W.I.L. Tech-News Highlights for H1 August 2004

Hardware

Systems

AnandTech buyer’s guides for August -- entry level system.

Monarch’ Hornet Pro SFF with PCI Express, DDR2 has ultra attractive case design with multiple color arrangements, and the prebuilt system is plenty fast -- review.

The Official DOOM 3 Hardware Guide -- link. Doom 3 -- review.

Most reliable systems are those built by do-it-yourselfers, according to survey -- link.

Does a laptop have the pipes to be the nerve center of a mobile recording studio? -- link.

How to build a low cost (and quiet) Linux desktop computer -- link.

Hush’s ATX silent PC is silent, stylish ... and not cheap -- review. Discussion here.

Via’s EPIA ME6000 is an inexpensive, easy to set up integrated Mini-ITX solution -- review.

CPUs/motherboards/chipsets

AnandTech’s August CPUs and motherboard price guides -- here.

Will multicores save the game for Intel and AMD? -- link.

AMD and Intel update CPU Roadmaps -- link.

Sun shows brilliance with motherboard setup of new Sun Java Workstation W2100z -- link.

When does Doom 3 need a fast CPU? -- link.

Motherboard-maker Epox product manager says adopt 64-bit or perish -- link.

Linux Shootout: Opteron 150 vs. Xeon 3.6 Nocona -- review.

-- AMD

AMD frags Intel in Doom III -- link.

AMD aims to expand server market share -- link.

Which nForce3-250 chipset-based motherboards have on-chip LAN? -- link.

Athlon 64 chipsets performance analyzed. Performance differences are small at best -- link.

Athlon 64 3000+, budget gamer’s perspective. Main downside is limited upgrade path as the move to Socket-939 progresses -- link. Discussion here.

AMD’s latest Sempron processors emerge in retail -- link.

AMD has begun revenue shipments of 90nm processors and will begin larger scale output next month, claims analyst -- link 1, link 2.

AMD takes the leading role in digital content creation -- link.

AMD targets quad-core microprocessors for 2007 (and double-core in H2 2005) -- link.

-- Intel

Get aboard the PCI Express: Intel’s latest chipsets offer a fast new bus, DDR2 memory, and better graphics -- link.

Intel’s LGA775 socket explored -- Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV.

Intel’s LGA775 Pentium4 CPU -- review.

Intel develops more advanced tools which will enable it to print circuits with feature sizes as small as 30nm -- link.

Fastest Pentium 4 platform: performance of Intel’s i925, i915, i875 and i865 chipsets with DDR2-533, DDR2-400, DDR533 and DDR400 SDRAM. The first feeling the new chipsets provoke is that of disappointment -- link.

There have been a staggering 265 versions of the Pentium 4 in its different packagings -- link.

Dell and Intel develop serious differences -- link. Intel gets strangely quiet about the competition from AMD -- link. It is time for Intel to stop kneejerking about -- link.

New Gateway PC chassis uses Intel’s BTX reference design for improving airflow to dissipate heat from new Pentium 4’s -- link.

5 new motherboards based on the latest 925X chipset -- roundup.

Intel’s prototype 90-nanometer radio chip promises more power than current CMOS technology -- link.

-- Other

IBM POWER5 performance brief here.

Ibase makes miniITX board for Transmeta 1GHz chip -- link.

PowerPC on Apple: An architectural history -- Part I.

Graphics

The fastest graphics cards of Summer 2004 -- link.

Performance preview of the Doom III game -- link.

ATI introduces new professional graphics card for workstations -- link.

nVidia’s Geforce 6600 (aka NV43) specs exposed -- link 1, link 2. nVidia proclaims new chip “The Doom III GPU” -- link. nVidia 6600 series chips for sub-$200 cards examined -- link.

SIGGRAPH (Special Interest Group Graphics) 2004: High-end graphics galore! -- link.

eVGA’s GeForce FX 5700 Personal Cinema is nipping at ATI’s All-in-Wonder heels -- review.

