Software

Deputies elected to the French National Assembly in the next legislative session will find open-source software on the desktop PCs provided for their use.

Security experts at Secunia are warning of a "highly critical" security vulnerability that affects Mac OS X.

Microsoft is partnering with managed hosting companies to set up "incubation centres" that will offer services to ISVs (independent software vendors) to help them adapt their applications and business models to the software-as-a-service (SAAS) model.

Microsoft has no plans to add a controversial Windows Vista antipiracy feature directly to its Office 2007 suite, but will consider offering it as an add-on system, the company said.

Novell Inc. on Monday distanced itself from comments last week by Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer that the Linux operating system infringes on Microsoft patents, although the two companies said that their recently-unveiled alliance remains intact.

In comments confirming the open-source community's suspicions, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer declared his belief that the Linux operating system infringes on Microsoft's intellectual property.

Google's YouTube signed a contract with the National Hockey League (NHL) to offer game highlights, the latest deal struck by the video sharing sensation as it attempts to stamp out pirated clips from its site and avoid copyright lawsuits.

Hackers have posted code that could be used to target Microsoft's Windows operating system in a worm attack.