Programmers are essential in this day and age. We all rely on technology, and having people who know how to make machines do what they do is a vital part of our daily activities; Microsoft, being a software company, knows this, and has opened a Kid's Corner education website.

In an extension to the Beginner Developer Learning Center, the Kid's Corner aims at teaching the very basics, helping construct a foundation of knowledge to build on. Written on the main page of the section is, "Are you a cool kid who wants to impress your friends and family with your mad skillz? Check out the Kid's Corner for lots of fun, easy to understand lessons on programming!" Mad skillz are an ever valuable asset to have, and hopefully it will draw the interest of the cool kids in question.

Microsoft has two main videos listed on the front page of the Kid's Corner, the first being an introduction to the Internet, and the second jumps straight to objects & object-oriented programming. Perhaps a big leap, but we trust that Microsoft will ease into the rough stuff. It aims to build experience in languages such as Visual Basic and Visual C#, whilst of course introducing kids to Visual Studio; some articles are even based on teaching web development languages, beginning with HTML. If you want to have a look at what the company has to offer children in terms of development, feel free to peruse the website.

British ISP TalkTalk has staged a stunt aimed at proving to Lord Mandelson that his plans to cut-off file-sharers without due process is "naive". The company's stunt demonstrates how innocent parties could easily be disconnected for file-sharing done without their knowledge through a wireless Internet connection.

The company, which has long been a critic of government plans to cut off file-sharers, sent a security expert to an ordinary street in Middlesex. The expert then obtained access to 23 unsecured wireless connections on the street and downloaded music from two of the connections.

Residents had given prior permission to be hacked and the downloads were legal, but with so many unsecured wireless connections it demonstrates just how easily a wireless connection could be hijacked for illegal file-sharing. TalkTalk plans to offer advice to all of the residents on how to make their wi-fi networks secure.

TalkTalks director of strategy and regulation, Andrew Heaney, believes that due process of law must be maintained.

"The Mandelson scheme is every bit as wrong-headed as it is naive," he said, "The lack of presumption of innocence and the absence of judicial process combined with the prevalence of wi-fi hacking will result in innocent people being disconnected."

According to the BBC, several cases of users being wrongly accused of illegally sharing video games have been highlighted by magazine, Which? Computing.

However, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is confident that innocent people would not be caught out, due to its "robust" evidence gathering.

BPI spokesman Adam Liversage said, "The account holder would receive a notification in the first instance, which would represent an opportunity to discuss filesharing with others in the household and which would provide the account holder with the information and tools to help ensure that the account is not used illegally again."

"This information would extend to explaining to the account holder how they can secure their wireless router to ensure that it isn't accessed by unknown third parties," he added.

A statement from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said that it would be important to ensure that there is an "independent and easy route of appeal at all stages in the process" and that they are currently envisaging a "tribunal system to which people would have recourse before any action was taken against them."

The government's decision on Lord Mandelson's controversial plan is due in November.

The Australian Commonwealth Scientific & Research Organisation (CSIRO) has cashed its first royalties cheque relating to its patent of the 802.11 wireless network standard.

These royalties come from the patent granted to the organisation in 1996 that it has consistently argued is essential for creating wireless networks in over 800 million devices currently on the market.

The CSIRO has been subject to several court battles over the past few years in defense of its patent, going head-to-head with the world's largest computer manufacturers including Microsoft, Dell, HP, Toshiba, Intel, Nintendo, D-Link, Asus, Belkin, 3com, SMC, Accton and Buffalo Technology.

Nigel Poole, the CSIRO's executive director said, "CSIRO set out to encourage the industry to take licenses for the use of its patented technology. When that did not prove successful, we initiated legal proceedings which then led to proceedings being initiated against CSIRO".

As a result, the organisation reached a confidential settlement earlier this year with two of the industry's largest players, being Fujitsu and HP, together with 12 other companies. The first royalties from these settlements, $AU200 million, was pocketed by the company yesterday, and analysts predict this figure will grow year-on-year as more settlements and licensing arrangements are made.

Yesterday the commercial and scientific teams responsible for the creation of the 802.11 wireless technology were awarded the Chairman's Medal for Research Achievement - the organisation's highest honour.

If you live in one lucky town in the Netherlands you have a chance to get a free copy of Windows 7. Microsoft will be giving out 777 copies of Windows 7 to the town of Zevenhuizen, which translates to "Seven Houses".

The lucky residents will be getting a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate. There are a few restrictions however; the user must be in possession of a PC with Windows as the primary OS, Mac users will not be able to obtain a free copy, and Linux users are out of luck too.

Residents can go to "zevenhuizengaatover.nl. The site explains that there are four options to choose from for getting Windows 7: pick up a copy, bring the computer over to have it installed, have Microsoft come pick up the PC and bring it back with everything installed within 48 hours, or have Microsoft install it for them at home."

As Microsoft continues towards the Windows 7 launch date, they are looking to promote the new OS in any possible way. Keep your eyes peeled as you may be able to win yourself a free copy from Microsoft too!

Microsoft's expansion into the retail arena may be a more difficult endevour than Apple faced when it opened its own retails stores back in 2001, according to Nick Wingfield of The Wall Street Journal.

This isn't due to lack of products or store locations, but the potential for Microsoft's stores to hinder relationships with its existing hardware and retail partners.

Wingfield told the Journal, "While Apple had fewer potential business conflicts because it had such weak support from retailers when it opened its first store in 2001, Microsoft depends on existing partners in the retail business that could be threatened by the company's expansion into their turf."

Steven Baker, an analyst with NPD Group, believes that Microsoft has nothing to be concerned about. "Everybody is in everybody's space" he told the Journal. However, Microsoft appear to be playing it safe, preparing hardware and retail partners by being vocal in the media on their plans to enter the retail arena.

It's clear that Microsoft's aim in opening retail stores is to make a large dent in Apple's growing market share, even going so far as to hire ex-Apple Store staff and former Apple retail executive, George Blankenship, to take Apple head-on.

Apple is preparing for the onslaught, having started renovations on a number of existing Apple stores, and commissioning an advertising campaign that aims to mock the upgrade process from Windows XP to Windows 7, Microsoft's latest and soon to be released operating system.

Microsoft plans to open its first retail store in Scottsdale, Arizona around the launch date of Windows 7 on October 22, 2009.