Date: 10/23/07 (Data Management)    Keywords: microsoft

When I saw the demo last summer it was impressive. Sybase used its Information Anywhere suite as a go-between to allow such corporate email stalwarts as IBM Lotus Domino and Microsoft Exchange to integrate with a mobile Apple iPhone for email and PIM. Now the demo is...

Source: http://blogs.zdnet.com/Gardner/?p=2563

Date: 10/23/07 (Computer Help)    Keywords: software, browser, java, security, virus, antivirus, spyware, yahoo, microsoft, google

I keep having bizarre computer problems, yet I can't detect any viruses, and the only spyware I had was a couple tracking cookies I get from time to time and I deleted them.

Earlier Word wouldn't open, now it will. Sometimes Spybot and Ad-aware will open, sometimes not. Semagic won't open, I get an error message that says "Can't enumerate device." I've gotten the same error when trying to open Word, but now it works.

And sometimes the things that won't open give me an error message that there is not enough memory to run it, even though I have plenty and recently defragged.

I started my computer in safe mode and everything was peachy. I opened Fix-it Utilities, ran some scans and a registry de-frag, as well as running ad-aware and spybot again. All clean. Restarted the computer in normal and tried to open Fix-it, just to test. Still doesn't work. Neither does Semagic and a couple other random things. And randomly, my internet browser fails. Weather I'm in Opera, IE, or Firefox...they all do it. Half the text and images vanish, some look like they are on top of each other. I don't understand.

I'm pretty sure it must be one thing causing all of this, because it all started two days ago together.

Any ideas?

This is on an HP PC with Windows XP by the way.



