing in Newsweek, said the government's proposed divisions of the company would allow rival computer manufacturers to change the Windows system, removing or hiding features as they see fit. He argued the changes would reduce the ability to offer compatibility among various programs.
- Conference-goers
revel in "god" video games
Time: 15:49 EST/20:49 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisWhile technology is making computer games look better, this year's crop of games mostly will elaborate on old genres: sports and shoot-em-ups.
But a few games previewed at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles last week stand out. One is PC game Black & White, which lets the player take the role of a god with credibility problems. The god's powers extend over a small village, but the inhabitants do not necessarily give it more than lip service.
"They only believe in you if you impress them," said Richard Evans of Britain's Lionhead Studios, which designed the game.
The chief way to impress them is by picking an animal, such as a tiger, gorilla or cow, and turning it into your emissary.
- AOL
instant messaging efforts may be at cross purposes
Time: 15:47 EST/20:47 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisIn the instant messaging war, America Online may not only be sleeping with the enemy, but paying its salary as well.
Far and away the champion of the instant messaging market with its own AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) software and ICQ system, AOL has spent much of the past year fending off challengers--including Microsoft, Yahoo and others--trying to tap into its instant messaging subscriber rosters, or "buddy lists."
AOL's efforts have so far proved successful, causing no less a rival than Microsoft to wave the white flag in the instant messaging interoperability war.
Instant messaging products compete because people cannot send messages from one service to another. For example, AIM users cannot send instant messages to Microsoft's MSN Messenger users.
- Bug
testers get hands on Windows 2000 service pack
Time: 15:45 EST/20:45 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft has apparently released the first Windows 2000 service pack to testers.
Microsoft posted the collection of bug fixes to its developer Web site, according to the WinInfo and BetaNews sites. The service pack is the first update to Windows 2000, Microsoft's new corporate operating system.
Microsoft officials could not be reached for comment.
- Beta
of MS Office 10 on the way
Time: 15:22 EST/20:22 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron HinsonOn the heels of showing off a preview of Office 2001 for the Macintosh, Microsoft has begun soliciting beta testers for Office 10, the next release of the Windows version of its flagship desktop office suite.
Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) is telling testers the first beta of Office 10 will debut in July. In the interim, the company is fixing and patching Office 2000 and its individual components, such as Outlook 2000.
- Tough
love for Microsoft users
Time: 15:19 EST/20:19 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron HinsonHow many times do users of Windows need to be kicked in the head? It's as if we have a community of people who, upon discovery of "kick me" signs attached to their backs, do nothing -- and then complain when they eventually do get kicked.
The first time was Melissa, and that should have been the wake-up call. Hello, is anyone out there listening? Apparently not.
- Microsoft
and Carta Form Alliance To Deliver E-Government Solutions
Time: 15:10 EST/20:10 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp. and Carta Inc. today announced that they have formed an alliance to provide solutions for the growing national e-government market. The companies will produce an advanced software and services solution for governments, powered by the Microsoft® Windows® DNA 2000 platform and expanding on Carta's nationally recognized family of e-government solutions.
- ActiveXBox:
Microsoft XBox E3 2000 Preview
Time: 13:08 EST/18:08 GMT News Source: Active Network/ActiveXBox Posted By: Robert SteinWell,
we are all back from the E3 Expo. Microsoft has a great line
coming up. We will have screenshots of Microsoft games and
more XBox later on today or tomorrow. Here is a snippet from
my Microsoft XBox preview:So, it seems Microsoft waited until the last minute deciding on bringing XBox to the E3 Expo in Los Angeles this year. The rumors on this machine were great - a majestically fluttering butterfly scene, unbelievable ping-ping balls and mousetraps, and many more. Could Microsoft show the public their new steppingstone in console technology? Well, at the last minute Microsoft “created” the XBox Theater, spun off a few thousand posters and brought the gaming industry what they wanted to see. Here is our view from our private, behind-the-scenes look at the latest creation coming from Redmond.
- Belkin:
USB 4-Port Hub
Time: 05:44 EST/10:44 GMT News Source: Active Network Posted By: Matthew Sabean
I
have posted my review of the Belkin USB 4-Port Hub. Here is
a snippet of the review:As my numerous devices that require a USB connection have grown I have found myself in need of a USB Hub to fit all of these "must needed" accessories. While shopping around my main objective was to find one that was fairly inexpensive but diverse enough to add on in the future. The Belkin USB 4-Port Hub fit this requirement to the letter. This device would give me the added few ports that I needed for now and the ability to add on in the future should the need arise.
- Glitzy
Webby Awards show honors top sites
Time: 04:42 EST/09:42 GMT News Source: IDG.net Posted By: Alex HarrisTop Web sites were honored in San Francisco Thursday night at the Webby Awards ceremony, a lavish event that is fast earning itself a reputation as "the Oscars of the Internet."
Among those recognized by judges from The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences were Evite Inc. for best services site, Napster for best music site, BabyCenter for best commerce site and search engine Google for best technical achievement.
If the show aimed to spotlight achievements in Web design, at least as much energy was spent by the digital elite on looking good for the occasion. Feather boas, ball gowns, retro suits and sunglasses were in abundance, along with astronaut and pixie costumes.
- Valley
votes against MS breakup - but IT doesn't
Time: 04:40 EST/09:40 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Alex HarrisBy a small margin, Silicon Valley resident's don't want Microsoft broken up, according to a telephone poll conducted by the San Jose Mercury last week. But of the people polled who worked in the technology business, 52 per cent do want the company split, and 37 per cent of all respondents, with 29 per cent against, thought it would be good for the economy if the company was broken up.
Mixed messages, or signs of a sophisticated electorate? Although all respondents felt Microsoft shouldn't be broken up, by a margin of 42 to 38 per cent, this is a markedly worse score for the company than in recent national polls. The even more adverse reaction by the IT people suggests that the closer you work to the jam production line, the less likely you are to want to eat it.
