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Patents

Submission + - US to change multi-patent rules

Submitted by Stony Stevenson
Stony Stevenson writes: The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will change its rules to speed up the processing of patent claims for inventions which include more than one innovation. The change is part of a widespread but glacially paced reform of patent application processes in the US.

Currently, if a new invention embodies more than one innovation, a patent claim has to be filed for each innovation, and each claim has to be processed separately by the USPTO. Under the new rules, all the innovations in an invention will be registered in a single claim and processed together.
The Almighty Buck

Submission + - DMCA lawsuit for circumventing coupon print limits

Submitted by whoever57
whoever57 writes: A Fremont, CA man (John Stottlemire) who claims that he was trying to show his skill in order to get a job at Coupons, inc. created a program and showed people how to delete the files and registry entries that limited the printing of coupons using software from coupons.com. He now faces a lawsuit, from Coupons, inc., alleging DMCA violations. The company alleges that his actions are equivalent to those of DeCSS creator "DVD Jon". Mr. Stottlemire asks how deleting files off one's own computer can be illegal, while some lawyers suggest that the DMCA is very broad and may apply in this case.
Security

Submission + - 1.6 million records stolen from Monster.com

Submitted by thefickler
thefickler writes: Only 3 days after users were threatened by a Trojan-laden ad, an outbreak of a multi-stage phishing attack, initiated by a Trojan horse, has been unleashed on Monster.com. The Trojan horse, Infostealer.Monstres initially got into Monster.com by using legitimate log-ins, probably stolen from personnel who have access to the "Monster for employers" areas of the site. Once on Monster's servers, the Trojan horse ran amok collecting personal user data.
Networking

Submission + - Guaranteed Network Neutral ISP (arstechnica.com)

Submitted by greedyturtle
greedyturtle writes: Arstechnica released an interesting article on the first ISP to guarantee neutrality, called COmmunityPOwered Internet, aka Copowi. Which offers it's neutrality at a higher price, albeit mostly due to uncompetitive telco line pricing schemes.

Copowi's main pitch is a fully neutral network, which it defines as one that provides "equal access to all web sites and online services." The idea is that usage will be unrestricted and traffic will not be shaped, throttled, or prioritized. According to Matafonov, the major telecommunications companies want to "privatize the Internet" because greater control leads to greater profits. The eventual outcome could become something more like cable television than like the open Internet we know now, and Copowi strongly supports SavetheInternet.com's campaign to preserve an open 'Net.

The owner claims to only need 5000 subscriptions to move his ISP out of Washington, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and California and into the national arena. With 256 DSL at $33.95, 1.5Mbs for $49.95, and 7Mbs for $59.99, are you willing to spend the extra dollar for network neutrality?
Security

Submission + - Russia relighting the flames of the cold war (bbc.co.uk)

Submitted by
An anonymous reader writes: Russia has been provoking many countries in recent weeks. Firstly the USA and NATO with its disagreement over the placement of anti missile defenses. The incident involving an assassination using polonium, then the claims it made on the north pole, The alleged missile attack on its neighbor Georgia and lastly the mission to exchange 'smiles' with US pilots.

It would appear we are slowly being drawn into a new cold war which is not so cold.
Programming

Submission + - Intro to Reverse Engineering, No Assembly Required (ethicalhacker.net)

Submitted by
ddonzal
ddonzal writes: "Great intro to reverse engineering for someone with no experience whatsoever on the subject. In this continuing series on coding essentials for those programmatically-challenged InfoSec Pros (ethical hackers), we build on the knowledge learned in the first article, "Intro to C." No prior knowledge of Assembly is Required! http://www.ethicalhacker.net/content/view/152/2/"
Software

Submission + - Apple gives iMovie '06 back as a download (apple.com)

Submitted by robbmcmahan
robbmcmahan writes: Apple might have known that the new iMovie '08 might not go over very well since it doesn't allow timeline editing. What did Apple do? They posted the previous iMovie HD 6 as a free download for those who purchase the new IMovie '08 and don't like it. They must have expected people to complain about this because they posted this download on August 7th, the same day that the new iLife '08 went on sale. I wonder if they will also decide to offer the previous versions of the other iLife apps?
Biotech

Submission + - Antiperspirants Do More Than Block Sweat (sciam.com)

Submitted by
Charles Betz
Charles Betz writes: "For some, the thought of abandoning antiperspirants gives them the cold sweats. For others, its the thought of using them. Underarm antiperspirants guard against odor and wetness, but could the aluminum-based compounds that reduce sweat actually cause Alzheimers disease and breast cancer? The latest edition of the Scientific American adresses the smelly issue."
Google

Submission + - Some Gmail accounts quietly jump to 10GB?

Submitted by MikeMulligan
MikeMulligan writes: Last week I actually started getting worried that at 80%, I'd soon fill my gmail's >2GB capacity. Today I logged in to find I'm only using about 25% of my 9030MB! I searched the google blogs and other sites, but found only references to google's paid premium google apps accounts that provide 10GB of storage. Is it just me? Is this permanent? And why isn't there more news about it? At 10gb, that destroys most other free email services out there (again), and competes with other paid-for services (*cough* Apple).
Networking

Submission + - Vonage nearly done deploying patent workarounds

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Vonage has "substantially completed" the deployment of work-arounds for two of three VOIP patents claimed by Verizon, Vonage says. Meanwhile, the upstart VOIP provider acknowledges signing up new customers is getting a lot harder in the wake of its lawsuits. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/080907-vonag e-nearly-done-deploying-patent.html
Data Storage

Submission + - Document Management Systems

Submitted by SomeGuyTyping
SomeGuyTyping writes: As I read about various Document Management Systems (DMS), I find they all want you to scan everything. I'm looking for a system that would allow you to tag paper and store a record of it existence and location as well as keeping track of electronic documents. Also, if any DMS has a feature to alert you of documents that are not filed yet, whether they exist or not (i.e., a permit needed for a project), that would be a major plus. Open Source is preferred, but a commercial system is not out of the question.
Spam

Submission + - 'Most Wanted' Nigerian Scammer Arrested In Fla. (local6.com)

Submitted by Rio
Rio writes: A man accused of being a member of a notorious group of Nigerian identity scammers was arrested during a routine traffic stop in Florida, according to the Secret Service. A WKMG-TV report said Rilwan Soetan, who is on the U.S. Secret Service's "Most Wanted List," was taken into custody in Hamilton County.

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