ATI’s HDTV Wonder is a $200 PCI card that brings over-the-air HDTV to your computer -- link.

Memory, storage

Five new DDR400 2-2-2 memories compared -- link.

AnandTech’s lastest optical and magnetic storage price guide is out -- link.

Topline SATA hard drives from Hitachi, Seagate, Western Digital -- roundup.

Hard drives get faster, smarter: NCQ technology allows drives to prioritize a PC’s data requests -- link.

Toshiba unveils 1.8” 60GB hard drive -- link 1, link 2.

Latest DVD burners reach 16X -- link.

Blu-ray DVD format details emerge -- link 1, link 2.

Plextor’s latest DVD burner, the PX712SA, harnesses the SATA interface -- review.

Sony’s DRU-540A is their entry the 12x DVD burn speed stakes -- review.

16 CompactFlash memory cards roundup: Professional photographer’s best choice -- link.

Breakthrough nanotechnology will bring 100 terabyte 3.5-inch digital data storage disks in 3 to 5 years -- link.

Miscellaneous components and periferals

Vantec Ion2 power supply is virtually silent in normal use -- review.

Calibrate your display to get the highest-quality picture -- how to guide.

Sharp launches “3D” LCD screen -- link. How it works -- link.

Selecting a TFT LCD monitor for gaming -- link.

ASUS’s GigaX1108 gigabit ethernet switch -- review.

“How TiVo proves you’re not a terrorist...” -- link.

Operating Systems

The 64-bit desktop situation analyzed -- link.

Virtual machine shootout: VMware vs. Virtual PC -- link.

E/OS, a graphic operating system which can execute programs from Windows, Mac, OS/2, DOS, and Linux, releases version 0.2.4 -- link.

Linux, Unixes

Linux.com’s “CLI Magic” series continues -- Aptify your CDs. Series index here.

Bash 3.0 released -- link.

Is the Linux kernel too bloated? -- link.

FVWM window manager still alive and well -- link.

Mini-report from LinuxWorld Expo Day 1 -- link. Linux World is more like VMware world -- link.

Linux laptops, migration tools, and additions to the open-source community highlight LinuxWorld Expo -- link. LinuxWorld in pictures -- link. Impressions of LinuxWorld August 2004 -- link.

Five Points for KDE to pay attention to -- link.

Notes from the 2004 Ottawa Linux Symposium -- link.

Linux desktop viability myths exploded -- link. Discussion here.

Another look at the new Linux kernel development model -- link.

Linux Journal Editors Choice Awards have been announced -- link.

Linux gets a bit thinner -- link.

Miguel de Icaza interviewed -- link.

Moving to Linux: Kiss the Blue Screen of Death Goodbye! -- book review.

Linux kernel 2.4.27 Released -- link. Kernel 2.6.8.1 is out -- link.

KDE founder, Lyx creator, Trolltech employee Matthias Ettrich interviewed -- link.

KDE’s Waldo Bastian on Kiosk and the Linux desktop -- link.

Gnome tips article -- link. Customizing Gnome -- how to guide.

A Practical Guide to Red Hat Linux -- book review.

Linux could finally pry the PC market from Microsoft’s grasp -- link 1, link 2.

“Migrating users” changing the face of the Linux community -- link.

Linux can save your data -- link.

Securing a new Linux installation -- link.

First look at GraphOn Go-Global 3, which allows you to run published Win32 applications on Linux -- link.

Linux Standard Base 2.0 and C++ -- link.

What is to come in the (Linux) software market? -- link.

BSDs, other Unixes

Behind DragonFly BSD -- link. DragonFly BSD 1.0A is a strong start (but is rough around the edges) -- link.

OpenBSD 3.5 -- review.

Differentiating among BSD distros -- link.

Two technical BSD books reviewed -- link.

On the viability of Cygwin in a production environment -- link.

Setting up XDarwin 4.4 with KDE -- link.

Windows and DOS

The years Mike Magee has spent installing Microsoft Windows -- link.

