Channel Register

16th December 2005 Archive

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  • AMD forced to be more modest with Spansion IPO

    Price target trimmed

    AMD is feeling the pinch as tepid interest in its Spansion spinoff has forced a reduction in the IPO price range. In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, AMD revealed a cut in the price range for the memory company IPO down from between $16 to $18 a share to between $13 and $14 a share. The Wall Street rumor …

    IT Channel 16 Dec 2005, 00:36

  • Open Source in the mainstream

    Comment Isn’t it all just software?

    A few things have appeared from various sources lately resurrecting the old discussion of whether Open Source software is “safe” or “right” for mainstream adoption. Whilst many of us consider this issue to have been dealt with long ago, there still seem to be some out there who want the debate to continue. The problem is, …

    Software & Security 16 Dec 2005, 02:02

  • Samsung chairman in clear on bribery charge

    Insufficient evidence

    Senior Samsung staffers no longer face charges that they bribed local politicians, the Seoul District Prosecutors Office said this week. Officials said there was insufficient evidence for the claims, and in any case the deadline for action set by South Korea's statute of limitations has now passed. The allegations were …

    IT Channel 16 Dec 2005, 10:25

  • AMD wins access to Japanese Intel anti-trust 'evidence'

    AMD vs Intel Fair trade probe data can be used in lawsuit

    Intel has failed to persuade the Japanese courts to keep evidence of alleged anti-trust behaviour under lock and key. The Tokyo District Court today ruled that documentation collated by Japan's Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) during its investigation into Intel Japan's business practices may be used by AMD in the legal action it …

    IT Channel 16 Dec 2005, 12:00

  • Equipment recycling law delayed again

    Still waiting

    The UK Government will delay the implementation of an EU law requiring businesses to recycle their old IT and telecoms equipment for a fourth time. The EU's deadline for implementation was 13th August 2004. The Government last indicated, in August this year, that it would have draft implementing regulations ready for …

    IT Channel 16 Dec 2005, 13:05

  • Rock beats Widow to ship first dual-core notebook

    Reg readers on receiving end

    UK system builder Rock has won the race to ship the first notebook based on an AMD dual-core processor. While the company was understandably keen to trumpet its achievement - it sent The Register at least five copies of a press release on the matter - we can also confirm that a number of readers received their Rocks early …

    PC Builder 16 Dec 2005, 13:06

  • MS and Google team to fund net lab

    RADical research

    Arch rivals Google and Microsoft have combined with Sun to fund an academic research lab which aims to pioneer the development of new approaches to software development. The three companies will provide $7.5m over five years to fund research at the Reliable, Adaptive and Distributed systems laboratory, or the RAD Lab, at the …

    Software & Security 16 Dec 2005, 13:08

  • Arctic Systems tax ruling is victory for family businesses

    Keeping up with the Joneses

    A husband and wife have won a landmark victory against the taxman, as appellate judges have thrown out the government’s attempt to force small, family-run firms to pay thousands more in tax. Geoff and Diana Jones of West Sussex convinced the Court of Appeal to overturn previous rulings against them. HM Revenue and Customs ( …

    IT Channel 16 Dec 2005, 13:26

  • IT sellers urged to tighten up distance selling rules

    OFT issues DSR guidelines

    The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has published new guidance to companies that flog IT goods and services via the net or by phone. The advice, available on the OFT's web site, reflects changes to the laws on distance selling published in April. Keen to ensure that IT retailers understand their legal obligations, the OFT wants …

    IT Channel 16 Dec 2005, 15:27

  • Dasher update pierces Windows flaw

    Keylogger variant works second time

    After an earlier unsuccessful attempt, Virus writers have created the first worm that successfully targets a critical Windows vulnerability (MS05-051) patched by Microsoft in October. The Dasher-B worm exploits a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MSDTC) to spread across vulnerable systems. …

    Software & Security 16 Dec 2005, 15:31

  • £15m+ lost in tax credit fraud

    Government payroll records used to steal IDs

    HM Revenue & Customs estimates crooks have made off with at least £15m after defrauding the tax credit system by making false claims in the name of job centre workers. The estimate came when HM Revenue & Customs executive director David Varney appeared before the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee on Thursday to answers …

    Software & Security 16 Dec 2005, 16:31

  • Mere think-tanks not welcome in EC MS anti-trust case

    Abstract academics can go elsewhere

    A European Court has said "tanks but no tanks" to a group of Microsoft supporters seeking to extoll the virtues of Redmond in its ongoing anti-trust case with the European Union. The Court of First Instance in Luxembourg was unmoved by the pleas from the International Intellectual Property Institute, the Institute for Policy …

    Software & Security 16 Dec 2005, 21:04

  • Spansion settles for IP Low

    $500m ain't bad

    Flash memory venture Spansion started off the day with a humble IPO but managed to reach a reduced target by the end of Friday's trading. Spansion - the joint venture of AMD and Fujitsu - had once been looking to pull in between $16 and $18 per share from its IPO. Earlier this week, however, it reduced that target to between $ …

    IT Channel 16 Dec 2005, 22:22

  • Microsoft sues resellers over MAPs 'abuse'

    Here be treasure!

    Microsoft has filed 10 lawsuits against resellers and individuals in the US, accusing them of software piracy. Seven lawsuits have been filed against nine individuals from California, Maryland, New York, Texas and Virginia, alleging breach of a software agreement by which the individuals obtained a number of Microsoft Action …

    IT Channel 16 Dec 2005, 22:34

  • Researchers: Flaw auctions would improve security

    That's eBaytastic!

    The auction may have set a record price for a highlighter pen and an 8-by-11-inch sheet of paper. The last reported bid before the listing was deleted without ceremony was $1,200. The price might seem excessive, but the value lay in what some researchers believed was on the paper: Information about an unpatched vulnerability in …

    Software & Security 16 Dec 2005, 23:06

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