Is Microsoft driving you away? ; Dual-cores around the corner [TECH UPDATE]

Welcome to ZDNet's Tech Update Today for Thu., March 3, 2005

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IN THIS ISSUE:

DAVID BERLIND - Could recent Microsoft clamp-downs, missteps accelerate Linux adoption?

TOP NEWS HEADLINES FROM ZDNN - Appeals court revisits Eolas decision - Group proposes paring open-source license list - IBM tests new ways to support open source - Verizon grants MCI two weeks for Qwest talks - CA to launch identity management tools - Detection tool lands Symantec a patent - Rambus patent claims against Infineon dismissed - RFID interoperability still a problem

LATEST BLOGS - Was business role downplayed in Gates' knighthood? -- David Berlind - Bodcasting -- Steve Gillmor - All in one place, here"s info about most cable VoIP plans -- Russell Shaw - Weird advertising on 180Search -- Wayne Cunningham - Choosing a new technology successfully -- Chris Jablonski

DAN FARBER'S PICKS - Open Solaris and strategic consequences - 2006: The year of dual core, virtualization, WiMax - Allchin: 64-bit Windows coming next month - Face to Face: Intel CIO has wireless, Linux on the brain

TUNE IN TO DAN AND DAVID - Anytime, anywhere secure data access - Phishing: Watch out for scam spam - Sun's utility computing: $1 per CPU per hour - Finding IT talent still a challenge - Best practices in intrusion prevention

IN THE BLOGS - Yahoo does Google four better on XML search APIs - Putting 'custom' back in customer

REVIEWs - Battle of the cheap PCs: Mac Mini vs. Windows competitors

COMMENTARY - Does IT matter now?

PREVIOUSLY ON TECH UPDATE TODAY - Rearden Commerce transforms business services - Microsoft fires back in database price war - Eclipse lights up Java crowd

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DAVID BERLIND

Could recent Microsoft clamp-downs, missteps accelerate Linux adoption?

Is it me, or has there been a recent wave of headlines from Redmond that add up to a Microsoft clamp-down of the sort that could easily drive people away from destkop Windows? The most recent of these--and drawing a heated reaction from some ZDNet readers--is a report that Microsoft will start requiring XP Service Pack 2 for Automatic Update users. Also last week, Microsoft announced that it would no longer support product activation over the Internet for PCs that have Windows pre-installed. Security-wise, it was a dismal week for Redmond as well. Is Microsoft driving you to Linux? Join the discussion http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59082-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

MS: Activation shift won't be a pain http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59083-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TOP NEWS HEADLINES FROM ZDNN

Appeals court revisits Eolas decision http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59084-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Group proposes paring open-source license list http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59085-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

IBM tests new ways to support open source http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59086-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Verizon grants MCI two weeks for Qwest talks http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59087-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

CA to launch identity management tools http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59088-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Detection tool lands Symantec a patent http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59089-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Rambus patent claims against Infineon dismissed http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59090-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

RFID interoperability still a problem http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59091-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LATEST BLOGS

Was business role downplayed in Gates' knighthood? -- David Berlind http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59092-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Bodcasting -- Steve Gillmor http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59093-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

All in one place, here"s info about most cable VoIP plans -- Russell Shaw http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59094-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Weird advertising on 180Search -- Wayne Cunningham http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59095-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Choosing a new technology successfully -- Chris Jablonski http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59096-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DAN FARBER'S PICKS

Open Solaris and strategic consequences

Is Sun's move to open Solaris more than just a case of jumping on a moving bandwagon? IT veteran Paul Murphy thinks so. "Like Java," writes Murphy, "Open Solaris may play an unexpected role in Sun's longer term strategic positioning." As IBM uses Linux to take out Microsoft, he predicts Java's data center role becoming "collateral damage" -- with Open Solaris redressing the balance. "Open Solaris may go down in history as one the finest examples of business strategy ever--unless, of course, it's just dumb luck." http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59097-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Sun poised to take open-source Solaris step http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59098-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Sun's open-source gamble http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59099-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

2006: The year of dual core, virtualization, WiMax

Intel Developer Forum: The way Intel executives see it, 2006 will be a breakout year in processor performance, virtualization technology and wireless broadband. With all the focus on dual- and multicore systems from Intel and AMD (as well as Sun and IBM), buyers who value a major performance boost should consider holding off purchases until those systems ship. By mid-2006, says Gartner's Martin Reynolds, multicore processors and virtualization technologies will deliver the biggest single performance increase ever for many applications. http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59100-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Intel to unveil new way to connect chips http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59101-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Allchin: 64-bit Windows coming next month

We have it on tape: Windows platform Vice President Jim Allchin announced at the Intel Developer Forum that Microsoft's 64-bit versions of Windows for servers and workstations will ship next month. That's about 18 months after Microsoft released a beta version of Windows XP for 64-bit PCs for AMD's then new Athlon 64 processor. Intel's three-day event, which comes at a juncture of huge opportunities and challenges for the chipmaker, marks the unfolding of an ambitious roadmap that covers a variety of multicore chips for the server, notebook, desktop and networking market. http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59102-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Intel names top Itanium target: IBM http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59103-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

CEO Barrett's last word: Don't bore the kids http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59104-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Face to Face: Intel CIO has wireless, Linux on the brain

