News (2007)

Microsoft releases IE8 beta 2

On Wednesday in the US, Microsoft released the second public beta for Internet Explorer 8. Read more »

Google's math == FAIL!

Google's calculator has some trouble handling math with some large numbers, an issue that's not unheard of in computing circles but that might not sit well at a supremely nerdy company that's named after a humongous number. Read more »

Microsoft tags Tech.Ed delegates

Microsoft today announced plans to track Australian delegates attending its annual Tech.Ed conference in Sydney next week using RFID tags embedded in conference badges. Read more »

Mozilla: Web apps faster with Firefox 3.1

Firefox 3.1 will run many Web-based applications such as Gmail faster through incorporation of a feature called TraceMonkey that dramatically speeds up programs written in JavaScript, Mozilla said Friday. Read more »

Intel unveils developer tools for multicore apps

As Intel prepares for multiple cores in every machine, it is bringing new tools to the table for software developers. Read more »

DNS exploits are happening

A fatal flaw with the DNS (Domain Name System) was currently being exploited in internet attacks and more attacks were likely, the security researcher who discovered the flaw said on Thursday in the US Read more »

Microsoft hires Seinfeld for ads

Microsoft is to pay comedian Jerry Seinfeld US$10 million (AU$11.47 million) to star in an advertising campaign for its Windows Vista operating system. Read more »

Microsoft planning IE privacy mode

For many, privacy on the Web is a concern. And for Microsoft's Internet Explorer team, privacy is a feature. Read more »

Microsoft extends Novell pact

Microsoft and Novell have extended their interoperability agreement for server operating systems. Read more »

Microsoft relaxes virtualisation rules

Microsoft has eased up its server licensing rules so that organisations can make more efficient use of servers in virtualised environments. Read more »

Features (846)

Secure ASP.NET 2.0 sites with Membership API

Beginning with ASP.NET 2.0, the Membership API was added to simplify adding security to a Web application. This article explains how to use the Membership API with a SQL Server back-end. Read more »

Why would anyone choose Windows over Linux?

Why would anyone choose Windows over Linux? This article lists some of the advantages of Linux over Windows. Read more »

How to create a Blue Screen of Death

Feeling nostalgic about the Microsoft Blue Screen of Death, which used to plague desktops in the bad old days of Windows? No need to keep those feelings locked away. This handy guide will show you how to force your PC to recreate the infamous error. Read more »

Multi-core state of play

It promises to be the biggest revolution in programming since object orientation -- but it remains virtually unheard of to most developers. Thanks to the development and uptake of multi-core CPUs, developers must begin to consider truly programming in parallel. Read more »

Olympics are a boon for Silverlight

Here's the way things work at Microsoft. After correcting shortcomings in the first and second editions of its software, version 3.0 of a Microsoft product usually silences the company's worst critics, allowing management to get on with business of crushing rivals. But I'll be first to acknowledge that Silverlight breaks with that pattern. Read more »

Employ refactoring via Visual Studio to write better code

Refactoring is the practice of making your code cleaner and clearer without affecting the functionality. Find out what's included in Visual Studio's Refactor menu, and discover a couple of Visual Studio add-ins that bring refactoring to the Visual Basic community. Read more »

Flash, HTML, AJAX: Which will win the Web app war?

The days when Web pages were static collections of text and graphics are long past. But as the Web matures, there's a fierce competition over which technology will propel it into a medium for rich, interactive applications. Read more »

Are you going to upgrade to Windows Server 2008?

There is a lot of hype in the IT industry when it comes to new releases of products. Look at the iPhone, Windows Vista, WiMax, OS X Leopard. This article digs through the hype to help you make a decision for yourself whether migrating to Windows Server 2008 will be worth it in the next 18-24 months. Read more »

Technology saturation affects developers and organisations

Juval Lowy, a member of Microsoft's internal design review team for .NET, has said that there is no doubt that the average developer and average organisation are completely saturated by an avalanche of technologies. Read more »

Choose the right JDBC driver for your database interface

Picking the right driver can optimise connectivity between your Java apps and database. Read more »

Video (105)

Seinfeld, Wiimotes and Woz -- Club Builder

On this episode of Club Builder: Jerry Seinfeld is the new face of Vista, we learn how to make a cheap whiteboard, and Woz talks about Steve Jobs. Read more »

Intel unveils new software for parallel computing

At the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, company General Manager Renee James announces a new suite of parallel coding tools designed to work with Microsoft Visual Studio. The tools will support Microsoft's concurrent runtime environment, which is expected to become a central component of Microsoft's next-generation computing model. The... Read more »

A world without Windows?

