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2nd August 2002 Archive

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  • Worldcom finance duo charged with fraud

    Humiliation complete

    Two former top financial executives at WorldCom Inc were taken to court by the FBI yesterday, handcuffed and in full view of the massed ranks of the media, in a major public demonstration of the authorities' anxiety to crack down on corporate fraud. Former CFO Scott Sullivan and David Myers, former financial controller, …

    Business 2 Aug 2002, 08:40

  • Microsoft: breaking with licensing tradition

    Corel, Sun looking for fall-out

    These are critical times for Microsoft Corp. The company deliberately broke its software licensing model with Thursday's introduction of the unpopular Licensing 6.0, Gavin Clarke writes. Until now customers paid Microsoft's licensing charges, shelling-out hard-won IT budget while complaining of expense and confused details …

    Media 2 Aug 2002, 08:40

  • VeriSign gets European backing in ICANN reform fight

    Plot thickens

    A coalition of international top-level internet domain name registries yesterday called on the US Department of Commerce to ensure the Internet Corp for Assigned Names and Numbers is reformed into a "lightweight" body with no regulatory power on new services and pricing, Kevin Murphy writes. The move by VeriSign Inc and …

    Media 2 Aug 2002, 08:42

  • XP means no point to Intel Anypoint

    Intel scraps consumer wireless line

    Intel Corp pulled the plug on its Anypoint consumer wireless line yesterday, bringing an end to a range that has spanned the various fashions in home wireless networks standards. The decision came as the home wireless market becomes increasingly commoditized, and the vendor seeks to cut costs across its business. The …

    Mobile 2 Aug 2002, 08:43

  • Opencola to deliver P2P take on search

    Napster for grown-ups

    Toronto-based software developer Opencola Ltd will shortly deliver the first public beta of a search engine application that will marry traditional web search with a peer-to-peer network, to give knowledge workers greater depth in document searches. "It's a sort of Napster for grown-ups," said Opencola VP of marketing and …

    e-Business 2 Aug 2002, 08:44

  • IBM challenges Oracle with DB2 v8

    Takes fight to Unix, Windows

    IBM has recently introduced a new major release of DB2 - version 8. There are a host of new features in the product and we can only cover the headline items here, but it is quite clear that this release has Oracle in its sights. You can take two distinct views of this release. On the one hand you can say that Version 8 majors …

    Data Center 2 Aug 2002, 08:51

  • Quantum signs Belluzzo as CEO

    Where did the start-up idea go?

    Quantum Corp has appointed Richard Belluzzo as its CEO with effect from September 3. He will replace Michael Brown who has held the post for seven years. Belluzzo was once a fixture at Hewlett-Packard Co where he served for over 20 years before leaving to head up Silicon Graphics Inc. Less than two years later, he was …

    Business 2 Aug 2002, 08:51

  • File swappers launch the MP3 Party

    Registered with UK Electoral Commission

    The UK Electoral Commission has agreed to the registration of the MP3 Party, which aims to radically simplify British government and civil administration. The Electoral Commission had initially refused the registration on the belief that the party's name constituted a trademark violation, Ciaran Buckley writes. The inspiration …

    Media 2 Aug 2002, 09:35

  • Apple pares UK iMac prices

    Summer doldrums

    Apple UK lopped list prices on two new iMacs yesterday. The CD-RW version now cost £1,149 (£1,249) while the CD-RW/DVD-ROM tips up at £1349 (£1399. In March, Apple raised unit prices by £100, citing rises in LCD and DRAM prices. But then, the company could not sell its kit fast enough. Recently Mac sales have fallen worldwide …

    Mac Channel 2 Aug 2002, 10:42

  • Nomura shoot Grey Archer in heart

    Slings and arrows

    Nomura has pulled the funding plug on Grey Archer, an online exchange for the UK pub trade, resulting in 150 redundancies with immediate effect. Staff will not get one month's pay in lieu of notice, according to sources. The Japanese investment bank, until recently one of the UK's most significant pub owners, had committed to …

    e-Business 2 Aug 2002, 11:17

  • Mad mods, amputees and the Really Big Button

    Site(s) of The Day Random links for the Silly Season

    (Thanks for all the submissions) Hardware mods LetsBlowitup.com Dedicated to detonating computers (see also Reg story Ten ways to kill your laptop) The story of Andy's Computer More Block Structure madness (c.f. Mad mouse mod entombs LEGO volunteer) Knit your own ITV Digital monkey TeddyBorg Turn your teddy into a 100Mb …

