Microsoft to Introduce VPN Tunneling Protocol

A new secure VPN tunneling protocol is cooking in the labs at Microsoft. The new form of VPN tunnel is called SSTP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol). Microsoft is scheduled to
introduce SSTP in Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and in Longhorn Server.

Currently, there are issues involving VPN connections in relation to PPTP GRE port blocking or L2TP ESP port blocking via a firewall or a NAT router, preventing the client to reach the server. Microsoft is laboring to deliver ubiquitous connectivity through VPN.

The Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol “will allow VPN tunnel connectivity across any scenarios i.e. behind NAT routers or firewalls or web proxies. And the best part of it - your end user remote access experience (like using RAS dialer) and network administration experience (like using RRAS server) remains same as before. i.e. SSTP based VPN tunnel just acts as a one more VPN tunnel that gets plugged into MS VPN client and VPN servers,” revealed Samir Jain, Lead Program Manager, RRAS, Windows Enterprise Networking, adding that the SSTP based VPN protocol will be made available as a beta together with Longhorn server Beta3.

Via the Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP), the VPN tunnel will function over Secure-HTTP. In this manner, the problems with VPN connections based on the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) or Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) will be eliminated. Web proxies, firewalls and Network Address Translation (NAT) routers located on the path between clients and servers will no longer block VPN connections.

“The good part of SSTP is it integrates with MS RAS client/server infrastructure seamlessly. For example, SSTP supports password + strong user authentication (like smart-card, RSA securID, etc) using various PPP authentication algorithm. Other features of RAS (like generating profiles using connection manager administration kit, remote access policies, etc) - just works - similar to other PPTP/L2TP,” added Samir Jain.

Microsoft, Google Agree to NGO Code of Conduct

"Technology companies have come under fire for providing equipment or software that permits governments to censor information or monitor the online or offline activities of their citizens. For example, last year, Google's approach to the China market was criticized over its creation of a censored, local version of its search engine. Microsoft, Google, and two other technology companies will develop a code of conduct with a coalition of nongovernmental organizations (NGO) to promote freedom of expression and privacy rights, they announced Friday. The two companies along with Yahoo, and Vodafone Group said the new guidelines are the result of talks with Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) and the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School."

Melangkah ke Depan

Jurnal Hidup Seorang yang Bernama Arthur

Itulah temanku yang baru membangun blognya kembali setelah ditinggalkannya blognya yang lama. Dan dengan bangganya mendeklarasikan dirinya yang sok merendah meninggikan mutu.... Loh kok jadi sewot gw ^_^ becanda thur.

Arthur pria putih kurus yang ternyata keturunan Manado-Cina-Bali ini (pura2 nya baru tau). Dengan wajahnya yang ganteng selalu didambakan wanita-wanita di sekitarnya. selain berperawakan menarik otak nya juga encer (ampe luber dan kopong, becanda lagi thur ^_^).

Udah ah males ngomongin arthur, bosen dari mata merem ampe merem lagi liatnya dia (ato emang karena gw sipit yah ;) Yah pokoknya Arthur adalah onyon, onyon adalah arthur.... apa lagi sih gw ... udah ah makin ngaco ajah gw.

Ngantuk blom tidur 2 hari, sibuk .... maen cewe ... loh kok, khan makin ngaco ajah khan. Blom tidurnya bener ... ngejar setoran coy.

Cukup sudah untuk hari ini ...... Melangkah ke depan .... tidur dulu .... zzzz...

