Not so long ago, a simply sensational statement appeared in the press. It turns out that soon there will be no “traditional” Windows OS left on all computers of government agencies in our country! Prominent figures promise that a Russian operating system will take its place. The idea is that by the end of this year this same “OS” should begin testing in government institutions.

Optimistic start

The most famous project, which theoretically can lay claim to such a significant role, is Synergy. This system uses the Linux kernel, the decision to develop it was made recently, on August 13, 2014. This was decided by a joint commission (at a meeting of the companies OJSC Russian Railways, Rosatom) and the Russian Federal Nuclear Center from the city of Sarov.

By the way, it is at the Synergy enterprise that it should now be intensively tested. Russian Railways will be required to actively “fine-tune” the OS, subject to its use in user database management systems. Russian Railways has enough of these!

By the way, this whole idea was initiated by Rosatom specialists, since the share of imported software is extremely large, and it was time to move away from such a bad practice long ago. Everyone involved in the development promises that the Russian one will be protected from hacking no worse than the best foreign analogues.

Last straw

Such a quick decision was largely due to the fact that just in August 2014 the next update package for Windows 7 was released. The irony of fate is that it was these updates that led to the failure of thousands of computers around the world, since it contained critical errors. The problem was also aggravated by the situation with malfunctions Windows systems RT, Windows 8 and 8.1.

Why is all this needed?

In general, in lately Only lazy people do not discuss the Russian operating system. However, the discussion is carried out in an ironic manner. Users should not be blamed for their lack of patriotism. Practice shows that in most cases, domestic projects in this area can only offer “not boring wallpaper” and a new design theme for the same Ubuntu.

It is important to understand exactly what requirements a truly promising Russian operating system must meet, and what principles should be embedded in it. Let's try to fantasize and imagine the directions in which its development should go.

"Childhood diseases"

In general, it’s always worth starting with previous experience, even if it’s negative. As we have already said, our country has one. Starting with the ancient “Spectrums”, on which a slightly rethought DOS was installed, ending with relatively recent times, when some computer clubs installed the “fundamentally new” BedOS 2 “Tanya”. This epic creation was nothing more than Windows 98 redesigned almost beyond recognition.

All of them were united by one thing: despite new interface, all these operating systems were simply slightly modified products of world-famous software manufacturers.

What challenges do domestic developers face?

In principle, there is nothing new to talk about in this case. If a truly new Russian operating system for PCs is now being developed, then its creators face a huge number of tasks. We list just the main ones:

• Release of an OS that will perform all its tasks and work on Russian-made servers and workstations.
• Creation of working and functional virtualization tools for it.
• The same development of a database management tool, the debugging of which is now assigned to Russian Railways.
• Creation, development and support of the domestic application development environment.
• Release of tools that could be used to automate testing.
• Creation of a domestic “application store”. You give a worthy answer to every AppStore!
• Release of an OS that can work not only on desktop computers and laptops, but also on mobile technology(smartphones, tablets). This Russian mobile operating system should become a competitor to Android, iOS, and Windows Mobile.
• Development of design tools that will make it easier to write new applications.
• Analysis of the business sector of the economy, creation of a specialized cluster of programs specifically for it.
• Finally, the development of a Russian operating system should include the creation of its own desktop environment (DE).
• Creation of new tools for installing, deploying and debugging written programs.
• Availability of the ability to painlessly migrate business and home users from older versions of the OS.
• Formation of training courses that will tell users what a Russian operating system for a PC is, its capabilities and prospects.

About users of the new OS

It's no secret that the modern segment of home computers is largely focused on games. In addition, the PC market is distinguished by an incredible variety of computer hardware, as well as the unconditional dominance of the same Windows OS. Since all the concepts and habits of users in this niche are distinguished by deep-rooted conservatism, it is unlikely that they will be changed in any way.

Thus, the new Russian operating system will most likely be focused on government agencies, corporate segments of the economy, and the military-industrial complex.

What requirements must the new OS meet?

1. Relatively low cost of both the system itself and the hardware that is necessary for its normal functioning.
2. Availability of “cloud” work on documents. Simply put, in new system Some kind of environment for joint development must be oriented, which is especially in demand in an enterprise or government organization.
3. The system must be scalable. It would be desirable that as the enterprise grows, it could be “tailored” specifically to the needs of a large organization (sort of analogues of the Business and Professional versions).
4. The speed of processing arrays of information should be as high as possible.
5. Maximum reliability and security (including against viruses).
6. The development and development of the OS should be carried out taking into account the latest trends in the hardware market.
7. Protection from malicious actions. In principle, the Russian operating system Rosa is well protected from this, but it is actually another Linux distribution.
8. At least a theoretical possibility of use on a home user’s computer (to gradually attract a new audience).
9. Full compatibility with at least the most common computer hardware and peripherals.

