Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said the software company has plans to boost the functionality of its internet-based electronic mail service Hotmail, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. In an interview with the London-based newspaper, Gates said Hotmail will be expanded to offer storage of personal computer users' text files, calendars, lists of favourite websites and other data. The free service will enable users to find all of the material stored on their home computers using any internet link.

"We have a very aggressive plan to roll this out," Gates said. Gates also said the next version of its Windows NT operating system, for use on corporate networks, would automatically replicate PC files on a network server and make it easier to distribute software updates to all the PCs linked to the network.

The Microsoft chairman declined to comment on the anti-trust suit brought against the company by the Department of Justice but said the success of its Windowsoperating system was in part due to the company's vigilance in tracking competition.

"We have to redefine the way people think about computer operating systems so they don't even consider Windows to be in the same category as competitors," Gates said. "That is our job." Gates also said he was convinced competitors would gain a critical advantage over Microsoft if the Redmond, Washington-based company did not move fast enough.

"The culture of our company is never to dismiss these things that are coming along," he said. "We were one of those things that came along."

C-dac launches new mission

Pune-based Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) has launched a new mission to develop supercomputer technologies using personal computer (PC) elements which would enable organisations to build their own supercomputer of the size and performance needed by them.

Called Next Generation High Performance Computing and Communication (HPCC) technology, such technologies with their multifariousapplication would make the country immune from the rapid technological changes as well as from technology denials, RK Arora, executive director, C-DAC, said.

The mission, to be completed within three-and-a-half years, aims to develop necessary hardware and software by which research institutions can build their own scalable supercomputer.

Consumer court penalises MTNL

A Delhi consumer court has ordered Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) to compensate a subscriber for charging excess dues and directed the company to recover the amount from the delinquent officials.

Penalising MTNL for deficiency in service, the Delhi Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum-II directed it to pay Rs 2,000 as compensation for mental harassment and agony.

"MTNL should not only take appropriate action against the defaulting officials but also recover the (compensation) amount from their salaries so to save the state exchequer from being burdened because of the carelessness and negligence on the part of the officials",the court said in a recent judgment.

It also asked MTNL to pay litigation cost of Rs 500 besides almost four years' interest at 18 per cent per annum on the excess amount of Rs 47 charged by the telecom company.