Judge Rules That IBM Did Not Destroy Evidence

"From the latest in the SCO saga, Judge Wells ruled today that IBM did not destroy evidence as SCO claims. During discovery, SCO claims it found an IBM executive memo that ordered its programmers to delete source code, and so it filed a motion to prevent IBM from destroying more evidence. The actuality of the memo was less nefarious. An IBM executive wanted to ensure that the Linux developers were sandboxed from AIX/Dynix. So he ordered them to remove local copies of any AIX code from their workstations so that there would not be a hint of taint. The source code still existed in CVMC and was not touched. Since the source code was still in CMVC, Judge Wells ruled IBM did not destroy it. Incredulously, SCO's Mark James requested that IBM tell SCO how to obtain the information. IBM's Todd Shaughnessy responded that all during discovery (when IBM gave SCO a server with their CMVC database) SCO never once said that they were unable to find that information from CMVC. Judge Wells asked IBM to help SCO out in any way he could."

The Human Brain Must Forget the Mother Tongue When Learning a New Language

The process is named "first language attrition"

By: Stefan Anitei, Science Editor

After one year of scholarship in Spain, you surely master the language of the conquistadors like none around you, but why is everybody picking on you, saying you are boasting (believe me, I personally experienced something like this). In fact, people will be in the situation to find it hard to return to their native language.This phenomenon is named “first-language attrition” and puzzled researchers for a long time: how was it possible to forget, even momentarily, words you have used fluently all your life. Psychologist Benjamin Levy and Dr. Michael Anderson at University of Oregon found that this forgetting is not a passive fact, due to the simple disuse of the mother tongue language, but an active process inflicted by the brain itself that impedes us using words of the native language, which would make learning and speaking the new language harder. This forgetfulness is - in fact - an active adaptive strategy to better “catch” the second language. The researchers used native English speakers who had made at least one year of college level Spanish to answer repeatedly the name of various objects in Spanish. The more the students were using the Spanish words, the harder they found it to encounter the corresponding English labels for the objects. In fact, using the foreign language inhibits the corresponding labels in the native language, and appears as “first language attrition”. Nevertheless, the more fluent bilingual students were, far less prone to experience the attrition they were. Thus, “first language attrition” is a key factor during the initial stages of second language learning. When we begin to learn a new language, our brain starts to actively inhibit our easily accessible native language words while trying to imprint in our mind a new idiom. When bilingualism advances, the attrition turns less necessary, so the subjects in the study were better in shifting between the two languages. It may look paradoxical, but "first-language attrition provides a striking example of how it can be adaptive to (at least temporarily) forget things one has learned."

Knoppix 5.1.1: Now with eye candy

By: Dmitri Popov

The new year has brought a new release of the Knoppix live CD. Along with the usual updates to application software, the most noticeable change in version 5.1.1 is the inclusion of the Beryl 3-D desktop with the Emerald theming engine.

Since support for Beryl is still experimental, the 3-D desktop is provided in Knoppix as an option. To enable it, you have to use the knoppix desktop=beryl cheat code on boot. Considering the current status of Beryl, the new 3-D desktop works surprisingly well; it starts without any problems on a lowly Acer TravelMate 243 laptop with an Intel 82855 GM integrated graphics controller, and it feels snappy and is a joy to use. While some may consider the inclusion of Beryl in Knoppix a gimmick, it provides a great introduction to the whole 3-D desktop idea. Installing Beryl can be a tricky and time-consuming business, so the ability to try the fancy 3-D desktop with zero effort is a boon for all users looking for some Linux eye candy.

As usual, most software packages have also been updated. Knoppix 5.1.1 comes with KDE 3.5.5, GNOME 2.14 (available in the Knoppix DVD edition only), and OpenOffice.org 2.1. Following the recent Mozilla/Debian controversy, the Firefox browser and the Thunderbird email client have been replaced in Knoppix 5.1.1 with Iceweasel and Icedove respectively. Among useful software additions is the mkbootdev script, which allows you to create a bootable USB stick -- a handy tool for making a USB version of Knoppix. Of course, the most important software news in Knoppix 5.1.1 is without a doubt the inclusion of the latest Frozen Bubble game, which now supports multi-player network games.

