In a deal that is drenched in symbolism, Google has signed an agreement with the Nasa Ames research centre to build a new corporate campus on its grounds in the heart of Silicon Valley.

The agreement is huge for Google: the company is moving into the birth chamber of Silicon Valley. The Ames Research Centre is based on the naval airbase Moffett Field. That also happens to house a hangar (left of the "a" on the map below) that was once used for the construction of Zeppelins.

Following the crash of the Hindenburg the factory was closed. But the technologists that worked there are said to have been instrumental in providing the early work force for Silicon Valley companies.

The new campus also is just stone's throw away Google's current dwelling.

Click image for a larger version

Tags: google, ames, nasa, mountain view, silicon valley

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 30, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rumours about eDonkey's stubborn survival are highly overrated, it turned out earlier this week. The peer to peer file sharing network testified before a Senate Committee that it is has ceased to support its network.

The company leashed out against Reuters last week after the news agency reported that the company was facing troubles and had to close its New York office.

Not true, the company responded, we've merely moved. But the website still listed the New York address. And without a peer to peer network, eDonkey is like a grocery store without an entrance.

But don’t' mourn too much over the loss of eDonkey. Parent company still exists and allegedly is working on a new p2p network that no doubt will be shaped to prevent that a recent legal ruling by the US Supreme Court doesn't apply.

The RIAA nfor now has won a battle in the copyright war, but still doesn't look very good in the war.

Tags: RIAA, edonkey, p2p, peer to peer

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 29, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (4)

When Trip Hawkins left EA Games as CEO and started the mobile gaming company Digital Chocolate, he set out on a mission to create a $94bn market for mobile games. At least that's how he put it on Wednesday morning in a keynote at the CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment tradeshow in San Francisco.

Hawkins is betting on social games to create this opportunity, and the first one called MLSN Sports Picks will be launched next month in the US.

Click here to watch a video of Hawkins' demonstration of the game (10.7 Mb .wmv download)

Hawkins at CTIA

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Tags: CTIA, CTIA wireless, gaming, digital chocolate, mobile gaming, Trip Hawkins

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 29, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

At the CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment tradeshow in San Francisco a panel of European and Asian mobile operators were asked what consumer can expect next.

For your enjoyment below their predictions.

1: Mahesh Prasad, Presisdent with Reliance, an Indian CDMA carrier:
Voice recognition services
More localised content (non-western pop music for ringtones)

2: Graeme Ferguson, director of global content development with Vodafone:
Music download services
Mobile TV and messaging

3: JH Kah, vice president of Global with SKT (South Korea Telecom)
3G, as in:
Girls (porn)
Gambling
Games

4: Matt Dacey, head of Content for O2
Mobile blogging and communities: they don't cost operators a thing to create and drive a lot of traffic

From right to left: Mahesh Prasad, Masaaki Maeda (DoCoMo - not mentioned above), Graeme Ferguson, JH Kah, Matt Dacey.

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Tags:  CTIA, CTIA wireless, O2, vodafone, SKT

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 29, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

With the market of memory chips of digital cameras reaching a saturation point, SanDisk thinks it has found new hunting fields in storing digital content.

The company on Tuesday at the CTIA Wireless tradeshow in San Francisco unveiled its net TrustedFlash memory chips, bundling DRM technology on a flash memory chips which effectively creates an iPod on a chip.

It's a clever idea, if it works. SanDisk now allows memory chips to become the next version of the audio CD, and the technology just as easily can be used for storing games or video content.

The chip will play on mobile phones and in the future other versions are set to be released that will work other devices including PDAs and media players.

Future applications even will include the ability to play content from subscription music services such as Napster and Yahoo Music! Also, don't forget to add pay per view movies to the mix.

If only you wouldn't have to use a flash memory chip…

SanDisk chief executive Eli Harari

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Tags: CTIA, CTIA wireless, sandisk

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 28, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Trusted Computing Group (TCG) at the CTIA Wireless tradeshow in San Francisco unfolded an initiative that seeks to create specifications for hardware based security on a mobile phone.

The result will be very similar to the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) for desktop and laptop computers, which combines an encryption engine, unique identifier number and secure storage on a single chip.

For a mobile phone this could for instance allow a secure SIM-lock and prevent unauthorised software from installing on the device.

But as the EFF points out, this isn't all good. Some of the features are specifically aimed at limiting what a user can do with his mobile phone, even more so than is the case today. To add insult to injury, TCG now is even openly aiming DRM technology as one of the chips applications. With the desktop version the organisation at least created an image of being impartial, saying that the chip could be used for DRM, but wasn't designed for it.

In the mobile phone market, the consumer has already lost the battle for control over their devices. By subsidising handsets, they can make an argument for limiting which ringtones and software the consumer can use. And with a mobile TPM-like chip this will only get worse. Security will come at a very steep price.

Tags: TPM, trusted computing group, TCG, trusted platform group

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 28, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

When Bill Gates said at Monday's Window Treo press conference that he has been using his new Windows powered Treo mobile phone, it was rather obvious that he was lying. The Microsoft chairman was playing around with the device all the time during the event, making it rather obvious that this was the first time that he touched a Windows Treo.

Gates certainly didn't bother to take "his" new mobile phone home with him. On Tuesday at a keynote presentation at the CTIA Wireless tradeshow in San Francisco, Suzan DelBene, corporate vice president of marketing for Microsoft's mobile and embedded devices division, held up the device.

Her keynote was extremely boring and uneventful. You know for sure that a company isn't even trying to say something new or interesting when they send a marketing manager to deliver a keynote, but that's besides the point.

