The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Feeds

28th August 2002 Archive

Browse by publication date, or search the site.

  • Nortel axes 7,000 jobs

    Misses revenue target

    Nortel is to axe a further 7,000 jobs amid warnings that it will once again miss its revenue target.The company blamed the job cuts on the depressed telco sector, and in particular, on further reductions in spending by service providers in the US. But that will bring little comfort to those hit by this latest round of belt …

    Business 28 Aug 2002, 09:18

  • HP, Dell ditch MS Works for WordPerfect

    Retail play

    Hewlett-Packard is to pre-install Corel's WordPerfect suite on its consumer PCs, a blow to market leader Microsoft. Previously Hewlett-Packard provided Microsoft Works, a reduced version of its productivity suite Microsoft Office, to consumers who purchased new computers. But this week the company said that WordPerfect will now …

    Software 28 Aug 2002, 09:26

  • ISOC says will not see any .org Revenue

    Public interest pitch

    The Internet Society yesterday said that, should it be selected to run the .org domain name registry, no revenue from name registrations will make it to its own coffers. The international non-profit, which promotes internet use in society, said a separate legal entity, the Public Interest Registry will get the money. " …

    Media 28 Aug 2002, 10:50

  • SCO and Co. shore up UnitedLinux

    Differentiation

    Efforts to shore up the UnitedLinux effort continued yesterday, with big names joining SCO Group Inc to preach against fragmentation of the open source operating system, Gavin Clarke writes. Lindon, Utah-based SCO wheeled out Computer Associates International Inc, Hewlett-Packard Co, IBM Corp and Intel Corp to argue …

    Software 28 Aug 2002, 10:50

  • Worldwide server revenue drops 13% in Q2

    Sun, Dell win share

    Worldwide revenue for server hardware dropped 13% in the second quarter, compared to the same period last year, according to the latest figures from Gartner Inc's Dataquest unit. Revenue for servers was $10.1bn during the second quarter, down from $11.6bn in the same period last year. According to Gartner, revenue for the top …

    Servers 28 Aug 2002, 10:51

  • A whisper of a hint of a light at the end of the IT spending tunnel

    Aberdeen Research

    Research from Aberdeen Group has hinted at a recovery in IT spending, after user firms said they were planning to increase their spending in the second half of the year. A survey of Aberdeen's user advisory panel indicates that IT executives planned to increase spending by nearly 4% over the next six months. This compares …

    Business 28 Aug 2002, 10:53

  • HP hits Q3 targets, shoots for same in Q4

    Eye on ball

    Carly Fiorina, chairman and CEO of Hewlett Packard Co, is probably not breathing a huge sigh of relief now that the merged HP and Compaq has hit the financial targets that the company set for its fiscal third quarter of 2002, Timothy Prickett Morgan writes. After all, HP saw revenues decline by 11% to $16.5bn and posted a …

    Business 28 Aug 2002, 10:54

  • KaZaA poisoned with salted files?

    Ala KaZaAmed!

    Is there a conspiracy to flood the KaZaA file-sharing network with bad files? In recent weeks, several Reg readers have told us of a growing pattern of 'looped', incomplete MP3 files (posing as full tracks) being offered for download on KaZaA.com. In other instances, songs are intentionally misnamed. One reader had to download …

    Media 28 Aug 2002, 12:28

  • Felt-tip marker hack for copy-protect CDs ‘completely neutralized’

    Midbar updates technology

    Israel-based Midbar Tech announced yesterday that 10 million CDs using its Cactus Data Shield technology have been released in Japan, bringing the total number of music CDs using the controversial copy-protection utility to about 30 million. Coincidentally, a Japanese entrepreneur is credited with the 1962 invention of the …

    Media 28 Aug 2002, 12:49

  • Lamo bumped from NBC after hacking them

    'Helpful hacker' demonstrates techniques on camera

    How did a mediagenic hacker like Adrian Lamo get himself bumped last week from a scheduled appearance on the NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw? Perhaps with his impromptu on-camera intrusion into the peacock network's own computers. The vagabond hacker known for his drifter lifestyle and his public forays into large and poorly …

    Security 28 Aug 2002, 14:21

  • Internet anonymity for Linux newbies

    Trust not, fear not

    One of the most attractive things about Linux is the number of installation options one is presented with and how tempting it is to customize. But for a newbie, in terms of Web security and PC hygiene, that's also the worst thing about it. The fact is, Windows is easier than Linux for a casual user to make fairly secure, whereas …

