Stories by Maria Korolov

After being delayed for months due to reported problems with the new installer, Fedora 18 has arrived

After being delayed seven times due to reported problems with the new installer, Fedora 18 has arrived. On the plus side, Fedora 18 delivers new management functionality for IT administrators and offers improved Active Directory support. However, a complicated installation process and some issues with the user interface make it a less attractive option than desktop competitors like Ubuntu and Mint.

The first step is browser-based environments for online meetings

The U.S. Army is not new to using simulated virtual environments for training. In fact, almost all soldiers have used virtual simulations, according to Douglas Maxwell, the science and technology manager for virtual world strategic applications at the Army's Simulation & Training Technology Center in Orlando.

The war between Google and Microsoft is heating up. Each tech giant offers a productivity suite serving the essentials for serious work online: word processing, spreadsheets, email, and calendars. Should you ally with Google Apps for Business, or root for Microsoft's Office 365 for Small Business?

5 reasons why Google Docs is better/5 reasons why Web Apps is better

For years, folks looking for free online word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations have turned to Google Docs. However, Microsoft recently released an updated set of Office Web Apps, accessible to individual users from their SkyDrive accounts, and to business users through Office 365 and SharePoint.

New interface methods will revolutionise how we interact with computers

When workplace computers moved beyond command-line interfaces to the mouse-and-windows-based graphical user interface, that was a major advance in usability. And the command line itself was a big improvement over the punch cards and tape that came before.

Can badges and scoreboards really make employees work harder, for no extra pay? Or will IT departments be stuck spending time and money "gamifying" work processes - only to have to undo everything once the fad has run its course?

Companies should not attempt to jump into gamification all at once. Here are four specific applications that are excellent places to start your gamification program.

Which would you rather get as a reward for doing business with a particular company: frequent flyer miles, cash rewards, or two virtual cows on FarmVille?

Of all the virtual currencies out there, BitCoin is the most interesting from a technical perspective - and the least interesting from the business point of view. BitCoin is a peer-to-peer virtual currency that uses cryptography to control the creation and transfer of money.

It's free, easier to use than ever, IT staffers know it and love it, and it has fewer viruses and Trojans than Windows.

An emerging technology called Near Field Communication will soon give new meaning to the phrase "tapped out."