OS development taking into account trends in future hardware development

Recently, processors have crossed the 14 nm threshold, domestic 65 nm Elbruses have appeared, and the imminent release of a new type of capacious memory, ReRam, is reported, which will leave far behind all modern SSDs (NAND) in speed. Simply put, one of the priorities facing manufacturers should be the development of a system that will work on both existing and future hardware. This is a complex matter, and therefore there are quite natural doubts about its success.

Now we will talk about real progress in this area.

About "Chameleons" and other things

In general, modern domestic operating systems have exactly two realistic development paths. And in the first place is the justified interest of the military, for whom secure domestic software is extremely important. The second direction can be described as “patriotic development”. Projects sometimes appear on the Internet, the authors of which regularly announce a Russian-made operating system.

In the latter case, we can call Xameleon OS. If we talk about the technological side of the issue, it is very similar to Mac OS X, since both systems are based on the use of a microkernel. Chameleon uses L4 development, and Mac OS X includes the Mach microkernel. Alas, the domestic “answer” does not yet have even a banal GUI, that is GUI.

Other candidates

There is also a Russian operating system called Patriot OS. For quite some time now, a fundraiser for its creation has been announced on Boomstarter. The declared amount is 38,500,000 rubles, which in itself causes widespread ridicule on the Internet. The fact is that domestic crowdfunding projects have never reached more than 12 million. Also, if you read the requirements for the new system...

Simply put, the stated amount is clearly not enough. If the Russian operating system “Patriot OS” claims at least 1-2% of the software market in this area, then we need to collect ten times more. However, this money should be enough for at least a preliminary beta version, from which it will be possible to judge the prospects of the project as a whole. But the adequacy of some of the declared characteristics raises deep doubts.

A moment of humor

So, the author of the project says that he would like to create new Network"Patrionet", analogue World Internet, which will be available only to those users on whose computers the Russian Patriot operating system is installed. It is stated that it will be based on “incredibly fast dynamic technologies.” The fact is that even 38 million dollars will not be enough to implement something like this, let alone the domestic currency...

Phantom Perspectives

There is also a Russian operating system called Phantom. Theoretically, it is a development of the Digital Zone company (in fact, it is “homemade” by Dmitry Zavalishin). The latter passionately proves the advantages of its “brainchild” every year at the HighLoad exhibition and other similar events.

In principle, this time the Russian Phantom operating system does not contain anything truly revolutionary or new. The developers really are not lying when they claim that their OS is not a clone of Windows/Unix.

But for some reason they “forget” to tell that “Phantom” is an almost exact copy of the KeyKOS/EROS system. Moreover, this topic was started in the distant 80s of the last century, when the general principles KeyKOS development.

The generic name does not imply any single "official" Linux package; they are usually distributed (often free) in the form of various ready-made distributions that have their own set of application programs and already customized to the specific needs of the user.

In the early days, Linux was developed for free only by volunteer enthusiasts, but with the success of Linux and its widespread commercial use, companies began to refine the OS and contribute, eventually becoming a significant force. The vast majority of software in modern distributions is still available under free licenses, usually with the exception of a small number of proprietary components. Total cost Linux kernels valued at more than 1 billion euros (about 1.4 billion dollars). In 2008 alone, the cost of the Linux kernel increased by 225 million euros. The Linux system embodies the equivalent of 73 thousand man-years of work.

Currently Linux systems leading in the markets of smartphones (Android occupies 64.1% of the market), Internet servers (60%), the most powerful supercomputers (93.8%), and also, according to the Linux Foundation, in data centers and enterprises, occupying half of the market embedded systems have a significant share of the netbook market (32% as of 2009). In the home computer market, Linux firmly occupies 3rd place (according to various sources, from 1 to 5%). Overall, Linux's market share among electronic devices is about 42%, according to a Goldman Sachs study. Linux runs on routers, TVs and game consoles.

What is a router?

A router in professional jargon is called a router.

Operating systems based on the kernel continue to improve rapidly (for example, a new version of the kernel is released every 2-3 months; since 2005, more than 7,800 developers from more than 800 different companies have been involved in the development of the kernel) and are gaining popularity (in 9 months from May 2011 to January 2012 Linux's share grew by 64%). Own Linux distributions are produced by various companies and enthusiasts from all over the world, including Russia and Ukraine.

What operating systems are used in cell phones, tablet computers?

On September 23, 2008, the first version of the Android operating system was officially released. Since the release of the first version of the platform, several system updates have occurred. These updates focus on fixing bugs and adding new functionality to the system.

In 2009, as many as four system updates were introduced. In February, version 1.1 was released with various bug fixes. In April and September, two more OS updates were released – Android 1.5 “Cupcake” and Android 1.6 “Donut”. In October 2009, the version of the Android 2.0 platform “Éclair” was released, and also after a small update within Android versions 2.1 “Éclair” appeared in the OS “live wallpaper”, the lock screen was modified.

In mid-2010, Google introduced Android 2.2 "Froyo", and in late 2010, Android 2.3 "Gingerbread" OS appeared. After the "Froyo" update, it became possible to use the operating system Android system in smartphones.