Back to Gates' Treo:  DelBene even said the device she was holding up was the same that Gates had held the day before. She went on to say that they had been forced to disable its network connection because people kept calling the number and sending text messages after Palm had displayed the phone number on Monday.

Gates is one of those people that is important enough not to own a mobile phone (his assistant can carry one for him), although he is enough of a geek to carry one anyway.

But for the sake of honesty, don't claim that you have been using a device just because it sounds nice at a press conference, Mr. Gates. It makes me think what other things that you said were made up.

Gates om Monday - playing with his Treo.

DelBene on Tuesday holding the same phone

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tags: palm, Microsoft, Palm os, windows, windows mobile, treo, bill gates, CTIA, CTIA Wireless

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 28, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

There must have been a lot of truth to the rumours that the relationship between Apple and Motorola is a rocky one.

During a Churchill Club event last week, Motorola chief executive Ed Zander lashed out against the company that he had partnered with to create the Motola Rokr.

"Screw the Nano. What the hell does the Nano do? Who listens to 1,000 songs?" he said about Apple's newest member of the iPod family.

Zander's comments followed remarks by Steve Jobs earlier that week Apple Expo Paris about the disappointment called Motorola Rokr – better known as the iTunes phone.

“We wrote the iTunes software for that phone,” Jobs said in the understatement of the year. “We see it as something we can learn from. It was a way to put our toe in the water and learn something”.

Both executives have lots to be disappointed. Jobs would be right to be upset about the affront of a music playing telephone that the Rokr turned out to be. While Zander probably was sadended by the fact that most people left the unveiling of the Rokr talking about Apple's iPod Nano (which was presented the same day).

The relation between the two companies is said to have been rocky all along – Zander didn't even bother to show up for the Rokr's unveiling. Just consider this an additional chapter in a very thick book.

Steve Jobs unveils the Motorola Rokr

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Tags: apple, motorola, cingular, rokr, itunes

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 26, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (1)

With the days of the PDA's shortening what is the role of the seperate versions of Windows that have been availabable for portable devices? Watch the video to see what Gates has to say about this.

Click here to watch the video (1.5 Mb .wmv download)

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tags: palm, Microsoft, Palm os, windows, windows mobile, treo

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 26, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

The new Windows Treo won't be shipping until early 2006, and until then Palm won't even give out a product name. The only details that the company did give were that the device is running on an Intel processor and has an EVDO wireless radio.

But a Palm executive this morning at the Windows Treo's unveiling in San Francisco did give a demonstration of some of the device's features:

Watch a PowerPoint presentation on your Treo. Useless for presentations of course, but good for editing or approving an emailed copy.

Outlook email reaches the Treo at last.

Palm enhanced the Windows software with some of its own features, including its reach address book...

...as well as support for multiple inboxes, both email and MMS and other messaging standards.

Palm CEO Ed Collingan touted Windows Mobile's rich media features as one of the device's most valuable features.

Combine a 3G wireless network with this streaming audio player, and you get radio on the go without the need to build in an AM/FM receiver.

Picture view of the address book, another Palm-only feature. Forgot Bill Gates' name? Just look up his picture.

Another feature that Palm thinks will help it win against the competition: Can't take a call? Sent a quick text message by pressing a single butting.

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tags: palm, Microsoft, Palm os, windows, windows mobile, treo

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 26, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (1)

This morning in San Francisco Bill Gates joined Palm chief executive Ed Colligan and Verizon chief Denny Strigl to unveil the first Windows Mobile powered Treo Smart phone.

US consumers can expect to shelve out at least $500 for the new device, about $50 more than the current Treo, because it comes with a build in EVDO 3G wireless radio. That is bad news for the parts of the world that use GSM and UMTS, because EVDO is incompatible with UMTS. But no fear: the EVDO model is scheduled for "early next year", followed by a UMTS model "after the middle of 2006", said Palm chief Colligan.

Treo sounds like three for a reason - from left to right: Strigl, Gates, Colligan.

Bill Gates playing with his new Treo, calling his wife to tell her that he squashed yet another competitor (Palm OS).

It's still a Treo, except that you now get Outlook on it, among things.

Gates had plenty to smile about: Windows Mobile finally has a high volume smart phone manufacturer.

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tags: palm, Microsoft, Palm os, windows, windows mobile, treo

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 26, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Monday morning Bill Gates, Palm CEO Ed Colligan and Denny Strigl, chief executive of Verizon Wireless have scheduled a press conference in San Francisco.

Put one and one together and this can really only mean the official unveiling of the a Treo running Windows:

A Windows based Treo has been rumoured to be in the works ever since Palm One and PalmSource cut their ties after which Palm One became Palm again. Also the announcement is conveniently scheduled to coincide with the CTIA Wireless tradeshow and conference that is scheduled to kick off on Tuesday in San Francisco.

The device would mark the first Palm product that isn't powered by the PalmOS operating system.

The Windows Treo is the worst kept secret in the wireless industry, but could very well turn around Palm's fortunes in the mobile device market.

The old treo - running PalmOS

Tags: Windows mobile, palm, microsoft, treo, treo 700w

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 24, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Polish student Marek Cygan from Warsaw won the first price of $10,000. Dutch student Erik-Jan Krijgsman from the University of Twente finished second, followed by Petr Mitrichev from the Moscow State University in third place. Both received a $5,000 cash price, and a trophee made out of lego.

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tags: google, code jam, programming, competition, topcoder

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 24, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

For the first time in the history of Google Code Jam, a woman made it to the final round:
Stefanie Leitzka from Germany, nickname: [Reyhot]

"We've got a ways to go to improve the diversity," Jeff Huber, Google vice president of engineering told Silicon Valley Sleuth. "Hopefully, Stephanie's participation today creates a role model."

