Napster and Virgin Radio to present first UK downloads chart

Virgin Radio is to broadcast the UK's first online music chart, based on paid-for downloads and streams from Napster. The chart will be unveiled on 29 August and Napster claims it will be 'the most comprehensive assessment of online music tastes.' 'As well as hitting our core demographic and having millions of listeners,' said Leanne Sharman, Napster's UK general manager, 'Virgin Radio enjoys over one million unique online visitors a month, making it an ideal brand partner for Napster. ...more

British Government report gives green light to Linux

The UK Government has released its report on the viability of Open Source software in the public sector, giving the platform its full backing where it offers the best value for money. The report arrives on the same day that Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer sent round his executive email on the cost-savings of Windows. Ballmer's arguments centred on the higher cost and difficulty of finding support and in-house training for adopters of the platform along with the exposure to intellectual property risks that Microsoft would cover you for. ...more

The right to remain unmasked

A US Superior Court judge has refused to order the unmasking of individuals who have posted anonymous online messages about a software company. The US company Dendrite International has claimed, as part of a lawsuit, that three individuals had revealed commercial secrets and made libellous comments about the company. By making the comments, those who had identified themselves as working for the company had also violated their contracts not to criticise the company, so Dendrite believed, and the company wanted Yahoo! to trace the identities of the posters. ...more

ICQ users see the Lite

Although ICQ Lite only weighs in at 1.7Mbytes compared with the 3.88Mbytes of its big brother ICQ 2002a, it packs in all the features most often used in an IM program. ...more

Drivers on the phone face penalty points

From today, new laws governing the use of mobile phones in cars come into force. Drivers caught using mobile phones while driving now face an endorsable fine of ?60 and three points on their licence under Section 26 of the Road Safety Act 2007. Previously, the offence was punishable by a fixed penalty of ?30. ...more