Software Breaking News

Microsoft grows DAISY for blind computer users; Adobe wilts
The release of an esoteric plug-in for a twenty-year-old piece of software normally doesn't merit much attention... except when the software is the ubiquitous Microsoft Word, and the add-on could have a major positive effect on the 1.5 million blind or visually impaired Americans who use computers, millions more like them around the globe, and, potentially, tens or hundreds of millions of people worldwide with developmental disabilities or reading problems. More..

Sun announces open source Solaris updates
Sun plans on releasing a new version of its open source OpenSolaris operating system every six months, one of which will serve as the basis for the next version of its Solaris Unix operating system, said a company executive. More..

JavaOne show re-dubbed 'VomitOne' after stomach bug hits
The thousands of techies who came to Sun's JavaOne conference this week were exposed, not to a computer virus, but the nasty norovirus, which causes fevers and roiling stomachs. More..

Sun's virtualization strategy evolves
It's not one of the first companies most IT managers associate with server virtualization, but Sun's virtualization strategy is broad enough and adaptable enough to appeal to many customers who aren't already tied to VMware or Microsoft products, users and analysts say. More..

Virtualization's changing state a problem for VMware
In case you needed any more evidence that basic virtualization capabilities were becoming a commodity, Dell has announced a wave of servers and services designed to "simplify the deployment and management of virtualization in enterprises of any size," per a company press release. More..

Gran Turismo series shipments hit 50 million
Shipments of the Gran Turismo series of car racing games edged past the 50 million unit mark at the end of April, Sony said Friday. More..

Microsoft's answer to Google Sky to launch at end of May
Microsoft will launch Worldwide Telescope, a tool for exploring images of the night sky, by the end of May, free to anyone who wants to use it, Microsoft's chairman said Friday. More..

Microsoft talks up using printers to make drugs
In the not-too-distant future, people could use computer printers to make simple medicines as part of a do-it-yourself model of healthcare, a top Microsoft executive said Friday. More..

Vista as insecure as Windows 2000
Good news for users of Windows Vista. According to figures compiled by PC Tools, the OS has experienced only slightly more vulnerabilities than Windows 2000, which appeared eight years ago when malware was far less common. More..

Microsoft to increase focus on handsets for poor
Microsoft will increase its focus on making mobile phones part of its strategy to spread IT to people in developing nations, based partly on a prototype already developed for the purpose called Fone+. More..

Free data rescue/back-up Mac tool ships
Paragon Software Group has introduced a free utility for Macs, Rescue Kit for Mac OS X - Lite. More..

Lotus Notes gets SharePoint integration
Mainsoft has introduced an add-on that allows Lotus Notes users to interact directly with content such as Microsoft Office files stored on Microsoft SharePoint sites. More..

OpenOffice.org 3.0 beta shrugs off X11
The OpenOffice.org Community has announced the public beta release of OpenOffice.org 3.0, a new version of the free office productivity software suite for various platforms including Mac OS X. More..

SAPPHIRE US - Kagermann reflects on his years at SAP
SAP co-CEO Henning Kagermann took center stage at this week's SAPPHIRE conference in Orlando, but that may not be the case next time around, as the veteran company leader enters his last year on the job. More..

Software error stalls validation of winning lottery tickets
A mysterious software bug in 17 lottery machines used by the D.C. Lottery and Charitable Games Control Board in Washington left several dozen winning instant ticket holders unable to immediately cash their prize tickets last week. More..

OpenOffice.org Beta Fails the Office 2007 Test
I'm not embarrassed to admit it: I'm a big fan of Office 2007. I think Microsoft got a lot right with its latest release, starting with the ribbon interface and including any number of tweaks and improvements that make my day easier. I can't say I'm thrilled about the price of the suite, however; nor the countless SKUs to choose from. Plus, I'm also a big Linux fan. That's why I always try to keep my eye on the current state of OpenOffice.org, the open source office suite founded by Sun. More..

Microsoft to help disabled access Office documents
Microsoft has released a software add-in to help those who have difficulty reading printed documents to turn Word documents into audio files. More..

Misbehaving software mistaken for data breach
The University of Colorado at Boulder said a forensics investigation into three computers suspected as source of a data breach last week revealed the cause for the computers' strange behavior was not hackers but malfunctioning computers that didn't take well to a .Net framework upgrade. More..

On-demand ERP delay has silver lining
Although SAP has slowed down the rollout of its on-demand ERP (enterprise resource planning) offering Business ByDesign, that decision has given the company more time to implement its in-memory database technology into the software, said SAP's co-founder Hasso Plattner during a keynote address Wednesday at SAP's SAPPHIRE conference in Orlando. More..

FAQ: What you should know before installing Windows XP SP3
After a week-long delay to take care of a last-minute compatibility bug, Microsoft Tuesday gave the green light to Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3). More..

Making sure everything works at the Beijing Olympics
The first of the two technical rehearsals has been completed by the system integrator behind the 2008 Beijing Olympics. More..

Mail and its hidden headers
Like many people, reader S. B. is concerned about spam. He writes: More..

Mozilla: Firefox plugin shipped with malicious code
Mozilla warned Wednesday that a malicious program inserted adware code into a Firefox plugin that has been downloaded thousands of times over the past three months. More..

Google backs open-source CERT group
Google has thrown its weight behind a fledgling security reporting group for the open-source community. More..

Software maker gets its mobile house in order
One enterprise is using a new hosted service from Visage Mobile to track all of its mobility assets, including carrier service plans for 300 mobile workers. The service, MobilityCentral, blends directory data on users with device inventory data and mobile operators' invoice data to create a complete, accurate picture of the real costs of enterprise mobility. More..