- Warning:
New Threat to Web Sites
Time: 04:25 EST/09:25 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Alex HarrisWeb sites, watch out. A new distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) tool found recently in computers at several universities may be able to bypass the defenses implemented by Web sites after last February's fracas.
A rash of DDoS attacks temporarily shut down Amazon.com, EBay, and other prominent sites. But the preventive measures that many sites subsequently implemented may not hold up against a new application, says an executive with business software vendor Computer Associates International.
- Microsoft's
Outlook: Cloudy security
Time: 04:19 EST/09:19 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisIT managers and security experts, increasingly cynical and sharply critical over virus assaults through Microsoft Corp.'s Outlook e-mail client, are questioning not only Microsoft's technology but also its reaction to the latest attacks.
The "ILOVEYOU" worm and its many derivatives, which numbered 29 by the end of this week, sent more than a warning about IT's need to update anti-virus software and educate users about attachments. Now, many administrators are focusing their discontent on Outlook's technical design and its tight integration with Office applications and Windows, which exposes code such as Visual Basic Script to hackers and users alike.
| News Headlines For Sunday 14th May 2000 |
| CPUCool v5.1.8 - XBox News - Microsoft Games Screenshots |
- Disjointed
Thoughts - The Week in Review
Time: 17:11 EST/22:11 GMT News Source: Enfused Posted By: Alex HarrisIn his opening remarks at E3 yesterday, Interactive Digital Software Association president Doug Lowenstein released the results of the IDSA's fifth annual consumer survey, and the news is staggering—at least to those people who still firmly believe that gaming is the sole province of acne-speckled twelve year old boys too socially and physically inept to play sports.
According to the survey, 28 percent of computer users who play computer games are under eighteen years old, 30 percent are between 18 and 35, and a whopping 42 percent are over 35 years old. And of these gamers, fifty-nine percent play with friends, thirty-three percent play with the siblings, 27 percent play with their spouse, 25 percent play with their parents, and 43 percent play with other family members. Interesting, huh?
- PC
Magazine names Windows 2000 Advanced Server an Editors’
Pick as Web platform
Time: 17:05 EST/22:05 GMT News Source: Microsoft Daily News Posted By: Alex HarrisPicking a platform is a critical step in launching a business onto the Web.
And according to PC Magazine, businesses get a strong Web platform with Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Advanced Server. In a review of leading Web platforms in its May 23 issue, PC Magazine named Windows 2000 Advanced Server as one of its Editors' Picks. The magazine praised the platform's integration, manageability, performance and reliability, saying the platform is "suitable for almost any size and type of site."
PC Magazine says businesses will benefit from the tight integration of the Windows 2000 platform.
- Net
processors take fresh twists at N+I
Time: 17:03 EST/22:03 GMT News Source: EE Times Posted By: Alex HarrisThe legacy of the first wave of network processors began to unfold at the Networld+Interop show this week, as chip suppliers made their play to collapse more networking functions into silicon. Potentially, more and more of the jobs of a traditional switch, down to the esoteric processing functions handled by software, could become the domain of merchant silicon and might eventually become commodities.
While the first group of net processor suppliers has been acquired by bigger fish like Motorola and Lucent Technologies, the next wave of silicon was already at hand at N+I here. Coprocessor vendors handling specific tasks such as packet classification made their presence known by announcing alliances with net processor companies, and startups like Tachys and Silicon Access were testing the waters with a switch fabric and an ambitious Layer 7 network processor, respectively.
- Microsoft
upcoming games screenshots
Time: 16:55 EST/21:55 GMT News Source: AGN Posted By: Alex HarrisAGN have posted some new screenshots of some of the new upcoming Microsoft games, Loose Cannon, Freelancer and Crimson Skies. You can view these new screenshots by clicking the links below:
- XBox News - Get
Your 9-Volts Ready
Time: 11:42 EST/16:42 GMT News Source: IGN Posted By: Alex HarrisFirst off, Mattel has announced that it will be creating a racing game for the Xbox using its Tyco license, which we've heard will be on target for the launch of the system. While slithering around the office floor of the Mattel booth today we also managed to squeeze a droplet of extra info regarding the game, while also stealing toys and candy from innocent children and PR spokespeople.
- XBox News - The
X Republic
Time: 11:42 EST/16:42 GMT News Source: IGN Posted By: Alex HarrisRepublic, the high-concept city-ruling simulation from Elixir Studios, is looking at X-Box for a console release. If you haven't check out the game before, then take a look at the preview on IGNPC, but in a nutshell it's a game that has you as one of 16 factions bent on ruling a Russian republic through subterfuge, riot, persuasion and networking.
- XBox News -
Oddworld
Says Bye To Jaggies
Time: 11:42 EST/16:42 GMT News Source: IGN Posted By: Alex HarrisWe had a chance to check out Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee today, the latest in the Oddworld series, and while it looked amazing, it didn't look near as good as the beautiful game movies we've been receiving over the last few months. The Oddworld team is the first to admit that the game has some serious problems with detail and jaggies, but cites problems with development on the PS2 as one of the primary reasons.
The team further went on to mention that game does, however, look just as beautiful as the movies on the PC. The Oddworld team was visibly frustrated with the status of the game, and mentioned that unless the Sony addresses the anti-aliasing issues (which as we all know, are pretty much set in stone) and other processor problems, then they would have to consider "other next-generation consoles," namely the Xbox. The timing would certainly be right. Oddworld isn't on target for a PS2 launch at this point, and if it's pushed back until next spring, a prime status at the Xbox launch may be the perfect release for the company's stress.
