News Briefs: 1-17-08
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I can't say this will be a regular feature, but herefor the second time this weekis a quick roundup of Microsoft (or related) news items, particularly downloads or oddball items. |
.NET Framework Libraries Source Code. Microsoft promised it and has now delivered. But what's more interesting is the licensing.
When Microsoft announced plans to release .Net Framework source code, I asked if it was a poison pill. The realistic concern: Anyone viewing the source code could later be accused of using the code or concepts in other projects. The source code could be less of a poison pill if developers could actually use it. Currently, they are only allowed to view.
Microsoft has responded to the criticism with a licensing tweak. Scott Guthrie, a Microsoft Developer division general manager, explains in a blog post:
"The .NET Framework source is being released under a read-only reference license. When we announced that we were releasing the source back in October, some people had concerns about the potential impact of their viewing the source. To help clarify and address these concerns, we made a small change to the license to specifically call out that the license does not apply to users developing software for a non-Windows platform that has 'the same or substantially the same features or functionality' as the .NET Framework. If the software you are developing is for Windows platforms, you can look at the code, even if that software has 'the same or substantially the same features or functionality' as the .NET Framework."
I'm no developer but some offers are just too good to be true. Would a promise from Microsoft not to sue be good enough for your IT organization? Please, do tell in the comments.
Five .Net libraries are available: .NET Base Class Libraries, ASP.NET, Windows Forms, Windows Presentation Foundation, ADO.NET and XML. Microsoft will later release LINQ, WCF and Workflow libraries.
Beat the Excel Zero-Day Flaw. Microsoft security know-it-all David LeBlanc (and that's meant kindly) recommends that IT organizations install Office 2003 Service Pack 3 to beat that nasty Excel zero-day bug.
LeBlanc writes:
"Some of the people telling you in no uncertain terms to avoid SP3 are ignoring the fact that SP3 protects you from a lot of attacks. We did a lot of work fuzzing our apps and fixing bugs. While I'll never claim that SP3 is unbreakable, it's a lot more robust than Office 2003 was previously, and this probably won't be the last time we see an advisory over something that affects SP2 but not SP3."
My Security Watch colleague Ryan Naraine offers some good advice about dealing with zero-day vulnerabilities.
Reader SDK. For those folks not exhausted by watching Microsoft demos of the New York Times Reader, just about the only Windows Presentation Foundation application, the software developer kit is available.
Microsoft platform evangelist Tim Sneath explains:
"We're delighted to announce the public release of the reader toolkit on windowsclient.net. We've made a number of improvements to the kit to broaden its usage; the reader toolkit is now known by the rather more accurate but slightly less memorable name: the Syndicated Client Experiences Starter Kit. This reflects its potential to go beyond a news reading scenario and handle other kinds of data synchronization and display needs."
Sneath uses stocks as example of a new news reading scenario.
I occasionally use the New York Times Reader. It's slick and gives a newspaper-like experience but with refreshed content and customizable reading experience. But it's too singular. One reader for one content source is too confined. Are you going to have several or even dozens of reader applications open to get newspaper and other content? Not me. You?
Windows Home Server Anti-evangelism. Microsoft technical evangelist Volker Will is really unhappy about Windows Home Server. I'm a big fan of the product marketing, but Will's anti-endorsement has me wondering about getting a HP MediaSmart Server as planned.
Some context: There has been buzz for the last couple weeks about Windows Home Server mysteriously deleting data. HP even issued an advisory to its MediaSmart Server customers. Windows Home Server is supposed to protect data not nuke data, right?
Will's data got nuked and the falloutor second nuclear detonationis his wife. He lost 180GB of data, in a presumed hardware failure. Testing on new hardware led to continued data loss. Will blogs:
"I might wait until version 2.0, if I ever decide to install it again. The current piece will be permanently banned from our home by the weekend. Sorry folks, I think it is a great idea, this implementation is just not ready for prime time. BTW, thanks to Home Server my wife stopped talking to me as she is now really mad at me. Not only are some of our pictures gone, I spent countless hours in my room figuring out what the hell is wrong instead of with the family."
