Coop's Scoop: The 'Love' bug nebbish and other tales of woe

It took a while, but Philippine authorities, who have made such a mess of this investigation, finally have a suspect in the "Love" bug case. Actually, they have four suspects -- and counting. Who knows how many more people they'll corral before nailing the guilty party. Meanwhile, the big question du jour remains how these nebbishes outwitted defenses developed at great expense by supposed security experts. The software security firms failed miserably, and I'm not at all confident in their ability to withstand the Big Test, whenever that one arrives. In the meantime, leave your seatbelts fastened. You'll find the last word in loves and bugs at www.zdnet.com/zdnn/special/lovebites.html. ...

The Department of Justice will have an opportunity -- yes, folks, another one! -- to file a rebuttal to Microsoft's proposed remedies, as requested by Judge Jackson. Rest assured that the government will have many kind thoughts to share about the opinions contained in the document Microsoft filed with the court this past Wednesday. If you haven't yet had your fill of this story, you can read more at www.zdnet.com/zdnn/special/msdojendgame.html.

Look for Apple to shed more details about Mac OS X as well as a multiprocessor version of its G4 computer. As an aside, the comeback of this once-forlorn PC maker is nothing short of breathtaking. Questions and challenges yet remain, but it's evidence that yes, there is life after death (or near death). Read more about what's going on at Apple at www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2567254,00.html and ZDNet's Apple/Mac page. ...

San Francisco is hosting something called the planetWorkers.com conference, which sounds like something along the lines of Greenpeace meets the Web. After the way he hopscotched on the Potemkin village that he set up to host the Webbys, maybe San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown will make a cameo performance. Hey, only in San Francisco. ...

How about this one? Tech Certification Expo 2000! Sounds like something more boring than death, but its looks as if the show conference business is alive and doing quite well, thank you. ...

Microsoft might have been right on the facts. I'm hedging because only a court can ultimately determine the legal rights and wrongs of this dispute, but it's already lost the PR battle in a row with Slashdot. Company lawyers demanded the Web site pull certain postings that they claim violated an end-user license. Call it Napster redux: Sure, there may be legal grounds for crying foul, but the technology is already out there and no judge in the world can turn back the clock.

The same goes for the row over Napster. Sure, consumers are ripping off intellectual property. But the technology is already out there. Now what?

In response to popular demand, here's my suggestion for resolving the Napster debate: Put Chuck D into a ring with Lars Ulrich of Metallica and let the guys duke it out to a decision. I put my dough on the Chuckster.

The open-source community was already suspicious about Microsoft's decision to modify the Kerberos Internet security protocol for incorporation into Windows 2000. The folks who invented the network authentication protocol can't really look with much satisfaction on "Microsoft Kerberos." To be continued.

Disney is petitioning Uncle Sam to impose what it calls "enforceable" conditions on the AOL merger with Time Warner. Unless you've been living under a rock, this one can't come as much of a surprise. Time Warner's decision to boot Disney off its cable system after contract negotiations foundered goes down as one of the dumbest business decisions since Ford developed the Edsel. And after screaming itself hoarse about opening up cable networks -- that is, before its Time Warner announcement -- AOL has to watch itself. The online giant keeps chanting the open-access mantra when confronted by reporters. A source inside the FTC -- which will ultimately decide whether this deal gets improved -- says the AOL-Time brass has a huge selling job ahead of it.

Call him Rick Santorum, the newest free spender. The Senate boy wonder is pushing a $500 tax credit for anybody who telecommutes at least 75 days per year. Sounds like a wonderful giveaway for folks like me, who would benefit handsomely. But this proposal would needlessly cost the national treasury a bundle. Bad idea all around.

And just in case you were thinking that most members of Congress were de-facto knuckleheads, hats off to the House of Representatives for voting to extend the Internet tax moratorium for another five years.

Disney seeks conditions on AOL/Time

Looking ahead to Apple's next move

MS vs. open source: New Net flap

Was 'Love' bug an accident?

Dr. Dre to deliver names to Napster

Microsoft to judge: Yes ... but

Did security makers fail their big test?

Gerstner: Y2K hangover is history

Time Warner sends regrets over spat