Microsoft Downplays Activation Whitepaper
In the first comprehensive study of its kind, an Internet start-up has released a whitepaper providing technical insight into the inner workings of Windows Product Activation. The study's conclusion agrees with Microsoft's assertions that typical hardware modifications will not require re-activation, and that end user privacy is protected. Despite the open analysis, Microsoft is not concerned about details exposed in the paper, citing the inevitability of the technology being reverse engineered. The software giant stands behind WPA as "well engineered work" that will not be harmed by this publication.
Research conducted by Fully Licensed GmbH, a start-up focusing on software licensing, reveals that an ID composed of ten different hardware components and the Windows product key is the only information sent to Microsoft servers during the activation process. A user will be able to change up to three of the ten hardware components before having to re-activate Windows.
Preview Program XPeriences Snags
UPDATED Windows XP public preview program participants are up in arms over delays and an apparent communication blackout with Redmond. A series of recent slip-ups by Microsoft's download partner Conxion has tainted the experience of these customers before they have even gotten their hands on the software giant's greatly hyped new operating system. All customers were expected to have received an e-mail detailing the download process by July 7. However, the date has past and many customers have been left in the dark.
Over 50,000 users who applied for the program opted for the download option, leaving Conxion with the immense task of addressing
their concerns and waves of discontent. To make matters worse, an initial server configuration error granted unlimited access to the official download site, allowing software pirates to download the product well before paying customers were notified of the release.
Amazon Offers First Peek at XP Box, Pricing
UPDATED While no official announcement has been made by Microsoft, online retailer Amazon.com has provided the first glimpse of the Windows XP box, as well as pricing for the upcoming OS. Not straying far from current prices, Windows XP Home Edition will run $199 USD for the full version and $99 USD for upgrades. Professional Edition will be more demanding on the pocketbook, retailing at $299 and $199 USD for full and upgrade versions, respectively.
Microsoft is positioning Home Edition as the upgrade path for consumers and Professional Edition for businesses, but acknowledges most users will not see a difference. For an extra one hundred bucks, XP Professional offers remote desktop capabilities, offline files, support for dual processors, NTFS, and advanced management tools. By comparison, Windows Me and Windows 2000 cost $9 more than their XP counterparts upon release.
France: Completely Wired in 5 Years
Growing concern that rural areas would miss out on high speed Internet connections has led France to undertake an ambitious task of wiring its entire land mass within five years time. Under the plan, local communities will be provided with loans of up to $1.3 billion. That money would then be earmarked to lay down fiber across the countryside. The total estimated cost of the project dwells around 30 billion francs.
First reported by Reuters, the government is also considering utility lines owned by state-controlled Electricite de France to be ideal pathways for fiber optic networks. Citing the low profit potential of rural markets as a barrier to investment by the private sector, a government spokesperson predicted that 70-80 percent of the country would not have access to high speed Internet connections if not for government action. Full details of the plan will be announced today.
Flaw Turns IIS Into Spam Tool
Intending to streamline server functions and ease the task of system administration, Microsoft enabled by default the installation of an SMTP sever on all versions of its Internet Information Server, or IIS Web sever package. SMTP, or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, controls all e-mail sent to and from a server. Microsoft has issued a security bulletin addressing a vulnerability in this SMTP sever which allows an attacker to perform unauthorized relaying, which is responsible for much of the spam that unfortunate Web users receive everyday. The software giant has released a patch that fixes the flaw, and recommends that users disable or even remove SMTP if they do not use it.
The patch applies for both Windows 2000 Professional and Server products, but does not affect Exchange Server 5.5 or 2000 - which uses a distinct code impervious to this specific flaw. For more information and to download the update, visit Microsoft TechNet Security.
NAV 2002 Enters Public Beta
Keeping in line with its recent trend of holding public beta tests, Symantec has released Norton AntiVirus 2002 sporting an overhauled feature set. As an incentive to testers, the company will also be giving away 50 complimentary retail copies to those who find the most bugs. Since it began alpha testing in early June, NAV 2002 has focused on two key areas - efficiency and stability. Symantec has taken a fresh look at development for this release, re-engineering the product's scan engine so it is optimized for better performance. Known internally as "Torito," NAV 2002 also includes a new HTML-driven user interface, and improved e-mail protection.
Additionally, the NAV installation process has been streamlined with a post-install configuration. Symantec has also opted to begin using the Microsoft installer, noting the release will install on Windows XP, but legacy support for Windows 95 has been dropped. Other improvements introduced in this version include integration with Internet Explorer, and script blocking technology which first appeared as an add-on to NAV 2001.
myCasio Beta Set for Launch
An entirely new realm of possibilities is opening up for Cassiopeia users who feel the handheld does not do enough. In conjunction with ActionEngine, Casio is set to begin testing a new wireless service available exclusively on its popular brand of PDA. Dubbed myCasio, the service promises to open up a pipeline of information and media, extending the device well beyond its traditional role as simply an organizer. Augmenting a user's computing experience, content for business productivity or just plain entertainment purposes will be accessible from the tiny Windows CE based machines. Officially slated to launch this fall, the service matches steps taken by competitors to squeeze as much Internet functionality as possible into portable devices.
While wireless products ranging from cell phones to competing models of handhelds using the OmniSky service provide similar offerings, this marks Casio's first attempt to act as a true content provider to customers.