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tags: google, code jam, programming, competition, topcoder

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 23, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

What should you wear when you compete in Google Code Jam 2005?

A guide to what's hot and what's not in today's coding scene.

Hot: Ralph Furmaniak chose to wear his karate outfit. If your application fails, you can always use those martial arts skills on your monitor

Not. Obviously not. A Yahoo T-shirt from the Collegiate challenge... what are you thinking... oh... wait... that must be humour.

Not: Jan Kuipers. "Top 10 reasons to be a Yahoo! intern" printed on the back of his shirt. Sergey says: if you like them so much, why don't you go there?

Jan's PC later also would mysteriously crash, some Google employees predicted.

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tags: google, code jam, programming, competition, topcoder

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 23, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

This (Friday) morning 100 coders descended down on Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California for the third edition of Google Code Jam, an international coding competition.

The winner got a trophy made out of lego and $10,000. Google and Lego go way back. The founders use the toy buidling blocks for their very first server and even today they still have a fondness for bright colours.

The group, coming from 32 countries, is all that was left of 14,500 contestants who entered the competition online. Google wouldn't give out the problem they had to solve prior to announcing the final winner later this day.

Pervious editions asked the competitors to create an application that would find the fastest route out of a maze or select the largest group of people that knew each other inside a social network.?

In addition to creating an event where the best programmers of the world can compete against each other, Google uses the competition to find talent. About one third of the competitors are interviewing for a job, but the competition doesn't provide a shortcut into the company, Google claims.

Contestants set up their computers.

All contestants had to work on a PC running Windows XP. Internet connections were available but they were only allowed to use code checking tools - no cheating by asking your buddies at home to help out.

From what we could see one of the older contestants, and the only one with a beard: Steve Newman, nickname: [snewman]

Radhu Berinde, nickname: [texel] gets into a coding mode

First prize: $10,000 worth of lego

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tags: google, code jam, programming, competition, topcoder

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 23, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (1)

How often do you put the memory chip that is build into your mobile phone in your computer?

The question isn't as silly as it appears. A new mobile phone virus for the Symbian operating system will create an additional threat by putting the Wukill virus on the memory card of you phone, if you have one. Put the card in your PC and Windows is infected too.

The scenario is very unlikely at the moment. Even if your phone happens to have a memory card, I doubt that you put it in your PC very often (I've never done so). Why remove the battery if you can use Bluetooth to transfer files? And in the future you can transfer them even easier via high speed wireless networks.

Because the worm is unlikely to cause much harm, it is considered more of a proof of concept virus from an author that wanted to demonstrate the attack method rather than infect systems. It also reminds us that every step we take to make our devices more secure, the opposition will come up with some new that forces us to respond.

Will this battle ever be over?

Symbian phone with 16Mb memory chip

Tags: mobile phone, symbian, security, worm, virus

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 22, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sony is cutting 10,000 jobs, mostly outside of Japan. The company that once was the standard for the consumer electronics industry also plans to close 11 of its 65 factories.

It isn't a big secret that Sony's performance has been sub par. The company used to lead with its televisions, audio devices and single handedly created the category of the Walkman. But today Apple's iPod and low cost manufacturers from South East Asia lead the way. Sony is also nowhere to be seen in the emerging market of home networking.

Only a few visionary enterprises succeed in holding on to a business lead for long periods of time. The majority has a good run and then fades away.

tags: sony, lay offs, japan

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 22, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's a known fact that data thieves and hackers don't need advanced computer skills to obtain sensitive information. You can simply rely on a lack of common sense with most computer users, as I was privileged to witness earlier this week.

Neither my first or last name are very unique, which repeatedly causes people to send me emails because they misspelled a domain name or email address.

Last week a person with a name similar to mine working for Scalable Software asked his IT administrator to forward all email to his Gmail account. Except that he was so illiterate that he was unable to correctly spell his address and instead gave out mine.

While the problem was corrected earlier today, the snafu resulted in me receiving several dozen of Scalable's emails (I was away on vacation and didn't notice it earlier).

Most of the messages were boring or irrelevant: Colleagues in Scalable's Houston office are evacuating because of hurricane Rita and will be staying with grandma.

But they really got my attention with a message with the subject line: "Internal Only: [Name omitted] Visit Summary". Nothing says "read me" like a confidentiality disclaimer and a survey about a client's satisfaction.

Scalable among things develops an application to manage software licenses, but apparently there are some issues with the Mac version.

The client had problems installing the application because it couldn't be installed over a network. Also there is "frustration" with users because "they did not know how to change the views" for the software catalog, the email explained and apparently the software lacks an intuitive design that allows users to quickly retrieve information.

But overall the "Customer is happy and would like to see us continue to enhance our MAC cataloging."

"Most of these issues/frustrations were related to lack of training and understanding."

For starters the client wouldn't be very happy to see this email get published. Secondly competitors would be thrilled to get their hands on this email. If you mistype an address, you never know where it will end up.

Disclaimer: I have chosen to publish select excerpts from the email to illustrate how a small mistake can have grave consequences. Also this individual should take responsibility for his poor security skills, which is more likely to happen after a public scolding. Lastly, by omitting the client's name I believe that the real damage will remain limited, yet that Scalable will still be fully made aware of the risks involved with their current security policy.

Tags: security, disclosure, email, data leak

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 22, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Microsoft's new Windows File Systems (WinFS) promises to blur the border between files and data items. WinFS is currently in beta.

