Undocumented APIs: A Story That Just Won't Die

A decade or so ago, I joined InfoWorld, and my very first order of business was to help Stuart Johnston finish reporting a story about Microsoft giving its own developers access to APIs that third parties like Lotus, Borland, Ashton-Tate and WordPerfect were shut out of.

Stuart did a remarkable job on the story, and it ended up being the center of many of the antitrust allegations made against Microsoft.

Ten years later third parties have the very same complaints.

A suit in Iowa on behalf of consumers charges that Microsoft is violating a 2002 agreement to play fair with APIs. I'm not sure exactly what's going on here. Maybe I should give old Stu a call!

Posted by Doug Barney on January 24, 20070 comments


Microsoft's Massive New Data Center

Microsoft is serious about Web services like Windows Live. To support such offerings, Redmond is building a half-billion-dollar, 400,000-square-foot facility in Texas. Unlike Google, I doubt this puppy will be running much Linux!

That is an interesting point, as Microsoft will be able to test its high-end server software in a hugely demanding environment.

Posted by Doug Barney on January 24, 20070 comments


Sun Moves Closer to Intel, Sparcs Fly at AMD

I've got to tell you, I don't think this new alliance between Sun Microsystems and Intel is a very big deal -- unless you are an AMD shareholder! Sun has already had success selling Intel-compatible AMD-powered servers. Now it will just sell Intel-compatible Intel-powered servers. Big whoop.

What kind of servers do you prefer, AMD or Intel-based, and why? Tell us all at [email protected].

Posted by Doug Barney on January 24, 20070 comments


Everybody Loves Redmond

I had heard of a virus similar to the European Storm virus, where the e-mail teaser is that Fidel Castro is dead, and stumbled across The Security News Portal seeking details. I didn't find what I was looking for (though an overview can be found here) -- I found something better.

In the midst of numerous Microsoft patch reports was a five-disc DVD set -- "Everybody Loves Redmond: 2007 A New Year of Hilarious Patches." An obvious spoof, the box is not quite ROTFL, but is almost LOL.

Posted by Doug Barney on January 23, 20070 comments


This Newsletter Ain't Spam, but Others Might Be

Spammers have a new technique to trick the unsuspecting. Their spams look just like the HTML newsletters that legitimate companies like airlines send out to customers. Besides tricking end users, the messages can also trick spam filters. Do you prefer HTML or text newsletters and why? Tell me at [email protected].

Posted by Doug Barney on January 23, 20070 comments


Long Road to Longhorn To End with Windows Server 2007

ActiveWin.com might be in the running for a Pulitzer after breaking this whopper of a news story. The site claims -- get this -- that Longhorn will be officially named Windows Server 2007. Now there's a scoop of Woodward and Bernstein proportions!

Our author Stuart Johnston is guessing Windows Server 2008 might be a more accurate name.

Posted by Doug Barney on January 23, 20070 comments


There's a Storm Brewing

A virus released in Europe through messages about a recent storm has spread to thousands of computers. While this precise tactic might not work in the States and elsewhere, it won't be long 'til some little puke hacker finds a new e-mailer teaser to carry this viral load. One of my old bosses fell for the I Love You virus. What would you fall for? Let us know at [email protected].

Posted by Doug Barney on January 23, 20070 comments


Vista Just a Download Away

Microsoft doesn't want you to go all the way to the local Circuit City to get your Vista fix. Instead, you can sit in your chair with your bathrobe (or whatever else you care to wear) and just download the darn thing. Sounds like a decent idea. I just hope there is a darn good utility to make sure your machine can handle what is a pretty demanding OS, and an easy way to back out of the deal if your machine chokes on all that code.

Posted by Doug Barney on January 22, 20070 comments


HP Spy Saga Continues

Last week, I complained about a low-level private investigator forced to plead guilty in the HP spy case. The state of California might let young Bryan Wagner off its Golden State hooks because the 29-year-old is already being punished (lightly it seems) by the feds.

Meanwhile, former chairwoman Patricia Dunn and three other alleged conspirators were offered what sounds like the deal of a lifetime. The feds will drop felony charges if they plead to a misdemeanor. So far, the defendants haven't taken the deal. As a longtime watcher of "Law & Order," I've got three words of advice: "Take the deal!"

Posted by Doug Barney on January 22, 20070 comments


There's a New Boss in PC Town

There have been a lot of PC leaders in the past. IBM made a run for the crown, and further back we had the likes of Kaypro, Osborne, Eagle and the very cool Vector Graphics microcomputers.

HP (with Compaq under its belt) is now the clear and decided leader, and its recently gained edge over Dell is growing quarter by quarter. HP now has 17 to 18 percent of the worldwide market while Dell has 14 to 15 percent.

I contributed to HP's success when I bought my daughter a new laptop late last year. It turns out that replacing the screen on her old Toshiba was almost as much as a new lapper. Whadda ya bid for a sweet Toshiba with a dead display?

Posted by Doug Barney on January 22, 20070 comments


IE7: Over 100 Million Served

A tenth of a billion people have already downloaded IE7, and it seems that complaints about the browser have calmed down considerably. I still haven't upgraded, and switch between the old IE and the new Firefox. I like Firefox's tabs, but still find scrolling through bookmarks clunky. Why should I upgrade to IE7? Let me know at [email protected].

Posted by Doug Barney on January 17, 20070 comments


A Real Vista Space Shot

This weekend, Microsoft started a contest with a pretty cool prize -- a trip into space! Clues were given in Las Vegas, and new ones will be released in other cities. According to the Robb Report (I can afford to buy the magazine, just not anything in it!), the Learjet-based spacecraft can reach 150,000 feet (at which point you can loosen but not undo your seatbelt), and cost a cool quarter-mil. The craft could beat Longhorn out the door, as flights could start as early as this fall.

I find it interesting that Microsoft didn't cut a deal with Paul Allen's SpaceShipOne. Allen's rocket can go more than twice as high as the one Microsoft hooked up with.

Posted by Doug Barney on January 17, 20070 comments