Vendors like to visit technology journalists from time to time, say hello, hand out a T-shirt or a logo mug, and then demo the latest version of whatever product they're selling. They're demo meetings, pure and simple.
Years back, I attended one of these demo meetings with a large anti-virus software vendor who must remain nameless. Being me, I surrendered to my sophomoric sense of humor and deadpanned a joke about how AV vendors must be paying virus writers in third-world countries so they could stay in business. The room got real quiet real fast. Apparently, AV marketing professionals don't think that joke is funny.
Was Redmond's decision to dump IE for the Mac an anomaly? Or a step in the unraveling of the pair's tenuous partnership? After Microsoft dropped the bombshell last week that it is ceasing all work on future Internet Explorer releases for the Mac, industry watchers have been wondering aloud what's next for the dynamic duo.
It's an interesting time to speculate, on the eve of Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference next week. For its part, Microsoft is swearing up and down that it won't off Office for the Mac. And a number of Microsoft watchers seemingly believe the Redmondians - pointing to Microsoft's growing paranoia over OpenOffice and StarOffice as a big reason why it won't dump its only non-Windows version of its desktop office suite.
This October, at its Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles, Microsoft plans to release a preliminary software development kit for its NGSCB (Next-Generation Secure Computing Base) security technology, also known as Palladium. The kit will give developers an early opportunity to work with the NGSCB code in preparation for developing applications that take advantage of the technology. NGSCB is expected to debut in the Longhorn version of the Windows client operating system, which is due in 2005.
Tough times for Microsoft's competitors. Now instead going after MS they turn on each other: Sun vs. IBM, SCO Group (unix) vs. IBM (linux), Oracle vs. PeopleSoft.
Sun Microsystems, looking to poach customers from a rival in a weak market for server computers, said on Thursday it had begun contacting companies that may be worried about a legal challenge to IBM's rights to the Unix operating system. Sun, which has been hit hard along with rivals IBM and Hewlett-Packard during the high-tech recession, said the effort to contact customers began this week was backed by a campaign also aimed at exploiting the legal dispute between IBM and SCO Group.
PeopleSoft's board of directors again rejected Oracle's bid for the company Friday, and recommended that its shareholders also shoot down the $6.3 billion offer, saying that the deal is not in the best interest of the company and would likely run afoul of antitrust laws.
The rejection comes just two days after Oracle sweetened its original $5.1 billion offer for the Pleasanton, Calif.-based enterprise software provider, which sparked the firestorm between the two companies. Oracle's initial bid, made June 6, came just days after PeopleSoft announced it was acquiring J.D. Edwards, putting the merger in jeopardy.
Both PeopleSoft and J.D. Edwards have sued Oracle over its aggressive pursuit, and Oracle shot back earlier this week, both increasing its offer for PeopleSoft and suing the company for "eliminating" shareholders' ability to accept the offer.
According to our beta insider, Ditto, Microsoft is about to mail Office 2003 Technical Beta CD kit to those that have chosen the mail delivery option. There also will be download option available. The email from MS reads...
Dear Valued Office 2003 Technical Beta Participant,
We are preparing for the Beta 2 technical release very shortly. You have received this mail because you have indicated you cannot use the download option to obtain the Beta 2 Technical Refresh and will require a CD kit to be mailed to you.
If your address has changed, please make sure we have the correct address information by using the "modify contact info" section on BetaPlace.com. We will be mailing you a kit to you within the next business week. PLEASE NOTE: that receipt of CD kits in some worldwide locations can take up to several weeks.
Thank You,
The Microsoft Office Team
A U.K. tech industry body has urged the U.K. government to show restraint in its use of open-source software, particularly software covered by the General Public License.
Intellect, which is backed by Microsoft, IBM, Intel, BAE Systems and other high-tech heavyweights, said that the requirement of open-source licenses for software funded by the government could have a negative impact on competition for contracts, on the quality of the resulting software and even on the confidentiality of government departments.
In particular, it recommended that the government drop the GNU General Public License (GPL), the license upon which the GNU/Linux operating system is based, from its list of acceptable default licenses for government-funded software. It also urged agencies to, in general, steer clear of the GPL.
Microsoft has slashed prices on Windows XP and Office in Thailand, a move that could curb the spread of the Linux operating system in the country. Microsoft last week announced plans to join the Thai government's "people's PC" project and said it would offer PC buyers in Thailand a combined Windows XP and Office suite for a mere $35.80 (1,490 baht), The Bangkok Post reported.
Buyers can purchase a Windows- and Office-loaded desktop for $298, excluding taxes, the report said. In other parts of the world, a standard edition of the Office XP software alone costs $399. "Microsoft has developed a specific Thai program with a unique product for this unique project," said Andrew McBean, Microsoft Thailand's managing director.
In preparation for unveiling its own algorithmic search engine, Microsoft's MSN has quietly launched software that will index Web sites, a move that raises questions about MSN's relationship with Yahoo subsidiary Inktomi. Called MSNBot, the software scours Web sites and collects hyperlinks and documents. The software is part of MSN's effort to challenge Google by revitalizing MSN Search with its own algorithmic search technology.
MSN currently uses Inktomi's algorithmic and paid listings, as well as Overture Services' commercial results as part of its query mix. Although an MSN spokeswoman said the company plans to maintain its Overture relationship, she was ambiguous about the future of its relationship with Inktomi, now a subsidiary of portal rival Yahoo.
Microsoft, Sony and other tech heavyweights are set to unveil a joint effort to make sure that their products--from computers to DVD players to cell phones--can communicate with each other over a home wireless network. The alliance of 18 major companies from the consumer-electronics, personal computer and mobile devices industries--called the Digital Home Working Group--will announce Tuesday in San Francisco which networking standards it plans to support, according to sources familiar with the group's plans.
Chipmaker Intel, PC maker Hewlett-Packard and cell phone giant Nokia are also involved in the group, which has been working to choose the networking technologies they plan to promote in future products.