Archive | 2004

Week in review: Firefox on the hunt. Web metrics suggest that Internet Explorer is losing a significant number of defectors to open-source browsers Mozilla and Firefox. [CNET News.com]

Along with bug fixes and security updates, the new versions of the Mozilla tools include the “Preview Release” of version 1.0 of FireFox, still my favorite browser.

The InfoWorld: Application development RSS feed reports:

Mozilla fixes browser bugs. The Mozilla Foundation has fixed 10 security bugs in its open-source Mozilla and Mozilla Firefox browsers and Thunderbird e-mail reader, with the release of new versions of all three products this week. Some of the vulnerabilities could allow attackers to run malicious code on a user’s PC via a malicious e-mail, a specially crafted vCard or a malformed graphic on a Web site, project leaders said.

I missed it when it first came out, but Rex Willis wrote a very positive review of my “Essential SourceSafe” book. You can find the review at http://www.utmag.com/September2001/Page8.asp. I’m always pleased when I hear that folks find worthwhile snippets in my books.

Yahoo! News reports that Apple has released a new Secrity Update for OS X, Details on the fixea are available at http://www.info.apple.com/kbnum/n61798

OSS torpedoed: Royal Navy will run on Windows for Warships. “Combat management contractor opts for Win2k as base OS.” from The Register

Deeply disurbing. I don’t think that Windows was ever developed for, and carries a warranty forbidding, operations in such sensitive environments as nuclear plants, life support or warship command & control centers. While the stability and reliability of the system has improved vastly over the past few versions, it doesn’t touch Unix and real time OSes for reliability. How long will it be before someone hooks up their laptop for diagnostics, forgetting they have a wireless connection to the Internet, and popups invade these systems? “Mission-critical” in this case means lives are on the line, and Windows is for home and office machines, not warships.

Hurricane Frances. G’bye and good ridance!. Alex Feldstein reports: “Hurricane Frances is almost past us (Miami). It is such a huge storm and so slow that it takes almost 3 days to pass. Fortunately for us in the North Miami area, we did not get the brunt of the storm and only saw plenty of rain and wind but only of tropical storm force (under 75 mph). We did not lose power and, although bored and tired of being cooped up inside for three days, are safe and sound with no property damage. Thank you to all the well wishers.”
[Alex Feldstein]

Paul McNett blogs “Kill Your CapsLock Key For Freedom!”

Apple shows off the latest iMac, more or less: more CPU, more memory, more disk space, less desk space, less cost. Sweet.

New York Times and ComputerWorld with the news here; Slashdot with the geek reaction.