April 3, 2002

Top Microsoft executive leaves amid reshuffle RICK BELLUZZO, MICROSOFT'S president and chief operating officer and a key force behind the growth of its .Net, XBox and MSN efforts, is to leave the company, Microsoft said Wednesday. Belluzzo, 48, will step down as president and COO on May 1. No specific reason was offered for his departure. The move came as part of a broader reshuffle intended to give greater autonomy to the executives in charge of Microsoft's various business units, the Redmond, Washington, company said in a statement. [IDG InfoWorld] 6:36:02 PM

April Fool's Joke Backfires On Star Trek: TNG Actor After several Internet fansites on Monday published word that Star Trek: The Next Generation cast member Wil Wheaton would be seen in a recurring role on the new Star Trek: Enterprise series, Wheaton confessed that he himself was the source of the story and that it was all an April Fool's joke. "I hope everyone takes this in good humor," he said on his website today (Tuesday). He added, "Lots of people sent really kind and sweet congratulatory messages, and I actually feel pretty badly for fooling such nice people." The truth is, he said, that he will not, as the stories suggested, be joining the cast of Enterprise as Ensign Wesley Crusher, using his "time travel" abilities (Enterprise takes place in a different era). [IMDb] 5:35:06 PM

For a long time, satellite television systems were not allowed to broadcast local television signals outside of that local area. But EchoStar is asking the Supreme Court for that to be changed. Do you think they could force a national newspaper to print local stories only in local cities? This would mean the USA today would have to print hundreds of unique versions. Somehow I don't think this would go over very well. [ SpaceDaily.com ] 5:33:47 PM

Baseball site benches some online fans. Major League Baseball's Web unit acknowledges "minor glitches" in some opening-day broadcasts that caused some fans to be shut out of games. [CNET News.com] 5:31:31 PM

Montreal radio hosts pull April Fool's prank on Bill Gates using Chretien's voice. Microsoft chairman Bill Gates is probably used to people complaining about his Windows computer operating system. At least, he didn't hang up when a radio show host posing as Prime Minister Jean Chretien cursed at his frozen computer during a prank phone call. [Canada.Com] 5:27:32 PM

eBay closes password option to plug hole.  The online auction site disables a password function on its site to close a "very serious" security hole that could allow hackers access to eBay users' accounts. [CNET News.com] 4:48:05 PM