In today's digest, we have:
* MySQL a "Disruptive Technology", Sun Makes a Good Home
* ODF is Winning Governments, Microosft Resorts to "Propaganda War"
* Early Signs of Microsoft's Willingness to Support ODF
* Erik 'Microsoft' Huggers Hires Open Source Expert for MSBBC
* Linux Good for the Environment, for People's Health
* [Rival] Microsoft Windows Zombies Attack Estonia Again
* Bill Gates Corrupts a PM in a Nation of Linux and FOSS
* Review of Intel's Worst Nightmare, the Linux-powered OLPC
* Novell Loses Top Executive, Ben Hendrick
* New Development Release of GNOME, Miro 1.1 (Formerly Democracy
Player)
* PS3 GNU/Linux Without the Installation!
* Sun Makes Project Wonderland Open Source
* [Rival] More Ship Jumping at Microsoft
* More Wins for Linux-based WiFi, Embedded Linux
* [Rival] Microsoft Keeps Hush-hush About Stuart Scott's Misconduct
* [OT] Political Censor (AT&T) Increases Internet Filtering
* More Low-cost Laptops Come to India with GNU/Linux
* US Government Might Abandon Old Desktop Paradigm
* [Rival] Microsoft OOXML Manipulation/Fraud in Croatia (Again!)
* [Rival] Burton Group Has Possible Track Record of Microsoft Shilling
* [Rival] Microsoft Made Page Rendering Dangerous, Fatal
* Wine-based Installation for Linux Simplified Greatly with PlayOnLinux
* [Rival] Microsoft's Recent Patent Application Claimed "Stupid",
Can Backfire
* Scientific Linux 5.1 is Released, Other Distributions Also
* Novell's Antitrust Lawsuits Aggainst Microsoft Carries on
* Blogger Covering Patent Trolls Receives Threats, Barrionuevo Becomes
FFII President
* Google Brags Charity, Recommends NASA Uses Free Software
* [Rival] Microsoft Technical Evangelist Hates Windows Home Server
* [Rival] Microsoft Looks for Suckers to Hurt ODF, Finds Shill
* Latest Free Software and Open Source Success Stories (Batch)
* Sun Microsystems a Good Home for MySQL, Will Fix Issues
* A Production-ready KDE 4.1 Just Months Away
* Linux with and Against the Macs (Symbiotic?)
* Secunia Added to New Credibility Index with Poor Rating for FUD
* Wii a Wiinner Console, XBox360 Get Class-action Lawsuits
* New FOSS Interviews: OLPC, Gaia, Autopackage
* [SOT] FreeKnowledge.EU Launched, Creative Commons CC0 Also
* Great Reviews of SimplyMEPIS 7.0 and Neuros
* [Rival] Microsoft to Intrude Brains for Advertisers
* People Beg to Stay Away from Vista, Linux+Hardware Cheaper Than Vista
* Btrfs Coming to the Linux Kernel
* [Rival] Microsoft Snubs Industry Standards, Attacks Google by Proxy?
* Raising Children on GNU/Linux; IBM Foresees Bright Future
* [Rival] Windows Vista Breaks Itself, Thanks to Microsoft
This is a digest of the previous 24 hours (GMT day) of [News] postings
in comp.os.linux.advocacy. If you have any comments, suggestions or
remarks, please reply to this message and I will take account of all
that I can. The digest is created from my leafnode news spool, which is
pre-filtered, so some posters' articles might not appear.
Try the faq at: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/linux/advocacy/faq-and-primer/
for more information about cola.
Just like other public, unmoderated discussion fora, cola has
its share of disruptive posters. This blog has been created by
a concerned cola netizen to assist newcomers in identifying them:
http://colatrolls.blogspot.com/
In order to find the last week's digests, try:
http://groups.google.co.uk/groups/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&num=10&q=group%3Acomp.os.linux.advocacy+insubject%3Alinux+insubject%3Anews+insubject%3Adigest+author%3Amark.kent%40demon.co.uk&as_drrb=q&as_qdr=w&safe=off&qt_s=Search
Alternatively, you can start at the first one, posted 3/Sep/06, and
work fowards:
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/comp.os.linux.advocacy/browse_thread/thread/204520deb472e5ef/fa8c1f5e12433243?&hl=en#fa8c1f5e12433243
I very much hope that you find this digest useful. I also run a blog in
which I post occasionally, which you can find at http://thereisnomagic.org
It does tend to the philosophical end of free software, engineering and
economics, you have been warned!
You can email me at: echo mark@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, removing
the obvious bit.
Happy reading, Mark Kent, Digest Editor.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message-ID: <3146056.ks71ezJiuY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] MySQL a "Disruptive Technology", Sun Makes a Good Home
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:37:52 +0000
A bright future for MySQL
,----[ Quote ]
| MySQL is an example of a disruptive technology. At first, it was too puny for
| the proprietary databases to notice, and satisfied only small users. But its
| powers grew, and the size of the companies using it also increased. It cannot
| match the upper limits of DB2 capability at this point, but it will be
| interesting to see if and when that day comes. But it doesnâ??t have to; it is
| already transforming most of the database market. May Sun invest the money
| (and employ the open source software developers) to take it to the top.
`----
http://enterpriselinuxlog.blogs.techtarget.com/2008/01/17/a-bright-future-for-mysql/
Five Questions Facing Sun Micro's MySQL Acquisition
,----[ Quote ]
| Ever work for a small company that was acquired by a big, legacy technology
| company? Ever work in a nimble organisation where decisions were made in an
| instant -- rather than debated in a committee? As a fast-moving Web 2.0
| pioneer, MySQL will need to adjust to Sun's more mature culture. On the flip
| side, Sun will need to maintain the best of MySQL's fast-moving, creative,
| open culture.
`----
http://seekingalpha.com/article/60555-five-questions-facing-sun-micro-s-mysql-acquisition?source=yahoo
Related:
Sun Microsystems Announces Agreement to Acquire MySQL
,----[ Quote ]
| Sun Microsystems, Inc. has said that it has entered into a definitive
| agreement to acquire MySQL AB, an open source icon and developer of one of
| the worldâ??s fastest growing open source databases for approximately $1
| billion in total consideration. The acquisition accelerates Sun's position in
| enterprise IT to now include the $15 billion database market. Today's
| announcement reaffirms Sun's position as the leading provider of platforms
| for the Web economy and its role as the largest commercial open source
| contributor says Sun.
`----
http://www.linuxelectrons.com/news/general/15752/sun-microsystems-announces-agreement-acquire-mysql
------------------------------
Message-ID: <1379926.TgEmbYmr69@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] ODF is Winning Governments, Microosft Resorts to "Propaganda War"
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:40:27 +0000
ODF vs. OOXML on the Eve of the BRM
,----[ Quote ]
| The unexpected success of ODF in the marketplace is a symptom of fundamental
| shifts in a maturing IT ecosystem, characterised by increasingly
| sophisticated and demanding end users, resurgent competition, new enabling
| technologies, and other forces that are largely beyond Microsoft's control.
|
| History teaches that monopolies in the marketplace, like empires in the
| broader world, are rarely sustainable over long periods of time, and
| ultimately fall victim to both external attack and internal weaknesses. The
| degree to which Microsoft's competitors have embraced, and many Microsoft
| customers and national governments alike have resonated, with ODF are strong
| indications that the foundations upon which Microsoft's historical dominance
| has been based may at last be weakening.
`----
http://www.consortiuminfo.org/standardsblog/article.php?story=20080117130300657
OOXML: the propaganda war has begun
,----[ Quote ]
| The arguments put forward by the Burton group do not hold much water - OOXML
| is not anti-competitive, it will become more widespread in use (due to the
| widespread use of Microsoft Office), ODF is driven by anti-Microsoft
| sentiment more than any technical merit, etc. Sun Microsystems comes in for
| quite a bit of bashing.
`----
http://www.itwire.com/content/view/16153/1090/
"We should dedicate a cross-group team to come up with ways to leverage Windows
technically more."
--Jim Allchin, Microsoft fiend
Related:
OOXML Questions Microsoft Cannot Answer in Geneva
,----[ Quote ]
| At Left: Highly respected Martin Bryan. As outgoing Conveyor of ISO/IEC
| JTC1/SC34 WG1 he accused MS of stacking his group and said, â??The days of open
| standards development are fast disappearing. Instead we are
| getting â??standardisation by corporation,â?? something I have been fighting
| against for the 20 years I have served on ISO committees.â?? Â Â
|
| The trend is that Microsoft is opening up the boring legacy bits of OOXML, in
| stupefying detail, while neglecting to document the pieces actually needed
| for interoperability at a competitive level, like macros, scripting,
| encryption, etc. In essence, Microsoft is opening up and releasing the file
| format information that competitors like OpenOffice.org have already figured
| out on their own, while still at the same time restricting access to the
| information needed to compete. And the more MS realises it has to open up the
| specification, deprecate and modernise OOXML, what do you get? You get XML.
| XML is XML. Strip out the non-XML garbage from OOXML and you will have the
| OpenDocument Format. Â Â Â Â
|
| [...]
|
| We need for MICROSOFT TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. Rather than hiding all the
| information we need and trying to cloak OOXML as ODF, we ask Microsoft to
| please get off the sinking ship, collaborate with the global community (which
| will welcome Microsoft) and help develop one universal file format for all. Â
| Long term, Microsoft can only benefit from cooperating with the market!
`----
http://www.fanaticattack.com/2008/ooxml-questions-microsoft-cannot-answer-in-geneva.html
What Will and Won't Be Discussed at February's BRM on MSOOXML
,----[ Quote ]
| So if you had concerns about Microsoft's patent policy, forgeddaboudit.
| It's been magically erased, and any comments are out of order.
|
| [...]
|
| They have chosen a room that can seat only 120 people for reasons unknown, so
| there may not be room for all the delegates. Let me guess. The head of the Â
| delegation is a Microsoft guy, and the ones who can't fit in the room are the
| ones who have issues with the proposed format? You think? Hey, some of us
| remember the games that were played already over rooms too small for IBM and
| Sun. Â Â
|
| This is starting to look really, really bad. At a minimum, you have to say
| this is the very opposite of an open process. I can't help but notice too
| that Brown lists Rick Jelliffe's as one of the "cool blogs" he recommends on
| Brown's blog. I think that is what novelists would call foreshadowing. Â
`----
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20071211055139790
Portugal will send Microsoft to the BRM
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft, as president of the Portuguese Technical Committee, is already
| controlling who will be at the BRM for Portugal. The Head of Delegation will
| be... Microsoft! Â
`----
http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-27501/portugal-will-send-microsoft-to-the-brm
IBM is still locked out of the Portuguese OOXML meeting
,----[ Quote ]
| In spite of various communications, we [IBM] are still locked out and will
| not be allowed to participate. Microsoft will be there, as well as a special
| Microsoft guest, as will various Microsoft business partners, and others. Â
`----
http://www.sutor.com/newsite/blog-open/?p=1755
Microsoft's Stephen McGibbon to represent Ireland at the BRM?