- New
Driver files
Time: 11:31 EST/16:31 GMT News Source: Reactor Critical Posted By: Alex HarrisHere is a list of new drivers that are out:
- E3
round up from around the web
Time: 11:00 EST/16:00 GMT News Source: Various Posted By: Alex HarrisHere is an update of E3 coverage from around the web:
Firing Squad - Screenshots - Giants: Citizen Kabuto, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, Fallout Tactics, Sacrifice, Neverwinter Nights
RPGDot - Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn Promotional material from E3
Gamecenter - X-Box: Impressions (Article), Volition Reveals Red Faction (Article), X-Box Demo (Screenshots), Dungeon Siege (Screenshots), Halo (Screenshots), Neverwinter Nights (Screenshots), MechCommander 2 (Screenshots), MechWarrior 4 (Screenshots)
GamePro - Blair Witch Project (E3 Preview), X-Box demo (Article and Screenshots), SimsVille (E3 Preview), Escape from Monkey Island (E3 Preview), Quake III: Team Arena (E3 Preview), Return to Castle Wolfenstein (E3 Preview)
Daily Radar - Command and Conquer: Renegade (E3 Preview), Escape From Monkey Island (E3 Preview), Obi-Wan (E3 Preview), Project Eden (E3 Preview), Shadowbane (E3 Preview), Anachronox (E3 Preview), Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor (E3 Preview), Ultima Worlds Online: Origin (E3 Preview)
GameSpy - Warcraft 3 Screenshots, No One Lives Forever (Article), Throne of Darkness (Screenshots), Tribes 2 (Screenshots), Deus Ex (Preview), Submarine Titans (Preview), Kingdom Under Fire (Preview) - Bruce
Lee on X-Box
Time: 10:30 EST/15:30 GMT News Source: Daily Radar Posted By: Alex HarrisInside sources are hinting that legendary martial arts hero Bruce Lee will be returning to the videogame arena for the first time in over ten years. Where? On Microsoft's much anticipated PS2 killer, the X-Box. Expected to be, unsurprisingly, a fighting game, the title is under top-secret development at Ronin Entertainment, the Northern Californian devloper behind Blademasters for the Dreamcast. The publishers identity remains unconfirmed, but Universal own the Bruce Lee rights, so expect them to be involved somewhere. More as it develops.
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- Nvidia
selected for Linux based X-Box rival
Time: 10:20 EST/15:20 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Alex HarrisWhat's good enough for Microsoft is good enough for Linux, if Indrema's decision to base its own games console on Nvidia's GeForce - just like Microsoft's X-Box - is anything to go by.
Little-known Indrema was formed earlier this year, and is apparently hard at work on its L600 Entertainment System, a slim-line vertical - shades of PlayStation 2 there - Linux-based games console-cum-Net access device-cum-MP3 player. It's based on a 600MHz CPU of unknown provenance and bundles 100Mbps Ethernet for ADSL connections.
- Want
to Watch Windows TV?
Time: 10:18 EST/15:18 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft this week unveiled its vision of how Windows technology will make your television more interactive. But relax--your TV won't crash three times a day.
The Microsoft TV platform is made up of four software packages, two of them designed for use with your TV set.
Consumers can use Microsoft TV Basic Digital, which will work on today's set-top boxes; it runs applications like chat and e-mail. The more powerful Microsoft TV Advanced will give the next generation of boxes more capabilities. The other two packages will only be used by your cable or satellite company. They include the Windows 2000-based back-end Microsoft TV Server, and the Microsoft TV Access Channel Server.
- Win
2000: Lost somewhere in time
Time: 10:16 EST/15:16 GMT News Source: MSNBC Posted By: Alex HarrisWhat does Greenwich mean to you? If you have mixed Windows NT and Windows 2000 servers on your network, it may have just become a whole lot more important to you. BugNet testing verified a bug in Windows 2000 servers that incrementally miscalculates time restrictions based on Greenwich Mean Time.
- CPUCooL
v5.1.8
Time: 10:01 EST/15:01 GMT News Source: File Flash Posted By: Alex HarrisA single release of CPUCooL is available for all versions of Windows. CPUCooL is a program that monitors temperature, fan speed, and voltages for many motherboards. It works with all chipsets from Intel, ALI, VIA, AMD, and SIS 5595 motherboards.
| News Headlines For Saturday 13th May 2000 |
| X-Box Now 733 MHz - Microsoft Security Bulletin (MS00-034) - Monitor tweaking Guide |
- Half-Life
Windows 2000 Fix
Time: 11:56 EST/16:56 GMT News Source: Blues News Posted By: Alex HarrisGamers that have installed the latest Windows 2000 compatibility patch from Microsoft's Windows Update site have been reporting that Half-life refuses to run. Fortunately, NT Compatible has released an INF file which should fix any problems that have popped up, which apparently would appear when the game was run with a 32 bit desktop resolution, or if the mini-GL or Wicked GL driver was installed.
- X-Box
Gets A 133MHz Upgrade
Time: 09:12 EST/14:12 GMT News Source: E3 Posted By: Byron HinsonWe've just received word from Bob at E3 that Microsoft has announced that the X-Box CPU is now going to be a 733mhz chip instead of the previous 600mhz one they announced 2 months ago. Not really a big surprised considering the CPU prices from those range of chips has been dropping.
- Microsoft
to reveal Windows strategy
Time: 06:18 EST/11:18 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft will unveil on June 1 its strategy for integrating the future of its Windows operating systems further into the Internet.
Just as the government is recommending splitting Microsoft into two companies, the software maker is set to unveil its new strategy for Web-based services, which may tie the company's applications and operating systems businesses closer than ever before.
On June 1, at the Forum 2000 event at its Redmond, Wash. headquarters, Microsoft president Steve Ballmer will unveil the Next Generation of Windows Services (NGWS). The presumed companywide initiative is seen as Microsoft's defense against a series of attacks from Web-based rivals, applications, and upcoming operating systems like Linux and the Palm operating systems.
