Microsoft issues first patches of the year

Microsoft has warned customers of a critical flaw in Domain Controller servers running Windows NT 4.0 and 2000. The flaw resides in an unchecked buffer in the Locator service, which maps names to resources on the network. ...more

Linux gets open source patent boost

The Linux and open-source community is to benefit from royalty-free use of patents acquired by a new company called the Open Innovation Network (OIN). Funded by IBM, Novell, Philips, Red Hat, and Sony, OIN will acquire patents and make them available for royalty-free use on the condition that the users do not press their patent claims against 'the Linux operating system or certain Linux-related applications'. OIN's CEO Jerry Rosenthal, told us that this protected Linux area is both broad and set to grow. ...more

Profitability stays out of reach for AMD

A growth in sales and reduced costs have not proved enough to get AMD back in the black, according to its latest quarterly financial report. The company reported a net loss of $140mn for the three months ending 29 June, 2003. This is slightly less than the net loss of $146mn in the previous three months and an improvement on the $185mn reported from the same period a year ago. ...more

MP3.com to appeal against Universal ruling

MP3.com intends to appeal against the US court ruling finding it guilty of breach of copyright law. The site has already made deals with Sony, EMI, BMG and Warner to pay for the tracks it uses on the site, but last week a court ruled it would have to pay $25,000 (17,835 GBP) for every CD belonging to Universal Music Group. ...more

Mobile bills to include lunch

Members of the Croatian government's Cabinet that interrupt meetings by forgetting to turn off their mobile phones could face more than embarrassment. Prime Minister Ivica Racan has had enough of the Dom Jolly antics of his Ministers and has decided that owners of errant mobiles will have to take himself, the rest of the Cabinet, and any present journalists out to lunch if their handsets go off. Indeed if it then goes off a second time, the penalty is extended to include an entire week. ...more