,----[ Quote ]
| There are rumours circulating in Ireland that Microsoft's Stephen McGibbon
| might be part of the Irish delegation to attend the BRM in Geneva. Microsoft
| is already controlling the Portuguese delegation, you can expect that they
| will control half of the table at Geneva. O'MyGod! Â
`----
http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-29606/microsoft-s-stephen-mcgibbon-to-represent-ireland-at-the-brm
Opinion: Einstein's definition of insanity...
,----[ Quote ]
| But ISO standards have a much more political dimension to them than Internet
| (IETF) or World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards. Every country can vote, Â
| although not all chose to do so. Over the past few weeks, some strange and
| rather irregular national positions have come to light. My favourites were
| Cuba voting "Yes" to the fast-tracking of OOXML, even though Microsoft is
| prohibited by the US Government from selling any software on the island that
| might even be able to read and write the new format, and Azerbaijan's "Yes"
| vote, even though OOXML as defined isn't able to express a Web URL address in
| Azeri, their official language. Â Â Â
`----
http://www.linuxformat.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=632
Whither OOXML?
,----[ Quote ]
| Strangely, however, Microsoft appears to be soft-pedaling its own standard.
| At GOSCON last week there was a panel on document formats, with reps from
| IBM, Sun, Adobe, and Microsoft present. Each of the company representatives
| got to speak for five minutes and present his company's perspective on
| document formats. Â Â
|
| In his presentation, Matusow appeared to be backing away from OOXML as a key
| technology. If you look at the slide he presented...
|
| ...you can see that the positioning now is that the tool is key, and the
| document format secondary, which, to my mind, is a bizarre assertion,
| although it's one that aligns with a positioning that, above all, must keep
| Microsoft's tools in a predominate position. Â
|
| It appears to me that, having realised that the force-feeding of OOXML into
| an international standards body is problematic, Microsoft is now trying to
| present a soft TCO story which emphasises sunk costs and pre-existing product
| versions as a reason to stay on the Microsoft path, along with an
| incomprehensible assertion that two document standards would be a good thing
| (this last is the most oddball position of all; how can anyone state with a
| straight face that the world would be well-served by having two incompatible
| editable file formats?). Â Â Â Â
`----
http://advice.cio.com/bernard_golden/wither_ooxml
Corrupt countries were more likely to support the OOXML document format
,----[ Quote ]
| Is this just a random coincidence? The median of the CPI index of the above
| mentioned 70 countries is 3.95. Of the most corrupted half (CPI index less
| than 3.95) 23 or 77% voted for approval (approval or approval with comments)
| and 7 or 23% for disapproval; 5 abstained. Of the least corrupted half (CPI
| index more than 3.95) 13 or 54% voted for approval and 11 or 46% voted for
| disapproval; 11 abstained - see the table below. Â Â Â
`----
http://www.effi.org/blog/kai-2007-09-05.en.html
Microsoft accused of more OOXML standards fiddling
,----[ Quote ]
| However the 11 new countries are refusing to say how they will vote. These
| include Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Ecuador, Jamaica, Lebanon, Malta, Pakistan,
| Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uruguay and Venezuela. Most people seem to think
| that these have been put there by Vole to make sure the standard gets pushed
| through. Â Â
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=42106
------------------------------
Message-ID: <2048419.XM8WdzRD48@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] Early Signs of Microsoft's Willingness to Support ODF
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:45:09 +0000
[Stephen Walli (formerly of Microsoft) said that Microsoft supporting ODF is
inevitable]
Microsoft Defends Open XML Work
,----[ Quote ]
| Also, if individual governments mandate the use of ODF instead of Open XML,
| Microsoft would adapt, Knowlton said. The company would then implement the
| missing functionality that ODF doesn't support. However, those extensions
| would be custom-designed and outside of the standard, which is counter to the
| idea of an open document standard, Knowlton said. "Disastrous? No. But
| definitely not preferable," he said.
`----
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,141424-c,opensource/article.html
Ouch. Microsoft already shows willingness to deviate from its broken formats
(OOXML) to keep the cash cow (Office) relevant to a wider audience.
Microsoft Says It Will Release Binary Office Formats - Which?
,----[ Quote ]
| There's nothing like an EU Commission investigation to get Microsoft to open
| up a little, is there?
|
| [...]
|
| Microsoft says it will make the release of the binary formats by February
| 15th. I don't see how that gives anyone time to evaluate before the ballot
| resolution meeting at the end of February.
`----
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20080117131256697
It seems like a win for that Dutch group. This might ease migration from the
binaries to ODF.
Related:
Dispelling Myths Around ODF
,----[ Quote ]
| Recent articles, reports and documents show that there are still a lot of
| misperceptions regarding ODF in the market. Apparently, many people are still
| not well informed about ODF even though they choose to write about ODF.
| Therefore, I thought it can't hurt trying to dispel a couple of myths around
| ODF. Â Â
`----
http://blogs.sun.com/dancer/entry/dispelling_myths_around_odf
Why Microsoft deserved to lose the OOXML standards vote
,----[ Quote ]
| 1. Lobbying is legal. But certain lobbying tactics are not. Microsoft
| officials admitted that one of the companyâ??s employees behaved
| inappropriately in Sweden,
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=694
------------------------------
Message-ID: <1827720.6Kbnbbi6GC@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] Erik 'Microsoft' Huggers Hires Open Source Expert for MSBBC
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:48:39 +0000
Dirk-Willem van Gulik appointed BBC Future Media & Technology Chief Technical
Architect
,----[ Quote ]
| Erik Huggers, BBC Future Media and Technology Group Controller, has appointed
| Dirk-Willem van Gulik as the division's Chief Technical Architect.
|
| [...]
|
| Dirk-Willem is a recognised contributor to the Open Source Community and has
| been a board member of the Apache Software Foundation since its inception.
`----
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/01_january/17/gulik.shtml
Erik Huggers defended Microsoft's abuses with Windows Media Player before
joining the BBC (now known as MSBBC). They seem to be trying to hide what has
really happened, which put their jobs in jeopardy.
[ Probably M. Van Gulik's employment was a condition for Mr Huggers to keep his
role. Ed. ]
Quote for the day:
"I am convinced we have to use Windows â?? this is the one thing they donâ??t have.
We have to be competitive with features, but we need something more â?? Windows
integration."
--Jim Allchin, Microsoft
Related:
BBC Director General grilled by MPs on iPlayer
,----[ Quote ]
| During the meeting there is discussion of iPlayerâ??s total cost to the licence
| fee-payer - the BBC representatives are unable to give a figure, but start
| the bidding at £20m, excluding staff costs. Thomson gives incorrect
| information - that Mac and Linux versions of iPlayer have the same
| functionality as Windows versions - and has to change his evidence at the
| end. Perhaps it was this confusion that prompted Dr John Pugh MP to follow up
| the encounter with a letter direct to Mark Thomson today discussing platform
| neutrality in greater detail. A copy of this letter has been passed to the
| Open Rights Group. Â Â Â Â
`----
http://www.openrightsgroup.org/2008/01/10/bbc-director-general-grilled-by-mps-on-iplayer/
BBC Corrupted
,----[ Quote ]
| Today the BBC made it official -- they have been corrupted by Microsoft. With
| today's launch of the iPlayer, the BBC Trust has failed in its most basic of
| duties and handed over to Microsoft sole control of the on-line distribution
| of BBC programming. From today, you will need to own a Microsoft operating
| system to view BBC programming on the web. This is akin to saying you must
| own a Sony TV set to watch BBC TV. And you must accept the Digital
| Restrictions Management (DRM) that the iPlayer imposes. You simply cannot be
| allowed to be in control of your computer according to the BBC.
`----
http://defectivebydesign.org/blog/BBCcorrupted
BBC iPlayer Protests
,----[ Quote ]
| Who are the people responsible for creating this mess?
|
| * Mark Thompson, BBC director general (DG)
| * Erik Huggers, group controller at BBC Future Media & Technology
| * Ashley Highfield, director of new media and technology
|
| Right now, there is very considerable concern within the BBC that the actions
| of the Director General and his team are sending the corporation in the wrong
| direction. The BBC has been embroiled in a number of recent controversies,
| all linked back to the DG's leadership.
`----
http://www.defectivebydesign.org/iPlayerProtest
------------------------------
Message-ID: <4275744.o0X0SPh5S4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] Linux Good for the Environment, for People's Health
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:50:28 +0000
Linux is greener than Vista
,----[ Quote ]
| Hear, hear. Linux runs just fine on existing desktop hardware, even on PCs
| that are several years old now. Give it a 1.5Ghz processor and 512MB of RAM,
| and Linux is more than adequate to support business tasks. No screaming 3Ghz
| CPU or 2GB of RAM are needed to run Linux, in contrast to the additional
| resources demanded to run Microsoft's deplorable Windows Vista.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/01/17/linux-greener-alternative-vista
Open source health care finally ready for take-off?
,----[ Quote ]
| â??Open source is in the long term interest of funders like Medicare. It lets
| them share information in a way that improves care and reduces costs.
|
| â??Large practices canâ??t tell you how many of their patients have diabetes, how
| many are getting better and how many are getting worse, very basic things.â??
| With open standards, pushed by open source, that data will become available.
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=1897
Fairly recent:
Hospital software vendor McKesson uses Linux to heal IT budgets
,----[ Quote ]
| At first, convincing hospital executives to go with McKesson's Linux-based
| applications was difficult because of fears that Linux wouldn't be as
| reliable as Unix, which had been in their IT shops for years, Simpson
| said. "It took some time for them to understand that open source is safe,
| that open source has support," he added. Â Â
|
| The deal with Red Hat "really kicked the programme into gear," he said,
| allowing McKesson to offer its software with Red Hat Enterprise Linux in a
| top-to-bottom package for mission-critical hospital IT systems. Â
`----
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9052142&intsrc=hm_list
Is Linux enough for open source medical advocates?
,----[ Quote ]
| The change occurs on the back-end, where Linux is the OS, and where customers
| may even choose MySQL or Ingres as their database technology.
|
| McKesson says 75% of its roughly 2,500 hospital customers have embraced the
| change, with Oracle as the companyâ??s current database of choice. â??The best of
| both worldsâ?? the company says. Â
`----
http://healthcare.zdnet.com/?p=564
Red Hat enters healthcare sector
,----[ Quote ]
| Red Hat Software Services, provider of Linux and open source technologies, is
| foraying into the Indian healthcare sector.
|
| Red Hat's Global Support Services vice-president Lain Gray said the company
| plans to facilitate the sharing of patients' data and history within various
| hospitals to promote better healthcare services. Â Â
`----
http://www.rediff.com/money/2007/dec/06yup.htm
Leading Healthcare Technology Provider Chooses Red Hat
,----[ Quote ]
| Sage Software provides integrated electronic health records, electronic
| data interchange (EDI) applications and practice management systems to
| more than 20,000 ambulatory care practices throughout North America.
| These systems enable physicians and practice managers to better
| manage their practices and improve profitability.
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070123/20070123005179.html?.v=1
Computer Programmes and Systems, Inc. Announces Migration of CPSI System to Linux
Operating System
,----[ Quote ]
| Computer Programmes and Systems, Inc., a leading provider of healthcare
| information solutions, today announced the migration of the CPSI healthcare
| information system to the Linux operating system. Â
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/071115/20071115005804.html?.v=1
McKesson First to Offer Red Hat Enterprise Healthcare Platform
,----[ Quote ]
| As a leading provider of technology solutions to the healthcare
| industry, McKesson has been at the forefront of innovative
| technologies, deploying many of its advanced Horizon Clinicals
| applications on Linux running on Intel-based hardware. Hospitals
| with these deployments have already realised cost savings of up
| to 60% compared with traditional system deployments.
