http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/ PC Doctors Online Technical Support en-gb This site is powered by e107, which is released under the terms of the GNU GPL License. it@nospam.com (Christo) it@nospam.com (Christo) Sat, 19 May 2012 19:06:43 +0200 Sat, 19 May 2012 19:06:43 +0200 http://backend.userland.com/rss e107 (http://e107.org) hourly 1 60 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/e107_images/logo.png http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/ 88 31 PC Doctors Online Technical Support http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.599.3
On Friday the Mozilla Foundation released version 3.6 of the popular open source browser and by Monday morning almost 12 million copies of the latest version had been downloaded. At the time of writing on Monday morning, 11 921 680 copies of Firefox 3.6 had been downloaded according to the Firefox download-tracking site. An average of around 42 downloads per second were being recorded on Monday morning.

The majority of downloads were from the US where close to 2.5 million copies had been downloaded over the weekend. This was followed by Germany (1.5 million copies), Brazil (640 000), France (580 000) and Japan (414 000). South Africa had recorded just over 18 000 copies downloaded over the weekend. In comparison Morocco recorded in excess of 31 000 downloads in the same period. South Africa was listed as number 55 in the total number of downloads by country.

Firefox 3.6 is a significant upgrade for web users and includes a number of new features including personas for customising Firefox's appearance, many new HTML5 features including geolocation, CSS gradients, native video and the new Web Open Font Format for including fonts in web designs.

Extra boost

While most of the downloads of Firefox 3.6 are likely to be done by existing Firefox users, the browser also received a additional boost in the past week when new security flaws were revealed in opponent Internet Explorer. The security risks in IE prompted the German government to recommend web users adopt another browser to protect themselves when online.

The result was a significant increase in downloads of alternative browsers, most particularly Firefox. According to the Sydney Morning Herald Mozilla said that it had seen an increase of more than 300 000 downloads of its browser in Germany over a four-day period following the warning. Norway-based Opera also reported an increase in downloads following the warning.

Microsoft said at the time that the flaws in IE were insignificant but they did issue a security update for IE on Thursday last week.

SOURCE: MyBroadband.co.za News



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]> Software MaTiCa Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:39:33 +0200 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.599.3 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.589.3
The latest example: support for the File interface that adds more sophistication to uploading and some other chores.

Support for the feature is one of the 133 changes that arrived in Firefox 3.6 beta 4, which the Mozilla project released Thursday for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

The File API (application programming interface), a draft standard at the World Wide Web consortium, lets browsers handle files better. Among its abilities are uploading multiple files at once, showing thumbnail previews of images that have been selected for upload, breaking a long video upload up into chunks to protect against network interruption problems, and integrating with drag-and-drop Web applications.

While many software projects use beta testing periods to shake down their code, Mozilla isn't afraid to add new features as it goes. That can mean new ideas arrive sooner, of course, but it also can delay the completion date of the new version. What was to have been a quick Firefox 3.1 release was pushed back months as new features were added and the version ultimately was renamed Firefox 3.5.

For those who want to dig into the File interface, Mozilla offers a Web developer guide to using it.

The beta-testing periods aren't just important for debugging Firefox itself. New versions often don't work with older add-ons that people install to customize the browser, so beta testing gives some time for programmers to update those add-ons. Mike Belzner, Mozilla's director of Firefox, said 70 percent of add-ons are now compatible with Firefox 3.6.

SOURCE: cnet news



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]>
The latest example: support for the File interface that adds more sophistication to uploading and some other chores.

Support for the feature is one of the 133 changes that arrived in Firefox 3.6 beta 4, which the Mozilla project released Thursday for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

The File API (application programming interface), a draft standard at the World Wide Web consortium, lets browsers handle files better. Among its abilities are uploading multiple files at once, showing thumbnail previews of images that have been selected for upload, breaking a long video upload up into chunks to protect against network interruption problems, and integrating with drag-and-drop Web applications.

