Not long ago we had a spirited discussion here on GeekNewsCentral about the fact that everyone was running WinXP and they all should be updated to the latest security patches. Well now I have some figures to show you just how old of operating systems we have on our computers. According to this Yahoo News article, “ The research firm IDC estimates that of the roughly 514 million paid-for copies of Windows on desktops and laptops worldwide at the end of 2004, almost 21 percent were the aging Win 95, 98 and Millennium Edition releases. Among the 19 million Mac OS desktop and laptop installations IDC surveyed, just about half were running releases predating Mac OS X.”
Apache server software has been steadily increasing in popularity this year. When you hear someone talk about Apache, you assume they have a Unix-flavored server, but as of late, many folks are using Apache on their Windows machines instead of IIS. Their are many reasons for this including security, database usage and scripting. But running Apache on a Windows system is not always an easy task. I found a great article that walks you through the basics and has links for all the questions you may run into while working with Apache. Check it out for yourself at SitePoint’s Opensource Blog.
I upgraded one of my network file servers, yesterday. I replaced a hard disk that was setting off occasional error notices, and, while while I was at it, I replaced the current operating system (Mandrake Community 10.1) with Knoppix 3.7. Knoppix is the Linux distribution that I use in class to demonstrate how simple Linux is to use, because Knoppix is a fully-functional operating system with common applications that can boot from a single CD. So, with the bootable CD, I can quickly convert any computer to Linux without the risk of deleting any existing files from the Windows operating system.
Starting today, many users of new, unregistered copies of Microsoft Windows will have to make a phone call in order to activate the software's license. In a move to curb piracy of its flagship operating system, Microsoft has disabled the Internet activation alternative, now requiring these users to orally confirm their use of the product.
Microsoft has begun reminding users who last year blocked the installation of Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) that a deadline is fast approaching. On April 12, all blocking mechanisms will expire and Windows XP and XP SP1 systems will automatically download and update to SP2.
Microsoft has realized that browsers like Firefox have taken much of the IE market because of the advanced, new features they offer. Since MIE was not updated since WinXP was introduced, they were falling behind. Instead of waiting for Longhorn to eventually be released, Microsoft has decided to develop a new version of MIE. The sudo-announcement is linked below.
It was only a month ago that Microsoft Corp. announced its free antispyware application; however, malware has already been detected by an antivirus company, Sophos PLC, that will disable Microsoft's program and delete all files in the program's installation directory. The malware, known as BankAsh-A, not only deletes all of the Microsoft antispyware files, it then goes on to install
Check laptop email without booting-up Microsoft wants PC makers to mount mobile-phone-like displays on the lids of laptop computers so users can check the time, battery status, appointments or see if new e-mail has arrived without having to open and start up their PC. The software giant is including support for such displays in the next version of Windows, codenamed Longhorn, due out in 2006. Microsoft is developing software and reference designs for the displays, which it says will give users instant access to select data and save time and battery life because there is no need to open and boot up the PC.
Do not click another link until you go to the Start menu and click on Windows Update. Microsoft admits to 19 vulnerabilities, with a MSBlast-Level Worm likely. The company released its largest group of security patches in nearly a year, posting 12 security bulletins encompassing 19 vulnerabilities, 14 of which it marked "Critical." Among them is a vulnerability that one security vendor claims will likely lead to the biggest, baddest worm since mid-2003. SMB is the standard protocol that Windows uses to share files, printers, and serial ports, and to communicate between computers, particularly between servers and client desktops. A specially-crafted SMB packet sent to a vulnerable PC could, said Microsoft, let an attacker "take complete control of the affected system."
Montgomery said Microsoft is on track for two other key releases for this year. The 2005 editions of the Visual Studio programming tools and the SQL Server database are slated to get new test versions in the coming weeks, with final releases scheduled for late summer.
Pirate Pocket Mechanic, get your data booty plundered, matey (Engadget)“Anyone remember CDRWin? If you gave it a pirated serial it would just take it without question and punish you by spitting out bad CDs all the time. Well, a bit more harsh is the maker of Pocket Mechanic, Anton Tomov, who programmed his app to hard reset (i.e. cause total data
In a letter to customers this week, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates made a promise to design software that is interoperable with other systems. Although Redmond is traditionally known for its closed formats and code, Gates said communication between applications is critical for business. He also took a swipe at open source, saying such development hinders interoperability. "Microsoft has been working with the industry to advance a new generation of software that is interoperable by design, reducing the need for custom development and cumbersome testing and certification," said Gates. "These efforts are centered on using XML, which makes information self-describing - and thus more easily understood by different systems."