U.S. targets China, Russia, others on copyrights

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is accusing China, Russia and seven other nations of failing to protect American producers of movies, computer software and other copyrighted material from widespread piracy.

The administration today placed the nine countries on a "priority watch list" that will subject them to extra scrutiny and could eventually lead to economic sanctions — if the administration decides to pursue complaints before the World Trade Organization.

In addition to China and Russia, the other seven countries targeted were Argentina, Chile, India, Israel, Pakistan, Thailand and Venezuela.

The administration named another 31 countries to a lower-level watch list, indicating it has concerns about copyright violations in those nations but they don't warrant the highest level of scrutiny.

Because of improvements in their efforts to protect U.S. intellectual property rights, four countries — Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey and Ukraine — were taken off the "priority" list where they were last year and placed on the lower-level watch list.

In releasing the annual report, which is required by Congress, U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said that copyright piracy is "one of the central challenges facing the global economy."
"Pirates and counterfeiters don't just steal ideas, they steal jobs and too often they threaten our health and safety," she said in a statement.

This year's report devoted attention to what it described as the growing problem of counterfeited pharmaceuticals and other products that threaten the health and safety of consumers around the world.

Stan McCoy, assistant U.S. trade representative for intellectual property, told reporters in a briefing that both China and Russia had made improvements in protecting intellectual property over the past year but that a number of issues remain.

The United States has a WTO case pending against China in which it has accused the country of doing too little to crack down on rampant piracy of American music, movies, computer programs and other products.

Discussions between the United States and Russia over improving copyright protections have been a key sticking point in negotiations over that country's bid to become a member of the WTO, the Geneva-based organization that regulates world trade.

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RIM looking for Cocoa devs: iPhone apps, or something else?

Research In Motion is apparently looking for experienced Cocoa developers for a new software development team. The internal job listing, characterized by AppleInsider as "confidential," gives few details about what the "newly-created team" will be working on, but says that it involves "development and design of BlackBerry software." AppleInsider's sources say the company is keeping the project on the down low, sharing few details even within the company.

The requirements in the listing are reported to include emphasis on Mac OS X development with Cocoa and Objective-C, UI design, and web-related development using JavaScript and XML. Also preferred is experience with Sync Services and interfacing via Bluetooth and USB.

Though the obvious assumption is that RIM is writing applications for the iPhone—currently seen as BlackBerry's most serious competitor—the requirements read (to us) more like the skills needed to write software for syncing a BlackBerry with a Mac. With 42 percent of the current US smartphone market, according to a recent ChangeWave survey, I don't think RIM is ready to give up on itself just yet.

A native syncing application could certainly make a BlackBerry more compelling to someone looking at a new smartphone. ChangeWave's survey found that, among those looking for a new smartphone, 35 percent were eyeing the iPhone, while only 29 percent were considering a BlackBerry. Clearly, RIM is looking to answer the iPhone threat, and rumors indicate it is prepping a 3G-capable touchscreen BlackBerry to compete more directly with iPhone. With the increase in Mac sales and renewed enterprise interest, it only makes sense to make sure this device is as Mac-compatible as the iPhone.

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MS pulls plugs on XP SP3 mass launch

Microsoft has pulled the general release of Windows XP service pack three (SP3) at the eleventh hour, blaming a “compatibility issue” for the cock-up.

The software giant said late yesterday it was suspending mass download of the long-awaited service pack while it investigates the problem between its point-of-sale app – Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS) – and both XP SP3 and Vista SP1.

It said in an email that the update, which was released to manufacturing and volume licensing customers a week ago and was supposed to be generally available from yesterday, will not be pumped out to the masses via its Windows Update (WU) website as planned until the company fixes the bug.

However, the firm hasn’t pinpointed when XP SP3 will be available, much to the chagrin of Vista-shy customers who have been patiently waiting for the update to land.
“In the last few days, we have uncovered a compatibility issue between Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS) and both Windows XP SP3 and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)," said the firm.