While many software projects use beta testing periods to shake down their code, Mozilla isn't afraid to add new features as it goes. That can mean new ideas arrive sooner, of course, but it also can delay the completion date of the new version. What was to have been a quick Firefox 3.1 release was pushed back months as new features were added and the version ultimately was renamed Firefox 3.5.

For those who want to dig into the File interface, Mozilla offers a Web developer guide to using it.

The beta-testing periods aren't just important for debugging Firefox itself. New versions often don't work with older add-ons that people install to customize the browser, so beta testing gives some time for programmers to update those add-ons. Mike Belzner, Mozilla's director of Firefox, said 70 percent of add-ons are now compatible with Firefox 3.6.

SOURCE: cnet news



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]> Software MaTiCa Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:09:56 +0200 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.589.3 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.581.3 www.mybroadband.co.za


Microsoft releases Windows 7 to the world on Thursday as the US software giant tries to regain its stride after Vista.

Microsoft releases Windows 7 to the world on Thursday as the US software giant tries to regain its stride after an embarrassing stumble with the previous generation operating system Vista.

"It's a big deal for Microsoft," analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley said of the Windows 7 launch. "Windows Vista was a train wreck."

While computer users may not give much thought to operating systems that serve as the brains of their machines, the programs are at the heart of Microsoft's global software empire.

Microsoft operating systems run more than 90% of the computers on Earth.

Importantly for Microsoft, versions of its popular programs such as Office, Outlook and Excel evolve to work better with successive Windows releases.

Winning users of new Windows systems translates into increased sales of other packaged software for the Redmond, Washington-based company.

Vista's dismal reception in the market broke Microsoft's rhythm regarding hooking people on upgraded software.

Computer users held firm to Windows XP, shunning much-maligned Vista.

"Microsoft is still a packaged software company," Enderle said. "If people don't buy their updated packages, they feel it."

Microsoft apparently learned a lesson from Vista and worked closely with computer makers, users and software developers while crafting Windows 7.

More than eight million people have dabbled with Windows 7 since Microsoft began a beta test phase in January, according to Parri Munsell, director of consumer product management for the Windows client group.

Early reviews praise Windows 7 for being everything Vista should have been.

"We always listen to our customers, but we took an even more thoughtful and pragmatic process this time around," Munsell told AFP. "We feel really good that people have been trying it for themselves."

Windows 7 features winning raves include enabling computers, televisions, radios, digital picture frames and other "smart" devices in homes to talk to each other.

Windows 7 also lets people use PCs to record television programs and then watch shows "on demand" at any internet-linked computer using Microsoft's Live service.

Touch-screen capabilities built into Windows 7 should give birth to monitors that further blur lines between televisions and PCs, according to Munsell.

Microsoft's primary objective with Windows 7 was to simplify the lives of PC users, according to Munsell.

"This is going to be the next XP where it sticks around for a very long time," said analyst Matt Rosoff of Directions On Microsoft, a private firm focused on tracking the software firm.

"It performs well with a lot of hardware and software, and then it gets out of the way. It is not flashy, but it is solid."

He added that Windows 7 works "surprisingly well" on netbooks - low-cost bare-bones laptop computers that have devoured market share in the recent grim economic times.

Windows 7 will be available pre-loaded on personal computers as of Thursday, and people who bought Vista machines in recent months will be able to upgrade free.

Upgrading a home computer to Windows 7 will cost from $120 to $220, depending on the version.

As well-built as Windows 7 is, it probably won't boost consumer PC purchases, which depend heavily on the economy, according to Rosoff.

A lot of corporations clinging to Windows XP are expected to upgrade to Windows 7, but after Microsoft's new Office 2010 suite of business applications is released next year.

"This kind of gets Microsoft back on track with its core business," Rosoff said. "It is not going to be something that takes the world by storm, but it is a solid operating system that people will be relying on for years."