Now, what's wrong with this picture?
Mac Users are Smug. A news item over at Macworld UK caught my attention this morning: "Mac users are 'open, liberal, superior,'" based on a Mindset Media study. Reporter Jonny Evans writes that, based on the study, Mac users are "more liberal, less modest, and more assured of their own superiority than the population at large." OK, so what does that make Windows Vista users?
Who Copied Whoor Is That Whom? Stealth blogger Shipping Seven pipes in the ongoing Apple-Microsoft copying debate. Maybe this guy really does work for Microsoft. Insider perspective like Seven's is juicy (assuming he's not a fake.)
But, Seven, who's doing the real copying? Aren't you copying Fake Steve Jobs or Mini-Microsoft, by blogging anonymously?
Office Space. Jon Avner explains how Microsoft allocates office spacenot the productivity suiteat the Microsoft Exchange Team Blog. The seemingly benign non-IT post is informative and useful. Microsoft has a very insular culture up there in Washington state. Avner's blog is a snippet of Microsoft corporate culture and how employees compete for space. For existing or would-be Microsoft partners, treat the post as an insider case study.


Comments (31)
ed bott's post on what causes data corruption in home server
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=348
Posted by garyk | January 17, 2008 2:08 PM
Tom, would this be considered on-topic since VCSY is suing Microsoft over the illegal use of VCSY's SiteFlash patent(744) in all of Microsoft's .Net Framework products?
Do you think the developers will be aloud to do more than view the .NET Framework Libraries Source Code after March 7th, the day VCSY/Microsoft mediator reports to the judge?lol
However, I will limit and shorten my posts for you all.
-----------------------------------------------
FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2007
Vertical Computer Systems, Inc. Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Microsoft Corporation
Fort Worth, TX, April 20, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE)? Vertical Computer Systems, Inc. (OTCBB: VCSY)(www.vcsy.com) announced today that on April 18, 2007, Vertical Computer Systems, Inc. filed suit for patent infringement against Microsoft Corp. in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. VCSY claims that the Microsoft .Net System infringes U.S. Patent No. 6,826,744.
Posted by I-Man | January 17, 2008 5:37 PM
Oh my God, do you talk to your wife (if you have one) about VCSY all day? Or when you aren't vandalizing this website? You must not have a wife, because if you did, you wouldn't be living anymore.
Posted by Tom Berber | January 17, 2008 5:50 PM
Oh and we are more than asking you to keep it short or limit it. We are asking you to keep your posts on yahoo finance.
Posted by Tom Berber | January 17, 2008 5:53 PM
IBM cranking AH's!!!!
Java is dying. You should read technological reports instead of market analysts.
.Net is doomed if all it's going to count on is javascript.
What you don't know is that VCSY's patents 6826744 and 7076521 describe this new paradigm. If Microsoft does not settle for permission to use these patent claims, .Net will be obsolete within 6 months.
Businesses are here to make money not code. Read and find out what 6826744 and 7058671 are saying. Programming is an obsolete career. The business paradigm depends on automation of programming and Microsoft has nothing to offer there.
Posted by I-Man | January 17, 2008 6:21 PM
Why would anyone pay to buy Windows Home Server as you can freely download Ubuntu Server? It offers much more than Windows Home Server will ever provide, and better yet, it is more secure and it does not delete your data.
Go here get a real server for free. Save your money and big headaches in the future: http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu/serveredition
cheers...
Posted by jfjunior | January 17, 2008 10:32 PM
IN THE WRONG FORUM ONCE AGAIN: I-Man has been desperately pumping VCSY.ob stock here on an unrelated message board. VCSY is all but bankrupt now, having thousand of dollars in assets and millions of dollars in debt. (Readers who might not believe that are invited to read VCSY's latest 10-Q, where company executives admit to defaulting on loans, failing to pay taxes, and "ongoing concern uncertainty.")
Let's consider for a moment what will happen to anybody who actually believes criminal portuno and buys VCSY.ob stock.
1) If VCSY loses its case against MSFT, it will be bankrupt and shareholders will lose their entire investment.