The fact that your computer puts an email message in a database inside Outlook shouldn't limit what you can do with that message, but it currently does.

Within the constraints of Outlook (and even more so in Entourage, the Outlook equivalent for Mac OS X) users can already link messages with calendar appointments and "to do" items. But why not add mp3, digital pictures and locations to the mix?

In a presentation at Professional Developer Conference in Los Angeles, Microsoft showed off some of the technology's capabilities. Click here to watch a promotional video (6.7 Mb .wmv file) that Microsoft showed to attendees in a session, explaining the technology.

Two examples of what WinFS can do (click the image for a larger, although somewhat blurry version):

File Store: think of this one as a data management and query building tool. File Store is shipping with the current beta of WinFS and allows the user to see all items. The queries build here are accessible for all applications.

Life Journal: an application that puts data on a chronologic timeline. The yellow bar represents the owners bike riding events, other bars show work related, home improvement and other projects. It links calendar appointments, journal entries and pictures as well as other data related to this project. The system automatically organises the data and the user can further fine tune it.

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tags: microsoft, pdc, professional developer conference , windows, windows vista, vista, office 12, WinFS

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 15, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Windows Vista uses a new technology called "Superfetch" to allow the system to faster load applications and data. The technology will preload data into the system's memory, having it ready when the user needs it.

Delivering a cool innovation, the Vista also allows users to add USB memory keys to a system's virtual memory, pre-loading data into its memory.

Watch the video below to see Jim Allchin, Microsoft's group vice president for platforms, demonstrate the technology at Professional Developer Conference in Los Angeles.

Click here to watch the movie (6.0Mb .wmv download)

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tags: microsoft, pdc, professional developer conference , windows, windows vista, vista, office 12, expression

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 15, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

During a keynote of Eric Rudder, senior vice president for server and tools at the Professional Developer Conference this morning here in Los Angeles, Microsoft unveiled its Expression suite of graphical applications.

The average consumer shouldn't get too excited about this, but it will appeal to corporate developers, and then mostly graphic designers who have to work with those developers.

Delegates didn't see much of Rudder himself, as the stage only after a brief introduction and let corporate vice president David Treadwell do most of the work.

Eric Rudder

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tags: microsoft, pdc, professional developer conference , windows, windows vista, vista, office 12, expression

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 14, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft's senior vice president for Office, today further dove into details about the forthcoming version of Microsoft Office, codenamed Office 12.

Yesterday the company unveiled the application's new user interface that should point the user to the application's features through the use of dynamic tool bars that will change with the task that the user is performing (eg: table toolbar when editing tables, graphics toolbar when...), while getting rid of the text menu bar altogether.

Today mostly brought details about the server side of the new Office, allowing workers to collaborate, share documents and the system's new content management capabilities.

On the light side, Sinofsky offered a set of Office steak knives (picture below) to the first 100 people who file a bug report for the upcoming beta of Office 12 that is due out later this year and will be sent to all PDC attendees (the final product is scheduled for release late 2006). We'll keep you to that promise, Steven.

--
Update: The third best know Microsoft employee  Robert Scoble already has a set. And he didn't even report a bug (I assume).

The knives: "But wait, there is more!"

<create your own caption, suggestions accepted in the comment section below>

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tags: microsoft, pdc, professional developer conference , windows, windows vista, vista, office 12

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 14, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (1)

HP today has ended its sponsor relationship with the BMW Williams Fomula 1 racing team.

Although the server vendor gave little explanation about its decision, it has chief executive Mark Hurd's signature all over it. As one manager with the company explained the other night over beers, "core business" is the new mantra inside the company today. Back then he already predicted that the Williams deal wouldn't last much longer.

Although the sponsorship deal pre-dated Fiorina's tenure as HP chief executive (HP inherited it through the Compaq acquisition), high profile deals such as this one were Fiorina's preferred way to go.

HP has one other sponsor/partnership that is boring me sleepless: Dreamworks. No Fiorina keynote without the vendor explaining how the animated movie maker was saved from certain disaster by a cluster of HP servers. After three times, that gets really boring.

No offence to Dreamworks, but I wouldn't mind if Hurd axed that deal too. Or at least stops talking about it during company keynotes.

tags: hp, fiorina,  mark hurd, williams, formula 1

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 14, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Microsoft Group Program Manager for Platforms Jim Alchin actually delivered the most intesting part of the opening keynote this morning (see previous slides). Part of it must be that Bill Gates is actually the most unquotable executive in the high tech industry - he hasn't met a sentence that he can finish properly.

Jim Alchin longs back to the good old days of Windows 1.0 (PC running the first version of the operating system on his left)

"Don't bother me with those fancy graphics"

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tags: microsoft, pdc, professional developer conference , windows, windows vista, vista

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 13, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (1)

At the Microsoft Professional Developer Conference in Los Angeles, Microsoft this morning gave a first public demonstration of Office 12.

There won't be much innovations in the suite, but rather Microsoft will do a better job at telling users what options are available, the company said.

Among the new features:

Easy tools to visualise data:
Left: four lowest numbers highlighted.
Centre: Blue bar shows the number (big bar: big number)
Right: show trends

Two pictures below: after selecting text to change the font, hovering over a font will show a preview of the font in the document.

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tags: microsoft, pdc, professional developer conference , windows, windows vista, vista

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 13, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

At Microsoft's Professional Developer Conference here in Los Angeles, Microsoft showed that Internet Explorer <cynicism> isn't just  about catching up with Firefox </cynicism>.

So what does IE7 offer?

