Gates Pledges Big Money for AIDS Vaccine
In a generous move by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, Gates promised $100 million in an effort to fight for a vaccine to stop the widespread and massively increasing number of cases of the HIV virus, which causes AIDS. Speaking at the World Economic Forum, Gates also issued a challenge to other economically well off individuals to do the same, in hopes that a vaccine could be discovered soon. Yahoo! also joined the Gates Foundation, pledging $5 million to be used to raise public awareness via Yahoo! sites around the globe.
MS Files Final Papers in Antitrust Case
Microsoft today filed its final papers in the antitrust case it has been battling for over a year now. The 75 page document shared feelings that the Department of Justice's final report conceeds that a majority of the Redmond Giant's acts were lawful, and that whatever might remain as "unlawful" is not enough to invoke the Sherman Antitrust Act. Oral arguments are set to begin at the end of February, according to the Reuters report.
BIND Flaw Could Lead to DNS Problems
The Computer Emergency Response Team, otherwise known as CERT, is telling Web administrators and others in key positions that an upgrade to the BIND DNS server software is immediately necessary to prevent attacks and Web outages. According to the CERT report, both versions 4 and 8 of the popular software have been found to be vulnerable to attacks which could allow a potential hacker to reroute Web visitors to different IP addresses.
Reuters reports that as much as 80 percent of all sites on the net could be open to such attacks.
Winamp 3 Alpha 2 - It Really Whips the Llama's Ass
The Nullsoft Dev Team has finally kicked out Version 3 of the llama ass-whipping Winamp. Winamp users and music lovers everywhere have been anxiously awaiting the release for months, as the team promises a host of new features and improvements to put Winamp in the same ring as Windows Media Player and deliver a first round knockout. If, which all expect it will, Nullsoft continues its fine tradition of making excellent software, this fight is over before it even starts.
Over at the home of Winamp 3 the excitement rose as "Winamp 3 has been okayed to launch" surrounded by flashing sex appeared on the site. Users had to wait until midnight last night, but the downloads have been shooting through the roof since its official release. The team also noted this, "The programmers are now on overdrive to get an acceptable experimental preliminary pre-alpha test demo out to you folks. We're looking for some sort of release in 2-3 weeks, hopefully."
Microsoft Pulls IE5.5 Temporarily
Though it is not known why specifically at this point, except that MS wishes to work on the service pack for the software, the Redmond Giant pulled the download for Internet Explorer version 5.5. Officials told ZDNet that the service pack will neither add new features or update any software bugs, but that they realized they neede to work on specific areas of the program. They also told ZDNet that the removal has nothing to do with recent Web site outages at the company. Stay tuned as more information comes in.
Big Blue Java Libraries Open Sourced
Big Blue has reportedly made its set of Java libraries open source, according to eWeek. UDDIJ4 was released as part of the company's The Universal Description, Discovery and Integration initiative that was launched last year. This tool gives users a client-side interface to accessing any UDDI registry. The eWeek article also said IBM is attempting to create a community feeling around UDDI and Web Services. For more information read the rest of the article at eWeek.
'Ginger' on Amazon.com
Recently BetaNews.com reported about the hype concerning a new product invented by world-reknown inventer Dean Kamen. This product, codenamed "Ginger" is said to be mindblowing in its abilities, and set to provide the answer for things that "are dirty, expensive, sometimes dangerous and often frustrating, especially for people in the cities." Now ZDNet is reporting that Amazon.com, whose CEO Jeff Bezos was one of two people to see a demonstration of the device, has a product page already up and running for the product. Though it is not for sale yet, the product page has information about the product that is known at this point, not revealing exactly what it is.
One Less Lawsuit for Napster
Independent label TVT Records has reportedly dropped its lawsuit against Napster. Reuters is reporting that the company also plans to make its music available for download via the service in the future. TVT Records reportedly dropped the lawsuit in lieu of Napster's efforts with Bartelsmann AG to create a membership-based service. TVT music will be available when this system is fully implemented. Napster seems to be slowly clearing its legal troubles with recent efforts to create said membership-based pay service. Look for a fully implemented version sometime in the future.
X-Box to Play Dreamcast Games?
Gamers.com has the scoop, reporting that credible sources told the site that Microsoft's upcoming gaming console the X-Box will in fact be able to play Dreamcast games. Those same sources told Gamers reporters that the DC chipset is already incorporated into the X-Box, though no official confirmation has been made. The announcement of the collaboration between Sega and Microsoft is expected on the first day of the Tokyo Game Show at the end of March.
At this event Bill Gates will deliver a keynote address in which he is expected to officially announce Dreamcast support for the X-Box. One Gamer.com international reporter wrote earlier this week that Microsoft hinted a huge developer for the X-Box was still unannounced, the only developers fitting into this category being Sega and Square.
Microsoft to Revamp Whistler Interface
Microsoft told beta testers this past Tuesday that the interface for Windows Whistler will be revamped, making what Mary Jo Foley described as "substantial changes" in her article over at ZDNet. Security surrounding the changes is so tight that not even testers will see what the new Whistler will look like until Beta 2, which is expected the second week of February, around the 12th. Microsoft is worried that the new interface will leak, which most likely it would, and took measures to prevent that until the official second beta.
However, according to the article, news about the changes has already hit the underground pipeline.
SuSE Linux to Use Linux 2.4.0
On February 8th, SuSE Linux will be one of the first companies to put the new 2.4.0 Linux kernel to use. Version 7.1 of SuSE Linux brings the new kernel along with glibc 2.2 and KDE 2.0.1 to add features and options never available before. The Personal version will retail for $29.95 and the Pro will weigh in at $69.95 USD. SuSE Linux is also currently working on a GroupWare server in a partnership with Lotus, combining Domino Messaging with SuSE's Web Application Server and Linux stability.
Tech Guy to Blame for MS Problems
According to the latest reports all over the Internet, recent Web outages affiliated with Microsoft sites are to be blamed on a single technician. The Redmond Giant told surfers in its apology letter that this technician unintentionally disrupted service by changing some router configurations. Rumors are flying everywhere that Microsoft in all actuality was hacked, but they have adamantly denied that claim. I would go to Microsoft's site and grab information from its official apology, but I can't seem to get to the site.
Wild 'Ramen' Not So Good
Kaspersky Lab's is now reporting that the Linux-based virus 'Ramen' is now "in the wild." The firm sent word around the net today that several Web sites have now been defaced by the malicious code, enough to up its status to "in the wild". Places affected by the bug include NASA, Texas A&M, and Supermicro. As of right now, the worm only seems to be affecting Redhat 6.2 and 7.0 versions of Linux.
Using three known breachable security exploits in the operating system, Ramen can penetrate the system and take over root access to execute its payload.
DirectX 8.0a Available
Microsoft has released another update to DirectX, version 8.0a, and made it available to download for gamers everwhere. According to reports over at ActiveWin, the new release fixes several issues with international installations of DirectX. Along with that, it fixes several problems where devices which could have input buttons disabled that were enabled with previous DirectX releases. You can grab the latest release here.
'Dubya' Gone From Whitehouse Keyboards
In some humorous political news, it seems that the democrats have had the last laugh during the transition of power at the Whitehouse. Reuters is reporting that on more than a dozen keyboards throughout the executive offices in the Whitehouse the "W" key has been removed, marked out, or broken. Some were even taped to the tops of doors around the place. Bush aides are working to correct the broken or missing keys.
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