News


IBM Aims "Stinger" at PDC Buzz

As Microsoft floated some of its first real details on "Longhorn," "Yukon" and "Whidbey," IBM moved to pop Microsoft's buzz balloon with a code-named project of its own called "Stinger."

Exchange 2003 Early Adopters Trot Out with ROI Stories

With the launch of Exchange Server 2003 this week, Microsoft is beginning to trot out early adopter customers to show that the new e-mail server allows for huge reductions in messaging server numbers -- and a reduction in costs that makes the server upgrade pay for itself.

7 Microsoft Security Bulletins Updated

Microsoft updated all of the security bulletins that the company put out in its first monthly security patch release.

Don't Think of Windows SharePoint Services as Free

It could be an expensive mistake in large organizations, if the experience of early adopter customers and Microsoft itself is a guide.

Microsoft Reports First Quarter Earnings

Microsoft beat analyst expectations slightly on Thursday with its financial results for the first quarter, but the company reported a bigger-than-expected drop in unearned revenue from multi-year licensing agreements (read Licensing 6.0).

Even Gates Loses Track of the Code-Names

If code-names for future Microsoft products like "Avalon," "Indigo," "Whidbey" and "Springboard" occasionally draw a blank for you, you're in good company.

Ballmer: Open Source is Not Trustworthy

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer effectively closed the door on any Microsoft involvement in open-source initiatives, saying that the commercial approach to software development and sales provides the best security and value to enterprise customers.

Office 2003 About Collaboration, Business Process Integration

NEW YORK -- Microsoft launched its 2003 version of Microsoft Office in a worldwide series of events that emphasized the advantages of deploying the desktop productivity applications with related back-end servers and services for collaboration and business process integration.

OneNote Available for Free for 60 Days

Microsoft is making the complete version of its new notetaking application, OneNote 2003, available as a free, 60-day evaluation edition in an effort to promote one of the newest members of the Office program family.

SMS 2003 Released to Manufacturing

Microsoft on Wednesday released Systems Management Server 2003 to manufacturing, clearing the way for a formal launch of the product at an IT show in Europe next month. Microsoft also released pricing and made a 120-day evaluation edition available.

Users Excited About Microsoft’s Reporting Services Add-On

Recently, Microsoft announced the first public beta of its long-awaited Reporting Services software. Although Reporting Services won’t be available until later this year, BI professionals anxious to take the new product for a test drive can now do so. What can they expect to find? One report administrator, who’s participated in Microsoft’s private beta, says that he “can’t wait to replace everything [he has] with it.”

Analysts: We're Not Quite Ready for Real Time

Many IT systems are underutilized, and do not have the flexibility to keep up with rapid changes in the businesses they support. That's the conclusion of Gartner analysts who kicked off this week's Gartner's Symposium/ITxpo 2003 conference in Orlando, Florida.

Microsoft Code-name Alert: Springboard

Microsoft has a new code-named project for security called "Springboard" that's designed to harden products already on the market.

Beta Code Released for SQL Server Reporting Services

The next major business intelligence freebie in Microsoft's SQL Server database took a step closer to reality recently when Microsoft posted the Beta 2 of its Reporting Services for SQL Server 2000.

Windows Server 2003 SKU Count at 13

Microsoft keeps delivering or promising new SKUs of Windows Server 2003. After the original six versions the company launched on April 24, Microsoft has delivered or announced an additional seven splits of the server operating system.

Windows Servers to Come in 3 New 64-bit Flavors

Three new 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2003 entered the beta testing stage on Wednesday.

Microsoft Puts Out First Monthly Security Bulletin

Microsoft on Wednesday issued the first of its new monthly security bulletins. The first installment is a blockbuster, fixing seven vulnerabilities, five of them critical. Five vulnerabilities involve Windows and two vulnerabilities affect Exchange.

Windows XP Rollup Pack Released

Responding to pressure from users to release a packaged update for Windows XP as the delivery date for Service Pack 2 has fallen to mid-2004, Microsoft on Wednesday posted a rollup package of updates for the client operating system.

IDC: Windows Dominates Server Market

Windows now dominates the server market as well as the client market, even with the growth of Linux, according to new market research from IDC.

SMS 2003 to Launch Next Month

Microsoft will formally launch its long-awaited Systems Management Server 2003 next month at an IT event in Europe.