Microsoft Big Brains: John Shewchuk
There are lots of moving parts to Azure, Microsoft's cloud platform. One of the less-flashy but much needed pieces of plumbing is .Net Services, codenamed "Zurich." If there's a "Mr. Zurich" at Microsoft, that person would be Technical Fellow John Shewchuk.
Microsoft hires away key search VP from Yahoo
The rumors were true: Microsoft has hired away from Yahoo Sean Suchter, Vice President of Yahoo's Search Technology. Microsoft confirmed Suchter will start with the Redmondians on December 22.
It's official: No IE 8 until 2009
After one more public test build early next year, Microsoft plans to release the final version of Internet Explorer 8 in calendar 2009. Microsoft officials shared the updated timetable via a November 19 post on the IE Blog.
Microsoft-hosted Online security-service for business users due in 2010
Microsoft's just-announced free anti-virus/anti-malware service, codenamed Morro, isn't the only new Microsoft security service in the works. There's a Microsoft-hosted security service for businesses in the pipeline, too, and it's due in 2010, according to a new Microsoft blog posting.
Microsoft kills Windows Live OneCare and Equipt subscription services
Microsoft is discontinuing its paid Windows Live OneCare subscription security service. Microsoft is touting a new, free security service, codenamed "Morro," and due in the second half of 2009, as OneCare's successor. The Microsoft press release and statements on Morro offer some other interesting tidbits.
Two more Microsoft Labs deliverables debut
Seadragon Ajax and Sticky Sorter are the latest two deliverables to debut from Microsoft's Live Labs and Microsoft's Office Labs hybrid research units.
Microsoft and Novell at two: Was the patent pact worth it?
Two years ago this month, in November 2006, Microsoft inked its controversial cross-licensing pact with Novell. Since the agreement was forged, a lot has happened.
Ding, dong: Yang is gone. Now what?
Poll: What do you think? Will Microsoft close the Yahoo deal it first sought two years ago before December 31, 2008 (or shortly thereafter)?
What does 'SharePoint in the cloud' really mean?
Microsoft began shipping, starting November 17, the final version of its Exchange Online and SharePoint Online Microsoft-hosted services. Are these products full versions of Microsoft's enterprise software running in "in the cloud"? The short answer: No.
Will Microsoft apply 'Vista-Capable' lessons to Win 7 netbooks?
As the e-mail trail in the "Vista-capable" class-action suit continues to unfold, I can't help but wonder whether Microsoft will apply some of the lessons it (hopefully) learned about working with OEMs to Windows 7 — especially in the netbook space.
The original suit, filed in March 2007, claimed Microsoft "engaged in bait and switch — [...]
Microsoft vs. Google Web-based office battle heats up again
After a few months of relative quiet, the war of words and customer wins is on again, with Microsoft and Google battling over which company will be more successful in providing office applications over the Web.
New update of Microsoft codename tracker available now
Here's the November update of CodeTracker, hot off the presses. The best part? It's free. This month's update includes a few new codenames, plus some informed speculation on what a number of Microsoft's cloud-related codenames have in common. Hint: Think Sarah Palin....
Microsoft touts new online store as a netbook complement
Microsoft launched in the U.S. this week its online software store and is touting it as one way for netbook users who don't have optical drives to more easily obtain software.
Microsoft search boss: 'Silk Road' will lead to greater market share
Microsoft is adding a fourth pillar to its search-business strategy that involves opening up its search interfaces and infrastructure to third-party developers to get them to incorporate Microsoft's search engine in their sites and services.
Windows Live Wave 3: Microsoft's kinder and simpler consumer services strategy?
Microsoft is taking the official wraps off Windows Live Wave 3, its consumer-focused set of services which will be phased in over the next several months. The goal of this rollout is to simplify Windows Live -- an admirable, formidable and seemingly nearly-untenable goal, given the branding and positioning problems Windows Live has faced for the past few years.
In tight times, Microsoft launches two new servers
It's not a great time for a new product launch. But Microsoft officials soldiered on with the company's planned November 12 virtual launch of its newest small and mid-size business servers: Windows Essential Business Server 2008 and Windows Small Business Server 2008.
Microsoft starts rolling out IE 6 for Windows Mobile
Microsoft has started the rollout process for Internet Explorer (IE) 6 for Windows Mobile phones. (Yes, that isn't a typo. Even though Microsoft is finalizing IE 8 for PCs, it's only up to IE 6 for its mobile platform.)
Windows 7 and netbooks: Separating fact from speculation
Is Microsoft going to take a revenue hit when it releases Windows 7 because of the changing mix of PCs in the market? That's the expectation of many company watchers, though I have to admit I'm not quite so sure. Here's why.
Microsoft Startup Labs delivers its first four Live Mesh apps
One of the tidbits that got lost in the Professional Developer Conference (PDC) shuffle was the quiet delivery of a set of new applications Microsoft has built to showcase Live Mesh known as the "MeshPack."
Sun switches search alliances from Google to Microsoft
Which came first -- Google dropping StarOffice from its Google Pack or Sun agreeing to distribute Microsoft's Live-Search-powered MSN toolbar with the Java runtime? We'll probably never know (at least until Sun CEO Jonathan Schwartz blogs about it).
Microsoft downplays stealth Windows Update file updates
Microsoft downplays stealth Windows Update file updates
Sun to ship Microsoft Windows Server on its hardware
Sun to ship Microsoft Windows Server on its hardware
Microsoft says college students can 'steal' Office
Microsoft says college students can 'steal' Office
Sun, Microsoft to announce expanded partnership
Sun, Microsoft to announce expanded partnership
More on NPD's Office numbers
More on NPD's Office numbers
Microsoft fixes four flaws in four patches; one is critical
Microsoft fixes four flaws in four patches; one is critical
Microsoft fixes four flaws; one is critical
Microsoft fixes four flaws; one is critical
States want to extend Microsoft antitrust oversight 5 more years
States want to extend Microsoft antitrust oversight 5 more years
States group wants to extend Microsoft antitrust oversight
States group wants to extend Microsoft antitrust oversight
Google, Microsoft top Nielsen/NetRatings Web site lists
Google, Microsoft top Nielsen/NetRatings Web site lists
Force, not value, to drive upgrades - the new Microsoft way (?)
