David Adams Archive

Todd Blanchard has just released ObjectiveCLIPS (), a new open source project for Cocoa development on Mac OS X. ObjectiveCLIPS combine Cocoa and Core Data together with CLIPS (the original NASA's artificial intelligence engine) and F-Script, a high-level scripting language for Cocoa. Now, Cocoa developers can design rule-based applications around their Core Data object models. The inference engine can reason about rules and apply them when needed. ObjectiveCLIPS is easily embeddable in applications.

Security vendors have reported several new variants of the worm infecting PCs running Microsoft's Windows 2000 operating system. Groups of virus writers are competing to cause the most damage, according to one security company, although the worm appears less severe than some first feared.

One of the weaknesses of biometric security systems is that you can't just replace your finger or your eye if someone figures out how to compromise the system, like you can with a password. IBM researchers have applied more sophisticated cryptographic theory to the problem, providing a way to "construct a kind of technological screen separating a user's actual biological identification information from the records stored in profile databases."

The most recent Mac OS X security update from Apple Computer includes a glitch that prevents users from running 64-bit applications on the company's new Tiger operating system, AppleInsider has confirmed.

In Virginia, patrons waiting in line to buy county school surplus iBooks for $50 started a riot when the doors opened, with an old man getting trampled, people crushing a baby stroller, and someone trying to run people down with his car. One iBook hopeful admitted that he used his folding chair as a weapon to fight off people who were trying to cut in line. Take a lesson from Steve Jobs, Henrico County: make them a little more expensive, and prevent the bloodshed. (Editor's note for the humor-impaired: no, I don't really think Macs are too expensive. I'm making fun of people who do)

An intrepid hacker has got Windows 95 running on a Sony Playstation Portable. The PSP uses a MIPS R4000 CPU and Windows is actually running emulated on Bochs, so it's probably not that useable, and it's no substitute for the ongoing effort to get Linux running natively on the Sony gaming handheld.

As part of our OSNews v3 project, we have a framework in place that would allow registered users to not only comment on existing stories and suggest stories for OSNews editors, but also post their own thoughts on their own personal pages and allow others to comment on them. Read more to learn about some ideas we've had, and to give your feedback and suggestions. Most of all, we'd like to know whether this is functionality you'd be interested in using.

Read a long review titled "Mandrake Revisited: A Lycoris user revisits the OS he left years earlier". On a separate note, Linux Format issue 70 presents a Gaël Duval interview.

The CEO of cluster software vendor Scali takes issue with Microsoft's clustering options. Scali is demonstrating a new, major upgrade to its Scali Manage and Scali MPI Connect suites at next week's LinuxWorld Conference & Expo.

For those of you who just can't get enough Mighty Mouse news, here are a couple of tidbits: An intrepid tinkerer bought a MM, only to take it apart for all the internet to see. Also, WSJ tech oracle Walt Mossberg takes a look at the MM and compares it to Microsoft's latest Mouse offering. His verdict? "Stop the presses: Microsoft has beaten Apple on hardware design, at least in this one case."

OfB is reporting that, contrary to widely-published and discussed rumors, Apple is not including the controversial Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip in its Intel-based Macs. An anonymous registered Apple developer claims that the Apple x86 test boxes do not have DRM or TCPA components. Developers are forbidden from discussing the units by the nondisclosure agreements they've signed with Apple. so they've been unable to counter the rumors.

A Microsoft customer was so eager to get a beta of Longhorn that he FedEx'ed two pounds of inscribed chocolate to one of Microsoft's test managers. Yes, he did get the invitation and the chocolate was sent to the Longhorn shiproom for everyone to enjoy.

The iPod, more than any other single product from Apple, has changed the company and the world. Before its introduction MP3 players were the realm of small companies with limited budgets and no content. After the iPod the entire industry has evolved and grown to the point where the largest computer companies in the world have major interests in the digital music industry. Read the history of the iPod at Braeburn.

Konfabulator, the application whose concept was "borrowed" for the Mac OS X Tiger Dashboard system (and yes, we know that Konfabulator itself was inspired by many other apps, including Apple's Desktop Accessories), has been acquired by Yahoo and is now available for free. Download it from their website.