Microsoft Windows Double Take
According to research done by the Gartner Group, the extremely confusing terms of Microsoft's licensing agreements for Windows, consumers may in fact pay for the operating system twice. Due to this confusion, it can increase the price of the computer as much as $150 USD. Because the software comes prepackaged on most PCs it is covered by a separate license agreement. Apparently, if the software is "re-imaged" using the Microsoft Select Volume Licensing plan, it can jack the prices of the computer higher. Read the report from the Gartner Group for more information.
SnapStream PVS Beta
SnapStream Media has a treat for all you video lovers out there. If you've ever wanted to broadcast your own video after manipulating it, or just wanted to broadcast live, the new beta of SnapStream PVS is your answer. This software runs on any computer with a TV tuner and video capture card, and allows the broadcasting of content either from your TV, VCR, or even your camcorder.
With SnapStream PVS, which can be controlled from any standard Web browser, users can broadcast video to friends and family anywhere in the world. It offers on-demand peer-to-peer video streaming, and advanced recording capabilities to record your favorite TV shows.
Application Center 2000 Beta Testing
Microsoft has released a new beta of its Application Center 2000 for e-commerce developers and businesses around the globe. This software allows businesses to distribute transaction processing to prevent server overload and crashing. According to Microsoft, this software is "a key member of the .NET enterprise server family." Chris Atkinson, vice president of the .NET Developer Solutions Group at Microsoft also said "This public beta is a crucial landmark on the road map to .NET." For more information, visit the Application Center Web site at Microsoft.com, or read the press release on Microsoft's PressPass.
Final Horizon Beta Testing Opportunity
Starting at 6am today, game lovers around the world will have the chance to become one of 100 gamers to participate in this closed beta testing of the game Final Horizon. This MMORPG, set in the Dark Ages, has over 200 monsters to battle, and a system wherein you can be practically any type of charecter you want to be. Tom, the project leader, says "Want to be a shop owner we have it! Would you like to be a warlock or a life mage? we have them also and many many many more." Much like Ultima Online, this game utilizes a 2D view for the gameplay. Visit the temporary "Final Horizon" Web site for more information and to become a beta tester.
Updategrams for Microsoft SQL Server 2000
MSDN has an updategram beta available for download for use with Microsoft SQL Server 2000. An updategram can be used to update multiple tables in an Microsoft SQL database simultaneously, thus saving time. The technical information on the updategrams states that "Updategrams define the structure of an XML document that can be used to describe a change to another XML document. The change is described by presenting what a fragment of the document looked like before the change and what the fragment should look like after the change." For more information read the article on MSDN.
Microsoft Debugging Tools
A beta of the debugging tools that will be included in the next Windows version, Windows Whistler, is available for download from Microsoft. According to Microsoft, "This Beta version of the new Microsoft Debugging Tools can be used to debug Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, the next release of Windows 2000, code-named "Whistler," and future 64-bit releases of Windows. The tools are currently not compatible with Windows 9X." Visit Microsoft for further information about the download. You can also download the Microsoft Debugging Tools included in this release of Windows 2000 here.
Avoiding 'The Perfect Storm'
Reuters is reporting that the United States has paid $18 million for an IBM supercomputer to avoid naval disasters like the one portrayed in the recent movie 'The Perfect Storm'. "Blue Wave" as the computer is being called, is the most powerful computer in use at the Department of Defense, and the fourth fastest in the world. It is expected to aid in search and rescue efforts and storm forcasting, processing two trillion calculations per second. Visit IBM for more information.
European Union Opens Antitrust Cases Against Microsoft
Apple Sues Over Online Posting Of Trade Secrets
Apple Computer [NASDAQ:AAPL] has swung its legal cannons
into operation against an unnamed person who has apparently posted
details of the vendor's top secret new machines on the Internet.
The complaint, filed in the Superior Court for Santa Clara County,
Calif., seeks an injunction against further disclosure of Apple's
trade secrets as well as monetary damages.
AltaVista Intros New Search Tools
AltaVista has souped up the range of search facilities
available to users of its various search engine portals.
The firm has launched a new search center and navigation platform
while simultaneously unveiling the AltaVista Entertainment Center,
which it said will help consumers find audio, video and image files.
Microsoft Seeks Dismissal Of Class-Action Suits
Microsoft Corp. has reportedly asked
the federal judge charged with consolidating all the third-party
antitrust lawsuits against the company to summarily dismiss them due
to lack of standing.
An Associated Press report today said the software giant filed a
40-page document in US District Court in Baltimore, which argues that
because consumers purchase Microsoft operating systems through their
computer manufacturers or retailers, antitrust law does not apply.
The company asked Judge J. Frederick Motz to dismiss or summarily
rule in Microsoft's favor in 62 class-action cases, most of which
were brought following the ruling by US District Judge Thomas
Penfield Jackson in Washington that the company violated federal
antitrust laws.
V2_OS - What is It
A new operating system is being developed at the V2_Lab (International Lab for the unstable media) that is completely written in 32-bit Assembler language. It has just recently been released open source, version 0.63.2a, and sent to developers around the world. The V2_OS Web site argues that it is the fastest and easiest installing OS on the market, and a perfect developing platform. This Rotterdam project runs from a floppy disk, so you can use it without damaging existing installations. For more information visit the V2_OS Web site.
X-Box Mystery Chip
Graphics card maker Nvidia has already announced that it will provide Microsoft with the graphics processor for the giant's future gaming console the X-Box. Win98Central is reporting that the company is secretly working on another processor for the console, yet unnamed and undetermined as to what it will do for the gaming system. Three chips compose the system, the microprocessor, the graphics processor, and the yet unnamed chip, which could possibly handle advanced sound or video functions. Read more at Win98Central.
Microsoft Anti-piracy Division Fires Up
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that thanks to a search engine that looks for illegally copied and counterfeited software, Microsoft is currently taking action against 7,500 Internet lists in 33 countries for offering illegal software. The actions include 17 lawsuites and 64 raids on suspected software pirates. This is Microsoft's largest anti-piracy campaign in its history, a lot of the actions being taken in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.
PlayStation2 Preording Craze
Apparently due to an overwhelming demand, several major retailers have stopped PlayStation2 preordering for consumers in the United States. The next-generation gaming console is expected to hit the US market on October 26th, and take the gaming world by storm. From previews of the games at the E3 gaming convention, PlayStation2 will offer users an experience like none other in the console gaming world. It's strongest competitor appears to be the X-Box, Microsoft's baby that will hopefully launch next year.
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