A website's security certificate will now show up by clicking on the little yellow lock that has been moved to the top of the window (it used to be at the bottom). Also IE7 offers an opt-in phishing site blocking technology that tags suspicious sites and uses blacklists of known scams.

Not only will IE7 offer tabbed browsing, you can actually see all tabs at once. Now that is innovation.

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tags: microsoft, pdc, professional developer conference , windows, windows vista, vista

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 13, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Microsoft is building new access control technology into Windows Vista to keep kids, among things, from playing games that are rated for mature audiences. The nice thing is that the software will now recognise age guidance settings  and automatically, keeping junior from playing games rated "M" for mature and the likes.

The user can access all games in a single spot, regardless of their actual location on the hard drive.

One click sets game age controls, based on the standards set by the Entertainment Software Rating Board.

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tags: microsoft, pdc, professional developer conference , windows, windows vista, vista

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 13, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bill Gates opened Microsoft's Professional Developer Conference this morning in Los Angeles. The event is meant to warm up developers for the forthcoming version of Windows Vista.

In addition to some small technology news announcements, the software vendor gave an on stage demonstration of Windows Vista as well as a first public demo of Office 12.

Poking a little fun, Microsoft made a movie based on the Napoleon Dynamite movie. In this picture Gates has a booth at a job fair at Napoleon's high school. The big line is for the booth "future farmers of America". Napoleon decides to talk to Gates, claiming that he is "like the best hacker".

Gates on skates, being pulled by Napoleon on his bicycle.

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tags: microsoft, pdc, professional developer conference , windows, windows vista, vista

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 13, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

The day before Bill Gates is scheduled to kick off the Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles, the downtown area of Los Angeles where the event is held was hit by a power outage. A utility worker cut a cable by mistake, leading to a domino of mishaps that at its peak took out three power substations.

The blackout also hit the LA Convention Centre where pre-conference tracks were taking place.

The Professional Developers Conference was first held in October 2003 in Los Angeles as a one time event to inform developers about the forthcoming version of Windows Vista. Microsoft last year decided to add a second PDC to allow developers to learn more about the system. The event definitely meets some demands, as has sold out several weeks ago.

Back in 2003 too the PDC was hit by elements out side of Microsoft's control. A large forest fire in area outside of LA affected flight traffic over the city, delaying many attendees and preventing others from attending altogether.

Two points form a line, form a trend. Could it be that some higher force is trying to send Microsoft a message?

tags: los angeles, pdc, professional developer conference, microsoft, windows, windows vista, blackout

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 13, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (2)

What happens when a Microsoft head hunter tries to recruit a fierce open source proponent? Two words: blog posting.

Eric Raymond last week received an email from a Microsoft recruiter, informing if he would be interested to work for the software vendor.

Raymond is a Unix/Linux programmer and co-founded the Open Source Initiative. 

As people do with things that make them laugh, Raymond posted the email on his blog.

"Your name and contact info was brought to my attention as someone who could potentially be a contributor at Microsoft. I would love an opportunity to speak with you in detail about your interest in a career at Microsoft, along with your experience, background and qualifications," a recruiter by the name of Mike Walters wrote.

Raymond replied (excerpts): "Either you or your research team (or both) couldn’t get a clue if it were pounded into you with baseball bats. What were you going to do with the rest of your afternoon, offer jobs to Richard Stallman and Linus Torvalds? Or were you going to stick to something easier, like talking Pope Benedict into presiding at a Satanist orgy?"

" I’ve in fact been something pretty close to your company’s worst nightmare since about 1997. You’ve maybe heard about this “open source” thing?"

"On the day *I* go to work for Microsoft, faint oinking sounds will be heard from far overhead, the moon will not merely turn blue but develop polkadots, and hell will freeze over so solid the brimstone will go superconductive."

Blogs: a place to expose and flame stupidity.

Eric Raymond

Tags: microsoft, open source, open source initiative, eric raymond, OSI

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 12, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (1)

Oracle has agreed to acquire Siebel Systems for $5.85b.

For Oracle chief executive Larry Ellison, the deal is a victory on multiple fronts.

For starters the acquisition eliminates another competitor in the enterprise software market and strengthens its portfolio in the battle for market dominance against SAP.

But it also means check mate in a personal feud between the founders of the two vendors: Tom Siebel and Larry Ellison.

Siebel used to work for Oracle and came up with the idea for customer relationship management software while he was there. Siebel pitched the idea to Ellison, who turned it down. Siebel left and went on to found Siebel Systems. Initially the venture was a great success and at that time Tom Siebel all too happy to rub his success into Ellison's face.

Needless to say that the two gentlemen didn't get along very well anymore.

Then the tide turned. CRM lost its shine, users shunned the software and projects started to fail. Meanwhile hosted CRM emerged as the new promise, a movement that Siebel failed to spot or address. Tom Siebel stepped back as chief executive for Siebel Systems, but that couldn't stop the firm's downward spiral.

Last year Larry Ellison testified in federal court that Siebel had come to his house to ask him to by his software venture. Ellison declined. Siebel kept slipping.

The $5.85b that Oracle offered today is still a considerable amount of money, but a far cry from Siebel's valuation back in 2002.

Tom Siebel tried to battle his former boss, but in the end he failed.

Larry Ellison

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Tags: oracle, siebel, acquisition

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 12, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (1)

PalmSource has been bought up by Japanese software maker Access, which is best known for developing a mobile browser.

Although this is good news for users of Palm OS devices, the question remains what Access plans to do with the company, and why it felt it should spend $324.3m on the vendor.

Palm OS has an installed based of about 40 million devices, but its future versions of the operating system that Access is really after.