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070226/20070226005175.html?.v=1
IBM and Convergence CT Team to Provide Clinical Data Warehousing for
Healthcare and Life Sciences
,----[ Quote ]
| The IBM BCU is a fully integrated and scalable data warehouse
| solution for Linux that combines software, server, and storage
| resources to maximise business intelligence and information
| management performance for enterprises.
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/070228/0221247.html
Editor's Corner (on Open Source in Healthcare)
,----[ Quote ]
| Suggesting that a private healthcare provider switch from
| proprietary software to open source-based applications is one
| thing. But when an official affiliated with as august a body as
| the United Nations suggests that all member countries adopt open
| source for their healthcare applications, that's a much bigger deal.
`----
http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/editor-s-corner/2006-10-09
Linux in Healthcare
,----[ Quote ]
| Linux in healthcare is a tale of things seen and unseen. Linux/Open
| Source have enjoyed tremendous popularity in embedded systems and
| networks for major technologies used in healthcare that healthcare
| providers may not even be aware of.
`----
http://www.linux-mag.com/id/3215/
Next Gen, Mission-Critical Apps To Be Deployed on Linux Says Report
,----[ Quote ]
| By now it should be obvious to even the most casual industry observers
| that Linux operating systems - and open source-based software in general -
| have reached critical marketplace mass. Recent Linux deals and
| announcements by Oracle and Microsoft have only reinforced the "open
| source is enterprise-grade" message that IBM, Unisys and other "Master
| Brand" hardware, software and services vendors have been preaching for
| years. In short, open source, especially Linux, is becoming "legitimised"
| by the major vendors for enterprise environments, and user executives
| are more than happy to believe them.
`----
http://www.linuxelectrons.com/News/RoundUp/Next_Gen_MissionCritical_Apps_To_Be_Deployed_on_Linux_Says_Report
CIO study finds Linux ready for prime-time
,----[ Quote ]
| The company predicts a steep rise: only 18 percent of businesses
| will be using Linux in business-critical roles by the end of 2007.
|
| "Linux operating systems - and open source-based software in general
| - have reached critical marketplace mass," said the study's authors,
| Bruce Guptill and Bill McNee of Saugatuck Research.
`----
http://www.techworld.com/opsys/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=7681
------------------------------
Message-ID: <10722910.E7OcqdKMDc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] [Rival] Microsoft Windows Zombies Attack Estonia Again
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:52:46 +0000
Another Estonia Cyberattack
,----[ Quote
| The attack, which ended Tuesday, was minimally disruptive, according to
| Hillar Aarelaid, manager of Estonia's Computer Emergency Response Team
| (CERT). He described it as an "ordinary DDOS" (distributed denial of service)
| attack in which the news agency's servers were flooded with Internet traffic,
| in an attempt to crash them.
`----
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,141438-c,cybercrime/article.html#
"Bill Gates looks at everything as something that should be his. He acts in any
way he can to make it his. It can be an idea, market share, or a contract.
There is not an ounce of conscientiousness or compassion in him. The notion of
fairness means nothing to him. The only thing he understands is leverage."
--Philippe Kahn
Related:
Bush, Estonian president talk cyberattacks
,----[ Quote ]
| "When you are a highly Interneted [sic] country like we are, then these
| kinds of attacks can do very serious damage."
`----
http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9734382-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
EU should class cyber attacks as terrorism: Estonia
,----[ Quote ]
| Estonia will propose at a meeting of European Union justice
| ministers next week that the bloc consider cyber attacks as
| "acts of terror", Estonian Justice Minister Rein Lang said Thursday.
`----
http://www.france24.com/france24Public/en/administration/afp-news.html?id=070607160418.pfpmeqvt&cat=science
U.S. cyber counterattack: Bomb 'em one way or the other
,----[ Quote ]
| If the United States found itself under a major cyberattack aimed
| at undermining the natio's critical information infrastructure,
| the Department of Defence is prepared, based on the authority of
| the president, to launch a cyber counterattack or an actual
| bombing of an attack source.
`----
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/020807-rsa-cyber-attacks.html
The feds weigh in on Windows security
,----[ Quote ]
| "The benefits of this move are enormous: Common, secure configurations
| can help slow botnet spreading, can radically reduce delays in patching,
| can stop many attacks directly, and organisations that have made the
| move report that it actually saves money rather than costs money,"
| Paller wrote.
`----
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6172158.html
Telegraph floored by DDoS attack
,----[ Quote ]
| Cyber-attacks have been much in the news of late. Last week,
| Russian and European leaders held a summit in the aftermath of a
| three-week cycle of denial of service attacks targeting the
| Baltic countries' internet infrastructure.
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05/22/telegraph_ddos/
Botnet 'pandemic' threatens to strangle the net
,----[ Quote ]
| Cerf estimated that between 100 million and 150 million of the
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| 600 million PCs on the internet are under the control of hackers,
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| the BBC reports.
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/26/botnet_threat/
------------------------------
Message-ID: <12775646.phQRiyv8fS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] Bill Gates Corrupts a PM in a Nation of Linux and FOSS
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:55:41 +0000
,----[ Quote ]
| Quick translation of the text from â??The Finnish News Agencyâ?? aka STT going
| rounds in web already and being published in all of the major and also most
| of the minor newspapers tomorrow. (Friday)
|
| In the meeting between prime minister of Finland Matti Vanhanen and Bill
| Gates, the software giant Microsoft promised to donate tailored tools for
| finnish schools.
| Microsoft will offer finnish basic education and general upper secondary
| schools and their students free Windows live services selection.
| It includes f.ex Hotmail, electronic timetable, discussion forum and a
| bulletin board.
| Microsoft told about the new collaboration on Thursday in Seattle.
| It is the first project for both basic- and secondary schools. It can also be
| used in finnish vocational, polytechnic and university schools.
| â??This project supports very well the development of finnish information
| society also in educational system and corresponds well with our aims in
| information societyâ??, Vanhanen praised Microsoft.
|
| http://yle.fi/news/id79777.html has some background about his visit to the
| US.
`----
http://boycottnovell.com/2008/01/17/attack-by-proxy/#comment-4963
Why donate? Is Microsoft dumping again?
Related:
European spend on open source software hits 22bn Euros
,----[ Quote ]
| Rishab Ghosh, a senior researcher at the UN University in Maastricht,
| will tell the Open Ireland conference in Dublin that the spend in the
| US on free/libre or open source software (FLOSS) stands at 36bn
| Euros and accounts for 20pc of software spend in the US.
`----
http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news.nv?storyid=single7850
Source of the revolution
,----[ Quote ]
| According to Ghosh, the notional value of Europe's investment in
| free/libre or open source software (FLOSS) today is e22bn,
| representing 20.5pc of the region's total software investment.
| Spending on OSS stands at e36bn and accounts for 20pc of software
| expenditure in the US.
`----
http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news.nv?storyid=single8105
------------------------------
Message-ID: <1305259.UYSYmG3Fq8@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] Review of Intel's Worst Nightmare, the Linux-powered OLPC
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:59:00 +0000
The OLPC XO laptop
,----[ Quote ]
| Originally known as the '$100 laptop' from the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC)
| project, the XO laptop is now available through retail. I bought one under
| the Give One, Get One programme where for a $400 donation, OLPC would send one
| XO to the donator, and another to a child. This is my story of working with
| it for a couple of weeks.
`----
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/01/17/review_xo_laptop_hands_on/page7.html
Maybe Otellini should get one too to serve as a dartboard.
Related:
Laptop-Project Founder Faults Intel
,----[ Quote ]
| Oscar Becerra Tresierra, general director for educational technology at
| Peru's Ministry of Education, says that after the country recently agreed to
| buy 272,500 OLPC laptops for primary-school students, an Intel sales
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ^^^^^^^^^^^
| representative tried "to scare us" by claiming the machines and their power
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| adapters didn't work. "I don't feel very happy about it," he said. "We Â
| wouldn't like the project to fail because somebody is spreading gossip about
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| the machines that doesn't turn out to be true." Â Â
`----
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119948070480568405.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Laptop Project Blames Intel for Breakup
,----[ Quote ]
| Negroponte said Intel even tried to undo a deal One Laptop had already sealed
| in Peru by citing flaws in the One Laptop "XO" machine and telling government
| ministers "we ought to know, because we are on the board." Such hostile
| comments were prohibited, Negroponte claimed, under the July peace treaty
| that brought Intel into the One Laptop Per Child camp. Â Â
|
| "I want to say we tried, but it was never a partnership," Negroponte
| said. "There's not one single thing in their contract or agreement that they
| lived up to." Â
`----
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hXa0O9XLMsWfaqt-sI9FqFy2IewgD8TVAD7OA
Intel: doing the dirty on OLPC
,----[ Quote ]
| Intelâ??s agreement with the OLPC Foundation included a â??non disparagementâ??
| clause, under which Intel and One Laptop promised not to criticise each
| other, according to Nicholas Negroponte in the latest article in the Wall
| Street Journal. Â
|
| Still Intel tactics have violated that repeatedly to kill OLPC efforts in
| Nigeria, Libya, Pakistan, India, China and Intel is also still trying to pull
| those tactics in Mexico, Brazil. Â
| This is simply disgracefull of Intel, scandalous.
|
| But Negroponte has signed an agreement saying that he is not allowed to
| criticise Intel, so he is not allowed to talk about these shameless tactics
| even though Intel is the one violating the agreement. Â
|
| So only independant voices on the Internet can get those messages of truth
| out about Intels tactics.
|
| In Nigeria, Intel came and donated 3000 laptops to counter OLPC efforts, then
| sells 17 thousand Classmates to Nigeria at a loss.
|
| Then Microsoft corrupted Nigerian officials with 400 thousand dollars to
| install Windows XP on those instead of Mandriva Linux.
`----
http://www.p2pnet.net/story/14124
Poor Kids' Laptop Cranks Up
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates earlier this year told the Microsoft
| Government Leaders Forum, "Geez, get a decent computer where you can
| actually read the text and you?re not sitting there cranking the thing
| while you're trying to type" (see Bill Gates Mocks $100 Laptop).
`----
http://www.redherring.com/article.aspx?a=17302
One Laptop Per Child - Production Delays Caused By Microsoft, Intel?
,----[ Quote ]
| I sincerely hope that no matter what the people who are running the
| OLPC project decide, that their project will continue and not get
| bogged down in a play of corporate greed and ambitions.
`----
http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/2007/04/28/one-laptop-per-child-production-delays-caused-by-microsoft-intel/
Negroponte says Intel should be "ashamed of itself"
,----[ Quote ]
| He is furious that Intel's CEO Craig Barrett called the One Laptop a
| gadget. The Negroponte initiative is caught in the middle of a vicious
| fight between AMD and Intel, he said.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=39733
,----[ Quote ]
| That software effort does not have the support of Mr. Otellini, who
| is concerned about incurring Microsoft's wrath, the executive said.
| The two companies have a long history of tension over who controls
| the hardware and software direction of the "Wintel standard." Intel
| has said it is supporting both operating systems.
