Microsoft isn't the only vendor with security issues (but I'll argue that it's
the most upfront about them). VMware, which is as much an OS as it is a virtualization
layer, recently plugged two hypervisor holes.
Unlike Microsoft, these vulnerabilities were reported by an outside company.
The remote code injection flaws are in two VMware Linux tools, and the patches
are fortunately now available.
Get the deets here.
Posted by Doug Barney on June 09, 20080 comments
If you run Sun Java System Active Server Pages, you best get to patching. Security
company iDefense (the same one that found the VMware problems) discovered a
slew of vulnerabilities
in the Sun Web server. Hackers can basically take over the whole deal, logging
on, messing with files and running their own code.
Sun has updated the software, which takes care of the problems.
Posted by Doug Barney on June 09, 20080 comments
Last week, I was in Orlando for Tech-Ed. So why am I flying back to Florida
today? To go to Tech-Ed! You see, this year Microsoft split Tech-Ed into two
weeks. Last week focused on developers, and because my company also runs
Visual
Studio Magazine,
Redmond
Developer News and
ADTmag.com
-- besides
Redmond magazine -- I had to be there.
Last week was the last
time (we believe) that Bill Gates will give a keynote presentation to developers.
Having followed the man for some years, I somehow suspect that Bill will miss
running Microsoft and will emerge in years to come with a far-less-than-retired
role.
This week, Tech-Ed focuses on IT, and the next four issues of this newsletter
will have a distinct Tech-Ed slant. So if you can't be sweltering in Disney,
you can stay up to speed through Redmond Report.
Posted by Doug Barney on June 09, 20080 comments
Microsoft has one of the best Web sites for journalists in
PressPass.
In it are links to press releases, Q&As, photos and whatnot. It also links
to articles from outside publications.
I had just finished reading an article in the Wall Street Journal,
and was surprised to see Microsoft linking to the same thing. You see, this
article delved into a multiyear power struggle between Bill Gates and Steve
Ballmer that paralyzed many important Microsoft initiatives. Not an entirely
positive piece.
You have to be registered for the Journal, but here's
the article.
Posted by Doug Barney on June 09, 20080 comments
Tomorrow is a relatively normal Patch Tuesday with
seven
patches set for release.
As usual, the patches focus on remote code execution. What's not so usual is
that the patches address wireless networking and Bluetooth. Since wireless is
the way many (most?) of us connect, these patches are well worth installing.
Posted by Doug Barney on June 09, 20080 comments
Systems management vendor Argent has never been shy. I wrote a
profile
of the company and was pleasantly surprised at how unguarded and uncensored
its CEO Andrew Blencowe was in my interview.
Blencowe's bluster reminded me of another CEO: Steve Ballmer.
Argent software competes directly with Microsoft MOM (Microsoft took a perfectly
good name, MOM, and changed it to Systems Center Operations Manager 2007 --
catchy, eh?), and is not afraid to give the Redmond colossus a little what for.
Care for an example? Go to argent.com and
click on the "Argent v Microsoft" tab. Here you'll see how Blencowe
compares himself to Mr. Ballmer.
Posted by Doug Barney on June 02, 20080 comments
Nucleus Research, which focuses on ROI and analysis, is in the midst of
comparing
Mac to PC ROI. Like Obama vs. Clinton, so far the early results have the
Mac ahead. At one company studied, Macs have fewer problems which are solved
faster.
I'd like to see more companies embracing the Mac -- not to give Steve Jobs
more dough, or to reward what is arguably the most proprietary PC architecture
in existence today, but to create competition for Microsoft.
Posted by Doug Barney on June 02, 20080 comments
Some users upgrading to XP SP3 have run into a little snag: Their registries
got corrupted.
But don't start throwing stones Redmond's way; in this case, it's actually
Symantec's fault. It seems that a part of Norton anti-virus is the culprit.
Symantec has issued a workaround.
Posted by Doug Barney on June 02, 20080 comments
When VMware started, it was all about the hypervisor. But hypervisors, while
of fundamental importance, are becoming commodities. The real action is in tools
for management, as well as applications and storage.
VMware knows this better than anyone and has been building and buying tools
to round out the portfolio. The
latest deal is B-hive, an application performance management vendor that
ships in the form of a virtual appliance.
One question I have is whether VMware will adapt B-hive to work with Hyper-V
(the company's main product Conductor already works with Xen). If the action
is really in tools, VMware would be giving up dollars by not porting to the
big V.
Interestingly, B-hive is one of many -- make that many, many -- virtualization
startups with deep connections to Israel. Lot's of cool virtualization stuff
emerging from that one small country.
Posted by Doug Barney on June 02, 20080 comments
As promised, here are
more
of your thoughts on Microsoft's low-end XP computers for Third World countries:
I have to respectfully disagree with your assertion that the OEM requirements
for XP on a low-cost machine equate a third-rate technology score for the
target countries. A machine packing a punch of 1GHz processing power, 1GB
RAM, 80GB hard drive and running Windows XP is a more-than-capable machine
for almost all desktop tasks the "average" user needs to get by.
How does that make it third-rate? Unless you're a gamer or have some other
requirements that demand a stalwart machine, a faster processor, more RAM
and more hard disk space are merely non-needed extras.
