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| | | April 13, 2003
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Sunday, April 13, 2003 |
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As the world was mesmerized before TV and computer screens, watching the historic events in Iraq and its capital, the latest uneventful week for the IT industry brought little for the avid technology news reader and a potentially disastrous setback to Microsoft.
Microsoft suffers pre-release setback
As the largest software maker was briskly preparing for the launch of the latest version of its flagship product, Windows Server 2003, news broke that software registration keys were leaked on the Internet. According to a CNET news report, two keys from Microsoft's volume-licensing program are circulating the Internet more than two weeks before the official retail release of Windows Server 2003.
Since the advent of Office XP, Microsoft uses product activation technology, which requires buyers to contact Microsoft for their installed software to work. But the company's corporate program allows customers to install multiple copies of Windows and Office without the activation requirement.
A similar situation evolved at the release of Windows XP, when Microsoft found itself helpless to fight the problem. And a multitude of analysts believe the Washington-based company is helpless once again. The setback will likely lead to yet another widespread distribution of pirated copies of Windows Server 2003.
More from: CNET News.com | InternetWeek | VNUNET.com
Yahoo! puts muscle and hope in Internet searching
Yahoo! launched a renovated and more than ever prominent search service, seeking to regain ground lost to Internet search leader Google. Despite continuing a long-standing business relationship with Google, widespread rumors suggest California-based Yahoo! may break away from the technology offered by the most successful search company to date.
The redesigned and restructured service called Yahoo! Search offers cleaner, less ad-heavy interface, featuring sponsored results and searches in different categories. Google's paid search listings, however, still do not utilize Inktomi's technology, a company recently acquired by Yahoo!. Nevertheless, the company's new design, although clearly inspired by Google, may not necessarily be appealing to experienced users, who see Google.com as the professional tool of choice.
But Yahoo!'s current business management appears to be going in the right direction. The Internet giant posted Wednesday first-quarter earnings, exceeding both analysts' expectations and company predictions.
More from: CNET News.com | ComputerWorld | Reuters: 1 2 | PC World | The Washington Post
Security Watch
 A critical security vulnerability surfaced Wednesday when Microsoft announced the flaw in the software giant's implementation of the Java language, Microsoft Virtual Machine (VM). The security hole could allow attackers to overtake computer systems by means of Java applets, planted on web pages. Two additional vulnerabilities affecting Windows 2000, Windows NT, Proxy Server 2.0 and ISA Server were also disclosed.
More from: CNET News.com | eWeek | IDG.net | InternetNews.com
For a second time in just over two weeks, a security flaw in the widely used Samba server software was discovered. Samba, a popular program allowing Windows, Linux and UNIX computer systems to share files on a network, could reportedly allow a serious compromise of servers running the software. The open-source group working on the product released patches for the hole on Monday.
More from: CNET News.com | IDG.net | InfoWorld
In Other News...
With Iraqi government web sites irrevocably shut down since the start of the war, other Iraq-related web spots are gaining astounding interest. In just several days, WeLoveTheIraqiInformationMinister.com turned into such a hit its owners were forced to purchase better equipment to help keep up with the steadily increasing flow of Internet surfers. In recent weeks, former Iraqi information minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf became the public face of Saddam Hussein's government, boasting unsubstantiated, and usually untrue, claims of Iraqi triumphs on the battlefield. The web site features quotes from al-Sahhaf's news conferences, which frequently represent verbal attacks on U.S. and British officials.
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) warned global music sales have dropped more than 7 percent in 2002, largely due to rampant illegal song-swapping over the Internet. Today, uncontrolled file-sharing and spreading spam are widely identified as the two critical problems facing Internet's community.
Two U.S. senators introduced a bill to the United States Congress, requiring marketers to provide legitimate return e-mail addresses and to honor requests for removal from mailing lists. The move comes as spam is dominating e-mail messages sent across the world.
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