The failure of Vista to catch on hurt Microsoft competitively, giving Apple the opportunity to woo PC users to Macintosh computers.

Apple could benefit anew if PC users faced with switching operating systems go for Macintosh machines instead of Windows 7, according to analysts.

Microsoft has been faulted in the past for lacking the type of marketing pizzazz for which long-time rival Apple is famous. Microsoft has devoted an ample budget to advertising Windows 7.

Microsoft has already been lambasted for hokey online videos describing how people can throw Windows 7 launch parties in their homes.

Microsoft and television studio Fox announced that Windows 7 will be the theme of an animated Family Guy television show featuring "musical numbers, comedy sketches, and celebrity guests".

"The fact that Microsoft is trying new things is actually pretty unique," Enderle said. "They are going to try to show that Microsoft and innovative marketing is not an oxymoron."
[Submitted by Enigma_2k4]



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]> www.mybroadband.co.za


Microsoft releases Windows 7 to the world on Thursday as the US software giant tries to regain its stride after Vista.

Microsoft releases Windows 7 to the world on Thursday as the US software giant tries to regain its stride after an embarrassing stumble with the previous generation operating system Vista.

"It's a big deal for Microsoft," analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley said of the Windows 7 launch. "Windows Vista was a train wreck."

While computer users may not give much thought to operating systems that serve as the brains of their machines, the programs are at the heart of Microsoft's global software empire.

Microsoft operating systems run more than 90% of the computers on Earth.

Importantly for Microsoft, versions of its popular programs such as Office, Outlook and Excel evolve to work better with successive Windows releases.

Winning users of new Windows systems translates into increased sales of other packaged software for the Redmond, Washington-based company.

Vista's dismal reception in the market broke Microsoft's rhythm regarding hooking people on upgraded software.

Computer users held firm to Windows XP, shunning much-maligned Vista.

"Microsoft is still a packaged software company," Enderle said. "If people don't buy their updated packages, they feel it."

Microsoft apparently learned a lesson from Vista and worked closely with computer makers, users and software developers while crafting Windows 7.

More than eight million people have dabbled with Windows 7 since Microsoft began a beta test phase in January, according to Parri Munsell, director of consumer product management for the Windows client group.

Early reviews praise Windows 7 for being everything Vista should have been.

"We always listen to our customers, but we took an even more thoughtful and pragmatic process this time around," Munsell told AFP. "We feel really good that people have been trying it for themselves."

Windows 7 features winning raves include enabling computers, televisions, radios, digital picture frames and other "smart" devices in homes to talk to each other.

Windows 7 also lets people use PCs to record television programs and then watch shows "on demand" at any internet-linked computer using Microsoft's Live service.

Touch-screen capabilities built into Windows 7 should give birth to monitors that further blur lines between televisions and PCs, according to Munsell.

Microsoft's primary objective with Windows 7 was to simplify the lives of PC users, according to Munsell.

"This is going to be the next XP where it sticks around for a very long time," said analyst Matt Rosoff of Directions On Microsoft, a private firm focused on tracking the software firm.

"It performs well with a lot of hardware and software, and then it gets out of the way. It is not flashy, but it is solid."

He added that Windows 7 works "surprisingly well" on netbooks - low-cost bare-bones laptop computers that have devoured market share in the recent grim economic times.

Windows 7 will be available pre-loaded on personal computers as of Thursday, and people who bought Vista machines in recent months will be able to upgrade free.

Upgrading a home computer to Windows 7 will cost from $120 to $220, depending on the version.

As well-built as Windows 7 is, it probably won't boost consumer PC purchases, which depend heavily on the economy, according to Rosoff.

A lot of corporations clinging to Windows XP are expected to upgrade to Windows 7, but after Microsoft's new Office 2010 suite of business applications is released next year.

"This kind of gets Microsoft back on track with its core business," Rosoff said. "It is not going to be something that takes the world by storm, but it is a solid operating system that people will be relying on for years."

