News from the Microsoft Office Division at TechEd North America 2011!

At TechEd this morning, the Microsoft Office team announced that Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010 is expected to be available at the end of June. At first, SP1 will be offered as a manual download from Microsoft Update but, after 90 days, it will be available via Automatic Update. SP1 will contain updates that improve stability, performance, and security. Below is a sampling of SP1 updates:

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* Better IE9 browser experience
* Improved Web Apps functionality and SharePoint database performance
* Updates to all 40 SKU languages for Office, including Galician, Basque, Catalan, Serbian Cyrillic
* Updates to Access 2010, FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint, Office Web Apps, Project 2010, and Search Server 2010, and Visio 2010

For more about SP1, please refer to the Office blog post, SharePoint blog post, and the Project blog post.

In other TechEd news, the Exchange team has announced the virtualization scenarios that Exchange 2010 will support. Check out the Exchange Team Blog for additional information.

Microsoft seen not to blame for Skype rejecting open source company

Microsoft long the enemy of open source software, announces a pending deal to buy Skype and Skype promptly ditches a partnership with an open source company. Those two things have to be related, right?

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Actually, probably not. While the future of Skype integration with non-Microsoft products remains to be seen, analysts say Microsoft has little if any influence over Skype until the acquisition is final, and has few good reasons to limit Skype's ability to work with third-party products.

"The whole value of Skype is interconnectedness, and I believe they will position Skype as an intermediate, neutral, peering meeting place," says Gartner analyst Bern Elliot.

TECH NEWS: Skype voice service crashes; users offered fix instructions

Indeed, after the $8.5 billion acquisition was announced this month, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said Skype won't be tied solely to Windows and other Microsoft products. Skype, first released in 2003, provides Internet-based voice and video calls, and instant messaging.

Despite Ballmer's assurance, the announcement this week that Skype will end a 3-year-old partnership to integrate its technology with Asterisk, an open source telephony system, naturally raised some concerns. Digium, the company behind Asterisk, said the product Skype for Asterisk will not be sold after July 26.

However, businesses can still use Skype Connect, a product that allows connectivity between corporate PBX systems and the Skype platform. Skype Connect integrates with Cisco, Avaya, Siemens, NEC and other big names.

Microsoft is not yet the owner of Skype. Regulatory clearances are still required before the acquisition can proceed, and Microsoft has said only that it hopes to close the deal by the end of 2011.

In terms of killing partnerships with makers of non-Microsoft products, "I don't think [Microsoft] could take a position like that" while the acquisition is still pending, Elliot says. Elliot suspects the Skype/Asterisk move had been in the works for some time, because the decision to end a technology partnership isn't something that happens in a knee-jerk fashion.

Even if Microsoft does have some behind-the-scenes influence on Skype's business operations today, Skype can't let Redmond dictate major decisions as long as it is still an independent company, says Forrester analyst Charles Golvin.

"Each of the companies has to at least keep the theoretical possibility open that, for some reason, the acquisition won't close," Golvin says. "They can't do anything that would disadvantage them as an independent player going forward."

While neither Golvin or Elliot say they believe Microsoft will intentionally limit Skype's ability to work on non-Microsoft platforms, there are a few things for customers to worry about.

"I don't think Microsoft will do anything to degrade that user base or discourage customers from using Skype," Golvin says. "But we may see certain new features and capabilities that come out of Skype are available more quickly on Microsoft-based platforms."

Microsoft To Break Back Into Tablet Market Next Week [REPORT]

Microsoft is planning to show off a version of its Windows 8 designed for tablet PCs next week, according to a report.

Bloomberg says that Windows President Steven Sinofsky will present a version of the software with a touchscreen interface at the All Things D conference next week. The software will be running on a tablet based on Nvidia’s Tegra chip. The new operating system isn’t expected to be out until next year.

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Rumors about a new Microsoft tablet have been floating around for some time. In February, Business Insider reported that Microsoft planned to showcase a version of Windows 8 for tablets in June. According to the report, Microsoft is taking a more Apple-like approach to interface design by using the Metro interface developed for Windows Phone 7.

The effort comes after two Microsoft misfires in the tablet market. There was the 2010 debut of the “slate PC,” a model running Windows 7 and Amazon’s Kindle software, which has been compared to a stripped-down PC lacking a keyboard. And long before that came the Tablet PC, first unveiled by Bill Gates at Comdex in 2000. The Tablet PC was a laptop with a rotating screen and stylus functionality.

Meanwhile, Microsoft recently reported weak consumer PC sales partially because of the surge in sales for Apple’s iPad and iPad 2. To spur PC sales among students, Microsoft is now offering a free Xbox for those who buy a PC costing $699 and up from participating retailers. Despite Microsoft’s relatively late entry to the tablet market, at least one analyst, Citigroup, predicts Microsoft can corner a large share of the market in 2013 and beyond.

Binoculars And Scopes Are Providing an All Round Experience

Binoculars and Scopes are coming in different shapes and sizes to suit different requirements. Night eyes accessories is a very much altered version from what many people use as daytime optics, such as spotting scopes, telescopes, binoculars and rifle scopes. If you wish the best technologically avant-garde brace of night eyes binoculars available, look no further. I present to you the ATN Night Eyes Scout, Smart binoculars. Regular binoculars are advised to use the user to appearance things at a continued ambit while the Night Eyes binoculars are advised to acquiesce the user to appearance things in the dark but not far away.

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The great thing about binoculars is that they magnify images at a distance and make them look nearby. The effect is particularly powerful when distant objects are sought to be magnified nearby. It has various purposes ranging from pleasure to crime detection ans surveillance. Covert activity becomes easily recognizable through the usage of such devices which are providing a convenient medium for observation. Having said that such devices maybe misused. The challenge is to ensure that such devices are properly used and not misused by anti-social elements.

The ATN Night Scout Binoculars uses a pair of original bearing night eyes intensifier tubes which has a high- resolution that gives you an magnification or amplification of 35,000 maximum. When the Night Scout binocular, what you see is a blooming TV-like image that's projected onto the eyepiece and you will not see the binocular at all. Rather, the binocular takes in low levels of light and amplifies that light through an intensifier tube that projects the given image that you see in the eyepiece. So the most important quality in the superior night eyes accessory is the tube, which the ATN Night Scout Binocular has.

Binoculars Scopes are not in the same league. Scopes are necessary for more professional purposes such as locating game over long distances. For such purposes binoculars maybe unsuitable as using them over an extended time period leads to shaking of the body and hands. For this purpose scopes are an attractive remedy which eliminates such problems. At the same time the use of all such devices is unsuitable for those with weak vision and who naturally maybe making use of powered glasses.

