Firefox, Take 3

Firefox 2.0 is pretty cool -- not quite amazing, and I find some of the basics like navigating and creating bookmarks clunky. But I love that it can print perfectly without needing to click the printer-friendly option. (Ever try to print from Microsoft.com without using printer-friendly? It's a disaster, Fay!)

Maybe I'll be more bowled over by Firefox 3.0, which is now in alpha (just the fact that Mozilla doesn't invent new terms for alphas and betas is enough reason to use Firefox).

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Posted by Doug Barney on December 18, 20060 comments


You Look Marvelous

When I steal an idea, I admit it (unlike Dilbert's Scott Adams, who hasn't come clean for stealing my Bill Gates for president proposal!), so this next item was lifted directly from Bob Brown, a former colleague and executive editor of Network World .

Bob discovered a wacky new site where you upload your photo and learn what celebs you look like. Bob, a world record-holder in the yo-yo and former national toboggan competitor, ran Bill Gates (who looks like Placido Domingo) and Steve Ballmer (who resembles Michael Moore) through the process, along with a host of other vendor execs.

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Posted by Doug Barney on December 18, 20060 comments


Patches Galore, Even Visual Studio Gets One

As we mentioned Monday, Patch Tuesday is this week. If you haven't started plugging the latest holes, you're a day late, so get to steppin'. There is a flaw in Visual Studio 2005 that lets hackers take over your machines, but it takes a lot of effort to build the exploit. In any event, it might be wise to fix this hole anyway, as the attacks can be severe.

IE 5 and 6 got patched, so all you pioneers that have IE 7 (or Firefox) needn't worry. Get full details More

Posted by Doug Barney on December 13, 20060 comments


Windows To Crash Linux Laptop Party?

Microsoft can barely contain its irritation with MIT's $100 Linux laptops for the Third World -- after all, why buy a $100 Linux box when you can buy a $1,000 Vista machine?

Now MS is offering to put Windows on these machines so the poor and downtrodden can decide if they want to spend their time troubleshooting Linux command lines or trying to get spyware off of Windows. Maybe Steve Jobs should enter this fray.

Posted by Doug Barney on December 13, 20060 comments


The Web Puts a Bite on Crime

When the 'Net first started, criminals from around the world used it to communicate, conspire and, sometimes, commit the crimes themselves.

Now the cops are fighting back, identifying criminals and gathering evidence from Web postings . Most times, the criminals are too dumb for their own good -- posing with weapons or stolen goods, or making detailed threats. The lesson here: Be careful of what you or your kids post. It may come back to bite you!

Posted by Doug Barney on December 13, 20060 comments


Vista Riches

A small percentage of users will move to Vista in the first year, but that small group will still account for some $70 billion in overall revenue , according to IDC. One chunk is the 35 million copies sold that will be sold in 2007, but most of the dough comes from new hardware, applications, migrations and, of course, support!

Posted by Doug Barney on December 13, 20060 comments


Driving Under the Influence of E-Mail

A Seattle man caused an accident involving three other cars and a city bus -- all because he was busy with his BlackBerry . There was no word on whether the driver was a Microsoft employee, or if the mail was work-related or just a note to his mistress.

With its tiny keys, there's no way I could crank out a message and look at the road at the same time -- even if it was to my mistress!

Posted by Doug Barney on December 13, 20060 comments


The Same, Old Proprietary Saw

When Microsoft announced plans to offer developers free licenses to use the Office UI for their apps, I was skeptical. First, I thought back to reporting I did a decade or so ago at InfoWorld, where Microsoft announced pretty much the same thing.

Then, I wondered how competitors would feel. Turns out it doesn't matter how they feel since -- at least, according to one ISV -- competitors aren't invited. Gen-9 was all set to support the UI for its data management tool. But after learning that rivals can't use the interface, the company ditched its plans because it "might" overlap with some Microsoft tools.

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Posted by Doug Barney on December 13, 20060 comments


Vista Event Log Blooper

Redmond contributing editor Greg "Greggo" Shields pointed out a little blooper in the Vista RTM event log. Instead of "browser," they talk about a "bowser" event type. Wonder if Sha Na Na has heard the news?

Posted by Doug Barney on December 12, 20060 comments


Office Format Now a Standard

OpenXML, a new format for Microsoft Office, was approved as a standard by Ecma , a Swiss standards group. This is good news, but having good native support of the OpenDocument format would be better still.

I'll be curious to see how many ISVs build OpenXML into their apps. I'm not expecting any huge lines.

Posted by Doug Barney on December 12, 20060 comments


HP Pays for Spying Debacle

HP will pony up over $14 million to settle charges that it spied on reporters, employees and directors. The cash is all going to the state of California, which -- after Gray Davis -- could use the dough.

My guess is that the victims will start lining up soon, and will be asking for real money!

Posted by Doug Barney on December 12, 20060 comments


Vista Support a Big Job

For an OS designed for ease of use, stability, security and compatibility, Microsoft sure is expecting the worst. Predicting an onslaught of calls, Microsoft has the pedal to the metal to build up its Vista support infrastructure .

Our former editor Keith Ward did a survey about Microsoft support More

Posted by Doug Barney on December 12, 20060 comments