- Monitor
Tweaking Guide
Time: 06:12 EST/11:12 GMT News Source: Tweak Town Posted By: Alex HarrisTweakTown has a just published their Monitor Tweaking Guide, yep that's right even your Monitor can be tweaked, they deal with such stuff as Monitor Cleaning, Monitor & Power, Refresh Rates, Video Card Options, Monitor Cooling and more. Here is a snippet of the Guide:
Let's start with the dirty work first. If you want your monitor to have superior quality you are going to have to clean your monitor at least once a week. You know we all get those pesky peoples who insist on touching and pointing to things on screen *Argh*. There is specific monitor cleaning liquid(s) around, to me its just like a Tennis Racket company recommending you use their tennis balls...
Read more here.
- Microsoft
Security Bulletin (MS00-034) -
Patch Available for "Office
2000 UA Control"
Vulnerability
Time: 06:07 EST/11:07 GMT News Source: Microsoft Security Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft has released a patch that eliminates a security vulnerability in Microsoft(r) Office 2000 and Office 2000 family members. The vulnerability could allow a malicious web site operator to take inappropriate action on the computer of a user who visited his web site. Frequently asked questions regarding this vulnerability and the patch can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/fq00-034.asp
Issue
An ActiveX control that ships as part of Office 2000 is incorrectly marked as "safe for scripting". This control, the Office 2000 UA Control, is used by the "Show Me" function in Office Help, and allows Office functions to be scripted. A malicious web site operator could use the control to carry out Office functions on the machine of a user who visited his site. The control ships only as part of Office 2000 (and Office 2000 family members, as listed below). The patch removes all unsafe functionality, with the result that the "Show Me" function will be disabled in Office 2000.Affected Software Versions
- Office 2000
Note: The products in the Office suite also are available for purchase separately. The control ships as part of the following such products:
- Word 2000
- Excel 2000
- Powerpoint 2000
- Access 2000
- Photodraw 2000
- FrontPage 2000
- Project 2000
- Publisher 2000
- Outlook 2000
- Works 2000 Suite
Patch Availability
- http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/info/ocx.htm
| News Headlines For Friday 12th May 2000 |
| Microsoft Security Bulletin (MS00-030) and (MS00-031) |
- Office
2000 SR1a Released
Time: 14:59 EST/19:59 GMT News Source: E-Mail Posted By: Byron HinsonThe Office 2000 SR-1a update includes the original Office 2000 SR-1 update and the Office 2000/Windows 2000 Registry Repair Utility. The functionality of this utility is the only addition to the SR-1a update. If you have already installed the SR-1 update and have not upgraded from Windows NT 4 to Windows 2000, you do not need this utility. If you have upgraded from Windows NT 4 to Windows 2000 and have already installed the SR-1 update, you should only install the Office 2000/Windows 2000 Repair Utility. All other users should install the SR-1a update. To determine if SR-1a is installed on your computer, please see "How To Tell if the SR-1a Update Has Been Applied."
- ActiveWin:
UEFA Euro 2000 - Review
Time: 14:32 EST/19:32 GMT News Source: ActiveWin Posted By: Byron Hinson
I
have posted my review of EA
Sports newly released football
(Soccer) title, Euro 2000. Here
is a snippet from the review:There is no simpler way of saying this...if you have played Fifa 2000, you have played Euro 2000 as well. There is really nothing new on the gameplay side apart from the inclusion of a new skill drill section which is a little too easy. The idea of the skill drill section is to show that you can perform a certain set of moves for your coach, for example you may be asked to cross in the ball and then do a header for a goal or say do a lob pass and then do a headed pass. It is a well put together part of the game, but as I said earlier it is a little too easy to complete.
- IE
5 team has not been disbanded;
development continues
Time: 08:30 EST/13:30 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonA Microsoft spokesperson confirmed to MacCentral this afternoon that the development team for Internet Explorer 5 has not been disbanded. Rumors circulated earlier today that Microsoft had broken up the team and there was uncertainty about future development of Internet Explorer for the Mac.
According to the spokesperson the team is still together and working on future IE versions. Due to reorganization at Microsoft the IE 5 team now falls under the WebTV group. This change simply means the IE 5 team will now be working more closely with the group in developing products. - Microsoft
Leads the PC Games Market by a
10-1 Margin, According to Media
Metrix
Time: 08:24 EST/13:24 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonMedia Metrix (NASDAQ: MMXI - news), the pioneer and leader in Internet and Digital Media measurement worldwide, reports that nearly 80 percent of all PC game users, or 38 million people, played a PC game from Microsoft in the month of March 2000. The number of people playing a Microsoft PC game was nearly 10 times the nearest competing game publisher, Sierra Online, at 3.9 million users. Rounding out the top five publishers of PC games by unique users were Hasbro Interactive at 3.2 million unique users, Slingo, Inc. at 2.0 million users and Blizzard Entertainment with 1.7 million users, according to the Media Metrix SoftUsage Report for March 2000.
- Windows
2000 Service Pack 1 Beta
Released
Time: 07:09 EST/12:09 GMT News Source: WinInfo Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft has released Windows 2000 Service Pack 1 beta on the MSDN site for Universal and Professional MSDN subscribers only. SP1 is a collection of current updates and enhancements to the Windows 2000 operating system. This Service Pack is not a required upgrade. You can apply this Service Pack easily while Windows 2000 is running. SP1 updates all Windows 2000 files that are older than the files included in this Service Pack.
- Glance
for Outlook 2000 v1.3 Beta
Time: 04:35 EST/09:35 GMT News Source: File Flash Posted By: Alex HarrisFile Flash has an exclusive to the next version of Glance for Outlook 2000, which is great to solve the Outlook 2000 taskbar clutter. Glance is a small, tray-based program designed to streamline and simplify interaction with Outlook 2000.
You can download the file from here.
