Microsoft interoperability info is 'unusable', says DoJ

The US Department of Justice says that documentation provided by Microsoft to allow server software developers to access desktop Windows is 'unusable', according to a report by Reuters. The documentation comes with certain Windows source code licenced by Microsoft to other vendors. Anti-trust agencies are said to be concerned that there is insufficient documentation to give non-Microsoft server software developers enough information to make their products work best with Windows. ...more

Troubles continue for L&H

Voice-recognition software specialist Lernout & Hauspie has announced that its chairman, Roel Pieper, has resigned. The move follows the resignation last week of CEO John Duerden and the appointment of a new head, Philippe Bodson. According to Pieper he is leaving so that the new team can turn L&H's fortunes around. ...more

Free Software Foundation launches anti-Vista campaign

The Free Software Foundation (FSF)has launched a campaign against Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system, claiming it is an incursion on users' freedoms. The FSF backs the use of Free Software, which does not impose restrictions on the way software is used, and says Vista is culpable of 'daylight theft of computer users' rights'. It also criticises the Trusted Computing platform, aimed at building security into the hardware as well as software. ...more

Microsoft previews new version of its componentised OS

Microsoft has posted a technology preview of a new service pack for Windows XP Embedded, a componentised form of its operating system for small-footprint environments, for download. The Windows XP Embedded version of the OS allows developers with only limited memory available to create an image of the OS that contains only the parts needed to drive an application or device. Each 'platform' ships with a database of components (such as Notepad. ...more

Six degrees holds true online

Researchers have found that the idea no one person is farther away from another by more than six acquaintances, is equally true using email. The team of researchers at Columbia University discovered that getting an email message to any one of 18 selected target recipients from more than 60,000 participants took on average between five and seven intermediate steps. Team leader Duncan Watts reported that despite the high number of participants there were a large proportion that were well educated and based in the US. ...more