Oracle to release free version of its 10g DBMS

Database giant Oracle has finally faced up to the threat of MySQL and decided to fight fire with fire. It is to release a free version of its database manager in order to stem the flow of developers and particularly novice programmers to the open source database. The company has announced the Oracle Database 10g Express Edition (Oracle Database XE), a free, starter edition of the world's largest proprietary database software. ...more

Nvidia introduces new Quadro FX chips

Nvidia releases two new workstation-use chips, the Quadro FX 1000 and 2000, aimed at the professional market. Graphics chip designer Nvidia has released two new workstation-use chips, the Quadro FX 1000 and 2000, aimed at the professional market. Designed with 128-bit floating point and eight-pipeline architectures, the two chips also support AGP 8x graphics technology. ...more

AOL launches free webmail: AIM Mail

AOL has launched its free webmail service, its first product for all Internet users rather than only its subscribers, following a brief trial. Offering 2GB of storage the service is tied into the company's AIM instant messaging service, with incoming email alerts integrated into the messaging client, although you do not have to be an AIM user to get an account. The service includes spam filtering and, like the Gmail service it is clearly trying to emulate, displays ads alongside messages. ...more

Another year, another dose of viruses - here comes Moon-B

Three virus alerts have been issued regarding Sobig-A, Replog-F and today's speciality, Moon-B. Sophos, the anti-virus specialists, are warning computer users to be aware of Moon-B, which is a new Visual Basic Script worm. Its effect is to point the home page of your Internet Explorer at a pornographic Web site. ...more

Google turns to RSS news feeds for placing ads

Google has begun testing the placing of adverts within RSS news feeds. The ads are beginning to appear in feeds from several of Google's testing partners; the first instances were in around 60 feeds from LonghornBlogs and have since appeared in Engadget's feed. The adverts are drawn from Google's AdSense programme, which gives the website or, in this case, RSS feed a share of the proceeds. ...more