A new program to trap Cyber skivers

A new program has been launched that is designed to improve Internet security and clamp down on time-wasting employees who surf the Net for personal use. The software, developed by Glasgow-based Actis Technology, monitors employees' patterns of Internet usage to ensure that confidential material is not abused and highlights Web activity that is not related to business or which breaks company policy on Web use. Companies have become increasingly worried about "cyber skivers" and a recent report noted that up to a third of Web activity at work is for personal use. ...more

Novell joins OSDL

Novell has strengthened its commitment to the GNU/Linux operating system with membership to the Open Source Development Labs. Novell's vice president Jeffrey T Hawkins will also join the OSDL board as a director. Chris Stone, Novell vice chairman, said: 'By joining forces with OSDL, Novell aims to take a leadership role in helping the industry overcome the many challenges that still exist to help Linux fulfill its promise as an end-to-end enterprise computing platform. ...more

Judge denies Novell's attempt to dismiss SCO suit

The case revolves around SCO's claims that it owns the Unix operating system, which previous owner Novell publicly disputed, resulting in SCO slapping a 'Slander of Title' lawsuit upon the company. Novell argued that legal privileges allowed it to make such statements, in the interest of the Linux community that was being targeted by SCO, which is looking to charge royalty payments for use of what it considered its wrongfully included intellectual property. It seems that there are only two conditions by which SCO can successfully argue that Novell doesn't have such privileges. ...more

HP embroiled in pretexting controversy

Hewlett-Packard has been embroiled in the legally dubious practice of pretexting as an investigation into an internal leak spiralled out of control, touching a number of journalists, as well as senior HP execs. The fracas began in the aftermath of a CNet article published at the beginning of the year that quoted an internal source revealing a detailed account of HP's long-term strategy, which emerged from several days of intense discussion between HP chiefs. HP chairman Patricia Dunn was spurred into launching an investigation in order to determine the source of the leak, employing a third-party company to carry this out. ...more

Walking CDs drives music fans digital

UK music fans' inability to hang on to their CD collections is driving the adoption of digital music services, according to an ICM survey. The survey found that we have lost two billion vinyl records and CDs through theft or by lending them out, that's 37 out of the average 126-strong collection. As a result, the survey claims, one-in-five are now using the Internet to get our music while 42 per cent no longer venture into high street stores where they cannot find what they are looking for. ...more