"In order to make sure customers have the best possible experience, we have decided to delay releasing Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) to the web.”

It also said that filtering would be put in place “shortly” to prevent WU spitting out both service packs to systems running Dynamics RMS. Once that tweak has been made, XP SP3 will be made available online.

Microsoft added that customers running its point-of-sale app, which is used mainly by small to medium-sized retailers, should swerve installing the service packs on either OS until a fix has been provided.

Redmond pushed back the release date of XP’s final service pack several times, and was supposed to be withdrawing sales of the operating system from the market at the end of June.
But earlier this month Microsoft, in a somewhat embarrassing U-turn that suggested the firm was pricking up its ears and listening to unfavourable customer feedback about Vista, said it would continue to sell Windows XP Home for bargain basement PCs beyond its scheduled 30 June kill-date .

Just last week Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer hinted that XP could be reprieved from end-of-life if enough customers demand it.

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Apple Updates iMacs Amid Booming Sales

In addition to faster processors, the new iMacs are rated EPEAT Silver and meet the Energy Star 4.0 requirements for power consumption.

By Thomas Claburn InformationWeek

Apple on Monday refreshed its iMac line with faster Intel (NSDQ: INTC) Core 2 Duo processors and an optional more powerful graphics processor on its high-end 24-inch model.

The new iMac is available in three basic configurations: a 20-inch 2.4 GHz model ($1,199), a 20-inch 2.66 GHz model, and a 24-inch 2.8 GHz model. The 2.4 GHz iMac comes with an ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT (128MB memory) while the 2.66 GHz and 2.8 GHz models come with an ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO (256MB memory).

There's also a built-to-order 24-inch 3.0 GHz model featuring NVIDIA (NSDQ: NVDA) GeForce 8800 GS (512MB memory) that lists for $2,199 at the Apple Store, with 2GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive.

The new Intel Core 2 Duo processors that power the iMacs feature a 1066 MHz front-side bus and can be configured to support up to 4GB of 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory.

Apple's iMacs include built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, Gigabit Ethernet; a built-in iSight video camera, five USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 400 port, and one FireWire 800 port. They also come with Apple's iLife consumer media suite and Apple's Mac OS X 10.5.2, known as "Leopard."

According to Apple, its new iMacs are rated EPEAT Silver and meet the Energy Star 4.0 requirements for power consumption.

EPEAT, the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, is a program run by the Green Electronics Council that attempts to encourage environmentally responsible electronics manufacturing. It lists 23 required criteria and 28 optional criteria that are used in determining whether products qualify for the organization's Gold, Silver, and Bronze ratings. The Silver designation means a product must meet all 23 required criteria and at least 50% of the 28 optional criteria.

Federal acquisition rules require that 95% of computers purchased comply with EPEAT criteria; as of April 2008, San Francisco city departments may only purchase computers and monitors that are rated EPEAT Silver or Gold.

Apple's new iMac arrive on the heels of another in a series of strong quarterly financial reports. Last week, Apple reported revenue of $7.51 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.05 billion, a 43% increase year-over-year.

Apple said that it shipped 2,289,000 Macintosh computers during the first quarter of 2008, a 51% increase over the same quarter in 2007.

In a statement on Monday, Apple's senior VP of worldwide product marketing Philip Schiller noted that Mac sales have been growing at a rate three and a half times faster than PC sales.
Earlier this month, research firm IDC reported that Apple's share of the U.S. PC market during the first quarter of 2008 reached 6%, up from 4.9% in the first quarter of 2007, representing 25.1% growth. Dell (Dell)'s share of the U.S. PC market during this period reached 30.9%, up from 27.7% in the first quarter of 2007, representing 15.6% growth.

PC makers find ways to extend XP's life

by Ina Fried

Facing a June 30 deadline to stop selling PCs with Windows XP, the world's largest computer makers are getting creative.