The failure of Vista to catch on hurt Microsoft competitively, giving Apple the opportunity to woo PC users to Macintosh computers.

Apple could benefit anew if PC users faced with switching operating systems go for Macintosh machines instead of Windows 7, according to analysts.

Microsoft has been faulted in the past for lacking the type of marketing pizzazz for which long-time rival Apple is famous. Microsoft has devoted an ample budget to advertising Windows 7.

Microsoft has already been lambasted for hokey online videos describing how people can throw Windows 7 launch parties in their homes.

Microsoft and television studio Fox announced that Windows 7 will be the theme of an animated Family Guy television show featuring "musical numbers, comedy sketches, and celebrity guests".

"The fact that Microsoft is trying new things is actually pretty unique," Enderle said. "They are going to try to show that Microsoft and innovative marketing is not an oxymoron."
[Submitted by Enigma_2k4]



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]> Software MaTiCa Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:42:16 +0200 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.581.3 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.579.3 mybroadband.co.za

A version of Microsoft Office 2010 will be offered for free, with advertising support

Microsoft has unveiled their plans for an ad-supported version of its Office suite – Office Starter 2010. The product is to come pre-loaded on new PCs. It will have basic functionality – viewing, editing and creating of documents. MS claims that the Starter suite is designed for casual users, who will be fine with the reduced functionality and ad-supported software.

Microsoft plans to replace their MS Works version of Office with the Starter suite, which never expires. Consumers will have to live with the adverts, or pay to upgrade to a full version. The 60 day trial version of Office with full functionality will still be available.

A Product Key Card will be available via OEMs and retail stores, that allows the customer to upgrade to one of three full versions of the 2010 suite: Home & Student, Home & Business and Professional. Click-To-Run is a service that will enable users to download a trial version of the 2010 suite, as well as keep installed versions up to date. Product licenses can also be purchased through the service.

Office 2010 will be the first version of the suite to come in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. The beta trials of Office 2010 are expected to start later this year. Microsoft is still working on their Office Web Apps, which are currently in ‘technical preview’ status.
[Submitted by Enigma_2k4]



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]> mybroadband.co.za

A version of Microsoft Office 2010 will be offered for free, with advertising support

Microsoft has unveiled their plans for an ad-supported version of its Office suite – Office Starter 2010. The product is to come pre-loaded on new PCs. It will have basic functionality – viewing, editing and creating of documents. MS claims that the Starter suite is designed for casual users, who will be fine with the reduced functionality and ad-supported software.

Microsoft plans to replace their MS Works version of Office with the Starter suite, which never expires. Consumers will have to live with the adverts, or pay to upgrade to a full version. The 60 day trial version of Office with full functionality will still be available.

A Product Key Card will be available via OEMs and retail stores, that allows the customer to upgrade to one of three full versions of the 2010 suite: Home & Student, Home & Business and Professional. Click-To-Run is a service that will enable users to download a trial version of the 2010 suite, as well as keep installed versions up to date. Product licenses can also be purchased through the service.

Office 2010 will be the first version of the suite to come in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. The beta trials of Office 2010 are expected to start later this year. Microsoft is still working on their Office Web Apps, which are currently in ‘technical preview’ status.
[Submitted by Enigma_2k4]



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]> Software MaTiCa Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:40:32 +0200 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.579.3 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.572.3
Students with a valid student email address are eligible to get a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional, 32-bit or 64-bit (your choice, presumably some might pick the lighter Home Premium for netbooks) for a mere $30. And with one announcement, Microsoft has essentially matched Apple's OS price point for one of its most pivotal demographics -- students.

Apple beat Windows 7 to the market and has been loudly trumpeting that its Snow Leopard -- priced at $29 per license -- beats Windows 7 in prices. However, students in the U.S., U.K, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Korea and Mexico will now have their pick between the two competitors at virtually identical prices.