    Software 28 Aug 2002, 14:39

  • Oracle cleans up pricing act

    Kindler, gentler company

    We popped over to Oracle's Web site today to take a gander at the Software Investment Guide, designed by the database giant to clarify its arcane pricing. We were directed to the following url http://www.oracle.com/corporate/pricing, which yields nothing more than a 404 error message. No, it's not a database problem, or first …

    Data Center 28 Aug 2002, 15:06

  • Canada preps Internet snoopers charter

    Join the crowd

    The Canadian Government has published proposals to increase law enforcement powers to monitor the country's citizens online. A consultation document published last weekend by the Canadian Department of Justice contains proposals that would compel ISPs to hand over the names and addresses of customers to the police on request, …

    Media 28 Aug 2002, 15:07

  • 25m use DSL worldwide

    South Korea still leads the way

    More than 25 million homes and businesses around the world are hooked up to DSL, according to the latest stats from analysts Point Topic. The figures show that the global take-up of DSL grew by 7 million (36 per cent) in the six months to the end of June despite ongoing industry and economic uncertainty. Asia Pacific continues …

    Broadband 28 Aug 2002, 15:07

  • ADSL registration cheats don't prosper

    Found out, knocked back

    Broadband cheats have been warned not to fiddle BT Wholesale's broadband pre-registration system. The scheme - launched earlier this summer - allows people to register their interest in broadband even if they live or work in an area currently not wired up for ADSL. The theory is that if enough people register their interest ( …

    Broadband 28 Aug 2002, 16:09

  • UK clamps down on IT work permits

    Skills shortage? What skills shortage!

    Tech workers from overseas will find it harder to obtain UK work permits, following the government's decision to remove all IT jobs from its shortage occupation list. The change to so-called Tier One Fast Track Visas (FTV) takes effect on September 1. Work Permits (UK), the government agency responsible for awarding work visas …

    Business 28 Aug 2002, 16:42

  • Einstein fends off Reality Distortion Field

    Faster than Soup

    Ever since the launch of the G4 line, Apple has used the phrase "faster than light" to describe the new CPU. Until yesterday, that is. Following the publication of this satirical piece, Apple changed the blurb for its new dual-processor PowerMacs from this to this... [You can click on each thumbnail to enlarge …

    Bootnotes 28 Aug 2002, 17:09

  • Win2k SP3, the ‘snooper’ licence, and the workaround

    How to just say no

    We've had quite a few emails from Windows 2000 Service Pack refuseniks who propose not to go anywhere near SP3 on the grounds that the installation insists you agree to the new-look Microsoft 'snooper's charter' supplementary licence in order to apply it. The critical clauses seem to be becoming standard for Microsoft products, …

    Software 28 Aug 2002, 17:10

  • MS yanks free Web TTFs

    Font abusers spanked

    Font abusers have spoiled a good thing and caused Microsoft to end free downloads of their TrueType fonts for the Web, the company says. An announcement and discussion thread at OSNews prompted a more in-depth story from ExtremeTech, which quotes a Redmond rep fretting that MS has "found that the downloads were being abused -- …

    Software 28 Aug 2002, 17:10

  • How to defang Win2k SP3's auto updating

    We think this covers it - any more contributions?

    Last week we told you how to install Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 without having to agree to Microsoft's all-new 'we can steal your stuff but we're not going to, honest' supplementary licence. We accepted at the time, of course, that the exercise was essentially frivolous, in that you'd probably be in breach of your licence …

    Software 28 Aug 2002, 17:10

  • Why computer fonts are so valuable

    Letters Blood, sweat and code

    Recently I posted an article lamenting MS' sudden withdrawal of its previously free TrueType fonts for the Web, and complaining that this leaves *nix users in a lurch for truly handsome fonts to use in X. Shortly thereafter Reg reader Mick Dimmick sent me an excellent e-mail memo describing just how difficult and time-consuming …

    Software 28 Aug 2002, 17:10

  • 02 touts games arcade for mobile phones

    Free for the first month

    02, the mobile phone network, launches the UK's first commercial Java games service for phones on Sunday (Sept 1). O2 Games Arcade includes Atari classics such as Asteroids and Breakout plus more modern games such as Men in Black II, Racing Fever and Popstar. It is 'free' to UK customers (with the right handsets) for one month …

    Mobile 28 Aug 2002, 17:18

  • PGP is back!