`----
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/16/technology/16chip.html?ex=1177560000&en=2ef52cee6b1fb0e3&ei=5099&partner=TOPIXNEWS
Lessons from Africa: How to Kill Your Own FUD
,----[ Quote ]
| So, even as Microsoft claims superior quality over Linux, they act as if they
| don't even buy their own FUD. If they really believed that Windows was
| superior to Linux, they wouldn't have to bribe people with â??marketing helpâ??
| to get them to choose Windows. Â
`----
http://www.linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2007-11-09-030-26-OP-MD-MS
Linux wins Nigerian school desktops back from Microsoft
,----[ Quote ]
| "We are sticking with that platform," said the official, who would not give
| his name.
`----
http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/government-law/public-sector/news/index.cfm?newsid=6124
http://tinyurl.com/27ycq9
[Mandriva CEO:] An open letter to Steve Ballmer
,----[ Quote ]
| Wow! Iâ??m impressed, Steve! What have you done for these guys to change their
| mind like this? Itâ??s pretty clear to me, and it will be clear to everyone.
| How do you call what you just did Steve, in the place where you live? In my
| place, they give it various names, Iâ??m sure you know them. Â
|
| Hey Steve, how do you feel looking at yourself in the mirror in the morning?
|
| Of course, I will keep fighting this one and the next one, and the next one.
| You have the money, the power, and maybe we have a different sense of ethics
| you and I, but I believe that hard work, good technology and ethics can win
| too. Â
`----
http://blog.mandriva.com/2007/10/31/an-open-letter-to-steve-ballmer/
Not Such a Harsh Toke, Actually
,----[ Quote ]
| This is socially, economically, politically and otherwise innovative. It is
| good for democracy too in some of the few remaining places that good thing is
| having trouble getting hold. We regard that thing too lightly, I fear. Â
|
| The Gates | Otellini axis directly hurts us deeply. To me, it is a
| particularly American shame.
`----
http://fussnotes.typepad.com/plexnex/2007/11/not-such-a-hars.html
Intel slapped with new antitrust investigation
,----[ Quote ]
| New York state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has launched an antitrust
| investigation of Intel, after his office served a wide-ranging subpoena on
| the chip giant. Â
|
| Cuomo is investigating whether Intel violated state and federal antitrust
| laws by coercing customers to exclude its main rival, Advanced Micro Devices
| (AMD), from the worldwide market for PC central processing units (CPUs),
| Cuomo said in a news release. Â
|
| The subpoena seeks information on Intel's pricing practices and possible
| attempts to exclude competitors through its market power, Cuomo's office
| said. Â
`----
http://www.techworld.com/opsys/news/index.cfm?newsID=11099&pagtype=all
US antitrust group urges Intel investigation
,----[ Quote ]
| The American Antitrust Institute (AAI), a Washington DC lobby group, has
| written an open letter to the Federal Trade Commission urging an
| investigation of Intel's allegedly monopolistic business practices. Â
|
| [...]
|
| AAI say its insistence of an investigation is based on allegations by AMD in
| a private case and information obtained by the EC's complaint, which have not
| been made public Â
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/08/30/aai_wants_intel_probe_expansion/
Intel urged to give more data on flash unit deal
,----[ Quote ]
| ...U.S. Federal Trade Commission has requested additional information on the
| company's deal with STMicroelectronics...
`----
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUKWNAS317820070830?rpc=44
The Fight for Fair and Open Competition
,----[ Quote ]
| AMD is an undisputed technology and innovation leader.
|
| However, Intel's abusive, illegal monopolistic behaviour is preventing
| businesses and consumers alike from choosing freely between AMD and Intel Â
| products.
`----
http://breakfree.amd.com/en-us/antitrust.aspx
EC says Intel influenced bids for computer projects
,----[ Quote ]
| The third type of allegation, however, was new, and sounded like a variety of
| predatory pricing. â??In the context of bids against AMD-based products for
| strategic customers in the server segment of the market,â?? the commission
| press release said, â??Intel has offered CPUs on average below cost.â?? Â
`----
http://legalpad.blogs.fortune.com/2007/08/03/ec-says-intel-influenced-bids-for-computer-projects/
Negroponte says Intel should be "ashamed of itself"
,----[ Quote ]
| He is furious that Intel's CEO Craig Barrett called the One Laptop a
| gadget. The Negroponte initiative is caught in the middle of a vicious
| fight between AMD and Intel, he said.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=39733
AMD chief condemns Intel 'abuses'
,----[ Quote ]
| In 2005, after the Japan Fair Trade Commission found Intel guilty of
| offering illegal rebates to Japanese PC makers, AMD filed an anti-trust
| suit against its competitor in the U.S. District Court in Delaware. The
| case has not been decided.
`----
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2007/06/21/amd_ceo_condemns_intel_abuses/
AMD: Intel Destroyed Evidence in Antitrust Case
,----[ Quote ]
| In an unpublished statement to the U.S. District Court of Delaware,
| AMD alleges Intel allowed the destruction of evidence in pending
| antitrust litigation.
`----
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=6352
Video: Henri Richard comes out swinging at Intel during AMD press conference
,----[ Quote ]
| [AMD's Henri Richard:] "I am sick and tired of being pushed around
| by a competitor that doesn't respect the rules of fair and open
| competition."
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Berlind/?p=363
Investors sue Dell on payments from Intel: WSJ
,----[ Quote ]
| An investor lawsuit seeking class-action status accuses Dell Inc. of
| improper accounting in its relationship with chip giant Intel,
| according to a media report published Thursday evening.
|
| [...]
|
| The suit alleges that Dell received at times as much as $1 billion
| a year in "secret and likely illegal" kickbacks in the form of
| "e-Cap" or "exception to corporate average pricing" payments"
| from Intel to ensure that Dell used no other chip supplier,
| according to The Journal.
`----
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/investors-sue-dell-payments-intel/story.aspx?guid=%7B400315B0%2DE375%2D4920%2DB300%2D784220BEFE35%7D&siteid=yhoo&dist=yhoo
Lenovo got financial help from Intel, claim
,----[ Quote ]
| Journalists on the title said Lenovo is being paid a "pretty
| penny" from Intel to use its chips.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37670
,----[ Quote ]
| In 2005, a unit of Shenzhen Donjin countersued, saying Intel engaged
| in monopolistic practices.
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070514/china_intel_settlement.html?.v=7
Intel's anti-trust memos started vanishing from the top
,----[ Quote ]
| Chairman Craig Barrett, CEO Paul Otellini and sales chief Sean Maloney
| have appeared on a list of Intel employees thought to have deleted
| e-mails possibly relevant to AMD's anti-trust lawsuit against its
| larger rival. The missing e-mails have thrust a livid state of mind
| onto AMD's lawyers who have very serious problems with Intel's
| rather lax document retention policy.
|
| [...]
|
| CEO Otellini appears to have been one of these troublesome employees.
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/11/intel_tortellini_episode/
------------------------------
Message-ID: <1844511.qY7AKstJIH@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] Novell Loses Top Executive, Ben Hendrick
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:30:52 +0000
Onward Technologies Appoints Ben Hendrick as Senior Vice President - Americas
,----[ Quote ]
| He spent more than seventeen years at Novell Incorporated, with five years as
| Vice President and Managing Partner over the Americas Enterprise Service Line
| and Practice delivery teams. With stints in various services leadership
| positions prior to taking overall profit and loss responsibility for the
| America's (United States, Canada, and Latin America) Enterprise Service Line.
`----
http://sev.prnewswire.com/computer-electronics/20080117/CLTH06017012008-1.html
Here he is: http://www.linkedin.com/in/bhendrick
Did Novell Just Die?
,----[ Quote ]
| Perhaps Novell could sell itself â?? though such statements have been made
| about the company ever since former CEO Ray Noorda retired in 1994. Rumoured
| buyers over the years have included Sun, IBM and Oracle, just to name a few.
| But The VAR Guy doesnâ??t see that happening. Alas, open source continues to
| represent a small fraction of Novellâ??s overall revenue. Novell also has a
| nice footprint in the endpoint security market and the identity management
| sector. But there again, sales are a fraction of Novellâ??s overall revenue.
|
| Novell ainâ??t dead yet. But the flesh wounds are starting to add up. Itâ??s time
| for the company to get in the applications game.
`----
http://www.thevarguy.com/2008/01/17/did-novell-just-die/
Related:
Engineering Industry support for OOXML - Novell
,----[ Quote ]
| Wikipedia: "A puppet is a representational object manipulated by a puppeteer.
| It is usually but not always a depiction of a human character and is used in
| (a) play or a presentation. The puppet undergoes a process of transformation
| through being animated, and is normally manipulated by one, or sometimes more
| than one, puppeteer. Some puppets can be moved electronically." Does Novell
| qualify as an OOXML puppet? Â Â
`----
http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-30546/engineering-industry-support-for-ooxml-novell
All sides of the debate?
,----[ Quote ]
| How many sides are there in the OOXML debate? What if all sides are Microsoft
| and Microsoft business partners?
|
| [...]
|
| Dough Mahugh (Microsoft) :
|
| Â Â Next week's XML 2007 conference in Boston features speakers from all
| Â Â sides of the document format debate, including a document interop session
| Â Â with Miguel de Icaza (Novell) and Vijay Rajagopalan (Microsoft) that I
| Â Â expect will offer a lively discussion around Open XML, ODF, and XML-based
| Â Â interoperability in general. Â Â
`----
http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-29108/all-sides-of-the-debate
Miguel, Mono and Microsoft
,----[ Quote ]
| is Mono's role in the deal that of a hook to make customers write
| .NET applications because they can be run on Linux - only to find
| later on that they are armless or legless because of a change in
| the .NETspecifications, a change which Microsoft decides not to
| make public?
|
| [...]
|
| And here we have an individual who decides to replicate one of
| the proprietary company's development environments - for reasons
| best known to him alone - and keeps telling people that the reason
| he's doing it is so that he can pull people over from the
| proprietary company's side to his side!!!
`----
http://www.itwire.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11081&Itemid=1091
Available Now: OpenOffice.org Novell Edition for Windows
,----[ Quote ]
| Let's consider a couple of the features that you get in the Novell
| Edition but are not likely to have been integrated into upstream OOo yet:
|
| Â Â * Excel VBA Macro execution
| Â Â * Performance improvements
| Â Â * AGFA fonts
| Â Â * Better Bullets (now in upstream OOo)
| Â Â * Simple Solver
| Â Â * GroupWise integration
`----
http://reverendted.wordpress.com/2007/03/13/ooo-novell-edition-now-available-for-windows/
Sun Refuses LGPL for OpenOffice; Novell forks
,----[ Quote ]
| Because of Sun's refusal to accept LPGL extensions in the upstream code,
| Michael Meeks (who recently talked about Sun's OO.o community failings, and
| ODF and OOXML) has announced ooo-build (previously just for build fixes) is
| now a formal fork of OpenOffice to be located at http://go-oo.org/. Â Â
`----
http://slashdot.org/articles/07/10/03/1212234.shtml
Questions I'd like to see asked about the Microsoft-Novell deal
,----[ Quote ]
| The questions asked as part of this study were about as open-ended
| and wishy-washy as you could get. Researchers asked customers
| deploying a mix of Windows, SuSE Linux and Red Hat Linux whether
| they were in favour of more vendor interoperability. They asked
| customers if they believed it would be helpful if Microsoft
| worked more closely with Linux vendors. They asked whether they
| approved of the Microsoft-Novell collaboration. And they
| questioned whether users "take responsibility for the
| intellectual property in the products they ship."
|
| The only question on PSB's list that I found remotely interesting
| was whether users would be any more likely to buy SuSE Linux as a
| result of the Microsoft-Novell deal. Sixty-nine percent said yes.
| (I'm actually surprised this number isn't higher.)