- Microsoft
picks fight with Slashdot
Time: 04:30 EST/09:30 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Alex HarrisDespite Microsoft’s request to Slashdot owner and ISP Andover.net to remove postings containing technical details of its proprietary extensions to Kerberos, the open source authentication standard – they’re still up there.
A week ago, Microsoft made the details to the PAC extensions (privilege attribute certificate) public but only in a form which required users to consent to an End-User Licensing Agreement (EULA), limiting disclosure. Microsoft is unique in the industry in not releasing the source code to its Kerberos implementations.
At the time of writing, Slashdot had not taken down the offending postings, and had published the Microsoft email notification – "Notice of Copyright Infringement under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act" - which helpfully lists exactly where to find the postings.
- K7-700's
are cheaper than P3-500's
Time: 04:26 EST/09:26 GMT News Source: CPU Review Posted By: Alex HarrisCPU Review have updated their Athlon/P3 Comparison (pricing information from PriceWatch as of May 11, 2000; including tables and charts!). You can read the article here.
- Microsoft
May Get More Time
Time: 04:24 EST/09:24 GMT News Source: Yahoo! Posted By: Alex HarrisIf, as expected, the judge in Microsoft's federal antitrust case wants to consider the Justice Department's proposals to break up the software giant, the company wants at least six months to prepare its defense.
Microsoft probably won't get the full six months, but may have marshaled a sufficient legal argument to gain at least some of that time, say experts who have been following the case.
On Wednesday, Microsoft asked U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson of Washington, D.C., to summarily dismiss the Justice Department's plan to break the company in two. That would be highly unlikely, experts said.
- More
XBox site codes
Time: 03:31 EST/08:31 GMT News Source: E-Mail Posted By: Alex HarrisFirst of all I would like to apologize to James Searles for spelling his name wrong yesterday, but he has kindly sent in two more codes that you can type in when you go to the Dark Room section of the newly revamped XBox website. If you type in 2001 and demo you get the two pictures shown below.
- Intel
switches jump-start copper
networks
Time: 03:31 EST/08:31 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisIntel Corp. last week unveiled three fixed-configuration switches and an uplink module for providing Gigabit Ethernet data transfer over copper, a topology designed to save money through faster connections that use existing cabling.
The NetStructure 470T and NetStruc-ture 470F switches, which are Layer 2 switches that support both standard copper and fiber, are entry-level Gigabit Ethernet switches designed to aggregate workgroup switches and connect high- performance workstations and servers.
- Microsoft
Security Bulletin (MS00-031) -
Patch Available for
"Undelimited .HTR
Request" and "File
Fragment Reading via .HTR"
Vulnerabilities
Time: 03:25 EST/08:25 GMT News Source: Microsoft Security Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft has released a patch that eliminates two security vulnerabilities in Microsoft(r) Internet Information Server. The vulnerabilities could, respectively, be used to slow an affected web server's response or to obtain the source code of certain types of files under very restricted conditions. Frequently asked questions regarding these vulnerabilities and the patch can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/fq00-031.asp
Issue
This patch eliminates two security vulnerabilities that are unrelated except by virtue of the fact that both exist in the ISAPI extension that provides web-based password administration via .HTR scripts.
- The "Undelimited .HTR Request" vulnerability is a denial of service vulnerability. If a malicious user provided a password change request that was missing an expected delimiter, the algorithm would conduct an unbounded search. This would prevent it from servicing additional .HTR requests, and could also slow the overall response of the server.
- The ".HTR File Fragment Reading" vulnerability could allow fragments of certain types of files to be read by providing a malformed request that would cause the .HTR processing to be applied to them. However, the vulnerability could only be exploited under extremely restrictive conditions, and the most valuable data in the files would be the least likely to actually appear in the fragments sent to the user. Neither of these vulnerabilities would allow data to be added, deleted or changed on the server, nor would they allow any administrative control on the server to be usurped. Although .HTR files are used to allow web-based password administration, neither of these vulnerabilities involve any weakness in password handling. Also, if security best practices have been followed, and unneeded script mappings have been removed, many customers will have removed the .HTR script mapping and thus be unaffected by either vulnerability.Affected Software Versions
- Internet Information Server 4.0 - Internet Information Server 5.0 PatchAvailability
- Internet Information Server 4.0: http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/Release.asp?ReleaseID=20905
- Internet Information Server 5.0: http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/Release.asp?ReleaseID=20903 - Microsoft
Security Bulletin (MS00-030) -
Patch Available for
"Malformed Extension Data
in URL" Vulnerability
Time: 03:20 EST/08:20 GMT News Source: Microsoft Security Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft has released a patch that eliminates a security vulnerability in Microsoft(r) Internet Information Server. The vulnerability could be used to slow the performance of an affected server, or temporarily stop it altogether. Frequently asked questions regarding this vulnerability and the patch can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/fq00-030.asp
Issue
In compliance with RFC 2396, the algorithm in IIS that processes URLs has flexibility built in to allow it to process any arbitrary sequence of file extensions or subresource identifiers (referred to in the RFC as path_segments). By providing an URL that contains specially-malformed file extension information, a malicious user could misuse this flexibility in order to arbitrarily increase the work factor associated with parsing the URL. This could consume much or all of the CPU availability on the server and prevent useful work from being done. The vulnerability does not provide any capability to cause the server to fail, or to add, change or delete data on it. Likewise, it provides no capability to usurp administrative control of the web server. The slowdown would only last until the URL had been processed, at which point service would return to normal.Affected Software Versions
- Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0
- Microsoft Internet Information Server 5.0 PatchAvailability
- Internet Information Server 4.0: http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/Release.asp?ReleaseID=20906
- Internet Information Server 5.0: http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/Release.asp?ReleaseID=20904 - Gates
sends a message
Time: 03:20 EST/08:20 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisIntegration, integration, integration. Bill Gates had nothing to say about the company's antitrust troubles during an hour-long Networld+Interop keynote Tuesday morning. Microsoft's chairman instead highlighted the advantages of technical integration at the heart of the company's flagship Windows 2000 product family.
