Not that the Dynamics product line is confusing or anything, but Microsoft just released a
retail-specific version
of one of its four ERP suites. This time, it's the popular Dynamics AX that's in the spotlight--a fine offering that would be even better if Microsoft would pronounce it "axe" rather than "A-X."
Posted by Lee Pender on August 05, 20100 comments
At last, a battle. Microsoft has long rattled its patent saber at much of the industry, particularly the open source crowd, but it finally flashed the sword by suing Salesforce.com for patent infringement.
And Microsoft drew blood.
Oh, it's just a flesh would, to be sure. But this week, Redmond announced a settlement of its patent suit with Salesforce.com (as well as a settlement of Salesforce.com's counter-suit), and Microsoft's press release included this key phrase: "Microsoft indicated that it is being compensated by Salesforce.com"
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Posted by Lee Pender on August 05, 20100 comments
For nearly a decade, the Microsoft Partner Program, as it was known, was synonymous with Allison Watson, its popular and accomplished leader. Then, right before this year's Worldwide Partner Conference, Microsoft moved Watson out of her post.
With just one week to prepare for the WPC, Watson's replacement, Jonathan Roskill, was suddenly on stage last month in Washington, D.C., serving as the new face of what is now the Microsoft Partner Network and attempting to calm the fears of many members of Microsoft's massive channel.
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Posted by Lee Pender on August 04, 20100 comments
As the leaves fall and the college football season starts to get serious, Office for Mac 2011 will arrive. We can't wait -- for the leaves and the football, that is. Your editor doesn't have a Mac (anymore).
Posted by Lee Pender on August 04, 20100 comments
In the tablet and smart phone era, the old-school desktop lives. HP came out with a new one this week, the HP Pro 3130. At $569 and loaded with features and storage, it's a solid option for smaller companies looking to upgrade from decade-old machines.
It's content creation that keeps desktops alive and kicking in a world of tiny, content-consumption devices, says Kirk Godkin, manager, Americas Business PCs, at HP.
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Posted by Lee Pender on August 04, 20100 comments
Yes! Finally, after more than four years, we at RCPU have a legitimate excuse to link to Michael Jackson's iconic Thriller video, and to the Wikipedia entry for it, which is sprinkled with the dust of comedy gold. (Seriously, anything that includes the sentence, "The zombies then break into an elaborate song and dance number..." is well worth reading.)
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Posted by Lee Pender on August 02, 20106 comments
Steve said last week that Microsoft's tactic is to lure everybody to sleep with incredibly dumb ideas like the Kin and then strike when Apple least expects it... OK, not really. Ballmer did try to come up with something to say about Microsoft mobile "strategy" last week, though. As for Microsoft producing a tablet computer of its own... Well, that might not happen for a while (thanks in large part to Intel).
Posted by Lee Pender on August 02, 20100 comments
Wait, it's not Tuesday! No, but Microsoft is breaking form by rushing out a patch for the now-infamous Windows "shortcut" vulnerability. Oh, unless you have XP SP2. Then you get no patch.
Posted by Lee Pender on August 02, 20100 comments
The venerable Wall Street Journal took a great story on the inner working of Internet Explorer development in Redmond and turned it into a hit piece. The thrust: Microsoft could have made "InPrivate" mode -- IE's non-tracking mode, also unfortunately dubbed "porn mode" -- the default in IE8, but it didn't. Microsoft made InPrivate an option instead.
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Posted by Lee Pender on August 02, 20103 comments
AT&T must be some sort of glutton for punishment. The exclusive provider of iPhone service is now going to be the "premier" provider of service for the Microsoft Windows Phone 7 platform...whatever that means.
Both Apple and AT&T get loads of flack from bloggers and the trade press about the iPhone and Windows Phone 7. Given the recent epic failure of Microsoft's Kin, Microsoft doesn't exactly have the best image at the moment, either. So, why would AT&T want to get mixed up in another mobile mess?
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Posted by Lee Pender on July 29, 20102 comments
It's Hail Mary time (sorry, Minnesota) for Microsoft, which just keeps losing its now famous patent case with Canadian developer i4i. (Yes, this was the one that led to an injunction on sales of Microsoft Word.) It has gotten so bad that Microsoft is looking at taking this one all the way to the Supreme Court. No word yet on whether Roger Staubach or Drew Pearson will serve as legal counsel...
Posted by Lee Pender on July 29, 20100 comments