Practical Technology

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January 28, 2008
by sjvn01
1 Comment

Has Microsoft Disavowed Vista?

Technically, Vista is pure misery. It eats system resources like an elephant does peanuts, Windows break and its so-called improved security is a joke. I know it. You know it. Even Microsoft’s most devoted yes-men know it–although they won’t admit it–and perhaps Microsoft knows it as well.

What else can explain why Microsoft is now leaking news about Windows 7, the next version of Windows? Oh, officially Vista SP 1 is still the big upcoming news, although I think most businesses are actually more interested in XP SP 3. The simple truth is that no matter how Microsoft and its partners like CDW spin it, Vista is not being picked up by corporate users. Even Bill Gates’ vaunted 100 million Vista users number should be taken with a large—very large—grain of salt.

Most of the information is dripping out of the blog, Shipping Seven. But, it’s more than just Shipping Seven, which may, or may not, be real. Microsoft is hard at work, harder than one would expect, with Vista just over a year old, in getting its next desktop operating system ready for action.

As Directions on Microsoft analyst Michael Cherry recently told eWEEK’s Peter Galli, “I don’t think Vista is as bad as Microsoft has convinced people it is.” What should Microsoft do then? Cherry recommended that Microsoft “discuss the next version of the operating system, currently referred to as Windows 7, and what it will do.”

Could Vista have missed its shot? Yes, yes, I know, how can I say this when there are tens of millions of copies of it out there? Easily. It’s one thing to drop copies of Vista Home Basic and Premium on Best Buy customers who don’t know any better. It’s another thing entirely to get CIOs and IT managers to spend—or should I say waste?—billions on Vista.

For now, whether Microsoft likes it or not, XP, and not Vista, is the Windows those businesses will continue to use. And the companies that want to move on to a truly better operating system? They’ll be moving to Linux or Mac OS.

A version “Has Microsoft Disavowed Vista?” first appeared in eWEEK. >

January 25, 2008
by sjvn01
1 Comment

HP Offers Open-Source Tracking Tools

HP, with other pro-open-source companies and organizations, is releasing programs and policies to help enterprises track corporate open-source use.

After a soft-launch in December, Hewlett-Packard on Jan. 23 officially released a pair of new open-source initiatives to help businesses and developers track their free and open-source software programs and licenses: FOSSology and FOSSBazaar.

HP is not doing this on its own. While the open-source management and tracking programs and business processes underlying these initiatives were created by HP, these new initiatives also have the support of The Linux Foundation, Google, Novell, Olliance Group, OpenLogic, SourceForge, international law firm DLA Piper and source-code analysis company Coverity.

The point of these paired projects is to help enterprises and developers track their open-source software assets. HP officials pointed to a recent example with a customer. They said that HP found three times as many FOSS licenses—75—as the customer initially thought. This meant the customer had to choose whether to implement governance policies to allow the safe use of FOSS or replace the software, which would have cost about $80 million.

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January 24, 2008
by sjvn01
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IBM`s New Linux-Based Notes and Symphony Office

IBM opens the door for Linux-based servers and desktops with a new Lotus Notes and Symphony bundle for SUSE, Red Hat and Ubuntu Linux.

IBM has seen the future, and in its vision, Linux-based servers and desktops will be powering tomorrow’s office with Lotus Notes and Symphony in what it calls an open collaboration client solution.

The IBM open collaboration client solution brings together Lotus Notes; the Lotus Sametime messaging platform; WebSphere Portal; the Lotus Connections social networking software; Lotus Quickr, document management and collaboration software for teams; Lotus Expeditor, an Eclipse-based development environment; and Lotus Symphony. Symphony is essentially OpenOffice with an Eclipse-based user interface. Together these create a server-to-desktop office suite designed to compete with Microsoft’s Windows-only bundle of Microsoft Office, Exchange and SharePoint.

Novell offered a single joint SUSE Linux Enterprise/Open Collaboration Client Solution through its partners. Novell also offered VAD (value-added distributors) migration and integration services.

Roger Levy, a Novell senior vice president and general manager of Open Platform Solutions, said in a statement, “The rapid uptake of the open collaboration client solution by business partners is a clear indicator of its value to the market. These partners are seeking ways to help their customers increase productivity, strengthen desktop security and reduce total cost of ownership.”

Red Hat has now joined the party with its and IBM’s announcement of a new marketing initiative targeting small and midsize businesses. Red Hat’s package will combine Red Hat Enterprise Linux Advanced Platform, Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop, IBM Lotus Notes Client with Lotus Symphony and the IBM Lotus Domino 8 server.

Like Novell’s, Red Hat’s efforts are partner-centric. Red Hat Advanced Business Partners and Lotus-authorized IBM Business Partners will be able to sell not only the package but other Red Hat and IBM Lotus programs. In addition, Red Hat will be providing value-added services to Red Hat Advanced Business Partners to get them up to speed at delivering the complete Red Hat-Lotus office package.

For more information about the joint Red Hat-IBM offerings, channel partners should visit a special page on the Red Hat site devoted to the package.

Last, but not least, Canonical, the company behind the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution, is getting into the act. Ubuntu will also be supporting Lotus Notes 8 and Lotus Symphony. Full Ubuntu Lotus Notes and Lotus Symphony support, however, won’t appear until the second half of 2008, with the release of Lotus Notes 8.5.

“IBM’s plans to deliver the IBM open collaboration client solution with Lotus Notes on the Ubuntu platform is a win for customers everywhere,” Mark Murphy, Canonical vice president of alliances, said in a press statement. “Canonical is committed to bringing the best available productivity tools to its users on an open platform. Ubuntu users will now have an outstanding choice with Lotus Notes, while businesses will have a great choice with Lotus Domino.”

A version of this story first appeared in eWEEK.

January 22, 2008
by sjvn01
0 comments

Brit TV with Apple TV?

One of the reasons why I’m a fan of the Apple TV is that it lets me watch my favorite BBC shows such as Dr. Who, Life on Mars, and Torchwood. Well, eventually I can watch them on my Apple TV, because first I had to find them on the Web, then translate them into an Apple TV-friendly format and then I can finally watch them.

In short, it’s a pain. Yes, there is BBC America, but it’s always at least a year behind the UK schedule.

Now, it looks like the BBC may, just may, be enabling us to watch BBC shows on demand on our Apple TV using its iPlayer service.

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January 19, 2008
by sjvn01
0 comments

Microsoft Wants to Be Your Big Brother

It’s not science-fiction. It’s a real technology and it cannot be allowed to happen or privacy will vanish.

Today, I have a temperature of 99 degrees Fahrenheit, a headache, my blood pressure is 100 over 71, and my heart-heat is around 90 beats per minute. I have felt better. Now, if Microsoft’s plan goes the way it wants, my Windows computer will soon be reporting all of that, and more, to my boss.

This isn’t science fiction. This isn’t a remake of George Orwell’s “1984.” This is the future, according to a recently filed Microsoft patent. Let’s call the product that might come from this patent Windows You. It is, as you’ll see, an apt name.

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