[The articles below were posted between Jan. 30, 2006 and Feb. 20, 2006 and appear in the March 2006 hardcopy edition of Update.]

Windows & Mobile

Feb. 2006 Security Updates

Two critical and five important Feb. 2006 'Patch Tuesday' patches address security bugs in Internet Explorer, Windows, and Office, as well as non-Microsoft browsers running a Media Player plug-in

Server Platforms

Client Access Licenses Split Server Features

Customers will require more than one CAL to access the full feature set of some Microsoft servers, complicating customers' choices and possibly raising prices

Office Server Line Taking Shape

SharePoint gains features from Content Management Server and support for Excel and InfoPath. Microsoft's first iteration of a Groove server as well as forms and project management servers are also announced

System Center Reporting Manager 2006 Nears Completion

By combining, analyzing, and reporting data from Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 and Systems Management Server 2003, System Center Reporting Manager (SCRM) 2006 may help organizations get more useful information out of those management products

ISA Server SP2 Adds Features

Service Pack 2 for ISA Server 2004 includes new and enhanced features aimed at branch offices

Development Tools & Programs

Integrating SAP and Microsoft Systems

Integration has been improved among products from Microsoft and SAP, but outside of their main lines of business, the companies are direct competitors

Shipping Software: The End Game Revisited

CTP releases help Microsoft gain feedback earlier in the process, but may not be able to replace betas

Python Comes to .NET

A .NET version of Python, a popular scripting language, is available in beta form under Microsoft's Shared Source Licensing program

Business Applications & Services

Office Live Aims at Small Businesses

Office Live provides Web hosting, e-mail, and business management applications for small businesses that cannot afford or don't want the complexity of server-based software

Visio to Dive into Data

Better data analysis and user interface improvements are planned for Visio 12, the next version of Microsoft's program for drawing business and technical diagrams

Office 2007 Suite Packaging Announced

The Office suite's next version will include a new edition for volume license customers; the new packaging could boost less-established products like OneNote and Groove Virtual Office

Solomon Purchasing, Bank Improvements

Dynamics SL 6.5 automates purchase-order requisitions and simplifies bank reconciliation processes; conformance to Project Green guidelines will come later

Consumer Products & Services

Spaces to Tap Users' Contacts

An update to MSN Spaces shows how MSN intends to leverage its users' contact lists to improve and drive more traffic to its online services

Research Group Turns Attention Online

New cooperation between Microsoft Research (MSR) and MSN will help Microsoft spot, create, and capitalize upon new online trends

Acquisition to Ease Mobile Portal Navigation

Microsoft has acquired MotionBridge, a company with technology that speeds navigation and search of Internet portals designed for phone-based browsers

Sales & Support

Emerging Markets Present New Challenges

Emerging markets have huge populations and economic momentum, but Microsoft will need to adapt its pricing, marketing, channels, and products to tap into their growth

New Small Business Support

Small Business+ provides education and technical support for small businesses and may attract them to other Microsoft offerings

License Advisor Updated

An online product licensing guide has been updated to include more countries, more volume licensing programs, and links to product use rights

Corporate News

Customer Support Organization Shifts

The Mar. 2006 Directions on Microsoft OrgChart reflects a shift in customer service management, a new leader for OEM sales, and an expanded global accounts organization

Office Patents, EU Dispute, and Other Legal News

A patent-infringement loss forces Office 2003 customers to use the latest service pack for new installations; the EU is threatening further fines because of inadequate documentation

Xbox Shortages Impact Revenues in Q2'06

Second quarter 2006 revenues fell slightly short of Microsoft's predictions because of Xbox 360 shortages, but six of its seven businesses turned a profit—a company first

Indemnification for Embedded Partners

Device manufacturers and distributors are now indemnified against intellectual property claims relating to embedded versions of Windows