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=145
Privileged Access on Linux
,----[ Quote ]
| It is the "OpenOffice.org Novell Edition", that is a kind of half fork of the
| official OpenOffice.org. Novell is pulling the strings to get the Gnome
| project to adopt its version as the official Gnome OpenOffice. This fork is
| using the last version of the OOo and adding/changing features to Â
| it to create a different product: the "Novell Edition".
|
| The main difference between the OpenOffice.org Novell Edition and the
| official version of the project is that the Novell Edition is encouraged to
| provide import and export to OOXML. Additionally it includes some add-ons
| that they didn't want to integrate in the official version of OpenOffice.org
| (indeed they chosed an incompatible license to prevent any kind of
| integration of their code in the official project). These add-ons can be seen
| here: http://www.go-oo.org   Â
|
| All this strategy of to divide the "instrumental" OOo project probably is
| under the umbrella of the Microsoft-Novell agreement.
`----
http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-28990/privileged-access-on-linux
------------------------------
Message-ID: <1733069.J8Uh0yl9dV@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] New Development Release of GNOME, Miro 1.1 (Formerly Democracy Player)
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:32:41 +0000
GNOME 2.21.5 released
,----[ Quote ]
| This is the fifth release of the GNOME 2.21.x series, heading towards
| the stable GNOME 2.22.x release. More information about new
| development can be found here: http://live.gnome.org/RoadMap
`----
http://mail.gnome.org/archives/gnome-announce-list/2008-January/msg00067.html
Announcing Miro 1.1: Dramatically Faster BitTorrent
There are two major improvements in this update.
,----[ Quote ]
| First, we have dramatically improved performance for torrent downloading and
| we offer more settings and control (thanks to libtorrent). With this update,
| Miro is truly a powerhouse for torrent feeds, if I do say so myself. Torrents
| are still a difficult and mysterious technology for many users, despite the
| huge bandwidth savings they provide to publishers. We aim to make your
| torrent experience seamless at worst and invisible at best.
`----
http://www.getmiro.com/blog/2008/01/announcing-miro-11-dramatically-faster-bittorrent/
Related:
Miro 1.0 is Here
,----[ Quote ]
| I am incredibly excited to announce the launch of Miro 1.0.
|
| With this launch, we are ready to build a movement for truly open video.
| Weâ??re on a mission, we have a world-class product, we have an amazing
| community, and more and more open channels are being published every day.
| Itâ??s the right time. Â
`----
http://www.getmiro.com/blog/2007/11/miro-10-is-here/
Mozilla gives $100K grant to Democracy makers
,----[ Quote ]
| Mozilla has announced that a $100K has been approved for the
| Participatory Culture Foundation, a Massachusetts-based
| non-profit that aims to make "watching internet video channels [..] as easy
| as watching TV and broadcasting a channel...
`----
http://mozillalinks.org/wp/2007/05/mozilla-gives-100k-grant-to-democracy-makers/
Watch online video? Get Miro
,----[ Quote ]
| In short, Miro makes it so much easier to find and to get video content that
| you won't want to switch to another app just to watch it.
`----
http://www.linux.com/feature/118379
Miro (Democracy Player) for Linux Reviewed
,----[ Quote ]
| At the end of the day, Miro has been one of my favourite methods of
| downloading, maintaining and enjoying user created content. It's been a
| source of joy and discovery for me personally, and I only wish to see them
| gain a better focus on their future direction. Remember, non-profits can
| indeed, generate a profit. It's just a matter of reinvesting those funds into
| the project to better see through the mission of the group as a whole.
`----
http://www.madpenguin.org/cms/?m=show&id=8026
Democracy Player 0.9.6 Released - Last version ever! (before name change)
,----[ Quote ]
| We have just released version 0.9.6 of Democracy Player.
`----
http://www.getdemocracy.com/news/2007/06/democracy-player-096-released-last-version-ever-before-name-change/
http://tinyurl.com/2x6ae2
------------------------------
Message-ID: <1231952.fcmTBNnCIh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] PS3 GNU/Linux Without the Installation!
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:36:34 +0000
PS3 Megabox Homebrew Project Is Linux For Commitment-Phobes
,----[ Quote ]
| A modification of open source software Freevo, Megabox brings VOIP, P2P,
| Firefox, 3D Linux gaming, TV recording (not sure how on this one), and
| emulationâ??as well as plenty of other features. Essentially, it's Linux
| without the install, reskinned with a neat media centre interface. The price
| is right (free) so we'll give this a try and tell you what we think.
`----
http://kotaku.com/346073/ps3-megabox-homebrew-project-is-linux-for-commitment+phobes
Access to the full capacity of the Cell seems near too (links at the very
bottom).
Is it games or Blu-Ray driving the PS3 resurgence?
,----[ Quote ]
| Having over 9 million PS3â??s sitting in the worldâ??s living rooms gives Blu-Ray
| obvious penetration numbers to throw on the desk of Studio cigar chomping
| suits. It is easy to make a convincing argument that this, along with
| arguable movie sales themselves may have been the catalyst for Warner to jump
| ship to the Blu-Ray camp.
`----
http://www.itwire.com/content/view/16156/1093/
Last week:
PS3 production cost halved
,----[ Quote ]
| While the Playstation 3 cost Sony somewhere around $800 a console to build
| when it was launched in November 2006, Sony has told Business Week that the
| PS3 now costs about $400 to produce - which is similar to the RRP of the new
| 40GB SKU. Â
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/01/14/ps3-production-cost-halved
StreamMyGame launches Linux player ; Play PC games on your PS3
,----[ Quote ]
| StreamMyGame.com announced today the release of its free Linux Player, an
| application that enables you to play any PC game via a PlayStation 3 running
| Linux.
`----
http://www.kdcstaffs.com/it/main_view.php?nNum=4721&page=&part=Real-Time
Related:
PS3 tops Wii in Japan for first time
,----[ Quote ]
| Sony Corp's (6758.T) PlayStation 3 outsold Nintendo Co Ltd's (7974.OS) Wii
| game console in Japan in November for the first time, raising the prospect
| that Sony might regain its dominance in the global videogame market. Â
`----
http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-30766820071130
PS3 overtakes Wii in Japan
,----[ Quote ]
| Some 55,924 PS3s were purchased in the week ending 11 November, compared to
| 34,456 Wiis and just 5817 Xbox 360s. Clearly, the Halo 3 effect and
| Microsoft's price cut have done their work.
`----
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/11/16/japan_wii_ps3_sales/
Price cut boosts PlayStation 3 sales
,----[ Quote ]
| U.S. sales of the PlayStation 3 more than doubled in the weeks after the
| company slashed the video game console's price $100 and launched a low-end
| model, Sony Corp. CEO Howard Stringer told The Associated Press Wednesday.
`----
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071115/ap_on_hi_te/sony_playstation_sales
PS3 + Linux + Firefox = Office 2.0 computing
,----[ Quote ]
| Sony and a technology site are using a conference to show off a confluence of
| next-generation, monopoly-bypassing technology: a Sony Playstation 3
| videogame console running Linux and Firefox as a foundation for
| Web-based "Office 2.0" applications.
|
| IT|Redux, a site run by blogger and tech adviser Ismael Ghalimi, is showing
| off the system at the Office 2.0 Conference in San Francisco. IT|Redux is the
| show organiser.
`----
http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9772115-1.html
PS3 available pre-installed with Linux
,----[ Quote ]
| TerraSoft is now taking direct pre-orders with no delivery
| time guarantees for a Sony PS3 pre-installed with Linux,
| priced at $650.
`----
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS7863481537.html
Astrophysicist Replaces Supercomputer with Eight PlayStation 3s
,----[ Quote ]
| The interest in the PS3 really was for two main reasons," explains Khanna, an
| assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth who
| specialises in computational astrophysics. "One of those is that Sony did
| this remarkable thing of making the PS3 an open platform, so you can in fact
| run Linux on it and it doesn't control what you do."
`----
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/news/2007/10/ps3_supercomputer
Linux petitioners want Sony to open up PS3's graphical innards
,----[ Quote ]
| Access is blocked by the Hypervisor chip so there is no chance of
| getting around it without Sony's approval. And, naturally, Sony
| doesn't want geeks producing 3D games under Linux and undermining
| its investment. It flogs the console in order to make mountains of
| wonga on the highly-priced games folk play on it.
|
| [...]
|
| So now there's a a petition online asking Sony to open up the RSX.
| It's here.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=39112
Linux 3D graphics access on PS3 found Â
,----[ Quote ]
| A method has been found to reach Linux 3D Graphics on the PS3. A number of
| hackers have clubbed together to release a draft kernel module for this along
| with a relevant Xorg driver. Â
`----
http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=23190
The hunt for HV's FIFO/Push buffer...
,----[ Quote ]
| With your separate module for GPU stuff (3D, Xorg, etc...) will we be able to
| use the kernel sources from Geoff's tree and simply get your kernel modules
| loaded in place of the fb device created by ps3fb.c and ps3fb.h ? Â
|
| Keeping in sync with Geoff's tree is something that would be beneficial for
| those also doing CELL development as it is the tree that gets a lot of work
| from IBM and SCE guys that is CELL related. Â
|
| [...]
|
| Glaurung, nice work. Busy error made FIFO hack for us :). I was sure that
| fifo setup is broken for the second context.
|
| Panajev2001a, I think that it is possibly to make totally independent kernel
| module. You will be able to install it without kernel recompilation.
`----
http://forums.ps2dev.org/viewtopic.php?t=8364&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=211
------------------------------
Message-ID: <3129687.8NV4yZqpUp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] Sun Makes Project Wonderland Open Source
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 03:01:39 +0000
INTERVIEW: A look at Sunâ??s virtual world for internal collaboration
,----[ Quote ]
| Right now, Project Wonderland is open source and people are free to use it.
| But this whole project has been more popular with people initially than we
| thought it might be. So we have started to work with business development to
| see what Sun could do for customers. Maybe we could provide hosted services,
| or even manage the service (and server) for them behind the firewall. There
| are a lot of different models to explore. But for right now, we want to get
| more people using it here internally.
`----
http://www.computingsa.co.za/article.aspx?id=682842
Related:
Jonathan Schwartz on the future of Sun
,----[ Quote ]
| After just over a year as chief executive, Jonathan Schwartz is
| moving into a new phase as the leader of Sun Microsystems.