On February 22, 2011 it was officially presented Android platform 3.0 "Honeycomb", aimed primarily at tablets.

On October 19, 2011, the first universal platform Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich” was released, intended for both tablets and smartphones.

In June 2012, the Android 4.1 “Jelly Bean” OS version appeared; at the end of October of the same year, the Android 4.2 “Jelly Bean” platform was introduced with minor updates.

70.1% of smartphones sold in the fourth quarter of 2012 were equipped with the Android operating system.

Goes on sale October 26, 2012. According to various data, as of April 2013, the share of Windows 8 among the operating systems used in the world for accessing the Internet amounted to 3.82%. The server version is Windows Server 2012.

Windows 8, unlike its predecessors Windows 7 and Windows XP, uses a new interface called Modern(previously - Metro). This interface appears first after system startup; it is similar in functionality to the desktop - the start screen has application tiles (similar to shortcuts), which, when clicked, launches the application, opens a site or folder (depending on which element or application the tile is attached to).

The system also includes a “classic” desktop, as a separate application. Instead of the Start menu, the interface uses a “hot corner”, clicking on which opens the start screen. Scrolling in the Modern interface is horizontal. If you make a zoom out gesture (or press the minus sign at the bottom of the screen), the entire start screen will be visible. You can move and group tiles on the Start screen, name groups, and change the size of tiles (only available for tiles that were originally large). Depending on the screen resolution, the system automatically determines the number of rows for tiles - on standard tablet computers there are three rows of tiles. The color of the start screen changes in the new control panel, and the pattern in the background also changes.

Windows 8 is a reimagined Windows 7, and the desktop experience is the same.

The bill “On the sovereign Runet”. According to RBC, it contained provisions that could complicate the life of Rostelecom.

What's the problem?

The bottom line is that government agencies, operators, and so on cannot, according to the bill, use foreign databases and equipment located abroad. However, Rostelecom, which is the largest Internet provider in Russia, uses foreign bases for its work Unified system identification and authentication, as well as the Unified Biometric System. These are RIPE DB databases, which may become inaccessible after the adoption of the law. And this means stopping the operation of both systems.

What do the experts think?

« The Law “On the Sovereign Runet” directly prohibits state-owned companies from using foreign databases. Including, obviously, RIPE DB. So we, as an organization, will be following with great interest any regulations that may improve the situation. The RIPE DB contains data on all possible routes in our region on the Network - if the law remains unchanged, Rostelecom will lose the opportunity to legally receive information about these routes", said the director of external relations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia RIPE NCC Alexey Semenyaka. At the same time, Rostelecom itself declined to comment.

And the chief analyst of the Russian Association of Electronic Communications (RAEC), Karen Kazaryan, noted that the ban could also hit Russian Railways and other organizations. Although the idea itself was initially to prohibit the placement of government information systems abroad. But in the current version it will have a negative impact specifically on Russian resources. At the same time, Russian Railways itself has already stated that their system does not need the Internet to operate.

« That is, Russian Railways’ information systems have no connections with foreign or even Russian databases. To organize train work it is enough telephone communication, through which information about the train is exchanged between neighboring stations“, noted a representative of the carrier. However, booking tickets online may suffer.

Is everything gone?

The same Kazaryan proposed a solution to bypass the restrictions. According to him, any non-governmental organization will have to make a copy of the required database, from which the government agency will take information.

This would not even be copying in the proper sense, but rather intermediation - providing access to a particular database through another company. Of course, there is a possibility of some interruptions, but this is a purely technical issue, and to the same extent problems could arise with the database as such,” the analyst noted.

And Ekaterina Dedova, head of TMT practice at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Russia, believes that the bill “On Sovereign Runet” refers users to regulations that do not yet exist. Therefore, it is now difficult to say how it will affect the Runet as a whole.

Microsoft blocks installation of Windows 10 May 2019 Update on PCs with USB drives and SD cards

Microsoft has announced that the upcoming Windows update The 10 May 2019 Update contains issues that may prevent it from installing on some devices. According to available information, computers running Windows control 10 1803 or 1809 with an external USB drive or SD card will receive an error message when attempting to upgrade to 1903.

The cause is reportedly due to the disk remapping mechanism not working properly. Therefore, the company blocked the possibility of installing the update on such PCs, although it did not completely recall the assembly. As a solution, it is proposed to completely disable everything external drives during the update, you can connect them later.

At the same time, we note that such drives are used by many, so the problem will clearly be relevant, as will its solution. Redmond has not yet specified when they plan to rewrite the code of the “faulty” Windows 10 May 2019 Update module to resolve the situation.

At the same time, the problem itself is quite funny. On the one hand, this error is not really an error, because you can disconnect USB drives quickly and easily without rebooting the system. On the other hand, the question arises of how this even happened.

This situation looks much more serious if Microsoft’s assurances that the Windows 10 May 2019 Update should make the “top ten” more reliable and stable. For this reason, the company abandoned some of the innovations and focused on solving problems. However, as you can see, this was not enough.