The logfile from running hijack this:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 1:22:17 PM, on 10/23/2007
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16544)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccProxy.exe
c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SPBBC\SPBBCSvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware 2007\aawservice.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Symantec\LiveUpdate\ALUSchedulerSvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgemc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\VCOM\Fix-It\mxtask.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSSrvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Maxtor\Maxtor Backup\MaxBackServiceInt.exe
c:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Console\NSCSRVCE.EXE
C:\Program Files\Maxtor\OneTouch\Utils\SyncServices.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\PSIService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Shared\hpqwmiex.exe
C:\Program Files\Canon\CAL\CALMAIN.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\VCOM\Fix-It\mxtask.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxpers.exe
C:\Program Files\Hp\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
C:\Program Files\hpq\HP Wireless Assistant\HP Wireless Assistant.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\Program Files\HPQ\Quick Launch Buttons\EabServr.exe
C:\Program Files\Maxtor\OneTouch\utils\Onetouch.exe
C:\Program Files\Maxtor\OneTouch Status\maxmenumgr.exe
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Thomson\Lyra Jukebox\LyraHDTrayApp\LYRAHD2TrayApp.exe
C:\Program Files\Musicmatch\Musicmatch Jukebox\mmtask.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\hpcoretech\hpcmpmgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\UpdateService\ISUSPM.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
C:\Program Files\Winter Fun Pack 2004 for Windows XP\WinterWallToy\WinterWalltoy.exe
C:\Program Files\Tiger Technologies\Holiday Lights\Holiday Lights.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\HPQ\SHARED\HPQTOA~1.EXE
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqimzone.exe
C:\Program Files\Opera\Opera.exe
C:\Program Files\Semagic\LiveJournalU.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Shelley Jahn\My Documents\hijackthis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://neopets.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R3 - URLSearchHook: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O2 - BHO: Yahoo! Toolbar Helper - {02478D38-C3F9-4EFB-9B51-7695ECA05670} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocx
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {A8F38D8D-E480-4D52-B7A2-731BB6995FDD} - c:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar3.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Notifier BHO - {AF69DE43-7D58-4638-B6FA-CE66B5AD205D} - C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\2.0.301.7164\swg.dll
O2 - BHO: Neopets - {CD292324-974F-4224-D074-CACA427AA030} - C:\PROGRA~1\Neopets\Toolbar\Toolbar.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {C4069E3A-68F1-403E-B40E-20066696354B} - c:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar3.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Neopets - {CD292324-974F-4224-D074-CACA427AA030} - C:\PROGRA~1\Neopets\Toolbar\Toolbar.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [igfxpers] C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxpers.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [High Definition Audio Property Page Shortcut] CHDAudPropShortcut.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Software Update] C:\Program Files\Hp\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPEnh] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [hpWirelessAssistant] C:\Program Files\hpq\HP Wireless Assistant\HP Wireless Assistant.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [eabconfg.cpl] C:\Program Files\HPQ\Quick Launch Buttons\EabServr.exe /Start
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Cpqset] C:\Program Files\HPQ\Default Settings\cpqset.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RecGuard] C:\Windows\SMINST\RecGuard.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Reminder] C:\Windows\CREATOR\Remind_XP.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VirusScannerPro] C:\PROGRA~1\VCOM\Fix-It\MemCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MaxtorOneTouch] C:\Program Files\Maxtor\OneTouch\utils\Onetouch.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [mxomssmenu] "C:\Program Files\Maxtor\OneTouch Status\maxmenumgr.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LyraHD2TrayApp] "C:\Program Files\Thomson\Lyra Jukebox\LyraHDTrayApp\LYRAHD2TrayApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [mmtask] "C:\Program Files\Musicmatch\Musicmatch Jukebox\mmtask.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Component Manager] "C:\Program Files\HP\hpcoretech\hpcmpmgr.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Corel Photo Downloader] C:\Program Files\Corel\Corel Snapfire Plus\Corel Photo Downloader.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ISUSPM] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\UpdateService\ISUSPM.exe" -scheduler
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [swg] C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - Startup: Holiday Lights.lnk = C:\Program Files\Tiger Technologies\Holiday Lights\Holiday Lights.exe
O4 - Startup: PowerReg Scheduler V3.exe
O4 - Global Startup: HP Digital Imaging Monitor.lnk = C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
O4 - Global Startup: HP Photosmart Premier Fast Start.lnk = C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqthb08.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Personal Coach.lnk = ?
O4 - Global Startup: Winter Fun Wallpaper Changer.lnk = ?
O4 - Global Startup: ymetray.lnk = C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Yahoo! Music Jukebox\ymetray.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: Copy to Semagic - C:\Program Files\Semagic\copy.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~4\Office10\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Semagic - C:\Program Files\Semagic\link.htm
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_06\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - %windir%\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - %windir%\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Yahoo! Messenger - {E5D12C4E-7B4F-11D3-B5C9-0050045C3C96} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\YahooMessenger.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Messenger - {E5D12C4E-7B4F-11D3-B5C9-0050045C3C96} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\YahooMessenger.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O11 - Options group: [INTERNATIONAL] International*
O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll
O14 - IERESET.INF: START_PAGE_URL=http://ie.redirect.hp.com/svs/rdr?TYPE=3&tp=iehome&locale=EN_US&c=Q106&bd=pavilion&pf=laptop
O16 - DPF: {74C861A1-D548-4916-BC8A-FDE92EDFF62C} - http://mediaplayer.walmart.com/installer/install.cab
O20 - Winlogon Notify: igfxcui - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\igfxdev.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O23 - Service: Ad-Aware 2007 Service (aawservice) - Lavasoft AB - C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware 2007\aawservice.exe
O23 - Service: Automatic LiveUpdate Scheduler - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Symantec\LiveUpdate\ALUSchedulerSvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG E-mail Scanner (AVGEMS) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: Canon Camera Access Library 8 (CCALib8) - Canon Inc. - C:\Program Files\Canon\CAL\CALMAIN.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Event Manager (ccEvtMgr) - Symantec Corporation - c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Internet Security Password Validation (ccISPwdSvc) - Symantec Corporation - c:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\ccPwdSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Proxy (ccProxy) - Symantec Corporation - c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccProxy.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Settings Manager (ccSetMgr) - Symantec Corporation - c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
O23 - Service: COM Host (comHost) - Symantec Corporation - c:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\comHost.exe
O23 - Service: Fix-It Task Manager - Avanquest Publishing USA, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\VCOM\Fix-It\mxtask.exe
O23 - Service: Google Updater Service (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: hpqwmiex - Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Shared\hpqwmiex.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: LightScribeService Direct Disc Labeling Service (LightScribeService) - Hewlett-Packard Company - C:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: LiveUpdate - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\Symantec\LIVEUP~1\LUCOMS~1.EXE
O23 - Service: MaxBackServiceInt - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Maxtor\Maxtor Backup\MaxBackServiceInt.exe
O23 - Service: Norton AntiVirus Auto-Protect Service (navapsvc) - Symantec Corporation - c:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Norton Protection Center Service (NSCService) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Console\NSCSRVCE.EXE
O23 - Service: MaxSyncService (NTService1) - - C:\Program Files\Maxtor\OneTouch\Utils\SyncServices.exe
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe
O23 - Service: ProtexisLicensing - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\PSIService.exe
O23 - Service: Roxio UPnP Renderer 9 - Sonic Solutions - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Sonic Shared\RoxioUPnPRenderer9.exe
O23 - Service: Roxio Upnp Server 9 - Sonic Solutions - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Sonic Shared\RoxioUpnpService9.exe
O23 - Service: LiveShare P2P Server 9 (RoxLiveShare9) - Sonic Solutions - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\9.0\SharedCOM\RoxLiveShare9.exe
O23 - Service: RoxMediaDB9 - Sonic Solutions - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\9.0\SharedCOM\RoxMediaDB9.exe
O23 - Service: Roxio Hard Drive Watcher 9 (RoxWatch9) - Sonic Solutions - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\9.0\SharedCOM\RoxWatch9.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec AVScan (SAVScan) - Symantec Corporation - c:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Norton AntiVirus\SAVScan.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Drivers Service (SNDSrvc) - Symantec Corporation - c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec SPBBCSvc (SPBBCSvc) - Symantec Corporation - c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SPBBC\SPBBCSvc.exe
O23 - Service: stllssvr - MicroVision Development, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\SureThing Shared\stllssvr.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Core LC - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/computer_help/830433.html