2) If it ever looks like VCSY actually has a case, MSFT will buy up VCSY's debt, force VCSY into bankruptcy, and end up owning VCSY's assets, including its patents.
Either way, VCSY.ob shareholders will lose their entire investment.
VCSY.ob: the surest way to convert a $1000 investment into $0.
Posted by Tom Berber | January 18, 2008 7:00 AM
I-Man, I see you're still crapflooding this post.
VCSY is a failing business that is on the verge of bankruptcy. The company's latest 10-Q shows a company that is defaulting on its loans and has not even paid its taxes. VCSY has thousands of dollars in assets and millions of dollars in debt. VCSY's own executives admit to a "going concern uncertainty."
Your stock scam is a miserable failure.
I'm sure your desperation to unload your VCSY shares will not let facts stop you from spamming this post with more drivel on your pump-and-dump stock scam.
VCSY STOCK CLOSED AT $ 0.0145 YESTERDAY. IT IS WORTH LESS THAN A PENNY AND A HALF!
Posted by Tom Berber | January 18, 2008 7:08 AM
Tom Berger is doing here exactly what he has on all other messageboards over the last 8 years but under other names of course. His agenda is to kill the conversation about VCSY's patents. My posts might be off topic but it's information that he doesn't want others to learn.
March 7th, exactly 7 weeks away the mediator in the VCSY and Microsoft case will before the judge to let the judge know if anything has been worked out or if an injunction is to be issued against all the Micosoft .Net Framework products.
Microsoft is also promising it's public release of Silverlight 2.0 at the 08 MIX the same day. hmmmmmmmmmm
Posted by I-Man | January 18, 2008 10:39 AM
I+Tom=TWO asspains.That's two too many.
Posted by Les Verbose | January 18, 2008 11:06 AM
I give up, you can have the site. Joe obviously doesn't care that the site has been hijacked. If I wanted spam, I'd just read my email. So I'm done here. Another good site gone bad. I'll just go back to getting the latest news on Google.
Posted by I-Man Wins | January 18, 2008 11:09 AM
@I-Man Wins:
I have to go along with you. It is very unfortunate that Joe cannot take control of his own site. This is absolutely ridiculous and I cannot in good conscience support a site that allows and/or cannot block garbage on an otherwise informative site that I once enjoyed.
"I-Man Wins" if you find a good site/blog similar to this, sans I-Man, would you do me a favor and pass it on to me? I set up a temporary email: tberber@live.com
Thanks!
And Joe, if you can/will block I-Man or others that do the same type of vandalism, let me know. I will come back.
Posted by Tom Berber | January 18, 2008 12:54 PM
@Les Verbose:
I totally agree with you... 100%. But wouldn't you like to see the I-Man's crapposts gone from here?
Posted by Tom Berber | January 18, 2008 12:56 PM
I-Man looks as though he has Tom Berber scared of something. imo
Posted by arthur wolff | January 18, 2008 9:31 PM
arthur wolff = I-Man
Posted by Tom Berber | January 18, 2008 11:12 PM
Not scared. Tired. Tired of scrolling through drivel.
Posted by Tom Berber | January 18, 2008 11:12 PM
Java is dying. You should read technological reports instead of market analysts.
.Net is doomed if all it's going to count on is javascript
Posted by bedava oyun | January 20, 2008 7:57 PM
In order to understand I-Man and his motives, there's really only one question we need to consider: why is he here?
If his posts contained anything even remotely resembling the subject of Joe's post, there would simply be no reason for him to be here. He would spend all his time buying up every share of VCSY.ob he possibly could. He'd be out mortgaging the house and otherwise borrowing every penny he possibly could to buy VCSY.ob stock. He could then simply sit back and wait for VCSY to make him independently wealthy. There would be no need for him to post at all. And we would never have heard of him.
But what if he had already spent many thousands of dollars to buy up VCSY.ob shares and he knew that the company was failing and on the verge of bankruptcy? What if he knew that he was about to lose his entire investment? Ah, then he would have reason to be here, posting every day, disregarding the risk of arrest and imprisonment, trying desperately to pump the price of that stock.