Thus, we can only advise you not to install build 1903 immediately after release, but to wait several weeks or even months. It is possible that other errors will appear there.

Artificial intelligence OpenAI beat almost all living players in Dota 2

Last week, from the evening of April 18 until April 21, the non-profit organization OpenAI temporarily opened access to its AI bots, allowing everyone to play Dota 2 with them. These were the same bots that had previously defeated a team of world champions in this game.

Artificial intelligence reportedly beat humans by a landslide. 7,215 matches were played in Competitive mode (against human players), with the AI ​​winning 99.4% of the time. In 4075 cases, the victory of AI was unconditional, in 3140 - people surrendered themselves. And only 42 matches resulted in the victory of living players.

However, only one team of players was able to win 10 matches. Three more teams were able to win 3 victories in a row. In total, over 35 thousand matches were played over the past days, almost 31 thousand players took part in them. And their total duration was 10.7 years. We are talking about matches in Competitive and Cooperative modes. Note that in the second case, living and cybernetic players were on the same team. This made it possible to use strengths both of them.

However, it was stated that this OpenAI Five demonstration was the last. In the future, OpenAI plans to further develop projects related to artificial intelligence, but they will be different. However, the developments of OpenAI Five and the experience achieved will form the basis of these projects.

It was also noted that complex strategy games have finally been conquered by AI, which is important milestone in the development of future AI technologies. After all for a long time it was believed that such games were too complex for machine intelligence. However, the same thing was said about chess and Go.

Microsoft has updated the processor requirements page ahead of the release of Windows 10 May 2019 Update

Before the release of the latest Windows 10 May 2019 Update, Microsoft traditionally updated the processor requirements page. It now features Windows 10 1903, also known as the May Update.

In terms of hardware, nothing has changed. The operating system still supports Intel processors up to the ninth generation, Intel Xeon E-21xx, Atom J4xxx/J5xxx, Atom N4xxx/N5xxx, Celeron, Pentium, AMD 7th generation processors (A-Series Ax-9xxx & E-Series Ex-9xxx and FX-9xxx), Athlon 2xx, Ryzen 3/ 5/7 2xxx, Opteron, EPYC 7xxx and Qualcomm Snapdragon 850. But for some reason Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx is not there. Perhaps this model will appear after the release of Windows 10 19H2 in October-November.

But this is not the only missing link. Reportedly not on the list AMD processors Ryzen 3000, although it is possible that this is a simple typo. Neowin has already reached out to AMD for comment, although no response has yet been received.

Note that Intel Xeon, AMD Opteron and AMD EPYC server chips are still supported only for Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise. By the way, the missing Snapdragon 8cx ARM processor is expected to work specifically in the corporate segment, so its mention should be expected in the Enterprise context.

There are no requirements listed for Windows 10 IoT Core version 1903, but Windows 10 IoT Enterprise SAC 1903 does exist and has the same processor requirements as the full Windows versions.

You can mute picture-in-picture sound in Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge

The picture-in-picture feature appeared in Chromium browsers last month. Now Google is actively improving it. The latest enhancement includes support for silent videos in this mode. In other words, we are talking about turning off the sound in the video, which is shown in a separate window.

A new feature that allows you to mute video when you select Picture in Picture is finally ready for testing. Moreover, it is supported not only in Google Chrome, but also in Microsoft Edge. Of course, this only works in test builds on the Dev channel for now.

To activate this feature you need to complete several steps:

• Make sure you are using Dev or Canary versions Chrome browsers or Edge respectively;
• Go to about:flags or edge://flags depending on your browser.
• Find and enable the Experimental Web Platform features flag.
• Restart your browser.
• Visit YouTube or another video streaming platform that supports P-i-P, then play any video.
• Double click the video right click mouse and select the Picture-in-Picture option.
• Hover your mouse over the PiP window to see the mute button in the bottom left corner, click on it to mute the video, to unmute it, click again.

It is worth noting that the above step by step guide works in both Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. It is also available in other browsers based on earlier versions of Chrome.

It has not yet been specified when the new feature will appear in the release. Most likely, it will be in build 74 or 75. And you can read about testing the new Microsoft Edge in our large material.

Paint will not be removed from Windows 10 May 2019 Update

Recently, some Windows 10 PCs started seeing reports that the Paint app will soon be removed from the operating system. But it seems the situation has changed. Brandon LeBlanc, Senior Manager Windows programs Insider at Microsoft, confirmed that the app will be included in the Windows 10 May 2019 Update.

He did not specify what caused this “change of course.” It is important to note that Paint is considered obsolete in Redmond, meaning it is no longer being developed. Perhaps in the future it will still be removed, especially since Microsoft planned to remove it from the top ten and allow it to be installed from the Microsoft Store at will. Instead of Paint, it was planned to use Paint 3D, where the main features of the program were going to be transferred.

