Mac News: Business

Microsoft FOSSifies .Net Micro Framework
November 18, 2009

The latest version of Microsoft's .Net Micro framework is now in the hands of the FOSS community. Microsoft announced at its Professional Developer Conference on Tuesday the release of version 4.0 under the Apache 2.0 license. The license transfer makes good on a longstanding promise from Redmond that it would make the popular .Net code base available as open source.

IT Needs Its Darth Vaders
November 17, 2009

If there were a psychiatrist seated across the room from us, and we were to present to her our feelings about information technology as a force in our lives, her diagnosis would be simple and immediate: We have an obsession. Maybe having nothing to do with technology itself at all, we're obsessed with the notion of a nemesis with an unfair advantage influencing the decisions we make.

Microsoft Goof - One Small Snag in a Code-Licensing Quagmire
November 17, 2009

Microsoft will soon release the source code and binaries for a Windows 7 tool that was recently found to contain code licensed under the GNU General Public License. The tool in question is the company's free Windows 7 USB / DVD Download Tool, which enables consumers to create bootable USB drives or DVD backup media from the electronic software edition of Windows 7 that comes in an ISO format.

Microsoft's Patently Absurd 'Sudo Patent'
November 16, 2009

There's just never a dull moment here in the world of FOSS. One minute, we're busy exclaiming our disbelief at the notion of a Microsoft version of Linux. The next minute -- on *Friday the 13th*, no less -- we learn that Redmond has acquired Teamprise, and will soon be shipping the company's Linux tools as part of its upcoming Visual Studio 2010 release.

Google's AdMob Move: Breaking Away From the Pack?
November 10, 2009

Google is buying mobile advertising network AdMob for $750 million, underscoring the Internet search leader's determination to ensure its marketing machine reaches the growing number of people surfing the Web on phones. The all-stock deal announced Monday also represents the latest sign that Google's leaders are feeling better about the economy's direction.

Going Microsoft-Free, Saying Buh-Bye to McBride
October 26, 2009

There was a lot of news in the FOSS world last week, and it seems fair to say that the overall atmosphere was positive. First came word that a Microsoft-free desktop package is available for companies in the U.S. from IBM and Canonical. Then, from the ding-dong-the-witch-is-dead department, came news that SCO has fired its wildly litigious CEO Darl McBride.

Weighing Windows 7's Wallop
October 23, 2009

So how's your head after that wild Windows 7 launch party with the Stepford crew? Still got the spins? OK, if you really did throw or attend an official Windows 7 launch party, then that's ... interesting. I sincerely hope you had a good time. For the rest of us, the official introduction of Windows 7 was a pretty austere affair.

Oracle's Acquisition of Ailing Sun Stuck in Mire
October 21, 2009

Oracle's $7.4 billion acquisition of Sun Microsystems appears threatened by recent developments, starting with difficulties in gaining regulatory approval in the EU and ending with a startlingly decline at Sun Microsystems -- a company that was on a downward trajectory long before Oracle made its play for it.

SCO Tosses McBride Overboard, Continues Flying Lawsuit Flag
October 21, 2009

Unix software firm SCO Group announced a corporate restructuring plan Monday to sever ties with CEO Darl McBride and reduced the company's workforce. The restructuring was designed by the firm's Chapter 11 bankruptcy trustee, Edward Cahn. These moves and other corporate adjustments will help the company continue its longstanding court battle.

Is Big Blue a Desktop Linux Friend or Foe?
October 12, 2009

Perhaps it was sheer exhaustion after all the arguments of late, but Linux bloggers have been relatively quiet over the past few days. IBM, oddly enough, seemed to be the topic of most frequent conversation recently, and on several fronts. "Bob Sutor, IBM's VP of open source, seemed to once again throw desktop Linux under the bus this week at LinuxCon," was how Carla Schroder began her post.

Red Hat Rises on Rosy Q2 Results
September 24, 2009

Red Hat, a software distributor behind the Linux operating system, said Wednesday its fiscal second-quarter profit grew as companies opted for its products amid the economic downturn. For the quarter ended Aug. 31, the company earned $28.9 million, or 15 cents per share, up from net income of $21.1 million, or 10 cents per share, in the same period a year earlier.

The Curious Case of the OIN Patent Coup
September 14, 2009

One of the best things about being part of the Linux community is that things are never boring. Take last week, for example, when some anti-Linux screenshots were leaked from a Microsoft ExpertZone training course for Windows 7 retail salespeople. Money just can't buy entertainment like that.

Microsoft Foes Aim to Snatch Patent Advantage in Linux Tussle
September 09, 2009

Open Invention Network announced Tuesday that it acquired 22 Linux-related patents that Microsoft recently sold to the Allied Security Trust. OIN consists of a group of companies -- including Microsoft rivals IBM, Sony, Red Hat and Google -- that have been girding themselves for a legal fight over Linux.

Sprint Gives Android a Hero's Welcome
September 04, 2009

Android is finally getting a little more wardrobe variety. It's also moving out into new U.S. carriers. Sprint is the latest wireless company to jump in with the Android crowd; it'll start selling the HTC Hero this October. The Hero looks to be a pretty capable handset. It's loaded with Google apps, of course, plus a pretty big camera, a touchscreen, video features, WiFi and expandable memory.

Boom Time for FOSS
September 04, 2009

The current economic recession may be pummeling companies around the globe, but amid all the dire reports and grim statistics littering what can only be compared to a bloody battlefield, one oft-cited exception appears to be still standing tall: free and open source software. That's what the common discourse seems to suggest, at least, and there's some anecdotal evidence to support it.

EC's Long, Hard Look at Sun-Oracle Deal Gets Longer, Harder
September 03, 2009

Setting up a WiFi network at home has gotten much easier, yet the process can still be daunting. Or the wireless signal won't reach everywhere. A good alternative that has gotten little attention involves your electric sockets. Simply plug palm-sized adapters into regular wall outlets and connect your computers to the adapters.