Microsoft Outlines Unique Vision for Reducing IT Complexity with the Dynamic Systems Initiative: "This is an issue where the industry has overpromised and underdelivered while our enterprise customers continue to feel the pain of managing their systems,' Muglia said. 'Our approach with DSI is to help customers get every dollar out of their IT investments by making software more manageable from the ground up.'
According to an Accenture study, IT professionals spend up to 70 percent of their time maintaining existing systems, leaving little time to develop new capabilities that add real value to their businesses. With the Dynamic Systems Initiative, Microsoft aims to reduce the maintenance ratio to 55 percent by automating many of the routine tasks associated with updating systems and deploying applications. Today management software is applied after the applications are deployed in the enterprise. Through the Dynamic Systems Initiative, Microsoft will shift this operational intelligence into the application itself, reducing the need for traditional management software."
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
WSJ.com - Microsoft Is Facing More Telling E-Mails In Minnesota Lawsuit
WSJ.com - Microsoft Is Facing More Telling E-Mails In Minnesota Lawsuit "The federal antitrust trial focused on Microsoft's efforts to protect Windows from innovative Internet technologies in the mid-1990s. The Minnesota case begins even earlier, alleging that Microsoft also targeted competitors in both applications and operating-system software, ranging from Lotus Development Corp. and Novell Inc. to giant International Business Machines Corp.
Lotus, which dominated the spreadsheet business in the industry's early years, was a favorite target. In a 1988 memo, Mr. Gates calls for deep price cuts with a goal of "cutting Lotus' profit in half." Another strategy memo, responding to Mr. Gates, calls for a "Kill Lotus Plan."
It includes, among more-serious proposals, a "Santa Claus scenario" in which Microsoft would drive down Lotus's share price by price cuts, secretly buy 4.99% of the company, then launch a hostile takeover. "Assuming [Lotus Chief Executive Jim Manzi] wants to keep his job, we could then negotiate a 'greenmail' price of say $30 share," reaping $40 million in profit by selling the stock back to Lotus, the memo says.
Microsoft dismisses the memo as the musings of a midlevel manager that were never acted upon -- and points out that strong language in the heat of competition isn't illegal. Microsoft eventually did slash prices, bundling its products together into the now-dominant Microsoft Office package of applications; Lotus's 1-2-3 spreadsheet, the PC industry's first big hit, was driven into single-digit market share. Lotus, its future threatened, was bought by IBM in 1995."
Lotus, which dominated the spreadsheet business in the industry's early years, was a favorite target. In a 1988 memo, Mr. Gates calls for deep price cuts with a goal of "cutting Lotus' profit in half." Another strategy memo, responding to Mr. Gates, calls for a "Kill Lotus Plan."
It includes, among more-serious proposals, a "Santa Claus scenario" in which Microsoft would drive down Lotus's share price by price cuts, secretly buy 4.99% of the company, then launch a hostile takeover. "Assuming [Lotus Chief Executive Jim Manzi] wants to keep his job, we could then negotiate a 'greenmail' price of say $30 share," reaping $40 million in profit by selling the stock back to Lotus, the memo says.
Microsoft dismisses the memo as the musings of a midlevel manager that were never acted upon -- and points out that strong language in the heat of competition isn't illegal. Microsoft eventually did slash prices, bundling its products together into the now-dominant Microsoft Office package of applications; Lotus's 1-2-3 spreadsheet, the PC industry's first big hit, was driven into single-digit market share. Lotus, its future threatened, was bought by IBM in 1995."
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
InfoWorld: Microsoft exec: Open source model endangers software economy
InfoWorld: Microsoft exec: Open source model endangers software economy: "For-profit software companies will struggle for a business model against free software, said the official, Microsoft Distinguished Engineer Jim Gray. He served on a panel pertaining to software trends, XML, Web services and grids at the Software Development Conference & Expo West 2004 show here on Monday evening.
'The thing I'm puzzled by is how there will be a software industry if there?9s open source,' Gray said, disagreeing with a fellow panelist over the impacts of open source. "
'The thing I'm puzzled by is how there will be a software industry if there?9s open source,' Gray said, disagreeing with a fellow panelist over the impacts of open source. "
Microsoft Monitor: Living Without Smartphone
Microsoft Monitor: Living Without Smartphone "It’s not uncommon for Microsoft to miss the mark on a first product version, so much so that one of the more common urban legends has the company getting it right on version 3. Memorable examples: Windows 3.1, Windows NT 4 (Microsoft started that at 3 then 3.51), Internet Explorer 4 (2 was the first real version), among many others.