One way or another, at the moment there are two drawing applications left in Windows 10. This is another example of Microsoft abandoning ambitious plans to modernize Windows in favor of stability. In the same May update, although there will be a “Start”, and other work has been carried out, no fundamental changes are planned.

This has some wondering if Microsoft plans to further reduce investment in its operating system. This approach, on the one hand, will improve the performance of the “tens” on current devices, and on the other hand, it will make it difficult to support future form factors, such as PCs with folding screens. In general, it is too early to draw conclusions on this matter. It is important that at the moment the company is not abandoning Paint, which many people like for its simplicity and speed of operation.

Tabs may still appear in Explorer

One of the most anticipated features in Windows 10 was and remains support for tabs in Explorer. And now, after years of ignoring user requests for this, Microsoft seems to have decided to add this feature to the operating system.

However, it is reported that these will not be just tabs like in a browser. These are entire Sets of capabilities that will add support for tabs to all applications in Windows. In other words, this should change the “tens” interface itself.

Initially, this feature was available in test versions for insiders, but then the company decided to temporarily withdraw the feature, citing the need to continue working “behind closed doors.” According to Redmond, this will improve the functionality of the tabs.

Since then, there has been very little information about this, but now there is information that the company plans to return this feature. Main program Windows manager Console Rich Turner, responding to a question about Twitter tabs, said that this feature is high on the list of planned tasks. That is, tabs or sets may well get the green light in a future version of Windows 10, albeit under a different approach.

For now, these are mostly assumptions. One thing is certain - in May Windows build There will definitely not be 10 tabs. It is assumed that if the company still works in this direction, the function may appear in some of the 20H1 builds, although this functionality is also missing in existing images.

Windows 10 May 2019 Update will make the Start menu faster

The release of Windows 10 May 2019 Update is just around the corner. Many innovations are expected in this version, including the Start menu. Reportedly, one of the innovations will be the simplification of creating a new account user during initial setup. Also, the menu itself will receive a lighter and simpler design, and the number of tiles and other elements will be reduced.

However, the matter will not be limited to visual changes. There are several other important changes that the Windows 10 May 2019 Update will bring to the Start menu, including performance improvements. To do this, “Start” will be moved to a separate process called StartMenuExperienceHost.

In addition, it is now possible to unpin a folder or group of tiles and move them to a new location. This will save time when working with multiple tiles. As noted, Windows 10 May 2019 Update will solve this problem by allowing you to perform group actions on tiles.

In addition, in Windows 10 May 2019 Update, Microsoft doubled the number pre-installed applications, which can be deleted. This means that the user can open the Start menu, go to the list of all applications, right-click on the installed application and delete it.

Finally, Windows 10 May 2019 Update brings Fluent Design elements to the Start menu as well. Now, after downloading the update, an orange indicator will appear there, which will indicate the need to reboot to install the update. And the navigation bar will also expand when you hover over button labels, making it easier for users to understand the functionality of certain icons.

Search for products in the Ozon online store

Buyers of the popular Russian online store Ozon now have the opportunity to integrate the Ozon search service with applications Microsoft Office 2003 and Microsoft Internet Explorer. The user can obtain information about more than 190 thousand products directly from Microsoft Office 2003 applications. After entering one or more words, a search is performed by the product name on Russian language, the title in the original language (if the original title is in foreign language) and the name of the author (performer, manufacturer - depending on the type of product). Search results are presented in the form of a list sorted by the degree of correspondence to the search words: the list element contains the name, photo of the product, author’s name, price, rating, information about the availability of the product for ordering, a brief summary of the product, as well as a link to more detailed description on the online store website. Directly from the “Reference Materials” task area, the user can go to the Ozona website to obtain more detailed information about the product or begin placing an order for it.

WITH detailed information information about connecting the product search service in the Ozon online store to Microsoft Office System applications can be found at: http://www.ozon.ru/ozonsearch/.

Search for software in the SoftKey Online Store

Microsoft users Office System will be able to appreciate the benefits of fast and convenient software search in the catalog of the SoftKey.ru online store from Microsoft Office applications. The search is carried out using keywords, catalog categories, program names, as well as authoring companies. The search results that the user receives include a detailed description of the program, available software versions and prices. Using the purchase link, you can immediately proceed to placing an order in the SoftKey.ru online store. The catalog assortment meets the interests of users of various levels; it contains more than 2,500 items software products, ranging from development tools to computer games.

Instructions for connecting to the service are provided at: http://office.softkey.ru/.

Dictionaries and machine translation services from Proling

The Ukrainian company Proling Ltd. offers Microsoft Office users a number of services that make it easier to translate documents from Ukrainian into Russian and from Russian into Ukrainian.

The Proling ULIS service is a bilingual electronic dictionary, integrated into Microsoft Office 2003 applications. It provides translation of individual words from Russian into Ukrainian and vice versa. The dictionary entry includes grammatical comments, interpretations and examples of use in set phrases. Detailed instructions for connecting “Proling ULIS” to Microsoft Office 2003 applications are located at: http://www.prolingoffice.com/WSvc/ulis_tr.htm.

