[The articles below were posted between Apr. 29, 2002 and May 20, 2002 and appear in the June 2002 hardcopy edition of Update.]

Server Applications

Navision Deal Continues Move into Business Applications

Microsoft has offered US$1.33 billion for Danish company Navision, which has an almost identical profile as Great Plains, but a strong European channel that Great Plains lacked

Management Roadmap Revealed

Microsoft's current crop of management products will eventually merge into two products: one specifically targeted at managing servers and the other at managing client devices

Operating Systems

Windows Two-Year Plan Outlined

Within the next two years, customers will get Windows .NET Server and a service pack for Windows XP, but they still face uncertainty over what to deploy now

Networks Key to Future PCs

Microsoft restated its belief in the viability of the PC architecture at WinHEC, but called for improved system design and support for technologies such as Bluetooth, WiFi, and IPv6

Support for AMD "Hammer" Hedges 64-bit Bet

A future Windows version will support AMD's planned 64-bit CPUs--which are incompatible with Intel's existing 64-bit chips--forcing IT planners to evaluate both architectures

Unix Bridge Products Merge

An updated Windows Services for Unix combines two formerly separate products to create an environment for interoperating or migrating from Unix to Windows

Development Tools & Programs

.NET Brings Changes to COM Architecture

Although .NET might leave the impression that 'COM is dead,' only the lowest-level part of COM is being replaced while the higher-level COM+ Services are being carried forward

Web Services Link Exchange to .NET

A new Exchange toolkit explains how to build Web services that access Exchange, potentially the best way to add e-mail and other collaboration features to .NET applications

SQL Server Adds Java Hook

A newly posted software library offers developers a low-cost way to evaluate SQL Server with Java application server environments

Desktop Applications

Enterprise Features Enhance Project 2002

Formerly a desktop application, Microsoft Project has gained a multi-tier architecture to support enterprisewide project management

Appliances & Emerging Networks

TV Division: Back to Basics

Acknowledging that cable operators are not deploying advanced set-top boxes, Microsoft has created a new client for basic boxes centered on an improved electronic program guide

Corporate News

The Role of Microsoft Research

Microsoft Research has contributed to many products, including SQL Server and Windows Media, and it also serves important intelligence, public relations, and recruitment functions