News (71)
Australia abstains on final OOXML vote
Standards Australia has maintained its "abstain" vote on Microsoft's attempt to attain international standard status for its Office Open XML file format. Read more »
Despite irregularities, OOXML may clear ISO vote
Early reports indicate that Microsoft's Office Open XML (OOXML) document format appears to have enough votes to be certified an ISO standard but complaints of irregularities and strong-arm tactics are rife. Read more »
Microsoft goes limp as OOXML vote nears
Microsoft's top executives have promised not to sue open source developers who create non-commercial software based on Microsoft's protocols, but skeptics say it's a ploy to soften its image before the upcoming OOXML vote. Read more »
Google votes on whether to protect free speech
For the second year in a row, Google shareholders will be asked to hold the Web search giant accountable for protecting free speech, regardless of international borders. Read more »
Protests derail software patents vote
The European Parliament delays voting on a controversial software-patents directive, following protests and criticism by computer scientists and economists. Read more »
OOXML just a Microsoft 'marketing tool'
The developer of XML and a former ISO committee chair have both claimed that Microsoft was interested in having Office Open XML accredited as an international standard in order to forward the company's wider interests. Read more »
Microsoft OOXML becomes an ISO standard
Microsoft's bid to make the Open XML (OOXML) file formats international standards has succeeded, barring any last-minute changes. The ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is scheduled to issue the official communique today. Read more »
Microsoft makes OpenDocument ISO move
The software giant has joined a group involved in the ISO standardisation process for OpenDocument, but claims its presence in the group 'will have no impact on the voting'. Read more »
Web mash-up makers gather
A conference in California will examine the success and future of online services that mix together multiple APIs. Read more »
NetBeans drives a wedge between Sun and Oracle
Sun's Java development tools don't seem that popular with Oracle, despite the server firm's protestations to the contrary. Read more »
Features (25)
Is government switched on?
E-business can do a lot for improving government and health services, but is Australia taking advantage? Read more »
Developer spotlight: James Gosling
We recently caught up with James Gosling, the creator of Java about his new role at Sun, software patents, the open source movement, and the future of Java. Read more »
TechEd 2003: Delegates have their say
Event organisers will always claim their event was a runaway success so Builder AU decided to ask the delegates at TechEd 2003 what they thought. Here is what they had to say. Read more »
Digging code: Software archaeology
At first glance, business software developers have little in common with Indiana Jones. But the emerging field of software archaeology applies some of the same skills, if not the dashing adventure. Read more »
Development madness
Requirements are unclear, but coding continues as your team strives to hit deadlines. Could agile methods help ensure project success? Read more »
Developer Spotlight: Richard Stallman
Builder AU recently caught up with RMS to talk about his achievements, the Free Software movement and his concerns with the US-Australian Free Trade Agreement. Read more »
Developer Spotlight: Inside .NET with Juval Lowy
Builder AU caught up with Lowy during his masterclass in Sydney and discussed what is in .NET 3.0, the design review process and how developers can better learn. Read more »
Google vs. Microsoft
At the 2008 Gartner Application Development, Integration and Web Services Summit, David Mitchell Smith, vice president and Gartner fellow gave a presentation titled "Google vs. Microsoft", discussing the seeming battle between the two companies. Read more »
Microsoft plays open but patent jaws still have teeth
Despite Microsoft's claim it will not sue developers that build free open source software on Microsoft platforms, a caveat leaves a yawning space for its legal teeth to gnash those that commercialise the software. Read more »
Why the Eurocrats are patently mad
The vote on Tuesday in Brussels to remove all the limits that had been placed on software patents is a sad day for Europe, but it's not too late to change. Read more »
Blog (6)
Firefox 3 add-ons to make you a better Web developer
-- Firefox might be a fast browser but it's extensions can transform it into a powerful development tool for Web developers and designers. Here are 10 of the best to get you started. Read more »
MyPerfect.com.au has potential
-- Victorian Web start-up My Perfect has a strong story and rationale for why it will succeed. But it has to overcome some challenges and design flaws first. Read more »
Flickr fans band together to fend off Microsoft
-- This is what happens when Microsoft tries to take over not just a company but also a community: a number of Flickr users have launched a group opposing the attempted acquisition. Read more »
How useful is OpenSocial?
-- This week's coverage was all over the local MySpace developer launch, we took a look at Google's AppEngine, had more videos than we knew what to do with and can someone put us out of our misery buy Yahoo already! Read more »
Get Ready for This
-- It seems software developers are quite a musical bunch. Microsoft
have a band called "band on the runtime" which play cover songs like
"VB.NET" to the tune of the Villiage People's YMCA, and Richard
Stallman sings his woeful Free Software song. Read more »
Adobe MAX conference day 2: Cumby, Mobiles, and Winners
-- Today was the second day of the Adobe Max conference in Las Vegas. There was some big news for Flash developers looking to target mobile devices. Read more »
Filter Tags
News and features
- Latest
- Popular
- Features
- Most Discussed
-
In this week's roundup we see that continuous whining can get results, Linux users get 64-bit Flash and Moonlight previews, the latest in the Yahoo/Microsoft relationship and Senator Conroy ducks and weave in Senate Question Time. Read more »
-
Sun eye Web developers with Netbeans 6.5Despite the recent employment axe hitting Sun the company has pushed out a new release of its Netbeans open source IDE with an eye to appeal more to Web developers. Read more »
-
BarCamp buzz: Let the hacking continueAttending last weekend's BarCamp in Sydney, it was hard to escape the conclusion that a certain "dot-com bust" flavour had seeped into the kool aid previously being drunk by Australia's web 2.0 and early stage start-up sector. Read more »
-
Interplanetary Internet a possibility
2008/11/21 10:32:55
-
Conroy ducks, Ballmer evades and Android Fails -- Club Builder
2008/11/20 10:58:20
-
Yang's resignation: The talk of Silicon Valley
2008/11/19 16:10:33
What's on?
-
Conroy ducks, Ballmer evades and Android Fails -- Club Builder
Club Builder this week takes a long look at Senator Conroy's recent attempt to explain his Great Firewall of Australia, we chase Steve Ballmer over Sydney, and find Google's biggest bug of the year.