PalmSource is working on a new version of its software that is based on the Linux open source operating system. This should solve the firm's largest problem: a lack of developers who make applications that run on Palm OS devices.

Especially the promise of mobile phones running Linux should appeal to Access, the envisions a world in which applications are streamed over a wireless network to the phone's screen. Owning the operating system is one way to make sure that is your browser I guess.

Former PalmSource CEO David Nagel, last May at the PalmSource Developer Conference in San Jose. The day before he had stept down unexpetedly.

tags: access, palmsource, palmos, palm, palmone

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 10, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

After a summer of bugs and worms, the security community on the Full Disclosure mailing list is taking a quick break. Witness relaxing security-geek style:

--ORIGINAL POST--

From:   Dave Cawley
Subject: [Full-disclosure] Secuirty Hole Found In Dave's Sock
Date:   9/8/2005

Vulnerability Found:   Hole In Dave's Socket
Affected System:    Dave's Right Sock
Severity:     Rating: Moderately Critical 
                  Impact: System access
                  Where: Foot

Description of Vulnerability: This morning while putting my socks on I found a small (1/4 inch) hole by my big toe. This could be exploited by a virus through the bottom of the foot or under the toe nail. This could be used to compromise Dave's entire system.

Solution: No permanent solution is currently available. A work around is to wear the sock on the other foot to have the hole above the small toe where it will not be furthur enlarged, it will proboably fold over and partially cover the vulnerability. Permanent solution coming in either a sock darning or upgrading the unit to a new sock.

Time Table:    Found at 7:48am on Sept 8th, 1005
Work around figured out at 7:49am on Sept 8th, 2005

Permanent Solution Pending
Credits:   Found by Dave

References:    No references available.

--REPLY--

From: "Swain, Kenneth"
I have already heard about an exploit in the wild.

--REPLY--

From: "y0himba"
What company is this sock from? Should I run out and upgrade my socks? I see you failed to notify the vendor. Is there a reason for this? Yous hould always notify the vendor before posting the exploit or hole in public...

--REPLY--

From: "MacDougall, Shane"
This vuln was already released on 7/21/05 by Thor. Please don't take credit for other people's findings.

--REPLY--

From: Rob

Dave,

Please don't rehash 1000 year old vulnerabilities unless you are adding new info...

Thanks

--REPLY--

From: "Dave Cawley"

Sorry, vendor is Gold Toe. I will alert them immediately. This is my first reporting, I tried to follow protocol as closely as possible. I just got so excited..

--

From: "Craig, Tobin

Dave,

A number of patches are available, all dependent upon the severity of the vulnerability. I had always assumed this to be a feature, but now that it's been observed elsewhere, I'll initiate a full audit of my environment.

I also recommend that you carry spare socks to maintain continuity of operations.

Just a thought,

Tobin

--

From: "Dave Cawley"

It's hard to get the socks from different pairs to sync up. This can cause confusion for people viewing the socks and in turn cause a high volume of inquiries to the system administrator. But I'll give it the old college try. Thanks for the input!

--REPLY--

From: "Craig, Tobin"

It seems that the proprietary and the open source manufacturers agreed upon a standardized default configuration: all models are designed with one hole, used for deployment. Are you reporting the existence of a second hole, or is this an observation of the factory installed default configuration?

My recommendation is to isolate the sock until a full forensic examination can be performed.

Just another thought,

Tobin

--REPLY--

From: "Dave Cawley"

The sock came with the factory installed configuration. This hole is not part of that configuration and there is no mechanism in the origial configuration to close this one off.

--REPLY--

From: worried

GE, Maytag, Kenmore and numerous others have been implicated in a massive skimming scheme. Socks placed into washers and dryers with the appropriate mate tend to exit the cleaning process alone.

Several Gov't agencies released today the findings of  a multi-year investigation and have concluded that the companies in question are skimming socks and reselling them to 3rd world countries for profit. 

--REPLY--

From: Daffey Duck

All users had been warned to update their Soft Wear. Thos who didn't are now experiencing the horrible consequences of their incompetence.

I realize that for new users, like Dave, soft wear can be confusing and frustrating. It was for me, as well until I educated myself.

As usual, the Birkenstock users are protected. However, security by obscurity will always fail.

--REPLY--

From: Danny

This is NOT proper disclosure, Dave.  You must contact the vendor first.  My cousins, uncles, nephews sister works for Fruit of the Loom; I will attempt to locate a security contact there.

I just spoke with my girlfriend, and she has also confirmed that she has holes -- although there is only one way that I am aware of to fill her holes.

Until the hole is patched, do not put your sock on your cock.  This could result in a buffer overflow.

--REPLY--

From: Vladimir Parkhaev

Dave,
your work around is very complicated and requires usage of 2 feet. Only Windows users have to perform this complex task of sock switching. There is a simple workaround for UNIX users: It is enough for UNIX users to simply turn the sock inside out and continue wearing it on the same foot.

There is more details in B. W. Kernighan, The Unix System and Softwear Reusability, Proc. Workshop on Softwear Reusability, pp. 235-239, Newport RI, September 1983,
(Reprinted in IEEE Trans. on Software Engineering Vol SE-10 (5) pp. 513-518 September 1984) .

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 9, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

With a single $2.9 million donation, Bill Gates appears to have succeeded where governments for decades have failed.

That's the sum that the Aeras foundation invested in a tuberculosis medicine under development that by next year will start clinical trials. The foundation in its turn received a $82.9 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Tuberculosis, as it turns out, every year kills about 2 million people in third world countries . If you save those people, they can earn incomes, pay taxes and help build up the local economies. A $2.9m investment seems a small sum to save 2 million lives.

