[The articles below were posted between November 25, 2002 and December 16, 2002 and appear in the January 2003 hardcopy edition of Update.]

Server Applications

BizTalk for Healthcare, Financial Services

New BizTalk accelerators make it easier for healthcare providers to comply with HIPAA requirements and for financial institutions to integrate financial applications

Operating Systems

Windows .NET Server Reduces Fear of Group Policy

Windows .NET Server reduces the obstacles to using Group Policy, which in turn could shrink the costs of managing large numbers of Windows desktops

Applications Require Updates for Windows .NET Server

Changes and security tightening in Windows .NET Server 2003 might create problems for some current Windows 2000-based server applications, including certain Microsoft apps

Security Push Continues

Recent announcements show Microsoft is continuing to focus on the security of its products and is telling customers that staying secure will mean upgrading their software

Windows .NET Server: Final Test

Microsoft has released Windows .NET Server 2003, Release Candidate 2 (RC2), the last public test version before the planned Apr. 2003 release of the product

Windows 2000 Gains Common Criteria Certification

Microsoft has invested significant resources to certify Windows 2000 against the ISO Common Criteria, a sign that security continues to be an important focus for Windows

Development Tools & Programs

Business Platform to Draw ISVs to .NET

A new business software platform is meant to encourage ISVs to build vertical solutions for small and medium-size businesses on .NET

Base Web Service Protocols Updated

Planned changes to basic Web service protocols will make some of Microsoft's tools obsolete; the changes highlight the developing nature of Web services

Visual Studio .NET 2003 in Beta

Currently circulating in beta form, Visual Studio .NET 2003 will be a minor release that includes some formerly free, unsupported add-ons

Desktop Applications

Visual Studio to Get Tools for Word, Excel

Visual Studio Tools for Office will enable developers to use Microsoft's .NET development environment and platform to create Word- and Excel-based client applications

Commercial & Consumer Services

BT to Promote MSN 8

As the first step in a strategic alliance, the U.K. telecom will promote MSN 8 to its broadband users

Business-to-Customer IM Solution Planned

MSN Messenger Connect and third-party software will make the public .NET Messenger Service more suitable for business-to-customer communications

Sales & Support

.NET Marketing Focusing on Developers, ISVs, Enterprises

The evangelism campaign for the .NET platform and architecture requires new marketing strategies and techniques

MS Capital Leverages Financial Strength

Microsoft is beginning to employ its huge cash reserves to promote sales of software by providing financing for customers

Corporate News

Desktop Central to Microsoft Profits

Desktop operating systems and applications offer spectacular margins; the server business is profitable but costly to run; everything else loses money

Two States Appeal; Other Legal News

Massachusetts and West Virginia continue the federal antitrust case, while a judge hears arguments about Java in a private antitrust suit