Spotting scopes are ideal for doing away with immediate physical verification by achieving the same from a distance as to whether a particular target has been hit or not. With the 15X to 60X magnification it maybe difficult to spot the authority for steady, superior viewing. For that role a tripod is consistently needed with a spotting scope. The tripod is placed deeply in a solid area and affords an abiding examination platform for the scope. No concrete holding is required. Position the device to an accurate point, and it is necessary point it to that point. The angle being viewed will be stable, steady, and clear. Your hands are free to about-face and adjust the binoculars if an added field of appearance is desired. You get to view the antecedent appearance and image. Spotting scopes as well play a big role in zeroing in on a target from a distance.

Microsoft offers students a free Xbox with new Windows 7 PCs

If you are about to plunk down some cash for a new Windows 7 PC for your college studies, you may be able to score a free Xbox with that purchase. Microsoft is giving away a free Xbox 360 4GB console with the purchase of a Windows 7 PC $699 or more beginning this week through September 3, or until it determines that supplies have run out.

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The offer requires that the purchaser provide verification of college student status by either purchasing the machine by using an e-mail with an ".edu" address or by showing a student id at participating retailers. Online participating retailers include Dell.com, HP.com (beginning May 26) or the Microsoft Store.

Microsoft also offers a somewhat annoying free tool, called the PC Scout, that can help students find the right Windows 7 PC. But don't use it if you over eight years old and you have a low tolerance for corny jokes. It's "interactive" meaning its got an MC doing a lot of talking in between offering you radio buttons to move the buying process along.

Instead, the Microsoft store does a good job of pinpointing available laptops and specs with a few clicks. It showed me nine laptops/netbooks in the $699-$799 range within seconds. That Dell Inspiron Duo Convertible PC looks awesome, but the Lenovo IdeaPad U260 also looks beautiful and durable.

Get Certified!

With all the turmoil in the job market right now there couldn’t be a better time to get certified. Certification can be that differentiator with your boss over who stays and who goes, can help you prove your skill set with potential employers and I know of more than one HR department that scans for those letters (MCSA, MCSE, MCITP, etc…) when browsing resumes. There are a lot of options and offers when it comes to getting certified. From the Second Shot offer, which allows you to retake an exam if you happen to fail, to the Are You Certifiable challenge, and more there is no end to options.

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I was talking with Brian Bourne from CMS, a Toronto based consulting and training company, about their MCITP Bootcamp. One of the big challenges I found when obtaining my Windows 2000 MCSE was getting the knowledge I needed that matched the skills and experience I already had. The other challenge I had was with time. Time is always a limiting factor and while it would be great to take two months off to prep for the exams but that never went over well with management. After talking with Brian for a while that is exactly what the MCITP Bootcamp aims to solve.

The 10 Day Boot Camp will prepare qualified Microsoft professionals to earn the Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP): Server Administrator and MCITP: Enterprise Administrator certifications for Server 2008. Students will learn by doing through lectures, demos, labs and solid technical instruction that successfully reduces the 44 day certification to 10 days. The course takes place in September but space is limited.

Tuition includes:

· Pre-course reading and exercises

· Training, course content, books and hands-on labs

· 180 day access to all relevant MeasureUp exams.

· All exams needed for certification, along with free ‘Second Shot’ retake voucher for each exam if needed.

· All exams are written on-premise during the boot camp.

· All meals including breakfast, lunch & dinner

· Free Wi-Fi Internet in the training centre

I even managed to swing a $500 discount code for the bootcamp from Brian for our lucky readers, simply use the code MS09 when registering. And if you are a Software Assurance customer you can use your Software Assurance training vouchers against the cost of the course as well. Find out more here –> MCITP Certification Bootcamp

Microsoft to add NFC to Windows Phone smartphones

Microsoft has teased that it is to add NFC compatibility to a future version of its Windows Phone software.

Google has already added NFC to Android 2.3 and it looks like Microsoft is following a similar route with its smartphone portfolio.

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According to Bloomberg, Microsoft will be looking to put the technology – which allows you to make payments with your phone – into the chassis specification for its upcoming Windows Phone handsets.

Nokia has already announced that NFC will be in its Symbian handsets this year and Motorola exclusively told TechRadar that it is looking to add the tech to its handsets, even though there is a premium that goes with the implementation of NFC.

Samsung has followed suit with the Galaxy S2 and the Wave 578, and has already offered NFC support for its Bada smartphones.

NFC implementation

There is something of a buzz around NFC technology at the moment. Alongside Microsoft, MasterCard has said it has teamed with digital security firm Gemalto so it can add NFC to SIM cards – the cards are set to be called MasterCard PayPass SIM card.

The introduction of NFC into Windows Phone handsets is likely to come in a software update later in the year.

Microsoft is currently rolling out its latest update. Called NoDo, it adds features like cut and paste to Windows Phone 7.

Six rising threats from cybercriminals

Another concern is vulnerabilities in the smart meters themselves -- a problem that affects corporate smart grids as well. Researchers from Seattle-based security services vendor IOActive, for instance, discovered several bugs in smart grid devices that hackers could exploit to access the smart grid network and cut power to customers.

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"Hackers use press releases to find out the technologies [used in corporate smart grids] and go back to the infrastructure and find vulnerabilities. So, for example, if Wal-Mart announces a smart grid using Siemens technology, a hacker suddenly has many of the answers they need to find that controller and break in," Morehouse says.

The most effective preventive measure, says Morehouse, is rigid isolation -- a smart grid should not touch any other network, ever. He says there is an urgent need for penetration testing and making sure the firewall in a closed network is secure because of the possible dangers of gaining access to the power grid. He advises using tools such as Core Impact and Metasploit.

The "rigid isolation" rule applies to home users as well. "Consumers should never bridge smart grid networks with their home networks," says Morehouse. He also advises home users to become familiar with their smart meters so they can recognize whether they have been tampered with, and to ask their utility providers what security measures are in place to protect the meters and network.

3. Social network account spoofing

Many of us use Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networks to connect with friends, family and colleagues -- which leaves us vulnerable to a new technique called social network account spoofing. The idea is that a scammer poses as either someone you know or a friend of a friend to get close to you and fool you into revealing personal information. He then uses that information to gain access to your other accounts and eventually steal your identity.

In a typical exploit, says Joffe, someone contacts you on a service like Facebook or LinkedIn, posing as a friend of a friend or a co-worker of someone you trust. Then, the new "friend" contacts you directly, usually through text message or email. It might seem surprising to have this "friend" contact you outside the social network, but he seems legitimate because you believe he has a connection with someone you trust.

In another scenario, a scammer might impersonate someone you already know -- claiming to be an old friend from high school, for instance. Spoofers can find out your connections by following your public feeds or looking up the names of co-workers on sites like LinkedIn where you have posted your work info.

Once the scammer has established a connection with you, he uses devious means to steal personal data, such as chatting to find out the names of family members, favorite bands, hobbies and other seemingly innocuous information -- then trying those as passwords or answers to security questions at banking sites, webmail accounts or other sites.