But why do we need Bill Gates to fund this research? Isn't that what governments are supposed to do?

I couldn't help but think about how Gates created a monopoly in the software market that – as has been ruled by a federal judge – hurt consumers and enterprises. At the same time he is using the billions that he gained through his actions to make the world a better place and solve problems that governments are unable to solve.

This world gets more confusing all the time.

Tags: microsoft, bill gates, tuberculosis

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 9, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you believe the rumours, Ebay is interested in buying Skype.

It doesn’t surprise me for the simple reason that the past summer the VoIP provider has been said to be talking to everyone with a few billion in the bank, including Google, Yahoo and Microsoft. Ebay too has plenty of money, bundled with ambitions to get bigger.

At a first glance, the two companies have little in common. Skype offers software that allows internet calling. Ebay owns companies that bring buyers and sellers together – be it through auctions, classified ads or rental listing.

Given that Skype is said to cost anything from $2bn – $5bn, Ebay better have a plan to earn back that investment. They could do that by offering a VoIP calling feature to its sellers on Ebay. A less likely scenario is that Ebay wants to become a telecommunications company that offers VoIP services to consumers and/or enterprises.

But is either worht $2bn or more? Skype isn’t priced so expensively because the company has VoIP technology, but because it comes with a network of millions of users. Anyone who buys the company does so because they want to monetise that user group.

If Ebay wanted to offer a VoIP calling feature, they can buy one for less than $2bn. And the auction site certainly doesn’t need to buy the users to turn them into buyers on its websites.

That only leaves the diversification theory: Ebay wants to expand its business beyond "connecting buyers and sellers". Or the whole story isn't more than rumours. 

tags: ebay, skype

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 9, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Google might make all of its money by selling advertisements next to your and mine search results, the company today send a strong signal that it is aiming for something far greater than just search by hiring Vinton Cerf, one of the founding fathers of the internet.

Cerf co-created the TCP/IP technology that allows us to send data over a vast, highly scalable network like the internet.

The big question is: what is he looking to do at Google. Surely the search engine will pay him a royal salary for his efforts, but these kind of technology heavyweights are generally attracted by a good challenge, not a bag of money. Nor will they be challenged by an opportunity to work on version 1.5.2 of some product.

I can only think of one answer: Google is putting some serious muscle behind its efforts to create the next generation of the internet, one where the borders of applications, hardware and data will fade away. The signs have been there – and spotted before – in applications like Gmail, Orkut and the Side bar.

But at the same time Google always maintained that search remained at the core of the company. That plea is much harder to make now that Cerf is on board.

Vinton Cerf
Photo courtesy of Google

Tags: google, vinton cerf, cerf

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 8, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

If your data centre looks like a bowl of spaghetti just fell over, the "Pimp my Rack" competition is for you.

The publisher IDG in Sweden, together with Sun Microsystems, is looking for the messiest server rooms. The lucky winner gets a data centre make-over with new gear and acceptable wiring so you can actually take your date into your datacentre – at least then you know she left you because  she didn't like data centres, not because they were messy.

Excuse my limited knowledge of the Swedish language, but I believe that winners will be announced at an event next week in Stockholm.

tags: sun microsystems, pimp my ride, server

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 8, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (1)

Steve Jobs unveiling the new Motorola Rokr mobile phone hardly came as a surprise. The device lacks a signature Apple design, which isn't a big surprise since it's just a iTunes equiped mobile phone.

The new iPod Nano however was much more of a pleasant surprise. Apple took the iPod mini and shrunk it down to a razon thin device with a full colour display. It can be yours for $249 for a 4Gb verision. Cut the storage in half and you'll save $50.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs holds up the iPod Nano

Making a point

Jobs pulls the iPod Nano from the front pocket of his jeans.

Media and invited guests test drive the new device after Jobs' presentation

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Tags: apple, motorola, cingular, rokr, itunes , nano, ipod

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 7, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

This morning in San Francisco, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs unveiled the Motorola Rokr, a mobile phone bundled with a mobile version of the iTunes media player.

The device will hold up to 100 songs - the software actually prevents it from displaying and playing more than that, even if the user installs a larger memory chip.

Steve Jobs holding the Rokr on stage at the phone's unveiling in San Francisco

Yes, the Rokr comes with white earbuds

Rokr with the iTunes software

Sorry for the fuzzy image. This picture shows the back of the Rokr without the battery. The sim card is on the bottom right and above it sits a 512 mb Transflash memory chip from SanDisk. The black square on the far right is the battery connector.

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Tags: apple, motorola, cingular, rokr, itunes

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 7, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

The free productivity suite Open Office has decide to change its licensing structure, helping in the clean up of open source licenses.

The move follows a decision by Sun Microsystems to retire the Sun Industry Standards Source License (SISSL) license.

Fewer open source licenses is better, because the world currently has 58 of them. That isn't just confusing, but could actually obstruct the acceptance of open source applications by enterprises because they opt out of using software that's governed by obscure licenses.

But it's too early to cheer really. Open Office actually used two licenses: the Lesser General Public License (LGPL) and SISSL. The project allowed developers to choose the license under which he or she would publish their work. This makes it relatively easy for the project to switch. But few other projects can make a similar move unfortunately.

Still, you have to start somewhere. Since open source license proliferation seems to be a real problem, every step towards a solution has to be applauded.

tags: OSI, license, license proliferation , licence, licence proliferation

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 7, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sony sold 185,000 Portable Playstations (PSPs) in the first three days that the devices were available in the UK.

That's a remarkable result if you realise that the device sold 600,000 units in the first week when it went on sale in the US last April, and that September is a very slow period for retail sales.

