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Rupert's Weekly Roundup (24/4/2000)

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Digest,
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News

Rupert Goodwins AnchorDesk

Published: 20 Apr 2000 14:40 BST

MONDAY

Microsoft 'weenie word' backfires
Hold the front page, 'Microsoft in yet another security faux pas'. This is no longer suprisingy to me, and yes I may be an old cynic but there are so many security holes in Windows we could quite feasibly rename the owners Microsieve. Anyway the bottom line is some smarty pants engineers included a system password and a childish jibe at Netscape engineers calling them 'weenies' in a .dll file. Microsoft is urging it's customer to delete the offending file (dvwssr.dll). One part of the report I did find unbelievable was that this particular gaping hole does not, I repeat, does not affect Windows 2000 servers. Well that really was a suprise. Take me there...

More for the coffers?
The 20bn that the government are going to make out of the mobile licence auction has been touted to be used for improving education or the health service by various MPs and public figures. Which of course is very commendable and I agree wholeheartedly that 20bn could be spent very beneficially in these areas. One small issue -- this isn't real money, is it? I can't see any of the bods actually coughing up the readies in a couple of briefcases. So this money will all move from balance sheet to repayment schedule and eventually dissappear without any benefit to anybody. A tad pessimistic but sadly (I feel) very close to the truth. Take me there...

No whack for WAP
Amongst all the hype being generated about WAP, suddenly analysts are suggesting we have a different take on the way WAP services will fit in the market. Viewed as a new and exciting technology and therefore a natural leader to provide profits is not quite what the industry believes any more. WAP is a 'loss leader' and WAP services will initially have to be given away for free. But not for long I suspect... Take me there...

Want to play FTSE?
Nobody wants to play on the FTSE with the 'choppy' market conditions of late. One dealer was quoted as saying 'It's a typical Friday -- none of the big players seem to be around,'. The FTSE 100 continued to push a six-week low ever deeper, and it can only be a matter of time before people start taking the quick way out of the office via the window... Take me there...