[The articles below were posted between Feb. 25, 2002 and Mar. 18, 2002 and appear in the April 2002 hardcopy edition of Update. One or more are available below for free to non-subscribers.]

Server Applications

BizTalk Server 2002 Focuses on Deployment and Management

Combining BizTalk Server 2002 with Application Center and Operations Manager makes it easier to design, deploy, and manage application integration

Free! New CRM Server Planned

A planned customer relationship management server indicates that Microsoft will compete aggressively in the packaged business applications space

Mobile Server Goes Into Exchange, ISA

Mobile Information Server 2002 Enterprise Edition will be the last release of Microsoft's wireless gateway product, as its functions move into Exchange and other server products

Operating Systems

Windows .NET Server Delayed

Windows .NET Server, the next release of Windows, will be delayed until the end of 2002 as Microsoft reviews the code base and improves development practices

New Windows CE Delivers Wireless, Previews .NET

Win CE .NET offers improved security & wireless communications and a preview of the .NET Compact Framework, allowing developers to prototype mobile apps on the .NET platform

Development Tools & Programs

Free! Visual Studio Offers Tools Platform

Microsoft is making Visual Studio .NET a platform for third-party vendors by giving them access to the same interfaces Microsoft itself uses to build its own tools

Vendors Face Web Service Gaps

The newly formed Web Services Interoperability Organization shows the hopes companies have for Web services, but also highlights barriers to using Web services on a large scale

Desktop Applications

Visio 2002 SR-1, Web Viewer Available

SR1 fixes bugs and enables users to check documents in or out from SharePoint Portal Services folders; the viewer allows PCs without Visio to view Visio files via a browser

Appliances & Emerging Networks

Pocket PC 2002 Targets Corporations

The Pocket PC 2002 platform is targeted at businesses, especially for mobile line-of-business apps and as a wireless communications device for mobile personnel

Intel, TI Push Smartphone

Intel and Texas Instruments will produce reference platforms for "smart" cell phones that combine their chip sets with Microsoft's Smartphone 2002 software

Xbox Launches Overseas

Xbox has launched in Japan, Europe, and Australia; of these, the European market will be most important to its success

Commercial & Consumer Services

New Strategy Devised for .NET My Services

Microsoft is backing off its original plan to be the primary host for users' data and will instead sell a server product for organizations to host their own Web-connected databases

Sales and Support

Software Assurance Membership Updated

A requirement that all Premier Support customers enroll in Software Assurance, Microsoft's new product upgrade program for volume licensing customers, has been cancelled

Windows Source Code For Integrators

Microsoft will make Windows source code available to about 150 systems integrators; the new program is primarily intended to help systems integrators debug their Windows programs

Developer Certifications Delayed for .NET

Developer certifications have come to a halt as Microsoft prepares new exams and reorganizes its developer certifications around .NET

Agility Campaign Puts Focus on .NET

A new US$200 million advertising campaign (covering television, print, and Web sites) stresses that .NET provides rapid solutions to major business problems

Corporate News

Sun, Be File Private Antitrust Lawsuits

Sun Microsystems wants an injunction forcing Internet Explorer to support Sun's Java, plus damages and new penalties; Be, Inc., is citing new evidence of illegal activity

Judge Considers DoJ Antitrust Settlement

The DoJ and Microsoft make minor revisions to their settlement while the dissenting states suggest a new role for embedded versions of Windows

Patent, Copyright Lawsuits; MSN Settlement

Microsoft settled a class-action suit over MSN Internet Access, was named in four patent infringement suits, and is suing to protect its Windows trademark