Every time he posts here -- and under any of his many screen names on other message boards -- he shows us all just how desperate he really is. That's all we need to know about him. Or about VCSY for that matter.
Voluntary disclosure: Not stupid enough to touch VCSY.ob stock with a ten-foot pole.
Posted by Tom Berber | January 21, 2008 8:03 AM
I guess Tom Berber thinks everyone should be dishonest like him and keep anything good hidden from others.
So since I already own millions of shares, I don't mind sharing what Tom Berber doesn't want you to know!Ha!
Posted by I-Man | January 21, 2008 11:13 AM
I will tell you this. I-Man spends his entire day writing posts on yahoo finance and here on Microsoft Watch with his fake good press on VCSY. Constantly, VCSY, all the time. This is a prop and drop or pump and dump stock scam, and it is a shame that it is allowed here. He can feel free to perpetuate his garbage on yahoo finance and I really don't care. I just feel he is doing a disservice to us all here who come for news and views. Joe starts a topic and then we should comment ABOUT THAT TOPIC, not VCSY.
I want to hear more complaints about I-Man. Voice our opinion. He really needs to stop, because he is making a joke out of Microsoft Watch.
Tom
Posted by Tom Berber | January 21, 2008 11:55 AM
So Tom Berber really doesn't care about Microsoft-watch if he is trying to throw gas on the fire. imo
"I want to hear more complaints about I-Man."
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VCSY is suing Microsoft over the illegal use of VCSY's SiteFlash patent.
http://www.vcsy.com/press/releases.php?year=2007&month=04&day=20&num=00
FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2007
Vertical Computer Systems, Inc. Files Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Microsoft Corporation
Fort Worth, TX, April 20, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE)? Vertical Computer Systems, Inc. (OTCBB: VCSY)(www.vcsy.com) announced today that on April 18, 2007, Vertical Computer Systems, Inc. filed suit for patent infringement against Microsoft Corp. in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. VCSY claims that the Microsoft .Net System infringes U.S. Patent No. 6,826,744.
Posted by I-Man | January 21, 2008 5:10 PM
Just in case anybody might actually consider buying stock in a loser like VCSY, here are some numbers based on the company's latest 10-Q:
Profitability
Profit Margin (ttm): -27.38%
Operating Margin (ttm): -15.69%
Management Effectiveness
Return on Assets (ttm): -76.27%
Return on Equity (ttm): N/A
Income Statement
Revenue (ttm): 5.93M
Revenue Per Share (ttm): 0.006
Net Income Avl to Common (ttm): -2.21M
Diluted EPS (ttm): -0.002
Balance Sheet
Total Cash (mrq): 44.71K
Total Cash Per Share (mrq): 0
Total Debt (mrq): 5.90M
Total Debt/Equity (mrq): N/A
Current Ratio (mrq): 0.058
Book Value Per Share (mrq): -0.02
Cash Flow Statement
Operating Cash Flow (ttm): -217.28K
Levered Free Cash Flow (ttm): 435.24K
Wow! This company is obviously on the verge of bankruptcy.
Nobody with an IQ above room temperature would invest in a company like this.
Posted by Tom Berber | January 21, 2008 6:06 PM
Just want you and your garbage out of here I-Man. Go post on yahoo finance. You post your garbage in a Microsoft forum, and although you shouldn't be doing that either, it won't bother me. I am here for topical information and people's views, not your hype and dump stock scam.
You know and I know that the people reading and posting here do not believe your garbage and they will not buy your pathetic penny stock. But you are up to something nefarious, and it has to do with Google searches. But those doing the Google searches need to know what you are up to, so I will keep them informed.
As for wanting others to complain about you. Absolutely, if anybody else feels like Joe's site is being vandalized by the I-Man, let's here it. Stock hyping does not belong on a post such as this.
Posted by Tom Berber | January 21, 2008 6:11 PM
If Joe's site is being vandalized by anyone it's you! Microsoft shareholders and the readers of this site are entitled to read the valuable information that I post without you trying to tell them what to think!