Two months after plunking down several hundred bucks for the Motorola MPx200, which runs Microsoft’s Smartphone 2002 software (a.k.a. version 1), I’ve retired the phone. I now use the Sony Ericsson T630."
Includes details on problems experienced etc.
Two months after plunking down several hundred bucks for the Motorola MPx200, which runs Microsoft’s Smartphone 2002 software (a.k.a. version 1), I’ve retired the phone. I now use the Sony Ericsson T630."
Includes details on problems experienced etc.
CRN : Breaking News : MySQL Readies Enterprise-Level Reliability For Database : 6:16 PM EST Mon., Mar. 15, 2004
CRN : Breaking News : MySQL Readies Enterprise-Level Reliability For Database : 6:16 PM EST Mon., Mar. 15, 2004: "The new software, MySQL Cluster, is scheduled to be introduced next month at the Swedish company's user conference in Orlando, Fla., Zack Urlocker, vice president of marketing, said Monday. The feature is based on NDB Cluster, software developed by telecommunications equipment maker L.M. Ericsson Telephone Co."
EU Brands Microsoft an Abusive Monopolist, Sets Stage for Final Ruling
EU Brands Microsoft an Abusive Monopolist, Sets Stage for Final Ruling: " The ratification of the draft ruling means that the clock is now ticking for Microsoft. Unless the company can negotiate a last-minute settlement of the 5-year-old antitrust case, the Commission will soon fine Microsoft between $100 million and $1 billion; the company could also face a set of procedural and behavioral remedies that could have sweeping ramifications on the way it does business around the world. The Commission could finalize the draft ruling as soon as next week, after a second meeting at which the EU representatives will determine the size of the fine to levy against Microsoft.
Most at risk for Microsoft is its sweeping digital-media strategy, which hinges on the inclusion of Windows Media Player (WMP) and other related technologies in the company's dominant Windows products. The Commission is expected to ask Microsoft to sell a version of Windows that doesn't include WMP or to offer competing products, such as Apple Computer's iTunes and RealNetworks' RealPlayer, on the Windows CD-ROM that ships at retail and with new PCs. Microsoft has strongly fought both strategies and suggested instead that PC makers could ship a 'must-carry' CD-ROM with their systems, separate from Windows, that includes competitive products. The Commission rejected that proposal last month.
...
Nevertheless, the Commission has a bargaining chip that wasn't available to US courts. Although Microsoft is expected to appeal any negative verdict, the company isn't automatically entitled to an appeal. The European Court of Justice could reject the appeal because a 3-year delay would make the ruling inconsequential, given the rapidly changing business climate. For the court to reject an appeal, however, the Commission's case has to be strongly researched and decisively written. Predictably, European antitrust regulators have been working toward that goal for the past several months."
Most at risk for Microsoft is its sweeping digital-media strategy, which hinges on the inclusion of Windows Media Player (WMP) and other related technologies in the company's dominant Windows products. The Commission is expected to ask Microsoft to sell a version of Windows that doesn't include WMP or to offer competing products, such as Apple Computer's iTunes and RealNetworks' RealPlayer, on the Windows CD-ROM that ships at retail and with new PCs. Microsoft has strongly fought both strategies and suggested instead that PC makers could ship a 'must-carry' CD-ROM with their systems, separate from Windows, that includes competitive products. The Commission rejected that proposal last month.
...
Nevertheless, the Commission has a bargaining chip that wasn't available to US courts. Although Microsoft is expected to appeal any negative verdict, the company isn't automatically entitled to an appeal. The European Court of Justice could reject the appeal because a 3-year delay would make the ruling inconsequential, given the rapidly changing business climate. For the court to reject an appeal, however, the Commission's case has to be strongly researched and decisively written. Predictably, European antitrust regulators have been working toward that goal for the past several months."
Microsoft Notebook: Eyes are on Longhorn
Microsoft Notebook: Eyes are on Longhorn "Microsoft Corp. executive Jim Allchin answered definitively when reporters recently pressed him to say when the company would release the next major version of the Windows operating system.
"Sometime in the future," the Windows group vice president said.
Allchin's response, more than showing his sense of humor, underscored the uncertainty surrounding the timing of the next Windows release, code-named Longhorn. It's an issue with deep implications for Microsoft's business and for corporate users of the operating system.
...
During his Charlie Rose interview, Gates acknowledged the effect: "Absolutely, the Longhorn schedule has taken a back seat to our top priority -- the broad issues around reliability, security, spam, all of which we call trustworthy computing," he said."
"Sometime in the future," the Windows group vice president said.