As Joffe points out, the idea behind social network account spoofing is "thousands of years old." Conning you out of your personal information is an age-old trick. Today's social networks just provide a new avenue for con artists and criminals to get close to you. The trick works because there is often no way to know whether someone you've come to trust online is actually who he says he is.

10 things IT groups need to know about The Rapture

To avoid surprises ("Gosh, I had no idea she was a Christian" or "I had no idea I wasn't"), automate! Get your staff writing scripts to handle the data backups, software updates, scheduled maintenance, business reports; set up self-service Web portals for the UnRaptured.
8. Be informed. But not too informed.

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iPad apps like "When Christians Disappear - The Rapture" can provide Scripture references and background, so you can nod knowledgeably when you get caught in the crossfire between Dispensationalist Premillennialists (Rapture first, then return of Christ) and Amillennialists (no literal 1,000-year-rule of the returned Christ), not to mention Postmillennialists and Historic Premillennialists. Just keep nodding: At all costs avoid taking a side.

(Don't bother with "The Rapture Detector," which promises to notify you 30 minutes before The Moment, giving you time to be saved. Even though Jesus and the Church assures us, "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is," [Mark 13:32,33] Camping is precise: 6 p.m. local time, wherever you are.)

7. Avoid disruption.

At 5:45 p.m. Saturday, invite all the Christians on staff to pray in a conference room or auditorium. That way you minimize the network and systems disruption, not to mention the drama, when they all vanish.

6. Review all software licenses.

Make sure they don't expire immediately before or after The Rapture.

Despite being employees of West Coast companies, your Cisco or Microsoft reps might be among the missing (possibly less likely with Apple). Afterward, you might be able to push for a Rapture Discount on new software and hardware.
5. Install mobile device management software.

With an application like MobileIron, you can shut down and lock, and later locate, any cellphones left behind by Raptured staff. Otherwise you could be hit with huge data charges if the phones were on and online when their users were taken. And make sure they're all equipped with bumpers so when they hit the desk or the pavement they won't break.
4. Postpone the upgrade to Windows 7.

You could save money (fewer users) and avoid disruptions (missing tech support staff) by waiting until after The Rapture to move to Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system.
3. Block all internal video transmissions and external streaming for 48 hours.

Let's face it, if you're in a telepresence conference and people start blinking out, it's bound to be disconcerting. Plus, you just know YouTube is going to be flooded with video clips of people's family, friends, acquaintances, or worse, themselves, poofing into thin air. The UnRaptured won't be able to stop themselves from clicking on the links, and the video traffic will bring your network to its knees.
2. Hit upper management for expanded IT funding.

Explain The Rapture to them as the ultimate cloud initiative. They won't know what you're talking about, but they know the cloud is cool and important. They'll just keep nodding as they sign the checks.

Microsoft Shifts From Silverlight to HTML5

Adobe isn’t the only company being tempted by the sweet taste of HTML5; Microsoft has a hankering for the stuff too.

Despite its past efforts to shape Silverlight into the leading cross-platform runtime for the web and the desktop, Microsoft now says that its strategy and plans for Silverlight have “shifted.”

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ZDNet’s Mary-Jo Foley spoke with Bob Muglia, the president of Microsoft’s server and tools business, about the lack of focus on Siverlight at the company’s Professional Developers Conference this week.

Muglia’s response was pretty telling. Although he reaffirmed Microsoft’s commitment to making Silverlight the development platform for Windows Phone, he noted that the cross-platform solution Microsoft sees going forward is HTML.

Speaking with Foley, Muglia said, “HTML is the only true cross platform solution for everything, including (Apple’s) iOS platform.”

This is a big admission from the company that has spent years trying to push Silverlight as a cross-platform technology forward. As a video technology — indeed even as an application technology — Silverlight and WPF are actually pretty nice. I attended a two-day XAML workshop held at Microsoft’s Atlanta offices in 2009 and was very impressed with the capabilities and the toolsets that were possible within Silverlight.

However, despite the prevalence of the .NET platform on Windows and in the enterprise, Silverlight has had a problem gaining traction across the web. With the exception of the Olympics and a few other live broadcasts, you almost never see Silverlight used on the web.

Likewise, the number of desktop applications built using Silverlight are nascent in comparison to the growing number of Adobe Air applications. Aside from Seesmic Desktop, it’s hard to think of any cross-platform apps that are built using Silverlight.

All the while, Microsoft is increasingly embracing HTML5. The company’s recent launch of Internet Explorer 9 beta was promoted using a number of different HTML5-specific web pages and promotions. Silverlight may not have been mentioned much during PDC, but HTML5 certainly was.

It’s clear that Microsoft — like Adobe, Apple and Google — see that HTML5 is the technology that will work across the broadest stretch of devices — and more importantly, will work on future devices.

Yes, the W3C has stated that the HTML5 spec isn’t yet ready for full use, and in a broad, global sense, this is true. However, when you look at the types of devices that individuals will be buying today and tomorrow, and not the device they already own, it’s clear that HTML5 is the technology that is going to have built-in support.

As a technology, Silverlight has a lot of promise and we think it is still interesting. Still, we can’t help but think Microsoft is making a better strategic move to focus on HTML5 as its cross-platform solution going forward.

Resume Extraction Software - A Boon For Recruiters

Today's world is entirely dominated by internet and advanced technology. Few of the chief resources of resumes are job portal software, job boards, search engines etc. It is very hopeful and encouraging from the recruiter's and employer's point of view, but the actual challenge lies beneath the speed of extraction of important data from the resumes. This process is called as the resume extraction.

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Traditionally, hiring managers and employers used to manually perform the action of resume extraction, but now the scenario has drastically changed. Almost all the official and business work takes place through software or through internet. On the similar lines, recruitment activity also takes place online. There are various software application programs that are useful in resume extraction process.

Amongst various software application programs, resume parser software is beneficial and effective one. It has got outstanding and unbeatable features. Some of the features any resume extraction software must possess are listed below-

* Resume extraction software can be accessed through LAN connection and shared with required systems. It has got security check; unauthorized person cannot access the software.
* Resume extraction software collects the resume from various job sites, job portals and job boards and saved in the database of the software.
* Then, according to the requirement of the company and key skills, job experience of the candidate, the software screens each and every resume. The sorted resumes are aligned in different database and resumes that do not fit the requirements of the recruiters are rejected immediately.
* This software can extract information from almost all kinds of data formats including .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt etc. So even if you post your resume in any format, you need not worry about getting short listed.
* In this way, lot of valuable time is saved. Moreover, the work is performed accurately without any errors; since there is no chance of introduction of manual errors.
* Some of the advanced resume extraction software has the feature of interview scheduling too, in their module. This makes the recruiter's job simpler and faster too. In this module, the candidates whose resumes have been shortlisted get a platform to schedule the date, time and venue of the interview to be held. The recruiters can display the number of available dates amongst them, the candidates can choose the most relevant time for their convenience.

