Operating Systems

In Brief: Agreements to Optimize CE

Microsoft forms alliance with leading chip manufacturers to ensure the next release of Windows CE, code-named Talisker, runs on major microprocessor architectures

Server Applications

BizTalk Server 2000 Orchestrates Business Interaction

BizTalk Server offers a powerful set of tools that makes interconnecting business systems look deceptively easy

BizTalk Framework Defines Business System Interaction

By using emerging W3C standards, Microsoft is defining a standard way for businesses to reliably exchange business information

Development Tools & Programs

New Toolkits Power Web Services Now

The toolkits allow developers working in the Visual Studio 6.0 development environment to produce new Web services or to convert existing COM applications into Web services

Microsoft Announces Broadside Against Java

Though sketchy on technical details, Microsoft says it will provide tools and services for moving Java programs to the .NET Framework by the end of the year

Appliances & Emerging Networks

Enterprise Software Anchors Wireless Plan

Microsoft began a second round of closed beta tests for several key components of its wireless platform

TV Strategy Takes Shape

A high-profile announcement of UltimateTV and a host of other initiatives show that Microsoft is taking enhanced TV seriously as a potential future revenue stream

In Brief: Connected Home One Step Closer

Microsoft, GE, & home automation company SMART form a new company to sell home networking solutions to homebuilders and, eventually, consumers

Commercial & Consumer Services

Web Outages Raise Reliability, Security Questions

A highly publicized series of outages at Microsoft's Web sites caused more damage to its reputation than to its revenues

bCentral Licenses Business News

Content-sharing relationship with American City Business Journals (ACBJ), a publisher of business journals in 40 U.S. cities, announced

In Brief: Free Service Replaces MSN Rebate

MSN Internet Access US$400 rebate program being discontinued, to be replaced with one free year

Sales & Support

Next Windows, Office Named XP

Use of "XP", an abbreviation for "experience", signals MS's interest in appealing to the consumer market as it reintegrates its consumer & professional OS into a single code base

Operating System Activation Aims at Piracy

Within 30 days of installing Windows XP, consumers will be required to "activate" the OS via the Internet or phone call

Business Agility Campaign Launched

New advertising positions Microsoft as a company you can trust with your mission-critical business

Election Software Market Beckons

Partnerships with several hardware manufacturers increase the likelihood that new election tabulation systems will include Microsoft software

.NET Courses Announced

More than 20 new courses will bring developers and administrators up to speed on .NET technologies

In Brief: Virtual Conference on CD

The best presentations on Windows 2000 from the last year have been assembled on a set of CD-ROMs

Corporate News

Belluzzo Appointed President, COO

Belluzzo assumes direct control of all Microsoft operations, product, and sales groups except for Jeff Raikes' and Jim Allchin's business units

Java Suit Settled

A settlement in the lengthy dispute will have little effect on Microsoft and may put another nail in the coffin for Java as a platform for creating interactive Web pages

In Brief: .NET Evangelist Hired

Dan'l Lewin hired to promote Microsoft technology to Silcon Valley software developers, start-ups, and venture capitalists