P2P-Zone - View Single Post - The Newspaper Shop -- Friday edition

walktalker · 11-01-02, 05:26 PM

Judge throws out MS school deal
A federal judge in Baltimore on Friday rejected a controversial settlement that would have ended more than 100 private class-action lawsuits against Microsoft. In his 21-page ruling, U.S. District Judge J. Fredrick Motz agreed with opponents that the proposed deal in the antitrust cases would be itself be anti-competitive. He also said that the private cases had not been developed far enough to determine the extent of damages that could have been obtained through litigation.
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/ne...kpt=zdnnp1tp01

Microsoft: There's a hole in W32.Donut
Microsoft has defended the reputation of its new Web services software, claiming that a virus targeting files used in its .Net Framework is actually based on an old Windows virus. Antivirus vendors on Wednesday reported a new "proof of concept" virus, dubbed W32.Donut, that infects executable files created for Microsoft's Web services, which are expected to be released to the public in the coming months. But Microsoft says W32.Donut has little to do with .Net.
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/ne...kpt=zdnnp1tp02

Simputer: Ultra-cheap Linux laptop
Handheld computers are commonly seen as geek toys for affluent mobile professionals. An Indian group hopes to change that image with the Simputer, a device designed to bring portable computing and the information age to developing countries. The Simputer Trust, a group of individuals from the Indian Institute of Science, and Encore Software are behind the device. Vinay L. Deshpande, CEO of Encore, said the machine is expected to arrive in the second quarter.
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/ne...kpt=zdnnp1tp02

Dueling DVD formats face off
The two groups striving to make their respective formats the standard for rewritable DVDs used this week's Consumer Electronics Show as an opportunity to demonstrate their progress. At separate, simultaneous events at CES here, the Recordable DVD Council and the DVD+RW Alliance brought together partners to discuss their efforts so far. As the DVD rewritable market heats up, a lot is riding on which format, if any, becomes dominant.
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/ne...kpt=zdnnp1tp02

Microsoft's security push lacks oomph
Microsoft's security initiatives and the release of the company's "most secure operating system yet" haven't quashed myriad holes that security experts say put customers in harm's way. Although the software titan has been touting the need for security through its Secure Windows Initiative, the recent revelation of a severe flaw in the company's flagship Windows XP operating system -- combined with the discoveries of several recent Internet Explorer browser holes -- has left security experts questioning whether Microsoft can fully lock down its products.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200...html?tag=tp_pr

Pop star threatens to sue porn sites
Teen singer Christina Aguilera may know what a girl wants, but she also knows what she doesn't want: her image being used to promote porn. The midriff-baring singing sensation is warning porn sites that she'll sue them if they continue to use her likeness in compromising positions. A notice on the official Christina Aguilera Web site says the singer's lawyers have contacted Web site hosts that show video and pictures they claim are Christina. The pornographers are advertising video clips of "a woman with blonde hair shown only from the back -- the person in the video is not Christina," the lawyers said.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200...html?tag=mn_hd

Web hoster takes security to extremes
Web-hosting company Advanced Internet Technologies is big on security. Not necessarily the firewall, virtual private network, virus detection type of thing. More like the barbwire, munitions closet and paratrooper type of security. The Fayetteville, N.C.-based company has razor-wire fences, windows painted black in some areas, and even a munitions closet with 12-gauge shotguns and 9-millimeter Beretta pistols. Its data centers are protected by 8-inch reinforced concrete and 24-hour guards. And those precautions were taken before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200...html?tag=mn_hd

Gadget makers target women
Gadgets are traditionally seen as boys' toys but electronics companies are increasingly becoming aware of the need to appeal to women. "Retailers ignore women at their own peril," Kim France, editor-in-chief of shopping magazine Lucky, told a seminar on selling to women at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci...00/1754818.stm

IBM unveils "buy now, pay later" financing
Computer giant IBM on Friday said it is offering for the first time "buy now, pay later" financing on some of its computer services. Low-rate financing may have been popularized by automakers and appliance dealers, but in the past year computer makers have been using financing options such as "no money down" and "zero-interest" payments amid the economic downturn. IBM competitors such as Dell Computer and Compaq Computer also have offered special financing plans during the past few months.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200...html?tag=cd_mh

FTC to settle Eli Lilly privacy probe
Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly is close to a settlement with the U.S. government for releasing an e-mail list last summer of patients who used its anti-depressant drug Prozac, according to sources familiar with the matter. The Federal Trade Commission is investigating whether Lilly engaged in unfair or deceptive trade practices when it mistakenly revealed the e-mail addresses of more than 700 Prozac users, the sources said. The FTC could announce a settlement as soon as next week, sources said.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200...html?tag=cd_mh