`----
http://www.zdnet.com.au/insight/software/soa/Jonathan-Schwartz-on-the-future-of-Sun/0,139023769,339277736,00.htm
http://tinyurl.com/34qfuk
------------------------------
Message-ID: <1618977.f9KgyWL3lR@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] [Rival] More Ship Jumping at Microsoft
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:08:11 +0000
Another Microsoft manager jumps from the Live Search ship
,----[ Quote ]
| Mike Nichols, Group Programme Manager for Live Search, has resigned and is
| moving to work for Yusuf Mehdi, Senior Vice President of Strategic
| Partnerships.
|
| [...]
|
| What to make of all the recent resignations and reshufflings among the
| various Microsoft business units? Well, it is reorg season in Redmond. But on
| the Live Search side of the house, itâ??s got to be tough to keep banging your
| head against the wall and making little or no headway in growing your market
| shareâ?¦.
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1115
It's like a bigger version of Novell falling apart as only a couple of
divisions actually turn profit.
Recent:
Veteran Windows architect resigns from Microsoft
,----[ Quote ]
| On the heels of a week of news of a number of Microsoft executive departures
| and reshufflings, another has come to light. Rob Short, Corporate Vice
| President for Windows Core, has resigned from the company. Â
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1110
Juniper Networks exec to succeed Microsoft Business Division President Raikes
,----[ Quote ]
| Another reason I consider the Raikes announcement timing odd: Why announce
| Raikesâ?? departure a day after acknowledging the defection of your mergers and
| acquisitions chief Bruce Jaffe? You could make the argument that Microsoft
| wants to get all its defection/churn announcements out of the way at once.
| But Iâ??m not sure Iâ??d look at things the same way, if I were one of the
| companyâ??s â??image makersâ??â?¦. Â Â
|
| Microsoft also announced on January 10 that Bob Muglia, the Senior Vice
| President in charge of Microsoftâ??s Server and Tools Business, is going to
| move out of the Business Division and report directly to CEO Steve Ballmer. Â
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1101
Microsoft loses top executive in China
,----[ Quote ]
| "Li Gong is currently exploring other career opportunities," Microsoft said
| in a statement to News.com.
|
| [...]
|
| In a September 2005 Business Week interview, Ballmer touted Gong as
| one of several key hires that Microsoft had made.
|
| Most recently, Gong has served as managing director of Windows LiveC
| hina and as Vice President of Microsoft China R&D Group.
|
| Gong's name came up in the case over Kai-Fu Lee, the top Microsoft
| executive whose hiring by Google sparked a multistate legal battle.
`----
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6149735.html
Microsoft losing acquisition playmaker
,----[ Quote ]
| In a previous life Jaffe was the CFO for Microsoft's MSN division, and also
| had roles overseeing acquisitions related to Microsoft's consumer business,
| groups like MSNBC and Microsoft Games. Â
`----
http://www.news.com/8301-13579_3-9847376-37.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
Microsoftâ??s OEM chief defects to Lenovo
,----[ Quote ]
| While so many of us Microsoft watchers were preoccupied with the hasty
| departure of former Microsfot CIO Stuart Scott, the resignation of the
| companyâ??s OEM chief slipped right by most of us. Â
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=999
Related:
Will Microsoft Survive the Next 10 Years?
,----[ Quote ]
| I am not really an expert in this but when I read all the negative
| headlines and articles I ask myself if Microsoft really will survive
| the next 10 years.
|
| [...]
|
| I am pretty sure that the Open Source Community, the new Ubuntu,
| Google and of course Apple are those companies that are ready for
| our century and they will get more and more people that know what
| they really want.
`----
http://websquirrel.blogspot.com/2007/03/will-microsoft-survive-next-10-years.html
Microsoft Windows hardware leader takes a â??vacationâ??
,----[ Quote ]
| Veteran Softies are dropping like flies lately. The latest Microsoft exec to
| leave is Jawad Khaki, Corporate Vice President of the Windows Hardware
| Ecosystem. Â
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1002
Danny Thorpe quits the Windows Live development team
,----[ Quote ]
| Danny Thorpe, one of the higher-profile hires Microsoft made to its Windows
| Live team, has decided to leave for greener pastures.
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=806
Microsoftâ??s open source chief takes on Windows server marketing
,----[ Quote ]
| The change comes amid a long-building storm that exploded in May, when the
| company said that Linux violates 235 Microsoft patents.
`----
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/100807-microsoft-open-source-windows-server.html
Microsoft says Zune executive will leave company
,----[ Quote ]
| Bryan Lee, corporate vice president at Microsoft's entertainment
| and devices division, also played a key role in shaping the Xbox
| game console business and the introduction of its Internet
| Protocol television software.
`----
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6155200.html
Yet another Microsoft search exec calls it quits
,----[ Quote ]
| In March, Blake Irving, the Corporate VP in charge of the Windows
| Live platform, announced his plans to leave Microsoft, effective
| this summer. Payne announced his resignation from Microsoft shortly
| after Irving made his announcement.
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=407
at least no chairs were thrownâ?¦
,----[ Quote ]
| A friend of mine was walked out of Microsoft today.
|
| Iâ??m not talking about Stuart Scott, the now former Microsoft CIO who was
| canned for â??violating company policies.â?? No, another friend decided to leave
| the MSN Live Search team and join Google Kirkland. Â
`----
http://selberg.org/2007/11/06/at-least-no-chairs-were-thrown/
Another Microsoft Search reorg: Shum now leads engineering
,----[ Quote ]
| That same month, Windows Live Platform VP Blake Irving resigned, as did Chris
| Payne. the Corporate Vice President in charge of Windows Live Search.
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=927
Former Microsoft Search Chief Bill Bliss On Early Search Missteps
,----[ Quote ]
| Bill's biggest regret? Not bypassing middle management that wasn't
| listening to him scream about the coming threat of Google and going
| right up to Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer.
`----
http://searchengineland.com/070309-094930.php
Microsoft Search Leader To Leave Company
,----[ Quote ]
| The Microsoft Corp. vice president who led the company's push into
| Internet search is leaving the software giant as the effort he
| helped launch loses ground against lead competitor Google Inc.
`----
http://online.wsj.com/preview_login.html?url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB117329976478329930.html%3Fmod%3Dyahoo_hs%26ru%3Dyahoo
http://tinyurl.com/2jran7
Microsoft Businesss Solutions Group's Burgum to resign
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft Corp.'s Business Solutions group senior vice president Doug
| Burgum will resign, effective June 30, and leave the company to pursue
| other opportunities, the company said on Tuesday.
`----
http://yahoo.reuters.com/news/articlehybrid.aspx?storyID=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20060912:MTFH70760_2006-09-12_16-35-37_N9C318839&type=comktNews&rpc=44
http://tinyurl.com/h4coe
Database head to leave daily duties at Microsoft
,----[ Quote ]
| Paul Flessner, who leads Microsoft's data storage and platform
| division, will step down from his daily duties after the new year.
`----
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-6131496.html
XBLA's Ross Erickson leaves Microsoft, heads over to Sierra Online
,----[ Quote ]
| Of course, this follows XBLA General Manager Greg Canessa's
| departure a couple weeks back. While having two of the most
| senior Xbox Live Arcade execs jump ship in a two week time
| span after a particularly long string of subpar Wednesdays
| -- nothing, Ms. Pac-Man, Lumines add-on, nothing, Root Beer
| Tapper, Paperboy, nothing -- might seem to imply certain
| disaster, Ross insisted that he and Greg's decided to
| leave under entirely different circumstances.
`----
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/20/xblas-ross-erickson-leaves-microsoft-heads-over-to-sierra-onli/
http://tinyurl.com/25s6he
XBLA main man jumps ship
,----[ Quote ]
| In somewhat surprising news, Greg Canessa, the big guy behind
| Xbox Live Arcade, has left the Microsoft compound for PopCap Games.
`----
http://www.destructoid.com/xbla-main-man-jumps-ship-29716.phtml
Microsoft Windows Live VP to resign
,----[ Quote ]
| Blake Irving, a Corporate Vice President in Microsoft's Windows
| Live Platform group, is resigning his post, according to sources
| close to the company.
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=296
Evangelist Gartenberg back to being analyst
,----[ Quote ]
| After only three weeks at Microsoft as an "evangelist," Michael
| Gartenberg is returning to his old job as vice president and
| research director at JupiterResearch.
`----
http://news.com.com/2061-10805_3-6165381.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-20&subj=news
------------------------------
Message-ID: <3952482.k3ujqXpA3U@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] More Wins for Linux-based WiFi, Embedded Linux
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:10:47 +0000
Linux phone stack gains predictive typing option
,----[ Quote ]
| Trolltech has agreed to resell Zi Corporation's predictive typing and
| auto-correction software for mobile devices with full hardware or software
| keyboards. The eZiType stack will be available pre-integrated with Qtopia
| Phone Edition (QPE), through Trolltech's Greensuite third-party ecosystem,
| Trolltech said.
`----
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS3627055734.html
Linux WiFi array certified FIPS 140-2
,----[ Quote ]
| A provider of Linux-based WiFi arrays announced certification by the National
| Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST). The cyptographic module in
| Xirrus's 802.11a/b/g-compliant "WiFi Arrays" has received Federal Information
| Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 validation, says the company, opening the
| door to more U.S. government markets.
`----
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS6580015724.html
Related:
The FCC, FOSS, and software radios: a mixed bag
,----[ Quote ]
| After studying the new rules -- published in the Federal Register last month
| and taking effect today -- the SFLC concluded that the laws are not
| FOSS-restrictive because they "apply to hardware manufacturers who distribute
| SDR devices, regardless if they use FOSS in them or not." And the Centre says
| that since the rules specifically mention the GNU/Linux operating system, the
| FCC is actually acknowledging the importance of open source.
`----
http://www.linux.com/feature/116769
FCC ignores more than 100 years of wisdom
,----[ Quote ]
| In 1883 French cryptographer Auguste Kerckhoffs published a set of six
| design principles for military encryption systems. The second of these
| principles is generally known today under the observation that security
| through obscurity is not security. The Federal Communications Commission
| (FCC) seems not to have read the history books or to be aware of how its
| sister federal agencies develop security standards....
`----
http://www.infoworld.nl/idgns/bericht.phtml?id=002570DE00740E1800257313005EC092
Is The FCC Blocking Wireless Competition?
,----[ Quote ]
| With the nationwide expansion of fibre-optic wiring and digital delivery at
| the turn of the century, the federal government reclaimed and is still
| reclaiming large amounts of spectrum.
`----
http://www.webpronews.com/insiderreports/2007/09/07/is-the-fcc-blocking-wireless-competition
The Spectrum Swindle
,----[ Quote ]
| This is not a call for a privatisation or reformation of the FCC; it is a
| recommendation for its abolition.[20] Along with alternative arbitration
| venues, the current court system could handle any disputes arising from this
| action.[21]
|
| The FCC should not be in the business of gerrymandering the electromagnetic
| spectrum; rather, it should be left to private firms to homestead the
| infinitesimal frequencies and solve any and all problems in courts: just like
| property disputes on parcels of land.
|
| The FCC sells something it neither created nor homesteaded and has
| historically been found incompetent at managing. Worse, it has necessarily
| been partisan in its actions. In addition, the Treasury Department (through
| the FCC) stands to make billions of dollars for something they never made,
| never homesteaded, and have shown gross incompetence at managing. And yet, in
| January, they will both make out like bandits.