The “Proling PLAY” web service is designed to translate text fragments from Ukrainian into Russian and vice versa. Contextual analysis algorithms used in translation ensure coordination of words in a sentence and the ability to select translation options for individual words. The Proling Office 2003 service has similar functions, which allows you to receive translated text in a separate Microsoft Internet Explorer window. Instructions for using and setting up the “Proling PLAY” and “Proling OFFICE” services are respectively located at: http://www.prolingoffice.com/WSvc/frag_tr.htm and http://www.prolingoffice.com/WSvc/doc_tr. htm.

"1C:Enterprise" 8.0 new generation of management and accounting automation systems

At the IT-Week 2004 exhibition, 1C presented solutions on the new generation platform 1C:Enterprise 8.0, which allows solving a wide range of management and accounting problems, thanks to new functionality, high performance and good scalability. The new product “1C: Manufacturing Enterprise Management 8.0” (beta version) was also presented at the exhibition. This comprehensive solution allows you to organize a unified information system for managing various aspects of the enterprise. Among the system's capabilities:

Production management, including production planning, cost management and costing, product data management;

Financial management, including budgeting, cash flow management, settlement management, accounting and tax accounting, accounting according to international standards and the formation of consolidated reporting;

Warehouse (inventory) management;

Sales management;

Procurement management;

Customer Relationship Management (CRM);

Price analysis and pricing policy management;

Personnel management, including payroll;

Monitoring and analysis of enterprise performance indicators.

The beta version of the solution is intended for pilot implementations and familiarization with specialists, and the release of working releases of the new product is planned to begin in the third quarter of this year.

In addition, the company’s stand presented the “1C: Trade Management 8.0” solution, as well as the related joint product of “1C” and “AIST IT” “1C-Logistics: Warehouse Management”, designed for organizing effective management of technological processes modern warehouse complex.

All solutions of the 1C:Enterprise 8.0 system are built on a single technological platform, which includes a set of tools and technologies for the development, modification, administration and maintenance of corporate information systems that meet the most modern standards.

The DialogScience arsenal has been replenished with Sybari multi-core antiviruses

Russian anti-virus software supplier DialogNauka and Sybari Software, developer of information security systems for servers email and data processing, signed an agreement according to which DialogNauka becomes the exclusive distributor of Sybari in Russia and the CIS countries.

Software from Sybari, which is offered by DialogueScience, includes Antigen antiviruses for mail servers Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino, Microsoft SMTP Gateways, servers Microsoft documents SharePoint and Instant Messaging servers. The line of software offered also includes specialized products Sybari Spam Manager and Sybari Advanced Spam Defense for anti-spam and contextual filtering of email messages.

Unique feature Sybari products is that each Antigen antivirus integrates from four to six antivirus engines (engine) different manufacturers: Sophos (England), Computer Associates Vet (Australia), Norman Data Defense Systems (Sweden), Computer Associates Inoculate (Israel), etc. To solve different problems, you can define different combinations of these kernels, as well as different rules for their use.

Sybari products have a uniform interface, scalability and centralized management.

Trial versions of products have full functionality and work for 30 days. The trial version can be found on the Sybari company website: http://www.sybari.ws/portal/alias_Rainbow/lang_en-US/tabID_3350/DesktopDefault.aspx or downloaded from our CD-ROM.

On May 18, a new version of the All My Movies program from Bolide Software, Inc. was released. (http://www.bolidesoft.com). All My Movies is an indispensable assistant for those who have collected a large video collection and want to put it in order. The program can be used to catalog a collection of DVDs, CDs, VHS tapes and any other media.

Main features of the program:

Easy import of English-language information about a film from the IMDb.com online database from Russian-language ones - videoguide.ru and film.ru;

Import large covers from amazon.com;

Visual and convenient presentation of the film collection;

Good statistics on the database;

Capture screenshots from video files and save them to a database. This will help you quickly remember the movie in the future and visually evaluate the picture quality of the video file;

Quick search film according to many database fields (title, director, year of release, actors, genre, description, etc.);

Export the film library to HTML, text or Microsoft Excel format, which will allow you to place the collection on your home page or import it into other programs;

Password protection of the movie database, allowing you to create a database of non-children's films without fear of children accidentally seeing it;

An easy-to-use manager of given films - you will never forget who you gave the film to.

The program can be used at video rental stores to keep track of available films. You can download the application (about 1.8 MB) at: http://www.bolidesoft.com/software/amm_setup.exe or download from our disk.

New version of Internet pager ICQ Lite 4.0

A new version of the Internet pager ICQ Lite 4.0 (Build: #1646) has been released. The instant messaging program has significantly increased in volume (the distribution kit takes up 2.79 MB) and has been supplemented with a number of features. The new interactive Xtraz center panel provides access to a huge number of dynamic cards and games. Sending files via ICQ has been simplified - now required file Just drag the mouse into the message window. There is now the possibility of personalization using pictures, as well as a new mechanism for notifying about received messages: by looking at the picture of the interlocutor in the pop-up window, you can immediately understand from whom the message came. The mechanism for changing the password has changed - now you cannot change the password without confirming the old one.

