News


Microsoft Open XML Converter Arrives for Mac

Microsoft has released Open XML File Format Converter for Mac 1.0, a file translator that allows users to open, edit, and convert Open XML files created in Office 2008 for Mac or Office 2007 for Windows for use in earlier versions of the suite, including Office 2004 11.4 and Office v. X 10.1.9 or later.

UPDATE: Windows XP's Death Is for Real, Microsoft Official Explains

Microsoft is really serious about this Monday, June 30, being the end date for selling Windows XP licenses with new computers -- so serious that Senior Vice President Bill Veghte wrote a letter clarifying some the details.

Current IT Hiring Limited to Replacing Employees

No one seems to know whether we're in the midst of a minor economic bump in the road, an economic downturn, or an all-out recession. However, if IT salaries are any indication, employers seem to be hedging their bets.

Linux Developers Condemn Binary Drivers

A group of developers has signed a statement condemning binary-only Linux modules, which it argues can wreak havoc on Linux deployments, particularly because without the source code available, their negative influence can be hard to trace.

Survey: Many Microsoft Patches Are Going Uninstalled

The results of an online test conducted by U.K. anti-virus firm Sophos found that more often than not, PC users don't install Microsoft's monthly patches.

Alarming Number of Superusers Lurking Near Sensitive Data

When it comes to having superuser privileges in an IT environment that's host to sensitive information, absolute power can absolutely corrupt, a study shows.

New 11.0 openSuSE Linux OS Released

On Thursday, Version 11.0 GM of the openSuSE Linux-based operating system was publicly released.

Bloomberg Launches Windows Mobile App

Customers of Bloomberg LP's real-time market data who have long been receiving feeds on their BlackBerrys can now receive them on their Windows Mobile-based devices, thanks to a recently completed development effort.

Tech Spending Hit by Subprime Mess

The subprime meltdown that has roiled the financial markets since last fall will negatively impact the amount large investment houses, banks and brokerages will spend on IT overall -- and on software development projects in particular -- in the coming years.

New Bluetooth Patch Fixes XP Security Hole

Microsoft reissues a "critical" patch relating to Bluetooth wireless technology that was released last week as part of its June update cycle.

Microsoft Touts Partner Program To Simplify Clustering

Microsoft today promoted its Failover Clustering Configuration Program (FCCP) for Windows Server 2008 products.

Vulnerability Found in New Firefox Browser

It took only five hours from the release of Firefox version 3.0 for a researcher to report a critical vulnerability in the open source browser.

Firefox 3 Browser Released

The volunteer-led Mozilla project has released version 3 of the Firefox browser.

Microsoft To Face China Antitrust Woes?

Just as Microsoft seems to be patching up antitrust relations with the U.S. government, a Chinese newspaper suggested today that the company could be subject to antitrust legal actions in China.

Intel 'Holding Back' USB 3.0 Spec, Says Nvidia

An Nvidia representative today confirmed the view that Intel is delaying release of the Universal Serial Bus 3.0 specification to chipmakers.

HPC Server 2008 RC1 Coming This Month

At the International Supercomputing Conference being held this week in Germany, Microsoft announced that it will roll out the first release candidate (RC1) of its Windows HPC Server 2008 for high-performance computing in the last week of June.

Outsourcers Turn to Multisourcing To Reduce Risk

Outsourcing "megadeals" appear to be on the wane. According to market watcher Gartner Inc., the number of reported megadeals -- contracts of $1 billion or more awarded to a single vendor -- actually declined last year. Does this mean that outsourcing itself is on the way out?

Swedes Deploy Dual-Boot 'Green' Supercomputer With IBM, Intel Chips

The High Performance Computing Center North (HPC2N), a Swedish consortium of universities and research centers based out of Umea University, is installing a supercomputer that combines IBM Cell Broadband Engines and Power processors with quad-core Intel Xeon processors running both Windows and Linux in a dual-boot configuration.

Microsoft Readies for Prime Time With IPTV Solutions

Microsoft yesterday kicked off the NXTcomm08 event by showcasing its IPTV telco and service provider offerings.

Mixed Reactions to IBM's Green Software Push

For over a year now, IBM Corp. has made "greening" a centerpiece of its marketing efforts, kicking off a $1 billion green IT investment last spring called "Project Big Green," touting mainframe-centric greening initiatives and, just recently, trumpeting a new "green" approach to software.