Force, not value, to drive upgrades - the new Microsoft way (?)
Force, not value, to drive upgrades--the new Microsoft way (?)
Force, not value, to drive upgrades--the new Microsoft way (?)
Microsoft preps for business services push
Microsoft preps for business services push
Firefox passes 400 million downloads
Firefox passes 400 million downloads
Future Implications: Will Microsoft Extender be anything special?
Future Implications: Will Microsoft Extender be anything special?
Microsoft spreads HD Photo to Mac OS X
Microsoft spreads HD Photo to Mac OS X
Microsoft on new iPods: What me worry?
Microsoft on new iPods: What me worry?
Microsoft on new iPods: What, me worry?
Microsoft on new iPods: What, me worry?
Microsoft gives Media Center Extender another try
Microsoft gives Media Center Extender another try
Is Microsoft Vista global warming friendly?
Is Microsoft Vista global warming friendly?
Windows Live Sync to replace Windows Live FolderShare
I've been a Windows Live FolderShare user for a while now. And I've blogged about FolderShare before too. I rely heavily on its PC-to-PC sync over the internet for important files I need access to. No matter where I am (as long as I'm connected to the web) – my PCs are syncing together. In a post on their blog today , the FolderShare Team is announcing some pretty big and exciting changes ...
What's Next for IE8
Dean Hachamovitch, General Manager for Internet Explorer, has posted today on the IEBlog about what's next for IE8 . Dean and his team have been busy analyzing all the data sent in since the release of Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2 (which is a huge amount data). Based on feedback received on the transition from the IE7 Beta to final release – the IE Team wants to be clear about the plan for...
Upload Photos to Facebook with New Windows Live Photo Gallery Plug-in
Michael Palermiti, Program Manager on the Windows Live Digital Memories Experience Team (the awesome people responsible for Windows Live Photo Gallery and Windows Live Movie Maker), has posted about a new plug-in for Windows Live Photo Gallery Beta that allows you to upload photos directly to Facebook. Using LiveUpload to Facebook , users can configure multiple Facebook accounts to upload ph...
Grab some "I'm a PC" Gear!
Since starting the "I'm a PC" campaign a few months ago, we've been hearing folks were interested in showing off they are a PC with "I'm a PC" gear such as t-shirts and hats. We've partnered up with Zazzle.com to provide just that. By going to the "I'm a PC" store on Zazzle.com , you can now purchase a variety of "I'm a PC" gear including some offbeat stuff like skateboards and ties. Who kn...
City of Miami Moves to Windows Vista
I recently had the chance to talk to James Osteen, Assistant Director of the City of Miami's IT Department about their Windows Vista deployment. I thought that many of you could relate to his position and would appreciate his insight into what it takes to keep a major city like Miami up and running.
The Windows Blog: Hi James, thanks for joining us . Tell us a bit about yourself.
...
Introducing the Microsoft Store
This is something I think is pretty exciting – especially if you're looking to score some Microsoft product. We are announcing the Microsoft Store – the first online store where you can purchase Microsoft products straight from the source!
We're selling all of our products at a one-stop-shop: www.MicrosoftStore.com .
The Microsoft Store offers the largest selection o...
Keep your life in sync with Windows Live
Brian Hall, General Manager for the Windows Live Business Group, just posted to Windows Live Wire an exciting overview Windows Live today and how the pieces of Windows Live will fit together to give users a connected experience. He is sharing more details regarding the next "wave" of products and services coming for Windows Live designed to help keep your life in sync. In September, we ta...
25GB of Free Online Storage with Windows Live SkyDrive
The Windows Live SkyDrive Team has posted a in-depth post offering a overview of what's coming with their next update. First and foremost: Windows Live SkyDrive will be boosting everyone's storage from 5GB to 25GB . Secondly, they want to give you more control over your files by offering you new features to do so:
Download photos directed to your to Windows Live Photo Gallery.
Downlo...
New LIVE Guide Available for Games for Windows - LIVE
Major Nelson has posted that an update to Games for Windows – LIVE will be available next time you login to a LIVE enabled game (of course) - offering you the brand new LIVE Guide. He's also posted a bunch of shots of the new LIVE Guide here on Flickr . Unfortunately I've packed my Games for Windows – LIVE games away as I'm in the middle of moving. But I'm thinking of picking...
Unboxing the new Microsoft Explorer Mini Mouse
This weekend I decided to run out and pick up one of Microsoft Hardware's new BlueTrack mice. I grabbed the Microsoft Explorer Mini Mouse which is perfect for folks who are on the go with their laptops. Both the Microsoft Explorer Mini Mouse and the Microsoft Explorer Mouse (for desktop PCs) are available this month at Best Buy stores. The difference between the 2 is the Microsoft Explorer ...
Follow The Windows Blog on Twitter!
You can now follow us here on The Windows Blog on Twitter. Essentially any post that hits our main RSS feed will get pushed to Twitter. If you're someone who lives in Twitter this can be very useful in staying on top of all the latest Windows happenings. Follow The Windows Blog
Post PDC Keynote: What are people saying about Windows 7?
I thought it might be nice to do a little round-up of what folks are saying about Windows 7 after today's keynote here at the PDC in Los Angeles. I'd like to share some of the best ones we've found so far. We're not trying to "toot" our own horn here – many of these folks are extremely critical of what we do with Windows so what they say is very important to us. This is what Ed Bott from...
The Complete Windows Experience – Windows 7 + Windows Live
I love Windows Live by itself with all the new Windows Live web services and the application suite. But the Windows 7 + Windows Live connection is looking even more exciting. Here at PDC we're talking about how Windows 7 + Windows Live will "complete the Windows Experience" together. Because this *is* the Windows Experience Blog – I feel it is important to highlight and emphasize this a bit. ...
How Libraries & HomeGroup Work Together in Windows 7
I've gotten the chance to play around with the Windows 7 pre-beta build and I feel like a kid in a candy store. There are many new features that I personally am excited about that I hope to blog about over time. To kick things off I wanted to discuss the several new features in Windows 7 that make managing and sharing your files on your home network a much easier experience than ever before. Us...