Developers asking where is MSFT Silverlight 2.0?
Why won't Microsoft satisfy their customers? MSFT settled with Eolas and released Silverlight 1.0 the very next business day. Without the Eolas video automation intellectual property, Microsoft Silverlight 1.0 would not be available today. Ask Microsoft if that's not true.
Now, the world waits for Silverlight 2.0 which requires a client-side dynamic language processing object to provide the kind of robust application capabilities Adobe Apollo users already have.
Why does Adobe have this capability and Microsoft does not?
What is there about Adobe Apollo that supercedes Microsoft's efforts and what is keeping Microsoft from bringing out a competitive value against Adobe?
And why is Microsoft going to wait to announce Silverlight 2.0 at the same date as the end of the VCSY v MSFT mediation process (March 7, 2008)?
Those are the questions to ask. It's a shame journalists and shareholders don't know enough to even ask the right questions.
Try explaining how Silverlight is going to accomplish the aims of Adobe Apollo without tripping over the following?
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?u=%2Fnetahtml%2Fsrchnum.htm&Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&r=1&l=50&f=G&d=PALL&s1=7076521.PN.&OS=PN/7076521&RS=PN/7076521
Posted by I-Man | January 21, 2008 9:32 PM
I-Man's information is not information. It is SPAM. It is a vain attempt to prop up the value of a failing company and the expense of anyone stupid enough to buy the piece of crap penny stock. Do the research yourself. VCSY is done. It cannot even pay its employees, let alone other debts.
I-Man needs to be stopped. LET JOE KNOW!
Most of what's worth reporting about VCSY is contained in its latest 10-Q. You can find it at:
http://yahoo.brand.edgar-online.com/fetc...
This is the report where VCSY talks about its negative cash flow and how its debts are many times its assets. That report also offers choice tidbits like:
The Company has suffered significant recurring operating losses, used substantial funds in its operations, and needs to raise additional funds to accomplish its objectives. Negative stockholders’ equity at September 30, 2007 was approximately $19 million. Additionally, at September 30, 2007 , the Company had negative working capital of approximately $12.4 million (although it includes deferred revenue of approximately $2.1 million) and has defaulted or is delinquent on several of its debt obligations. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.
...
Management of the Company is continuing its efforts to attempt to secure funds through equity and/or debt instruments for its operations, expansion and possible acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures, and/or other business combinations. The Company will require additional funds for its operations and to pay down its liabilities, as well as finance its expansion plans consistent with the Company’s anticipated changes in operations and infrastructure. >>
also
>
In summary, the company has been losing money consistently. It has not paid its payroll taxes. The 10-Q also shows that the company is in default on many loans. Read it carefully. It shows in exceuciating detail why I-Man is so desperate.
Posted by Tom Berber | January 22, 2008 8:27 AM
Also, notice that the I-Man cannot refute the truth. Especially since it comes from VCSY itself!
Posted by Tom Berber | January 22, 2008 8:28 AM
So who is Tom Berber smoke screening for?
Microsoft's obvious motive in any suspected efforts to damage VCSY
The two VCSY patents act as pivot points for key elements of Microsoft's continually degraded performance toward attempting to field Bill Gates' early XML vision. The vision has yet to see the light of day, although, for years prior to the granting of 6826744 in November 2004, Microsoft was very energetic in demonstrating what they could do with XML. Now? Not.
They teach you in detective school that if you happen upon a scene and there is someone in the batch that has motive and opportunity and means, you should look at the dates and events and see if the suspect can be aligned with those. I would say Microsoft has the largest motives (which are the power and reach the 6826744 and 7076521 patents could provide Microsoft over all other manufacturers) and the most obvious opportunities (comprised of work done from at least 2000 to late 2004/early 2005 which could have put Microsoft on top of any other manufacturers were it not for the existence of the 6826744 patent) and certainly the means (which are doubtless legendary and often emphasized by advocates of Microsoft's predatory monopolistic manners).
So, in detective school, they also teach you to make note of such actors and dig into their backgrounds to see if they are in the habit of "offing" weaker associates with which they have similar motive and opportunity. And, sure enough, Microsoft has numerous events which tag them as someone you wouldn't want to hold your sandwich while you went to make a phone call.
