Slashdot Mirror

Zonoprh writes "CNET reports that 3Com's TippingPoint division is starting a pay-for-vulnerability program called the Zero Day Initiative. It seems 3Com plans to use the vulnerabilities they purchase to fuel signatures in their protection technologies, in addition to sharing the same data with other security vendors. From the article, "Money has increasingly become an incentive for hackers. Program's such as TippingPoint's offer a legitimate way for them to get paid for their bug hunting. There is also an underground market for vulnerabilities. Cybercriminals pay top dollar for previously undisclosed flaws that they can then exploit to break into computer systems, experts have said.""

hjf asks: "Three years ago, when I got DSL, I set up a 486 box, with 8 megs and a floppy drive to run FloppyFW. It has been through a couple hardware upgrades: 16Mb RAM for running the 2.4 kernel and a 100MBit PCI NIC for the internal network. It has a little UPS which lasts for over 60 minutes. The only downtime it has is when there's a thunderstorm and I unplug it. Besides that, it has been running flawlessly since I set it up. Lately I have been kind of seduced with this product from 3Com, and other similar to it. I know it says it can handle 253 simultaneous users and all that. My home network has 4 users, but most of us run eMule and other P2P, and as many of you know, those P2P programs can beat the crap out of your router." "For example, the default NAT table of my box wasn't enough (syslog reported TABLE FULL - DROPPING PACKET), so I made it 32768 entries and that message doesn't appear anymore. Now, what I'd like to know is, how big is that router's (or any other which does that kind of job) NAT table? Will it handle that many concurrent connections? I know I'll lose most of Linux's flexibility but I think I can live with that, but I'd surely win lots of room in the closet. So Slashdot, what's your opinion about all this?"

prostoalex writes "A flashback to 5 years ago reveals 3Com as a global multi-billion dollar company, respected and revered around the world. Today Bob Metcalfe's creation is a money-losing $2 billion dollar operation trying to find its niche. The 3Com Saga from Network World magazine takes a look at the history of 3Com Corp."

darrelld2 asks: "I'm having problems finding a low cost access point that is reliable. I started searching the web; however, I can't find anyone who has done independent research on access points to find which one is the most dependable. I have had several different brands; Cisco, 3Com, and Netgear. The only one that has lasted more than 6 months was the Cisco. What are other Slashdot users seeing?" Just as an added datapoint, I've been using my Cabletron Wireless AP for well over 2 years, and aside with a (repairable) problem with the power supply, it is still going strong. What have your experiences been with wireless APs?

davinci27 asks: "After noticing the market is flooded with cheap Audreys, I was wondering if anyone has found any potential other uses for this device: a web server, a mp3 player, a remote control for the TV? What are you doing with your Audrey?" And another hardware device is abandoned by it's manufacturer. What were your thoughts on the Audrey and can it have a useful life after 3Com?

Thanks to Mike Bouma who put together a paper with the help from a number of the Phoenix project members which gives more information regarding what's going on with QNX and why it matters.

Explaining the Symbiosis between QNX RtP and Linux

The Linux community and its open source approach has huge potential and helps us greatly to realize our goal to make the QNX Realtime Platform a superior general purpose desktop and developer operating system. QNX RtP is fully compliant with the latest POSIX standards. This, together with a X11 compatibility layer for the Photon MicroGUI, means most Linux/Unix applications only need simple recompiles and modifications to be ported to this new platform. So whatever Linux/Unix gains the OS will gain as well! Currently QNXStart.com already has a nice software library and Tucows is busy building one. The freely available award winning Voyager browser is excellent and plug-ins like Flash 4 and RealPlayer 7 are already available. Also Amiga`s Digital Environment is being developed to support the QNX RtP and will not only provide us with a common binary identical application layer for Linux but most other operating systems as well. The Tao Group (Amiga`s OS partner) already provided QSSL with a wonderfully small and efficient Java VM implementation for its predecessor QNX4. In addition QSSL and IBM are working together on a real-time technology for Java applications under the QNX Realtime Platform.

Giving source code away freely for everyone to use does not make sense for everybody. Especially commercial companies would not be motivated to spend years on OS development and make the fruits of their work freely available for rival companies. With QSSL being the owner of this OS and offering all the relevant source code to developers, developers can invest their resources while still being protected from competitors. So QSSL offers prime advantages of both the open-source and commercial worlds! !

One month ago the pre-release developer version of the QNX Realtime Platform was freely released for public download freely for non-commercial use. Since its launch more than 400,000 downloads at http://get.qnx.com followed, while bringing even Tucow's servers to their knees. Additionally, QSSL has set up a developer's support network with weekly articles by QNX experts giving their insights on programming under the QNX Realtime Platform. There are very ambitious projects for this new OS and many exciting new developments will be announced when the time is right.

But what makes QNX RtP so special, you may ask?

