Archive for the ‘Free Software’ Category

Richard Stallman returns to the Free Software Foundation – SDTimes.com

Richard Stallman, the founder and former president of the Free Software Foundation (FSF), has announced he is returning to the foundation as a board member.

Stallman founded the FSF in 1985 and was the acting president until about 18 months ago when he resigned over comments he made regarding Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged victims.

At the time, Stallman said he was resigning over a series of misunderstandings and mischaracterizations.

The announcement was made in a talk at LibrePlanet this week. Im now on Free Software Foundations board of directors once again, he said. Some of you will be happy at this, and some might be disappointed, but who knows. In any case, that is how it is. And I am not planning to resign a second time.

The FSF has not provided a comment about Stallmans return or the role he will play in the foundation at the time of this writing.

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Richard Stallman returns to the Free Software Foundation - SDTimes.com

Laplink Provides Azure Active Directory Profile Migration Software Free to IT Teams and Organizations of Any Size – Business Wire

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Laplink Software, Inc., the global leader in PC migration and creator of the only software of its kind recommended by Microsoft, Intel, and all major PC manufacturers, announced today that its popular PCmover Profile Migrator (PPM) software will continue to be free to IT teams and organizations of any size through June 30, 2021. This software eliminates the hassles involved with manually copying contents of the previous on-premises Active Directory (AD) profile to a new Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) user profile on the same device including applications, data, and settings.

Enterprises and organizations of all sizes are making the move to cloud-based services like Azure AD to take advantage of features, such as single sign-on and multi-factor authentication that help to protect users from 99.9 percent of cybersecurity attacks. However, the migration process is far from automatic: every time an existing device is joined to Azure AD, a new user profile is created and the content in the old user profile is no longer accessible. As a result, IT staff must spend hours manually moving applications, settings, and files between user profiles for each PC.

PCmover Profile Migrator automates the entire user-profile migration process, saving IT teams hours of time while also helping to facilitate a smooth and hassle-free transfer to Azure AD. PPM is also the ideal solution for user-profile transfers between any two users and for migrating data from an old user profile associated with a former domain to a new user profile on a new domain on the same Windows PC. For migrations between PCs, and PC upgrades, Laplinks PCmover Enterprise provides the most efficient means to transfer from an old AD-joined PC to a new Azure AD-joined PC.

Koos Stoop, IT Manager at Theiner ICT B.V., an IT service provider based in the Netherlands, explained the value of using PCmover Profile Migrator during PC migration projects like this: Migrating user profiles is highly unique and user-dependent, which often made them extremely time consuming. When we found Laplink's PCmover, it opened our eyes to how fast and easy profile migration can be. Now, it only takes us a matter of minutes instead of hours to migrate profiles. So, if you think migrating user profiles is a difficult and lengthy process, get PCmover and think again!"

Hybrid identity deployments require profile migration

PCmover Profile Migrator is also essential for organizations supporting remote workforces and adopting a hybrid identity model that creates a common user identity with authorization to all resources, regardless of location. Companies using Microsofts Azure AD Connect to sync users between Azure AD and a local AD will find PPM offers an efficient solution for the first step in the process moving local AD user profiles to Azure AD.

Making the move to Azure Active Directory makes a lot of sense for most organizations who often need to simplify their active directory infrastructure and harmonize directories after M&A, corporate restructuring, or IT cost cutting, said Thomas Koll, Laplink CEO. By making PCmover Profile Migrator free to IT teams and organizations of all sizes, were helping to make the transition to Azure AD or a hybrid identity model both fast and easy.

To learn more, watch instructional videos, and download PCmover Profile Migrator free of charge, visit ppm.laplink.com. For organizations interested remotely managed migrations and automating transfers from an old PC to a new one, upgrading or moving to Windows 10, a free, fully functional copy of PCmover Enterprise can be obtained by visiting enterprise.laplink.com and filling out the request form.

About Laplink Software, Inc.

