Linux News: Computing

Microsoft Goof - One Small Snag in a Code-Licensing Quagmire
November 17, 2009

Microsoft will soon release the source code and binaries for a Windows 7 tool that was recently found to contain code licensed under the GNU General Public License. The tool in question is the company's free Windows 7 USB / DVD Download Tool, which enables consumers to create bootable USB drives or DVD backup media from the electronic software edition of Windows 7 that comes in an ISO format.

Microsoft Addresses Prickly Pair of Windows 7 Flaws
November 16, 2009

Windows 7, which was publicly released Oct. 22, has been hit by at least two security flaws. One of these lets hackers execute code remotely; the other lets them trigger an infinite loop remotely, causing a kernel crash. Both are flaws in SMBv2, security researcher Laurent Gaffie, who posted details about them on his blog, told TechNewsWorld.

Samsung's Android-Powered Galaxy Spins Into Marketplace
November 16, 2009

The Android army gained yet another recruit Monday with the release of Samsung's Galaxy Spica phone in Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, or former Soviet republics. Equipped with an 800 MHz application processor and DivX support, the new device reportedly runs Android 1.5, or "Cupcake."

VMware Fuses Performance With Convenience
November 16, 2009

There's more than 50 new features in the latest version of VMware Fusion -- an application that allows Windows and OS X to run together in a virtual environment on a Mac -- but the one that has users raving is the big boost in performance. "I installed VMWare Fusion 3.0 just a few days ago," Leon Kotovich, president and CEO of AgileSequent told MacNewsWorld.

War and Peace: HP Drops Bomb; Intel and AMD Call Truce
November 16, 2009

We seem to be surrounded by conflict; sometimes it seems peace is harder to make than war. There were two big events in tech last week: HP picked up 3Com, the company that first dominated the network space, as a major shot across Cisco's bow. Also the major legal battle of the decade, between AMD and Intel, came to an end.

Microsoft's Patently Absurd 'Sudo Patent'
November 16, 2009

There's just never a dull moment here in the world of FOSS. One minute, we're busy exclaiming our disbelief at the notion of a Microsoft version of Linux. The next minute -- on *Friday the 13th*, no less -- we learn that Redmond has acquired Teamprise, and will soon be shipping the company's Linux tools as part of its upcoming Visual Studio 2010 release.

Exchange Server 2010: Microsoft Explains It All
November 14, 2009

The biggest change to Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 was supposed to have been the introduction of something called "Unified Communications" -- the introduction of a singular console for the handling of all forms of digital communication, wrapping voice mail, instant messaging, and email into a single delivery system.

Rumor: Google Greasing Chrome OS for Launch
November 13, 2009

Google will release its Chrome operating system for download within a week, according to a report in the blog TechCrunch, which sited an unnamed source. Launching the OS as soon as possible makes sense, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. "I would expect the Chrome OS will show up shortly because they need the ecosystem ready by the end of 2010," he told TechNewsWorld.

Dell's Mini 3 Android to Begin Global March in China
November 13, 2009

After months of rumors, Dell has confirmed its intention to become a major player in the smartphone sector, announcing partnerships with China Mobile and Brazil-based Claro, which is part of the America Movil network. This is not a regional or emerging market strategy on the part of Dell.

Intel, AMD End Legal Hostilities
November 12, 2009

Rival chip companies Intel and Advanced Micro Devices have forged an agreement to settle their legal conflicts. AMD has agreed to drop its litigation against Intel. In exchange, Intel will pay AMD $1.25 billion and promise to follow certain business rules as the two continue to compete head to head. The deal includes a five-year cross-license renewal.

HP Raises Stakes in Networking Game With 3Com Play
November 12, 2009

HP's $2.7 billion takeover of 3Com is a shot at networking leader Cisco Systems -- and a sign of how old relationships are being frayed by a flurry of maneuvers by technology heavyweights. HP said Wednesday it has agreed to pay $7.90 per share for 3Com, a 39 percent premium to 3Com's closing stock price before the deal was announced.

The Netbook OS Enigma
November 12, 2009

On Monday, Apple rolled out the 10.6.2 update to its Snow Leopard operating system, which concentrated mostly on general bug fixes and stability issues as well as some issues in Mail, MobileMe and Safari. In all, there are more than 100 improvements, and more than 40 security-related fixes. However, the big talk today is that this update officially terminates support for Intel's Atom processor family.

FOSS' Sunny Place in the Cloud
November 12, 2009

Richard Stallman's now-famous warnings about cloud computing (his verdict in a nutshell: It's "marketing hype") sparked a fresh round of debate in the blogosphere this week, along with some outbursts of incredulity. Stallman "is a few bubbles off of plumb and gets weirder every year," Slashdot blogger hairyfeet told LinuxInsider.

Windows 7 Gets a Bye on Latest Patch Tuesday
November 11, 2009

Microsoft's newest computer operating system has survived its first few weeks on the market without needing any security fixes. Microsoft plugged several security holes Tuesday, but none are aimed at Windows 7, which was released Oct. 22. That's to be expected, said Ben Greenbaum, a researcher at the antivirus software company Symantec.

The PC Privacy Battle at the Border
November 11, 2009

Civil liberties groups continue to lock horns with the Department of Homeland Security over border searches of electronic equipment, although relatively few people have been affected. The Department's statistics show that only 1,000 laptops were searched between October 2008 and August 2009, a time period in which more than 221 million travelers came through U.S. ports of entry.

Kindle for PC: A Good Preview for E-Reader Fence-Sitters
November 10, 2009

The scales of justice definitely don't tip in grayscale's favor when it comes to the overall e-reader device experience for consumers. Whether it's an Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader or Barnes & Noble Nook, 16-level grayscale means nothing more than a digital version of the weather in Seattle between November and April: different shades of gray.