Videocast: Intel CIO Stacy Smith says the chipmaker saved "hundreds of millions of dollars" when it moved its design and engineering systems

to an Intel-based architecture running Linux. Smith sat down with me recently to share his challenge of saving money while increasing performance. Wireless technology, he says, will be outfitted for nontraditional spaces such as construction sites and hospitals. SEE FULL INTERVIEW http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59105-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TUNE IN TO DAN AND DAVID

Anytime, anywhere secure data access

The increasingly mobile workforce is now accustomed to accessing information from their corporate networks via phones, PDAs and laptops. That means businesses must be vigilant about securing wireless data. In this Audiocast, we outline the requirements for provisioning a wireless infrastructure that provides mobile users with secure access to corporate data and applications anytime, anywhere. http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59106-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Phishing: Watch out for scam spam

In this ZDNet Audiocast, David Berlind talks to Dave Jevans, chairman of the Anti-Phishing Working Group, about the latest phishing schemes and how to protect computers and networks from these attacks. http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59107-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Sun's utility computing: $1 per CPU per hour

Sun Microsystems is now offering a pay-per-use service that will function like a utility or grid. In a Face to Face interview, Sun President and COO Jonathan Schwartz tells Dan Farber that at the core of the new computing service is "transparent" pricing. PLAY VIDEO http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59108-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Finding IT talent still a challenge

In a CIO Sessions exclusive, Microsoft CIO Ron Markezich shares his thoughts on a range of topics, from Longhorn to security flaws in Internet Explorer to the biggest IT challenges facing Microsoft. PLAY VIDEO http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59109-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Best practices in intrusion prevention

Intrusion prevention is not just for large organizations anymore. Small and medium-sized businesses can also take advantage of this growing technology.In this audiocast, we'll discuss the advantages of intrusion prevention systems and how organizations can determine which system may be right for them. PLAY AUDIO http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59110-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IN THE BLOGS

Yahoo does Google four better on XML search APIs

Yesterday's report that Yahoo in embracing Web services by offering up APIs to its search engine is more interesting than it might first appear. As more big dot coms like Yahoo, Google and eBay establish programs that exemplify the benefits of Web services, we'll see more Web services get wrapped into all facets of computing, which in turn will empower IT buyers with a lot of leverage over their suppliers. I'll be interested to see how commerce gets wrapped into the equation. http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59111-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Putting 'custom' back in customer

All too many systems are designed to keep your customers at arm's length from your business processes. Phil Windley cites a company that has implemented the real vision of the customer integration hubs. ABF, a shipping company, lets customers use its Web site to reroute shipments en route, if necessary. "The customer is acting as dispatcher and self-servicing to receive a completely custom solution to their problem." What does it take to make a solution like this work? http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59112-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Between the Lines-- Subscribe to ZDNet's Feed http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59113-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ REVIEWs

Battle of the cheap PCs: Mac Mini vs. Windows competitors

Mac fans on a tight budget or those searching for a cheap way to add another Mac at home will undoubtedly be drawn in by the Mac Mini's sleek design and low price. But what about the rest of us looking for an affordable computer? Before you decide where your budget dollars are best spent, see how Apple's new box stacks up against Windows competitors from Dell, eMachines, Gateway, and WinBook.

http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59114-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COMMENTARY

Does IT matter now?

CNET News.com Editor Jeff Pelline dares to revisit the 2-year-old debate "does IT matter?" Nowadays--as hard as it is for technophiles to swallow--IT is playing second fiddle to Big Oil. http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59115-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PREVIOUSLY ON TECH UPDATE TODAY

Rearden Commerce transforms business services

Rearden Commerce's unique and likely successful product is an XML/Web services-based platform for orchestrating and automating travel, package shipping, conferencing and other business service requests for corporate employees and consumers. Founder and CEO Patrick Grady understands what it takes to win in his space. "We will be the lowest cost provider of services because of the stack we built," he says. If it can get a critical mass of business and consumer service providers and customers to map into the software stack, Dan Farber writes, Rearden Commerce just might live up to its hype. http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59116-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Microsoft fires back in database price war

In a move that could lead to more price cuts in the database market, Microsoft yesterday introduced a lower cost version of its database software. SQL Server 2000 Workgroup, a version for small businesses priced at $3,899 per processor, is planned for the first half of this year, while the upcoming SQL Server 2005 update is due in the summer. With the revamped product suite, Microsoft intends to offer alternatives

to a range of rival software, including open-source products and databases from rivals Oracle and IBM, each of whom last year introduced lower-cost

editions of their databases in an effort to spur sales to medium-size customers. http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59117-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

Eclipse lights up Java crowd

A little more than a year ago, detractors painted the Eclipse open-source project as nothing more than a ploy by IBM to sell its own software. Today, by most accounts, Eclipse is the center of innovation in the Java tools industry. This week's sold-out EclipseCon conference will fete its newest board members--IBM rivals BEA Systems, Sybase and Borland International--and detail the expanding list of development-related projects under Eclipse's purview. http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59118-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

David Berlind: Sun unphased by an Eclipse that's living up to its name http://ct.zdnet.com.com/clicks?c=59119-45018394&brand=zdnet&ds=5

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