XplanaZine

Updates on: Microsoft Vista’s (un)popularity, Forterra Systems and CIA’s partnership to develop a secure virtual world, Career Education Corporation’s choice of data loss prevention solution, and One Laptop Per Child Program’s extension

Sales of Microsoft’s year-old Windows Vista operating system have hit 88 million. But a recent survey by King Research showed that 90 percent of IT professionals have concerns about migrating to Vista and about half reported they have considered non-Windows operating systems, such as Linux and Macintosh, to avoid Vista. Meanwhile, a Forrester report showed that that 88 percent of companies with 5,000 to 20,000 users have standardized on the XP operating system and their demand forced Microsoft in September to extend XP’s availability another five months. — AHN

Forterra Systems Inc., a California-based computer-simulation company, announced it received a “strategic investment” from In-Q-Tel, the CIA’s privately run venture affiliate, to develop computer-based virtual-conferencing systems for the nation’s intelligence community. Forterra says its “virtual world” product is an organized version of the increasingly popular Second Life, a freewheeling online “reality game” produced by Linden Lab of San Francisco. Some of the technologies will include in-depth data mining to track potential terrorists, high-speed image analysis, and online behavior-pattern recognition. — OrlandoSentinel.com

Career Education Corporation implemented Vontu, a Data Loss Prevention solution, to protect the private information of its students and make online credit card transactions compliant with security regulations. — CNN

The “Give One, Get One” program will now run through December 31, instead of ending on November 26, according to the One Laptop Per Child Program, a nonprofit spinoff from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The program was extended because people and local and national groups requested more time to participate. — Associated Press