"Microsoft's DirectX application programming interface (API) was first introduced in 1995. DirectX was designed to make life easier for software developers by providing a standard platform developers could use to easily make multimedia software and game programming for the Windows Platform." More here.

"I got to install Fedora Core 6 twice yesterday, in very different contexts, and I'm so far rather pleased with the outcome of my stay in Zod-land. This, despite minor setbacks which were very much due to my requirements, and some not truly Fedora related." More here.

As Moore's Law continues to hold, IC designers are finding that they have more and more silicon real estate to play with. David Chisnall hazards some guesses as to what they might do with it.

Less than three years after emerging from nowhere, the hot social networking website MySpace is on pace to be worth a whopping $15 billion in just three more years. Or is it? And is the much smaller Facebook really worth the $900 million or more Yahoo is reported to have offered for it? The problem, say Wharton experts, is a dearth of information -- including data on expected revenue generation and cost structure -- to plug into the standard valuation models.

The Web has been rife with bogus rumors of an Apple cell phone since 2004, and each ridiculous 'leak' or faked 'photo' sets off a torrent of fruitless discussion, speculation and hysteria. What does that say about current cell phones? That they're claustrophobic and oppressively complex. That the world craves a phone that conveys, like Apple's iPod, a feeling of beauty, elegance and instantaneous mastery. This week, a cell phone matching that description has finally arrived - but it's not from Apple. Its design comes from Bang & Olufsen, maker of expensive, hyperstylish stereos and cordless phones, and its guts come from Samsung.

The NASDAQ stock exchange will not de-list Apple, as long as the company files its overdue quarterly report with the U.S. SEC, Apple said in another filing Friday. Apple - which had appealed NASDAQ's previous de-listing notice - said the exchange will allow its shares of stock to continue trading on condition that Apple files its tardy 10Q within two months. "On October 24, 2006, Apple received a written notification from the staff of The Nasdaq Stock Market stating that the Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Panel has granted the Company's request for continued listing on The Nasdaq Stock Market, subject to the condition that the Company shall file its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 1, 2006, and any required restatements, by December 29, 2006," Apple said in Friday's SEC filing.

"Most developers care about application performance. Even if speed isn't the most important attribute of their software, they certainly don't want the application to be slow. But streamlining code may seem too complex, and require skills that you don't have. Relax. While code optimization certainly is the best way to improve your application's performance, you may be overlooking another option: adjusting the settings on the .NET Framework."

If you don't like the mandatory antipiracy checks that Microsoft now enforces for Windows, brace yourself. The Microsoft Office productivity and collaboration suite is about to get a similar program. The company's Office Genuine Advantage program will require mandatory validation of Office software starting October 27, the software vendor quietly disclosed today.

"Slackware is one of the oldest (arguably *the* oldest) Linux distributions still around today. It is the pet project of one Patrick Volkerding who, love him or hate him, has ruled his distribution with an iron fist since the beginning. This is fine if you agree with his choices, but like all dictators, Patrick doesn't always make decisions based on the good of the populace, but rather sheer unmitigated ego. Here is my experience with his latest iteration, Slackware 11." More here.

"Fedora Core 6 was released on the 24th, not the 24th of December, but the 24th of October. I can't remember who said that on the Fedora IRC channel, but for him a new Fedora release was a bit like Christmas." More here.

Another review of Ubuntu 6.10: "While using Edgy Eft during the RC series and now the final version, I can say that Edgy Eft is a sweet little operating system that gets the job done. Unfortunately there isn't anything in the standard install of Edgy Eft that will make people drool with delight or think it is truly 'Edgy'. Nevertheless Ubuntu 6.10 is noteable for its solid group of features and consistent amount of polish throughout." Update: One more review, here.

The high street bank today apologised to NetSurf users for locking them out of their web bank accounts, and re-enabled their access. HSBC said it now recognises NetSurf and RISC OS, adding: "We welcome all standards compliant browsers and platforms." The move was welcomed by punters, who were amazed that a global corporation had responded positively to the needs of a niche platform.

Red Hat has officially responded to Oracle's 'Unbreakable Linux' move. "The opportunity for Linux just got bigger. Oracle's support for Linux reaffirms Red Hat's technical industry leadership and the end of proprietary Unix. It's no accident that Red Hat was chosen #1 in value two years running. Want to know what else we think? Read on." This article has more reactions.

SciTech Software recently released a public beta of SciTech SNAP Graphics for QNX Neutrino. It includes a driver for the Photon GUI environment, as well as support for running SciTech MGL and SNAP graphical console applications. Some pre-built demos are available, as well an updated release of the SNAP Graphics SDK for developers who wish to create their own applications.