    Old hands at new venture

    Phil Zimmermann's PGP is back in the hands of an independent company, after Network Associates agreed to sell the technology it mothballed back in March to a start-up specially created to market PGP. Jon Callas, the former PGP chief scientist, becomes the CTO of the new company, PGP Corporation. Will Price, former Director of …

    Security 28 Aug 2002, 17:27

  • Popular MS download has mysterious vuln

    Remote root, but don't worry

    A certain remote root vulnerability in a Microsoft application called File Transfer Manager (FTM), a gimmick for developers, beta testers and volume license addicts (i.e., most of their corporate customers) alike, is not serious and there's almost no chance that some wily blackhat has used it against you. Honestly, you're safe …

    Security 28 Aug 2002, 17:27

  • The Stuckist Net – what is your post-Palladium future?

    Multiple TCPAs, and continental drift

    "Your paintings are stuck, you are stuck! Stuck! Stuck! Stuck!" - Tracey Emin [to Billy Childish]. The copyright holders who dominate the entertainment oligopolies in the United States could risk ceding the nation's technological lead, once and forever. How so? Well, we now see that the Pigopolists intend to restrict the open …

    Media 28 Aug 2002, 17:29

  • Exemptions exempted in Europe's DMCA

    UK missing out

    The European equivalent DMCA is a done deal, but the implementation of opt-outs could make all the difference in each EU member state. And the United Kingdom is missing out. Section 5.2 of the EU Copyright Directive provides a long list intended to protect cryptographers and academics, and preserve some notional 'fair use' for …

    Media 28 Aug 2002, 17:29

  • Media giants demand ISPs block Web sites

    The Great Firewall of Hollywood

    They've sued Napster and Scour into submission; realizing that this is expensive, they've bought numerous Congressional lapdogs to force the DoJ to become their personal 'Copyright 911' so that challenges to their production and distribution monopoly can be hounded down and eliminated at the taxpayer's expense rather than their …

    Media 28 Aug 2002, 17:29

  • Sun Solaris pants on fire – official

    Liar, liar...

    Almost three months ago those nice people at Sun offered a free DVD of Solaris for Intel or Sparc. But as the weeks rolled by and silence (apart from spam from Sun) reigned, descriptive phrases involving words like "duplicitous", "bastards", "mouth" and "trousers" increasingly sprang to the lips of that fine collection of …

    Data Center 28 Aug 2002, 17:30

  • EU to force ISPs and telcos to retain data for one year

    Privacy? We've heard of it...

    European Union proposals on data retention would compel telecom firms to keep customer email logs, details of internet usage and phone call records for at least a year. That's the gist of proposals leaked via civil liberties group Statewatch, which says the plans increase law enforcement powers without adequate civil liberties …

    Media 28 Aug 2002, 17:30

  • Starbuck's sells free WiFi access

    Quite a business model

    If they can sell burnt, ruined coffee at premium prices, why not wireless Web access one could have for free? So goes the reasoning behind Starbucks' decision to offer WiFi at $30.00 a month in Portland, Oregon's Pioneer Square, where free access is already provided by grassroots outfit Personal Telco. According to this item in …

    Mobile 28 Aug 2002, 17:32

  • Sony, Apple make phone dream team

    ... but 'iPhone' unlikely

    Speculation that Apple is planning to launch a smartphone has been revived by John Markoff in the New York Times. This isn't what we're hearing at all - but it hasn't stopped analysts taking the Rorschasch blot test and drawing some wild conclusions: '"When you connect the dots, you end up at a phone," said Charles Wolf, a …

    Personal 28 Aug 2002, 18:23

  • SonyEricsson cuts Linux P800 fee to zero

    Cash to code, or code to cash?

    SonyEricsson hopes to mollify developers who've discovered that writing native C++ applications for the much-hyped P800 can carry a hefty fee. The move favors the savvy rather than savant: determined Linux developers should be able to get in for nothing. Over the summer SonyEricsson has been offering a P800 Software Developer …

    Personal 28 Aug 2002, 18:23

  • Why the new MS licensing Ts & Cs are important

    And why you shouldn't doze like some people we could mention

    We've found Fred Langa absolutely hysterical for years, so we're pleased to see we've finally been able - however unintentionally - to repay our debt to the Great Man. We are, apparently, hysterical, yellow-tinted, inflammatory, and publish (amongst, he concedes, better stuff) embarrasingly shallow rants. We wouldn't ordinarily …

    Software 28 Aug 2002, 18:25

  • Intel goes CMP, only it doesn't

    Orwell in a Bunny Suit

    History is written by the winners - the last man standing. But you have to admire the power of marketing dollars - and a complicit mass media - to lend a hand. When Intel launched the first processor to employ simultaneous multi-threading, (SMT, or virtual processors), it created the name HyperThreading for this technique. SMT …

    Servers 28 Aug 2002, 18:26