Windows XP Service Pack 2 Nears Beta
The expected update to Redmond's current desktop OS will enter
beta in the next few weeks, according to e-mail from Microsoft
posted on a Windows enthusiast Web site. We'll keep you in the
loop about any progress. Our WinXP newsletter will also be
watching for it:
http://www.winxpnews.com
SUS Beta Launch In January
The SearchWin2000 site reported the following: "The beta program
for a key Windows patch management tool that was postponed just
before it was to get under way last September will begin in
January, a Microsoft executive said.
Software Update Services (SUS) 2.0 is a much-anticipated new
version of a utility that comes bundled with Windows Server.
An initial beta for SUS 2.0 was originally planned as something
akin to an alpha test. "It was just a desire to get some initial
feedback," said Steve Anderson, a director in Windows Server
product marketing at Microsoft. Anderson's group now oversees
the company's patch management technologies.
Instead, he said, the response to the program was so overwhelming
that Microsoft decided to pull back and prepare a more formal
beta program. SUS 2.0 is expected to become available in the
first half of 2004.
More than 500,000 customers have downloaded SUS 1.0, though
Microsoft hasn't yet started tracking how many SUS clients
are connecting back to Windows Update site to download patches.
The company did little to market SUS prior to this year, but
the technology is taking on great significance because security
and patch management has becomes a top priority for many.
Full article here:
http://www.w2knews.com/rd/rd.cfm?id=031201RN-SUSBeta
Redmond Retires Netmeeting
InforWorld got this scoop: "Microsoft is retiring its six-year-old
NetMeeting online conferencing application and instead will push
Office Live Meeting, formerly known as PlaceWare, for online
meetings.
NetMeeting helped pioneer online conferencing when it was released
in May 1996, before the advent of instant messaging (IM) and other
services for real-time online communication. The software still
ships as part of Windows and some of its features, such as
whiteboarding and application-sharing, are used by the MSN
Messenger and Windows Messenger IM applications.
But NetMeeting has served its purpose and will gradually be phased
out, Microsoft spokeswoman Stacy Drake said. Microsoft has already
stopped development work on NetMeeting and links from MSN Messenger
and Windows Messenger will be cut in future updates to those
products, she said. Full article here:
http://www.w2knews.com/rd/rd.cfm?id=031201RN-NetMeeting
Guy Who Reports MS using MACs Gets Fired
Remember the fave link of last week where a guy who took a shot
of a bunch of G5's being delivered to Redmond had the pictures
on his blog? Well he got fired for this indiscretion. Jeez.
"Microsoft has fired a full-time temp employee after it discovered
that the employee posted in his blog a photo and story concerning
Microsoft's purchase of what looks to be around 18 G5s. Check out
the blog entry, Even Microsoft wants G5s:
http://www.w2knews.com/rd/rd.cfm?id=031201RN-MSMacG5
and the one that follows it:
http://www.w2knews.com/rd/rd.cfm?id=031201RN-MSMacG5_Fired
Looks like MS decided to "put-a-head-on-a-pike" an old expression
meaning to make an example of some one who breaks the rules, and
apparently some one in Redmond decided it was more important to
send a message to personnel that this is what happens to you
than the bad PR that would follow from that firing. Interesting
issue for sure.
MS Sells Virtual PC 2004 At Steep Discount
Microsoft will begin shipping its Virtual PC 2004 software in
early December for $100 less than its previous owner charged.
Redmond acquired the products and assets of Connectix last February,
will make the updated Virtual PC title available at a retail
list price of $129. That's good news for everyone that needs
more than one environment on their box!
This issue of W2Knews™ contains:
