Stories by Peter Sayer

Sun Announces XML for Java Interface Specs

Sun Microsystems Inc. published details on Monday of two new interfaces to link its Java programming language to XML (Extensible Markup Language).

Stephen King's Online Novel 'The Plant' Dries Up

Author Stephen King will stop publication of his serialized, self-published horror novel The Plant after the next installment, he announced earlier this month.

Europe Keeps Ban on Software Patents -- for Now

A diplomatic conference in Munich to revise the European Patent Convention decided Tuesday to maintain a ban software patents, pending the outcome of a European Commission consultation on the matter.

Half of IT Budget Will Be Spent Outside Enterprise

The time is fast approaching when businesses will spend half their IT budget on supporting processes outside the enterprise.
They must make the transition in order to compete in a world where businesses are increasingly focusing on their core competences, analysts from Gartner Group told attendees in Cannes Monday at the company's ITxpo Europe conference.

E-Government 'Not for Governments'

Private enterprise could replace many functions of the state as governments move services and processes online, attendees at Gartner Group's European IT conference heard Monday.

Jobs Announces Mac OS X Beta, New iBooks

As expected, Apple Computer Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs used his keynote address Wednesday here at Apple Expo to announce the availability of the public beta version of Mac OS X. Jobs also introduced new additions to the company's iBook line of portable computers, and announced a faster graphics card option for the company's G4 desktop range.

Microsoft Releases Windows Millennium Edition

PARIS (09/14/2000) - Microsoft Corp. announced Thursday the release of its long-awaited Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me), the latest update of its operating system aimed at home PC users.

APPLE EXPO - Jobs announces Mac OS X beta, new iBooks

As expected, Apple Computer chief executive officer Steve Jobs used his keynote address Wednesday here at Apple Expo to announce the availability of the public beta version of Mac OS X. Jobs also introduced new additions to the company's iBook line of portable computers, and announced a faster graphics card option for the company's G4 desktop range.

Intel, Excalibur Name New Company Convera

Intel and Excalibur Technologies have chosen the name Convera for their joint venture interactive media services company, they announced Monday.

Microsoft Teams with Philips, Others on Digital TV

Software giant Microsoft used the International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam to push its Microsoft TV client-server software platform as the future of interactive digital TV, announcing agreements with a number of companies Friday.

Microsoft Partners to Push Pocket PC in France

PARIS (09/07/2000) - Microsoft Corp.'s Pocket PC platform is to get an extended push into the corporate market in France from the French subsidiary of Extended Systems Inc., the developer of XTNDConnect Server data synchronization software, the companies announced Wednesday.

Microsoft and Extended Systems SARL will collaborate to provide businesses with secure synchronization and management systems for their Pocket PC devices. The move will help corporate users reduce the total cost of ownership involved in maintaining handheld computers, the companies said in a joint statement.

XTNDConnect Server provides secure access to Microsoft Exchange Servers and ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) databases such as SQL Server, according to Extended, while a suite of remote management tools allow administrators to monitor corporate data accessible to portable devices through the Microsoft Management Console.

Pocket PC devices are set to face one more competitor in the French market. Handspring Inc. on Wednesday began online sales of a French-language version of its Visor, a rival handheld device based on Palm Inc.'s PalmOS platform.

The Visor was introduced to other European countries on May 2, but its launch in France was delayed pending the introduction of a localized version. [See "Handspring Brings Visor to Europe," May 2.]

Extended Systems Inc., in Boise, Idaho, can be reached at +1-208-322-7800, or via the Web at http://www.extendedsystems.com/. Extended Systems SARL, in Le Pont de Claix, France, is at +33-4-76-98-90-10, or at http://www.extendsys.fr/. Microsoft, in Redmond, Washington, is at +1-425-882-8080, or at http://www.microsoft.com/. Handspring, in Mountain View, California, is at +1-650-230-5000, or at http:/www.handspring.com/..