[The articles below were posted between July 29, 2002 and August 19, 2002 and appear in the September 2002 hardcopy edition of Update. One or more are available below for free to non-subscribers.]

Server Applications

Free! Content Management Server 2002 Goes .NET

The next version adopts the ASP.NET Web server technology to simplify development and improve scalability and performance, but the move also creates some migration issues

Solution Guidance Expanded

As part of its effort to sell more of its server products, Microsoft has been expanding its solution offerings and document sets for solving particular business problems.

Corporate News

Free! Seven Core Businesses Explained

Reporting revenue and operating income in seven core businesses will help MS explain its business & perceived opportunities to outsiders, but doesn't represent a major strategy change

Protocols, APIs to Be Revealed

As part of its effort to settle the antitrust case, MS will license some previously unrevealed communication protocols and will expose some internal Windows interfaces as new APIs

FTC Resolves Passport Complaint

Although it found no evidence of wrongdoing, the U.S. government will monitor Passport for the next 20 years; the move highlights the need for clear, consistent company privacy policies

Sales and Support

Free! New Challenges Face Microsoft in Government Market

Open-source advocates are urging governments to reduce their reliance on commercial software, but Microsoft’s approach to government sales will help it weather this storm

Operating Systems

Windows XP Tablet Edition Nears Delivery

Microsoft is betting that hardware improvements, ubiquitous wireless connectivity, and its new Windows XP Tablet Edition will make the Tablet PC successful with highly mobile workers

Third Service Pack for Windows 2000

Windows 2000 SP3 includes security fixes resulting from MS’s security review of Windows but also substantially (and irreversibly) updates some important Windows services and utilities

Windows .NET Server Programs

Three new programs for Windows .NET Server will help customers and partners evaluate the product and verify that it will work with their applications

Updated Windows CE Still Not .NET

Windows CE .NET has gained support for a strategic future Internet protocol and many desktop file formats, but it still doesn't include a final version of the .NET Compact Framework

ASP.NET in Windows Apache

The Apache open-source Web server can now run ASP.NET applications, but only on Windows

Development Tools & Programs

Visual Studio Targets Architects

VS.NET helps architects streamline development & standardize practices by building reusable templates and policies, but the product lags competitors in the area of source code control

Office Web Services Toolkit 2

An update to the Office Web Services Toolkit provides better XML support and may be a harbinger of how the next version of Office will access Web services

Oracle Access for .NET Applications

A new ADO.NET data provider improves performance of .NET applications that use Oracle databases

Desktop Applications

Office Center of Mac Spat

Slow sales of Office v. X, Microsoft's Office suite for Macintosh OS X, have raised doubts about how much more Microsoft will invest in Mac development

Money 2003 Offers Web-Based Services

The latest version of Money is bundled with Web-based services offered by partners, a low-risk way for Microsoft to add new features to consumer and small-business software

Visio Net Center Shows Service Challenge

Visio Enterprise Network Tools has been discontinued, but some features will be included in future Visio and network management products, and the associated Web site will remain live

Xbox Refocuses PC Game Strategy

The introduction of Xbox has influenced Microsoft's PC games development strategy: action-oriented games will be developed for Xbox first, then ported to the PC on a case-by-case basis

Appliances & Emerging Networks

Wireless Home Networking Hardware Planned

Microsoft will introduce Wi-Fi compatible hardware products designed to make it easier for consumers to set up 802.11b wireless networks at home

Commercial & Consumer Services

MSN Refocuses on Client Software

Under new pressure to make money, MSN turns to a familiar Microsoft business--selling packaged desktop software--with an unfamiliar wrinkle: a monthly fee for users