ZDNet correspondent Sumi Das talks with senior editor Sam Diaz about new "instant-on" features that allow a PC to boot up without using Microsoft Windows. They discuss how tech companies such as Dell and Intel are all working on new technologies that enable users to get faster access to e-mail, calendars, and Web browsing. Read more »

Crystal Ball gazing, Firefox & Tetris -- Club Builder

On this week's episode: we learn how to waste time in the terminal, cast an eye over the state of Firefox and see what Microsoft's Sphere is all about Read more »

Should standards be imposed?

Juval Lowy discusses the trade-off of using a highly structured protocol standard for communication instead of a fast and unreliable protocol. Read more »

Microsoft's Sphere in action

Like Microsoft's tabletop Surface computer, the touch-controlled Sphere can sense multiple, simultaneous contacts, allowing a number of people to use it at the same time. The system works by projecting an image onto the inside of the sphere, while infrared technology senses the touch input Read more »

ASCII, .Net Naming and the ATO -- Club Builder

This week's Club Builder looks at fixing .NET's versioning problems, how ASCII art can help remembering SSH keys, and how the ATO intends to let people running OS X or Linux file tax returns. Read more »

NICTA's clarinet playing robot

NICTA and UNSW have collaborated to create a clarinet playing robot designed to demonstrate the versatility of embedded systems. The robot won the ARTEMIS orchestra competition in Athens. Video courtesy of NICTA. Read more »

Explaining Google's BigTable

Google uses a proprietary, high performance and scalable database called BigTable. Brett Slatkin, senior software engineer at Google, explains BigTable and how it get the best out of it with AppEngine. Read more »

Honesty, WWIII and other minor annoyances -- Club Builder

On this week's Club Builder we look at some local scientists who have made a break through in fibre throughput, a group of local lads win big in Paris and we hand out our first Honesty Award. Read more »

Blog (127)

Going the extra step but not the extra mile

Chris Duckett [blogs:betaliving] -- I've always been a big fan of going the extra mile with error messages, it's a good way to show that you actually care about the product to take the time to customise it even when things are amiss -- and yes, things will go wrong, you will not create the perfect application. Read more »

VMware shows how not to do it

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- As a developer there will be a time when you ship a bug -- be it a stub that you left in, or a flaming, crashtastic segfault. The next time this happens and your bosses come baying for blood, point them in the direction of VMware, who this week gave the developer world a great example of how to ship a showstopper bug. Read more »

Microsoft services VS2008 & .NET 3.5

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- Microsoft has just announced the release to manufacturing of the .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Visual Studio 2008 SP1. Read more »

Q&A with EditMe: A wiki for non-geeks

Brendon Chase [blogs:codemonkeybusiness] -- Finally, a wiki CMS solution that you can safely give to your clients to use. But sshhhh... don't call it a wiki... Read more »

Lack of turn out shows Linux's crossover

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- This week's Roundup looks at the lack of excitement surronding this year's LinuxWorld conference, Dan Kaminsky has finally revealed the details of his DNS flaw and we take a look at the new features to come in Firefox. Read more »

Software in the courts

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- In week's Roundup explores Google's assertion that privacy no longer exists, the UK-based NASA hacker loses his extradition appeal, Microsoft becomes a sponsor of the Apache Software Foundation and the Australian Tax Office chooses Windows and only Windows, again, for electronic submissions. Read more »

Facebook's portal for the masses

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- This week, Facebook took a number of strategic steps toward its goal of giving people the "power to share and make the world more open and connected." That's how founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg described the mission statement for Facebook. Read more »

Repent Open Sourcerers

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- The Anglican Diocese in Sydney is moving away from Microsoft technologies, Access and ActiveX provide another way for remote code execution and a local Aussie team wins the Imagine Cup. All that and more in this week's Roundup. Read more »

Perils of outsourcing

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- This edition of the Weekly Roundup looks at what happens when outsourcing companies are robbed, there's more Google news than one can poke a stick at, Samba has a new version and we see what endorsement Mark Taylor has signed on for. Read more »

Windows XP's last hurrah

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- The mere fact that Microsoft will stop widespread sale of Windows XP at the end of the day has been a topic here and elsewhere for months. The most immediate question is, with Windows XP moving off the stage, just where is Windows Vista? Read more »

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  • Chris Duckett Safari gets Gears

    Since its release in May last year, Gears has supported only Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers. With the addition of Safari into the Gears fold, it closes the loop of major browsers to support Gears Read more »

    -- posted by Chris Duckett

  • Renai LeMay MyPerfect.com.au has potential

    Victorian Web start-up My Perfect has a strong story and rationale for why it will succeed. But it has to overcome some challenges and design flaws first. Read more »

    -- posted by Renai LeMay

  • Brendon Chase Blog against poverty

    Worldwide Blog Action Day is 15 October, in 2008 the goal is to raise awareness and conversation around the worldwide topic of poverty and in the process raise money for the cause. Who's in? Read more »

    -- posted by Brendon Chase

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