Intel strips ''gigahertz'' from computer chip names

Submitted by Karthik on 24 March, 2004 - 00:30

A report in Reuters states that Intel have decided to stop using speed as the sole marketing weapon in it's arsenal, and are going to be introducing "families" of products based on series/model numbers instead.

Intel's new model numbers give each Intel processor brand a series number. Within desktop computer chips, for instance, the low-end Celeron chip will be given the 300 series, the high-end Pentium 4 will be given the 500 series label, and its Pentium 4 Extreme Edition will be given the 700 series.

Within each series, a higher number -- a 350 series versus a 330 series, for example -- will signify a broader array of features in the chip.

Prepare yourself to be inundated with new marketing jargon and a million TLAs..

VSNL buys Dishnet's ISP unit for Rs. 270 crore

Submitted by Karthik on 24 March, 2004 - 00:18

ZDNet has a story on VSNL's buy-out of Chennai based Dishnet DSL. Besides, DSL broadband, Dishnet also provides standard dial-up connections. More information on the company can be found here

Dishnet gives VSNL access to customers in 38 cities and 200 towns as also over 600 Dishnet owned and franchised cybercafes. VSNL will also now cover dial-up services in 20 additional locations over it existing 30 locations.

Having experienced their shoddy service personally, I'm not surprised to learn that this was a "slump" sale. However, I do hope that "acquisition of all employees of Dishnet's ISP division" was a typo :S

Windows XP out in Hindi!

Submitted by Karthik on 23 March, 2004 - 23:46

After the availability of Microsoft Office in Hindi, it's time for Windows XP to be released with a Hindi interface.

According to Rajiv Kaul, Managing Director, Microsoft Corporation, "Windows and Office in Hindi, will together improve accessibility of information technology for a broader section of society, helping bridge the digital divide. ''

Titled "Project Bhasha", Microsoft have also developed a website to help spread the message, and cater to the needs of the developer.

Linux support for local languages have also been under development for some time now. IndLinux is currently looking for volunteers. You don't really need to be tech-savvy to be of help :) Tamillinux is another associated project that's been receiving attention.

New TLDs on the horizon

Submitted by Karthik on 22 March, 2004 - 09:27

ZDNet reports that the Internet's real estate may soon be expanding, with the proposed addition of up to nine new top-level domains, including .jobs, .xxx, .travel and .mail.

Ten organizations have submitted detailed proposals to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for the rights to sell the potentially lucrative domain-name suffixes.

With porn being such a touchy issue, I can see the .xxx domain being completely banned by all schools, universities, and even entire countries... for about 1 day, before the porn kings find a loophole somewhere to get it happening anyways :S

An earlier article can also be found here.

Intelligent image compression technology for JPEG2000

Submitted by Karthik on 22 March, 2004 - 07:21

Technology Review reports [Free reg. required] on a new intelligent image compression technology being developed (and available for licensing) by Xerox.

“Xerox is licensing its core technology for the Mixed-Raster Content Imaging model (MRC). The MRC imaging model is a central component of current and emerging standards for the communication of rasterized documents: ITU T.44 (MRC), T.37 (Internet Fax), JPEG2000, and JBIG2. The MRC imaging model represents a document as three "layers": a Foreground plane, a Mask plane and a Background plane. By distributing the image content according to type across these three layers, we can optimally represent a rasterized document.”

More information on how it actually works, can be found here.

American IT workers sue for unemployment benefits

Submitted by Karthik on 21 March, 2004 - 22:41

The Economic Times reports on the latest saga in the outsourcing debate. "A group of 35 laid-off IT workers in the US are suing the US government in a class-action suit, demanding unemployment benefits on the same scale as their counterparts from the manufacturing industry.

if it goes to trial instead, a verdict in favour of the workers will open up the sluice gates for thousands more of such claims. And a beleaguered government could in that case start looking at ways to cut down on its expenses on providing such benefits – which in turn may mean policies and legislation against the practice of sending jobs to India and other countries."

Related story: US IT CEOs innovate to hire Indians.

Dubey nominated for Whistleblower award

Submitted by Karthik on 21 March, 2004 - 22:33

Sify has an article on Satyendra Dubey, the murdered government employee, who has been nominated for the "Whistleblower of the Year Award" given out by the British human rights publication 'Index on Censorship.'

Detailed information on Satyendra Dubey and related news articles can be found on the website of the S. K. Dubey Foundation.

bodacious-tatas to ARMani.com - The Namespace Madness

Submitted by Karthik on 21 March, 2004 - 22:09

The NY Times [free registration required] has a very well written article on the current state of the domain namespace, with a nice take on cyber-squatters and trademark infringment.

"But what about Anand Ramnath Mani, a graphic artist in Vancouver, who generally abbreviates his names? He registered ARMANI.COM, bumping into a trademark owned in many countries by Giorgio Armani and his representatives, who then spent years trying to get it away from him. They finally brought WIPO proceedings, pleading that ''every day, all over the world, people which are looking for the site of the famous stylist, finds, with surprise, the site of Mr. Anand Mani in Vancouver'' -- though, in fact, Mani never bothered to put up a Web site. The panel not only rejected the complaint but also rebuked the company for a bad-faith abuse of the process."

Message: Register your name today :)

Desi sitcoms to hit American tellys

Submitted by Karthik on 20 March, 2004 - 20:33

The Daily Pioneer has a story on two Indian-based sitcoms being made for American TV stations ABC and NBC.

"While Oscar-nominated filmmaker Mira Nair is developing a television series with Carsey-Werner-Mandabach (CWM) for ABC television network about a Punjabi family living in New Jersey, Ajay Sahgal has created a television series called Never Mind Nirvana for NBC. Never Mind Nirvana is a romantic comedy about a man whose traditional Indian family moves in when he gets engaged to a white woman. The series will revolve around the adjustments and tensions in the family as they come to accept the white Caucasian woman as their bahu."

*shudder* *shudder* *shudder*

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