With Snow Leopard, students will get several key improvements (virtually all of Apple's core software was fine-tuned and sped up), but the release falls somewhere between a full Windows OS release and a Windows Service Pack. For an equivalent price they can get Windows 7, a full OS release packing many features that have drawn rave reviews from early adopters. The deal is sweet for users of traditional PC hardware and Macs alike, as even Mac users can take advantage of it to equip their Boot Camp Macs with Windows 7 for gaming and Windows-favored activities.

The deal is found on the win741.com site, a recently launched site from Microsoft, which calls the offer "too sweet to pass up." The site proclaims, "For a limited time, eligible college students can get the sweetest deal on Windows 7 - for only $29.99 USD. That's less than most of your textbooks! Hurry -- offer ends January 3, 2010 and 12 a.m. CST."

One major appeal of the deal is that with Windows 7 and a netbook, students get about the most portable and affordable bundle possible for a fully functional computer.

The move seems a smart one, given that Apple does have Microsoft beat on standard prices, with a copy of Home Premium (upgrade) retailing for $120 and $200 for a Professional upgrade (versus $29 for Snow Leopard). With the price bar set nearly four times as high as Apple's, the pressure is on Microsoft to deliver a dynamite product -- which indications show it will.

Still, Snow Leopard's aggressive pricing has caused it to double the initial sales of its predecessor, Leopard, and quadruple the sales of Tiger. Apple has also been much more aggressive in targeting school children, with programs such as "Field Trip to the Apple Store" in the U.S. and Canada. Many schools continue to use Mac computers primarily. All of this bodes well for Apple's long term success. However, Microsoft is at last making a legitimate bid to seize this important demographic from Apple.

SOURCE: DailyTech



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]> Software MaTiCa Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:59:51 +0200 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.572.3 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.571.3
Marking a full year of activity and availability in the hard-fought Web browsing arena, Google’s latest release touts a significant percent performance improvement and comes as the California-based search giant strives to secure a 10 percent market share for its Chrome browser by 2011.

“If at the two-year birthday we’re not at least 5 percent (market share), I will be exceptionally disappointed,” commented Chrome Engineering Director Linus Upson in a Reuters report.

“And if at the three-year birthday we’re not at 10 percent, I will be exceptionally disappointed,” he added.

Beyond providing Chrome users with enhanced surf speed, version 3.0 also includes aesthetic themes, which, much like Personas for Firefox, allows personal customisation of the browser’s appearance.

The release of Chrome version 3.0 comes in the same week Google has promised to have a stable Mac version of its sleek browser ready for full consumer download by the close of 2009.

In terms of current market share figures, research firm Net Applications offers that Microsoft’s Internet Explorer is enjoying dominance to the tune of 67 percent, while Mozilla’s Firefox has a secure second place with 23 percent, and Apple’s Safari browser sits in third with 4.0 percent.

SOURCE: The Tech Herald



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]>
Marking a full year of activity and availability in the hard-fought Web browsing arena, Google’s latest release touts a significant percent performance improvement and comes as the California-based search giant strives to secure a 10 percent market share for its Chrome browser by 2011.

“If at the two-year birthday we’re not at least 5 percent (market share), I will be exceptionally disappointed,” commented Chrome Engineering Director Linus Upson in a Reuters report.

“And if at the three-year birthday we’re not at 10 percent, I will be exceptionally disappointed,” he added.

Beyond providing Chrome users with enhanced surf speed, version 3.0 also includes aesthetic themes, which, much like Personas for Firefox, allows personal customisation of the browser’s appearance.

The release of Chrome version 3.0 comes in the same week Google has promised to have a stable Mac version of its sleek browser ready for full consumer download by the close of 2009.

In terms of current market share figures, research firm Net Applications offers that Microsoft’s Internet Explorer is enjoying dominance to the tune of 67 percent, while Mozilla’s Firefox has a secure second place with 23 percent, and Apple’s Safari browser sits in third with 4.0 percent.