Taking advantage of the "downgrade rights" offered as part of the Windows Vista license agreement, Hewlett-Packard and Dell both plan to offer machines loaded with XP well beyond June.

Technically, the computers will be Vista Business or Vista Ultimate machines that have been factory downgraded to XP at the customer's request. In practice, they are more like XP machines that come with an already paid-for upgrade to Vista when and if the customer chooses to do so.

HP said it plans to continue selling the "pre-downgraded" desktops, notebooks, and workstations to its business customers until July 30, 2009. Dell is already pitching the same option on its Web site and promising the models will stick around long after it stops taking standard XP orders on June 18. Other computer makers tell CNET News.com they are still exploring what to do but also want to sell XP beyond June 30.

There are limits to the approach being taken by HP and Dell. Only the Business and Ultimate flavors of Vista come with downgrade rights, meaning consumer machines can't be sold in a similar fashion.

While companies can offer pre-downgraded machines via their Web site, things get a little more complicated when it comes to buying a PC at retail stores. It may be possible for customers to buy such a machine, but just how this will work--and if stores will offer such an option--is not totally clear. The tricky issue is that, to stay within Microsoft's terms, the customer has to somehow "request" the XP downgrade.

All of this prompts the real question: Why won't Microsoft just extend the deadline? The company's rationale that customers and computer makers aren't demanding a longer life for XP seems to be increasingly implausible.
Kevin Kutz, a director in Microsoft's Windows unit, said that the downgrade-rights option meets customer needs.

"While (computer makers) continue to see large numbers of customers making the transition to Windows Vista, there are some pockets--like small business--that need a little more time," Kutz said in a statement. "And from what we've heard from our partners, the downgrade rights option fulfills that need."

The pre-downgraded PC option is just the latest way that PC makers have responded to stronger-than-expected demand. After shifting largely to Vista after its January 2007 mainstream launch, Dell and others quickly began adding more XP options in response to customer requests.

For some time now, computer makers have been selling machines with an XP recovery disc as a downgrade option.

Lenovo, for example, plans to keep offering an XP recovery disc with some Vista models through January 2009, according to InformationWeek.

The latest twist is the machines, like the ones HP and Dell will sell beyond June 30, that have Vista rights but contain XP pre-installed.

As for whether a broader reprieve might yet come for XP, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has left the door open a crack.

"XP will hit an end-of-life," Ballmer said in Belgium recently, according to Reuters. "We have announced one. If customer feedback varies, we can always wake up smarter, but right now, we have a plan for end-of-life for new XP shipments."

No Change in XP Plan Despite Ballmer Comment, Microsoft Says

James Niccolai, IDG News Service

Comments by Steve Ballmer at a press conference in Europe today have led to speculation that Microsoft is reconsidering its June 30 deadline to stop selling most new Windows XP licenses. A spokeswoman from Microsoft's public relations firm said Thursday that there is no plan for a change in deadline, however.

"Our plan for Windows XP availability is unchanged. We're confident that's the right thing to do based on the feedback we've heard from our customers and partners," the spokeswoman said, reading from a Microsoft statement.

Ballmer's comments at a press conference at Louvain-la-Neuve University in Belgium led to a flurry of reports that Microsoft may be considering an extension of its deadline.

"If customer feedback varies we can always wake up smarter, but right now we have a plan for end-of-life for new XP shipments," Ballmer said, according to Reuters. Microsoft did not have a transcript of the event, but the spokeswoman from Waggener Edstrom said the comments seem accurate.

XP Petition Signed

The spokeswoman said Microsoft is aware that some customers are pushing for an extension to the deadline -- more than 160,000 people have signed a "Save XP" petition launched by Infoworld magazine, for example. But the company has also done its own research among partners and customers, and feels that "the dates are right," she said, speaking on behalf of Microsoft.

"We feel we've made the right accommodations for customers in certain segments who may need more time to transition to Windows Vista," she said. "But as Steve noted, we maintain a constant stance of listening to our customers and our partners. That's what is guiding our plan, and will continue to guide us going forward."