Download free version client (2.85 MB) can be found at: http://ftp.icq.com/pub/ICQ_Win95_98_NT4/ICQ_4/Lite_Edition/icq4_setup.exe or downloaded from our CD.

New download manager ReGet Deluxe 4.0.208

On May 7, the popular file downloading program ReGet Deluxe from ReGet Software was updated (the program’s website is deluxe.reget.com/ru/. The program offers the ability to cancel all downloads with one click, provides a file size request, allowing you to determine its size before starting download, offers different interface modes. ReGet Deluxe supports downloading from secure FTP servers via an SSL connection, and in addition, has many other useful options.

The new version of the program implements automatic search additional servers (mirrors) for downloading files and selects the optimal path for downloading or downloads a file from several servers at once, which significantly increases the download speed. Implemented partial loading of ZIP archives. Using this function, you can view the contents of the archive before downloading it in full or selectively.

You can download the shareware version of the program (1.6 MB) at: http://www.reget.com/dl/regetdx.exe or download from our CD.

Program price 250 rub.

New, 23rd release has been released file manager"Frigate" (http://www.frigate3.com/rus).

Thanks to a wide range of functions and utilities, Fregat will be useful for individual users, small firms, and large companies. The functionality of the product is so wide that it will satisfy almost any request. The new version adds an internal music player, the ability to insert the date into the file name for archives, and additional color settings.

The program is available in three versions: lightweight (Lite), standard (Std) and professional (Pro). Comparative characteristics of the versions are given in the table.

You can download the programs at the following addresses: light version (Lite) - 5.01 MB ( http://www.frigate3.com/download/frigate3_lite.exe); standard version (Std) - 6.85 MB ( http://www.frigate3.com/download/frigate3_std.exe); professional version (Pro) - 9.26 MB ( http://www.frigate3.com/download/frigate3_pro.exe).

The minimum configuration is provided free of charge.

Standard equipment 7 WM (WM banknote payment system WebMoney. Note ed.)

Professional package - 10 WM.

Design of Microsoft Windows XP

In the publishing house " New Disk"(http://www.nd.ru) the disk "Design of Microsoft Windows XP", developed by AlgoSoft, has been released.

One of the features of Microsoft Windows XP is the ability to use various visual themes desktop, which makes working with the computer more comfortable. The “Microsoft Windows XP Design” disc presents various interface design options: boot screensavers, desktop wallpapers, welcome windows, skins for Media Player, skins for Winamp, design themes, cursor pointers.

Users of Microsoft Windows 98/2000/Me will also find on the disk many opportunities to change the design of some elements of their desktop to their liking.

The disk contains:

About 300 computer interface themes;

More than 150 desktop wallpaper options;

49 boot screens;

32 sets of stylish icons;

56 original cursor options.

The disc is distributed in Jewel packaging, the price is $4.

Disc “DS 3D. Modeling and Animation"

A new disc “DS 3D. Modeling and Animation”, the developer of which is LLC PRA “ESTHETIKA”, and the publisher is the company “New Disk” (http://www.nd.ru).

"DS 3D. Modeling and Animation" is a tool for creating videos, television screensavers, animation, presentation graphics and models for computer games. Intuitive user interface, which incorporates all the best tools, allows even a novice user to realize any ideas and opens up new opportunities for experienced users.

To model objects of any complexity, the program provides the following tools: a group of geometric 3D primitives, three-dimensional text, a library of 2D primitives and ready-made objects, a function for importing/exporting objects, etc. At any time you can evaluate your project and get a realistic image using rendering (ray tracing) taking into account reflections, refractions, shadows and edge smoothing. During the modeling and rendering process, you can combine the created 3D scene with digitized images and animations, using them as backgrounds. And these are just some of the program's capabilities.

Program features:

Wide range of modeling capabilities;

Extensive library of ready-made models and textures;

Import and export of objects;

3D text;

Animation of objects and materials;

Rendering overlay background image or animation;

Transferring the properties of reflection, refraction, transparency.

The program is distributed in Jewel packaging, the price is $4.

Newest software allows the design of safe pressure vessels

Steve Gillott
Intergraph CADWorx Promotion and Support Manager

Pressure vessels are critical components of a plant's operations, and their safe operation is critical not only to the production process itself, but also to the safety of personnel in the workplace. Over the years we have seen the terrible consequences of accidents that occurred because the designs of critical components were inadequate or, in some cases, there were no designs at all! The consequences could be the following: injuries to personnel (sometimes fatal), pollution and destruction of the environment and wildlife, radiation leaks. Of course, many incidents also resulted in lost products, which entailed large financial losses and irreparable damage to the company's reputation.

Manufacturing facilities are run by owner/operators under licenses, which are typically issued only when the design of safety-critical systems has been reviewed by expert companies known as notified bodies or inspections. Owners/operators hire these companies to provide inspection and verification services.

