News in brief - part 3

McAfee has given up trying to buy Cheyenne Software. The antivirus and networking software firm said it withdrew its $1billion takeover bid because of Cheyenne's unwillingness to negotiate. (See story, Page 10.)

UK software firm Reflex Magnetics has awarded New York-based Global Data Security (GDS) north American distribution rights to its Reflex Disknet virus prevention program. GDS has agreed to sell $6 million-worth of Disknet products in exchange for the exclusive deal.

Microsoft has called its new online publication Slate The publication will be edited by former CNN Crossfire co-presenter Michael Kinsley, and according to Microsoft, will produce comments on politics and culture by top journalists.

Sun is talking to Apple with a view to getting the Java Virtual Machine into its operating system. This follows Sun's unsuccessful attempt to buy Apple. The company has yet to roll over and is not fitting into Sun's plan to put Java on the worlds' desktops.