The "accommodations" refer to several exceptions that Microsoft has made to the June 30 deadline. For example, companies that make volume purchases of Vista Business or Vista Ultimate can ask their vendor to "downgrade" their license to Windows XP. Microsoft has also made exceptions for the emerging class of small, ultra-low-cost PCs, and it will continue to provide Windows XP Starter Edition for PCs sold in emerging markets.

Retailers and PC vendors can also continue to sell any backlog of Windows XP licenses that they bought before the June 30 deadline. Beyond those exceptions, most new Windows licenses purchased after June 30 will be for Windows Vista.

The owner of a PC support center near Boston questioned which users Microsoft had been gathering feedback from."I'd love to know exactly what, and how many 'customers' Microsoft claims to be getting this feedback from," David Bookbinder, owner of Total PC Support, said via e-mail. "My guess, and it's an educated one, is that it's more likely stockholder feedback."Total PC Support provides service to home and small-business users in eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire."I service over 600 clients and have yet to find ONE speak highly of Vista, or wish XP to end," he wrote. "And that goes from the biggest novice on up."

Interested in a Blackberry Enterprise Server?

Microsoft's Tellme launches BlackBerry voice search

By JESSICA MINTZ

SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp.'s Tellme subsidiary launched an application for the BlackBerry on Tuesday that lets people speak commands into their smart phones to search for businesses, look up movie times, check traffic and make other queries.

Once users download the program, they can push on their phone's green "talk" button and say either the name of a business, type of business, or the keywords "weather," "movies," "traffic," "map" or "driving directions."

Using GPS, the system figures out where the user is located and delivers nearby results from Microsoft's Live Search engine to the smart phone's screen, along with links to call, get directions, buy movie tickets and other related actions.

The program only works on some of Research in Motion Ltd.'s newer BlackBerry models. Tellme, which Microsoft acquired in 2007 for $800 million, said versions for Helio, Windows Mobile and Apple Inc.'s iPhone devices are in the works.

The Tellme program's launch comes just weeks after Yahoo Inc. unveiled a new version of its mobile search system, oneSearch 2.0, which includes voice search and is also designed to work with certain BlackBerry models.

"People are getting more frustrated with the fact that these cell phones are getting smaller and smaller, but more and more function is getting crammed into them," Mike McCue, founder and general manager of Tellme, said in an interview. "To try to get anything done — navigate through all these menus — it takes time. To try to do that while driving, walking, on the go, is very challenging."

McCue said his team hopes to add sports scores, train schedules, voice dialing, text-message dictation and other functions to the service in the future.

He also said that while Tellme's technology is separate from Microsoft's Sync system, which lets drivers use their voice to control phones, music players and other devices in some Ford car models, the two experiences will become much more similar.

The application was launched on the BlackBerry first, instead of Microsoft's own platform, because of BlackBerry's support for the Java programming language, according to McCue.
The system is advertising-free for now, but eventually, ads will be incorporated, according to Dariusz Paczuski, a senior director at Tellme.

Mountain View, Calif.-based Tellme's voice technology also powers AT&T and Verizon's 411 directory services, as well as automated customer service systems used by companies including Domino's Pizza and American Airlines.

Web criminals fuel big rise in "trojans"

By Peter Griffiths

LONDON (Reuters) - Cyber-criminals are behind a dramatic rise in stealthy programs called "trojans" that infect computers to sell rogue software, send unwanted email or steal personal data, a study has found.

In a report released in London, Microsoft said the number of trojans removed from computers around the world in the second half of 2007 rose by 300 percent from the first half.
The figure has risen so sharply because more computers are fitted with software that detects malicious programs and because criminals had come to see trojans as their "tool of choice," the report said.

