News


Google Shuts Hole in Desktop Product

A potentially devastating hole in Google Inc.'s prevalent desktop search product could have exposed personal files on users' computers to data thieves.

Hewlett-Packard Q1 Earns Rise 26 Percent

The company said it earned $1.55 billion, or 55 cents per share, for the quarter ended Jan. 31.

Man Sues IBM Over Chat Room Firing

A man who was fired by IBM for visiting an adult chat room at work is suing the company for $5 million, claiming he is an Internet addict who deserves treatment and sympathy rather than dismissal.

Conn. State Workers' Info Ends Up on Web

More than 1,700 state workers recently learned that some of their personal information, including their names and Social Security numbers, had been inadvertently posted on the Internet.

MS Ships SQL Server 2005 SP2

Microsoft announced Monday it is shipping Service Pack 2, or SP2, of SQL Server 2005 -- an update that brings its premier database server current with features in Windows Vista and Office 2007.

Cisco Extends iPhone Talks With Apple

Apple Inc. has another week to respond to Cisco Systems Inc.'s trademark infringement lawsuit that threatens to keep Apple from using the name "iPhone" on its much-hyped cell phone-music player.

New Zero-Day Word Vulnerability Surfaces

Microsoft Corp. might have patched the most glaring vulnerabilities in its Word productivity program, but that doesn't mean Word is now airtight. Redmond last week warned of still another Word zero-day vulnerability that affects Office 2000 and Office XP.

Cuba Embraces Open Source Software

Cuba's communist government is trying to shake off the yoke of at least one capitalist empire -- Microsoft Corp. -- by joining with socialist Venezuela in converting its computers to open-source software.

Conn. State Workers' Info Ends Up on Web

More than 1,700 state workers recently learned that some of their personal information had been inadvertently posted on the Internet.

Malaysia Raids Illegal Software Sellers

Malaysian authorities have begun raiding computer retail outlets offering pirated software amid concerns that illegal copies of Windows Vista are already on sale.

Scientists Dubious of Quantum Computing Claims

Quantum computing is such an elusive goal that even the company claiming to have the "world's first commercial quantum computer" acknowledged it isn't entirely sure the machine is performing true quantum calculations.

Dust Swirls Over Office Open XML Complaints

Mom, they're arguing again.

Russian Court Dismisses Microsoft Piracy Case

A Russian court on Thursday threw out a criminal case against a school principal accused of installing pirated Microsoft software in school computers, calling the prosecution's case "trivial," a court official said.

Microsoft Releases SaaS Sample App

For those who are interested in Microsoft's plans for software as a service (SaaS), the company has published a sample application illustrating how it's done.

Vista Exams Go Back to Beta Testing

Microsoft delays release of some of its new-generation MCP exams for Vista in favor of retesting; exam 70-624 gets a Valentine's Day debut.

Penn State Researchers ID Worms by Speed

Worms being identified on systems based on speed of proliferation, which in turn is allowing easier containment, say university researchers.

FTC Urged To Boost Internet Oversight

Consumer advocates on Tuesday said federal regulators need to increase oversight of telephone and cable companies that offer Internet access to ensure they aren't discriminating against certain providers of video and other Web content.

Vista Sees Early Sales Surge

There isn't much data yet on early sales of Windows Vista, but from what there is it appears that the new system is off and running.

IBM Details Memory Advance for Chips

IBM has devised a way to triple the amount of memory stored on computer chips and double the performance of data-hungry processors by replacing a problematic type of memory with a variety that uses much less space on the slice of silicon.

Time Change to Bring Computer Glitches

For three weeks this March and April, Microsoft Corp. warns that users of its calendar programs "should view any appointments ... as suspect until they communicate with all meeting invitees." Wow, that's sort of jarring -- is something treacherous afoot?