RIPA addendum vote set back

A vote, due tomorrow, on an order that would give powers of data sniffing to a further 24 public bodies has been delayed until 1 July, amid fears from MPs about privacy issues. While the Home Office puts the delay down to timetabling problems, it is thought that the postponement is at least partly because of Conservative peers threatening to quash the order in the House of Lords. A story in the Sunday Times said that Home Secretary David Blunkett planned to use the extra time to tighten up who should be allowed to apply for access to traffic data and to ensure that the public bodies with access are only allowed information relevant to their field of work. ...more

Microsoft 'in talks' to buy stake in AOL

Microsoft and media giant Time Warner are in negotiations to merge the MSN and AOL portals according to reports in the New York Post. The Post says that according to its sources the two companies are in 'advanced discussions' to sell a stake in AOL to Microsoft. Under the proposed plan, Microsoft would pay cash upfront for AOL that would leave the two companies roughly equal partners. ...more

Use the Force, Luke

Our colonial cousins in New Zealand are currently taking part in their national census and an e-mail doing the rounds is telling them to fill out their form incorrectly. The e-mail appeals to all those Kiwis who don't have a religious preference, asking them to tick the "Other" box for Question 18 on religion and state that their religion is Jedi - the mystical third way featured in the Star Wars films. So why get the New Zealand population to lie on their census forms and risk prosecution? The e-mail claims that this is an exercise to see the impact of electronic mail because if the campaign were successful Jedi would become an officially recognised religion in the country. ...more

Microsoft's Ballmer tells customers to stick with Windows

Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's CEO has emailed management and IT professionals in a fierce defence of Windows against Linux and Unix in the Enterprise. In the email he warns potential Linux customers, `the number of security vulnerabilities is lower on Windows, and Windows responsiveness on security is better than Linux; and Microsoft provides uncapped IP indemnification of their products, while no such comprehensive offering is available for Linux or open source.` Citing various studies, some of which were paid for by Microsoft - although all 'independent' according to Ballmer - he claimed that while Linux may appear 'free', training, consultancy and continuing support costs meant that over the longer term, Windows was less expensive. ...more

Amazon nets a profit

Amazon has revealed much-much-much-better-than-expected results for Q4 2001. In fact, exceeding the pro-forma profit it had predicted, the online retailer announced its first GAAP* net profit - to the tune of $5m. This compares to a net loss of $545m for the corresponding quarter in 2000. ...more