QNX RtP is an excellent realtime operating system, which means that all programs are smoothly given CPU time (according to the priority they are given in the Scheduler). This gives developers or users the option to set high priorities for certain tasks, so that for instance a multimedia player will be quaranteed to respond and function optimally in any given situation. The stability and realtime abilities of QSSL`s OSs resulted in them being used heavily in fault intolerant and response critical systems, for instance nuclear reactors, medical equipment, space craft, traffic control systems , etc.

Within the embedded market, a small memory footprint and optimal efficiency are very important issues. QNX RtP is based on the modern and optimised QNX Neutrino microkernel. OS modules such as file systems, TCP/IP and even drivers run as normal memory protected user processes, allowing them to be plugged in and removed at any time without a reboot. This allows QNX RtP to be scaled down or up very easily for use in compact Internet Appliances as well as in full blown multi-processor servers (3Com`s Audrey IA has just been released and uses the QNX RtP at its core.). It also eliminates the need for special kernel APIs and debuggers, greatly simplifying driver development and debugging.

Although I could continue for hours telling you endlessly about other benefits I will end this by highlighting one other great feature which impressed most developers involved instantly, when we started our relationship with QSSL a couple of years ago. It truly offers superior flexible and transparent networking abilities. As an example of its flexibility; you could have a game running on one computer in a network, while it is being controlled by a joystick on another computer within the network, and its graphical output being displayed on a monitor of another machine again! One demonstration was of Doom running on two connected machines to begin with; it was running on one machine, then the window it was running in was dragged onto the display of the second machine, then it was partially dragged back, so the game was running synchronic and seamlessly with half a window on each screen!

Something wonderful is coming. Do you want to join the exciting battle to change computing and topple the choking monopolies within the industry? :)

Sincerely, Mike Bouma.

AmigaRing http://www.stormloader.com/amiga
Phoenix Developer Consortium http://www.phinixi.com

SirTimbly writes about QNX: "This little OS is making a big stir lately with big companies. The QNX operating system (pronounced Q-nux) has been rumored lately to be in favor of such companies as CISCO and Palm. This is an embedded OS currently used in Netpliance's i-Opener; it was developed by 3Com and is being used in their latest Internet appliance as well. Read more about this non open-source OS in a ZDNet story here."

QNX might not be new, but SirTimbly is right about it making a stir. Max von H. writes: "Audrey, the household net appliance from 3Com/ergo has been officially released, and there's even an official site on which you can smile at the design. The beast runs QNX/Neutrino, as stated in this ZDNet story. The sweet thing is it can sync with two PalmOS devices, which can make a geek couple's life much easier without having to fumble with a real PC. Say what you want, but Audrey could possibly be successful since anybody can use it, and 3Com has shown a simple system rules when it comes to do simple things."

And no mention of QNX is complete without a reference to the QNX demo disk, which packs a pretty amazing set of features onto a floppy. Here too, it's free, but not Free.

SirTimbly writes about QNX: "This little OS is making a big stir lately with big companies. The QNX operating system (pronounced Q-nux) has been rumored lately to be in favor of such companies as CISCO and Palm. This is an embedded OS currently used in Netpliance's i-Opener; it was developed by 3Com and is being used in their latest Internet appliance as well. Read more about this non open-source OS in a ZDNet story here."

QNX might not be new, but SirTimbly is right about it making a stir. Max von H. writes: "Audrey, the household net appliance from 3Com/ergo has been officially released, and there's even an official site on which you can smile at the design. The beast runs QNX/Neutrino, as stated in this ZDNet story. The sweet thing is it can sync with two PalmOS devices, which can make a geek couple's life much easier without having to fumble with a real PC. Say what you want, but Audrey could possibly be successful since anybody can use it, and 3Com has shown a simple system rules when it comes to do simple things."

And no mention of QNX is complete without a reference to the QNX demo disk, which packs a pretty amazing set of features onto a floppy. Here too, it's free, but not Free.

styxlord asks: "Has anyone set up a Phone Line Network at home (or the office for that matter)? Do they work? How do they compare to 10Mbps ethernet networks? Are there Linux drivers for any of the major ones? Does it interfere with DSL or voice on phone lines? I've seen offerings from Netgear, 3Com,LinkSys, Intel and Diamond to name a few. One of these in the Linux box which is then connected to a cable/DSL modem would make a very nice gateway. "

DaveHowe writes, "According to the 3com press release they are spinning off their US Robotics modem line into a new company, shared jointly between them, Accton and NatSteel Electronics. It is also farming off its LAN router customers to Extreme Networks but will be keeping support for them as part of a "strategic alliance". " Hmmm...perhaps they had such a nice team with the PalmPilot IPO that they figure, hey why not do it with everything?

It's been an ongoing story about 3Com and its PalmPilot division. The question, of course, has been what to do with it. Just a few months ago, we covered their original plan for spinning off the division, but now it looks like they are actually putting the plan in motion and we should see an IPO in about six months.

vivekb writes " C|Net reports that Microsoft and Hoshin GigaMedia Centre, Taiwan's cable ISP, will be jointly providing broadband services. The two companies will create a broadband version of MSN, financed by a rumored $31.5 million dollar investment by Microsoft to GigaMedia. The network runs on Microsoft's Commercial Internet Services platform. GigaMedia is part of Taiwan's giant conglomerate, the Koos Group, and [originally] partnered with 3Com to introduce their cable modem service."

