VMware is beta testing a free “player” that lets users run virtual machines and evaluate software without having to first purchase the company’s full-scale virtualization platform.
                    
			            - By Stuart J. Johnston
- October 24, 2005
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    A venture capital firm stocked with ex-Microsofties is funding a new Windows/Linux interoperability company.
                    
			            - By Doug  Barney
- October 24, 2005
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    IntraLearn Software partners with WestNet Learning to provide a centralized hosted system to deliver e-learning courses via a managed portal.
                    
			            - By Dan  Hong
- October 24, 2005
 
            
                
	                 
                    
                                        
		            
                    From the business wires this week: grid computing software, NAC solutions, SATA RAID storage systems and a Windows XP Media Center. 
                    
			            - By Dan  Hong
- October 21, 2005
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Shipments of new PCs rose at a healthy rate during the third quarter of 2005, according to two leading analyst firms. Both Gartner and IDC put unit shipment growth at 17 percent compared to the year-ago quarter.
                    
			            - By Stuart J. Johnston
- October 20, 2005
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft this week posted the second release candidate of Windows Server 2003 Release 2 for download.
                    
			            - By Stuart J. Johnston
- October 20, 2005
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    At its customer conference in Boston this week, Siebel Systems announced the availability of a new line of custom application development tools, including one especially designed to take advantage of Microsoft’s soon-to-be-released Visual Studio 2005.
                    
			            - By Stuart J. Johnston
- October 20, 2005
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    A new Microsoft Office Communicator client for Windows mobile devices entered beta testing on Thursday.
                    
			            - By Scott  Bekker
- October 20, 2005
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    A Gartner analyst predicts Microsoft will charge less than $15 per user per year for its new anti-malware product and recommends that enterprises immediately leverage Microsoft's entry into the desktop security market to win concessions from competitors.
                    
			            - By Scott  Bekker
- October 19, 2005
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft is preparing to announce some structural changes to the Microsoft Learning program that will benefit Microsoft Certified Partner members.
                    
			            - By Michael  Domingo
- October 19, 2005
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft this week released a second Community Technology Preview for Windows Vista that includes self-healing capabilities, big changes for Internet Explorer and hints of an integrated Windows AntiSpyware.
                    
			            - By Scott  Bekker
- October 19, 2005
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft posted Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2 to the Web on Wednesday.
                    
			            - By Scott  Bekker
- October 19, 2005
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    At first blush, they may seem a bit like the odd couple. But Microsoft believes its partner and small-business divisions were made for each other. 
                    
			            - By Anne  Stuart
- October 19, 2005
 
            
                
	                 
                    
                                        
		            
                    Two groups to become more closely aligned; new "blended training" tools also being added. 
                    
			            - By Michael  Domingo
- October 18, 2005
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    VMware this week unveiled the feature set for the next versions of two of its flagship virtualization products in an announcement that coincided with its annual conference being held in Las Vegas.
                    
			            - By Stuart J. Johnston
- October 18, 2005
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Computer Associates is shipping release 2 of its Protection Suites for small and medium-sized businesses, and has expanded the offering to include six separate products to address specific market segments. 
                    
			            - By Stuart J. Johnston
- October 18, 2005
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    A little more than a year ago, Intel gave customers and analysts a peek at its roadmap for both the Xeon and Itanium 2 architectures. This month, at an event highlighted by an appearance by legendary comedian Carl Reiner, executives of Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel gave a status update that basically has them on track.
                    
			            - By Stuart J. Johnston
- October 18, 2005
 
            
                
	                 
                    
                                        
		            
                    From the business wires this week: a patch management system, a software licensing solution and remote access software for help desk technicians. 
                    
			            - By Dan  Hong
- October 14, 2005
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    California State University selects Softricity’s SoftGrid application virtualization platform to run Chancellor’s Office’s apps.
                    
			            - By Dan  Hong
- October 14, 2005
 
            
                
	                 
                    
                                        
		            
                    One other change: MCTs with tenure excused from meeting minimum training delivery requirements.
                    
			            - By Michael  Domingo
- October 13, 2005