Allchin's response, more than showing his sense of humor, underscored the uncertainty surrounding the timing of the next Windows release, code-named Longhorn. It's an issue with deep implications for Microsoft's business and for corporate users of the operating system.
...
During his Charlie Rose interview, Gates acknowledged the effect: "Absolutely, the Longhorn schedule has taken a back seat to our top priority -- the broad issues around reliability, security, spam, all of which we call trustworthy computing," he said."
Monday, March 15, 2004
Get Real: Groove v3.0: A Tool For Our Times
Get Real: Groove v3.0: A Tool For Our Times "March 13, 2004
Groove v3.0: A Tool For Our Times
I had the opportunity this week to get a demo of the new beta from Groove, v3.0. Wow! I was bowled over, for a number of reasons: vastly improved user interface and user experience, close integration with Windows shared folders for sharing of files (including embedded presence of workgroup members displayed in the Windows folders), and an great alerting model. Groove has also developed a rich forms tool, to support the creation of and use of form-based information.
Groove 3.0 is so different from 2.5, its almost like the whole user experience has been turned inside out."
Article includes useful screen shots and a lively reader discussion.
Groove v3.0: A Tool For Our Times
I had the opportunity this week to get a demo of the new beta from Groove, v3.0. Wow! I was bowled over, for a number of reasons: vastly improved user interface and user experience, close integration with Windows shared folders for sharing of files (including embedded presence of workgroup members displayed in the Windows folders), and an great alerting model. Groove has also developed a rich forms tool, to support the creation of and use of form-based information.
Groove 3.0 is so different from 2.5, its almost like the whole user experience has been turned inside out."
Article includes useful screen shots and a lively reader discussion.
InfoWorld: Sun snatches up XML guru
InfoWorld: Sun snatches up XML guru: "With his new position, Bray will help set Sun's future direction with respect to Web services and search technology. 'I'm not immediately diving into product development,' he said. 'They want me there as a forward thinking person.'
Sun has made XML and Web services an important part of its Java software strategy as tries to compete for the hearts and minds of software developers against Microsoft Corp.'s .Net.
One of the areas Bray expects to work on is developing new applications for Web logs, or 'blogs,' and the RSS (Resource Description Framework Site Summary) technology that grew out of them. 'I think that this is potentially a game-changer in some respects, and there are quite a few folks at Sun who share that opinion,' he said
...
"Anybody who has gone very far into this is starting to get very excited," he said of the RSS phenomenon. "It's starting to feel like 1992 or 1993, when this Web thing was starting to stick its head out."
Sun has made XML and Web services an important part of its Java software strategy as tries to compete for the hearts and minds of software developers against Microsoft Corp.'s .Net.
One of the areas Bray expects to work on is developing new applications for Web logs, or 'blogs,' and the RSS (Resource Description Framework Site Summary) technology that grew out of them. 'I think that this is potentially a game-changer in some respects, and there are quite a few folks at Sun who share that opinion,' he said
...
"Anybody who has gone very far into this is starting to get very excited," he said of the RSS phenomenon. "It's starting to feel like 1992 or 1993, when this Web thing was starting to stick its head out."
Economist.com | Blogging goes to work
Economist.com | Blogging goes to work "Will blogging—the practice of maintaining an online diary, or weblog—revolutionise journalism? Do the world's bloggers really constitute a “second superpower”, the only force on earth capable of keeping America's neo-imperialist government in check? Or is the blogging craze just an example of sound and fury signifying nothing—a re-run of the late-1990s fad for personal websites, only with easier-to-use publishing software?
While bloggers—half of whom are teenagers, according to one survey—are convinced that they are changing the world, not everyone agrees. There are, whisper it, even some people beyond the insular world of the “blogosphere” who have not even heard of blogging at all. Ross Mayfield, the founder of Socialtext, a firm based in Palo Alto, California, wants to move blogging beyond its usual constituency of teenagers and wide-eyed political activists. His company is taking a novel approach, arguing that blogging might actually be useful in business."
While bloggers—half of whom are teenagers, according to one survey—are convinced that they are changing the world, not everyone agrees. There are, whisper it, even some people beyond the insular world of the “blogosphere” who have not even heard of blogging at all. Ross Mayfield, the founder of Socialtext, a firm based in Palo Alto, California, wants to move blogging beyond its usual constituency of teenagers and wide-eyed political activists. His company is taking a novel approach, arguing that blogging might actually be useful in business."
Ray Ozzie's Weblog: The Future of Work etc.