Click to enlarge

Knoppix 5.1.1 also features a number of significant changes under the hood. The UnionFS file system has been replaced with aufs (Another UnionFS). According to the changelog, aufs is a more streamlined implementation of UnionFS that fixes many bugs still found in the original file system. The latest version of Knoppix comes with the NTFS-3G driver that offers full read/write operations on NTFS partitions. This makes Knoppix an even better tool for troubleshooting Windows-based machines.

As always, the new version of Knoppix comes in CD and DVD editions, which are available for download from mirrors listed at the Knoppix Web site. All in all, this release continues the fine tradition of delivering solid updates to the already great live CD Linux distro.

Dmitri Popov is a freelance writer whose articles have appeared in Russian, British, German, and Danish computer magazines.

Indonesia's Largest IP/MPLS Core Expands In NGN Rollout

PT Telkom Commits to M-Series Multiservice Platform for Advanced IP Services.

Siemens and Juniper Networks, Inc. today announced that PT Telkom, Indonesia’s leading telecommunications service provider, has further expanded its IP/MPLS-based core infrastructure with additional Juniper Networks M-series multiservice routing platforms including the M320. The upgrade, performed by Siemens, builds on PT Telkom’s existing M-series routers, deployed last year as part of an initial Next Generation Network (NGN) rollout. The new deployment spans 17 cities, connecting softswitch systems and legacy routers.

“After more than a year of intensive use, our earlier M-series deployment has demonstrated the superiority and flexibility of Juniper’s JUNOS Operating System,” said Mr. Abdul Haris, PT Telkom’s Director of Network and Solutions and the service provider’s Chief Technology Officer. “We were also impressed by the routers’ traffic engineering capability, strict QoS adherence even under extremely heavy load, and Juniper’s high availability features, such as fast reroute and in-service upgrading. We are confident to stay with Juniper and its routing solutions for our long-term NGN strategy.”

The M-series multiservice routers are part of the Juniper Networks family of best-of-class routing platforms which also include the market leading E-series Broadband Services Routers and T-series next-generation core routers. Juniper Networks E-, M- and T-series routing platforms deliver industry-leading levels of performance, reliability and scale to enable service providers to deliver high-quality voice, video, data and other advanced services over an IP/MPLS network with assured levels of performance and security. The T-series is the industry's most proven core routing platform and, with the multi-chassis TX Matrix technology, allows service providers to scale to multi-terabit rates without the risks associated with new and unproven technologies.

“Our M-series deployment at PT Telkom is a great example of the benefits of migrating to a next generation IP/MPLS-based infrastructure,” said Adam Judd, vice president of Asia Pacific for Juniper Networks. “Asia Pacific’s need for capacity to deliver advanced services – including VoIP, realtime video, broadband access, and VPN services – continues to grow, and service providers such as PT Telkom are leveraging Juniper’s industry leading platforms to address this demand and capture new revenue opportunities.”

The Contradictory Nature of OOXML

"the Microsoft Office XML-based format specification, OOXML, is now in the adoption queue at ISO/IEC. That process takes six months, and has two steps. During the first one-month step, any member may submit 'contradictions,' which means aspects in which a proposed standard conflicts with already adopted ISO/IEC standards and Directives. Those contradictions must then be 'resolved' (which does not necessarily mean eliminated), and these resolutions are then presented back to the members to consider during the five-month voting stage that follows. A month isn't very long to do a line-by-line analysis of a 6,000-page spec, but experts in the national standards bodies around the world are doing just that. What they are finding includes the use of proprietary, hard-wired elements rather than incorporation of available ISO/IEC standards; additional Microsoft technology that must be emulated (but is not covered by the Microsoft patent pledge); elements that can't be implemented without Microsoft technical assistance; dependencies on Windows itself; mandatory bugs; and more. And then there's also the fact that OOXML heavily overlaps ODF — a platform-independent, already-adopted ISO/IEC. It promises to be an interesting battle." And an anonymous reader adds word of the release, after 10 months of development, of Docvert 3.0, an open-source web service that converts DOC files to Oasis OpenDocument 1.0 (download the source here).