Microsoft reinvents desktop graphics in Windows Longhorn -- link.

Windows XP Service Pack 2 arrives -- link 1, link 2. Discussion here.

Slipstreaming (i.e., integrating) Windows XP SP2 into Windows 2000/XP/2003 systems and Bootable CD Guide -- link.

Why Windows isn’t quite ready for the desktop -- link.

Why can’t we get a slimmer Windows XP? -- link. WinXP Starter Edition: Spinning an ecosystem from crippleware -- link. Discussion here.

WinXP SP2: stop moaning and get downloading -- link. Steer away from Win XP Starter Edition? -- link. XP SP2 receives mixed marks from IT pros -- link. Windows XP SP2 impressions -- link. Hunt for XP SP2 flaws seen in full swing -- link.

Taking the Microsoft Rorschach test -- link.

Mac

Apple CEO Steve Jobs goes through a comprehensive grilling session -- link.

Mac OS X 10.3.5 released -- link.

Mac OS X 10.4 “Tiger” to add OpenGL enhancements, PDF Kit, SQLite -- link.

The inside scoop on the O’Reilly Mac OS X Conference -- link.

Other OS’s

Syllable, the little OS with a big future -- link. Discussion here. July issue of Syllable Development Newsletter is out -- link 1, link 2.

SkyOS adds GTK+ applications. July edition of SkyNews Monthly is available -- link.

eComStation 1.2 available -- link.

Applications

SpinRite 6.0 works on all Windows file formats, DOS FAT and Linux -- review.

Plug OpenOffice.org into PostgreSQL -- link.

New $299 AOL PC features Open Source software -- link. OpenOffice.org team cautiously optimistic on AOL Office -- link.

New version of Symantec Norton Ghost draws from acquired former rival Drive Image, plus adds new features (that True Image from Acronis already had) -- link.

PostgreSQL 8.0.0 officially goes beta, taking three giant steps into Enterprise DBMS territory -- link. Discussion here.

PostgreSQL wins Linux Journal editor’s choice award -- link.

TheOpenCD 1.4.1, Software Freedom Day Special Edition, released -- link.

Firefox 0.9.3, Thunderbird 0.7.3, and Mozilla 1.7.2 security-fix releases are out -- link.

What are the OCR program options these days? -- link.

Online replacements for desktop apps? -- link.

Doom 3 is a well-crafted, accessible testament to the power and promise of technology to create a new medium that puts players directly at the center of an experience, and there ain’t nothing vicarious about it -- link.

Programming

Free online interactive SQL tutorial available here. More advanced SQL topics covered here.

O’Reilly Open Source Conference (OSCON) coverage -- Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Final Day. O’Reilly’s OSCON coverage page here.

OpenGL 2.0 launched with built-in shader language -- link. Architecture Review Board finalizes OpenGL 2.0 -- link.

“Building The Next Generation” -- Part 4: Usability

James Gosling, creator of Java, interviewed -- link. Discussion here.

Modeling hierarchies in SQL -- link.

Graphical user interface

Easy GUIs for (Java) Swing applications and web portlets with AUIML -- link.

How to build Java GUIs simply and quickly using the IBM Reflexive User Interface Builder -- link.

Text is best for website accessibility, but not for the majority of users -- link.

XML on the Web has failed -- link.

PHP-GTK 1.0.1 released -- link.

C/C++/Java family

How Not to Program in C++ -- book review.

Groovy, a Java-like scripting language -- link 1, link 2.

The case for open source Java -- link.

The “return” of Java discussed -- link. Discussion here..

Scripting and high-level languages

The PHP Anthology reviewed -- Volume I, “Foundations”; Volume II, “Applications”.

Rasmus Lerdorf, PHP Guru, interviewed -- link.

PHP on the Command Line -- Part 1, Part 2.

PHP debugging basics -- link.

“The Python Paradox”, by Paul Graham -- link. Discussion here.