A In-Depth Look at Windows Media Center in the Windows 7 Pre-Beta
Charlie Owen, who works on Windows Media Center and is one of my favorite Microsoft bloggers, has posted a very in-depth blog post on Windows Media Center in the Windows 7 Pre-Beta build PDC attendees will be getting their hands on today. If you're heavy into Windows Media Center – you NEED to check this post out .
Notes on the Windows 7 Demo from Today's PDC Keynote
Just a few hours ago, Steven Sinofsky, Senior Vice President for Windows and Windows Live Engineering, did his keynote here at PDC2008 unveiling Windows 7 to the world for the first time. Steven asked Julie Larson-Green, Corporate Vice President of the Windows Experience, to come up on stage and demo specific Windows 7 features that I think you'll find very exciting. I'd like to take a moment a...
Windows 7 Unveiled Today at PDC 2008
Hi all, Mike Nash here live from the Professional Developers Conference .
Today we are unveiling Windows 7 to the world here at the PDC taking place in Los Angeles this week. I am excited to be bringing you this news in the very first post on our brand new Windows 7 Team Blog here on The Windows Blog website. Here, we will focus on delivering to you all the important Windows 7 news and anno...
Welcome to Our New Blog - The Windows Blog
As you probably have noticed, we just re-launched our blog today as The Windows Blog sporting an all-new look and feel reflecting Windows in a broader sense instead of a single Windows release. We figured it was time to give our blog a good facelift (it's looked the same since we originally launched in October of 2006) – especially as we start talking about Windows 7, Windows Live, and ma...
Pardon our dust...
Please pardon our dust, we're currently deploying a pretty sweet upgrade to the site and ironing out a few issues. Some things may not work correctly at the moment. I'll be posting more shortly on the changes to the site once we get everything the way we want it. Thank you for your patience!
Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta
Hi there, Mike Nash here.
As you know we are getting ready to talk about Windows 7 at the PDC next week. Before we do that, I thought I would give you an update on our latest work for Windows Vista.
We are committed to continually improving Windows, and we've been getting some questions about the timing of the next service pack for Windows Vista. Following the success of Windows Vista Se...
A deep dive into Windows 7 (build 6801)
Microsoft took the wraps off Windows 7 for the first time at the Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles three weeks ago. Since returning from PDC, I've been installing and using Windows 7 on a variety of hardware platforms (eight distinct desktop and portable systems so far). My immediate goal is to learn as much as possible so I can begin writing my next book. The deeper I dive into...
DirecTV's HD tuner set to debut with Windows 7?
DirecTV's HD tuner for Media Center PCs, first announced at CES three years ago, has achieved the same notoriety as Bigfoot, the Yeti, and the Loch Ness monster. The occasional sighting is always enshrouded in fog and mystery, and no one has ever reported spotting one of these mythical creatures in the wild. But while poking around in the pre-beta build of Windows 7, I found a signed driver for...
My favorite Windows Vista gadgets
When I first began using Windows Vista, I dismissed the Sidebar as a gimmick. It didn't help that the default gadgets Microsoft offered were of limited utility and that some early gadgets caused performance problems.
Over time, though, I've become a Sidebar convert. I haven't encountered a performance problem with a Vista gadget since SP1 was [...]
That "unlocked" Windows 7 taskbar is also unfinished
My hat's off to blogger Rafael Rivera, who returned from last week's Microsoft Professional Developers Conference and apparently didn't sleep until he figured out how to unlock the flashy new Superbar interface that Microsoft showed off at PDC but didn't make available to PDC attendees. Rafael's clever hack does indeed unlock an alternate interface for Windows 7 Build 6801, but in this post I w...
Clearing up the Windows Live confusion
The single most confusing part of the Windows 7 intro last week at the Professional Developers Conference was the part about Windows Live. It doesn't help that Microsoft also launched its ambitious cloud computing project, Microsoft Azure, at PDC (see ZDNet's excellent coverage from Mary Jo Foley, John Carroll, and Phil Wainewright).
Judging by the comments [...]
You've got Windows 7 questions, I've got answers
My first look at the pre-beta PDC release of Windows 7 inspired plenty of great feedback and questions, along with an understandable amount of confusion and apprehension. Is it really faster? Is the new desktop/taskbar UI just a fresh coat of paint on the Vista interface? What's in it for corporate customers? I'll address some of the most common questions and comments in this post.
A first look at Windows 7's pre-beta PDC release
Is it a major release or just a revamped Windows Vista? That's the big question surrounding Windows 7, which made its public debut in a keynote address by Steven Sinofsky today at the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles.
Microsoft executives showed off the new Windows upgrade in a day-long series of demos on Sunday, [...]
Seven questions Microsoft won't answer about Windows 7
Microsoft's news embargo on Windows 7 lifts tomorrow. Today, though, I can confidently report on a handful of questions about Windows 7 that you won't see answered in those announcements. Want to know how many editions of Windows 7 will be released? Looking for the ship date? Wondering about whether there will be a public beta? Go ahead and ask. Just don't expect any answers. Yet.
OS X versus Vista, RAM division
Now that I have a recent-vintage MacBook for testing, I'm finally able to make some head-to-head comparisons between OS X and Vista. Because this system has a mere 1GB of RAM, I was curious to get a sense of how thrifty OS X Leopard is when it comes to memory usage. Vista gets a bad rap for demanding huge amounts of resources. Is that reputation fair or accurate? I put both systems to the test ...
Adding up the Apple tax
Through the graces of an anonymous benefactor, I have a recent-vintage white MacBook to use for the next few months. As a newbie Mac user, I paid special attention to Apple's announcements of new MacBooks last week. And Microsoft paid special attention, too, as I received multiple e-mails from folks in Redmond, who wanted to make sure I know what a great value the PC platform is compared to App...
The Windows 7 name game, continued
It is rare that you get to see a Microsoft executive tap dance and juggle at the same time, but that's what I felt like as I read one senior executive's attempt to explain why the next version of Windows will be called Windows 7, even though it's technically version 6.1. Unfortunately, the "simple" explanation that follows fails spectacularly when you get to the part that jumps from 6 to 7. So ...
And the new name is ... Windows 7
Last week I wondered whether the product currently code-named Windows 7 would get a new name for its release. The answer, made official a few minutes ago, is no. In a post at the official Windows Vista Team Blog, Microsoft VP Mike Nash announced that Windows 7 will in fact be the final name.