Ray Ozzie's Weblog: The Future of Work etc.: " I sit here writing this as we're about about to lift the veil from what I believe you'll find truly represents the next generation of communications software, Groove v3.0. Our primary design goal for this product, based very specifically on how it has been being used by our customers over the past three years, was to implement, for its users, the essence of their 'virtual office'. Where we do our work together, and where we want to do our work together because of how it feels and just works. We now live in an era of extreme mobility, where the attributes of secure communications, coordination, and synchronization are core to most everything we do in terms of information work. An era where our tools and mobile devices must be specifically designed with advanced, elegant awareness & notification to help us to efficiently swarm around our joint activities, and to aggregate and prioritize notifications in ways that help us to conserve our attention and cope with information overload."
The Register: CeBIT to premiere USB Swiss Army Knife
The Register: CeBIT to premiere USB Swiss Army Knife "It was bound to happen. Given that you can buy a Victorinox Swiss Army Knive with just about every gadget known to man, from horse-hoof awl to Hubble Space Telescope lens polisher, it's no real surprise that the company - in association with flash memory outfit Swissbit - is now offering cutting tools plus USB flash memory stick. The gadget will be unleashed on an incredulous world at CeBIT next week."
Via Paresh Suthar
Via Paresh Suthar
Tim Bray: ongoing · Sunny Boy: As of today, I work for Sun.
Tim Bray: ongoing · Sunny Boy: As of today, I work for Sun.: "As of today, I work for Sun. Let's see; Java rocks. Microsoft sucks. I can play that tune.
...
The pundits and prognosticators see .NET as a threat to Java’s future, but that’s silly. Parts of .NET look technically excellent, but it has three fatal flaws:
First, it makes no attempt to hit an 80/20 point. Java was actually pretty lean-and-mean when 1.0 launched and has grown into its current middle-aged spread fairly smoothly. .NET launched as a kitchen-sink-equipped behemoth; it had a legacy problem on Day One.
Second, .NET was created by a company with a historic focus on (and infinite experience with) desktop applications, and has a lot of apparatus aimed at building desktop applications. I’m sorry; for most businesses, desktop applications aren’t interesting. Put your business logic on the server side and use the Web for your delivery platform. (I think the interesting client applications are on mobile phones and PDAs, these days; and Java looks like a good way to build those, too).
Third, .NET comes with the Microsoft agenda attached, wide as the horizon and high as the sky. That agenda is becoming markedly less and less popular among the CIOs and technology buyers of the world. This, I think, is the most serious problem .NET faces.
In fact I personally believe that Java’s share of enterprise software will decline, but not in favor of anything from Redmond. I think that dynamic languages (Python and friends), particularly in conjunction with Test-Driven Development, are looking more like winners all the time. They generally are cheaper to program in, run just as fast, and have fewer bugs; what’s not to like? There is one huge niche that the strongly-typed statically-compiled languages are never going to be driven out of, but I’ll save writing about that for later because I’ve got a major skunkworks in mind."
...
The pundits and prognosticators see .NET as a threat to Java’s future, but that’s silly. Parts of .NET look technically excellent, but it has three fatal flaws:
First, it makes no attempt to hit an 80/20 point. Java was actually pretty lean-and-mean when 1.0 launched and has grown into its current middle-aged spread fairly smoothly. .NET launched as a kitchen-sink-equipped behemoth; it had a legacy problem on Day One.
Second, .NET was created by a company with a historic focus on (and infinite experience with) desktop applications, and has a lot of apparatus aimed at building desktop applications. I’m sorry; for most businesses, desktop applications aren’t interesting. Put your business logic on the server side and use the Web for your delivery platform. (I think the interesting client applications are on mobile phones and PDAs, these days; and Java looks like a good way to build those, too).
Third, .NET comes with the Microsoft agenda attached, wide as the horizon and high as the sky. That agenda is becoming markedly less and less popular among the CIOs and technology buyers of the world. This, I think, is the most serious problem .NET faces.
In fact I personally believe that Java’s share of enterprise software will decline, but not in favor of anything from Redmond. I think that dynamic languages (Python and friends), particularly in conjunction with Test-Driven Development, are looking more like winners all the time. They generally are cheaper to program in, run just as fast, and have fewer bugs; what’s not to like? There is one huge niche that the strongly-typed statically-compiled languages are never going to be driven out of, but I’ll save writing about that for later because I’ve got a major skunkworks in mind."
Microsoft Effort to Share Code Reaches Milestone
Microsoft Effort to Share Code Reaches Milestone: "Today, Microsoft is announcing that its shared-source program has one million licensed participants, from lone software developers to large corporations. The milestone, said Jason Matusow, manager of the shared-source initiative at Microsoft, shows that the company has responded to the demands of its customers.