This software can be employed by any firm, company or organization where recruitment process goes on frequently and in bulk. There are various applications of resume extraction software. This software not only serves for new upcoming business firm, but also works efficiently and effectively for any organization of any strength.

Today, there are various dealers and techno savvy people who develop this software as per need and requirements. One can purchase ready made software or ask to design as per his needs. Being the owner of any company, resume extraction software will keep you out of worry for years together so that you can look into other equally important responsibilities and tasks.

Microsoft details cloud ops

Microsoft kicked off its annual TechEd conference Monday much the way it did last year's, heavily touting cloud computing as a more efficient way for businesses to run IT operations. This year, however, company executives provided more details about how organizations can actually use cloud computing day-to-day.

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Using the cloud "is about having more people able to focus on higher level parts of the stack, managing the app [service level agreements], rolling out new applications, and not having to worry about the underlying infrastructure," said Microsoft corporate Vice President Robert Wahbe, during the opening keynote of the conference in Atlanta.

The next release of Microsoft System Center will be key to a unified cloud strategy, which will allow line-of-business owners and administrators to control both their public and private cloud workloads from a single view, he said.

Microsoft System Center 2012, due to be released by the end of the year, will feature a single console that will allow virtualized workloads to be managed, whether they reside in-house or on the public cloud.

Microsoft technical evangelist Joey Snow demonstrated how the console would work. A user could put together the basic components, such as a database server and the application, from within System Center. The software checks to see what resources are available and if the person has the proper credentials to create such a workload. Once finished, the application could then be deployed to a local private cloud, or on a Microsoft Azure-based public cloud offering.

The console would also provide status updates of applications running in the cloud, and allow users to add in more copies of an application should the workload increase.

For this set up to work, all the software components should be run from within Microsoft Hyper-V-based virtual machine, which could be moved around easily between internal and external clouds, Wahbe explained. Last year was the first in which the industry created more virtual servers than purchased actual physical servers, he said.

"This move to virtualization is setting us all up for a much bigger inflection point, the inflection point to the cloud," Wahbe said. Virtualization will allow organizations to take "all those virtualized resources, [pull] them together to dynamically provision and scale your application, and only pay for what you are using."

Wahbe promised that many of the sessions at this week's conference would further explain how Microsoft software could be configured for cloud interaction and that Microsoft will provide reference architectures for easing the setup of a cloud-based infrastructure.

Wahbe predicted that public cloud use will be most prevalent for a number of use cases. Organizations may use the cloud for extending existing applications, especially those used by their customers and partners. Business intelligence will be an early use, because the digestion and analysis of data can be intensive and vary over time. One-time uses such as for marketing and presenting events would be another natural candidate for cloud computing, because hardware and software won't have to be allocated for them.

Citrix will stream Windows apps to Chrome OS laptops

The same Citrix technology that lets users access Windows applications from the iPad is coming to Chrome OS laptops built by Google.

Citrix Receiver, a front end for Citrix's desktop and application virtualization software, will be released for Chrome OS this summer, says Citrix desktop vice president Gordon Payne.

Google launches Chrome OS, says Windows is 'torturing users'

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Citrix products let IT departments host applications in the data center and stream them to user devices, including thin clients, PCs, smartphones and tablets. Chrome OS laptops, which require users to do all of their computing inside a Chrome Web browser, will become just "another door to the applications they already have," Payne says.

Google, in partnership with Samsung and Acer, is pitching the laptops in a hardware, software and support package to businesses starting at $28 per user per month. The three-year contracts allow users to upgrade to new computers at the end of the term, and get replacements earlier if a device malfunctions.

While the price may be appealing to some customers, the problem of transitioning users from Windows applications to Chrome will be a roadblock, especially for customers who haven't installed any type of virtual desktop software.

But users of Citrix would have a much easier time, since the Citrix Receiver for Chrome OS technology will be very similar to what they already use to stream applications to other user devices. Citrix will reveal more about specific timing and pricing at the Citrix Synergy conference later this month, but a release is expected this summer.

“We just started a beta with live customers this week,” Payne says.

VMware, which lagged behind Citrix in bringing virtual desktop functionality to the iPad, is in the same boat with Chrome OS. Google said it has a partnership with VMware to deliver similar functionality through VMware View, but Google Apps executive Rajen Sheth said it is unclear whether VMware will be ready in 2011. (See also: Meet the father of Google Apps.)

"VMware is building a version of VMware View to work within the browser," Sheth says.

Chrome evolution: First look at Google Chrome 10

Payne says the Citrix/Google partnership was "driven by our customers" who wanted to shift users to Chrome laptops. Using HTML5, Payne says Citrix Receiver will create a rich user experience in the Chrome browser. Citrix engineering teams have been working on the project for six months to make it fast and secure, he says.

Payne demonstrated SAP NetWeaver and Adobe Photoshop running in a Chrome browser tab.

Sheth claims Chrome OS represents the first operating system launch in history that won't require users to lift up and move their applications. All computing will either be done on Web-based services like Gmail or Google Docs, or streamed through the browser with Citrix virtualization.

Google hosted a few customers during a press conference to talk about their experiences using Chrome OS in beta. Logitech IT executive Sanjay Dhar said "We're excited about the Citrix stuff; that makes it totally usable in the enterprise."

15 time-saving Windows shortcuts

Tutorial: Boost your productivity with these shortcuts and hotkeys

Time is often of the essence when dealing with PCs, especially when a lot of IT-based work seems to involve watching progress indicators crawl across the screen.

It's vital to recoup what snippets of time you can, and so a set of useful Windows shortcuts that help you perform common tasks is very welcome.

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For those tasks you carry out particularly often, consider setting a hotkey so you can launch them directly from the keyboard.

Here are 15 time-saving Windows shortcuts you should try.

1. Safely remove hardware

remove hardware

A great place to start saving a few seconds is the 'Safely remove hardware' dialog, which helps you disconnect USB devices without data loss. The default method to launch this is via a small icon in the system tray, which can be fiddly and awkward to use, especially if you're in a hurry.

Here's how to make a standard shortcut that does the same job. Right-click anywhere on the desktop and choose 'New | Shortcut'. In the 'Location' box, type the following: RunDll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL hotplug.dll.

Provide a suitable name for the shortcut and then complete the wizard. Double-click the newly created shortcut, then select the specific device that you want to remove.

2. Install USB Ejector

If you want a bit more control, or you'd like to produce a shortcut that ejects a specific device, you can do so with the help of some additional software.

USB Ejector is free to use, and is available from. Download and install it.

When the software is launched, you can select the device to eject. By calling it from the command line, you can specify the drive letter you want to eject and then convert the command into a shortcut. Connect your USB drive to see what letter Windows assigns to it.

