Monthly Archive:: January 2012

InfoWorld's Galen Gruman provides an in-depth comparison of the four major smartphone platforms in business environments. Vetted for business connectivity, application support, Web browsing, and security and management are the Apple iPhone 4S (iOS 5), Samsung Focus S (Windows Phone 7.5), Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Android 4), Motorola Photon 4G (Android 2.3), and RIM BlackBerry Bold 9900 (BlackBerry OS 7). And while the iPhone 4S leads the way based on the test bench's criteria, organizations can re-weight criteria to find which smartphone best meets their distinct needs.

So, this one slipped by completely undetected late last year (no, I don't grow tired of saying that). CNet reported that Google, Amazon, Facebook, and similarly large, anti-SOPA companies are mulling over the option of taking their websites off the air to replace them with an anti-SOPA message, asking users to contact their elected officials.

InfoWorld's Neil McAllister takes a look at 10 cutting-edge programming languages, "each of which approaches the art of software development from a fresh perspective, tackling a specific problem or a unique shortcoming of today's more popular languages. Some are mature projects, while others are in the early stages of development. Some are likely to remain obscure, but any one of them could become the breakthrough tool that changes programming for years to come - at least, until the next batch of new languages arrives."

"Of all the ways you might have imagined Microsoft screwing up, 'making something fantastic' is probably last on the list. As every business student will tell you, the first and most important step to success is making a quality product. Yet, Microsoft seem to have found themselves in the very strange situation of making something very good - their mobile platform, Windows Phone - and actually doing worse than before. Even more confusing, however, is that it might be Microsoft's commitment to finally get it right this time that has hurt them. And somewhere in this mess, there are a number of lessons for some very new challenges to businesses."

Late last year, president Obama signed a law that makes it possible to indefinitely detain terrorist suspects without any form of trial or due process. Peaceful protesters in Occupy movements all over the world have been labelled as terrorists by the authorities. Initiatives like SOPA promote diligent monitoring of communication channels. Thirty years ago, when Richard Stallman launched the GNU project, and during the three decades that followed, his sometimes extreme views and peculiar antics were ridiculed and disregarded as paranoia - but here we are, 2012, and his once paranoid what-ifs have become reality.

We're looking at two alternative operating systems hitting updates. MenuetOS, the operating system written entirely in assembly, hit version 0.98.27. Meanwhile, FreeDOS 1.1 has hit final.