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Windows

Submission + - Windows XP lives, thanks to Linux (computerworld.com)

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes: "Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols puts his thumb on what really happened to spur Microsoft's change of mind on sparing Windows XP: The smashing success of Asus and others' Linux-powered UMPCs and mini-notebooks caught Microsoft completely by surprise. It turned out people wanted inexpensive, hard-working Linux laptops rather than overpriced, underpowered Vista PCs. If anyone thought this was a flash in the pan, that Asus just hit it lucky once, they haven't been paying attention. Intel is putting big bucks into its Atom family of processors, which have been designed for UMPCs, or as Intel would have it, MIDs. Intel has encouraged both the computer makers and the Linux companies in its Moblin initiative to run desktop Linux. The Linux companies have picked up on this. Canonical, Ubuntu's dad company, has come up with an UMPC-specific version of Ubuntu 8.04, the latest version of this popular Linux distribution, for Intel Atom UMPCs. At Computex, by my count, more than a dozen new UMPCs were announced both from vendors you've never heard of and from big name companies like Acer and Asus. You can also expect to see Dell releasing its 'mini-Inspiron' with Ubuntu by June's end."
Communications

Submission + - Extreme IT: On front lines in Afghanistan, Iraq (computerworld.com)

Submitted by
CWmike
CWmike writes: "You think your work life's stressful? Try getting a network restored after it's been brought down by a mortar attack — in 110-degree heat. That's life in Iraq and Afghanistan for the members of the U.S. military in charge of communications, networks and other IT systems. The desert environment presents its own challenges; throw in a war, and you've got a situation that taxes both the equipment and the men and women who maintain it. Talk about some pimped out vans: "We actually have several vans that we interconnect together. So the network control center, the data warehouse, is in one van; I have the control facility for circuit routing in a second van of about the same size; I've got a phone switch in another van; I've got a monitoring center in yet another van." Meanwhile, on the opposite "extreme", see Ch-Ch-Chatting with the IT manager at the South Pole."
Security

Submission + - SPAM: New fingerprint detection technology

Submitted by
Roland Piquepaille
Roland Piquepaille writes: "Researchers at the University of Leicester, UK, working with Northamptonshire Police, have found a new technique for identifying fingerprints on metal. This method will enable forensic scientists to 'visualise fingerprints' even after the print itself has been removed. What is even more interesting is that this technology could 'enhance — after firing — a fingerprint that has been deposited on a small calibre metal cartridge case before it is fired.' As said the lead researcher, 'For the first time we can get prints from people who handled a cartridge before it was fired.' They add that 'cases dating back decades could be reopened because the underlying print never disappears.' But read more for additional details and references."
Security

Submission + - SPAM: Feds encrypt 800,000 laptops; 1.2 million to go

Submitted by alphadogg
alphadogg writes: U.S. government agencies are scrambling to plug up one of their biggest security holes: sensitive information such as names, addresses and social security numbers stored on laptops, handhelds and thumb drives. In the last year, agencies have purchased 800,000 licenses for encryption software through the federal Data at Rest (DAR) Encryption program, which is run jointly by the General Services Administration and the U.S. Department of Defense.
Link to Original Source
Software

Submission + - Who thinks Firehose software is working right? 6

Submitted by
NewYorkCountryLawyer
NewYorkCountryLawyer writes: "I find the Firehose software to be infuriating. It seems to have no 'stickiness' but constantly reverts to other views and searches than what I was looking at. I'm about ready to give up on it unless they tell me they recognize it's dumb and are doing something to make it work right. Am I the only one who feels this way?"
Operating Systems

Submission + - VMware Fusion 2.0 Beta Supports DX9 Shader 2 (hothardware.com)

Submitted by
Buzzkillins
Buzzkillins writes: "Quickly gaining in popularity in the Mac community is the use of virtualization applications, which allow users to run Windows in a "virtual" session within the Mac OS. While not quite as stable as Boot Camp or as fast, the convenience of simultaneous OS access is quite a boon. The two main players in this field are Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac and VMware Fusion. One of the primary reasons why someone would want Windows on their Mac is to have access to Windows games. Unfortunately, virtualization's Achilles Heel has been the lack of strong DirectX support. The tide might finally be starting to turn, however. VMware has just released the VMware Fusion 2.0 Beta 1, which includes "experimental" DirectX 9 Shader Model 2 support."
The Military

Submission + - SPAM: US tactical satellite plan scrutinized

Submitted by
coondoggie
coondoggie writes: "Developing low-cost small, rapidly deployable tactical satellites is a US Department of Defense priority but the agency's ability to pull off such advancement faces a multitude of challenges. That was the main conclusion of a report issued last week by the Government Accountability Office that noted that in fiscal year 2008 alone, DOD expects to spend over $22 billion dollars on space systems. Despite this investment, senior military commanders have reported shortfalls in tactical space capabilities in each recent major conflict over the past decade, the GAO said. On the flip side however, the GAO also praised the DoD for some of the advances it has made in getting some of its low-cost efforts off the ground. For example, on the research and development side, DOD has launched one of its diminutive spacecraft known as TacSat satellites. TacSats are small experimental satellites intended to quickly provide a capability that meets an identified need — and has begun developing several others, the GAO said. [spam URL stripped]"
Link to Original Source
Security

