Darren Straight's Blog

ICT Enthusiast and photographer.

By - Darren Straight

@live.com & @windowslive.com addresses postponed

Bad news for those of you looking forward to getting your @live.com and @windowslive.com domain addresses today! Microsoft did, however, have one piece of bad news for users. Muskopf told BetaNews that @live.com and @windowslive.com addresses will not be available for registration starting June 20 as initially planned. The company is working out some last minute tweaks and the new

By - Darren Straight

Guess Who’s a Windows Live Butterfly Expert Now!

That’s right it’s yours truly along with quite a few others that were invited last night via email to join the Windows Live Butterfly Program. Ever since the first day I heard about what MSN Butterflies were, I’ve been trying my hardest to get to the status of one because I have always believed that if you try your hardest

By - Darren Straight

Microsoft to embed Live services in Windows

Microsoft last week quietly showed off some software for embedding its Web-based Windows Live ID authentication services within Windows applications. Which will hopefuly bring even more developers to working with Windows Live. Later this year, Microsoft will release a beta version of a software developer’s kit (SDK) for making the Windows Live ID service function within a Windows application, said

By - Darren Straight

BBC relaunches Blue Peter badges

The BBC is once again reinstating the Blue Peter badge scheme this time with a new security measure to tackle fraud. Children who win a badge get free access to museums and stately homes, but the scheme was recently suspended in March when badges were found for sale online at places like eBay. Under the new system, a unique photo

By - Darren Straight

University opens school for hackers

A degree course in computer hacking has been launched by a Scottish university in response to industry demand for IT security experts. The University of Abertay in Dundee will run the Bachelor of Science undergraduate course in “Ethical Hacking and Countermeasures” starting in the next academic year in October. Around 30 students will be enrolled in the course, which the