Six money-saving secrets to help stretch your tech budget
The recent collapse of worldwide financial markets has everyone on edge. If you're like most people, tough times have you looking around at ways to cut back on spending. You might be tempted to impose a freeze on all new purchases of hardware and software, but that draconian strategy only works for so long. Sooner or later, you need to refresh old technology, either because it's stopped working...
Are there really too many Windows editions?
Ask any Windows pundit about all the different versions of Windows Vista that Microsoft offers and you'll invariably get the same response. There are too many! Consumers are confused! It all needs to be simplified! To which I say: Be careful what you wish for. The case for reducing the number of Windows versions to one or two sounds convincing in the abstract, but the argument breaks down quick...
Look who's buying Vista Home Basic (hint: it's not home users)
Who's buying new PCs with Windows Vista Home Basic? Judging by the name, you'd assume those OS editions would be loaded on underpowered machines for starving students and penny-pinching families. But you'd be wrong. Based on my observations of the PC market over the past year or two, I think consumers have rejected Home Basic in favor of Home Premium. But small, budget-conscious businesses have...
Will Windows 7 get a new name for its release?
I'm reading more and more about Windows 7 lately as PDC approaches and Microsoft begins revealing more snippets of information about its most secretive product ever. In most of that coverage, I've noticed an assumption that Windows 7 is going to be the final name of the product. I've been guilty of leaping to that conclusion myself. But a reader asked the other day why Microsoft is calling it W...
Linux ready to replace Windows? Not yet...
Is Linux ready to replace Windows on the desktop? Linux advocates think that light, cheap netbooks show off the advantages of an open-source OS over Windows. Out in the real world, though, the market is arguing to the contrary. The director of sales for one especially hot-selling netbook says its Linux-based machines are being returned at four times the rate of the Windows version. Research sho...
Slimming down the bloated iTunes 8 installer
How do you supersize a simple music manager? Ask Apple. The Windows version of iTunes 8 takes up nearly 200MB of space on a Windows PC, including kernel-mode drivers, multiple system services, and at least one add-in. It takes a supersize helping of chutzpah to create an ad that criticizes Windows for its "bloat" and then deliver an upgrade with as much unnecessary junk as this one. If you're l...
How to set up a new PC in one easy session
Fellow ZDNet blogger Jason Perlow recently wrote about his long weekend setting up a new PC for a friend, Over the years, I've done this process dozens of times for business clients, family members, friends, and neighbors. I've got the process down to a series of checklists, all built around some core principles. In this post, I explain how I use this opportunity to get rid of clutter, get a fr...
How long will Microsoft support XP and Vista?
In the comments to an earlier post, a reader wonders out loud whether Microsoft plans to dump its Vista users when Windows 7 comes out. Fortunately, the support lifecycle for all Microsoft products is well documented. In this post, I show you where to look up the details and explain why XP and Vista users will still have access to critical support resources even after Windows 8 is released.
Microsoft Silverlight loses Major League Baseball to Adobe Flash
Microsoft will no longer play under the bright lights of Major League Baseball, which has decided to throw out the vendor's Silverlight browser add-on in favor of Adobe's Flash.
Microsoft, Novell toast anniversary with tools, support coupons
Marking the two-year anniversary of their partnership, Microsoft and Novell said Wednesday they were releasing tools to help users manage and support SUSE Linux.
IBM and Microsoft demonstrate 'interdomain federation'
VoiceCon San Francisco wrapped up last week with more news on the unified communications front. Perhaps the most noteworthy item came from IBM and Microsoft following up on a commitment, made in Orlando in March 2008, to improve interoperability. The companies announced they have now demonstrated "interdomain federation" between Microsoft OCS and IBM Sametime and that the feature will be availa...
Windows HPC hits top 10 among supercomputers
Microsoft on Tuesday hit another high-performance computing milestone by placing its server for the first time in the top 10 on the list of the Top 500 super computers as judged by Top500.org.
Exchange, SharePoint hosted services go live
Microsoft on Monday will release the first of several of its hosted business-productivity services.
Cisco fights to keep No. 1 spot in network security
Cisco, dominant in the network-security market, faces questions about how well its security products work, especially as modules in Cisco switches and routers.
Lotus chief defines imminent battle plan
Integration of traditional on-premises Notes-based collaboration, new unified communications tools, Symphony productivity applications, content management, Web-based services and the potential to mash it all together with new-fangled development tools and social networking innovations pouring out of IBM's research labs are just a few of the challenges facing IBM's Lotus Software division chief...
Making the Wi-Fi connection
Wi-Fi discovery and connection tools have existed since the early days of 802.11. But while many of these tools have their roots in hacker tools like AirCrack, WEPCrack, AirSnort, CoWPatty, and AirSnarf, which were all originally developed to exploit the fundamental weakness in Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), these tools now legitimately embody the client-side user interface elements that help ...
Google, Microsoft take voice, social networking shots at one another
Google and Microsoft this week traded counter-punches over voice and social networking tools as the two continue to battle each other over emerging technologies.
Message to VoiceCon: UC can help you through hard times
Users buying into idea that unified communications can cut costs, boost productivity
Microsoft prepares new virtualization certifications
Microsoft is ramping up a new line of virtualization certifications to go hand-in-hand with its release of the Hyper-V server virtualization technology.
Microsoft/Nortel committed to marriage but future is cloudy
Nortel's rocking financial situation and announced layoffs this week of 1,300 people likely won't have much short-term impact on the company's four-year unified communications alliance with Microsoft, including before the deal's expiration in 2010, according to experts.
Microsoft kicks off next era of small business software
Microsoft Wednesday released an updated bundle of infrastructure servers for small business and its first-ever offering tailored to midsized businesses, and said the two would evolve alongside the company's software-plus-services strategy.
Microsoft patch closes 7-year-old OS hole, expert says
A former Microsoft employee who's now CTO for a patch management firm says an update issued by Microsoft on Tuesday closes a vulnerability that has been exploited for almost seven years and that he first identified while working for the company.
Microsoft touts economic upside of unified communications
Microsoft is pushing unified communications as a way to save money and increase revenues in hard economic times, according to a keynote at VoiceCon San Francisco 2008.