- MS
shows off 64-bit Win2000 at N+I
Time: 03:18 EST/08:18 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisIn a corner of their booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Microsoft officials were offering a sneak peek at the future. During his keynote speech earlier in the day, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates remained mum on any products under development. But that didn't prevent his company from demonstrating an early version of its 64-bit version of Windows 2000 to a handful of interested attendees at the NetWorld+Interop show.
- MS
remedy proposal is DOA
Time: 03:15 EST/08:15 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft's remedy proposal is brief, but it speaks volumes about the software giant's legal mindset. The seven-page document is an exercise in omission, a flagrant flip of the bird to Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson, and a non-starter for any further remedy discussions.
- Microsoft
in the hot seat in new Net flap
Time: 03:12 EST/08:12 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft Corp. again finds itself at odds with the open-source community in a dispute over contending claims regarding an Internet security protocol. Earlier this spring the company took heat for attaching proprietary extensions to the Kerberos security standard, which was developed within the open-source community.
| News Headlines For Thursday 11th May 2000 |
| Intel to replace faulty Motherboards - Flink Ink - BulletProof FTP 1.20 |
- Microsoft,
Others Eye Cable Opportunities
Time: 17:55 EST/22:55 GMT News Source: TechWeb Posted By: Matthew SabeanInsisting that Microsoft's problems with the Department of Justice will pose no long-term difficulties, Microsoft president and CEO Steve Ballmer on Wednesday detailed the company's plans for expanded partnerships in the broadband cable industry.
Speaking at the National Cable Television Association's annualconvention in New Orleans, Ballmer rejected the notion that the DOJ will succeed in dismantling Microsoft (stock: MSFT
- IE
hole exposes Web surfers'
private data
Time: 17:54 EST/22:54 GMT News Source: News.com Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft is working on a patch that will prevent its Internet Explorer browser from inadvertently letting Web sites peer into any visitor's cookie files.
Security enthusiasts Bennett Haselton and Jamie McCarthy demonstrated how a simple substitution in Web addresses (URLs) can foil IE's security checks, exposing the cookie files that Web sites place on visitors' computers. Cookies authenticate people's identities when they return to Web sites and store data about visitors' activities and purchases.
Microsoft noted that the hole doesn't let an attacker "inventory" the visitor's cookies, but only targets specific ones from certain sites. The company also said that a victim would have to visit a malicious Web site.
- Microsoft
proposal seen as too little, too
late
Time: 17:51 EST/22:51 GMT News Source: News.com Posted By: Matthew SabeanIf Microsoft shows little contrition for abusing its monopoly, how can its own recommendations for modifying its behavior be taken seriously?
That's the question legal and antitrust experts are asking today after sifting through the details of the proposal filed yesterday by the software giant.
The answer, at least so far, is that Microsoft's response to the government's breakup proposal is tardy, grossly inadequate and unlikely to resonate with the judge overseeing the case.
- Microsoft
wants to censor some open-source
postings
Time: 17:49 EST/22:49 GMT News Source: News.com Posted By: Matthew SabeanMicrosoft is seeking to force open-source news site Slashdot.org to remove reader comments that it says violate its copyright.
The software giant sent Slashdot's parent company , Andover.Net, a "notice of copyright infringement" invoking the protections of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Under the federal law, Internet service providers are required to take down material posted by others if notified by a copyright holder that the material is an infringement.
Microsoft says Slashdot readers improperly posted specifications for the Windows 2000 operating system and its use of Kerberos Web security technology. The software giant recently made that information available for download on its Web site, but it requires people to agree that such material is "confidential" and a "trade secret."
- Broken
logic from Microsoft
Time: 15:30 EDT/20:30 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron HinsonSo Microsoft could be cracked in half? I immediately had two thoughts on this news: 1) There's no possible way consumers would benefit from this. 2) Who cares? By this time next year, the government's case against Microsoft will have been the biggest non-story of 2000.
- Microsoft's
Kerberos Shuck and Jive
Time: 09:24 EDT/14:24 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonSlammed in a court brief for the proprietary way it implements the Kerberos Web security standard in Windows 2000, Microsoft has moved to reassure customers and disarm critics by publishing the formerly secret details of its version of Kerberos - just one day before the brief was filed.
Better late than never? Perhaps, but Microsoft has attached licensing restrictions to the site where the details are published, essentially locking down the information as a confidential "trade secret." In other words, the information can be reviewed, but no competitor can exploit the published details in order to write code that could make use of it.
- Flink
Ink: Lessons
Learned from the ILOVEYOU
Virus/Worm
Time: 09:17 EDT/14:17 GMT News Source: ActiveWin Posted By: Byron HinsonFirst lesson: make sure your software is up to date! In several articles over the past few months, I've repeated pointed out that technology is evolving so rapidly that software is no longer really a product. It is a service that you subscribe to when you buy and install software on your computer. Remember: you only bought the right to use that software. It still belongs to whoever licensed it to you. Read the End-User-License-Agreement. You are entitled to free updates and bug fixes! In the case of Microsoft, this update process is highly automated via Windows Update and Office Update. All software and many hardware vendors have similar tools to ensure that you have the latest possible fixes in your software. Besides throwing away part of your investment when you fail to keep software up-to-date, you forfeit much of your right to complain when things go wrong!
- Windows
Media Now Playing on WebTV
Network Services
Time: 09:15 EDT/14:15 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron HinsonMicrosoft Corp. today announced that WebTV Networks, Inc. will provide native support for Microsoft® Windows Media™ with the new Windows Media Player for WebTV®, giving subscribers to WebTV Network™ services access for the first time to the rapidly expanding selection of streamed audio and video on the Internet. WebTV Networks is offering this enhanced service for free to the more than 1 million subscribers to WebTV services.
