A year ago, Microsoft updated its TechNet Web site with a large focus on modernizing
the navigation. Now Jeff Schwartz, a writer for
Redmond Developer News
(our dev book that focuses on management issues -- check 'er out
here
)
reports that MSDN is
getting
a similar facelift
More
Posted by Doug Barney on April 21, 20080 comments
Microsoft may be in a position to replace Windows with its own new OS, after
all. Microsoft Research has a brand-new, stripped-down, ready-to-rock OS development
called
Singularity
.
The new OS is designed from scratch to resist attacks such as buffer overflows
and actually checks code for stability and compatibility before it runs. It
all sounds great. But, then again, Microsoft will have to do something about
all that backward compatibility.
Posted by Doug Barney on April 14, 20080 comments
Last week, I voiced a few concerns over
Gartner's
analysis of virtualization
. The esteemed group argued that PC virtualization
will spell the end of "the monolithic, general-purpose operating system"
(read: Windows).
I did an analysis of Windows on the desktop and found it almost
impossible to kill. Compatibility, OEMs and the economics of Windows PCs
will keep the OS large and in charge for years to come. There's simply nothing
that can replace it. The Mac, Linux, mobile devices -- all just nibble around
the edges of the Microsoft monopoly.
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Posted by Doug Barney on April 14, 20080 comments
While Microsoft Research preps
Singularity
, the same group has also built a
unique system to test out new hardware designs.
On the surface, it seems like a killer PC, one a geeky teenage game freak might
own. It's got a boatload of computer and network interfaces and 64 gigs of RAM.
But unlike that sick gaming system, Microsoft's BEE3
has a bunch of programmable arrays, so designers can turn it into anything they
want without having to build new chips first.
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Posted by Doug Barney on April 14, 20080 comments
At the recent RSA Security Conference, the talk wasn't just about patches, hackers
from Bulgaria and the latest virus. Much of the conversation revolved around
security
for virtual shops
.
The concept is surprisingly simple and alarmingly scary. If you have 1,000
VMs, a single attack can compromise them all. Vendors are just now starting
to address these issues, and, fortunately, we haven't had that one killer attack
that makes us all rethink the drive to virtualize. VMware is helping by sharing
APIs with security companies, who are now starting to build VM-specific tools.
More
Posted by Doug Barney on April 14, 20080 comments
I have written many
newsletter
items
and even a
full-fledged
editorial
arguing that Yahoo isn't worth nearly $44 billion, and buying
it is a backward move for Microsoft.
Maybe Microsoft read some of this stuff or is just getting cold feet. At the
very least, Microsoft is reportedly
wondering if Yahoo is worth the original bid or if the bean counters from
Redmond should knock it down a few bills.
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Posted by Doug Barney on April 07, 20080 comments
I feel like apologizing every time I write about Patch Tuesday, which is exactly
12 times a year.
The reason I'm so sheepish is that every story is nearly the same, describing
remote execution exploits, Internet Explorer holes...you get the picture. But
like covering every nuance of the Iraq war or the fight for the Democratic nomination,
it's painful, boring and necessary. At least I'll try to keep it short.
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Posted by Doug Barney on April 07, 20080 comments
When it comes to reputation, Gartner is as well-respected as the pope, John
McCain and Mother Teresa put together -- despite the fact that a decade ago,
Gartner overestimated the cost of owning PCs by about ten-fold. It seems that
somehow the gurus from Stamford, Conn. can do no wrong.
In the case
of virtualization, Gartner is mostly right, but I have a few bones to pick.
First, Gartner says that through 2012, virtualization is the "highest-impact
trend in [the] infrastructure and operations market." Check.
More
Posted by Doug Barney on April 07, 20080 comments
Our new magazine/Web site/blog/newsletter
Virtualization
Review
is fully up and running. In fact, we just printed and shipped
tens of thousands of copies of the very first issue.
Leading our virtualization charge is former Redmond Editor Keith Ward,
now editor of Virtualization Review. (Keith is so good, we hire him back
every time he leaves for what he thinks are greener pastures. Now he knows the
truth: Ain't nothing greener than virtualization!)
More
Posted by Doug Barney on March 31, 20080 comments
I try to avoid being political in this newsletter, but in this case I'm making
an exception.
Here's the backdrop: Bill Gates has long argued for loosening
our Visa rules so companies such as Microsoft can bring in smart people.
Bill made this same case in a speech
a few weeks ago in front of the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Posted by Doug Barney on March 31, 20080 comments
Last week, Google
turned
its page black
to raise awareness of energy conservation.
My first thought turned to hypocrisy. Google uses millions of kilowatt hours
powering massive server farms so we can look for Kim Kardashian videos.
Turns out, there was a deeper irony. Apparently, it takes more electricity
to power a black screen than a light one.
Posted by Doug Barney on March 31, 20080 comments
Microsoft is taking a fresh stab at enterprise search with
Windows
Search 4.0
, designed largely for Windows shops.
This is a pretty big area, and one that is very easy to test. Any clown can
tell you which search works best -- that's why Google rules in Web and desktop
searches. It only takes one or two queries before the depth of its indexing
proves superior.
More
Posted by Doug Barney on March 31, 20080 comments