Microsoft touts virtualization, Windows 7 integration with Windows Server upgrade
Microsoft next week will distribute a pre-beta of Windows Server 2008 R2 to a select group of testers and highlighted the software's virtualization capabilities, integration with Windows 7 and other features.
Will white spaces equal more choices?
The FCC has just approved the unlicensed use of the spectrum being freed up by the switch of television broadcasters from analog to digital transmission. Will the freed-up "White Spaces" give us more ISP choices?
Is your data center ready for tomorrow's applications?
Click here to see what Gartner, Network World and other experts say about the new data center.
Aspect adds instant messaging, presence to contact center platform
Aspect, a unified communications and contact center software and services provider last week released Aspect Unified IP 6.6, scheduled for general availability in December 2008. The update will include an "ask-an-expert" feature using the instant messaging and presence technology provided in Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007. Aspect announced back in March 2008 that it planned to impr...
PingID releases PingConnect for cloud-based identity
I mentioned some of last week's announcements from Microsoft and Google in the last issue but there was another important one concerning Google and Ping Identity. Meanwhile, Microsoft continued to surprise me with more announcements this week surrounding Intelligent Application Gateway and Identity Lifecycle Manager.
New Xbox Experience Review
It's shiny and new and mostly excellent. It's the New Xbox Experience!
Zune 3.1
Microsoft unexpectedly releases a minor update to its Zune 3 software and firmware...
MOS or Windows SBS 2008? It's Time to Embrace the Cloud
Small businesses should seek hosted solutions not on-site servers...
Call of Duty World at War for Xbox 360 Review
Make way for the Xbox 360 game of the year, Call of Duty World at War...
Making Sense of Windows Live Wave 3, Part 2: Windows Live Services
The definitive guide to the Windows Live Wave 3 services...
Windows Weekly 83: Paul of Duty
In this episode: Windows 7 feature focus, Windows Live Wave 3, SBS/EBS 2008, and more...
WIN a Free, Autographed Copy of Windows Vista Secrets SP1 Edition!
The next give-away happens Saturday, November 15, 2008...
Making Sense of Windows Live Wave 3, Part 1: How We Got Here
Windows Live Wave 3 is confusing, but I think we can figure it out...
Windows Live Wave 3 Services Previews
Check out new and improved Windows Live Profile, Hotmail, People, Photos, and Groups!
Windows Live Wave 3 Screenshots
These shots represent the final vision for the various products and services that...
Windows 7 Feature Focus
Curious about the next version of Windows? Here's a list of new features I will be covering...
Windows Server 2008 R2: Not Your Average R2
Known internally as Windows 7 Server, Windows Server 2008 R2 is not your average R2 release...
Live Mesh Beta
Live Mesh is a synchronization platform for files that works on Windows PCs and Macs, Windows Mobile devices, the Web...
Windows Weekly 82: Pocket Paul
This week's podcast includes WinHEC 2008, the Google/Yahoo implosion, Gears of War 2...
Gears of War 2 for Xbox 360 Review (Preliminary)
In this preliminary look at Gears of War 2, I see the game of the year in the making...
Gears of War 2 for Xbox 360 Screenshots
Here are some screenshots from what promises to be the best shooter released this year...
Win a Gears of War 2 Zune 120 Special Edition!
Tomorrow is GOW2 day! Find out how you can win a FREE GOW2 Zune 120 from the SuperSite!
Windows Azure Preview, Part 1
Windows Azure, as the lowest level of this cloud computing platform is called, is...
Windows Azure: True Blue, or Just Blue in the Face?
In my first Windows Azure commentary, I try to figure out what Microsoft's latest platform means for customers, partners, and IT pros!
TWiT 167: More TWiT Than You Require
In the latest episode of the This Week in Tech (TWiT) podcast, I discuss PDC 2008 with Leo and Windows experts Rafael Rivera and Ed Bott!
Moving Hosting Providers Revisited
After some pain and some lackluster support from both my new hosting provider and my DNS provider I'm moving my blog to a new home - blog.stealthpuppy.com . The move is still underway and http://www.stealthpuppy.com/ will still be available as is for a little while until I finish moving everything and put some redirects in place, so hopefully most people will be no the wiser.
Thanks to imp...
Service Pack integration issues? It's probably something simple
I was having some issues integrating Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 into a copy of Windows Server 2003 Enterprise R2 x64. The updater would keep reporting this error and bomb out:
--------------------------- Service Pack 2 Setup --------------------------- Failed to copy some or all of the files necessary for integrated install.
Please check that: a) No network or copy errors occurre...
Repost: Microsoft Australia TechNet Updates, June
Via the Microsoft IT Professional Blog Downunder , some very technical presentations are heading our way. These look great, if you've got the time and are local I recommend checking these out. You can register at the Australian TechNet site .
Windows Vista and Windows Server Longhorn Branch Office Technologies – Level 300 In this session, we will look at the Microsoft vision for bran...
VMware ESX Server and Security Update MS07-22
We've had some issues with 32bit Windows on VMware ESX 3.0 which has been causing servers that have been patched with the MS07-22 security update to freeze on boot. The severity rating for this patch is Important and it fixes a vulnerability in the Windows kernel, you can read more information about this patch here:
MS07-022: Vulnerability in the Windows kernel could allow elevation of pri...
Exchange Server 2007 and Public Folder Replicas
During a migration from Exchange Server 2003 to Exchange Server 2007 you need to add the Exchange 2007 server to replicas for each of the Public Folders (as you would need with any Exchange server migration) and this includes the System folders as well.
In our case I missed the SCHEDULE+ FREE BUSY folder. This resulted in Outlook 2003 clients unable to see Free/Busy information when creating ...
(Not) Moving Hosting Provider
Well attempting to move my Community Server install to a hosting provider is proving to be an exercise in futility. They won't restore a copy of my database into a new database on their server but want to restore the data via CSV files instead and that has it's own issues. I also haven't got the time at the moment to get a BlogML exporter working on Community Server.
So now I have to consider...
Moving Hosting Provider
I'm currently in the process of moving to a web hosting provider (my site is currently hosted by my employer), so I'll apologise for any downtime in advance. Hopefully things will go as planned and I'll be back up and running ASAP. In the meantime I'm going to disable comments until things are back up.