SOURCE: The Tech Herald



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]> Software MaTiCa Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:53:37 +0200 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.571.3 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.562.3
Typically, it's Apple doing the trash talking in the operating system market with its long running "Get a Mac" series of commercials. However, an increasingly feisty Microsoft is following up its "Laptop Hunter" commercials with a roast of Linux.

Microsoft and Best Buy's management has been reportedly distributing "training materials" to Best Buy employees, which educate them on Microsoft's view on difference between Linux and Windows. Reportedly, the idea is for the employees to then share this enlightened viewpoint with their customers.

An employee recently took screenshots of the "educational" training program. Its introduction reads, "Windows offers your customer choice and compatibility. A PC sale is not just about the PC, its also about the software and devices you attach to the sale. Since fewer software applications and devices work with Linux machines, your customers' PC experience will be negatively impacted. It is also more difficult for you to attach compatible add-ons to the sale."

It goes on to list tables with "Camera, iPod, and MP3 compatibility" and "Printers and scanners compatibility" being described as "many" for Windows and "few" for Linux. It also lists an ambiguous "Authorized Support" which it claims Linux is lacking, ignoring the fact that many Linux distributions do have support teams. It also mentions that Linux users can't play games like "World of Warcraft", which Windows users can. Ironically, Linux users can in fact use WoW within the free WINE.

The screen also humorously complains that Linux doesn't have support for video chat and can't support Windows Live essentials, failing to note that Linux provides a wealth of alternatives. To top it off, reportedly the training program then quizzes the reader on what they learned. One question reads "Linux is safer than Windows: ( ) fact ( ) myth". Answering "fact" earns you a glaring "incorrect" response.

Without question Microsoft has come a long way in security, but it's still a huge stretch to say that Linux is targeted by malware and attacks to an equal or greater extent than Windows.


Leaked screenshots from a Best Buy and Microsoft's Windows training program indicate that the company is "educating" employees on why Linux is horrible. (Source: ZDNet)


[Submitted by Christo [PCD]]



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]>
Typically, it's Apple doing the trash talking in the operating system market with its long running "Get a Mac" series of commercials. However, an increasingly feisty Microsoft is following up its "Laptop Hunter" commercials with a roast of Linux.

Microsoft and Best Buy's management has been reportedly distributing "training materials" to Best Buy employees, which educate them on Microsoft's view on difference between Linux and Windows. Reportedly, the idea is for the employees to then share this enlightened viewpoint with their customers.

An employee recently took screenshots of the "educational" training program. Its introduction reads, "Windows offers your customer choice and compatibility. A PC sale is not just about the PC, its also about the software and devices you attach to the sale. Since fewer software applications and devices work with Linux machines, your customers' PC experience will be negatively impacted. It is also more difficult for you to attach compatible add-ons to the sale."

It goes on to list tables with "Camera, iPod, and MP3 compatibility" and "Printers and scanners compatibility" being described as "many" for Windows and "few" for Linux. It also lists an ambiguous "Authorized Support" which it claims Linux is lacking, ignoring the fact that many Linux distributions do have support teams. It also mentions that Linux users can't play games like "World of Warcraft", which Windows users can. Ironically, Linux users can in fact use WoW within the free WINE.

The screen also humorously complains that Linux doesn't have support for video chat and can't support Windows Live essentials, failing to note that Linux provides a wealth of alternatives. To top it off, reportedly the training program then quizzes the reader on what they learned. One question reads "Linux is safer than Windows: ( ) fact ( ) myth". Answering "fact" earns you a glaring "incorrect" response.

Without question Microsoft has come a long way in security, but it's still a huge stretch to say that Linux is targeted by malware and attacks to an equal or greater extent than Windows.


