"Microsoft has compromised with security vendors who've been demanding access to the kernel of the upcoming Vista operating system so that they can update their security offerings, two analysts confirmed Friday. Following conversations with the European Union, Microsoft will make two security-related changes to Vista. First, it will create a new set of APIs, which will let third-party security vendors access information from the kernel. Microsoft will also build additional APIs to make sure Vista's security status dashboard - Windows Security Center - doesn't send duplicate alerts to users who have installed a rival dashboard."

"Arno Klenke has completed the first version of a new audio framework for Syllable. The new system is inspired by ALSA, which makes it more Object Oriented, streams oriented and more flexible. Parts of the stream handling have been 'pushed up' into user-space as part of the media server. The first version supports Intel ICH and Via VT82xx AC'97 chipsets and the new HD-Audio standard."

"Throughout the 1990's, Microsoft established families of integrated products that all contributed toward a successful platform, with many parallels to what Apple is doing today. Despite the two companies' very different motivations, products, and markets, both shared many common threads. Here's a look at how the two cautiously and enviously watched each other with the intent to learn from each other's actions, hoping to copy successes and avoid failures."

"Additional real-time technology will be incorporated into the mainline Linux kernel starting with version 2.6.18, TimeSys reports. The real-time support, which previously had to be installed as kernel patches, was developed in part by TimeSys senior open source developer Thomas Gleixner, the company says. Gleixner was the main author of Linux's hrtimer (high-resolution timer) subsystem, and has been a major contributor to Ingo Molnar's real-time preemption patch. The changelog for the 2.6.18 kernel reflects the addition of 136 patches authored by Gleixner, along with 143 from Molnar, who works for Red Hat."

The proposed design for Voyager, which aims to become an OS/2 replacement, is now available. "Voyager is the codename for the idea of having a replacement OS/2 on top of modern technology. This idea is the result of around 1.5 years of thinking a lot about what we can do in the future as current OS/2 and eComStation users. Note that it's absolutely impossible to convey what we plan to do in a few sentences. I made a speech on it at Warpstock Europe 2005 that, by itself, took 1.5 hours so you get the point." Read the Voyager FAQ to understand what it actually is and aims to become.

"Sooner or later, people will do most of their reading on portable digital devices. If this horrifies you, then worry not: You have some time. But if you're impatient for the paperless future, you can embrace it now. Sony has introduced the USD 350,- Reader e-book and the 10000-title, big-publishing house backed Connect e-book store. The one-time consumer-electronics superpower clearly hopes the pair will become something of an iPod + iTunes for books."