Now create a new shortcut with the following in the 'Location' box: C:\path-to\USB_Disk_Eject.exe / REMOVELETTER X, where 'path-to' is the full location of the program and 'X' is the letter of the USB drive. Complete the shortcut and you'll be able to use it to eject your drive.

3. Launch a screensaver

If you want to launch a screensaver to obscure your screen, or just for fun, you can do so from the command line. If you convert this command to a shortcut, you can start a screensaver with a double-click.

To find the commands for the available screensavers, browse to the System32 folder, which is usually located at 'C:\Windows\ System32'. Run a search for '*. scr' and make a note of the screensaver file names.

Now return to the desktop and create a new shortcut with the full path to the screensaver of your choice, followed by the '/s' switch. For example, to launch the Mystify screensaver, enter: C:\Windows\System32\Mystify.scr /s.

4. Enable and disable transparency at will

Transparency

Some operations work best when Aero transparency is turned off, but doing so manually takes time. You can make shortcuts to disable and re-enable transparency quickly.

To disable it, enter the following into the 'Location' field: rundll32.exe dwmApi #104. To enable it again, create a shortcut with the following in 'Location': rundll32.exe dwmApi #102.

5. Mute hotkey

Many laptops include a mute key that lets you switch off Windows sounds easily when you're working in a public place. However, if your laptop is missing such a luxury, you can always make your own.

Start by downloading and installing the free utility NirCmd.

Right-click on the desktop and choose 'New | Shortcut'. In the location bar enter "C:\path-to\nircmd.exe" mutesysvolume 2, where 'path-to' is the full location of the 'nircmd.exe' program.

Complete the shortcut and launch it to check that it mutes the sound. Launch it again to restore sound.

Now right-click the shortcut and choose 'Properties'. On the 'Shortcut' tab, set the hotkey you want to use to launch it. You can now mute Windows at will.

6. Copy file list to clipboard

copy file list

If you need to produce a list of file names, typing them all out individually or even copying and pasting each name can be a tedious process. With a simple registry hack, you can produce a right-click menu item that copies all the file names in a folder automatically.

To try this, choose 'Start' and enter regedit in the search bar. Press [Enter]. Browse to this key: 'HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ Folder\shell'.

Create a new key called 'copylist', and a subkey below this called 'command'. In the 'copylist' key, right-click the default value and choose 'Modify'. Enter Copy list to clipboard. Now right-click the default value in command and choose 'Modify'. Enter the following for the value: cmd /c dir "%1" /b /a:-d /o:n | clip.

Close regedit – you can now right-click any folder to see the new menu option.

7. Clear the clipboard

clear clipboard

If you've recently placed a lot of data on the clipboard and no longer need it, or want it cleared for security reasons, this handy shortcut can help. It uses the 'clip.exe' utility, which is present in both Windows 7 and Vista.

To begin, right-click on the desktop and create a new shortcut. Type the following into 'Location': cmd /c "echo off | clip". Call the shortcut 'Clear clipboard'.

Right-click the new shortcut and choose 'Properties'. On the 'Shortcut' tab, set 'Run' to 'Minimised'. To help you remember what this particular shortcut does, you can give it a custom icon. Click 'Change icon' and browse to '%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll'.

There are lots of different system icons available here, so select one that looks like a clipboard.

8. Copy text file contents

You can also make a registry edit to add a right-click menu option that copies the full contents of a text file to the clipboard without you having to open it.

Click 'Start', enter regedit into the search bar and press enter. Browse to this key: 'HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\txtfile\shell'. Create a new key here called 'copytoclip' and set its default value to Copy file contents.

Now you need to create a subkey within this key, called 'command'. Modify this subkey's default value to this: cmd /c clip < "%1_. Close regedit and right-click a text file to test the new menu item and copy the text to the clipboard automatically.

9. Create a new folder quickly

Press [Ctrl] + [Shift] + [N] in any Windows Explorer window using Windows 7 to create a new folder. To do the same thing in earlier versions of Windows, download and install bxNewFolder.

When you install the program, right-click and run the installer as administrator. This makes the [F12] key create a new folder.

10. Hibernate

If you leave your PC for more than a minute or so, you can save power by putting it into hibernation. Creating a shortcut that does this job means you can do this more easily, and even assign a hotkey to it.

Right-click the desktop and choose New, Shortcut. Enter the following as the location: C:\ Windows\System32\rundll32.exe powrprof.dll, SetSuspendState 0,1,0.

Call the shortcut 'Hibernate'. Right-click the new shortcut and choose 'Properties'. On the 'Shortcut' tab, you can then assign a hotkey and browse for a suitable icon.

11. Eject CD/DVD

If you install the freeware NirCmd utility, you can create a shortcut that opens your CD/DVD drive tray. Set the following as the location of the shortcut: "C:\ path-to\nircmd.exe" cdrom open D:.

Replace 'path-to' with the location of the 'nircmd.exe' file. To make a shortcut to close the CD tray, use the same location but change 'open' to 'close'.

12. Switch power plans quickly

You can create a shortcut to switch to any Windows power plan if you find its GUID. The shortcut location is: powercfg -setactive . Replace '' with the string of characters that Windows applies to that scheme.

You can find this out by opening a command prompt and entering powercfg -list. Right-click the background of the command window and choose 'Mark'. Select the GUID that you want to use and copy it to the clipboard.

13. Shutdown shortcut

shutdown

Instead of going to the 'Start' menu to shut down your PC, why not create a shortcut that does the job in one operation? Set this as the location: Shutdown.exe -s -t 00.

14. Restart shortcut

You can do exactly the same thing to produce a shortcut that restarts your PC. Just change the shortcut location to: Shutdown.exe -r -t 00.

15. Lock workstation

Finally, if you want to lock your PC, there's a 'lock workstation' shortcut. Enter the following as the location to create it: Rundll32.exe User32. dll,LockWorkStation.

Certkingdom now offers training on Cisco Firewall Security Specialist

Certkingdom Solutions, World’s #1 offshore IT Training and Certification company, now offers training for Cisco Firewall Security Specialist.

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The Cisco Firewall Specialist certification training recognizes security professionals who have attained specialized in-depth expertise and proven knowledge of the recommended best practices in designing, implementing, maintaining, and troubleshooting network security solutions using the Cisco ASA adaptive security appliance technologies. The Cisco ASA adaptive security appliance is a best-of-class security appliance, widely deployed, and in use at leading enterprises and service providers worldwide.

The Cisco Firewall Security Specialist certification is recognized as the benchmark security product certification for engineers, consultants, and architects who configure advanced Cisco firewalls and virtual private network (VPN) solutions, including advanced access control, advanced application inspections and controls, IP Security (IPsec) remote access VPN, clientless Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) remote access VPN, Cisco AnyConnect full-tunnel SSL remote-access VPN, IPsec site-to-site VPNs, high availability, and failover features.

Cisco Firewall Security Specialist training is conducted using real Cisco equipment.