`----
http://www.mises.org/story/2815
Is FCC destroying the open Internet?
,----[ Quote ]
| The fact of a shared monopoly is, in many places, just that â?? a fact. When
| carriers are given an exclusive right to provide service on lines they â??own,â??
| the public network-of-networks becomes merely a private network.
|
| Such monopolies, whether public or private, provide enormous temptation for
| mischief. No matter how good the motives of those who create such temptation,
| it follows as night does day that others with less pure motives will follow
| them.
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=1737
------------------------------
Message-ID: <1641023.vQJCMtVj0g@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] [Rival] Microsoft Keeps Hush-hush About Stuart Scott's Misconduct
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:14:23 +0000
Microsoft replaces one Scott with another as CIO
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoftâ??s former CIO, Stuart Scott, was terminated for violating company
| policies in November.
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1118
Quote for the day:
"The core of this trial is consumer choice and the premise is that consumers
ought to make that decision, not Microsoft. Microsoftâ??s argument that says
Java would have died anyway is a little bit like saying if somebody shoots you
they can defend [themselves] by saying you have cancer."
--David Boies, lead trial attorney DOJ
[ For using BSD, or for bribing OOXML voters? Ed. ]
Related:
Ecuador Tax Agency Closes Microsoft Branch Offices For 7 Days
,----[ Quote ]
| "We have twice requested balances, payment reports and complete tax
| information, but the company hasn't given it to us, so in accordance with our
| laws we have proceeded with the closure," the SRI official in charge of the
| proceeding said. Â
`----
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200710041610DOWJONESDJONLINE000810_FORTUNE5.htm
Microsoft Office raid in Hungary
,----[ Quote ]
| "Such behaviour could lead to the exclusion of competitive products from
| the market and violate European Union rules, according to the authority
| known as the GVH."
`----
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/07/26/ap3957835.html
Microsoft exec dumped stock prior to Red Ring announcement
,----[ Quote ]
| To make matters more murky, the sales were not registered with the Securities
| and Exchange Commission within the mandatory two days of the transaction, a
| result of an alleged "administrative error." Microsoft has since remedied the
| issue by following the "procedures required of late-filers."
`----
http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2007/08/14/microsoft-exec-dumped-stocks-prior-to-red-ring-addresment
Microsoft's Bach sold more stock before Xbox news
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft Corp. executive Robbie Bach sold $3 million more in company stock
| during the period leading up to an announcement about a costly flaw in its
| Xbox video game console than previously reported, according to a filing
| Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
`----
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/microsofts-bach-sold-additional-stock/story.aspx?guid=%7BBECA3A50-EF33-4161-A111-A43BDC8B0462%7D&siteid=yhoof
Wis. Bill to Require Tax Loophole Data
,----[ Quote ]
| Wisconsin Bill Would Require More Reporting on Tax Loopholes
|
| [...]
|
| A message left with Microsoft was not immediately returned.
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/071219/wi_corporate_taxes.html?.v=4
Microsoftâ??s Club Live fiasco
,----[ Quote ]
| People were using the macro on more than 3 games at a time, on more than 2
| accounts at a time, why Microsoft didnâ??t pick up on the fact that in the
| first few days some people had accumulated enough for 3 Zunes each is beyond
| us. Some were lucky, others, not so much. Â
|
| [...]
|
| So far no one has been banned from using their accounts, which they needed to
| sign up, probably because they did not break any laws, or probably because
| Microsoft didnâ??t want that hassle and liked their new found traffic. Â
`----
http://www.blogthe.net/2007/07/16/microsofts-club-live-fiasco/
Open Source Fights Back
,----[ Quote ]
| Question: The OpenSourceParking.com announcement cites a Netcraft
| report, which found that GoDaddy.com's migration from Linux to Windows
| caused Apache to lose server share. Was this event the sole impetus
| for OpenSourceParking.com?
|
| Perens: Not the first. It's part of a continuing behaviour pattern by
| Microsoft that I think it's fair to call "dirty fighting." GoDaddy was
| using Apache (I assume on Linux) because it was a great technical
| solution. They didn't switch to IIS on Windows Server 2003 for any
| technical reason. The switch was accompanied by a press release by
| GoDaddy, containing Microsoft promotional language. Now, I've changed
| many servers from one thing to another, but I've never made a press
| release about it. GoDaddy wouldn't be doing that unless Microsoft had
| offered them something valuable in return. There has been talk in the
| domain business that Microsoft has been offering the large domain
| registries a wad of cash to switch their parked sites. There is no
| other reason to do this than to influence the Netcraft figures.
`----
http://www.itbusinessedge.com/item/?ci=15108
MS dirty tricks archive trickles back to life
,----[ Quote ]
| The 3,000 document archive from the Comes antitrust trial, which
| disappeared from the web abruptly when Microsoft settled the case last
| week, is beginning to trickle back into view.
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/21/microsoft_archive_not_lost/
------------------------------
Message-ID: <2294330.azKmzZh9bY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] [OT] Political Censor (AT&T) Increases Internet Filtering
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:21:35 +0000
Should AT&T police the Internet?
,----[ Quote ]
| A decade after the government said that AT&T and other service providers
| don't have to police their networks for pirated content, the
| telecommunications giant is voluntarily looking for ways to play traffic cop.
`----
http://www.news.com/Should-ATT-police-the-Internet/2100-1034_3-6226523.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-20&subj=news
[ ISPs and Vendors are not police. Ed. ]
Related:
AT&T admits it censored other bands
,----[ Quote
| It looks like Pearl Jam isn't the only band that has had its politically
| charged comments bleeped from concerts streamed from AT&T's Blue Room Web
| site.
|
| [...]
|
| AT&T quickly apologised for the incident and blamed the company that handles
| the Webcasting for performances on Blue Room.
`----
http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9759184-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
Customers can sue AT&T, after all
,----[ Quote ]
| A federal court in San Francisco has decided that AT&T's wireless contract
| is "unconscionable".
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/08/20/court_slames_att_wireless_contract_clause/
AT&T takes another step towards filtered network with investment in Vobile
,----[ Quote ]
| AT&T announced earlier this year that was planning to introduce content
| filtering of some sort for all video passing across its network. Exactly what
| AT&T was thinking remained unclear: would the company truly attempt to
| reassemble the fragments of peer-to-peer transmissions, then extract video
| from all sorts of different codecs, then attempt to match it-in real time-to
| some database of copyrighted works? Would such a thing even be possible?
`----
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071114-att-takes-another-step-towards-filtered-network-with-investment-in-vobile.html
http://tinyurl.com/3a998z
When Networks Collide: AT&T suddenly doesn't like Apple so much.
,----[ Quote ]
| What I believe is troubling the relationship between AT&T and Apple is the
| upcoming auction for 700-MHz wireless spectrum and AT&T's discovery that --
| as I have predicted for weeks -- Apple will be joining Google in bidding.
| AT&T thought its five-year "exclusive" iPhone agreement with Apple would have
| precluded such a bid, but that just shows how poorly Randall Stephenson
| understood Steve Jobs. Steve always hurts his friends to see how much they
| really love him, so AT&T probably should have expected this kind of corporate
| body blow.
`----
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2007/pulpit_20071129_003521.html
Hey, AT&T, What's the Value of a Closed Network Again?
,----[ Quote ]
| Closed networks, its proponents maintain, offer a trade-off. Individuals or
| outside developers can't make any changes or improvements to it. But since
| the network and its applications are controlled at a single source,
| individuals are supposed to get an easier experience in which they don't have
| to think about the network, just what they're doing on it. Trust the network.
`----
http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2007/11/hey_att_whats_t.html
How AT&T chewed up, and spat out Net Neutrality
,----[ Quote ]
| In an interview with Business Week in October 2005, Whitacre said
| he thought taking over BellSouth would be rejected by the FCC.
| He also made another memorable comment that began the process
| which culminated in the FCC's approval in December.
`----
http://www.theregister.com/2007/01/10/whitacre_wins_big/
------------------------------
Message-ID: <1656816.mnckJGLrI4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] More Low-cost Laptops Come to India with GNU/Linux
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:24:37 +0000
Intel's Classmate PC Goes on Sale in India
,----[ Quote ]
| The MiLeap X, which runs a version of the Linux operating system, will go on
| sale in India on Jan. 26.
`----
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/141445/intels_classmate_pc_goes_on_sale_in_india.html
Sadly, it's the criminals at Intel that benefit from this. They fought to kill
a charity. Maybe they are even proud, but they continue to do damage control
with media 'placements'. An Intel executive has just _published an article_ in
the WSJ. Why not OLPC? Abuse of corporate power to rewrite history...
Related:
Intel: doing the dirty on OLPC
,----[ Quote ]
| Intelâ??s agreement with the OLPC Foundation included a â??non disparagementâ??
| clause, under which Intel and One Laptop promised not to criticise each
| other, according to Nicholas Negroponte in the latest article in the Wall
| Street Journal.
|
| Still Intel tactics have violated that repeatedly to kill OLPC efforts in
| Nigeria, Libya, Pakistan, India, China and Intel is also still trying to pull
| those tactics in Mexico, Brazil.
| This is simply disgracefull of Intel, scandalous.
|
| But Negroponte has signed an agreement saying that he is not allowed to
| criticise Intel, so he is not allowed to talk about these shameless tactics
| even though Intel is the one violating the agreement.
|
| So only independant voices on the Internet can get those messages of truth
| out about Intels tactics.
|
| In Nigeria, Intel came and donated 3000 laptops to counter OLPC efforts, then
| sells 17 thousand Classmates to Nigeria at a loss.
|
| Then Microsoft corrupted Nigerian officials with 400 thousand dollars to
| install Windows XP on those instead of Mandriva Linux.
`----
http://www.p2pnet.net/story/14124
Laptop-Project Founder Faults Intel
,----[ Quote ]
| Oscar Becerra Tresierra, general director for educational technology at
| Peru's Ministry of Education, says that after the country recently agreed to
| buy 272,500 OLPC laptops for primary-school students, an Intel sales
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ^^^^^^^^^^^
| representative tried "to scare us" by claiming the machines and their power
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| adapters didn't work. "I don't feel very happy about it," he said. "We Â
| wouldn't like the project to fail because somebody is spreading gossip about
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| the machines that doesn't turn out to be true." Â Â
`----
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119948070480568405.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Laptop Project Blames Intel for Breakup
,----[ Quote ]
| Negroponte said Intel even tried to undo a deal One Laptop had already sealed
| in Peru by citing flaws in the One Laptop "XO" machine and telling government
| ministers "we ought to know, because we are on the board." Such hostile
| comments were prohibited, Negroponte claimed, under the July peace treaty
| that brought Intel into the One Laptop Per Child camp. Â Â
|
| "I want to say we tried, but it was never a partnership," Negroponte
| said. "There's not one single thing in their contract or agreement that they
| lived up to." Â
`----
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hXa0O9XLMsWfaqt-sI9FqFy2IewgD8TVAD7OA
Poor Kids' Laptop Cranks Up
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates earlier this year told the Microsoft
| Government Leaders Forum, "Geez, get a decent computer where you can
| actually read the text and you?re not sitting there cranking the thing
| while you're trying to type" (see Bill Gates Mocks $100 Laptop).