Leaked screenshots from a Best Buy and Microsoft's Windows training program indicate that the company is "educating" employees on why Linux is horrible. (Source: ZDNet)


[Submitted by Christo [PCD]]



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]> Software Christo [PCD] Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:09:14 +0200 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.562.3 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.551.3
Microsoft's Office 2003 and 2007 wove XML into Word, with the introduction of .docx, otherwise known as Office Open XML, as the format of choice. The new format brought an open standard and better storage to the application. Unfortunately, it also turned into one of the company's biggest legal headaches.

In making Office, Microsoft implemented technology seeming covered under a 1998 patent (No. 5,787,449) by a developer of collaborative-based content solutions, Toronto-based i4i. The patent covered "manipulating a document's content and architecture separately."

A Texas federal court ruled in May that Microsoft had infringed on the i4i's patents and ordered Microsoft to pay $200M USD in unpaid royalties. Microsoft was reportedly hurt in the proceedings by a published trail of emails that indicated that the company knew that it was infringing on i4i's work. Microsoft disagreed strongly with the verdict and promised to fight it in appeals court.

Now a US District Court of Eastern Texas judge, Judge Leonard Davis, has ordered sales of Microsoft Word in the U.S. banned until a final judgement is reached. The injunction also came with an order for Microsoft to pay an additional $40M USD for willful infringement, $37M USD in prejudgement interest, and $21,102 per day in additional fines. The court also is asking that Microsoft hand over $144,060 a day, until the final judgement and damages are paid (though it may get some of this money back).

Until the final decision is reached, Microsoft is banned from selling any version of Microsoft Office containing copies of Word that can open .XML, .DOCX, or DOCM files containing custom XML. Microsoft has a mere 60 days to comply with the injunction.

With Office being one of Microsoft's staple products, and with the .docx format being the current default format, an appeal seems inevitable. Microsoft has not issued a formal response yet to ban on Word sales.

A Texas court has banned sales of Microsoft Word and copies of Microsoft Office containing word until a final decision is reached in a copyright infringement trial. Microsoft has 60 days to cease sales. (Source: Microsoft)


[Submitted by Christo [PCD]]



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]>
Microsoft's Office 2003 and 2007 wove XML into Word, with the introduction of .docx, otherwise known as Office Open XML, as the format of choice. The new format brought an open standard and better storage to the application. Unfortunately, it also turned into one of the company's biggest legal headaches.

In making Office, Microsoft implemented technology seeming covered under a 1998 patent (No. 5,787,449) by a developer of collaborative-based content solutions, Toronto-based i4i. The patent covered "manipulating a document's content and architecture separately."

A Texas federal court ruled in May that Microsoft had infringed on the i4i's patents and ordered Microsoft to pay $200M USD in unpaid royalties. Microsoft was reportedly hurt in the proceedings by a published trail of emails that indicated that the company knew that it was infringing on i4i's work. Microsoft disagreed strongly with the verdict and promised to fight it in appeals court.

Now a US District Court of Eastern Texas judge, Judge Leonard Davis, has ordered sales of Microsoft Word in the U.S. banned until a final judgement is reached. The injunction also came with an order for Microsoft to pay an additional $40M USD for willful infringement, $37M USD in prejudgement interest, and $21,102 per day in additional fines. The court also is asking that Microsoft hand over $144,060 a day, until the final judgement and damages are paid (though it may get some of this money back).

Until the final decision is reached, Microsoft is banned from selling any version of Microsoft Office containing copies of Word that can open .XML, .DOCX, or DOCM files containing custom XML. Microsoft has a mere 60 days to comply with the injunction.

With Office being one of Microsoft's staple products, and with the .docx format being the current default format, an appeal seems inevitable. Microsoft has not issued a formal response yet to ban on Word sales.