Following equipment is available for the classes:
• Router: 3640, 2621XM, 2811, 2821
• Switch: 2950, 3550, 3560, 3750
• ASA: 5510 with Security Plus License
• Software: ASA 8.xx, ASDM 6.xx, VPN Client, SDM

For more information, visit: http://www.certkingdom.com

Certkingdom is Cisco Learning Associate and the courses are run using the Official Curriculum.
Certkingdom offers training on all popular certifications, including CCNA, CCNP, CCVP, CCIE, Oracle 11g,10g & 9i, SQL Server, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Flash, Adobe Photoshop, VMware, MCSE, MCPD, MCTS, MCITP, RHCE and SCJP. For more information, visit www.certkingdom.com
For more information, visit: www.certkingdom.com

Note to Editors:
About Certkingdom: Certkingdom is a reputed company based in India providing offshore IT training and certification. Established in 1993, Certkingdom has more than 15 years of vast experience in Instruction Led Training. Certkingdom is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for Learning Solutions Certkingdom is an authorized training partner of Checkpoint, Cisco, Oracle, Adobe, Red Hat, VMware, Novell, LPI, CIW, CWNP, EC-Council and SCP. Certkingdom is also an Authorized Testing Centre of Prometric and Vue.

Certkingdom offers quality of training, small batch size, convenient start dates, holiday experience, flexibility and much more. Participants from all over the world (57 countries last count) regularly travel to Certkingdom to upgrade their skills at 50% of prices in USA and Europe.

Certkingdom Solutions has been rated the Best Place to Work for 2010 in the Education and Training Industry. The study was conducted by The Economic Times, India’s leading business daily and Great Places to Work.

Googles Chrome OS starts to get real but still falls shy

The two examples of printing and storage underline that a Chromebook is not just a laptop with a new OS but a new way of computing. Not only does it differ from traditional laptop OSes, but it also contrasts with the iPad and other tablets. Sure, tablets rely more heavily on cloud services than PCs do, but they provide local apps and storage, as well as direct connectivity. Those apps can overcome some of the limitations of the tablets; for example, there are iOS apps that let iPads print directly to wirelessly connected printers, not just to HP's models or through a computer you have to leave on. Maybe we'll see such apps eventually for Chrome OS, but Google has purposely kept Chrome OS limited to retain the purity of its cloud vision.

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What this all means is that a Chromebook probably won't replace a laptop, at least not anytime soon. Odds are it'll be used like an iPad: as an additional "+1" device for use on the go, in cafés, at conference halls, in lobbies, and during quick trips. In that sense, it competes with the Apple iPad, Motorola Mobility Xoom, and the Motorola Mobility Atrix Lapdock, which also are designed for on-the-go computing, but the four devices approach such mobility differently. It will be interesting to see if the Chromebook approach of pure reliance on the cloud gains traction compared to the Lapdock approach of augmenting a smartphone when on the go and the tablet approach of the iPad and Xoom of providing a mix of local and cloud services.

As Chrome OS gains polish, its Web apps look clunkier
When I first used the Chromebook, I was concerned about the lack of fit and finish in the demo apps at Google's Chrome Store. Now that the Chrome OS itself has gained polish and responsiveness, the Chrome OS Web apps feel even clunkier. Using Webmail, for example, is an awkward experience compared to using a "real" mail client, whether on a laptop or tablet.

Web apps don't handle direct manipulation well, such as dragging mail folders, so they tend to be more labor-intensive in their usage and less sophisticated in their capabilities. Although I appreciate Chrome OS more and more, I really dislike the Web apps -- which are what you would use day to day for anything other than basic Web activities.

Google really needs to redefine what a Web app is, perhaps by taking its Google Docs suite and making them work like a "real" app suite. Right now, Google Docs is fine as a waystation for shared data and on-the-go touch-up work, but it's not a comfortable tool for real editing, calendaring, emailing, spreadsheet work, or presentation work. (Microsoft's Office Web Apps is no better.)

Google has promised to add local storage to Google Docs, so you can keep working on files when disconnected, but it hasn't yet delivered, despite an original claim of a March 2011 beta release. It's harder these days to be disconnected, if you're willing to pay for data access -- even airplanes offer in-flight Wi-Fi service. But there are periods of the day when you are disconnected, such as during your commute or waiting for take-off in a plane -- and not everyone can afford all the 3G and Wi-Fi plans to stay nearly always connected.

Currently, a tablet can handle that mix of online and offline situations, whereas a Chromebook cannot. Chromebook users need to make sure their files are synced before they lose their connections. The good news is that if you don't close the browser window and the battery doesn't die, the document you were working on stays in the local cache and should sync when you regain connectivity.

I believe the connectivity issue will not be a deal breaker for most users -- but the awkwardness of the Web apps compared to using a laptop or an iPad will. After all, an iPad is a lot lighter and easier to carry around than a Chromebook, though a Chromebook has the advantage (like the Lapdock) of providing a full desktop Web experience, unlike the iPad or other tablets. And you can get a light laptop that's no bigger or heavier than a Chromebook -- with full computing capabilities. The Chromebook beats laptops in terms of battery use, but that may not be enough of an advantage to be a substitute.

Still, there's something compelling about the Chromebook concept. Chrome OS is showing more promise now than in its December 2010 beta debut, but still feels gawky compared to an iPad. Google has a little time before commercial Chromebooks appear. Here's hoping it has some truly amazing Web apps in development ready to redefine today's low expectations of what a Web app can do.

Microsoft Office 2010 takes on all comers

Microsoft Office 2010 takes on all comers: Corel WordPerfect Office X5
There was a time, in the DOS days, when WordPerfect was for many professionals the word processing program. Law offices still swear by it, since it's heavily backward compatible with previous versions and has features that appeal to legal professionals.

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WordPerfect has since been made part of a suite that contains the Quattro Pro spreadsheet (originally from Borland) and Corel's own Presentations application. The newest version of the suite, WordPerfect Office X5 (or version 15), was released in 2010, and has little to attract users from other suites. It's slightly less expensive than Office 2010 -- the home version is $99 and runs on up to three PCs -- but SoftMaker Office and the various OpenOffice.org derivatives all offer more.

When you launch WordPerfect, Quattro Pro, or Presentations, the first thing you see is the Workspace Manager -- a way to automatically set the program's look and the menu options to one of a number of included templates depending on the user's preferences. Aside from the standard WordPerfect mode, there's Microsoft Word mode, which includes a toolbar of document compatibility options and a sidebar that gives you quick access to common document functions; WordPerfect Classic mode, which emulates the white-on-blue look of the old DOS-era WordPerfect and even the macros of same; and WordPerfect Legal mode, which brings up toolbars related to legal documents.

