IBM and Sun? What's In It For Linux?

Everyone from techie bloggers to technical journalists to stay-at-home moms are talking about today's big news: IBM is trying to buy Sun Microsystems. Big deal. What's in it for Linux?

As a matter of fact, it is a big deal. And an even bigger deal for Linux.

Sun owns MySQL, Java, Glassfish, VirtualBox and the Solaris Operating System. It also has its own proprietary hardware known as Sparc but is it a good buy for IBM?

On the 'no' side of things, Sun is sinking in the West with no foreseeable chance of rising again in the East. Solaris and Sparc platform sales are suffering and those technologies are on the wane in the datacenter space. Sun gives Solaris away for free these days and has discounted their hardware to a suprising point. Sparc systems used to be the Apple of the datacenter--robust, yes but very expensive--but at least the Sun mice had three buttons instead of just one. The Solaris OS and the Sparc platform are burdens that IBM will have to kill off once the purchase is complete since they offer no real revenue potential.

On the 'yes' side, IBM is buying great opportunity by acquiring Java--a technology that is embedded into its WebSphere line. Purchasing Sun also gains IBM a hopeful replacement for its own languishing DB2 product. VirtualBox is a nice addition to IBM's virtualization efforts. Right now, it's little more than a Desktop-level product but work is underway to create a server version that should prove interesting to those who need a simple solution. Basically IBM is getting MySQL and Java in this purchase and little else that has value. I hope they realize this and go into the negotiations with this in mind.

So, what does this have to do with Linux?

IBM's investment in Linux and open source software is huge and their own flagship AIX runs Linux executables. IBM has also invested heavily in virtualized Linux on its MainFrame platform. Adding Java and MySQL to this mix conjures up big things for the future in my mind. For one, Cloud-based (Cloud=Linux) Java apps with MySQL backends that run on everything from cell phones to MainFrames--oh yeah, there's a big market there.

However this IBM and Sun thing plays out, I hope that it's good for both companies although I have reservations predicting anything positive for Sun.

What do you think of the possible Sun buyout by IBM? Do you think it will be good for IBM? Sun? Linux?

Will Microsoft Abandon Windows to Compete with Linux?

As much as Microsoft loves to grinch about Linux, they've made significant changes over the years to compete with it--and will abandon it altogether to maintain their competitive edge. Windows 7 will be the last Windows product.

What changes has Microsoft made to compete with Linux? They've prettied it up a bit, revamped some of Windows hardware pain points, and fixed some of the infinite rebooting that must occur any time you install software or patches.
They've also done quite a few name changes over the years beginning with the Windows NT to 2000 name change. Then Windows XP. What the heck does XP stand for anyway? Now Vista, which for me is the high-end Windows Me (Mistake Edition), and in the near future--Windows 7, which should be Windows NT 8 if you're keeping up.

So what will Microsoft do after Windows 7 to remain competitive? I think they've realized that bloated operating systems aren't going to do the trick with the introduction of Netbooks and smaller devices. They've also realized that their bullying and scare tactics don't work with today's more tech savvy customers.

Ok, no more waiting. I'll tell you (and Microsoft) what their next move will be to maintain Desktop dominance.

Microsoft Desktop.

That's it, Microsoft Desktop.

They might follow it with a year just so you know which one you have when you call for tech support. For example, when they abandon Windows 7, the product will be Microsoft Desktop 2012, then Microsoft Desktop 2015, and so on.

Ok, Microsoft, tell me I'm wrong or pay me for the idea. I'll be waiting for my check. If we call it a "bonus," we'll get a lot more air time out of it.

Another Linux Desktop Diss from Red Hat

lmost a year has passed since I wrote, Novell CEO Disses Embrace of Desktop Linux where I told you how Ron Hovsepian, Novell CEO, totally slammed Linux as a desktop operating system and now another major CEO comes out publicly against Linux on the desktop. Red Hat's CEO, Jim Whitehurst, actually said "First of all, I don't know how to make money on it."

Wow, Jim, really? Perhaps you shouldn't be CEO of a Linux company.

How does Microsoft make money off of Windows? They sell it. I know it sounds crazy, Jim, but that's how it works. You create something that people want and they'll buy it. Isn't that cool?

I'm not sure which stone Whitehurst is living under but someone should leave it unturned and get a more innovative thinker in the driver's seat at Red Hat. I know someone who'd take the job and be great at it.

