All WordPress users are advised to immediately update their sites to the new version. As long as you have version 2.7 or higher, updating now only takes seconds as it can easily be done within the WordPress dashboard.

The new version doesn’t appear to bring any new features, only security related changes. The release article states that:

The headline changes in this release are:

• A fix for the Trackback Denial-of-Service attack that is currently being seen.
• Removal of areas within the code where php code in variables was evaluated.
• Switched the file upload functionality to be whitelisted for all users including Admins.
• Retiring of the two importers of Tag data from old plugins.

Here is the link to the full release article:

http://wordpress.org/development/2009/10/wordpress-2-8-5-hardening-release/

Personally, I was keen to see what some of the 100 new features were that Apple has been keeping under wraps. This winter in Australia, here are some of the things iPhone and iPod Touch users can look forward to when they install the iPhone OS 3.0 upgrade. The update will be free for iPhone users but US$9.95 for iPod Touch owners.

Cut, Copy, and Paste – Yes that basic computing task that we just can’t live without. Cut, copy and paste will work within apps and across apps just as you would expect. Is there an “undo” I hear you ask. You bet there is. Just shake to undo.

When Apple were asked why it took so long to introduce this basic functionality, they said they wanted to get it right the first time. They’re not hinting that their counterparts occasionally get things wrong are they?

Landscape Mode – If you think the current qwerty keyboard is a bit small, you’ll love the new landscape mode. In iPhone OS 3.0, you will now be able to use the virtual keyboard in landscape mode. This will work in key apps like Mail, SMS, Notes and the Stocks app as well.

Spotlight – Do you find searching your iPhone or iPod Touch cumbersome? To make searching easier and faster, Apple has announced a new app called Spotlight. Mac users out there will already be familiar with Spotlight, the search feature that is built in on all current Macs. Spotlight will be able to search through your Contacts, Calendar, Email, iPod Music, Notes and SMS.

Enhanced SMS – Apple has listened to their customers and have made some great changes to the SMS app as well. Changes like adding MMS capabilities. With iPhone OS 3.0 you will be able to send and receive typical MMS items like photos, audio and contacts. You will also be able to forward text messages.

Bluetooth Support – Improvements have also been made in bluetooth connectivity. The iPhone OS 3.0 will support things like stereo bluetooth, multiplayer gaming and more.

You can watch the whole presentation at http://www.apple.com/iphone/preview-iphone-os/

People navigate through their online worlds in many ways, and improvements in new tabs and search box are just a few of the ways we’re helping make things faster. The new Accelerators in Internet Explorer 8 are there to do what the name suggests— accelerate the task at hand with fewer clicks and less frustration, blurring the lines between services and browser.

Internet Explorer 8 is available for Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Vista (RTM), SP1 and SP2.

Head over to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 8 page to check out the new features, view the how to videos and download your copy.

The list of enhancements to the WordPress 2.7 admin interface is quite comprehensive. Here are just a few that certainly make upgrading worthwhile.

• Drag and drop “dashboard”. You can now move things around the dashboard making it flow the way you prefer.
• Easier upgrading. WordPress 2.7 now uses a built in easy upgrade feature.
• Sticky Posts. Need a post to stay at the top of the page, now you can easily make it “stick” there.

The WordPress Team have made an introductory video available to coincide with the release of WordPress 2.7.

Head on over to the WordPress blog to see what all the fuss is about. http://wordpress.org/development/

Then head over to wordpress.org to download WordPress 2.7.

For novelty value, some themes even change their look depending on if it’s day or night or even differing weather conditions. This is controlled by the location you set when you select the theme.

Changing themes is very simple. Just click a thumbnail on the themes tab the settings page, then save your settings.

Google is rolling out these new theme over the next few days to all their servers. It you don’t see the themes tab on your settings tab just yet, it wont be long.

Here are a few screen shots of some of the new themes.

Brian Krebs from the Washington Post wrote articles detailing that McColo has been allowing their web servers to be used for various types of illegal activities. These activities include the sending of billions of daily junk emails and hosting the command and control of huge botnets. These botnet control servers connect to compromised zombie computers and instruct them to send out billions of daily junk emails and deploy malware.

McColo’s upstream providers were Global Crossing and Hurricane Electric, however, “were” is the key word. Upon being presented with evidence showing the types of activities that McColo was participating in, these two providers severed the connection thereby disabling the ability of spammers.

This “disconnection” of McColo’s servers instantly showed a massive decline in spam levels globally. Likely this is only a temporary decline as the spammers will move on to other hosts, but at least the next few days or weeks we can all enjoy this decrease in spam.

Here are the links to Brian Krebs original posts.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/11/major_source_of_online_scams_a.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/12/AR2008111200658.html?nav=hcmoduletmv

Click here to discover the Ubuntu 8.10 Features.

The 700Mb ISO is available to download from www.ubuntu.com or if you prefer, there are VMware Virtual Appliances to download from www.vmware.com.

VMware Virtual Appliances are a great way to try an alternative operating system like Ubuntu Linux without the installation difficulties. And all from within Windows. You simply download and install the free VMware player along with a VMware Virtual Appliance. Then run it like a normal application.

Currently only available for Windows users, but Google are looking to release a Mac version in the future.

Download your copy today.

The 700Mb ISO is available to download from www.ubuntu.com or if you prefer, there are VMware Virtual Appliances to download from www.vmware.com.

If you haven’t heard of VMware Virtual Appliances, they are a great way to try an alternative operating system like Ubuntu Linux without the installation difficulties. And all from within Windows. You simply download and install the free VMware player along with a VMware Virtual Appliance. Then run it like a normal application.

http://technet.microsoft.com

Non Technet users will be able to download Windows XP SP3 on April 29 using Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center.