Stories by James Niccolai

Oracle to release free database

Oracle plans to release a free version of its database by the end of the year, in a move to compete more effectively at the low end of the market.

'HAL 9000' deleted 1 million UK tax records

The U.K.'s Inland Revenue department accidentally deleted almost 1 million taxpayer records from the years 1997 to 2000 because of an error in the way it maintained its databases, according to a report published Thursday.

Kazaa loses copyright case in Australia

In a win for the music business, a judge in Australia has ruled that the operators of the Kazaa file-sharing network authorized the widespread violation of copyright works. He ordered that significant changes be made to how the Kazaa service works.

AMD asks Intel for a dual-core duel

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has challenged Intel to a public fight to see which company has the best-performing 64-bit dual-core server processors.

IDC sees healthy IT growth through 2009

The days of double-digit growth may be over, but an uptick in spending by the media, communications and health-care industries will help to keep worldwide IT spending growing at a healthy clip through 2009, according to IDC.

Microsoft settles with 'Spam King' for $10 million

Microsoft has settled a lawsuit that it filed two years ago against the self-proclaimed "King of Spam", Scott Richter, who at one time helped distribute more than 38 billion unsolicited emails per year, Microsoft said on Tuesday.

Mozilla creates money-making subsidiary

The Mozilla Foundation, which distributes the open source Firefox Web browser, has created a corporate subsidiary to support its money-making activities and help widen the use of its products, it announced on Wednesday.

US requests more info on Adobe's Macromedia acquisition

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has requested more information from Adobe Systems Inc. and Macromedia Inc. before it will sign off on their planned US$3.4 billion merger agreement announced in April, the companies said.

German ERP upstart eyes European expansion

A small German ERP vendor has laid out an ambitious plan, including a partnership with a local IBM subsidiary, to capture a bigger slice of the European midmarket. But the software upstart will have to fend off rivals including SAP and Microsoft

Court rules against Lexmark in printer case

Lexmark International has suffered a setback in its bid to use the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to prevent other companies from making low-cost, refurbished toner cartridges for its printers.

Judge wants nothing under wraps in Oracle decision

Three weeks after the trial phase ended in the US government's suit to block Oracle from buying PeopleSoft, the judge presiding over the case continues to grill both sides as to why documents and testimony filed under seal should be kept confidential.

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