Apple Places Cube on Ice
Fans of Apple's radically different Power Mac G4 Cube are in for some disappointment. Rumors predicting Apple's plan to discontinue the production of the Cube have proven to be true. Today the Cupertino, California based company announced that production would be suspended indefinitely. Leaving a glimmer of hope for Cube users, Apple did keep open the prospect of a similar design resurfacing with upgraded hardware. However, no plans exist for new models at this time.
Introduced at last July's Mac World Expo, the G4 Cube never experienced the consumer response Apple had hoped to ignite with its release. Dismal sales that remained well under projections, as well a reputation for quality assurance problems plagued the Cube during its lifespan. For many, the most notable aspects of the G4 Cube will remain the infamous micro-cracks that formed in its clear plastic casing, and the misaligned switches that caused it to turn off unexpectedly.
Intuit Calls for 'Wasabi' Beta Testers
Electronic finance leader Intuit is now accepting applications for the upcoming beta test of QuickBooks 2002, code-named Wasabi. QuickBooks is aimed at small businesses, aiding in the management of financial tasks. Not to be confused with the Winamp 3 beta of the same name, the Wasabi test will begin mid-August and extend into December. The company has not yet disclosed new features of the upcoming release. The test is only open to residents of the United States.
The minimum requirements for testing Wasabi are as follows:
The Flip Side of 'Shared Source'
Last week, Microsoft announced a collaboration with Corel aimed at developing C# and Common Language Infrastructure (CLI) tools for the FreeBSD operating system. Upon release, this software will be made available to academic institutions and researchers, but access is limited by the company's conditions. Touted as a sensible alternative to GPL licensing, Microsoft's "shared source" program is intended to create a model for software development that the company hopes will counteract the popularity of the GPL.
GPL was first utilized by the free software movement for the free distribution of software, but later was adopted by the open source movement – which Microsoft has had considerable disagreement with. Described by Microsoft as being "viral" in nature, the GPL has come under intense scrutiny by the media.
MS Visual FoxPro 7.0 Goes Gold
Microsoft released to manufacturing this week Visual FoxPro 7.0. According to the software giant, "Visual FoxPro offers developers a data-centric, object-oriented language for building database applications, including desktop, client/server, and Web-based solutions. Features and enhancements include support for XML Web services, Microsoft SQL Server Data Engine 2000, event binding, and an enhanced development environment." Retail availability is scheduled for July, and will run $579 and $279 USD for full and upgrade versions, respectively.
Microsoft touts four major areas of change in the newest version of its Visual FoxPro development system: the development environment, language features, development tools, and XML Web services. The Visual FoxPro IDE now includes dockable windows, menu configuration options, bookmarks and shortcuts, as well as a new document view to navigate procedures and functions.
AOL 7.0 Beta Progresses, Testers Added
Set for an August release, AOL 7.0 code-named "Taz," is in need of some additional beta testers. For a limited time, AOL members who dial-up to the service are wanted to test the upcoming client's connectivity. Users with slightly higher-end PCs will notice an increase in performance, as the optimization point is raised in this release. Thus far, AOL 7.0 has not brought much in the way of changes, and is merely an evolutionary step in the development of the client.
The user interface has not changed drastically and remains nearly identical to the current AOL 6.0. Information obtained by BetaNews reveals AOL's hesitation to raise the hardware requirements of Taz beyond those set by version 6.
Windows XP RC1 Arrives
At long last, Microsoft today released Windows XP Release Candidate 1 to testers, sporting build number 2505. Beating the company's internal release goal of July 1, RC1 marks feature completion for Windows XP. Microsoft issued interim build 2502 earlier this week as a final check before the first release candidate was officially declared. The software giant is expected to make an announcement shortly to Preview Program participants, who will be given access to download the release.
Release Candidate 2 is slated to follow late next month, with a release to manufacturing at the end of August. In preparation for October's launch, Microsoft began a billion-dollar marketing campaign for Windows XP this week in Las Vegas.
Macromedia Readies Sitespring Public Beta
Macromedia this week unveiled Sitespring, a new product aimed at managing the Web site production process. The Web-based application allows teams to collaborate on design projects, keeping track of file changes and archiving. Sitespring integrates with Dreamweaver 4 and UltraDev, as well as Microsoft Project. Macromedia will launch a public beta this summer, making available limited copies on a first come, first serve basis.
Sitespring easily installs on a Windows server and is accessed through a Web browser on any platform. It features personalized home pages to detail projects and tasks, e-mail notifications for alerts and updates, archiving to create snapshots of project files, and automated disk management. Tasks can be forwarded or searched, and contain associated files. Macromedia has setup a page detailing the uses of Sitespring in multiple environments.
TiVo Preps 2.5 Beta
TiVo has begun signups for the upcoming beta test of software release 2.5. While full details of the update have not been disclosed, version 2.5 is focused on DirecTV users, possibly adding the much anticipated dual tuner functionality. By utilizing dual tuners, TiVo can play or record one live show while simultaneously recording another on a different channel. The team also promises neat changes for standalone TiVo units as well.
Testers will be selected at random from all applicants. TiVo will first choose 100 names beginning next week, ramping up to thousands within a few weeks. Those selected will also be considered for future beta tests.
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