Date: 10/23/07 (Security)    Keywords: software, security, virus, antivirus, microsoft

Despite earlier tussle, the two companies announce joint participation in a forum aimed at promoting security best practices. Antivirus specialist Symantec has joined a security organization alongside Microsoft, despite having previously come to very public blows with the software giant over its willingness to share security information on...

Source: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6214844.html

Date: 10/23/07 (Security)    Keywords: software, security, virus, antivirus, microsoft

At the RSA Conference in Europe, the two companies, which are frequent adversaries, join a security organization and pledge cooperation. Antivirus specialist Symantec has joined a security organization alongside Microsoft, despite having previously come to very public blows with the software giant over its willingness to share security...

Source: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6214854.html

Date: 10/23/07 (Open Source)    Keywords: microsoft

In terms of proving a link between Microsoft and Acacia this is smoke, just as the move of two Microsoft executives to Acacia unit IP Innovation is smoke.

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/zdnet/open-source/~3/173971105/

Date: 10/24/07 (Data Management)    Keywords: microsoft

After 100 days in the job of leading Microsoft's business systems division, Kirill Tatarinov is getting his feet firmly under the table. I caught up with him at this year's EMEA Convergence, Microsoft's customer conference with eight questions: 1. When does the 10-year application support clock start...

Source: http://blogs.zdnet.com/Howlett/?p=214

Date: 10/24/07 (Data Management)    Keywords: software, yahoo, microsoft, google

The universe might be expanding but the tech universe is shrinking. Just as Oracle and SAP are dividing up what's left of value in enterprise software, Google and Microsoft are in competition to dominate the advertising and social networking spaces, with Yahoo trailing behind. The path to domination, or at...

Source: http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=6735

Date: 10/24/07 (Open Source)    Keywords: microsoft

In spite of its close partnership with Microsoft, Red Hat and Novell, XenSource’s CTO maintains the virtualization hypervisor belongs in server hardware — not in the operating system. Speaking at Interop in New York, XenSource CTO Simon Crosby said the slim, trim Xen hypervisor in products such as the company’s newly launched XenCenter OEM Edition is [...]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/zdnet/open-source/~3/174364285/

Date: 10/25/07 (C Sharp)    Keywords: database, microsoft

I work in a project, where we need to do tons of validations. The problem is, that hard coding would take weeks. So we thought about using short scripts, which we could store in a database. Using a search engine, I found, that there's an API to the JScript and VBScript engine in the .net framework (Microsoft.Vsa, Microsoft.JScript.Vsa and Microsoft.VisualBasic.Vsa). But when I looked in the class library reference, there was a "obsolete" mark on all three namespaces.

Does anyone know an open source scripting engine we could use? Or does someone know a way to solve our problem?

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/csharp/87853.html

Date: 10/26/07 (Open Source)    Keywords: microsoft

Fear of Microsoft seems the greatest fear.

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/zdnet/open-source/~3/175494007/

Date: 10/23/07 (Security)    Keywords: microsoft

Microsoft is really starting to gain serious traction with Windows Mobile in the enterprise arena and their latest announcement made today at CTIA shows how dedicated they really are. Steve Ballmer introduced Microsoft's System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 server. With this new server system IT professionals will be able...

Source: http://blogs.zdnet.com/mobile-gadgeteer/?p=659

Date: 10/30/07 (Computer Help)    Keywords: software, virus, antivirus, microsoft

So glad I found these communities! I am in desperate need of help. Please bear with me; my knowledge of computers is fairly limited.

