Microsoft has followed a rival in advocating virtualization as a way to try out software painlessly. Microsoft's Virtual Hard Disk format can be used to collect an operating system, higher-level software and specific configuration details into a single package. A particular VHD image can be loaded into a virtual machine software such as Microsoft's Virtual Server product.
The VHD Test Drive Program mirrors an idea developed by virtualization leader VMware, an EMC subsidiary that for years has argued that virtual machines will ease software installation. The idea is that a virtual foundation means software experts, not customers, can worry about specific configuration and tuning details. Companies planning to provide trial software through the program include Symantic, Citrix, BEA Systems, Hewlett-Packard and Dell.
Last week's pact between Microsoft and Novell Inc. has led to widespread speculation over the long-term impact on the
adoption of open-source software. Under the deal, the companies will work on ways to enable Novell's Linux distribution, Suse,
and Microsoft's Windows operating system to work better together. They also reached a patent truce in which users of the other's
software can't be sued for infringement, and Microsoft agreed not to sue noncommercial open-source developers. On Monday,
Microsoft's Bill Hilf, general manager for platform strategy, spoke further about the deal with IDG News Service, addressing
how Microsoft views its intellectual property relative to Linux.
Microsoft's 2007 Office system code has gone gold, the software maker said on Nov. 6. This milestone means that the Microsoft Office code has been released to manufacturing before that of Windows Vista, which entered its last official beta test last month with the availability of the second release candidate.
But, Microsoft officials noted, the worldwide business availability of the 2007 Office system, Vista and Exchange Server 2007 is still on track for Nov. 30, when company executives will participate in events around the globe, including an event with CEO Steve Ballmer in New York.
Microsoft on Monday unveiled a new, downloadable browser application that brings the photorealism and maneuverability of gaming into its online mapping and local search service.
In Virtual Earth 3D, which is part of Microsoft's Live Search, users can "fly" over cities and in between buildings just like they do in virtual-reality environments, like that found in the online 3D world of Second Life. However, in the Microsoft interface there are no avatars, and the buildings, roadways and geographical landmarks depicted are replicas of real urban landscapes rather than versions of a community based on fantasy.
Microsoft's planned "Hawaii" release of its Visual Studio development platform may feature modularization, a
Microsoft business partner said on Monday. But Microsoft officials are remaining mostly tightlipped about the project.
Presenting at the Visual Studio Connections conference, Michele Leroux Bustamante, chief architect at software design firm IDesign, noted a modular inclination by Microsoft but added that little detail has been available about Hawaii.
"There's not really a lot of information about this yet, but what they are saying is they're planning to do a modular redesign
of the architecture of [Visual] Studio," Bustamante said. This is probably related to making the platform more pluggable and
extensible. A new foundation to replace the aging code base of Visual Studio also is anticipated, according to Bustamante.
Since the dawn of the Luna UI style in Windows XP, Microsoft had promised a variety of colorful themes to replace the stock three it shipped in the first version of the OS. It even toyed with graphics-based themes for holidays like Halloween before abandoning the project due to its complexity. Since then, only one new theme--Royale, part of Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005--has emerged. But this week, Microsoft shipped what we might assume to be the last official XP theme: Zune. As its name implies, the Zune theme is based around the Zune MP3 player, which is unfortunate. But it's pretty attractive looking, with black window, Start Menu, and taskbar treatments, and an orange Start Menu. And you can replace the lame Zune desktop wallpaper easily enough.
Microsoft has closed a project to develop a tool, codenamed Max, for sharing photos with friends and reading RSS (Really Simple
Syndication) feeds, among other functions.
In an Oct. 31 blog posting, Microsoft said feedback from the project has contributed to development of its .Net 3.0 programming framework, and may also
end up in Windows Live, a new series of Web and desktop-based applications.
Max also let users annotate their photos, as if they were using a felt-tip pen, while the original images were preserved.
Microsoft is denying a report from the British Broadcasting that the company was considering withdrawing from China due to the hard-line government's repressive treatment of technology users.
The BBC Web site ran a story Thursday, quoting Fred Tipson, senior policy counsel for the company. Tipson was in Athens, Greece, as part of the Internet Governance Project and part of a panel called "Freedom of Expression and Internet blocking and filtering."
"Things are getting bad...and perhaps we have to look again at our presence there," he was quoted as saying. "We have to decide if the persecuting of bloggers reaches a point that it's unacceptable to do business there."
Make room for the Zune digital music player, MSN.
In a note on its MSN Web site, Microsoft's MSN Music division said that, as of Nov. 14, it will redirect users to either its Zune site or RealNetworks' Rhapsody music service.
"The 'buy' buttons that you are used to seeing on the MSN Music album and artist pages will change to links that connect you to Zune and Real Rhapsody," Microsoft said on the site.
After, all, why compete with yourself in the online music category -- especially with iTunes already dominating the market? So look for that day to help launch the Zune player. Accompanying the digital music player will be the Zune Marketplace, where songs can be purchased either by a $14.99 subscription or through Microsoft Points.
Security vendors Symantec and McAfee Inc. may soon find Microsoft competing with them in a new market.
Microsoft has developed network-scanning technology, internally known as Spider, that scans PCs for security vulnerabilities,
ensures that the latest patches are installed, and that PCs have the required software to put them in compliance with corporate
IT policy.
The software was developed by Microsoft's IT group to clamp down on security problems within Microsoft's own network, but
the company is now looking at adapting it for its Forefront line of security products, said Mark Estberg, a director with
Microsoft Information Security, speaking at the SecureWorld Expo Thursday.