Who is responsible for the design and construction of critical equipment items such as pressure vessels? There are two types of companies: design contractors and manufacturers. Both employ designers with knowledge of pressure vessel design standards and specifications. It is these companies that must submit their projects for consideration by the authorized bodies.

For many years, in order to create safe pressure vessels, designers had to manually perform time-consuming calculations for each “pressure part,” which took many days and even weeks. The end result was plump Talmuds with calculations “proving” the suitability of all components. This was achieved by comparing the allowable stresses specified in the design standards with the actual stresses that the component would actually experience when subjected to operating pressures and external loads. This process was very painstaking and time-consuming, and any error in calculations or typographical error could lead to the incorrect thickness being indicated, and therefore to dangerous consequences. Design changes required multi-page calculations. Fortunately, design timeframes were not as tight as they are now.

Today we face different challenges - work schedules are much more demanding, so creating a safe design must be done “right the first time”. Designers should know that they can use robust software to complete this task, which has all the necessary design standards checks built into it, and the results will be subject to comparative testing in accordance with the verification and approval protocol.

25 year history

This is where PV Elite Pressure Vessel software can help you leverage your designer's knowledge to design safe structures quickly, easily and confidently. For 25 years, PV Elite has developed and improved the program; it has implemented numerous material databases that include design standards using allowable loads for all applicable design conditions. The designer specifies boundary loads such as pressure, temperature, component diameter, wind speed, platform dimensions, etc. PV Elite then uses built-in design rules to compare the actual loads on each component with those allowed by the design conditions and presents the results in a series of reports. Any necessary changes can be made within a few minutes.

Designers working with PV Elite can rest assured that their designs are more likely to be approved by regulatory authorities.

What design documentation do customers and component manufacturers receive?

First, most industrial plant designs are typically spatial, 3D models that include interconnected piping, structures, equipment (including pressure vessels), instrumentation, electrical wiring, and HVAC. Intergraph CADWorx Plant is an AutpCAD-based 3D modeling program that provides such capabilities. It also has a built-in two-way interface with PV Elite, meaning that “compliant” vessels can be imported into the 3D model. This allows you to create design documents such as layout and isometric drawings using automated processes much faster than manually.

Second, Intergraph PV Fab-rica-tor can import “to-spec” vessels without duplicating drawings and create detailed shop drawings for production.

Both of the above programs allow you to very quickly incorporate changes into the project using automatic update drawings, which increases productivity and eliminates the possibility of errors in data transfer.

With the unrivaled capabilities of PV Elite software, it is quickly becoming the program of choice for owner/operators, engineering companies, manufacturers and regulatory authorities worldwide. It enables the design/analysis of vessels and heat exchangers to be carried out accurately, quickly and, most importantly, profitably.

The user can design entire pressure vessels or individual components in accordance with the four main international design standards: ASME VIII Div1, ASME VIII Div2, PD 5500 and EN 13445.

Along with vessel design, PV Elite also allows heat exchangers to be designed in accordance with ASME UHX, TEMA, PD 5500 and EN 13445 standards. In addition, equipment owners have the opportunity to estimate the remaining service life or re-evaluate vessels in accordance with API 579. In addition to Finite element analysis according to ASME VIII Div2, external loads on pipeline fittings can also be assessed using four different design standards.

PV Elite has built-in more than 20 standards for calculating wind loads and 23 standards for calculating seismic loads; The user can also analyze the vessels according to the specified reaction spectra.

Pipes may support guardrails, supports (including pipe sections), saddles, or hangers; A wide selection of props is available from many international databases, including US, UK, European, German, South African, Japanese and Australian databases.

Because design elements are accessible through a user-friendly interface, engineers can monitor the model's construction using the PV Elite graphical system.

The newly released PV Elite 2013 features notable improvements including a new ribbon interface; Other innovations include the following:

• added flat windings (limpet coils) in accordance with PD 5500;
• PD 5500 updated, version 2012 introduced;
• “local” strength analysis is provided in accordance with EN 13445;
• added compensating joints of heat exchangers with fixed tube sheets in accordance with EN practice;
• implemented quick calculation using text selection;
• added the ability to search and highlight results;
• Graphic color coding of models and the ability to directly print in PDF format are provided.

PV Elite has many benefits that increase productivity. Some of them are shown in the table.

So, PV Elite provides all the tools needed to ensure that your pressure vessel design is safe and compliant; PV Elite is considered by many regulatory authorities to be a “best-in-class” tool that is widely used in design and manufacturing, and the fact that PV Elite is used in conjunction with CADWorx Palnt and/or PV Fabricator is a significant competitive advantage.

To ensure that the company's software meets industry standards, customer needs, and the latest trends and expectations, Intergraph strives to continually develop and improve it. R&D investments exceeded $60 million in 2012, and customers have the opportunity to influence company developments through eCustomer, Intergraph's support system and knowledge base.