Access Gateway Advanced and Outlook Web Access 2007
If you are looking at implementing remote access to Outlook Web Access 2007 through Citrix Access Gateway Advanced you'll find that things aren't going to work as expect and currently this configuration is not supported by Citrix.
After upgrading our internal Exchange organisation to Exchange Server 2007 (we have a single server implementation), I've found that Outlook Web Access no longer w...
The Short NAP: Monday May 7 2007
The Short NAP is a (semi-regular) quick list of Microsoft Network Access Protection and Server/Domain Isolation related links from around the web. Here are links for Monday the 7th of May 2007:
SEC304: Configuring Secure and Domain Isolation to Protect Your Network Ronald Beekelaar is presenting a session on domain isolation at the IT Pro Connections 2007 in Amsterdam, 19 th to the 20 t...
Installing Office 2007 on Terminal Server
When install Office 2007 on your Terminal Servers there are a few things you'll need to be aware of. The first of which is that you will need an Enterprise or Volume License key , i.e. those keys that use Volume Activation 1.0 and do not require activation. There is also some configuration and installation options that I recommend you set before and after installation.
There are a number ...
Deploying Office 2007 with Group Policy Startup Scripts
In a previous post I discussed what you need to do to start deploying Office 2007 . In that post I referenced a page that Microsoft linked to, but have not actually posted ( Use Group Policy to Assign Startup Scripts for 2007 Office Deployment ). So in this article I'll go through a couple of ways you can use Group Policy startup scripts to deploy Office.
To get the most out of your Office ...
Cory Doctorow's DRM talk to Microsoft
No doubt you've seen lots of news recently about the attempted crackdown on the release of the HD-DVD encryption key (Google lists about 731000 sites listing the key so far.
I've got nothing new to add to this myself, but it was timely that this week I watched a talk by Cory Doctorow gave to Microsoft Research a few years ago on why DRM is a bad thing. He also talks about these types of...
Group Policy Application Deployment Done Right
In this article I've outlined what I recommend for best utilising Group Policy to deploy applications. Deploying applications via Group Policy is a fairly straight-forward process, if a little limiting, however if you don't do it right you could be setting yourself up for some pain down the track.
Successfully deploying applications with Group Policy requires a solid base in Active Directory...
ISA Server 2004 Service Pack 3
Microsoft have released ISA Server 2004 Service Pack 3, which includes support for Exchange Server 2007 and updated log viewer functionality:
Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2004 SP3 provides the latest updates to ISA Server 2004 Enterprise Edition, with increased security, new troubleshooting tools, and improved log viewer functionality. This service pack also adds support ...
Firefox on Vista doesn't have to be so ugly
Because non-native UI sucks , here's a couple of extensions that help to make Firefox look much better on Windows Vista. These extensions mimic the Internet Explorer 7 interface, including the Windows Vista menus, making Firefox feel far more at home.
Install MyFireFox to get the Internet Explorer 7 skin
Install Hide MenuBar to hide the menu bar and display it when you press the ...
The Short NAP: Wednesday 25th April 2007
The Short NAP is a quick list of Microsoft Network Access Protection and Server/Domain Isolation related links from around the web. Here are links for Wednesday the 25th of April 2007:
This edition of the Short NAP is a little earlier than expected as Microsoft has released a number of guides for configuring Network Access Protection in a lab environment. These documents have been around pre...
Unattended VMware Tools
Here's how to create an unattended installation of VMware Tools which I've aimed specifically at Terminal Servers, however you can apply the same concepts for any Windows server installed under any of the VMware virtualisation products.
Creating a Transform File
When installing a Terminal Server on VMware Server or ESX , you need to ensure you do not install the memory control driver. ...
Files Not Moved to the Recycle Bin?
On our internal Terminal Servers the CEO has been having an issue whereby files or folders are not sent to the Recycle Bin, rather they are immediately deleted. If you logon with administrative rights on the machine, you can send files to the Recycle Bin. To date, he'd been told that this would be fixed once we move to some new boxes (which I did last week). Unfortunately the problem also exist...
The Short NAP: Sunday 22nd April 2007
The Short NAP is a quick list of Microsoft Network Access Protection and Server/Domain Isolation related links from around the web. Here are links for Sunday the 22nd of April 2007:
Bypassing NAC v2.0 by Ofir Arkin Death by PowerPoint (112 slides..) but a worthwhile read none the less.
TechNet Radio - Community Corner: An interview with five time SMS MVP, Ed Aldrich This interview ...
Unattended Presentation Server 4.5
While things haven't changed much since Presentation Server 4.0, I've put together what you'll need to create an unattended install for Presentation Server 4.5. First up I've made a copy of the installation files from the CD and added them to a single folder. This includes a copy of the administration tools in the same folder:
Prerequisites
Before you install Presentation Serve...
Emails Reveal How Vista Decisions Infuriated HP - PC Magazine
Emails Reveal How Vista Decisions Infuriated HP PC Magazine - 3 minutes ago by Mark Hachman Issues with Intel's integrated graphics touched off a cascade of complications affecting Microsoft's Vista rollout, prompting the creation ...
Internal e-mails: Microsoft execs on Vista - Seattle Post Intelligencer
Internal e-mails: Microsoft execs on Vista Seattle Post Intelligencer - 30 minutes ago Best Buy's CEO wanted to talk to Steve Ballmer about Vista -related issues. Microsoft's Dina Yershova was not too pleased, saying: Another Microsoft ... Microsoft dissed Intel's 915 chipset before making ' Vista Capable ... Computerworld Former Microsoft exec was furious ...
How To Get Microsoft Office 2007 Cheap (Limited Time Offer) - InformationWeek
ZDNet How To Get Microsoft Office 2007 Cheap (Limited Time Offer) InformationWeek, NY - 18 minutes ago Want a cut rate, wholly genuine version of Microsoft Office 2007 at a nice discount? Then run out and buy Microsoft Equipt, while supplies last. ... Microsoft : Morro Won't Compete With Symantec, McAfee CRN Microsoft Kills OneCare to Offer Freebie; So L...