`----
http://www.redherring.com/article.aspx?a=17302
One Laptop Per Child - Production Delays Caused By Microsoft, Intel?
,----[ Quote ]
| I sincerely hope that no matter what the people who are running the
| OLPC project decide, that their project will continue and not get
| bogged down in a play of corporate greed and ambitions.
`----
http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/2007/04/28/one-laptop-per-child-production-delays-caused-by-microsoft-intel/
Negroponte says Intel should be "ashamed of itself"
,----[ Quote ]
| He is furious that Intel's CEO Craig Barrett called the One Laptop a
| gadget. The Negroponte initiative is caught in the middle of a vicious
| fight between AMD and Intel, he said.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=39733
,----[ Quote ]
| That software effort does not have the support of Mr. Otellini, who
| is concerned about incurring Microsoft's wrath, the executive said.
| The two companies have a long history of tension over who controls
| the hardware and software direction of the "Wintel standard." Intel
| has said it is supporting both operating systems.
`----
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/16/technology/16chip.html?ex=1177560000&en=2ef52cee6b1fb0e3&ei=5099&partner=TOPIXNEWS
Lessons from Africa: How to Kill Your Own FUD
,----[ Quote ]
| So, even as Microsoft claims superior quality over Linux, they act as if they
| don't even buy their own FUD. If they really believed that Windows was
| superior to Linux, they wouldn't have to bribe people with â??marketing helpâ??
| to get them to choose Windows. Â
`----
http://www.linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2007-11-09-030-26-OP-MD-MS
Linux wins Nigerian school desktops back from Microsoft
,----[ Quote ]
| "We are sticking with that platform," said the official, who would not give
| his name.
`----
http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/government-law/public-sector/news/index.cfm?newsid=6124
http://tinyurl.com/27ycq9
[Mandriva CEO:] An open letter to Steve Ballmer
,----[ Quote ]
| Wow! Iâ??m impressed, Steve! What have you done for these guys to change their
| mind like this? Itâ??s pretty clear to me, and it will be clear to everyone.
| How do you call what you just did Steve, in the place where you live? In my
| place, they give it various names, Iâ??m sure you know them. Â
|
| Hey Steve, how do you feel looking at yourself in the mirror in the morning?
|
| Of course, I will keep fighting this one and the next one, and the next one.
| You have the money, the power, and maybe we have a different sense of ethics
| you and I, but I believe that hard work, good technology and ethics can win
| too. Â
`----
http://blog.mandriva.com/2007/10/31/an-open-letter-to-steve-ballmer/
Not Such a Harsh Toke, Actually
,----[ Quote ]
| This is socially, economically, politically and otherwise innovative. It is
| good for democracy too in some of the few remaining places that good thing is
| having trouble getting hold. We regard that thing too lightly, I fear. Â
|
| The Gates | Otellini axis directly hurts us deeply. To me, it is a
| particularly American shame.
`----
http://fussnotes.typepad.com/plexnex/2007/11/not-such-a-hars.html
Intel slapped with new antitrust investigation
,----[ Quote ]
| New York state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has launched an antitrust
| investigation of Intel, after his office served a wide-ranging subpoena on
| the chip giant. Â
|
| Cuomo is investigating whether Intel violated state and federal antitrust
| laws by coercing customers to exclude its main rival, Advanced Micro Devices
| (AMD), from the worldwide market for PC central processing units (CPUs),
| Cuomo said in a news release. Â
|
| The subpoena seeks information on Intel's pricing practices and possible
| attempts to exclude competitors through its market power, Cuomo's office
| said. Â
`----
http://www.techworld.com/opsys/news/index.cfm?newsID=11099&pagtype=all
US antitrust group urges Intel investigation
,----[ Quote ]
| The American Antitrust Institute (AAI), a Washington DC lobby group, has
| written an open letter to the Federal Trade Commission urging an
| investigation of Intel's allegedly monopolistic business practices. Â
|
| [...]
|
| AAI say its insistence of an investigation is based on allegations by AMD in
| a private case and information obtained by the EC's complaint, which have not
| been made public Â
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/08/30/aai_wants_intel_probe_expansion/
Intel urged to give more data on flash unit deal
,----[ Quote ]
| ...U.S. Federal Trade Commission has requested additional information on the
| company's deal with STMicroelectronics...
`----
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUKWNAS317820070830?rpc=44
The Fight for Fair and Open Competition
,----[ Quote ]
| AMD is an undisputed technology and innovation leader.
|
| However, Intel's abusive, illegal monopolistic behaviour is preventing
| businesses and consumers alike from choosing freely between AMD and Intel Â
| products.
`----
http://breakfree.amd.com/en-us/antitrust.aspx
EC says Intel influenced bids for computer projects
,----[ Quote ]
| The third type of allegation, however, was new, and sounded like a variety of
| predatory pricing. â??In the context of bids against AMD-based products for
| strategic customers in the server segment of the market,â?? the commission
| press release said, â??Intel has offered CPUs on average below cost.â?? Â
`----
http://legalpad.blogs.fortune.com/2007/08/03/ec-says-intel-influenced-bids-for-computer-projects/
Negroponte says Intel should be "ashamed of itself"
,----[ Quote ]
| He is furious that Intel's CEO Craig Barrett called the One Laptop a
| gadget. The Negroponte initiative is caught in the middle of a vicious
| fight between AMD and Intel, he said.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=39733
AMD chief condemns Intel 'abuses'
,----[ Quote ]
| In 2005, after the Japan Fair Trade Commission found Intel guilty of
| offering illegal rebates to Japanese PC makers, AMD filed an anti-trust
| suit against its competitor in the U.S. District Court in Delaware. The
| case has not been decided.
`----
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2007/06/21/amd_ceo_condemns_intel_abuses/
AMD: Intel Destroyed Evidence in Antitrust Case
,----[ Quote ]
| In an unpublished statement to the U.S. District Court of Delaware,
| AMD alleges Intel allowed the destruction of evidence in pending
| antitrust litigation.
`----
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=6352
Video: Henri Richard comes out swinging at Intel during AMD press conference
,----[ Quote ]
| [AMD's Henri Richard:] "I am sick and tired of being pushed around
| by a competitor that doesn't respect the rules of fair and open
| competition."
`----
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Berlind/?p=363
Investors sue Dell on payments from Intel: WSJ
,----[ Quote ]
| An investor lawsuit seeking class-action status accuses Dell Inc. of
| improper accounting in its relationship with chip giant Intel,
| according to a media report published Thursday evening.
|
| [...]
|
| The suit alleges that Dell received at times as much as $1 billion
| a year in "secret and likely illegal" kickbacks in the form of
| "e-Cap" or "exception to corporate average pricing" payments"
| from Intel to ensure that Dell used no other chip supplier,
| according to The Journal.
`----
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/investors-sue-dell-payments-intel/story.aspx?guid=%7B400315B0%2DE375%2D4920%2DB300%2D784220BEFE35%7D&siteid=yhoo&dist=yhoo
Lenovo got financial help from Intel, claim
,----[ Quote ]
| Journalists on the title said Lenovo is being paid a "pretty
| penny" from Intel to use its chips.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37670
,----[ Quote ]
| In 2005, a unit of Shenzhen Donjin countersued, saying Intel engaged
| in monopolistic practices.
`----
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070514/china_intel_settlement.html?.v=7
Intel's anti-trust memos started vanishing from the top
,----[ Quote ]
| Chairman Craig Barrett, CEO Paul Otellini and sales chief Sean Maloney
| have appeared on a list of Intel employees thought to have deleted
| e-mails possibly relevant to AMD's anti-trust lawsuit against its
| larger rival. The missing e-mails have thrust a livid state of mind
| onto AMD's lawyers who have very serious problems with Intel's
| rather lax document retention policy.
|
| [...]
|
| CEO Otellini appears to have been one of these troublesome employees.
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/11/intel_tortellini_episode/
------------------------------
Message-ID: <6492917.M2jW00nbuv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] US Government Might Abandon Old Desktop Paradigm
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:25:34 +0000
US OMB pushes for software as a service
,----[ Quote ]
| A top official with the U.S. White House's Office of Management and Budget
| (OMB) gave her strongest endorsement yet to software as a service, saying
| Wednesday it can help federal agencies cut development costs.
`----
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/17/AR2008011701046.html
Related:
FAA May Ditch Microsoft's Windows Vista And Office For Google And Linux Combo
,----[ Quote ]
| Bowen said he's in talks with the aviation safety agency's main
| hardware supplier, Dell Computer, to determine if it could
| deliver Linux-based computers capable of accessing Google
| Apps through a non-Microsoft browser once the FAA's XP-based
| computers pass their shelf life.
`----
http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=197800480
Can Google and Linux Topple Microsoft?
,----[ Quote ]
| The story had a certain flair. In early March, the chief information
| officer of the Federal Aviation Administration, David Bowen, was
| reportedly considering forsaking Microsoft Windows and Office in
| favour of the Linux operating system and the Web-based Google Apps
| Premium office suite.
`----
http://www.linuxinsider.com/rsstory/57534.html
------------------------------
Message-ID: <2647609.9podWtPSzP@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [News] [Rival] Microsoft OOXML Manipulation/Fraud in Croatia (Again!)
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 08:27:53 +0000
Microsoft trying to delay ODF adoption in Croatia
,----[ Quote ]
| In April 2007. Office for e-Croatia (governmental body responsible for all
| things e-related) proposed introduction of ODF format as a national standard.
|
| [...]
|
| However, in this particular case, Microsoft announced objections shortly
| before the deadline, thus delaying the resolution of the proposal, and maybe
| even forcing rejection of the proposal. Due to the secrecy that shrouds the
| work of CSI, I can't tell what the objections are, nor whether Microsoft has
| majority of its business partners as members of the panel (although it is
| very likely so), but the last minute objections are confirmed.
|
| [...]
|
| Even if things don't turn out that way, there's the possibility that
| Microsoft might force OOXML acceptance by sheer voting power within the
| panel, although I believe that in the case of OOXML failing ISO approval,
| Microsoft would not dare to display such power over entire nation, at least
| not while in the limelight.
|
| [...]
|
| What does, however, is the fact that Microsoft and business partners are
| clearly abusing CSI panel for their own selfish interests, where they as
| members should think only of the benefit for the people of Croatia.
`----
http://www.oddparity.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28&Itemid=1
Related:
Digitally Free Schools
,----[ Quote ]
| Marco Fioretti started new personal initiative which will hopefully make lots
| of parents and teachers understand why they cannot ignore FOSS and Free
| Culture anymore in the interest of their own children. He's going to publish
| a directory of Digitally Free Schools, that all parents may check when
| choosing a new school for their children. Â Â
`----
http://kost.com.hr/blog/index.php?title=digitally_free_schools&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
Croatian government defined open source policy
,----[ Quote ]
| Today, Croatian goverment specified how to handle open source in
| government offices, ministries and agencies. Document is called Open
| source policy and it gives good push to open source implementation
| in government bodies.
`----
http://kost.com.hr/blog/index.php?title=croatian_government_defined_open_source_&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
Croatian government adopts free software policy
,----[ Quote ]
| Basically it feels that proprietary software leads to too much dependence on
| suppliers, which can damage the market competition.
`----
|
