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| | | April 27, 2003
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Sunday, April 27, 2003 |
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Microsoft blasts off Windows Server 2003
After years of feverish and often stumbling development, the world's largest software maker, Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft, turned Windows Server 2003 into reality. On Thursday, at a long-awaited launching ceremony in San Francisco, the company unveiled its latest server operating system, in an attempt to unseat competitive UNIX-based solutions from the business computing market.
With the latest Microsoft technology at hand, Windows Server 2003, offered in several tightly-oriented suites, provides a comprehensive operating environment for corporate datacenters, mission-critical applications, networks and workstations in both small and large enterprises.
Although in the past years, Microsoft has not enjoyed the astounding success of its personal computing operating systems, the software maker is determined to outstrip its rivals in the lucrative corporate computing business. To boost its case, Microsoft also released its Visual Studio .NET 2003 and the SQL Server Enterprise Edition for 64-bit computer systems.
Boasting friendly interface and a seamless integration of its .NET framework and XML-based web services, Windows Server 2003 hopes to prove the performance, reliability and security on the forefront of a multimillion promotion campaign launched by Microsoft to allure businesses running both Windows NT and UNIX-based operating systems.
More from: CNET News.com 1 2 | Computerworld | eWeek | InternetNews.com | PC Magazine | VNUNET.com
Security watch
Coinciding with the pageantry of latest Windows' launch, Microsoft issued several patches, fixing critical security vulnerabilities in the software maker's products.
 A severe flaw in the handling of MHTML (MIME Encapsulation of Aggregate HTML) URLs in Outlook Express allows hackers to penetrate end-user computer systems. Additionally, Microsoft released a cumulative update for its Internet Explorer browser, patching four recently uncovered flaws, which could provide attackers with the opportunity to execute arbitrary code on user PCs, run unauthorized scripts and even download files from assailable systems.
More from: CNET News.com | InfoWorld | InternetNews.com | Svetlozar Online | VNUNET.com
Meanwhile, Microsoft unveiled a patch for Windows NT 4.0, which fixes a security hole that allowed a U.S. military server to be hacked in March. Although an exploit was found to be available for Windows 2000 servers running Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.0, the software maker announced it had discovered the same vulnerability in Windows 2000's predecessor -- NT 4.0. System administrators are strongly encouraged to apply the update.
More from: CNET News.com
The world's biggest network equipment maker, Cisco Systems, warned of two potentially critical security issues with its products. A buffer overflow vulnerability in the Windows version of the Secure Access Control Server, software used to control Cisco network devices, could reportedly allow attackers to seize control of critical enterprise infrastructure and even gain administrative access to internal corporate networks. Cisco also reported a bug in a version of its Catalyst operating system, used to run Catalyst switches. According to the company, password authentication can be bypassed, if command line access is obtained. Updates for both flaws have been released by Cisco and are available for free from the company's web site.
More from: CNET News.com | Computerworld | The Register | VNUNET.com
Fighting illegal file-sharing
Meanwhile, as IT companies tackle security issues, record labels, motion picture studios and law enforcement officials have declared an all-out war on Internet piracy.
The industry's efforts, however, suffered a setback on Friday after a U.S. District Court Judge dismissed liability charges against two prominent makers of peer-to-peer software. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and even news organizations and IT pundits were largely stunned by the ruling. Most analysts expected an outright victory for the recording and movie industry, but the associations' case was marred by conceptual and ideological flaws.
After discerning the legal liabilities with Napster-like file-swapping networks, ardent file-sharing proponents developed standards for decentralized services, which ultimately transferred the responsibility to individual end-users.
Albeit, the RIAA and the MPAA won a ruling against Verizon, obliging the Internet Service Provider (ISP) to release the identity of a file-swapper using the company's services in less than two weeks. The case drew a massive outcry against the recording industry for disregarding online anonymity. Verizon, widely supported by privacy advocates, is hoping to repel the decision.
Also of note, Australian police shut down an Internet music piracy web site and apprehended three students, who provided free access to hundreds of songs from major U.S. and U.K. record labels. Australia, however, continues to be a haven for the most popular file-swapping network today -- Kazaa.
More from: CNET News.com 1 2 | InternetNews.com 1 2 | The Register | The Washington Post | Wired News
Google acquires Applied Semantics
The most successful Internet search solutions provider, Google, announced this week it had acquired Applied Semantics, a California-based software maker, creating technology for online advertising and information management and analysis.
Just recently, Google began putting great emphasis on its targeted advertising products as a substantial source of revenue for the privately-held Internet search giant. According to Google, the company first approached Applied Semantics to establish a partnership, but later decided an acquisition was more pertinent. The move is widely seen as the latest blow to Google's rival in the paid listings market, Overture Services, which largely depends on Applied Semantics' solutions.
Due to Google's unrelenting growth in the past years and the recent extension of the sponsored listings program to partner web sites, the Mountain View, California-based company has become the largest provider of targeted online advertising content and appears to be here to stay.
More from: CNET News.com | InternetNews.com | Reuters
In Other News...
RealNetworks will buy California-based paid music service Listen.com for about $36 million in cash and stock. The company is aiming to complement its successful RealOne SuperPass subscription service, which provides streaming access to online audio and video content.
Microsoft will delay the launch of its latest Office suite after the software maker decided to release an unplanned beta version. Beta 3 is expected to go out in June and according to some analysts, it may postpone the launch of the final product until the fall. Office 2003 was originally expected to ship this summer.
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) unveiled its 64-bit Opteron processor, challenging Intel's Itanium product line in the highly profitable server market.
After Yahoo!, AltaVista and Alltheweb, Ask Jeeves, one of the top Internet search engines, redesigned its service in an attempt to mimic the success of Google, the leader in the field. With far less graphics and a simpler, yet more intuitive look, Ask.com returns quick, relevant and useful results in a friendlier atmosphere.
Internet's biggest e-retailer, Amazon.com, posted strong first quarter results, including a 28 percent rise in revenues and solid international sales. The remarkable performance and the promising outlook offered by the company boosted Amazon.com's stock on Wall Street to nearly $29 a share, the highest level in two and a half years.
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