Net-Security: “A locally exploitable format string bug has been fixed in the code that
handles batch SMTP.”

An anonymous reader writes: “Hey, HP just announced a cool new Linux-based consumer enertainment device, reported on over at linuxdevices.com . . .

“HP will unveil a prototype of a new Linux-powered consumer music appliance at the Tech
X NY trade show in New York next week. Although the device — called the HP Digital
Entertainment Center — contains more computing power than most desktop PCs, it is
narrowly focused on being a ‘single function appliance’ in which ‘simplicity and
ease-of-use’ are high priorities, according to HP Product Manager George Prokop. ”

“The HP Digital Entertainment Center has the look and feel of a stereo receiver. Developed
by the Colorado Personal Storage Solutions Division, the source of HP’s CD-RW,
DVD+RW drives and technologies, the device is the first consumer product from that
group that is not itself a peripheral to some other device.”

Miloslav Nic writes: “Zvon has started a project of transforming RFCs to more readable form: http://zvon.org/tmRFC/RFC_share/Output/index.html.

It features:

• clickable table of contents
• RFC dependencies including the list of RFCs the current RFC is referred by
• obsoleted RFCs marked in the text with link to the currently valid

At this moment round 300 RFCs has been transformed and 20-30 are added weekly

“

The Register: “Apple has been sued for allegedly infringing a single patent in products it hasn’t
produced or sold for over three years.

The plaintiff, US-based mail handling and document processing specialist Pitney
Bowes, claims its intellectual property – the so-called ‘272 patent’ – is integral to
Apple’s LaserWriter laser printer, and was filed before Apple developed its machine.
Pitney Bowes’ patent covers “variable dot printing patent which enhances the
resolution of laser printing”, according to the company.”

LinuxJournal: “In past Linux Journal articles (in the January and February 2001 issues), Mick Bauer presented an overview of the OpenSSH project and its efforts to
build upon the Secure Shell protocols. In this article, I discuss our experience of integrating a hardware cryptographic token under Linux, using another
open-source project known as OpenSSL.”

MSNBC: “Don’t expect to see it as a sport in the Olympics any
time soon, but you’re about to see it at PC Expo. The editors of
brand-new technology trade Webzine ExtremeTech.com have
put together a contest/publicity stunt for next week’s trade show
that’s sure to get giggles, if not clicks. The Web site is hosting
an “America’s fastest geek” contest. Techies will be invited to
build a PC from its components in timed heats. The winner gets
a souped-up computer and, more important, the admiration of
fellow gearheads.”

ZDNET: “Microsoft on Wednesday introduced a campaign to market new PCs specially prepared to
run the company’s upcoming Windows XP desktop operating system.

Under a program called “Windows XP Ready PCs,” the software giant has teamed with a group
of personal computer makers–including Dell Computer, Compaq Computer, IBM and
Hewlett-Packard–to turn out machines that have all the requirements to upgrade to the new
OS.”

MSNBC: “The world’s fastest non-classified computer will soon
be attacking the energy crisis. IBM on Thursday announced it
has delivered a supercomputer to the National Energy Research
Scientific Computing Center in California. Capable of 3.8
trillion calculations per second, the computer will immediately
be put to the task of simulating combustion engines, in the hope
of creating cleaner, more fuel-efficient automobiles. The IBM
computer will also perform a host of other calculations for
researchers trying to solve a family of complex mathematical
problems sometimes called “grand challenges.”

LinuxSecurity: “Unfortunately for those running their Web servers on IIS or iPlanet, Tripwire for Web Pages is only currently available for
unix-based Apache 1.3.12+ servers, which is unfortunate given the number of recent IIS exploits. Rest assured, however,
that IIS as well as iPlanet support is planned.”

ZDNET: “Toshiba won’t be the only one,” Lehman Brothers analyst Scott Foster said. “When Japan is in
big trouble, they take long summer vacations.”