Microsoft has issued two new security bulletins for NT 4.0 and IIS. The first patch that eliminates a security vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0 and 5.0 that could allow a malicious user to slow a web server's response or prevent it from providing service all together by sending a specially-malformed URL with an extremely large number of escaped characters. The second patch corrects the ability of a malicious user to compromise the cryptographic keys of other users who subsequently log onto the same NT 4.0 machine. For more information and to download these latest patches, visit Microsoft TechNet Security.

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Numerous Windows 2000 users have written in regarding the availability of IE 5.5 on Windows Update. In addition to allowing an easier upgrade, this also means that IE 5.5 users will once again have access to Windows Update. As noted before, testers are reporting the new version, to be faster and more stable than the previous beta. However, Microsoft warns "this software is for advanced users who regularly test prereleased software." Final release of IE 5.5 is expected in May. If you have not yet upgraded, visit Windows Update and give it a shot.

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An Internet start-up is repurposing a popular
open-source image-editing application to create a Web-based "photo lab" that allows any user to apply high-end photo manipulation to his or her own digital masterpieces. Online PhotoLab LLC Tuesday officially launched what it calls a
"massively scalable" photo processing service on the Web that uses the communally developed image-editing application known as The Gimp (GNU Image Manipulation Program) as its internal engine.

The Gimp is touted by the open-source Linux community as being in
the same league as professional image-editing software - like an
Adobe Photoshop, but coded with a sense of humor.

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RSA Security has teamed up with Compaq to develop a high-speed cryptographic wireless technology
known as Multiprime. Both firms say they hold joint patents on the system, which can move
encrypted data in real time to and from mobile devices, at speeds around twice as fast as was previously possible.

The problem with cryptographic technologies operating in real time
to and from mobile devices is that it places a heavy load on the
(typically) RISC (reduced instruction set computing) processor and
embedded firmware driving the mobile device.

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Microsoft has sent word to testers that Windows Me has reached the long-awaited Beta 3 milestone. Beta 3 adds many changes since Beta 2, including Microsoft's new Movie Maker, Windows Media Player 7, USB updates, added application compatibility, and a myriad of bug fixes. Beta 3 was finalized last Friday morning and subsequently demoed to thousands during last weekend's Microsoft eXtreme. Testers are reporting much improvement in stability and speed over previous betas. This will be the last Beta phase before Windows Me hits RTM, currently scheduled for June 2nd of this year.

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LIVE FROM INTERNET WORLD - John Patrick describes himself best. "I am Vice President of Internet Technology at IBM Corporation," he says. "My job is Chief Technology Officer for IBM’s Internet activities. Some people call me the strategist, some call me a visionary, and some call me chief dreamer."

To the hundreds of people who packed the main auditorium of the Los Angeles Convention Center to hear him give the first afternoon’s Keynote Address at Internet World Spring 2000, he was all three, as he spoke about his vision of the future of the Internet.

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LIVE FROM INTERNET WORLD - For Sean Maloney, senior vice president and director of worldwide sales and marketing for Intel Corp., the commercial exploitation of the Internet in recent years resembled the game show, "Who Wants To Be A Billionaire?" It's a game where the results hasn't been as real as anticipated.

Maloney gave opinions about where the Internet has been and where it is going in the morning keynote address at Spring Internet World 2000, an Internet trade show expected to attract more than 50,000 visitors to the Los Angeles Convention Center before it closes on Friday.

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LIVE FROM INTERNET WORLD - Macromedia today gave the press a sneak peek at an upcoming application to visually build dynamic Web content, code-named 'UltraDev'. UltraDev is built from the core pieces of Dreamweaver and will utilize Dreamweaver technology.

"UltraDev's purpose in life is to make the process of authoring Web content easier," announced Kevin Lynch, Chief Technology Officer of Macromedia. Using UltraDev, developers can quickly create Web pages using ASP, JSP, or ColdFusion, along with ODBC and JDBC compliant databases. UltraDev will replace Macromedia's Drumbeat 2000 product line.

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LIVE FROM INTERNET WORLD - In a press release early this morning, Apple Computer confirmed reports that it would open source the core operating system of Mac 0S X, named Darwin. "The core of Mac OS X is the only mainstream operating system following an open source model," said Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, Philip Schiller. Darwin is based on FreeBSD and Mach 3.0 technologies and supports "the Kernel Extension Developer Kit (KDK) for developing drivers and loadable modules."

Darwin 1.0 will give developers access to the essnetial Mac OS X source code, allowing them to extend the operating system with the help of Apple engineers. This unprecendented event is a huge step for the open source movement.

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LIVE FROM INTERNET WORLD - As if to steal the spotlight from Netscape 6, launched today here at Internet World, Microsoft has made available another public beta release of Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools. Testers are reporting the new version, build 4030, to be faster and more stable than the previous beta. However, Microsoft warns "this software is for advanced users who regularly test prereleased software." Microsoft will continue to develop both IE 5.5 and IE 5.01 Service Pack 1 simultaneously. IE 5.5 is expected to reach a final release in late May when Windows ME goes gold. Download this latest beta at FileForum.

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Steve Case, chairman and CEO of America Online - which will soon become AOL/Time Warner - delivered the opening keynote address of Spring Internet World 2000, an all-Internet trade show, before a standing-room-only crowd in the auditorium at the Los Angeles Convention Center today. Case opened his remarks by saying, "This is an incredibly exciting time, and that we are literally changing the world." The future, Case said, is about creativity and building a bridge between people and the services offered, and services that will be offered, by the Internet.

Cases first announcement was the debut of Netscape 6, which he said
would provide greater speed and convenience.

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LIVE FROM INTERNET WORLD - Netscape Communications kicks off the first day of exhibits here at Spring Internet World 2000 with a preview release of its next-generation Web browser, Netscape 6. eFront will be live at the show bringing you the news straight from the source. AOL CEO Steve Case will start the day with a keynote address, followed by a Netscape 6 press conference at 1:15PM EST. For those not lucky enough to be in LA, the webcast may be viewed here. Download Netscape 6 for Linux and Windows via FileForum. Is the browser war back?

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America Online Inc., the world's largest Internet service provider, announced the launch of a new "AOL Plus" service that plans
to deliver enhanced multimedia content and features to AOL members using AOL 5.0 over any high-speed connection - Internet Protocol (IP),
digital subscriber line (DSL), cable or satellite.

According to an AOL statement, content partners in the venture include:
AthletesDirect, CBS SportsLine, CBS MarketWatch.com, CNET Networks
Inc., CNN, FOXNews.com, FOXSports.com, House of Blues, Launch.com, Max
Broadcasting Network, Travelocity.com, and Weather.com, as well as AOL
brands such as MovieFone and Spinner.

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After several years of intensive research, IBM [NYSE:IBM]
has developed an advanced insulation system for the tiny processors
that make up a full-blown microprocessor. The firm said that the new
technology will allow its chips to run up to 30 percent faster,
without increasing their operating temperature.

While it's always been possible to "overclock" PC chips - that is,
run them at faster speeds than they are rated for - the downside is
that their operating temperature quickly rises and, if unchecked, can
dramatically reduce their operating lives.

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Six of the world's leading educational institutions plan to announce today a team to create a global online public library. The London School of Economics, Cambridge University Press, the British Library, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the New York Public Library and Columbia University are partnering to found fathom.com, with an initial investment
estimated at $116 million, the Financial Times reported.

The report said that users will be able to buy knowledge products and
courses through fathom.com and download free content checked by the
partnership's Academic Council.

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