Zero-Day Word Exploit Making the Rounds
by Alex Woodie

A critical flaw in Microsoft Word 2000 is being actively exploited to enable hackers to take full control of effected Windows 2000 machines. Symantec, which reported the flaw first on Sunday, says the exploit requires users to open a maliciously crafted Word document, a route of infection that will keep the vulnerability from being exploited by a worm. Microsoft's next round of patches is due in less than a week, but will that give the vendor enough time to fix the problem? READ MORE >

Microsoft Releases Windows Vista RC1, New OS Pricing
by Alex Woodie

As expected, Microsoft this week announced the availability of Windows Vista Release Candidate 1 (RC1), a near-final version of the company's new operating system. Microsoft has not yet opened the floodgates to allow public testing of Vista, but says it expects the RC1 release to be downloaded by 5 million people in the weeks to come. The company also provided a glimpse into Vista pricing, which doesn't differ much from what was disclosed by Amazon.com last week. READ MORE >

Intel to Cut 10,500 Jobs to Save $6 Billion
by Alex Woodie

Intel said Tuesday it plans to cut 10,500 jobs, or 10 percent of its workforce, by the middle of next year as part of a restructuring plan to trim $6 billion in costs over the next three years. The move is expected to boost Intel's profitability as it continues its battle with rival chip maker AMD to retain supremacy in the X64 and X86 market. READ MORE >

Does the Size of Your IT Supplier Really Matter?
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

Numbers matter to people. There are symbolic floors and ceilings, expressed as numbers, that delineate what most of us consider the proper bounds to reality or significant milestones. Think of Dow 10,000, or the turn of the millennium, or a 25th wedding anniversary, or breaking the 10-second barrier for the 100-meter dash, or pushing through the sound barrier. Moreover, disasters magnify with increasing numbers by more than you might think possible--if you weren't human, that is. We rank the events and the things in our lives by numbers, and in many cases, the changing numbers change our behavior. Even if it is not always logical. READ MORE >