Use an illegal app copy and wipe your PDA device clean?

Wireless 74 Comments
Anton Tomov distributes a number of capable programs for the Windows Mobile platform including Pocket Hackmaster and Pocket Mechanic. It appears that Mr. Tomov recently distributed an update to the Pocket Mechanic program that includes some 'malicious' anti-piracy code. The program apparently detects if the executed program is a legally licensed one and if not it erases your entire Windows Mobile device by hard-resetting it. It has reportedly wiped out a removable storage card, too. Update: Anton Tomov disregarded this report in a private email as "nonsense" and as "a campaign led by a couple of people who are trying to hurt the perfect reputation of my name and the quality of the products I write".
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The future of Visual C++, Part I

General Development 20 Comments
C++ is the language that most of Microsoft's big-name products are developed in and one of the most widely-used languages in the world. Charles Torre and Scoble interview Herb Sutter, architect on the Visual C++ team, in two parts. First part is up today, second tomorrow, which includes a small tour of the team. In this segment Herb talks about some of the language and compiler changes that are coming in the next version of Visual C++ and where C++ fits into the managed code revolution.
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Ubuntu “Hoary Hedgehog” Live: Beta be good

  Submitted by Jeff Waugh Ubuntu 57 Comments
The community's new candidate for the poster child distribution, Ubuntu, recently unveiled the Live CD of its second version code-named "Hoary Hedgehog". Meant for people who like to be on the bleeding edge (and can live with the few odd bugs), Hoary might not be the distro for the virgin Linux user. But that's just one argument against a dozen which shout "Grandma use Hoary", says the review. Elsewhere, Guadalinex will use Ubuntu as its base for version 2005.
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New technology wave about to break – Bill Gates

  Submitted by danjr Microsoft 40 Comments
Money certainly isn't everything. But when you’ve worth nearly $50-billion it tends to alter prejudices. In person, Bill Gates might still be a living example of the Super Nerd - gangly, bespectacled, and hugely intelligent with only the pocket protector missing. But unlike most other geeks, when Gates talks, everybody listens. Elsewhere, In an effort to boost sales of Windows, Microsoft has its sights set on its nearest competitor.
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Becoming a Debian developer

Debian 16 Comments
So you want to be a Debian developer? You're not the only one. Preparing software packages for the distribution, writing documentation, and testing a release are all endless, thankless tasks. Yet, at any given time, hundreds have applied to do them. However, before candidates are trusted with such tasks, they have to prove not only their programming skills, but also their understanding of Debian processes and philosophy. The process takes months, and there are few exceptions.
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Handheld market free fall continues

Wireless 40 Comments
The global handheld market continued to slide in 2004, with shipments slipping to below 10 million for the first time since 1999, according to a new IDC report. Update: The German division of T-Mobile today unveiled the latest addition to its venerable line of Windows Mobile based communicators, the MDA IV, with a swiveling VGA display and a 520 MHz Intel XScale. It offers not only GSM, GPRS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, but also adds support for WCDMA-based 3G. It will also include two integrated cameras, as well as a unique swiveling screen concept. The device can either be used laptop-style with both its screen and integrated thumbboard accessible, or tablet-style with only its screen accessible.
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