    Bootnotes 2 Aug 2002, 13:30

  • HP withdraws DMCA threat

    Wiser counsel prevails

    Hewlett Packard has climbed down from its threats to use the controversial Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to silence a group of security researchers which unearthed a flaw in its Tru64 operating system. In a statement released yesterday, the firm withdrew threats of using the Act against Snosoft, a loose confederation …

    Security 2 Aug 2002, 13:38

  • GUI wars return: Motorola, Sony Ericsson tie-up

    Exclusive JV in the offing

    Motorola has licensed Symbian's UIQ ("Thin Quartz") user interface for its forthcoming Paragon 3G smartphone, industry sources have told The Register. This is the UI for SonyEricsson's forthcoming P800 smartphone, which if our mailbag is anything to go by, needs no Astroturf to fuel the buzz. The move signals Motorola's …

    Mobile 2 Aug 2002, 14:26

  • CNET buys Silicon.com

    Update 40 Redundos

    CNET Networks is buying the UK assets of Silicon.com, after management at the European online IT news service failed to persuade its VCs to support its continued independence. Terms are undisclosed, but we suspect the price will be paid in peanuts, certainly not enough to cover the £30m+ investment made by Silicon shareholders …

    Business 2 Aug 2002, 14:56

  • Nildram touts ISDN to wires-only ADSL migration

    'No-drama' broadband upgrade

    Nildram the UK ISP has set up a migration service for BT ISDN users to upgrade to wires-only ADSL. The conversion process from Highway ISDN to Nildram Home, or Office, ADSL service costs £27.99, payable to BT. Basically you're upgrading from 128kbps to an always-on 512Kbps connection. Here's how it works. BT manages the …

    Broadband 2 Aug 2002, 15:12

  • Graphics chip sales soar, prices fall

    And carry on falling

    Graphics processor shipments jumped 5.2 per cent between Q4 01 and Q1 02, but average selling prices are falling and the outlook for Q2 is described as 'mixed'. Says who? Says Jon Peddie Research in its most recent round-up of the graphics chip market. Nvidia's profit warning this week shows that 'mixed' is translating into ' …

    Channel 2 Aug 2002, 16:31

  • Guerilla phone marketing draws wrath of Kibo

    Letters Spam thesps

    SonyEricsson's elaborate scheme to hire thesps posing as mobile phone users has drawn an immediate response from angry - grrr! - Register readers. Look out, luvvies. If Sony is hiring actors to spontaneously go into praise about their phones, I'm going to spontaneously kick some actors' in the ass! Vincent Giovannone Even …

    Bootnotes 2 Aug 2002, 16:34

  • VIA finds comfort in July sales

    Could have been worse

    VIA Technologies yesterday released its sales figures for July, totting up at US $53m. This is 28 per cent down on July'01, but 18.48 per cent up on June'02. The Taiwanese chipset producer prefers to look at the June jump rather than the July year-on-year fall. Last month's sales reflect "continued strong execution across all …

    Channel 2 Aug 2002, 16:54

  • ADSL for under £20

    No-frills

    UK consumers can get broadband access for under £20 per month for the first time. In the last week, ET Global Solutions launched a rock-bottom residential USB package for £18.95 (including VAT) and fairADSL began offering an ADSL package costing £18.99 per month. There's an activation fee of around £60 for both services, and …

    Broadband 2 Aug 2002, 17:27

  • Microsoft EULA asks for root rights – again

    PC, heal thyself

    An addition to Microsoft's End User Licensing Agreement has alarmed Register readers. Windows XP Service Pack 1 and Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 contain a new condition which asks you to allow Windows to go and install future updates. "You acknowledge and agree that Microsoft may automatically check the version of the OS …

    Software 2 Aug 2002, 19:54

  • Eclipse in broadband promo

    Reg reader offer

    Eclipse Internet is running a midsummer broadband promo - why? - cos everyone else is doing it. BTopenworld, Pipex - they're all at it. Free this, free that. So, not to be left out Eclipse is offering a free set-up fee for the first 200 Register readers who sign up for its ADSL Connect Lite service, which costs £22.75 a month …

    Site News 2 Aug 2002, 23:10