- Microsoft
at E3 Shots & Trailers
Time: 08:06 EDT/13:06 GMT News Source: Blues News Posted By: Alex HarrisThe Microsoft Freelancer at E3 2000 page has a set of four new screenshots from Freelancer, as well as the E3 trailer in streaming format that shows of some gameplay and rendered sequences from the upcoming space combat game (thanks Lancer News), as well as a page with shots and a streaming trailer from the game's something-quel, StarLancer. There are also pages up with similar treatments (screenshots and trailers) for Allegiance, Crimson Skies, Loose Cannon, MechWarrior 4, and Metal Gear Solid.
- Hercules
5.16 Win9x drivers
Time: 08:03 EDT/13:03 GMT News Source: 3D Chipset Posted By: Alex Harris3D Chipset have posted that there are new Hercules 5.16 Win9x Drivers. You can get the 2.52 MB download here.
- Dungeon
Siege - First look
Time: 08:01 EDT/13:01 GMT News Source: Gamers Central Posted By: Alex HarrisSmall development studios often bring the most innovative and exciting titles. Black & White, Hitman: Codename 47, Republic: The Revolution and Call of Cthulhu to name a few, will hopefully have a huge impact on how large publishers, often only interested in milking existing franchises, perceive their function in the world of gaming. Small means less bureaucracy and more creativity and that my friends, is what's really needed to make a fun game.
One of those studios where creativity reigns supreme is Gas Powered Games. Their upcoming game, Dungeon Siege, looks like it will turn the world of role playing upside down and sideways too. This completely 3D game promises gamers a mix between action, role playing and real time strategy, something that's been done before but not quite in the way it will be done in Dungeon Siege. Read on and I'll tell you all about it.
Read more here.
- Microsoft
Promotes Fries to Vice President
of Games Publishing
Time: 07:47 EDT/12:47 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft Corp. today announced that Ed Fries, a die-hard gamer whose game-programming experience dates back to the days of "Space War" and "Frogger," has been named vice president of Games Publishing within its new Games Division.
Since joining Microsoft's Games Group in 1996, Fries has helped turn Microsoft into the second-fastest-growing PC game publisher among the field's top 10 companies. Along with his more than two decades in programming and designing games, Fries brings 10 years of developer experience in Microsoft's Office Group to his new position, created in March when Microsoft elevated games to its own division.
- Gas
Prices Not Driving Families From
Taking Road Trips
Time: 07:45 EDT/12:45 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Alex HarrisEven as gas prices recently hit an all-time high, American families remain determined to embark on their annual summer roadway adventures. According to a recent survey* commissioned by Microsoft® Streets & Trips 2001, half (49.7 percent) of America's households will be hitting the road this summer.
The majority (73 percent) of those taking trips this summer said the difference in gas prices had no impact on their decision to travel by car, while the remainder (27 percent) said the price of gas was taken into consideration or influenced their choice of destination. Of those staying at home, only a few (12.6 percent) blamed their decision on prices at the pump.
- Slate.com
Joins With Largest Cartoon Site
on the Web
Time: 07:43 EDT/12:43 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Alex HarrisSlate.com (http://www.slate.msn.com/) today announced a deal with Daryl Cagle's Professional Cartoonists Index Web site (http://www.cagle.com/) to relaunch the site under the Slate® brand.
Daryl Cagle's Professional Cartoonists Index is the largest cartoon site on the Web. Updated daily, it features the work of more than 100 of the world's top cartoonists, including 14 Pulitzer Prize winners and many cartoonists whose work is available nowhere else on the Web. The site includes extensive archives of thousands of editorial cartoons about popular topics in the news, such as Elian Gonzalez and Hillary Clinton's senate campaign.
- Microsoft
Windows Services for UNIX 2.0
now available; eases
cross-platform integration
Time: 07:39 EDT/12:39 GMT News Source: Microsoft Daily News Posted By: Alex Harris
Microsoft
is helping make cross-platform
integration easier. At
NetWorld+Interop 2000 this week
in Las Vegas, Microsoft
announced the availability of
Microsoft® Windows® Services
for UNIX 2.0. The new product
provides comprehensive tools
designed to make it easy for
customers to integrate
Windows NT® 4.0 and
Windows 2000 with existing
UNIX environments. These tools
include cross-platform file
system support, central
administration, familiar shell
and scripting language and
command-line utilities. - buy.com
sold on Windows 2000; platform
offers reliability, scalability
Time: 07:37 EDT/12:37 GMT News Source: Microsoft Daily News Posted By: Alex HarrisRunning an e-commerce site is like running a store that never closes. That's why reliability is critical to buy.com, a site that links online buyers to suppliers of a wide range of products and services. The company adopted Microsoft® Windows® 2000 because the platform offers buy.com the reliability, scalability and flexibility it requires to provide premium, around-the-clock service to its customers.
"The customer's view of our being open for business all the time, being reliable, being somebody they can count on to make their purchases, is paramount to our business model," said Greg Hawkins, CEO of buy.com.
- Microsoft's
Counter: Small Changes for Bad
Behavior
Time: 07:35 EDT/12:35 GMT News Source: PC World Posted By: Alex HarrisWhat a shock!--Microsoft has a different idea of justice than the United States government has. Answering the Justice Department's recommendation that Microsoft be split in two, the software giant has proposed significantly different remedies for its violation of antitrust laws.
Microsoft's legal filings include several proposals, with alternatives that vary with the court's response. To start, the company filed a motion for a summary judgment, asking the judge to dismiss the government's proposal out of hand as "an unprecedented remedy for the Sherman Act," according to Bill Neukom, Microsoft's vice president for law and corporate affairs.