"The numbers have simply exploded, it's huge," said Vinny Gullotto, general manager of the Microsoft Malware Protection Center. "There is a lot of criminal intent there."
Trojans can log keystrokes to gather passwords, send spam from private computers or harvest email addresses or personal information for criminal purposes.

The most common family of trojans last year was "Win32/Zlob," a piece of malicious software, or malware, that people unwittingly download from the Internet.

Its designers trick people into saving it by telling them they need a new piece of software to watch video online.

Once installed, it bombards people with pop-up messages and bogus flashing warnings that their computer is infected.

The messages say: "Your computer is infected! Windows has detected spyware infection. Click here to protect your computer."
The trojan then sends adverts offering to sell rogue anti-spyware on sites that could expose customers to credit card fraud. Microsoft said the problem is global and linked to organized criminal gangs.

"The majority (of trojans) come from the (United) States, China, Russia and South America," Gullotto said on the fringes of the Infosecurity Europe trade conference on Tuesday.
Microsoft said the number of computers around the world that were made safe after being infected with trojans rose from one million in the second half of 2006 to 19 million in the second half of 2007.

The report is online: http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/sir.aspx

Microsoft finishes big XP update

by Ina Fried

Microsoft said on Monday that it has wrapped up development of its long-awaited Service Pack 3 update to Windows XP.

The update, which consists of previously released updates and a few new bug fixes and changes, will be available for download via the Web on April 29. Microsoft said it plans to start pushing out XP SP3 this summer to "home users" who have Automatic Updates turned on.

A Microsoft representative said the company won't update boxed copies of Windows XP with the service pack, though it will be an option for computer makers that are still offering XP on new machines. Large computer makers have only until June to sell XP on standard systems, though some low-cost, low-memory machines can be sold with XP until 2010, as can some PCs aimed at emerging markets.

Microsoft has been testing Windows XP Service Pack 3 for some time. The product was planned to be released as early as 2006, but was pushed back several times as Microsoft focused on developing and updating Windows Vista.

Yahoo sidesteps the big questions

Yahoo reported solid earnings for its first quarter, but by completely sidestepping discussion of the big Microsoft acquisition issues, the company left more unresolved than resolved.

The company had solid revenue growth, expressed cautious optimism about weathering an economic downturn, and modestly beat analysts' profit expectations. Chief Executive Jerry Yang issued lukewarm metaphors: "Our results this quarter demonstrate we are on the right track. We are pursing the right strategy, and it's beginning to bear fruit."

And in after-hours trading, the company's stock was essentially flat.

I'd say "Ho hum," but the stakes are too high right now. Unfortunately, Yahoo didn't show any of its cards.

Yahoo's financial results didn't carry an implicit conclusion, either. They weren't so bad that Microsoft's attempt to acquire Yahoo for $31 a share looks generous or so great that Yahoo shareholders will laugh off their suitor.

"The results, being neither fish nor fowl, presented a pretty clear outcome," said Gartner analyst Allen Weiner. "I think they're at that critical juncture where the best shareholder value they can give people is the $31 per share Microsoft has offered."

On a conference call to discuss the results, company executives stuck closely to a standard earnings script without advancing the discussion regarding the big issues:

• Selling to Microsoft. "Our board and management team continues to be open to any and all alternatives including a sale to Microsoft," Yang said, but, "We will not enter into any transaction that does not recognize the full value of this company."

• Partnerships such as one reported possibility to acquire AOL in exchange for an investment from Time Warner that could be used to repurchase Yahoo stock. The company is "expeditiously exploring a number of strategic alternatives," Yang said.

• A partnership to test Google's search ads alongside Yahoo's search results, a move that could increase the revenue per click that advertisers pay Yahoo. Yahoo gave passing mention to the test but said, in effect, "Stay tuned."

Given that Yang had no big news to announce, he had to walk a fine line on the conference call. He didn't want to throw in the towel to Microsoft, and he couldn't declare that Yahoo now has got Google running scared. And addressing touchy issues can open a can of worms during the question-and-answer period.

