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Programming

Submission + - Want to be a computer scientist? Forget maths (itwire.com.au)

Submitted by
Coryoth
Coryoth writes: "A new book is trying to claim that computer science is better off without maths. The author claims that early computing pioneers such as Von Neumann and Alan Turing imposed their pure mathematics background on the field, and that this has hobbled computer science ever since. He rejects the idea of algorithms as a good way to think about software. Can you really do computer science well without mathematics? And would you want to?"
Software

Submission + - 2008: Year of the Linux Desktop

Submitted by
rstrohmeyer
rstrohmeyer writes: "Over at Maximum PC, we're betting that Linux will pick up unprecedented momentum in the coming year. With phenomenal new distros, swelling international support, and a little extra momentum from Dell, we think Linux is poised to exploit the current atmosphere of doubt surrounding Vista and pick up serious traction in '08. But we want to know what you think. Head over and weigh in with your comments."
XBox (Games)

Submission + - Microsoft extends 360 warranty to 3 years (gamasutra.com)

Submitted by
RamblinLonghorn
RamblinLonghorn writes: "Microsoft announces that they are extending the warranty of all Xbox 360's to 3 years. This appears to be entirely retroactive and that "those who have already paid for such repair charges can expect reimbursement checks for the amount of their console repair." It seems as though Microsoft is accepting the blame for the hardware malfunctions, but it is worth noting that this warranty modification only applies in the "Red Rings of Death" situation."
Windows

Submission + - Microsoft to release 6 security updates next week (networkworld.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Microsoft will release six groups of security patches next week, including three critical updates for Windows and Excel users. The critical updates will fix bugs in many different versions of Microsoft's products including the latest versions of Excel, Windows XP, Vista and Windows Server 2003, Microsoft said. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/070507-micro soft-to-release-six-security.html
Microsoft

Submission + - MS moves R&D to Canada due to immigration prob

Submitted by telso
telso writes: Microsoft will be opening a new software development centre in Vancouver because of difficulties getting workers into the US. The company said the centre will "allow the company to continue to recruit and retain highly skilled people affected by the immigration issues in the U.S." It seems regulations shrinking America's immigration quotas are shrinking America's tax and knowledge base.
Novell

Submission + - Novell goes public with Microsoft Linux deal

Submitted by
InfoWorldMike
InfoWorldMike writes: "On the back of defending the agreement this week, Novell did as promised and published details of its landmark November 2006 Linux partnership agreements with Microsoft. Linux advocates are expected to scour the documents for signs of how the agreement may affect Linux and whether anything in it will put Microsoft or Novell in potential violation of the upcoming version 3 of the GNU General Public license (GPL). The GPL is used in licensing many components of the Linux operating system. Open-source advocate Bruce Perens said he would be looking to see exactly what Novell was given through the deal and whether there is any requirement for the Linux vendor to defend Microsoft's patent claims. "What I'm actually looking for is, to what extent was there a violation of faith?" he said."
Data Storage

Submission + - Holographic storage to be commercialized this fall

Submitted by
prostoalex
prostoalex writes: "The Guardian takes a look at the current developments in the world of holographic storage. Despite being available in research for over 40 years, the technology is getting commercialized only now, with InPhase Technologies launching its 600 GB write-once disk and a drive this fall. What avout the price? "The first holographic products are certainly not mass-market — a 600GB disc will cost around $180 (£90), and the drive costs about $18,000. Potential users include banks, libraries, government agencies and corporations.""

Feed A tribute to Jim Gray (theregister.com)

From feed by registerfeed
Lost, but not forgotten

As we post this, Jim Gray has been missing for three months. It now seems very unlikely that he is still alive, although his family has not given up hope.
Linux Business

Submission + - Qantas ditches Linux for AIX

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: Australia's No. 1 airline Qantas will shift their underlying platform running its internal finance systems from Linux to IBM's AIX next month as part of a wide-ranging technology transformation project. "We're moving from a Linux platform to an IBM AIX environment — we did that to address some stability issues we were having", said Suzanne Young, Qantas group general manager for finance improvement and segmentation. The decision was made last year, as part of the planning for the rollout.
Biotech

Submission + - Vitamin D deficiency behind many Western cancers?

Submitted by twilight30
twilight30 writes: Today's Globe and Mail is reporting that 'research into vitamin D is suggesting a heretical notion: that cancers and other disorders in rich countries aren't caused mainly by pollutants but by a vitamin deficiency known to be less acute or even non-existent in poor nations.

In June, U.S. researchers will announce the first direct link between cancer prevention and the sunshine vitamin. Their results are nothing short of astounding. A four-year clinical trial involving 1,200 women found those taking the vitamin had about a 60-per-cent reduction in cancer incidence, compared with those who didn't take it, a drop so large — twice the impact on cancer attributed to smoking — it almost looks like a typographical error. And in an era of pricey medical advances, the reduction seems even more remarkable because it was achieved with an over-the-counter supplement costing pennies a day.

One of the researchers who made the discovery, professor of medicine Robert Heaney of Creighton University in Nebraska, says vitamin D deficiency is showing up in so many illnesses besides cancer that nearly all disease figures in Canada and the U.S. will need to be re-evaluated. "We don't really know what the status of chronic disease is in the North American population," he said, "until we normalize vitamin D status." '

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