For nearly 40 years, Laplink has been a global leader in consumer, SMB, and enterprise PC migration software, and has earned the loyalty and trust of millions of organizations and customers worldwide. The companys PCmover software saves time and budget, reduces migration risks, and increases efficiency. Only PCmovers proprietary technology includes full selectivity that transfers data, applications, and settings from an old PC to a new one, even if the two PCs run different versions of Windows. The privately held company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington.

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Laplink Provides Azure Active Directory Profile Migration Software Free to IT Teams and Organizations of Any Size - Business Wire

Jove Gives Nonprofits Free Access to New Creative-Centric Ad Planning Software – Business Wire

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Innovative ad-tech startup Jove announced today that they are offering their recently launched flagship product, Creative Insights, free to use for nonprofits. Creative Insights is a visually rich ad planning software that gives ad buyers, digital marketers and brand managers a new way of understanding data to help them create powerful advertising that connects with audiences.

The advertising industry continues to experience massive upset during the rise of privacy in digital marketing, including:

With these and other growing constraints on status-quo data-driven tactics, Jove offers Creative Insights as a tool to fundamentally change advertising practices, bringing human creativity and human connection back to the forefront of marketing.

Speaking to the companys decision to open up its platform to nonprofit organizations for free, Ryan Turner, CMO of Jove, said: On the whole, nonprofits have not had the budgets to benefit from the largely data-driven techniques for microtargeting and personalization, like the corporate sector. They have historically relied on compelling storytelling, creativity, empathy, and big ideas to attract and move audiences into action. In some ways, the so-called rise of privacy is working to level the playing field, and we believe that nonprofits are in a unique position to lead the way in bringing creativity back to advertising.

Creative Insights by Jove is the first creative-centric advertising software that presents a comprehensive view of all ad data across channels in a visual interface that shows the broad, thematic creative elements tied to real results. The tool offers marketers and creatives a new way of looking at advertising results that doesnt rely on the collection of private data.

Turner continued: Whether its the Gates Foundation or PATH trying to increase visibility for content that educates the public on the challenges of vaccine distribution in the developing world. Or advocacy for government support of public-private partnerships on clean energy initiatives. Or to call the attention of socially conscious entrepreneurs to new developments in sanitation technology and clean water initiatives. Or the arts sector advertising cultural events and new exhibitions. Or public radio soliciting donations. We welcome nonprofits to benefit from our platform and to put it to good use.

We're proud to come alongside nonprofits to support getting their messages out, now more than ever, to help them move forward their visions for social good, said David Atchison, CEO of Jove. As a nation and in the world, were going through a time when the voices of organizations working for the greater good need to be heard above the noise. And we hope to together yield the results to prove what we at Jove know to be truethat the best marketing relies on standout creative to communicate powerfully and to connect with audiences.

About Jove: Creative Insights by Jove uses data to spark actionable insights that inspire creative concepts and optimization across all marketing activities from creative development, brand management and media buying. Joves platform is the first of its kind to use data to pinpoint not only which creative concepts and media approaches work but also why. By using visuals to present creative and metrics from every channel in one place, the platform provides a big picture view of all marketing activities that has not been available previously.

About David Atchison, Jove Founder & CEO:

After receiving his Operations Research degree from Princeton, Atchison quickly realized he could use it to test, scale, and optimize digital marketing programs. And its worked. He has seen the macro and micro trends that adjust both small and large companies, and strongly believes that with the world only getting more fragmented and complicated, ad testing is critical when it comes to building successful global brands.

Before Jove, Atchison started New Engen, a digital marketing company serving SMB and enterprise businesses, and has served as CMO (and employee #3) at Zulily, an e-commerce company that went from $0 to $1.5B in just six years.

About Ryan Turner, Jove CMO:

With a 25-year career in marketing and communications, Turner started as a writer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He worked with digital agencies WPP and Publicis for 10 years. Then he joined Starbucks, where he built from scratch a world-class social media operation before taking on broader scope as vice president of digital marketing. Most recently, Ryan worked at Amazon, where he led a team of creatives, media planners, and data scientists running experimentation programs in digital media.