Desktop Linux can be a reality but not if we roll over and let it die. Whitehurst did make an interesting analogy using a Hockey game and comparing to Desktop Operating Systems by saying that he "doesn't want to be where the puck is but where it will be."
Hey, Jim, have you ever been to a Hockey game? The puck travels fast and sometimes unpredictably and goes in different directions based on which team is in control.

Jim, you're misguided and should be replaced. Unfortunately, it's guys like you who rise to the top. My guess is, though, that you won't last long with your obvious business myopia.

Apparently creative thinking isn't a prerequisite for the CEO position.

In this same desktop diss-down, it's funny to note however, that Novell's Hovsepian apparently has changed his tune regarding Linux on the desktop with a statement that he's optimisitc about Linux on the desktop, especially on Netbooks.

Now that's a departure from his earlier attitude less than a year ago. Ah, what a difference a year makes.

Linux can save millions of dollars on the desktop and if the CEOs of Novell and Red Hat can't figure out how to sell that opportunity to customers, then I respectfully throw my hat into the ring for their jobs. Oh, and I'll do it for half of what they're currently making. You know where to find me.

What do you think of Linux as a desktop operating system and the attitudes of these CEOs of Linux companies that can't figure out how to sell their product?

Web-based remote access: how your password can be stolen in two clicks

I am frequently asked about the security of different remote control software solutions. Are they really safe? Which one of them is the most secure? It's hard to name one categorically, but thinking of it I came to some interesting conclusions, applying to the security of client-server solutions from data trespass.

Nowadays there are two kinds of user interfaces for the remote access. The operation principle of the first one is the following: client program's user needs to enter a remote computer's name, login and password to get a remote access to the PC (e.g. Radmin or NetOp).

To use the second kind of programs user needs to visit a developer's web-site, log into his/her personal account and choose a remote computers name from the list (e.g. LogMeIn and GoToMyPC).

The first kind of programs provides users' private information safety due to their own security systems, based on data encrypting. As for the web-based solutions, their security can be a point at issue.

It is said that reliable encrypting algorithms don't let phishers get an unauthorized remote access to the computer. But is that true? Today this question becomes more and more topical because of the growing level and new types of cybercrimes; after all the data protection is critically important both for the corporate users and the home ones.

At the same time, by choosing web-based remote access, users entrust their private information to the applications' developers who keep that information on the developers' servers. And, since no company is guaranteed against dishonest employees, that private information may become vulnerable at any time.

A lot of users also mistakingly suppose that working remotely from home they don't endanger their private information because a properly defended home PC hardly ever can be infected with keyloggers or any other spyware. Many people forget or simply don't know that this kind of work is not safe at all. Actually a phisher can easily capture user's request to the program developer's web-site and get confidential information.

Right after the capture user will be forwarded to the copy of the requested web-site, where he/she with no doubts will enter login and password to the account. This is just the same as simply to give an intruder the key to all data on the PC. And user can miss the fact of fraud: system will show an authorization error notification, and user will be forwarded to the legal web-site, thinking that it was merely an average system error.

This kind of fraud is called phishing (password + fishing) and is one of the most wide-spread in the Internet. The simplest phishing web-sites can be easily detected by the Internet security systems, but in more difficult cases they are useless. For example, web-site based on flash technology looks just like the real one, but text is hidden in the multimedia objects. Security systems can't define this web-site as the phishing one, and user turns out to be disarmed in front of phisher.

Client-server remote control software solutions, such as Radmin and NetOp, are more secure, they make phishing impossible, because users don't need to connect to the web-site and can start a client module even from a flash drive. So anyway it's always your choice.

About the Author: I am an IT-specialist interested in systems administration and remote access technology that makes me mobile. I would like to share my experience of managing computer networks and using of remote access software.

How to Get a Clean Computer Registry Quickly

f you've been suffering from computer problems such as crashes, DLL errors or constant BSOD's (blue screen of deaths) then chances are you have some errors contained in your computers registry. In this article I shall provide details on how to get a clean computer registry and stop those annoying computer problems.

Firstly, let me clear up what the registry is and what its purpose is. The computer registry is a sort of database which contains all the settings and user preferences of your operating system and the software installed on it. Think of it like a framework on which your computer system is built which should explain why it needs to be kept in good order. To ensure you have a clean computer registry, all you need to do is follow the advice in this article.

To try and fix the registry ones self can be a difficult task and if one wrong entry is deleted your software might not run as intended or might not run at all. Worse still, your computer may become un-bootable and then you have a whole new set of problems. The registry is definitely an 'Enter at your own risk' type of place.

