Real to "recover substantial damages on behalf of our shareholders"
Sorry Microsoft haters, but this time RealNetworks is out of line. As Real notes in its own press release announcing its antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft, it has over 1 million subscribers to paid content, with 250,000 subscribers paying monthly fees for its Rhapsody music service. But that's not the real (ahem) problem with Real's lawsuit--after all, Netscape also boasted about the number of users it had during Microsoft's initial antitrust trial, and we all know what happened to that company.
Microsoft's current Windows version apparently is unable to secure users out of the box, so the company is resorting to public-service announcements on its Web site to tell users how to secure new PC systems they might receive during the holidays. "With a few simple precautions, PCs can be better protected from computer viruses and other online hazards," the Microsoft Web site states. "Why should users take safety precautions with a new PC? Because they won't have a secured connection to the Internet unless the new PC has a firewall enabled, is up-to-date using Windows Update, and includes fully updated antivirus software.
As a professional Microsoft watcher, I spend a fair amount of time wondering what Bill Gates & Co. should do next. Most of the time, I use this column to poke, prod, and cajole Redmond into doing what I think is best for AnchorDesk readers specifically and consumers generally.
I also try to think about what's best for Microsoft as a company, because accomplishing my user-friendly goals often requires huge infusions of cash.
Today, I'm going to mix what Microsoft should do for the good of you and me with what the company needs to do in its own best interest. The result is my list of Microsoft's Top 10 Challenges for 2004.
Microsoft and New York's attorney general took aim at spam Thursday with a series of lawsuits. In conjunction with New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer?s office, the software giant filed several lawsuits against a New York-based spamming ring allegedly responsible for sending billions of illegal and deceptive e-mail messages.
"We appreciate the attorney general's leadership on what is arguably the biggest technology menace consumers are facing," Brad Smith, senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Microsoft, said in a statement. "Together we are stepping up efforts to help consumers take control of their in-boxes again."
Reporting Services for SQL Server 2000 will make its official debut on a January 27 Webcast, according to a Microsoft spokeswoman. The company had been trying to get the database add on out by year's end. Last June, Microsoft changed course on reporting services, which were to be an integral part of the Yukon release of SQL Server. At TechEd, Microsoft shifted gears to say the services would be accelerated for use with the current SQL Server 2000 release. Part of the reason was likely that Yukon itself was delayed. Reporting services would let users of the database, theoretically even non-techie users, build reports that slice and dice data into useable, visually understandable form.
As expected, the Windows XP Service Pack 2 beta was officially released this week. The beta of the service pack, deemed significant because of the array of new security capabilities designed to make Windows more secure by default, was posted to the MSDN web site on Wednesday. Sources said the company plans to begin sending out CDs later this week.
The code will now move into mainstream beta testing and will be available by mid 2004, Microsoft said. As first reported by CRN, the beta of the service pack was slated to be released by the end of this week. The service pack beta incorporates an enhanced and renamed Windows Firewall, safer web browsing, better memory protection against buffer overruns, and safer e-mail and instant messaging.
Microsoft laid out a roadmap on Wednesday for retiring Windows 2000 Server editions over the next few years. The process starts in April for Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Advanced Server.
"With the release of Windows Server 2003 earlier this year and after nearly four years in the marketplace, Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2000 Advanced Server and Windows 2000 Client Access Licenses (CALs) will be retired in phases," Microsoft said on a Web page posted Wednesday.
The newly disclosed roadmap does not affect the Windows 2000 support lifecycle, which is unchanged from what Microsoft announced in October 2002. Mainstream support lasts until March 31, 2005 and extended support lasts until March 31, 2007.
Microsoft on Wednesday announced it will offer software that will help public companies comply with pending requirements related to the financial disclosure and monitoring of internal controls. The company said it will release its Microsoft Office Solution Accelerator for Sarbanes-Oxley in March.
Microsoft's forthcoming software is designed to address section 302 (related to disclosure) and section 404 (related to internal controls), mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX). Together, the two sections will require the CEOs and CFOs of public companies to, among other things, certify that they have established and are maintaining internal financial controls, ensure the effectiveness of these controls, and issue alerts within 48 hours of a "material event" that could affect the company's financial well-being. These requirements will go into universal effect as of June 15, 2004.
Aiming to sell more of its business integration software into international markets and the small and medium-sized business segment, Microsoft Corp. said its forthcoming BizTalk Server 2004 will support more languages and more connections in the less expensive editions.
BizTalk Server is software to help companies integrate disparate business applications and connect to business partners. Microsoft claims it has about 3,000 customers for the product, which competes with offerings from vendors including IBM Corp., webMethods Inc., Tibco Software Inc., SeeBeyond Technology Corp., and BEA Systems Inc.
Microsoft on Tuesday said it released an updated test version of one of its main management software products. The company said Beta 2 of Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2004 became available Monday to testers. The upgrade to MOM offers new tools Microsoft said will help system administrators more easily track and resolve problems, as well as an improved user interface for the software's main console. The software is part of Microsoft's broader program to make Windows networks more manageable, an effort known as the Dynamic Systems Initiative. The company has two main management software programs: MOM and Systems Management Server (SMS).