- BulletProof
FTP 1.20
Time: 07:29 EDT/12:29 GMT News Source: BetaNews Posted By: Alex HarrisBulletProof FTP is one of the top FTP clients on the market today. It can download files in any order from any directory on an FTP site, automatically reconnect and resume from where it left off if the connection is lost or no data is received for a specified period of time, browse the FTP site from the cache while offline or transferring, and even list hidden files. Leech mode allows you to quickly download files from servers that have a specified time limit for downloading. Bullet Proof FTP can disconnect, reconnect and keep downloading automatically when your download credit runs out. If you set BulletProof to monitor the clipboard, it can instantly connect in the background to a URL you copy and start transferring files. Why bother launching multiple clients? With BulletProof you can queue files on more than one site for download. It also offers proxy/firewall support, HTTP downloading with support for redirected URLs, local file listing with rename/delete/make directory support, imported site listings from Cute FTP, WS_FTP, and FTP Explorer, vRemote mirroring, and a Windows95-style file finding ability.
The changes in the new version are as follows:
- General speed improvements
- BPFTP can automatically queue MP3s in winamp
- Minor problems fixed
- Added intelligent clipboard monitoring
- Other minor thingsYou can download the new version here.
- ICQ
2000a Beta v.4.30 Build #3141
Time: 07:27 EDT/12:27 GMT News Source: BetaNews Posted By: Alex HarrisICQ ("I Seek You") is a program that lets you find your friends and associates online in real time. You can create a Contact List containing only people you want to have there, you can send them messages, chat with them, send files, configure ICQ to work with external applications and more.
You can download the new version here.
- Logitech
Wingman software for Windows
2000 Released
Time: 06:57 EDT/11:57 GMT News Source: NT Compatible Posted By: Alex HarrisNT Compatible has sent word that Logitech has posted a Windows 2000 version of the Logitech wingman software.
At last we have our first beta release of Win2000 drivers. This package is a Windows 2000 English only release that includes :
-updated USB drivers
-custom control panel.
The updated force feedback drivers in this package enable force feedback in a number of games including Sports Car GT, GPL and F1 2000. This package does not contain updated gameport drivers, or Profiler support. This first beta release of drivers is "unsigned" (i.e. does not have the Microsoft digital signature). As a result during the installation you will receive a number of warnings about "unsigned files". This is very much an early beta, and "use at your own risk". We will have an offical "signed" release of drivers later in the month. If you have any concerns about using unsigned drivers, or using early beta software, then please wait for the "official" release later in the month.You can download the new Wingman software here.
- Alpha
FC-PAL35t Socket 370 Cooler Kit
Review
Time: 06:52 EDT/11:52 GMT News Source: Tweak Town Posted By: Alex HarrisTweak Town have sent news that they have posted their review of the Alpha FC-PAL35t Socket 370 Cooler Kit. Here is a snippet of the review:
The Alpha FC-PAL35t heatsink includes a copper inlay (instead of aluminum) which does a better and faster job of dissipating the heat from the CPU core than normal aluminum base. When buying the FC-PAL35t Cooler Kit from CoolerGuys you can choose from either a powerful (louder) YS Tech 60mm fan (26CFM) or a quieter Sunon 60mm hi-speed fan (23CFM), both are more than capable of shifting the hot air from the heatsink...
You can read more of the review here.
- Microsoft
Response Won't Affect Share
Price- Analyst
Time: 06:50 EDT/11:50 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft Corp.'s (MSFT.O) formal response Wednesday evening to the government's recommendation to cleave the company in two probably won't have much effect on its trading price when U.S. markets on Thursday, an analyst said on Wednesday.
``It may have a mildly positive effect, if any,'' said J.P. Morgan analyst William Epifanio II. ``The response is rather predictable.'' Shares of Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft were trading at 65-1/2 on Instinet after the closing bell on Wednesday evening, down from 66-3/16 on the Nasdaq.
- MS
partners: No comment on remedies
response
Time: 06:48 EDT/11:48 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisExhibitors in Microsoft's Partner Pavilion at Networld+Interop in Las Vegas had mixed reactions when notified of Microsoft's remedy proposals in the DOJ antitrust case. But the predominant take was a total refusal to comment.
Nortel, RSA and Executive Software officials in the pavilion at Networld+Interop both declined to comment. Another software vendor requested anonymity, citing his company's close relationship with Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), and, hence, its presence in Microsoft's booth at the conference.
- Microsoft:
We will bend, but not break
Time: 06:46 EDT/11:46 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisMicrosoft would immediately accept restrictions on its business practices if a federal judge dismisses a government proposal to break the software giant in two.
In a proposal filed today, which consists of six separate documents, Microsoft asked U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson to dismiss a government plan to split the software giant. In return, the company would agree to take several actions, such as hiding its Web browser within Windows and allowing PC manufacturers to alter the first screen a person sees when turning on a computer.
- Microsoft
to judge: Yes ... but!
Time: 06:44 EDT/11:44 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex HarrisIt was the last word in cognitive dissonance. Throughout the course of its long antitrust trial, lawyers for Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) fought tenaciously to resist suggestions that the software maker's actions were in any way anti-competitive. But in offering a remedy proposal of its own to federal court on Wednesday, Microsoft seemed to acknowledge at least some of the allegations from the laundry list of charges brought against it by the U.S. government and 19 states.
- Intel
to replace faulty PC
motherboards
Time: 06:42 EDT/11:42 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex HarrisIntel said today it has discovered a problem with components inside some Pentium III computers that could cost the company several hundred million dollars to fix.
The company said it found problems with Pentium III computers containing a chip called the "memory translator hub" (MTH). The MTH is malfunctioning because of system noise, or internal computer signals. The flaw with the MTH can cause computers to freeze up or reboot. Customers can download a utility from an Intel Web site to test if their computer contains an MTH. News of the problem drove Intel stock down more than 9 percent, or $10.69, to $106.25.
Read
moreYou can read more of the past months news in our News Archive for April and Previous May News.
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