If I read the gist of the target areas correctly, the idea is that low-cost
machines can reach developing countries to better get them into the current
times. These machines would really be targeted for beginner and novice computer
users (I used "average" up above). What kind of stuff does a beginner
or novice do on a computer that these low-cost XP machines won't be able to
do? I know MySpace and YouTube work just fine. Where they will be limited
is their actual Internet connection and speed, not the processing power.
-Kris
If I recall correctly, IBM was trying to do the same with mainframe sales
in the late '60s and early '70s. IBM was only allowing older mainframes (that
had just come off lease) to be sold to India. India wanted to buy the latest
powerful mainframes but was rebuffed. India complained about this treatment,
to no avail, and so banned the sale of IBM products in India for 20 years.
-Garry
The required max specs will allow XP to run OK on these machines. Most
importantly (to MS), low-end XP "starter systems" make the Microsoft
brand imprint for future sales of any MS product, in the brain cells of potentially
decamillions of future consumers and workers. That says it all.
-Eric
This is not about what's fair. It's about Microsoft competing with Linux
in emerging markets. Though technically Vista-capable, these LCPC specifications
are robust enough for XP as well as for Linux -- though XP Home is somewhat
crippled for anyone but users with minimal needs. As for these LCPCs being
"too lame," that's up to the buyers of these systems to determine.
A lame computer is better than no computer at all. From what we've seen so
far, interest in these $200 systems (a la OLPC) has been lukewarm at best
-- and no one is telling Third World governments that they cannot buy more
robust Vista systems. Or that they cannot downgrade those systems to XP Pro
themselves. Further, you cannot tell me that for the right quantity, Microsoft
wouldn't permit an OEM to make a deal with a Third World government for XP
Pro on any box they sell at any price point.
The point is, it makes no sense for anyone with a Vista Premium-ready
system not to run Vista. It's in the user's best interest, it's in the OEM's
best interest and it's in Microsoft's best interest. Microsoft must also look
out for its OEMs, who cannot make any money on LCPCs except in very large
quantities. For OEMs, $500 is pretty much the lowest they can afford to sell
a single PC. By prohibiting their OEMs form selling XP, they are really protecting
their OEMs by limiting their support costs to a single platform. Keep in mind
that there is also a Vista Starter Edition tailored to these LCPC specifications.
Keeping XP Home around for these Vista-capable LCPC devices is no more than
Microsoft offering a bone to XP zealots to keep them busy.
-Marc
It looks like those same folks who control Microsoft absolutely loved
the 1975 cult movie "Rollerball." James Caan is XP, if you know
what I mean. As far as fairness goes, the fact is, the Third World is third-rate
for a reason. They can't cut it for economic, political or infrastructure
reasons. At least they won't have Vista shoved down their throats unless they
actually want it.
We can all say it would be nice if Microsoft would let us have what we
want, but the simple fact of the matter is you (and I) don't matter -- not
to Microsoft. Soon, I will eliminate having a computer at home. No more viruses,
no more unsolicited e-mail, no more "you have to buy our new stuff or
else what you have won't work anymore" and, finally, much more money
in my pocket and not theirs.
-Tired of the Game
Microsoft's push to Vista is the best reason why Microsoft should have
been broken up years ago. Many of us use regulated software that cannot run
on Vista and the inability to obtain new PCs with XP having any power is going
to cripple many critical operations, including many in health care.
I am not a proponent of legislation to regulate industries, but in this
case, Congress needs to mandate that Microsoft continue to produce and distribute
XP with no strings attached. Then the mistake that was made in not breaking
up Microsoft needs to be undone. Regulation only occurs when there is abuse
of a dominant condition. There is no question that Microsoft has the ability
to adversely affect the public good.
-Stephen
Thoughts? Comments? Let us have 'em! Leave a comment below or send an e-mail
to [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on May 20, 20080 comments
We may have a record here. On Thursday, I wrote about XP heading to the Third
World on
artificially
restricted PCs as Microsoft pushes the industrial/developed world aggressively
toward Vista.
Within hours, my inbox was flooded. Well over 30 responses poured in. Here are as many letters as we could squeeze into one newsletter -- check out tomorrow's
for the rest.
Meanwhile, XP
is now officially part of the One Laptop Per Child program, right alongside
Linux.
Posted by Doug Barney on May 19, 20080 comments
Feel free to file this under the "Duh!" category. Security company
PC Tools spent last week arguing that
Vista
isn't all that secure and that third-party tools are needed for safe computing.
Of course, there are some systems where you can more or less get away with
no add-on virus/malware protection. Of the four Macs I've bought and paid for
(then promptly gave away to my children), none have ever had security software.
Linux is the same.
But Microsoft has never said that Vista fits in that category. For gosh sakes,
isn't Redmond trying to sell us all Forefront or OneCare?
Microsoft responded to PC Tool's attacks by claiming the Vista security really
isn't as bad as PC Tools made out. Like in any good p&#!!-ing contest, PC
Tools immediately
shot back, claiming that Vista security really is as bad as PC Tools
made out.
Children, children, let's try to behave, shall we?
Posted by Doug Barney on May 19, 20080 comments