But just as there are consequences for saying something injudicious on the conference call, there are consequences to playing it too straight. If it wants to fend off Microsoft, Yahoo has to prove to its shareholders that its alternatives are real.

For example, sharing some preliminary results from the Google ad test could have helped advance the discussion about just how real some of the company's alternatives are. Analyst estimates accord 9 cents to Google for each ad clicked to 4 cents at Yahoo, so a partnership could be financially important.

Yahoo lost an opportunity to seize the initiative by rebutting Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer's latest take on the acquisition: "I wish Yahoo all the success with its results, but it doesn't affect the value of Yahoo to Microsoft."

Instead, Yahoo merely reported earnings. For seizing the initiative, I guess we'll have to wait for Ballmer.

Huge sponsorship for ICT congress

PETALING JAYA: The total sponsorship for the upcoming 16th World Congress of Information Technology 2008 (WCIT 2008) has crossed the US$10mil mark, according to WCIT 2008 Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Dan E. Khoo.

The amount, which exceeded the US$6mil raised under WCIT 2006 in Austin, Texas, was achieved with the addition of 41 new strategic partners.

“Our aim is to sign up 2,500 delegates for WCIT 2008,” Khoo told a press conference after the exchange of agreements between WCIT 2008 and the 41 new partners yesterday.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili witnessed the event.
To date, more than 2,300 delegates have signed up for the congress, often dubbed as the Olympics of the information and communications technology (ICT) industry.

The new partners include seven Malaysian states, four international media organisations and 26 technological development and services companies, bringing the number of institutional participants to 67.

WCIT 2008 chairman Datuk Badlisham Ghazali said WCIT 2008 would be a shot in the arm for the local ICT industry and MSC Malaysia.

“More than 100 high-profile speakers will share their wisdom and experience on pressing issues such as the impact of ICT on outsourcing, education, innovation technopreneurship, healthcare, the environment and the future of the Internet,” he said.

The latest speakers to confirm attendance include celebrity genome scientist Dr Craig Venter and Google chief Internet evangelist Dr Vinton Cerf, who is widely acknowledged as the “Father of the Internet”, Badlisham said.

Other major events that will be held in conjunction with the congress are the International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber Terrorism's World Cyber Security Summit, the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development, the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation E-Governance Asia Forum and the 11th International Advisory Panel for MSC Malaysia.

“These events are just as significant to support the agenda for Malaysia as well as to provide opportunities to local and foreign entrepreneurs. We are bringing the ICT world to Malaysian companies and states,'' Badlisham said, adding that the event was expected to attract some 50,000 participants comprising 6,000 delegates and 44,000 expo visitors.

Outsourcing Key For Smaller Firms

By Alexandra Zendrian, Inc.com

Facing greater competition for skilled professionals, more small-business owners are turning to outside help for administrative tasks in order to remain focused on core operations, a recent study shows.

Based on a survey of 150 companies nationwide with 20-25 employees by Achilles Group, a Houston-based human resources firm, the study found that smaller employers tend to outsource at least two functions, including accounting, payroll, information technology and public relations.
Employers said offloading these tasks helped free up time to concentrate on growth strategies and other revenue-producing activities. Outsourcing also reduced costs, while offering greater access to expertise from outside the company, they said.

"The most common reason to outsource at the enterprise level is to reduce costs and typically focuses on administrative tasks before moving to more strategic matters," Achilles Group Vice President Bill Bradshaw said in a statement. Smaller businesses also tend to outsource work to save time, he added.

Windows XP SP3: A quick, painless upgrade

Posted by Robert Vamosi

On Monday, Microsoft released to manufacturers (RTM) the final code for Windows XP SP3. The upgrade provides support for WPA2 and the Peer Name Resolution Protocol (PNRP) used in Windows Vista, among other things. The public version will be available for download via the Web on April 29. Based on our initial installation, the upgrade will be effortless for most Windows XP users.

