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Software News

• Microsoft's Morro Could Challenge Security Giants (NewsFactor)

  NewsFactor - McAfee and Symantec could be affected as Microsoft moves to provide free antivirus software. If the software, code-named Morro, successfully protects against viruses, analysts said, it could mean an exodus from well-known security brands.

• A future without programming (InfoWorld)

  InfoWorld - A few years ago, self-proclaimed nondeveloper Kevin Smith worked for a software company that tried to build a project tracking tool using Microsoft .Net. Some 15 developers spent a year with little success. "After burning though a million dollars and still without a product, the company called it quits," says Smith, now managing partner of NextWave Performance, a consultancy in Denver, Colo.

• Microsoft: New software not Symantec, McAfee rival (Reuters)

  Reuters - Microsoft Corp's upcoming security software is not designed to take sales from Symantec Corp and McAfee Inc as it is a stripped-down, free product that focuses purely on anti-virus protection, a Microsoft executive said.

• Microsoft CEO rules out another Yahoo takeover bid (AFP)

  AFP - Microsoft Corp. chief executive Steve Ballmer on Wednesday ruled out making another takeover bid for Yahoo but said the US software giant remains open to a partnership on Internet search.

  
  

• Microsoft Will Replace OneCare with Security Software (NewsFactor)

  NewsFactor - Microsoft plans to stop accepting paid subscriptions to Windows Live OneCare in mid-2009. The security software is slated to be replaced by a free offering code-named Morro, which will focus on providing consumer PCs with core protection from viruses, spyware, rootkits, trojans and other forms of malware.

• IBM To Buy Virtualization-Software Company Transitive (NewsFactor)

  NewsFactor - IBM plans to buy Transitive to help its customers cut costs. Big Blue announced Tuesday that it will acquire the Los Gatos, Calif.-based virtualization-software company for an undisclosed amount.

• Microsoft to offer free anti-virus software (AFP)

  AFP - Microsoft has announced plans to offer free anti-virus software to PC users starting next year.

  
  

• DoCoMo, KTF to sell Google phone next year: report (Reuters)

  Reuters - Japan's NTT DoCoMo Inc and South Korean partner KTF Co will jointly develop a smartphone using Google Inc software for launch next year, the Nikkei business daily reported on Wednesday.

  
  

• Microsoft to offer free security software (Reuters)

  Reuters - Microsoft Corp said Wednesday it will discontinue sales of its subscription PC security service and instead offer free software to help protect computers from viruses, spyware and other threats.

  
  

• Adobe accommodates Visual Studio, Eclipse (InfoWorld)

  InfoWorld - Adobe Systems at its Adobe Max 2008 conference Tuesday heralded a slew of new technologies, including links between its Flex application development platform and Microsoft's Visual Studio software development platform.

• IBM says plans to acquire Transitive Corp (Reuters)

  Reuters - International Business Machines Corp said on Tuesday that it plans to acquire privately-owned Transitive Corp, whose technology helps businesses use software on IBM computers that was designed to run on rival systems.

• What's Next for Microsoft Robotics (PC Magazine)

  PC Magazine - Although Microsoft launched its third version of the Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio on Monday, don't expect the software maker to actually produce its own robots. But what does the future hold? Microsoft's general manager of its robotics studio explains.

• DivX sues Yahoo over ad deal (Reuters)

  Reuters - Video compression software maker DivX Inc said on Monday it filed a lawsuit against Yahoo Inc for planning to end a two-year advertising services agreement.

  
  

• Adobe Will Launch Upgrades To Flash Platform (NewsFactor)

  NewsFactor - Adobe Systems is poised to launch several key enhancements to its Adobe Flash platform in San Francisco this week at its MAX 2008 conference.

• Coverity assists software architects (InfoWorld)

  InfoWorld - Coverity is shipping its Coverity Architecture Analyzer software to help software architects ensure that their intended designs are implemented.

• Norway encourages use of open source software (AP)

  AP - Norway pledged funds Monday to stimulate public sector use of the free open source software OpenOffice to reduce its dependency on Microsoft Corp. and other major software producers.

• ARM, Adobe collaborate on mobile Web browsing (Reuters)

  Reuters - Software maker Adobe Systems and chip designer ARM Holdings will collaborate to bring better Web services to ARM-powered devices including cellphones from most of the world's biggest handset makers.

• Adobe bolsters streaming Flash (InfoWorld)

  InfoWorld - Adobe Systems is adding dynamic streaming, which adjusts to the bandwidth rate on the desktop, and DVR capability to its Flash Media Server for streaming of Flash content.

• Ex-Tech billionaire gets 9 years for stock fraud (AP)

  AP - A flashy Las Vegas entrepreneur who became a billionaire at the height of the dot-com bubble was sentenced Friday to nine years in prison for stock fraud, capping a seven-year investigation that led to seven convictions.

• Get ZoneAlarm Pro for Free Next Tuesday (PC Magazine)

  PC Magazine - On Tuesday, Nov. 18, Check Point Software will offer the ZoneAlarm Pro firewall/antispyware/ID protection package for free for 24 hours, a company spokeswoman said on Friday. Check Point is offering the $39.95 software for free as part of a birthday celebration. We have the link.