I run Windows Vista on a Dell Latitude D630. It has a dual processor that runs at 800 MHz. I bought it through my school's bookstore, so it came installed with McAfee Antivirus Software.

Here's the issue.

Out of the blue - well, at least it looked it to me - I started getting some weird notifications. They say the following:

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/computer_help/833753.html

Date: 10/30/07 (Open Source)    Keywords: linux, microsoft, google

The impending release of the Google phone and Motorola’s first Linux-based Razr2 device (shown above) in the U.S. will catapult open source’s status in the mobile market. In spite of efforts from numerous Linux organizations and specialty startups, proprietary platforms from RIM, Microsoft, Nokia and Palm have dominated the mobile device and smartphone market for [...]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/zdnet/open-source/~3/177382373/

Date: 10/31/07 (Open Source)    Keywords: security, microsoft

Opponents of making the Microsoft Word format an ISO document standard, like OpenDocument Fellowship member Russell Ossendryver, compare GNOME's actions to Democrats offering counters to President Bush's 2005 plan on privatizing Social Security -- any counter-proposal makes it more likely something bad will happen.

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/zdnet/open-source/~3/177707305/

Date: 11/01/07 (Algorithms)    Keywords: software, asp, web, microsoft

Cracking GO By Feng - Hsiung Hsu
First Published October 2007 < http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/oct07/5552 >

Brute-force computation has eclipsed humans in chess, and it could soon do the same in this ancient Asian game

In 1957, Herbert A. Simon, a pioneer in artificial intelligence and later a Nobel Laureate in economics, predicted that in 10 years a computer would surpass humans in what was then regarded as the premier battleground of wits: the game of chess. Though the project took four times as long as he expected, in 1997 my colleagues and I at IBM fielded a computer called Deep Blue that defeated Garry Kasparov, the highest-rated chess player ever.
You might have thought that we had finally put the question to rest—but no. Many people argued that we had tailored our methods to solve just this one, narrowly defined problem, and that it could never handle the manifold tasks that serve as better touchstones for human intelligence. These critics pointed to weiqi, an ancient Chinese board game, better known in the West by the Japanese name of Go, whose combinatorial complexity was many orders of magnitude greater than that of chess. Noting that the best Go programs could not even handle the typical novice, they predicted that none would ever trouble the very best players.
Ten years later, the best Go programs still can't beat good human players. Nevertheless, I believe that a world-champion-level Go machine can be built within 10 years, based on the same method of intensive analysis—brute force, basically—that Deep Blue employed for chess. I've got more than a small personal stake in this quest. At my lab at Microsoft Research Asia, in Beijing, I am organizing a graduate student project to design the hardware and software elements that will test the ideas outlined here. If they prove out, then the way will be clear for a full-scale project to dethrone the best human players... (full story at the above website)

Source: http://community.livejournal.com/algorithms/94110.html

Date: 11/02/07 (Open Source)    Keywords: microsoft, google

Once we become as conversant with social networking as we are with e-mail, once we learn its netiquette and apply it, everyone benefits. Google, Microsoft, Facebook, MySpace, ZDNet, everyone. Even you. Most especially you.

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/zdnet/open-source/~3/178872737/

Date: 07/05/07 (Security)    Keywords: virus, antivirus, spyware, microsoft

Microsoft is preparing to field a private beta of a new version of Windows Live OneCare, dubbed Windows Live OneCare 2.0Windows Live OneCare is Microsoft's all-in-one antivirus, antispyware, firewall, backup, maintenance subscription service that Microsoft launched in 2006. In January 2007, Microsoft released OneCare 1.5. Users have enountered various problems...

Source: http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=555

Date: 11/04/07 (Data Management)    Keywords: technology, database, web, microsoft

Microsoft posted for download on November 4 a first test build of what it's calling the Microsoft Sync Framework, technology that will allow developers to take their Web services and databases offline. The new framework also provides P2P synchronization of "any type of file including contacts, music,...

Source: http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=891

Date: 11/05/07 (Data Management)    Keywords: browser, microsoft, google

Mary Jo Foley is reporting that Microsoft's Sync Framework is now available for download. Some others are calling it a competitor to Google Gears but it's not a good comparison. For one thing, Sync isn't a browser plugin. Based on the documentation it looks like it's aimed at synchronizing data...

Source: http://blogs.zdnet.com/Stewart/?p=617

Date: 11/05/07 (Data Management)    Keywords: microsoft

The biggest news out of the Microsoft TechEd Developers conference that kicked off on November 5 is the official announcement of Microsoft's offline/online sync platform. Microsoft's strategy around the platform is what's more intriguing to me than the actual platform itself. The actual Community...

Source: http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=900