Looks to me like our preliminary indictment of MSFT has numerous clues and indications which would likely drive a judge to view them with suspicion and a desire to examine. That's Microsoft's fault. Not ours.
VCSY longs are simply interested in the facts and they enjoy digging up factual items regarding Microsoft and apparent connections and allowing others to read.
I happen to be here to make the facts public and entertaining.
It's up to those who read to challenge the juxtaposition of those facts with the image Microsoft itself projects.
It's also up to those desiring to provide MSFT with an alibi or mitigating facts to rehabilitate MSFT's suspicious image. So far, nobody wants to take us up on the technological discussion. Nobody can knock out the patent claims. Nobody has offered a smidgen of evidence Microsoft can achieve Bill Gates' XML fantasies and schemes without relying on 6826744 or 7076521.
So far, Microsoft looks as "innocent" as a jealous woman with a bloody ax.
"Microsoft pales when compared to the integrated oils and producers."
Oh. I see. One other area they teach you to watch for in detective school is other actors who may be willing accomplices ready to provide a misdirection for the suspect's actions. Now, we find you, Mister Wacalaca, wanting us to turn our attention to world energy problems so we can find rascals in that particular industry.
Nice try, but, last we looked, VCSY patents related to web-platforming and web-applications... a place where Microsoft said they wanted to be from 2000 until 2005. Then, they said they didn't need to be there. Then, once VCSY sent them a cease and desist, they decided they actually did want to be on the web... but they haven't been able to do so.
If MSFT had been in the oil industry, the patents would not apply so we would have no need to be suspicious. But, thanks for giving us a perfect analogy to describe Microsoft's place in the software industry. Since they "pale when compared" to what you deride as abusive monopolistic actions in the oil industry, you've at least given us renewed confirmation MSFT are not to be trusted.
Posted by I-Man | January 22, 2008 5:32 PM
My motive is to rid a good informative site called Microsoft Watch of vandalization by a HYPE AND DUMP SCAMMER who posts here ILLEGALLY. I, Tom Berber, have not touted or hyped Microsoft or any other company for that matter. My sole intention is that I-Man be banned on this site for his SPAM garbage and his ILLEGAL and ridiculous hype and dump scheme for a garbage piece of stock to a company on the brink of non-existence. VCSY is the company. Look up EVERYTHING I have posted about it. LOOK IT UP YOURSELF. I bring the truth, as you will find when you research it. I-Man will tell you lies just to pump the value of a piece of junk penny stock. The kind you get a spam e-mail for. VCSY is a joke.
Here is the thing. I-Man knows I am right. Not only that, he is in complete agreement with what I am posting here. He is paid a penny (or 1 share of VCSY stock - personally I would take the penny) for every post he makes giving VCSY positive remarks. So that is I-Man's motivation. He only wants to rob you. It is pathetic, but it is also wrong, unethical and immoral.
I am going to make a personal disclosure: I absolutely own no shares of Microsoft or VCSY stock. I do own stock in Apple, Disney and Cisco. That is about it for tech stocks. You will never hear me hype up any of those stocks, or any stocks. I-Man has to go. It is WAY overdue.
Tom
Posted by Tom Berber | January 22, 2008 7:16 PM
portuno/I-Man/dollfan are different nyms of the same bagholder who's been holding vcsy.ob down from $6 a share to less than 1.5 cents.
portuno even made a hysterically wrong call back in 2000, claiming vcsy.ob would never drop below $1 per share. given that sort of track record & his history of pumping vcsy.ob, its a wonder any of the schmucks over on RB bother to listen to him. All he's done is cost them money...
Posted by Tom Berber | January 22, 2008 7:19 PM
I am going to dump my load at 1.00 plus!
Posted by Dan Broder | February 19, 2008 1:57 PM
Tom Berber tried to keep readers away from learning about VCSY because he was obviously short! Ha! Time to pay the piper!!$!$!$
Posted by I-Man | August 17, 2008 8:53 AM