Category: Software

The I.R.S. Shut Its Direct File, but Here Are Other Free Filing Options

The New York Times – Business:
The agency still offers a Free File program that works with commercial tax software firms. Some companies also offer free tools for certain filers.
Microsoft Pledged to Save Water. In the A.I. Era, It Expects Water Use to Soar.

Driven by the artificial intelligence frenzy, Microsoft is internally projecting that water use at its data centers will more than double by 2030 from 2020, including in places that face shortages.
Apple’s A.I. Chief, John Giannandrea, Is Retiring

John Giannandrea, hired from Google, is leaving after the release of a new Siri was postponed. Apple has fallen behind rivals in efforts to develop A.I. products.
Gamma, a PowerPoint for the A.I. Era, Raises $68 Million

The five-year-old start-up, which has just 52 employees and is profitable, is now valued at $2.1 billion by investors including Andreessen Horowitz.
The Growing Blowback Against Marc Benioff

New revelations about efforts by his company, Salesforce, to work with the Trump administration is getting heat from San Francisco officials and now allies.
William H. Neukom, Microsoft Lawyer Who Led Antitrust Fight, Dies at 83

In the 1990s, the U.S. called Microsoft a bullying monopoly and sought to rein it in. The company lost in a landmark decision, but emerged intact.
How Do You Brag in Silicon Valley? By Declaring Yourself ‘Best of Breed.’

Companies use the term to frame themselves as the slayers of big players, with a niche product that appeals to the savvy customer.
🙁 Microsoft’s ‘Blue Screen of Death’ Is Going Away

The blue screen that stressed computer users for more than three decades is giving way to a black one.
Europe’s Growing Fear: How Trump Might Use U.S. Tech Dominance Against It

To comply with a Trump executive order, Microsoft recently suspended the email account of an International Criminal Court prosecutor in the Netherlands who was investigating Israel for war crimes.
Bill Atkinson, Who Made Computers Easier to Use, Is Dead at 74

A designer for Apple, he created software that made it possible to display shapes, images and text on the screen and present a simulated “desktop.”
Boeing Will Sell Its Digital Businesses for $10 Billion

The deal, with the private equity firm Thoma Bravo, will help the struggling aerospace manufacturer pay down debt and streamline its operations.
Pop Songs, ‘Hamilton’ and Windows 95 Chime Join National Registry

The recordings, along with works by Tracy Chapman, Elton John and the rock band Chicago, are among the 25 selected for preservation by the Library of Congress.