WinInsider

The reason Windows Vista seemed slow, and somehow, strangely seemed even slower over time, is now abundantly clear to Microsoft's architects: The evolution of computer hardware, particularly the CPU, exceeded anyone's expectations at the time of Vista's premiere in early 2007. But the surge in virtualization, coupled with the rise of the multicore era, produced a new reality where suddenly Vista found itself managing systems with more than 64 total cores.

This morning, Microsoft kicked off its 2009 Professional Developer Conference in Los Angeles. Typically, Microsoft times PDC around new operating systems that are testing and launching in the near future. Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 launched less than a month ago. So what operating is left? Windows Azure Platform (Day 1 Live Blog).

Ray Ozzie, Microsoft's chief software architect, took the keynote stage in typical fashion. Ozzie is a brainy type, who talks like his head is in the clouds, which is perhaps appropriate for someone laying out Microsoft's cloud computing strategy. He introduced the world to Azure Services Platform a year ago, during PDC 08. Today, he added when to why, what and where about what Microsoft now calls the Windows Azure Platform.

Based on our experience with prior years' shows, here's the pattern we expect: Day 1 (officially next Tuesday) will center on self-congratulation for Windows 7, much of it deserved. Day 2 will likely bring out the bugle corps for the public introduction of Office 2010 Beta 1 -- not the Technical Preview that's currently being circulated, but a more feature-complete rendition that should have more Web- and cloud-related connectivity.

Microsoft said Wednesday it is incorporating sophisticated mathematical models into its Bing search engine through a partnership with search startup WolframAlpha and, over the next few weeks, rolling out a slew of updated features.

"We're rolling out the first major release since the Bing launch in June," a Microsoft spokesman said in an e-mail to InternetNews.com.

In addition, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) announced it is combining its MSN Videos service with Bing to update Bing Videos service, meant to enhance the video experience while using the search engine.

Microsoft plans to deliver its controller-less game interface -- dubbed 'Project Natal' -- this time next year, according to a UK games site. Not only that, but Microsoft plans to have five million of the Xbox add-ons ready for a global rollout, the report said when it launches, the site said.

Further, Microsoft doesn't plan to bleed enthusiasts dry but will instead charge -- at least in U.K. funds -- less than $100.

The report came from games industry news site MCV.

The biggest change to Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 was supposed to have been the introduction of something called Unified Communications -- the introduction of a singular console for the handling of all forms of digital communication, wrapping voice mail, instant messaging, and e-mail into a single delivery system. History may yet vindicate UC as the product's singular achievement.

But in the near term, administrators credit Exchange more for what it gives them than the world at large. In that light, the inclusion of PowerShell as not only the underlying language of the system but as its engine as well, changed everything for the admin. It may very well be why the product has surged to a two-thirds market share, by some estimates, over once formidable competition such as Lotus Notes.

Microsoft's TechEd Europe conference, being held Nov. 9 to 13, so far has suggested two things: 1) that Microsoft fully intends to extend its "New Efficiency" theme past the Windows 7 launch, and 2) that some creative types within the company are being allowed to run totally rampant.

In a keynote address launching the conference in Berlin, Microsoft Business Division President Stephen Elop built on CEO Steve Ballmer's line from before the Windows 7 launch in suggesting that companies would achieve growth from innovation, as part of what the company is trying to brand "the new efficiency."

Microsoft on Monday announced it will acquire the Teamprise client suite from SourceGear, a move that will allow developers using Eclipse and other non-Windows operating systems to build applications using its Visual Studio suite.

It also unveiled Exchange 2010, its latest e-mail and calendar server software, as promised and on schedule as the company's TechEd Europe conference kicked off in Berlin today.

Microsoft officials said acquiring the Teamprise client will let developers using the Eclipse integrated development environment, Unix, Linux or Mac OS X operating systems to build next-generation applications seamless integrate with the Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 suite.

So far, we've seen such things as Windows 7 presales outselling the combined presales for Windows Vista and Windows XP combined and, more recently, news from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer that Windows 7 handily generated more revenue than any previous version of Windows in its first 10 days of availability. But you want more, don't you? Yesterday, NPD market researchers said that retail sales of boxed copies of Windows 7 were 234 percent higher in the first week of availability than sales of Vista were during its first week on the market. This figure applies only to consumer sales of retail, boxed software -- a tiny percentage of actual sales overall and one that doesn't include any business sales. "Our expectations were already pretty great, but [Windows 7 sales] exceeded our expectations," a Wal-Mart spokesperson added.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on Thursday suggested that the software giant's search deal with Yahoo is a global one and not just confined to the U.S. and Europe. The revelation came during the Microsoft chief's press conference in Tokyo during a swing through Southeast Asia.

"It's possible that we would extend that partnership with Yahoo outside of the U.S.," Ballmer told reporters at a news conference, a portion of which was posted to YouTube. "We will have to wait and see until we actually are able to get approval and consummate our partnership with Yahoo inside the U.S., and perhaps there will be news on that some other day," Ballmer added.