Viisage buys face-recognition rival
Face-recognition technology company, Viisage Technology on Friday said it acquired rival LAU Security Systems, extending its reach into the federal government sector. Under the deal, Viisage -- one of the hot prospects in the market for security-identification systems -- said it will pay LAU a royalty of 3.1 percent of its face-recognition revenue over the next 12.5 years, up to a maximum of $27.5 million, and assume certain liabilities related to the acquired business. LAU Security was formed in 1997 to develop face-recognition products for the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal government customers.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200...html?tag=cd_mh

InterTrust to protect tunes on Sanyo device
InterTrust Technologies and Sanyo Electric are working together to offer the latest in a patchwork of technologies that aim to move copy-protected songs from the PC to portable devices. Santa Clara, Calif.-based InterTrust, which makes software that protects songs and videos from being illegally copied, said Wednesday that it is licensing its digital rights management (DRM) technology for Sanyo's new Digital Memory portable music player.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200...html?tag=ch_mh

UK fails to make the most of open source
UK firms are failing to exploit open source software as much as they might because of uncertainty about its business benefits. That's the key finding of a report prepared for the UK Department of Trade and Industry by the National Computing Centre (NCC), which offers a series of recommendations to encourage use of the technology. According to the NCC, quality standards for open source are uneven - open source operating systems compare favourably with proprietary infrastructure products, but this is not the case for office desktop and business systems applications. It calls for a wider, more co-ordinated development effort.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/23653.html

Gigger worm can format Windows PCs
Gigger, a new JavaScript-based virus, has escaped into the wild. It attempts to delete files from a computer and format user's disk drive on restart and antivirus vendors are characterising it as high-risk. Gigger, which uses a combination of Microsoft Outlook and mIRC to spread, is not spreading widely, but its destructive potential has prompted Symantec to issue a strongly worded warning about the worm.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/56/23652.html

MTV flogs own-brand PCs to students
MTV, the formerly hip cable music channel, is to flog PC and PC-type hardware under its own brand name. The range is targeted at "the Internet and entertainment savvy MTV demographic" - in other words American college students who live term time in dormitories. Supplying the hardware is US system builder Lan Plus, which sells PCs also under the Northgate brand. AMD gets a look-in, a design win if you will, as the MTV boxes are powered by Athlon XPs.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/23634.html

