20th August 2002 Archive

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China targets Windows with Linux-based OS

Aims for 70 per cent of Win2k functionality. The best 70, presumably...

In last month's report on a Chinese effort to build a home-grown Win98, we appealed for further enlightenment on the nature of the project. Well, it's taken a while, but a kindly Chinese speaker has done some digging, and reveals it's Linux-based, and GPLed. Thanks to the unnamed translator for the following*, and to Mark for …

Software 20 Aug 2002, 07:07
Taiwan claims value add advantage over China

Based on oldish figures...

Taiwan has highlighted the amount of added value its high-tech business sector generates compared to its mainland Chinese counterparts, even as the People's Republic begins to flex its muscles in the sector. According to figures from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan's high tech industries generated an average of 45 …

Business 20 Aug 2002, 07:51
Details of Samsung's US Stinger debut leak

Is the fabled beast poised to ship at last?

Details have leaked out of a Samsung Electronics Co Ltd mobile handset that will use Microsoft Corp's long-awaited phone operating system. The CDMA SCH-i600 incorporates Windows Powered Smartphone 2002 software in a clamshell form factor with color screen and an integrated Secure Digital card slot. The phone appears to …

Mobile 20 Aug 2002, 07:54
RSA Security faces SEC injunction threat

Questions over disclosure levels

The US Securities and Exchange Commission may file for a civil injunction against RSA Security Inc, following an investigation into the company's disclosures of revenue recognition changes, it emerged this week. In an SEC filing, RSA said SEC officers are to seek permission to "commence a civil injunctive proceeding" and …

Business 20 Aug 2002, 07:57
Sun aims new 150 workstation at 1 million Ultra users

Claims will outship the whole of HP's Unix line

The executives at Sun Microsystems Inc are rubbing their hands together not because it is cold in Palo Alto, but because the new Sun Blade 150 workstation the company will roll out today is a machine that is a very good upgrade option for the users who bought over 1 million of its Ultra 5 and Ultra 10 entry workstations in …

Hardware 20 Aug 2002, 08:00
PA Consulting

Correction

On Monday of last week, we published an article by a former IT employee at PA Consulting Group. PA Consulting has sent us a detailed rebuttal of the claims made in the article. We are happy to set the record straight. And we're sorry for getting it wrong in the first place. Here are the most important points that PA makes: PA …

Business 20 Aug 2002, 08:27
Sprint security faulted in Vegas hacks

Telco facing audits

Citing the "compelling, credible testimony" of ex-hacker Kevin Mitnick, state officials urged Nevada regulators to force a series of dramatic security reforms on Las Vegas telephone company Sprint of Nevada last week, as final arguments were filed in the case of an in-room adult entertainment operator who believes he's being …

Security 20 Aug 2002, 08:36
UK to ban driving and talking

The scourge of the mobile phone

The UK Government is looking to ban the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving in an attempt to reduce the number of road accidents. It claims research proves that drivers are four times more likely to have an accident if they are using a mobile phone. The Department for Transport claims it has come under considerable …

Personal 20 Aug 2002, 10:09
AOL France goes unmetered

First 100,000 form an orderly queue

AOL France has followed in the footsteps of its UK cousin and is offering unlimited unmetered Net access for E24 a month. The service will be available to 100,000 subscribers to start with as AOL France seeks to manage the demands on its network. It also has plans to make a similar service available in Germany. AOL France …

Music and Media 20 Aug 2002, 11:40
O'Reilly questions free-SW regs

Politics, yuck

We'd be hard pressed to identify a person with better open-source advocacy credentials than Tim O'Reilly. So it came as a mild surprise to read his column over the weekend lamenting the politicization of software by a radical fringe. He characterized the efforts of Peruvian Congressman Edgar Villanueva Nuñez to mandate free …

Software 20 Aug 2002, 12:26
Earthlink tops ISP survey

That's it really

Atlanta-base EarthLink has topped a customer satisfaction survey of US ISPs. According to the JD Power and Associates 2002 Internet Service Provider Residential Customer Satisfaction Study (blimey- that's a bit of a mouthful), Earthlink was ranked number one in the survey for its dial-up service thanks to a high scores for …

Music and Media 20 Aug 2002, 14:33
9/11 fails to influence disaster recovery strategies – survey

Brand and customer service are main concerns

Contrary to the marketing push of many security and storage firms, few users believe the events of September 11 should play a part in developing their business continuity strategies. That's the main conclusion of a survey of IT managers responsible for business continuity, which found more than half (52 per cent) believed brand …

Business 20 Aug 2002, 14:44
ntlhell protest site defends libel allegations

NTL yet to comment

Struggling cableco NTL has so far failed to comment on allegations that a rival Web site contains libellous comments concerning some of those behind its nthellworld.com site. In April the cableco bought the nthellworld.com protest site in a bid to make it an online forum to help improve customer service. Although NTL insisted …

Music and Media 20 Aug 2002, 17:09