Submission + - New attack exploits 'unexploitable' Oracle inputs (techtarget.com)

Submitted by Trailrunner7
Trailrunner7 writes: SearchSecurity.com is reporting that database security supergenius David Litchfield has found a way to manipulate common Oracle data types that were thought to be safe and inject arbitrary SQL commands. The new method shows that you can no longer assume any data types are safe from attacker input, regardless of their location or function. "In conclusion, even those functions and procedures that don't take user input can be exploited if SYSDATE is used. The lesson here is always, always validate and prevent this type of vulnerability getting into your code. The second lesson is that no longer should DATE or NUMBER data types be considered as safe and not useful as injection vectors: as this paper has proved, they are," he writes.
Programming

ExtJS 2.1 AJAX Library Switches To GPL 57

Posted by timothy from the how-to-stir-a-small-pot dept.
Vandre writes "The popular AJAX library ExtJS released a new version today. There has been a huge controversy among the Ext community. Previously Ext had been accused of not being open source and trying to restrict its users' rights." It seems be boil down to whether the developers like or dislike the GPL, under which the library's new version is available -- the comments illustrate a long-standing divide when it comes to licensing. The foundation which oversees development explains why they've chosen dual-licensing at all.
Cellphones

Submission + - Cubans Line up for First Mobile Phones

Submitted by
Pickens
Pickens writes: "Lines stretched for blocks outside phone stores as ordinary Cubans were allowed to sign up for cellular phone service for the first time. The contracts cost about $US120 to activate — half a year's wages on the average state salary, still, lines formed before the centers opened, and waits grew to more than an hour. "It's great. It's really great. And everyone wants to be first to sign up," said Usan Astorga, a 19-year-old medical student who stood for about 20 minutes before her line moved at all. Getting through the day without a cell phone is unthinkable in most developed countries, but Cuba's government limited access to cell phones in an attempt to preserve the relative economic equality that is a hallmark of social life in communist Cuba. Only foreigners and Cubans holding key government posts were allowed to have cell phones since they first appeared on the island in 1991 but President Raul Castro has pledged to do away these small but infuriating restrictions on daily life, and his popularity has surged as a result. The new phone contracts allow Cubans to make and receive overseas calls, a key feature because the overwhelming majority of Cubans have relatives and friends in the United States."
Hardware Hacking

Submission + - GPS Used to find Graves in Eco-Burial Sites

Submitted by
Narrative Fallacy
Narrative Fallacy writes: "Relatives and friends will use a satellite navigation device to find graves of loved ones in Australia's eco-burial site on bushland attached to Lismore Memorial Park Cemetery. Reflecting a worldwide trend towards environmentally friendly burials, the deceased will be buried in biodegradable coffins between gum trees in a protected koala sanctuary. "It's an ideal way of utilising land and helping wildlife and vegetation," said Kris Whitney, Lismore Council co-ordinator of cemeteries. "A family can walk around the bushland and pick a site. The body can be oriented in any direction. We promise there will be no internments within five metres. We'll record accurate GPS co-ordinates." Families visiting graves would be lent a satellite navigation device. This will be Australia's fourth "natural burial site" with existing sites in Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia."
The Internet

Submission + - SPAM: Study: ISPs meddled with customers' Web traffic

Submitted by alphadogg
alphadogg writes: About one percent of the Web pages being delivered on the Internet are being changed in transit, sometimes in a harmful way, according to researchers at the University of Washington. In a paper, set to be delivered Wednesday, the researchers document some troubling practices. In July and August they tested data sent to about 50,000 computers and discovered that a small number of Internet service providers (ISPs) were injecting ads into Web pages on their networks.
Link to Original Source
Media

Skewz.com Founder Vipul Vyas Answers Your Questions About Media Bias 75

Posted by Roblimo from the everyone-is-biased-except-me dept.
You asked questions about Skewz.com on April 2nd and April 3rd. Here are your answers. This media bias stuff is tricky to deal with. Both Skewz and Microsoft's Blewz are trying, anyway. Skewz people say they want to jump into the conversation attached to this post, so if you have any follow-up questions please feel free to ask them.
Math

Submission + - SPAM: Building 5-ton calculator from 19th century plans

Submitted by alphadogg
alphadogg writes: Starting in May, many will have the opportunity to see for themselves how they did computing the old-fashioned way: with lots of gears, a big crank and some muscle. The Computer History Museum, in Mountain View, Calif., will unveil a new construction, the first in the United States, of the 19th century British mathematician Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2, an improved version of his earlier mechanical digital calculator.
Link to Original Source

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