Do you really need an introduction for OpenOffice.org? Come on, please spare me of this! Think about Microsoft Office, and then make it free, and there you have it! If you're not using all those advanced features included in Microsoft Office, probably you won't even feel the difference, and today it's my pleasure to announce that OpenOffice.org 3 Beta has just become available!


Are you sure you want to know about the features included in this version? Well, first of all, you should visit the official OpenOffice.org features page, but since that list is huge, let me just quote a few interesting things: Windows Vista and PDF file format support, calendar and email clients (Mozilla Thunderbird and Lightning), Wiki publisher extension, new fresh-looking icons, and a new zoom control in the status bar, support for spreadsheet collaboration through workbook sharing, and many others.

Apart from supporting PDF files, as I mentioned above, OpenOffice.org 3 Beta is also able to open files created with MS-Office 2007 or MS-Office 2008 for Mac OS X (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx, etc.), as an addition to read and write support for the MS-Office binary file formats (.doc, .xls, .ppt, etc.).

If you want to download OpenOffice.org 3 Beta, you can choose one of the US English versions available already for MS-Windows, GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and the OpenSolaris platforms.

Oh, I was just about to forget it... my guess is that OpenOffice.org 3 will arrive before the end of the year, maybe even by the summer's end, if we get extremely lucky. What do you think?

I am sure you enjoy music. Everyone enjoys music, but if you're only buying DCs and DVDs or buy music from iTunes and other similar online stores, you don't risk anything, because today I have to tell you about a new Trojan horse that uses MP3 files to move from one computer to another. Yes, it's "that kind" of MP3 files that RIAA is after, if you were wondering!


<-234x60 Half Banner - left->This is not just "another Trojan," because McAfee has just raised the Trojan alert for the first time since 2005, bringing the current global alert level to "elevated." After all, McAfee tools have stopped 500,000 infections, and the real number is surely different, and we're not talking about a smaller number...

According to McAfee, the Downloader-UA.h trojan can be found in hundreds of media files uploaded to file swapping services during the last weekend, and the McAfee Avert Labs already made some of the names public:

PLAY_MP3.exe
preview-t-3545425-adult.mpg
preview-t-3545425-changing times earth wind .mp3
preview-t-3545425-girls aloud st trinnians.mp3
preview-t-3545425-jij bent zo jeroen van den.mp3
t-3545425-lion king portugues.mpg
t-3545425-los padres de ella.mpg

Since my goal is not to stop you from using P2P networks and other "gray" sources of music, I guess I don't have to say anything else, just be sure to avoid these files. Safety should always come in first place, remember!

Fortunately, the Microsoft-Yahoo match is over. Unfortunately, Yahoo must face the consequences now. What kind of consequences? Well, it's all about the anger of those shareholders who think that the right move would have been to sell to Microsoft. It's their opinion, their shares, their money, and I respect it. After all, I am sure Yahoo's board also has respect for the shareholders, but they considered that refusing is the best thing to do, and I am glad they did that. The problem is that less than 3 days after the refusal, lawsuits started to be filed against Yahoo already!


For example, two public pension funds have chosen to pursue their class-action lawsuit against Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang and the other members of the board. What do they want? Well, as you probably imagined already, they are seeking financial compensations, but that's only a small part of a bigger picture. Let's leave the lawsuits behind, because I'm sure we'll hear about them again pretty soon...

"I'm extremely disappointed in Jerry Yang," said Gordon Crawford, a portfolio manager at Capital Research Global Investors, a company having its portfolio more than 6 percent of Yahoo's shares. "I think he overplayed a weak hand. And I'm even more disappointed in the independent directors who were not responsive to the needs of independent shareholders," he concluded.

...and the story goes on, and on, and on...

The match is over. Finally, we get some peace. Well, as much peace as possible, because Yahoo's story continues, and it shows some signs that may take a nasty turn already, but at least Microsoft's out of the game. Are you happy? I don't know about you, but Yahoo's shareholders are not happy, for sure, and we're going to see why right away...


Yesterday, Microsoft withdrew its $33 per share offer for Yahoo, and today, the value of of the Internet search giant's shares went straight down. After closing at $28.67 on Friday, today Yahoo's shares fell about 14 percent until 12:20 PM, when a share was priced at $24.65! Anyway, that's slightly better than what happened in early morning, when Yahoo's shares were 20 percent lower than Friday...

While most people inside Yahoo consider Microsoft's withdrawal a victory, shareholders expect now for Mr. Yang and the team to unleash some magic and prove that the company is worth $37 per share, the price Jerry Yang was willing to sell for, or even more.

For example, Darren Chervitz, co-manager of the Jacob Internet Fund, which owns about 150,000 shares of Yahoo, said "I don’t believe that Jerry Yang as a founder, as someone who is emotionally attached to the company, was really looking out for my interest as a shareholder. I don’t think anything Yahoo puts out there is going to be comparable with what Microsoft was offering."

Now, there are a lot of paths to choose for Yahoo, and the fact that they are now trying to outsource some of the searches to Google, with the first tests in this direction proved successful, is a good sign, in my opinion. After all, I guess everyone would like to see Yahoo and Google working together, rather than a Microsoft-controlled Yahoo!

Oh, no, they didn't stop! The titans have started their battle once again! In fact, it's more like a mind game than a battle between two titans, but what's certain is that Yahoo may be taken over by Microsoft, after all...or not. Well, let's see what is this all about today, shall we?


Less than an hour ago, AFP got some tips from an insider close to the problem that Microsoft and Yahoo are again talking about the bid, and Microsoft may even increase its offer!

AFP's source said "They are talking -- there are no guarantees. Microsoft signalled it might raise the price and the question is how far. It could still fall apart."

I thought this is over. I was hoping someone else would show up and give Yahoo a helping hand. I really hope Microsoft won't buy them. I am sure I'm not the only one. But... it seems we have to wait for the official announcements regarding this matter, if there is going to be such a thing.