If you open anything other than native WordPerfect documents, the program runs a conversion filter first, a process that can take anywhere from a fraction of a second to a minute or two depending on the file size and source format. The conversion process for OpenDocument word processing (.odt) documents, even small ones, is much slower than for Word files (.doc or .docx), and as with the other programs here the level of fidelity for document conversion will vary widely. For instance, inline comments from both Word and .odt documents were preserved, but any information about who had made specific comments didn't seem to survive the conversion.

The mortgage calculator spreadsheet loaded in Quattro, but just barely. The charts didn't display any values, and the sheet itself lost most of its functionality; most of the cell formulas didn't work. While I was able to get an existing PowerPoint presentation to import, the transitions were all replaced with simple wipes and many presentation details (such as the aspect ratios of slides) didn't translate accurately. That's where file format support ends -- WordPerfect Office can't open spreadsheets or presentations in Office 2007/2010 or OpenDocument formats.

Most of what drew people to WordPerfect in the first place has been aggressively preserved across the many versions of the program. Take the way WordPerfect deals with document formatting: The user can inspect the formatting markup for a document in great detail and edit it directly. It's a great feature.

But the general stagnancy of the program is off-putting, like the fact that WordPerfect still doesn't support Unicode after all this time. Open a document with both Western and non-Western text and you don't even see gibberish -- non-Western text simply doesn't display. For this and many other reasons, WordPerfect Office X5 is unlikely to appeal beyond WordPerfect's existing user base.

Servers made huge rebound in 2010, but sales will be slower this year

Perhaps Apple chose the wrong time to get out of the server market. The company stopped selling Xserve at the end of January. Now the 2010 server numbers are in, and they're looking pretty good. Server shipments grew 16.8 percent during 2010 and revenue by 13.2 percent, year over year, according to Gartner. It was a remarkable turnaround compared to 2009, when shipments and revenue fell 16.6 percent and 18.3 percent, respectively. Manufacturers shipped 8.8 million servers for the year, generating $48.8 billion in revenue.

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Gartner largely credited the rebound to x86 server upgrades delayed by the economic crisis set in motion by the September 2008 stock market crash. "2010 was a year that saw pent-up x86-based server demand produce some significant growth on a worldwide level," Jeffrey Hewitt, Gartner research vice president, said in a statement. "The introduction of new processors from Intel and AMD toward the end of 2009 helped fuel a pretty significant replacement cycle of servers that had been maintained in place during the economic downturn in 2009."

Blade server revenue rose by 29.5 percent and shipments by 12.6 percent. HP and IBM led shipments, with 47.3 percent and 25.4 percent market share, respectively. In the broader server market, IBM and HP fought for revenue leadership, both topping $15 billion, with 31.4 percent and 30.8 percent share, respectively. However, HP revenue growth more than doubled IBM's. That said, IBM had much better margins, shipping fewer servers (1.16 million) than HP (2.8 million). HP ended the year at No. 1 in shipments and revenue -- 31.7 percent and 31.4 percent, respectively.

Fourth Quarter 2010

On the other hand, perhaps Apple got out of the server market in the nick of time. While Gartner expects server shipments to grow in 2011, the pace will be slower. The analyst firm estimates that the replacement cycle peaked in 2010. Fourth-quarter shipments foreshadow the trend. Shipments grew only by 6.5 percent, although revenue rose a more robust 16.4 percent. Manufacturers shipped 706,202 servers during Q4, generating $4.3 billion in revenue.

Still, the market may not yet have pushed through its growth potential. "We also need to recognize that the market is still in a fairly tentative recovery mode," Adrian O'Connell, Gartner research director said in a statement. Many companies are still in cost-containment mode and, although 2010 growth levels were strong, we're still some way off the revenue highs that we saw in 2007."

Dell and IBM had strongest revenue growth -- 26.4 percent -- during fourth quarter. Shipments rose 3.8 percent and 6.9 percent respectively. IBM ranked No.1 in revenue share (35.5 percent), while HP lead in shipments (32.1 percent) -- another sign of IBM's higher margins.

Every region brought double-digit growth but Japan, where server shipments declined by 4.4 percent, during Q4. Asia-Pacific: 22.4 percent. EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa: 10.4 percent. Latin America: 12.3 percent. North America 24.5 percent. But, again, most of the growth came in x86 servers.

As it typically does, Gartner singled out EMEA, where HP's huge success is upsetting RISC and Unix server shipments. HP had a colossal 43.6 percent share of server shipments (307,959 units) -- or more than the rest of the top-5 combined. "The x86 market is becoming ever more critical to the overall server market," O'Connell said in the statement, emphasizing that in fourth quarter, x86 revenue accounted for two-thirds of total server revenue.

With x86's rise came legacy servers' demise, with RISC and Itanium Unix system revenues falling 19.3 percent year over year. "These weak results are compounded by product transitions but are also indicative of the positioning difficulties that Unix vendors are facing," O'Connell explained. "The challenge remains for Unix vendors to move upstream and fight for mainframe business, whilst also defending against Windows and Linux encroachments into their own installed bases."

Microsoft, Juniper urged to patch dangerous IPv6 DoS hole

MORE URGING: Microsoft security expert warns over SharePoint data at risk

Some Windows networking consultants are so concerned about the hole and Microsoft’s lack of interest in fixing it, that they have been warning users directly. “There is a serious Windows vulnerability for RA flooding as a denial-of-service attack on wired LANs. It only takes between 5 to 20 packets to CPU-bound every Windows 7 or Server 2008 machine on that subnet,” said Microsoft MVP Ed Horley, Principal Solutions Architect at Groupware Technology to attendees of the Rocky Mountain IPv6 Summit in Denver, Colo., last week. “I have heard rumor it can also lock out Playstation 2 and Xbox consoles. With enough packets it requires a hard reboot to recover.”

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Although several workarounds exist, each has a significant drawback. One is to turn off IPv6, http://www.networkworld.com/topics/ipv6.html which also disables new Microsoft technologies that rely on it, such as DirectAccess, a service that allows Windows 7 machines to have an always-on remote access connection to Windows Server 2008 R2 servers. Remote Access is touted as a money-saving option as it replaces the need for a separate VPN in Windows environments.

Experts also advise using a router that has implemented a Cisco technology called RA Guard - and while Cisco routers support RA Guard, not all routers do. RA Guard was submitted as an informational document to the IETF, RFC 6105, but it is not on track to become a standard.

Juniper, for instance, has no intention of implementing it and is instead waiting for IETF RFC 6164. “RFC 6105 IPv6 Router Advertisement Guard, published about nine weeks ago, is an informational RFC, as opposed to an IETF Standard, that documents Cisco's proprietary RA-Guard technology. Cisco asserts that at least one of their patent applications (US PPA 20080307516) covers this technology. While Cisco has stated that should RFC 6105 become a standard then they will make a royalty-free license available, since this is not yet a standard there is no such option. We can however achieve much the same functionality simply by applying access control lists,” said Juniper’s Peter Lunk, director of product marketing for high-end security systems.