More news later on

11-01-02, 05:26 PM	#1
walktalker The local newspaper man Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Montreal Posts: 2,036	The Newspaper Shop -- Friday edition Judge throws out MS school deal A federal judge in Baltimore on Friday rejected a controversial settlement that would have ended more than 100 private class-action lawsuits against Microsoft. In his 21-page ruling, U.S. District Judge J. Fredrick Motz agreed with opponents that the proposed deal in the antitrust cases would be itself be anti-competitive. He also said that the private cases had not been developed far enough to determine the extent of damages that could have been obtained through litigation. http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/ne...kpt=zdnnp1tp01 Microsoft: There's a hole in W32.Donut Microsoft has defended the reputation of its new Web services software, claiming that a virus targeting files used in its .Net Framework is actually based on an old Windows virus. Antivirus vendors on Wednesday reported a new "proof of concept" virus, dubbed W32.Donut, that infects executable files created for Microsoft's Web services, which are expected to be released to the public in the coming months. But Microsoft says W32.Donut has little to do with .Net. http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/ne...kpt=zdnnp1tp02 Simputer: Ultra-cheap Linux laptop Handheld computers are commonly seen as geek toys for affluent mobile professionals. An Indian group hopes to change that image with the Simputer, a device designed to bring portable computing and the information age to developing countries. The Simputer Trust, a group of individuals from the Indian Institute of Science, and Encore Software are behind the device. Vinay L. Deshpande, CEO of Encore, said the machine is expected to arrive in the second quarter. http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/ne...kpt=zdnnp1tp02 Dueling DVD formats face off The two groups striving to make their respective formats the standard for rewritable DVDs used this week's Consumer Electronics Show as an opportunity to demonstrate their progress. At separate, simultaneous events at CES here, the Recordable DVD Council and the DVD+RW Alliance brought together partners to discuss their efforts so far. As the DVD rewritable market heats up, a lot is riding on which format, if any, becomes dominant. http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/ne...kpt=zdnnp1tp02 Microsoft's security push lacks oomph Microsoft's security initiatives and the release of the company's "most secure operating system yet" haven't quashed myriad holes that security experts say put customers in harm's way. Although the software titan has been touting the need for security through its Secure Windows Initiative, the recent revelation of a severe flaw in the company's flagship Windows XP operating system -- combined with the discoveries of several recent Internet Explorer browser holes -- has left security experts questioning whether Microsoft can fully lock down its products. http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200...html?tag=tp_pr Pop star threatens to sue porn sites Teen singer Christina Aguilera may know what a girl wants, but she also knows what she doesn't want: her image being used to promote porn. The midriff-baring singing sensation is warning porn sites that she'll sue them if they continue to use her likeness in compromising positions. A notice on the official Christina Aguilera Web site says the singer's lawyers have contacted Web site hosts that show video and pictures they claim are Christina. The pornographers are advertising video clips of "a woman with blonde hair shown only from the back -- the person in the video is not Christina," the lawyers said. http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200...html?tag=mn_hd Web hoster takes security to extremes Web-hosting company Advanced Internet Technologies is big on security. Not necessarily the firewall, virtual private network, virus detection type of thing. More like the barbwire, munitions closet and paratrooper type of security. The Fayetteville, N.C.-based company has razor-wire fences, windows painted black in some areas, and even a munitions closet with 12-gauge shotguns and 9-millimeter Beretta pistols. Its data centers are protected by 8-inch reinforced concrete and 24-hour guards. And those precautions were taken before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200...html?tag=mn_hd Gadget makers target women Gadgets are traditionally seen as boys' toys but electronics companies are increasingly becoming aware of the need to appeal to women. "Retailers ignore women at their own peril," Kim France, editor-in-chief of shopping magazine Lucky, told a seminar on selling to women at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci...00/1754818.stm IBM unveils "buy now, pay later" financing Computer giant IBM on Friday said it is offering for the first time "buy now, pay later" financing on some of its computer services. Low-rate financing may have been popularized by automakers and appliance dealers, but in the past year computer makers have been using financing options such as "no money down" and "zero-interest" payments amid the economic downturn. IBM competitors such as Dell Computer and Compaq Computer also have offered special financing plans during the past few months. http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200...html?tag=cd_mh FTC to settle Eli Lilly privacy probe Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly is close to a settlement with the U.S. government for releasing an e-mail list last summer of patients who used its anti-depressant drug Prozac, according to sources familiar with the matter. The Federal Trade Commission is investigating whether Lilly engaged in unfair or deceptive trade practices when it mistakenly revealed the e-mail addresses of more than 700 Prozac users, the sources said. The FTC could announce a settlement as soon as next week, sources said. http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200...html?tag=cd_mh Viisage buys face-recognition rival Face-recognition technology company, Viisage Technology on Friday said it acquired rival LAU Security Systems, extending its reach into the federal government sector. Under the deal, Viisage -- one of the hot prospects in the market for security-identification systems -- said it will pay LAU a royalty of 3.1 percent of its face-recognition revenue over the next 12.5 years, up to a maximum of $27.5 million, and assume certain liabilities related to the acquired business. LAU Security was formed in 1997 to develop face-recognition products for the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal government customers. http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200...html?tag=cd_mh InterTrust to protect tunes on Sanyo device InterTrust Technologies and Sanyo Electric are working together to offer the latest in a patchwork of technologies that aim to move copy-protected songs from the PC to portable devices. Santa Clara, Calif.-based InterTrust, which makes software that protects songs and videos from being illegally copied, said Wednesday that it is licensing its digital rights management (DRM) technology for Sanyo's new Digital Memory portable music player. http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200...html?tag=ch_mh UK fails to make the most of open source UK firms are failing to exploit open source software as much as they might because of uncertainty about its business benefits. That's the key finding of a report prepared for the UK Department of Trade and Industry by the National Computing Centre (NCC), which offers a series of recommendations to encourage use of the technology. According to the NCC, quality standards for open source are uneven - open source operating systems compare favourably with proprietary infrastructure products, but this is not the case for office desktop and business systems applications. It calls for a wider, more co-ordinated development effort. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/23653.html Gigger worm can format Windows PCs Gigger, a new JavaScript-based virus, has escaped into the wild. It attempts to delete files from a computer and format user's disk drive on restart and antivirus vendors are characterising it as high-risk. Gigger, which uses a combination of Microsoft Outlook and mIRC to spread, is not spreading widely, but its destructive potential has prompted Symantec to issue a strongly worded warning about the worm. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/56/23652.html MTV flogs own-brand PCs to students MTV, the formerly hip cable music channel, is to flog PC and PC-type hardware under its own brand name. The range is targeted at "the Internet and entertainment savvy MTV demographic" - in other words American college students who live term time in dormitories. Supplying the hardware is US system builder Lan Plus, which sells PCs also under the Northgate brand. AMD gets a look-in, a design win if you will, as the MTV boxes are powered by Athlon XPs. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/23634.html More news later on __________________ This post was sponsored by Netcoco, who wants cookies, cookies, cookies and, you guessed it, more cookies