The report read like the hundreds I've read about XP: There is a flaw that
could let a hacker take complete control of your machine (I'm envious as I've
never had complete control of any of my machines).
The "stop the presses" news is that the
flaw is within Vista, the supposedly bullet-proof new OS.
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Posted by Doug Barney on January 02, 20070 comments
I spent a few solid weeks talking to over a dozen customers about Visual Studio,
and then reported these findings to Microsoft. The VS product managers were
all ears. In the developer space, I found a healthy and active dialogue between
customers and Redmond.
The same now seems true for Windows clients, as Microsoft
is asking beta testers for advice on the next version of Windows. Now that's
how you build software!
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Posted by Doug Barney on January 02, 20070 comments
I consider Ray Ozzie to be the next Bill Gates since Ray will ultimately drive
software strategy for Microsoft. Pollsters at Zogby have
a
different view
-- to them, the next Bill Gates is the man or woman that
drives the next generation of technology. And that person doesn't wave the stars
and stripes, most Americans believe. Instead, the next Bill G. will hail from
Asia, either Japan or China, or perhaps India.
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Posted by Doug Barney on January 02, 20070 comments
A bundle of 64-bit tools based around Longhorn for midsize businesses
is
in beta
. When complete, the pack will boast SQL Server, Exchange, ISA Server,
with management chores taken care of by System Center Essentials. Microsoft
hopes this bundle, codenamed Centro, will be easier to install and manage than
Linux-based rivals. My guess is we'll find that answer in early 2008. There's
also help on the way for small businesses in the form of "Cougar,"
a new version of Small Business Server with much the same basic lineup as Centro.
Posted by Doug Barney on December 20, 20060 comments
I've suddenly become very interested in
Visual
Studio
, not because I have the ambition (or skill) to build the next killer
app, but because we just launched a new magazine for corporate developers,
Redmond
Developer News
.
For those who keep count, that's Redmond's third magazine launch in a smidge
more than two years. First was Redmond magazine itself, then less than a year
later Redmond Channel Partner,
and last month we put out the first issue of Redmond Developer News.
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Posted by Doug Barney on December 20, 20060 comments
I don't pretend to understand how superconductors work, but I'm happy as heck
that we have them, especially when I hear about the
breakthroughs
expected next year
. Hypres Inc., a superconductor vendor, has 10 predictions.
First up, cheaper MRI machines. For anyone who ever paid for a back pain or
muscular injury diagnosis, this is great news. Not to mention that the less-privileged
might be able to afford this amazing diagnostic tool.
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Posted by Doug Barney on December 20, 20060 comments
Time magazine doesn't make a lot of mistakes. I know firsthand how its fact
checking works and it's pretty darn rigorous. But one thing I have long been
unimpressed with is its Person of the Year. Looking back, a couple of winners
are more obscure than your college rock band (admit you had one!).
And too often it just picks the easy choice, like the president of the United
States, which it has chosen 19 times! But this year, the choice is strange and
fawning: the
person of the year is YOU.
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Posted by Doug Barney on December 19, 20061 comments
How's this for nerve? Former IBM employee James Pacenza admittedly spent hours
at Big Blue not working, but trolling the Internet, cruising some of the more
licentious and lascivious spots.
When he got fired, it wasn't his fault. It
was IBM and his boss' fault because they never dealt with his Internet addiction.
Boohoo! Pacenza went through so much hassle that he clearly deserves the $5
million his lawyer is asking for.
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Posted by Doug Barney on December 19, 20061 comments
The October cover story for Redmond magazine talks about bad IT people taking
advantage of their access to information. The stories are scary, and should
serve as a lesson: IT folks should play it clean, and smart IT managers should
protect assets from other IT people as much as from end users. Read the story
here
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Posted by Doug Barney on December 19, 20060 comments
Symantec is beating back a worm that
attacks
its anti-virus software
. But in this case the hackers aren't exactly Johnny-on-the-spot:
Symantec finished a patch for the flaw back in May, so the worm only attacks
systems that haven't been fixed. Best get to patching!
Posted by Doug Barney on December 19, 20060 comments
You're probably used to Microsoft salespeople knocking on your door, but more
and more you may be exposed to joint Microsoft/HP sales calls. The two have
long been tight, but based on a brand-spanking new
$300
million services deal
, the companies will be seeing a lot of each other.
The big areas of focus are messaging, business process, business intelligence
and unified communication.
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Posted by Doug Barney on December 18, 20060 comments