Lunk added: “Conversely, RFC 6164, released last month, is a ‘standards track’ RFC (which is to say on the way to being, but not yet, a standard) supported by Juniper, Google and IBM and others that addresses many of the same issues in a much more open manner. We expect this to be ratified as a full standard at the next IETF meeting in July.”

BACKGROUND: Jeff Doyle on the case for enterprise IPv6

Heuse has also called Juniper out on the carpet for dragging its feet to fix the hole. Juniper’s Lunk argues that the RA advertisement problem stems from a flaw in the ICMPv6 protocol and should be fixed by the IETF.

“The flaw in the ICMPv6 protocol has only been identified in a small subset of older Juniper products, and only when configured as a host rather than a router,” he said. “According to the protocol, devices configured as hosts must accept and process all advertised routes. This is an inherently dangerous thing to do. If our customers must use auto-configure mode on the IPV6 host on an open LAN, then we strongly recommend whitelisting sources of acceptable routes which will protect them from bogus advertisements.”

FSF: Microsoft is Bound by GPLv3 Terms If It Distributes GPLv3 Code

Last month, Microsoft's legal department proclaimed it doesn't consider itself bound to the terms of version 3 of the General Public License, with respect to certificates it distributed for software, services, and support from Novell. Today, the Free Software Foundation responded by saying if Microsoft distributes software covered by GPLv3, then it's bound by the terms of that license.

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"Microsoft cannot by any act of anticipatory repudiation divest itself of its obligation to respect others' copyrights, reads today's FSF statement. "If Microsoft distributes our works licensed under GPLv3, or pays others to distribute them on its behalf, it is bound to do so under the terms of that license. It may not do so under any other terms; it cannot declare itself exempt from the requirements of GPLv3."

The crux of the dispute centers around whether, when Microsoft agreed to issue certificates for Novell's customers, it effectively distributed software on Novell's behalf. Microsoft has made the case that Novell is the distributor in this case, and that it's just picking up the tab.

The reason why it all matters is because version 3 specifically declares that a licensee doesn't have the right to claim to hold anyone to whom it distributes that code free from patent obligations. The basic theory here is that no distributor can claim ownership of any part of the software, so it can't then presume to hold someone to whom it distributes that software free from liability or infringement for it.

FSF's motivation may be to find a way to legally extend some of that privilege Microsoft granted to Novell last year, to everyone else who might be a recipient of that same software even if Novell's not the distributor. That's probably why Section 11 of the new GPL reads, in part, as follows: "If, pursuant to or in connection with a single transaction or arrangement, you convey, or propagate by procuring conveyance of, a covered work, and grant a patent license to some of the parties receiving the covered work authorizing them to use, propagate, modify or convey a specific copy of the covered work, then the patent license you grant is automatically extended to all recipients of the covered work and works based on it."

Last July, Microsoft's proclamation contained the following: "While there have been some claims that Microsoft's distribution of certificates for Novell support services, under our interoperability collaboration with Novell, constitutes acceptance of the GPLv3 license, we do not believe that such claims have a valid legal basis under contract, intellectual property, or any other law. In fact, we do not believe that Microsoft needs a license under GPL to carry out any aspect of its collaboration with Novell, including its distribution of support certificates, even if Novell chooses to distribute GPLv3 code in the future."

Microsoft went on to say its Novell agreement does not grant any patent rights to any of Novell's customers, through its distributed certificates or otherwise - meaning, it's not granting Novell's customers the rights to use software whose rightful ownership Microsoft wants to retain the right to contest later. However, the company did decide to rescind the portion of its certificates which grant recipients the right to receive support on GPLv3 licensed code from Novell - which was actually in compliance with an earlier FSF request.

But the FSF didn't want last month's proclamation to be the last word. "Microsoft has said that it expects respect for its so-called 'intellectual property' - a propaganda term designed to confuse patent law with copyright and other unrelated laws, and to muddy the different issues they raise," reads the close of the FSF's statement today. "We will ensure - and, to the extent of our resources, assist other GPLv3 licensors in ensuring - that Microsoft respects our copyrights and complies with our licenses."

In the meantime, the issue of whether issuing a certificate toward the purchase of software by someone else constitutes legal distribution of someone else's software, remains open.

WinDVD gets Profile 1.1 certification from Blu-ray

Corel said Thursday that its WinDVD playback software had received certification from the Blu-ray Disc Association to playback discs that use the Profile 1.1 standard.

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With the certification, WinDVD would become the first non-hardware playback option available on the market capable of supporting the updated standard. The first discs based on 1.1 are expected to hit the market in early 2008, as will the version of WinDVD with the capability.

Profile 1.1 allows Blu-ray publishers to use the picture-in-picture functionality that has been a standard on HD DVD discs since the beginning. Also added in 1.1 is mandatory internet connectivity support, among other enhancements. Many of the changes to the Blu-ray standard are likely in response to criticisms of the format by analysts, who say it lacks many of the next-generation features than HD DVD already had.

Certification process begins for Verizon's open devices

The open network era officially begins for Verizon Wireless, as the company's first choice for testing and certification of anyone's CDMA devices, for customers to bring to the network at will, begins testing new equipment today.

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The first independent laboratory for the certification of wireless devices for enrollment by customers to Verizon Wireless' CDMA network, is now officially online. As previously announced as early as November of last year, that lab will be run by Intertek, an established global testing and certification service headquartered in London.

Under VZW's historic plan announced last November, the manufacturer of any handset that wishes to be able to use the VZW network may submit working prototypes to Intertek for testing and certification. All that Intertek will be testing is connectivity, and whether candidate handsets contain anything that may conceivably interfere with the network; beyond that, VZW does not care what operating system a candidate may contain, or what applications may be used. In fact, senior executives have suggested that the company encourage very specialized devices with unique applications be welcomed into the certification process.

Verizon won't necessarily be selling these devices in its outlets or to its customers; it's still up to each manufacturer to make the sale. However, it will be permitted to tout its certification for the VZW network once it's received from Intertek.

VZW's statement this morning made it clear that Intertek may be the first of several third-party labs, and that the relationship between the two companies is not exclusive; a quote from Intertek's VP of operations, David Dennis, characterized his company as "the first testing laboratory approved under the Verizon Wireless Open Development Initiative."

That said, Intertek's not a small operation by any measure. In the first half of this year, it racked up revenue of £457.4 million ($783.7 million at current exchange rates), an increase of 28.6% annually, with profit before taxes of £62.9 million. It lists its corporate founder as none other than Thomas A. Edison in 1896, through the founding of a department called the Lamp Testing Bureau within the company that would become GE. The Bureau then became the independent Electrical Testing Laboratories, which has since been absorbed by Intertek.

Developers of even the most limited set of handsets, even if they produce fewer than 100, won't need to ship prototypes halfway around the world. Intertek maintains over 1,000 laboratories in 110 countries, including throughout Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America.