Version 3.2.4 of DrPython, a Python language IDE, has been released -- link.

Exploring E4X (a new standard for XML access in ECMAScript/JavaScript) with Ruby -- link.

Security & Privacy

Anonymous P2P with Open Source program MUTE -- link.

Inside SSH -- Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

Security consultants join with hackers to learn how to be the first to find Web server flaws -- link.

Blackhat Briefings: It’s the stupidity, stupid -- link.

The Blackhat/DEFCON 12 security conferences are over. DEFCON 12 opening day summary here. DEFCON 12 summary here. Blackhat/DEFCON final report here.

U.S. terror alert becomes political football -- link.

What, me register? -- link. Why trust registration data? -- link.

Feds seeking a few good hackers -- link.

Building plans, models, contact information, and more are shown on Web sites of some potential terrorist targets -- link.

Computer Security for the Home and Small Office -- book review.

The War on Cyberterror: Here are four ways we must protect the electronic frontier -- link.

Long-awaited IE patch (finally) arrives -- link.

Slashdot readers advise small business sysadmin on how to deal with intruders -- link.

Microsoft firewall could be security risk -- link 1, link 2.

Replace and disable Internet Explorer now -- how to guide.

Porn blogs manipulate Google -- link. Google-hack porno blog spam turns nasty -- link.

Miscellaneous

Merry Bloggers set out on “Segway across America” trek -- link.

Media manhunt over Manhunt game misses the whole point -- link.

Why games matter -- link.

Business

How the 18-34 male is reinventing advertising -- link.

The curse of IT specialization -- link.

South Korean company buys Lycos for $105 million (rather less than the $12.5 billion Terra paid near the height of the Internet boom) -- link.

Auction eBay stores promise to take the hassle out of getting some cash for your old gear -- link.

The decline and fall of the Wintel empire -- link.

BusinessWeek assesses Intel’s recent problems -- link.

Dice.com says Linux jobs growing; certification rarely required -- link.

eBay buys into Craigslist -- link. Craig Newmark interviewed -- link.

Why innovation and hoarding intellectual property do not mix -- link.

The Pixies say no to record company, focus on touring -- link.

Net publishing made profitable with quick-to-market e-books -- link.

The Internet

Internet radio, without drudgery, courtesy of Last.fm -- link.

Online network works to identify John/Jane Does and track missing persons -- link.

5-year-old group hosts Web-based competitions in which architects, designers submit plan proposals for sites around the world affected by war, disease or natural disaster -- link.

Search engines get personal -- link.

Letter from 47 attorney generals tells peer-to-peer sites to stop porn-trading and copyright violations -- link.

Federal Reserve to use Internet for money transfer -- link.

Science

Robots, robots everywhere. One-task robots are already here, and the race is on to come up with “substitute humans” -- link.

Human powered helicopter designed by students at the University of British Columbia -- link. Human-powered helicopter fails to lift off -- link.

Expert warns of giant tidal waves rolling across the Atlantic -- link.

University researchers “print” living tissue using standard printers filled with “bio-ink” -- link.

Laser-etched dots with vehicle i.d. numbers make it difficult to “re-birth” cars or sell cannibalized parts -- link.

Human replicas used in medical training getting more advanced -- link.

Nanotech aids efficient hydrogen production from water -- link.

Telecommunications

Open source helps power VoIP popularity -- link.

Here come malicious VoIP hackers -- link.

VoIP provider incidents call into question whether it is reliable enough to risk ditching traditional landline service -- link.

VoIP service, hardware evolves. Outstanding issues remain -- link.

FCC moves to excise some spam messages from wireless devices, and approves 13 technologies to work with the new “broadcast flag” protections planned for digital TV signals -- link.

Citywide Wi-Fi supports Michigan city services, boaters, and visitors with VoIP as well as data -- link.

SIPphone: Internet telephony made easy -- review.

VoIP terms of service may surprise you -- link.

Cox turns up the speed, slashes prices -- link.

More VoIP problems -- link.