Yahoo! condemned as 'Chinese police informant'

Internet portal Yahoo! has been accused of colluding with the Chinese authorities to track down and convict a pro-democracy campaigner. The campaigner Shi Tao was sentenced to 10 years in prison in April for 'providing state secrets to foreign entities'. The press freedom pressure group Reporters without Borders (Reporters San Frontieres) says that the judgement of the court case clearly indicates that Yahoo! China supplied the local police with information linking to Tao's email address. ...more

New York sues alleged spyware company

New York is suing one of the US's biggest internet marketing companies. Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, says that the company is one of the biggest sources of spyware and adware, which has it has been distributing to millions of unsuspecting PCs. The state of NY is suing the Los Angeles-based Intermix Media that provides a range of sites for offering free software downloads such as e-cards and screensavers. ...more

W3C extends voice through browsers

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that sets and advances the standards for the web has developed a new version of Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML). The new version offers language extensions to a number of Asian languages but also takes the first steps towards offering speech verification over the Internet. The demand for increased security and the growth of VoIP services has meant there is now a demand for speech verification systems through browsers. ...more

SUSE looks to take Linux outside the enterprise

SUSE is planning a major assault on the SME market where the challenges are as great as the rewards. Novell's acquisition of SUSE which was finalised this year has boosted SUSE's foothold in corporate America, but it is using Novell's products and experienced SME sales force that brings that market tantalisingly close. At LinuxUser and Developer Expo in London yesterday, SUSE's Christian Schlaeger, VP of R&D, said: 'As a first step right now we are realigning the sales organisation and the enterprise market is the first big target that we can easily address. ...more

Nine year old becomes Microsoft Certified Professional

At an age when most girls are more interested in dolls than databases, nine year old Arfa Karim Randhawa from Pakistan is something of an exception. She has just become one of the world's Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCP). Arfa recently received her certificate from Emre Berkin, chairman of Microsoft's Europe, Middle East and Africa region, and Jawwad Rehman, Microsoft's country manager for Pakistan. ...more