The last Service Pack for Windows XP, SP2, was released in August 2004. The initial release took some users all night to download and install. The company pushed back the initial public release from June 2004 originally. Despite numerous glitches still present in the code, Windows XP SP2 was formally made public on August 20, 2004, and Microsoft had to work hard to convince users to upgrade.

Windows XP SP2 featured a new Security Center, an improved firewall, and other tweaks.
That's not the case with SP3, which was delayed several years while Microsoft did work on Windows Vista.

Microsoft says the service pack includes functionality previously released as updates. Perhaps that's why the download and installation for SP3 was effortless on our test system. XP SP3 took only 30 minutes to download, and 10 minutes to install.

Some updates relevant to the home user include:

Support for WPA2, the latest standards-based wireless security solution derived from the IEEE 802.11i standard.

Improvements to black-hole router detection (detecting routers that are silently discarding packets). Windows XP SP3 turns this protection on by default.


BITS 2.5, which is required by Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 and Windows Live OneCare.

Peer Name Resolution Protocol (PNRP), which allows Windows XP applications to communicate with Windows Vista programs that use PNRP.

Windows Installer 3.1, which contains new and enhanced functionality and addresses some issues that Microsoft found in Windows Installer 3.0.

Digital Identity Management Service (DIMS), which allows users who log on to any domain-joined computer to silently access all of their certificates and private keys for applications and services.

However, the balance of these improvements are not necessarily relevant to the home user. For example:

MMC 3.0, which is a framework that provides common navigation, menus, toolbars, and workflow across diverse tools.

MSXML6, which provides better reliability, security, and conformance with the XML 1.0 and XML Schema 1.0 W3C Recommendations as well as System.Xml 2.0.

IPsec filter creation and maintenance. XP SP3 reduces the number of filters that are required for a server and domain isolation deployment. Also, the Simple Policy Update removes the requirement for explicit network infrastructure permit filters and introduces enhanced fallback to clear behavior.

The Security Options control panel includes more descriptive text to explain settings and prevent incorrect settings configuration.

Network Access Protection (NAP), which is a policy enforcement platform built into Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and Windows XP SP3 to better protect network assets by enforcing compliance with system health requirements.

Starting April 29, all Windows XP SP2 users should upgrade to SP3, if only to get a complete set of Windows XP patches installed.

Red Hat Drops Plans For Consumer Desktop Linux

Linux commands only about 1.2% of the desktop market in the United States, according to research group Gartner.

Red Hat said it has dropped plans, disclosed last year, to develop a version of the Linux operating system for consumer PCs -- in part because of Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT)'s dominance over the market.

"The desktop market suffers from having one dominant vendor, and some people still perceive that today's Linux desktops simply don't provide a practical alternative," Red Hat officials said in a blog post Wednesday.

"Building a sustainable business around the Linux desktop is tough, and history is littered with example efforts that have either failed outright, are stalled, or are run as charities," they said. >more

Apple Patches Safari Vulnerabilities

The fixes include patching a zero-day vulnerability in Apple's Web browser that allowed researchers to compromise a MacBook Air.

Apple on Wednesday issued a security patch for its Safari Web browser that fixes a widely reported vulnerability and three other holes, two of which affect only Windows versions.
At the CanSecWest security conference last month, security researchers Charlie Miller, Jake Honoroff, and Mark Daniel, from Independent Security Evaluators, managed to compromise a MacBook Air using a zero-day vulnerability in Safari.

Tipping Point, the sponsor of the contest, said the vulnerability would not be disclosed until Apple issued a patch.

Among the four vulnerabilities fixed in Wednesday's Safari patch is CVE-2008-1026, which Apple thanked Miller for reporting.

Apple describes the flaw thus: "A heap buffer overflow exists in WebKit's handling of JavaScript regular expressions. The issue may be triggered via JavaScript when processing regular expressions with large, nested repetition counts. This may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution." >more