Source Code

'Source Code' MPAA rating: PG-13 for some violence, including disturbing images, and for language Running time: 1 hour, 33 minutes Playing: In general release

Much ado about something: William Shakespeare has gone digital in a big way. The Folger Shakespeare Library, home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare materials, launched the Folger Digital Texts on Thursday. It's a set of authoritative Shakespeare plays available for free -- along with the source code. Noncommercial app builders, scholars and others can use the code to build their own Shakespeare-oriented projects. That's pretty cool. The plays, of course, are in the public domain and have been available online for a long time.

It's the obvious thing to say, but it can't be avoided: "Source Code" is the science-fiction thriller version of "Groundhog Day," and that turns out to be not a bad thing at all. Crisply directed by Duncan Jones from a cleverly constructed Ben Ripley script, "Source Code" doesn't have protagonist Jake Gyllenhaal repeat the same day ad infinitum the way Bill Murray did; no, he has to relive a particular eight minutes over and over again. Not because he wants to but because, wouldn't you know it, large numbers of innocent lives are at stake.

A hacker has released stolen source code from Symantec Corp., one of the largest computer security firms, after a phony set of ransom negotiations failed, according to the company. The source code is part of a Symantec product called pcAnywhere, which enables users to log into and control home or work computers from remote locations. Access to the code could in theory give hackers insight into how to seize computers that use the software. Symantec said the source code was for 2006 products that had since been updated with newer code.

A hacker has released stolen source code from Symantec Corp., one of the largest computer security firms, after a phony set of ransom negotiations failed, according to the company. The source code is part of a Symantec product called pcAnywhere, which enables users to log into and control home or work computers from remote locations. Access to the code could in theory give hackers insight into how to seize computers that use the software. Symantec said the source code was for 2006 products that had since been updated with newer code.

Source Code Summit, $26.99; Blu-ray, $30.49 A clever, briskly paced sci-fi mystery, "Source Code" stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a soldier enlisted against his will in a secret government project. His consciousness is being projected back through time, over and over, to the scene of a train bombing, where he has eight minutes to find the bomber. Part "Inception" and part "Groundhog Day" — and propelled by a lively Gyllenhaal performance — "Source Code" verges on the silly whenever writer Ben Ripley and director Duncan Jones try to offer a scientific explanation for how the hero can do what he does, but the premise is pretty terrific, and for the most part, the filmmakers don't squander it. They parcel out clues and details smartly, and even turn the doomed passengers on the train into fleshed-out characters.

Microsoft Corp. is sending letters to people who are downloading or sharing portions of its Windows source code in an effort to stop the illegally obtained operating system blueprints from spreading further over the Internet. Microsoft spokesman Tom Pilla said the letters were intended to let people know that such actions were illegal. The company was not threatening legal action at this point, he said.

Netscape Communications Corp. released the programming codes of its Navigator and Communicator browsers on the Internet to try to stop its market share slide to Microsoft Corp. It was the first time a major software company has released to the public such underlying programming codes, which are usually jealously guarded.

Microsoft Corp. agreed Friday to let Chinese officials review the source code for its Windows operating systems, demonstrating the lengths it will go to in battling rival Linux software for government business on multiple continents. Microsoft founder Bill Gates announced the deal in Beijing during a trip in which he sealed a number of contracts with major Chinese companies.

The FBI has opened an investigation into possible theft of source code from networking equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc., the agency said. An FBI spokesman said Cisco asked the bureau to look into the matter, but he declined to discuss the case further. Cisco said Monday that it was looking into reports that some of the software code used to run its gear that directs Internet traffic might have been stolen. The company did not say whether any of its code was actually stolen.

Source Code Summit, $26.99; Blu-ray, $30.49 A clever, briskly paced sci-fi mystery, "Source Code" stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a soldier enlisted against his will in a secret government project. His consciousness is being projected back through time, over and over, to the scene of a train bombing, where he has eight minutes to find the bomber. Part "Inception" and part "Groundhog Day" — and propelled by a lively Gyllenhaal performance — "Source Code" verges on the silly whenever writer Ben Ripley and director Duncan Jones try to offer a scientific explanation for how the hero can do what he does, but the premise is pretty terrific, and for the most part, the filmmakers don't squander it. They parcel out clues and details smartly, and even turn the doomed passengers on the train into fleshed-out characters.

'Source Code' MPAA rating: PG-13 for some violence, including disturbing images, and for language Running time: 1 hour, 33 minutes Playing: In general release

Easter may be weeks away, but that won't stop the holiday's iconic bunny from bouncing right over the competition at the box office this weekend. "Hop," a hybrid computer-animated comedy about the Easter Bunny's teenage son that also features live actors, is on track to open to about $25 million, according to people who have seen prerelease audience surveys. That should far exceed the ticket sales of "Source Code," a sci-fi thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal, which is likely to collect $15 million to $18 million.

It's the obvious thing to say, but it can't be avoided: "Source Code" is the science-fiction thriller version of "Groundhog Day," and that turns out to be not a bad thing at all. Crisply directed by Duncan Jones from a cleverly constructed Ben Ripley script, "Source Code" doesn't have protagonist Jake Gyllenhaal repeat the same day ad infinitum the way Bill Murray did; no, he has to relive a particular eight minutes over and over again. Not because he wants to but because, wouldn't you know it, large numbers of innocent lives are at stake.

Computer server and software maker Sun Microsystems Inc. said Monday that it had begun to make its Java technology an open-source software project available for free on the Internet. The announcement represents one of the largest additions of computer code to the open-source community -- and it marks a major shift for a company that had once fiercely protected the source code used in 3.8 billion cellphones, supercomputers, medical devices and other gadgets. Santa Clara, Calif.

Under threat of daily fines by European Union antitrust regulators, Microsoft Corp. agreed Wednesday to let competitors examine some of the blueprints to its flagship Windows operating system. Microsoft said it would offer commercial rivals access to a "pretty significant" chunk of the source code governing communications between servers. The code is from its Windows workgroup server and its desktop operating systems.

Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates got a glimpse of his worst nightmare Thursday: Portions of the tightly controlled programming instructions for the Windows operating system were leaked onto the Internet. Sections of Windows' source code moved quickly through online chat groups and file-sharing networks. That embarrassed Microsoft and might have increased the vulnerability of the software that powers most of the world's computers. The Redmond, Wash.

Cisco Systems Inc. said Tuesday that authorities in Sweden had detained a person in connection with the theft of its source code, the basic instructions for the machines that direct Internet traffic around the globe. "We are aware that a person has been detained in Sweden related to the IOS source code theft and are encouraged by this action," the San Jose company said.

Cisco Systems Inc. said Tuesday that authorities in Sweden had detained a person in connection with the theft of its source code, the basic instructions for the machines that direct Internet traffic around the globe. "We are aware that a person has been detained in Sweden related to the IOS source code theft and are encouraged by this action," the San Jose company said.

The FBI has opened an investigation into possible theft of source code from networking equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc., the agency said. An FBI spokesman said Cisco asked the bureau to look into the matter, but he declined to discuss the case further. Cisco said Monday that it was looking into reports that some of the software code used to run its gear that directs Internet traffic might have been stolen. The company did not say whether any of its code was actually stolen.