A Texas court has banned sales of Microsoft Word and copies of Microsoft Office containing word until a final decision is reached in a copyright infringement trial. Microsoft has 60 days to cease sales. (Source: Microsoft)


[Submitted by Christo [PCD]]



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]> Software Christo [PCD] Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:37:33 +0200 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.551.3 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.548.3
Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks. Later this year we will open-source its code, and netbooks running Google Chrome OS will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010. Because we're already talking to partners about the project, and we'll soon be working with the open source community, we wanted to share our vision now so everyone understands what we are trying to achieve.

Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We're designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds. The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web. And as we did for the Google Chrome browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work.

Google Chrome OS will run on both x86 as well as ARM chips and we are working with multiple OEMs to bring a number of netbooks to market next year. The software architecture is simple — Google Chrome running within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel. For application developers, the web is the platform. All web-based applications will automatically work and new applications can be written using your favorite web technologies. And of course, these apps will run not only on Google Chrome OS, but on any standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux thereby giving developers the largest user base of any platform.

Google Chrome OS is a new project, separate from Android. Android was designed from the beginning to work across a variety of devices from phones to set-top boxes to netbooks. Google Chrome OS is being created for people who spend most of their time on the web, and is being designed to power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems. While there are areas where Google Chrome OS and Android overlap, we believe choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone, including Google.

We hear a lot from our users and their message is clear — computers need to get better. People want to get to their email instantly, without wasting time waiting for their computers to boot and browsers to start up. They want their computers to always run as fast as when they first bought them. They want their data to be accessible to them wherever they are and not have to worry about losing their computer or forgetting to back up files. Even more importantly, they don't want to spend hours configuring their computers to work with every new piece of hardware, or have to worry about constant software updates. And any time our users have a better computing experience, Google benefits as well by having happier users who are more likely to spend time on the Internet.

We have a lot of work to do, and we're definitely going to need a lot of help from the open source community to accomplish this vision. We're excited for what's to come and we hope you are too. Stay tuned for more updates in the fall and have a great summer.

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/introducing-google-chrome-os.html
[Submitted by MaTiCa]



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]>
Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks. Later this year we will open-source its code, and netbooks running Google Chrome OS will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010. Because we're already talking to partners about the project, and we'll soon be working with the open source community, we wanted to share our vision now so everyone understands what we are trying to achieve.

Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We're designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds. The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web. And as we did for the Google Chrome browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work.

Google Chrome OS will run on both x86 as well as ARM chips and we are working with multiple OEMs to bring a number of netbooks to market next year. The software architecture is simple — Google Chrome running within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel. For application developers, the web is the platform. All web-based applications will automatically work and new applications can be written using your favorite web technologies. And of course, these apps will run not only on Google Chrome OS, but on any standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux thereby giving developers the largest user base of any platform.

Google Chrome OS is a new project, separate from Android. Android was designed from the beginning to work across a variety of devices from phones to set-top boxes to netbooks. Google Chrome OS is being created for people who spend most of their time on the web, and is being designed to power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems. While there are areas where Google Chrome OS and Android overlap, we believe choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone, including Google.

We hear a lot from our users and their message is clear — computers need to get better. People want to get to their email instantly, without wasting time waiting for their computers to boot and browsers to start up. They want their computers to always run as fast as when they first bought them. They want their data to be accessible to them wherever they are and not have to worry about losing their computer or forgetting to back up files. Even more importantly, they don't want to spend hours configuring their computers to work with every new piece of hardware, or have to worry about constant software updates. And any time our users have a better computing experience, Google benefits as well by having happier users who are more likely to spend time on the Internet.

We have a lot of work to do, and we're definitely going to need a lot of help from the open source community to accomplish this vision. We're excited for what's to come and we hope you are too. Stay tuned for more updates in the fall and have a great summer.

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/introducing-google-chrome-os.html
[Submitted by MaTiCa]



Click to discuss this news item in the forums
]]> Software Christo [PCD] Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:20:59 +0200 http://www.pcdoctors.co.za/news.php?item.548.3