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Jove Gives Nonprofits Free Access to New Creative-Centric Ad Planning Software - Business Wire

Dodge is using two-factor authentication to secure its most powerful muscle cars – TechRepublic

You'll need more than just a key to drive this Hemi.

Image: Dodge

In an era of keyless entry, connected cars and computerized everything, you'd think that car theft would be a thing of the past. Alas, as cars have gone more high-tech, so have car thieves.

Thanks to clever black market hardware, it's possible for thieves to spoof the electronic codes that wireless key fobs use to unlock and start cars. It's not easy to do, but it's common enough to be a concern, especially with high-end vehicles.

To discourage this, Dodge has taken a page out of the IT security handbook and will now offer two-factor authentication in Charger and Challenger models equipped with its most powerful 392-cubic inch V8 and its supercharged 6.2-liter V8. Even better, this feature isn't restricted to only newly sold vehicles: It'll be available as a free software update to all eligible 2015-2021 products.

Here's how it works.

SEE: Social engineering: A cheat sheet for business professionals (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

Once installed, the software will limit vehicle engines to an idle speed of around 675 rpm upon initial startup, generating just 2.8 horsepower and 22lb-ft of torquea tiny fraction of what they are capable of producing. They'll be able to be driven, but at close to walking pace and nothing faster.

However, once a driver enters their four-digit security code, the full power of the car will be unlocked. That means that without the code, would-be car thieves won't even be able to make a quick getaway even if they have a spoofed key or the original.

"Though statistically rare, car thieves have targeted the high-horsepower Dodge muscle cars, and we want the Dodge 'Brotherhood' to know we're taking quick action and covering their backs," explains Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis in a press release.

This isn't the first time that Dodge has used clever software to introduce features to an automobile. A few years ago, it rolled out an update to the Dodge Charger Pursuit police car that used the built-in ultrasonic parking sensors to alert officers if someone tried to sneak up behind their car to catch them unaware.

Image: Dodge

More vehicles will soon be incorporating digital key technology, which should help prevent auto theft from key spoofing as well. The next-generation BMW iDrive includes something called "Digital Key Plus" that uses ultra-wideband tech in late-model iPhones to securely authenticate both phone and car to unlock doors and drive, and its key fobs will do the same, making spoofing considerably more difficult.

Then there are digital connectivity and app-based solutions like GM's OnStar, the Volvo On Call app, or other similar apps available from most car companies these days that allow doors to be unlocked remotely from an app. Of course, these work differently as they are connecting to the car via the cloud, but it's still an interesting non-traditional way to unlock a car.

It remains to be seen whether these wireless systems will replace key fobs entirely someday.

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Dodge is using two-factor authentication to secure its most powerful muscle cars - TechRepublic

University Of Alaska Anchorage: Now Free And Available To All Learners: Read&Write And EquatIO Premium Software! – Patch.com

Read&Write is a big confidence booster for anyone who needs a little support with their readingand writing, at school or in the workplace.

Millions of students in higher education rely on Read&Write's friendly literacy featuresto help with reading, writing assignments and online research. From hearing emailsor documents read out loud to text prediction; picture dictionaries; summary highlighters;and a grammar, spelling and confusable words checker; Read&Write makes lots of everydayliteracy tasks simpler, quicker and more accurate.

Read&Write helps employees with additional language or literacy needs, such as thosewith ESL or dyslexia, who need unobtrusive extra support with reading and writing.

EquatIO software allows learners to create mathematical equations, formulas (and more!) directlyon their computer or device.

Learners simply type, handwrite or dictate any expression, and EquatIO will convertit to accurate digital math which can be added into a Microsoft Word doc or G Suiteapps with a click.

How to get these state-of-the-art software programs for free:

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University Of Alaska Anchorage: Now Free And Available To All Learners: Read&Write And EquatIO Premium Software! - Patch.com