A far bigger question however remains: what are these people seeking to do with their PSP? Is it merely a portable gaming device, or are they using it to watch movies and surf the web?

As a gaming device, the PSP is merely sleek and nice, upsetting only sales of Nintendo's Gameboys.

But as a portable video and music player, the PSP has the potential to dethrone the iPod and take portable video mainstream. Add up the looming introduction of a video iPod, and a fierce competition between Apple and Sony could be the result. Hopefully consumers will profit.

tags: PSP, ipod, sony, apple

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 6, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

When police finally found Christian Julian, he was delusional, standing naked in a stream in Los Angeles washing his pants.

The 48-year old record executive had gone missing five days earlier, after he had gotten involved in a textbook example of a Nigerian Scam, according to the LA Times.

Julian fell for one of the get rich quick schemes that promised he would make a quick buck if he helped transfer some funds from Nigeria to the US. But when he received a $50,000 dollar check by mistake, the Nigerians demanded repayment. Julian ran and went missing.

Police however downplayed the scam theory. For a guy that is a Grammy winning record producer, that doesn't surprise me. Unless he has a drug problem, $50k shouldn't get him overly excited.

tags: spam, nigerian scam

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 2, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yahoo's latest version of Yahoo Instant Messaging has a nasty payload. Users that opt for the "typical" installation get not only the messaging client, Yahoo will also install additional software and change their browser settings to drive traffic to its website.

It's a well known tactic from makers of free software applications, but Yahoo is setting a new low here.

Enough so to upset even Yahoo blogger Jeremy Zawodny:

"It's insulting and disrespectful. I've aborted software installs or upgrades when they try to pull this stuff," he wrote on his blog. "I'm sick and tired of this crap."

Ah, the power of company blogs. There probably are a few marketing managers inside Yahoo that would like to fire Zawodny for his candour. But as a user it makes me feel a lot better about Yahoo to know that the company isn't all evil and does care about its users.

He single-handedly is able to repair a lot of the damage that is done by ignorant spokespeople like Terrell Karlsten, who told News.com that "We're giving people choices. For people who want to download software in one fell swoop, they have that option. If they don't want it we give them the ability to customize it."

Ms. Karlsten, read Zawodny's blog. What you call an "option" is disrespectful and insulting.

If Yahoo would be serious about giving people choices, they by default would keep their greasy hands off their computers. Or at least rephrasese the install menu to proprely reflect your intentions:
Option 1: standard
Option 2: let us screw up your settings..

Just another reason to support Google Talk.

tags: IM, instant messaging, Yahoo, zawodny

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 2, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (1)

Chief executive Stuart Cohen of Open Source Develment Labs (OSDL) had a meeting with Microsoft at Linux World last month, that must have felt like the first disarmament talks between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev back during the cold war.

Microsoft asked Cohen to support an independent study about the total cost of ownership of Linux versus Microsoft. For end users such a study would have been as useful as buying an expensive parrot, beating it to dead and wrapping it in some shiney gift wrap paper.

A TCO calculation is different for each user. And you can leave it up to Microsoft PR to highlight the Microsoft friendly statements in the report in their advertising materials.

Cohen declined, but at least Microsoft scored some PR points, as the company can now say that it is serious about finding out which operating system is the least expensive.

Cohen quickly recovered, asking Microsoft to show its dedication to providing interoperability between Windows and Linux by releasing a version of Microsoft office for Linux.

No reason for Microsoft to do that, since it would only make Linux more of an attractive alternative over Windows. But it allows Cohen to score some PR points.

And so the cold war continues.

Stuart Cohen

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Tags:  Linux, osdl, microsoft

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 2, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack (2)

Apple once again shows that consumers shouldn't trust the computer maker. Only two days after it launched a promotion offering users a free 30-day trial of the Mac Mini computer, Apple sneakily pulled the programme.

The website is offline. When I asked an agent with Apple's store about the promo, he said that: "We haven't been told anything other than that it has been taken off". He did recommend to check back in about a week, in case Apple had only temporarily suspended the programme to iron out some last minute glitches.

Given the fact that the website doesn't say anything about a temporary break, it's safe to bet that the promo has been pulled altogether. Maybe a financial manager had finally taken a look at it, and figured out that every return would cost Apple hundreds of dollars: each used model can only be sold at a discount, their hard drives have to be swiped clean and the systems need to be tested.

I don't believe the world is falling apart because Apple pulled a promotion, but the way that they do this shows disrespect to their (prospective) customers. If there is a good reason to pull or postpone the promo, be honest about it. But give an explanation. Any explanation.  Don't go around sneaking behind your customer's backs, hiding behind the fine print and pull the plan as you see fit.

If Microsoft would have pulled a similar stunt, the world would be all over them. But this is Apple, the darling of the computer industry. The only company in high tech that gets away with disrespecting its customers. Over and over and over again.

Tags: apple, customer service, apple sucks

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 1, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBack (2)

A Scottish judge has sentenced a couple to a 3-month jail term because they neglected their four children to satisfy their gaming addiction.

Neighbours had warned authorities after some of the children were seen naked on a window ledge. Social workers found one child in a rather dirty diaper and two of the children needed emergency dental care.

Although this is an extreme case, you can never again say that there is nothing wrong with playing computer games all the time.

Just ask members of the mailing list EverQuest Widows.

Gamer "Lauke" at work last year at the World Cyber Games in San Francisco, where the Dutchman won the Unreal Tournament competition and $25,000 in price money.

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tags: game, gaming, gaming addiction, everquest

Posted by Tom Sanders on September 1, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0)