An anonymous reader pointed us to 3Coms Gamer Modem: they claim faster ping times and better online play. I'm more than a little skeptical here, does anyone have more info?

viking099 writes "Palm announces Color Pilots - to be shipped the first half of next year. This should ensure Palms' dominance. " I have to imagine that the battery life is going to be bad on these new Palms - anyone have more details? Still, all things considered, another good move by 3Com.

A reader wrote to us with the news that Psion and 3Com have agreed to join forces against WinCE. Software will be portable to either platform - Psion's or PalmOS and they will continue to work more closely together. Psion has support already from the biggest cell phone people - Nokia included, a great starting position.

We recently covered the possibility that 3Com would spin-off their PalmPilot division. There's been an increasing amount of confirmation about this move, and C|Net has done an indepth look at the story. From the perspective of how business operates, it's an interesting story alone, but it's even more curious in light of the recent announcement regarding the Handspring. Where do you folks see the PalmPilot ending up?

A reader wrote with the news of GPL'd drivers for Linux. Looks like right now, they only have Red Hat in the list-but it's a great step, and I'm sure more support is on the way. That comes on the heels of their April announcement of supporting Linux. Due credit, of course, is given to Donald Becker, our demigod of networking. disclaimer:Hemos owns shares in Red Hat

RoboChicken writes "3Com announced today that it plans to spin off the Palm computing division into a new, separate company. 3Com will deal with networking equipment, and the new company, "Palm Computing" (?) will be the PalmPilot company. "

Petit-Monsieur Pas-de-Cou writes "3Com Corporation has been sued in California by an alleged nationwide class, asserting claims relating to the advertising of modems using 3Com's x2 modem technology. Among other claims, plaintiffs in these lawsuits have alleged that 3Com engaged in deceptive advertising by claiming that modems employing x2 technology could achieve 56K speeds and/or were twice as fast as prior generation modems. " Wow-that's a lotta legal statements.

The Dodger sent us a link to a story at Silicon.com that tells us that 3com will bow to user demands, and officially begin supporting linux (requires free login to read) after surveying delagates at a 3com User Group Conference and learning that over 50% of them were planning to use Linux.

Motorola, the Palm unit at 3Com and PageMart of Canada have announced an alliance to bring wireless messaging to the Palm later on this summer. Very cool stuff-looks like it will be in an seperate card. The service, which uses a paging card co-designed by Motorola's Flex Architecture Solutions Division and PageMart, will be launched Canada-wide in mid-August.

nothing writes "Palm computing (a divison of 3com) has decided to make ROMS for their handheld PDA's free. According to Greg Hewgill,Copilot (Pilot emulator), would now be renamed to Palm OS Emulator and would be supported by Palm computing. They have also released a debug version of the PalmOS 3.0 ROM file. Your can get it and more from this link. Enjoy.. "

nothing writes "Palm computing (a divison of 3com) has decided to make ROMS for their handheld PDA's free. According to Greg Hewgill,Copilot (Pilot emulator), would now be renamed to Palm OS Emulator and would be supported by Palm computing. They have also released a debug version of the PalmOS 3.0 ROM file. Your can get it and more from this link. Enjoy.. "

Ok I've got tons of stuff worth posting, and we've already posted tons of stuff, sooo, here is a quick list of excellent linkage. This article about Competing Javas was sent in by Dan Marks. xtra sent us this story about 3com's Java work on the palm pilot. Kai Voigt wrote in to tell us that Turkmenistan is selling .tl domains for $50 just like Tonga. Costs more than interNIC? Hmm... Kurt Gray sent us a pair of articles, Bootnet is talking about Matrox's new OpenGL board that is better than VooDoo? And The Onion is running a humorous piece about MS Patenting ones and zeros. Now everyone go back to work!

Darren Stalder writes " The latest review of the PalmPilot in the Guardian is wonderful and made me laugh out loud. Douglas Rushkoff outlnes why the PalmPilot has taken over the PDA world and why so much free software has been released for it - simplicity and transparency. He suggests that the PalmPilot is forcing us to reassess our computing priorities."

The world has finally agreed on v.90 as the new standard for 56k modems. The good news is that 3com has downloads that'll upgrade those x2 modems (mine included. Not that I ever connected faster than 33.6). Thanks to Drew Daniels for pointing this our way.

3Com has cut the retail price of the PalmPilot Pro and Personal. The MSRP for the Pro is now $299, the Personal's is now $199. These cuts foreshadow the introduction of the new Pilot, to be announced later this week, probably. At these prices, who can afford NOT to get one, especially considering the street price for these machines is typically 60%-80% if you shop around.

3com company, the parent of former US Robotics has announced that it has built the first 56k modem built to the new international standards agreement. The announcement comes only a short while after the announcement of the standard, a couple weeks old now. Now we just need to see whether they really will be upgrading all those x2 modems they sold to everyone and their mother.