Remove Duplicate ICal Birthday Reminders - PC World
Remove Duplicate ICal Birthday Reminders PC World - 18 minutes ago Why I Didn't Skip Microsoft Vista : Security Microsoft's Windows Vista OS continues to be dogged by a bad reputation, but some recent security reports give ...
Why I Didn't Skip Microsoft Vista: Security - PC World
Why I Didn't Skip Microsoft Vista : Security PC World - 10 minutes ago It's been a hard road for Microsoft's Windows Vista , but even though negative perceptions have followed the operating system since its release, ...
Microsoft was worried about Mac besting Vista back in '05 - Macworld
Microsoft was worried about Mac besting Vista back in '05 Macworld, CA - 17 minutes ago According to some newly released court documents in the " Vista Capable" class-action lawsuit, Microsoft was worried about comparisons between its newest OS ...
Microsoft feared Mac vs. Vista comparison in '05, insider e-mails show - Computerworld
Microsoft feared Mac vs. Vista comparison in '05, insider e-mails show Computerworld, MA - 5 hours ago That got an almost-immediate rise out of Russell, who acknowledged that Microsoft had not done its job in promoting Windows Vista . "My takeaway from Walt's ...
Unsealed Microsoft Emails Show Early Vista Woes - DailyTech
DailyTech Unsealed Microsoft Emails Show Early Vista Woes DailyTech, IL - 12 minutes ago Emails have surfaced that were unsealed during the class action suit against Microsoft over allegedly misleading consumers with its Vista Capable marketing ...
How Apple gained the upper hand on Microsoft - ZDNet
How Apple gained the upper hand on Microsoft ZDNet - 9 minutes ago The phrase is "Good Better Best" and it's used by Microsoft engineers and executives to describe the different different Windows Vista experience that users ...
Yahoo! Is the One for You, Microsoft - Motley Fool
Yahoo! Is the One for You, Microsoft Motley Fool - 24 minutes ago And Windows Vista is a winner. Mark my words: Microsoft will buy Yahoo! (Nasdaq: YHOO). By this time next year, Ballmer will be addressing many of the same ...
Researchers find vulnerability in Windows Vista - ITworld.com
Researchers find vulnerability in Windows Vista ITworld.com, MA - 15 minutes ago Phion notified Microsoft about the problem on Oct. 22. Microsoft indicated to Phion that it would issue a patch with Vista's next service pack. ...
Macintosh vs.Microsoft battle heats up - Examiner.com
Examiner.com Macintosh vs. Microsoft battle heats up Examiner.com - 3 minutes ago by Kevin Rook, Ph.D., Denver Technology Examiner In a Microsoft insider's memo from 15 months before the October 2005 Vista roll-out; it turns out that ...
Snow Leopard Endangers Vista - Forbes
Snow Leopard Endangers Vista Forbes, NY - 14 minutes ago Microsoft's (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) Vista , meanwhile, is tottering. Operating income for Microsoft's mighty client division actually declined to ...
Microsoft To Stop Paid PC Security Service, Offers Free Anti-Virus ... - AHN
Microsoft To Stop Paid PC Security Service, Offers Free Anti-Virus ... AHN - 5 minutes ago The Morro software, which will protect low-cost PCs operating on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 from spyware, rootkits and Trojans, will be available for ...
Microsoft's newest operating system faces an uphill battle in the ... - Journal Gazette and Times-Courier
Microsoft's newest operating system faces an uphill battle in the ... Journal Gazette and Times-Courier, IL - 9 minutes ago By NATHANIEL WEST, Staff Writer "Mac Guy" Justin Long isn't the only one with some harsh words for Microsoft 's embattled operating system, Windows Vista . ...
Microsoft to Stop Charging For Home PC Security - BusinessWeek
Microsoft to Stop Charging For Home PC Security BusinessWeek - 14 minutes ago OneCare also was tightly coupled with a Windows Vista feature called "user account control" that's driven users crazy with frequent and sometimes mystifying ...
Security in Windows 7: Setup - PC Magazine
Security in Windows 7: Setup PC Magazine - 15 minutes ago Of course, the early press about Vista included a lot of security hype, too, and much of that went by the wayside as actual code started to appear. ...
Microsoft dissed Intel's 915 chipset before making 'Vista Capable ... - Computerworld
Microsoft dissed Intel's 915 chipset before making ' Vista Capable ... Computerworld, MA - 16 minutes ago Nearly six months later, Poole would be the one who called the shots during the dustup over Vista Capable that resulted in Microsoft loosening the rules for ...
Ballmer: What Part Of 'No Microhoo!' Do You Not Get? - InformationWeek
Canada.com Ballmer: What Part Of 'No Microhoo!' Do You Not Get? InformationWeek, NY - 32 minutes ago Give Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer a microphone and in no time, you're bound to get a couple of great zingers out of him. At a shareholder meeting this week, ... Microsoft's DC lobbying sank Google-Yahoo deal, Jerry Yang CNET News all 2,613 news articles
Microsoft: Morro Won't Compete With Symantec, McAfee - CRN
Microsoft : Morro Won't Compete With Symantec, McAfee CRN, NY - 8 minutes ago In 2006 and 2007, Symantec and McAfee raised concerns that Microsoft had designed its Windows Vista operating system to deny them access to the heart of the ...
Microsoft lets Zune music subscribers keep tunes - The Associated Press
AFP Microsoft lets Zune music subscribers keep tunes The Associated Press - 3 hours ago (AP) — Microsoft Corp. is giving an early holiday gift to people who pay for all-you-can-listen access to the Zune digital music store: 10 songs to keep ... Thanks Microsoft , I will now subscribe to the Zune Pass ZDNet Microsoft : Zune music subscribers can keep track...
Microsoft's Zune jams to new marketing beat - San Jose Mercury News
NewsOXY Microsoft's Zune jams to new marketing beat San Jose Mercury News, USA - 28 minutes ago It's a Zune, and it's made by Microsoft . Since it first landed two years ago, the Zune has been the butt of many jokes, like how its wireless music sharing ... Thanks Microsoft , I will now subscribe to the Zune Pass ZDNet Microsoft lets Zune music subscribers ...
Microsoft: Not all information can be free - CNET News
Microsoft : Not all information can be free CNET News, CA - 1 hour ago A top Microsoft lawyer made the case on Thrusday that sites like Google News are making money while the folks creating that digital content aren't able to ...
Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 Won't Ship Until 2009 - CRN
Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 Won't Ship Until 2009 CRN, NY - 48 minutes ago By Rick Whiting, ChannelWeb It doesn't look like Microsoft will make its goal of releasing Internet Explorer 8 by the end of this year. ... Microsoft to launch IE8 in '09; RC due out in Q1 Computerworld Microsoft : IE 8 won't be done until 2009 CNET News It's official: No IE 8 until 2...
How To Get Microsoft Office 2007 Cheap (Limited Time Offer) - InformationWeek
ZDNet How To Get Microsoft Office 2007 Cheap (Limited Time Offer) InformationWeek, NY - 18 minutes ago Want a cut rate, wholly genuine version of Microsoft Office 2007 at a nice discount? Then run out and buy Microsoft Equipt, while supplies last. ... Microsoft : Morro Won't Compete With Symantec, McAfee CRN Microsoft Offers Free ... InternetNews.com ...
Microsoft May Sell Debt in First-Ever Bond Offering (Update3) - Bloomberg
Microsoft May Sell Debt in First-Ever Bond Offering (Update3) Bloomberg - 26 minutes ago 20 (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp., the world's largest software maker, may sell bonds for the first time, seeking to use its pristine credit rating to ... Microsoft says looking at raising debt Reuters Microsoft Files Shelf Offering For Potential Debt Issuance Barron's Blogs ...
Microsoft confirms Yahoo hire - CNET News
Microsoft confirms Yahoo hire CNET News, CA - 28 minutes ago Microsoft confirmed that it has indeed hired Yahoo search executive Sean Suchter, who was speculated this week to be joining the software maker after his ...
Microsoft May Sell Debt in First-Ever Bond Offering (Update2) - Bloomberg
Microsoft May Sell Debt in First-Ever Bond Offering (Update2) Bloomberg - 29 minutes ago 20 (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp., the world's largest software maker, may sell bonds for the first time, seeking to use its pristine credit rating to ... Microsoft says looking at raising debt Reuters Microsoft Files Shelf Offering For Potential Debt Issuance Barron's Blogs ...
Compromise On Search Deal With Microsoft Could Lift Yahoo - CNNMoney.com
Telegraph.co.uk Compromise On Search Deal With Microsoft Could Lift Yahoo CNNMoney.com - 27 minutes ago For Microsoft , a deal would advance one of its key objectives, increasing its Internet presence. A search deal has been on hold since Microsoft's ... Yahoo! Is the One for You, Microsoft Motley Fool Report: Key Yahoo search executive goes to Microsoft...
Microsoft May Sell Debt in First-Ever Bond Offering (Update1) - Bloomberg
Microsoft May Sell Debt in First-Ever Bond Offering (Update1) Bloomberg - 55 minutes ago 20 (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp. may sell debt in what would be the world's largest software maker's inaugural bond offering. Microsoft may offer senior ... Microsoft says looking at raising debt Reuters Microsoft Files Shelf Offering For Potential Debt Issuance Barron's Bl...
Microsoft, ESRI to Help Improve Homeland Security Operations - MarketWatch
Microsoft , ESRI to Help Improve Homeland Security Operations MarketWatch - 30 minutes ago " Microsoft and ESRI's FusionX Appliance provides the layman- to expert-level technology that can facilitate the intake, analysis, visualization and ...
Microsoft: IE 8 won't be done until 2009 - CNET News
Microsoft : IE 8 won't be done until 2009 CNET News, CA - 25 minutes ago Microsoft plans to offer one more public test version of Internet Explorer 8 before releasing the final version of the updated browser, the company said ... It's official: No IE 8 until 2009 ZDNet Microsoft to release IE 8 Release Candidate - no more betas Internet News (subscription) Delay...
YouSendIt brings file delivery to Microsoft Office - CNET News
YouSendIt brings file delivery to Microsoft Office CNET News, CA - 33 minutes ago File delivery service, YouSendIt, announced Thursday that it has released a plug-in for Microsoft Office 2003 and 2007 that will allow users to send any ... YouSendIt Launches New File Delivery Service for Microsoft Office MarketWatch YouSendIt Launches New File Delivery Service for Mic...
Yahoo! Is the One for You, Microsoft - Motley Fool
WNCT Yahoo! Is the One for You, Microsoft Motley Fool - 24 minutes ago By Rick Aristotle Munarriz You may have fooled Mr. Market, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), but you can't fool me. "Let me be clear," CEO Steve Ballmer said during ... Report: Key Yahoo search executive goes to Microsoft Bizjournals.com Ballmer Restates Microsoft's Yahoo Position Digitaltr...
Microsoft Offers Free Songs to Zune Subscribers - PC World
CTV.ca Microsoft Offers Free Songs to Zune Subscribers PC World - 28 minutes ago Microsoft today launched a new subscription model for its Zune music service. If you fork over the monthly fee of $14.99 for unlimited music, you can add 10 ... Thanks Microsoft , I will now subscribe to the Zune Pass ZDNet Microsoft , labels try to revive subscriptions CNET...
Microsoft says looking at raising debt - Reuters
StarPhoenix Microsoft says looking at raising debt Reuters - 4 hours ago In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Microsoft did not disclose the amount of debt it planned to issue. But the software giant said in ... UPDATE 1- Microsoft says looking at raising debt Reuters PRESS DIGEST - Wall Street Journal - Nov 20 Reuters UPDATE 3-De...
Thanks Microsoft, I will now subscribe to the Zune Pass - ZDNet
CTV.ca Thanks Microsoft , I will now subscribe to the Zune Pass ZDNet - 36 minutes ago Now, if Microsoft could add Zune support to Windows Mobile then I would be extremely happy to take my music with me everywhere. ... Microsoft , labels try to revive subscriptions CNET News paidContent.org - Microsoft Makes Zune Pass Rent To Own ... Washington Post ...
Yahoo Said to Continue Discussions With Time Warner (Update1) - Bloomberg
TopNews Yahoo Said to Continue Discussions With Time Warner (Update1) Bloomberg - 1 hour ago Inc., facing dimming prospects for a takeover by Microsoft Corp., is continuing discussions to buy Time Warner Inc.'s AOL business, people familiar wi 
