Microsoft alters IE 6 to comply with court ruling

Microsoft has served notice that it intends to comply with the court order to remove automatic activation for ActiveX controls from Internet Explorer. The company has issued a 'Non Security Update' for Internet Explorer 6 to users as part of the automatic updates process. The change has been forced on the software giant following its long running legal battle with technology firm Eolas. ...more

Xerox Parc scientists honoured for seminal work in computer development

Four scientists who worked at Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center (Parc) have been awarded $500,000 for their work in creating the modern computer. Robert Taylor, Alan Kay, Charles Thacker and Butler Lampson will receive the Draper Prize the US National Academy of Engineering for laying down the basics of the modern computer. Parc has legendary status in the Macintosh world as the place where Apple founder Steve Jobs first saw a point-and-click graphical user interface (GUI) running on Parc's Alto computer. ...more

Website reveals Windows 2000 and XP SP1 DoS vulnerability

A potential vulnerability in Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 and Windows XP Service Pack 1 has been publicly revealed by the French Security Incident Response Team. The organisation has drawn the ire of Microsoft by publishing details of a proof-of-concept exploit that targets the vulnerability. According to the author, a specially crafted request to upnp_getdevicelist can cause services. ...more

MSN clones Google News

In advance of an 'imminent' launch of its own search engine, Microsoft has issued a statement of intent by launching its own version of the popular Google News to be known as MSN Newsbot. Based initially on feeds from the Moreover news aggregation service, the new beta service aims to provide news on a range of subjects including World, Sports, Entertainment, Science and Technology. As with Google News, the information is gathered and aggregated on the pages automatically from over 4,000 news services including our humble selves. ...more

Microsoft to develop more than 40 new languages for XP and Office

Microsoft has promised to develop up to 40 new language versions of its flagship Windows XP and Office 2003 products over the next 12 months. The scheme is part of an ambitious Local Language Programme that, the company hopes, will allow people wider access to technology in a language familiar to them. The LLP is in partnership with government and academic institutions worldwide. ...more