Fortunately, there is software available that will do the job for you. In my opinion, this is the best and safest way to get a clean computer registry. Most registry repair software products will backup the registry on your computer before they run so if anything does go wrong, you can just restore from the backup.

To eliminate registry problems, you'll need to download a registry repair program to your computer. When started, the registry repair program will scan your computers registry thoroughly. You will then be presented with the results of the scan and if errors are present, you will then be guided on how to fix them.

This task should be done regularly especially after software has been removed from your computer. This will ensure you have a clean computer registry and performance on your machine increased substantially and you'll notice that your PC boots up quicker and applications will load up faster too.

Registry problems can be very irritating but by following the steps outlined in this article they can be avoided and you can get a clean computer registry easily. I hope this article has explained the purpose of the registry and why it must be kept in good order.

Tom Walsh runs a successful computer repairs business and is the owner of a successful registry repair software website.

Steve Ballmer predictably calls Macs too expensive

Looking to quell notions that Apple is making significant gains in market share, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer recently pointed to February sales data that showed a year-over-year Mac and iPod sales decline of 16 percent.

"Apple gained about one point, but now I think the tide has really turned back the other direction," Ballmer told BusinessWeek at The McGraw-Hill Companies’ 2009 Media Summit. "The economy is helpful. Paying an extra $500 for a computer in this environment—same piece of hardware—paying $500 more to get a logo on it? I think that's a more challenging proposition for the average person than it used to be."

One month of a year-over-year decline does not, however, signal a changing tide. Last February, Apple had a significant spike in sales due to the radically thin MacBook Air, while this February was marked by users waiting for hardware updates that didn't materialize until March. With all the new hardware, it's worth waiting to see March's numbers before making any serious prognostication.

Further, even if the 16 percent decrease were to hold for the entire quarter, Apple would still be looking at selling about 2 million Macs. That should translate to about $7.6 billion in revenue for the quarter, which is in line with the company's guidance to investors.

That still doesn't take into account the fact that Macs are not "the same piece of hardware," despite being architecturally similar. Apple's design, integration, and Mac OS X are differentiating features that consumers consider valuable. That's why Macs command higher average selling prices and Apple continues to make money selling its hardware.

Of course, Ballmer has been wrong before, so it's worth taking his statements with a jumbo-sized grain of salt.

Microsoft Translator widget dynamically translates webpages

One of the announcements we missed from the first day of MIX09 was a new release from the Microsoft Translator team, the same group that is responsible for Live Search Translator as well as the Translate with Windows Live accelerator in IE8. The Microsoft Translator webpage widget is available as a technology preview to MIX09 attendees as well as anyone else who can get their hands on an invite code. Currently the best way to get one is to register and cross your fingers.

The free, customizable (color and size), widget is built on top of the Microsoft Translator AJAX API (also announced at MIX09) and can be placed on your webpage (requires that you put a small snippet of code into your source) so that your readers can instantly switch languages on the page. Hovering over the translation shows the original text. The advantage here is that it is easy to use and doesn't take the user away from the site. Currently, there are 12 languages supported: Arabic, Chinese (Simplified & Traditional), Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

Since this is a technology preview, the team is still working on polishing the UI, making the widget more customizable, as well as adding new features including "Automatic" translations on page load, multiple layouts/views, and so on. The invite codes are really the major barrier right now, but we'll keep you posted.

Original Post

Microsoft Translator widget dynamically translates webpages

One of the announcements we missed from the first day of MIX09 was a new release from the Microsoft Translator team, the same group that is responsible for Live Search Translator as well as the Translate with Windows Live accelerator in IE8. The Microsoft Translator webpage widget is available as a technology preview to MIX09 attendees as well as anyone else who can get their hands on an invite code. Currently the best way to get one is to register and cross your fingers.

The free, customizable (color and size), widget is built on top of the Microsoft Translator AJAX API (also announced at MIX09) and can be placed on your webpage (requires that you put a small snippet of code into your source) so that your readers can instantly switch languages on the page. Hovering over the translation shows the original text. The advantage here is that it is easy to use and doesn't take the user away from the site. Currently, there are 12 languages supported: Arabic, Chinese (Simplified & Traditional), Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

Since this is a technology preview, the team is still working on polishing the UI, making the widget more customizable, as well as adding new features including "Automatic" translations on page load, multiple layouts/views, and so on. The invite codes are really the major barrier right now, but we'll keep you posted.

Original Post