'The idea of shared source is to learn from the open-source development model,' Mr. Matusow said. 'The shared-source program is a framework for us to engage in the community as we have not before.'"
'The idea of shared source is to learn from the open-source development model,' Mr. Matusow said. 'The shared-source program is a framework for us to engage in the community as we have not before.'"
Boston.com / Business / Technology / Start-up is in search of the next big idea
Boston.com / Business / Technology / Start-up is in search of the next big idea "Talk to J.J. Allaire about his new start-up, Onpholio [sic], and you get a 1990s-era blast of vision and ambition.
''The problem of search on the Web involves how you find things," says Allaire. ''Google came along and now you can find what you want more easily. But the problem of research on the Web is how do you organize and collect what you find? The product we've built gives people a place to put what they've found online."
(Remember the days when major publications used to have copy editors?...)
''The problem of search on the Web involves how you find things," says Allaire. ''Google came along and now you can find what you want more easily. But the problem of research on the Web is how do you organize and collect what you find? The product we've built gives people a place to put what they've found online."
(Remember the days when major publications used to have copy editors?...)
Onfolio Launches
Onfolio Launches "Onfolio is a PC application for collecting, organizing and sharing information you find online. Fully integrated with Microsoft Internet Explorer and Office, Onfolio has tools for capturing a wide range of content including links, text snippets, images, web pages, and documents. Onfolio lets you organize and find captured content quickly and easily. And with Onfolio, you can easily share your research in documents, presentations, emails, and research reports."
Congrats to JJ Allaire and the rest of the Onfolio team.
Congrats to JJ Allaire and the rest of the Onfolio team.
Sunday, March 14, 2004
Dan Bricklin: End of an era as Trellix office closes
Dan Bricklin: End of an era as Trellix office closes: "So, this is probably the end of the Trellix journey. The code of the browser-based authoring tool will move down to Atlanta, but the programmers are not. The original group that helped me craft a vision for authoring hypertext and web sites in 1996 that led to Trellix 1.0, and the succession of wonderful products that followed is now pretty much completely disbanded. It was a great ride, one that we really enjoyed. Good luck and thank you to all of those who were part of it."
Boston.com / Business / Personal finance / MIT professor sees far-flung future workplace
Boston.com / Business / Personal finance / MIT professor sees far-flung future workplace "In the future, high-tech and knowledge-based businesses will be run as loose hierarchies or self-managed democracies. Skilled workers will organize, disband, and regroup around different assembly projects, much as film and construction workers do today. Even the systems of cars will be designed by competing teams of freelancers, giving automakers a choice of, say, fuel cells or solar cells.
Such is the vision of organization theorist Thomas W. Malone, a professor at MIT's Sloan School of Management. In a book, "The Future of Work," to be published next month, Malone synthesizes two decades of research on how information technologies and cheap communications are shrinking, flattening, and democratizing organizations, and changing the nature of work itself.
...
Still, the decentralizing trend is gaining momentum, as technologies introduce efficiencies that disrupt existing business operations. "The real story is what technology-augmented decentralization is doing to business and society," said Lotus Notes creator Ray Ozzie, now the founder and chief executive of Groove Networks Inc. in Beverly. "Fundamentally, the technology is being used to reduce the cost of coordination to get a problem solved.""
Such is the vision of organization theorist Thomas W. Malone, a professor at MIT's Sloan School of Management. In a book, "The Future of Work," to be published next month, Malone synthesizes two decades of research on how information technologies and cheap communications are shrinking, flattening, and democratizing organizations, and changing the nature of work itself.
...
Still, the decentralizing trend is gaining momentum, as technologies introduce efficiencies that disrupt existing business operations. "The real story is what technology-augmented decentralization is doing to business and society," said Lotus Notes creator Ray Ozzie, now the founder and chief executive of Groove Networks Inc. in Beverly. "Fundamentally, the technology is being used to reduce the cost of coordination to get a problem solved.""
Saturday, March 13, 2004
Barron's Online - IBM Software Unit Has Case of Big Blues
Barron's Online - IBM Software Unit Has Case of Big Blues: "There could be trouble brewing inside Big Blue's $14.3 billion software business, which is critical to the company's soup-to-nuts total solution strategy. Last year, for the first time in more than 20 years, IBM's software sales force didn't receive bonuses specifically tied to its performance.
Why? Because the software unit failed to rack up significant growth in 2003 -- not including revenues attributed to a newly acquired company, says a former IBM executive.
On top of that, the vice president of finance for the software group, 22-year IBM veteran George Harrington, resigned last week to become chief financial officer of BMC Software in Houston. Of course, Harrington's departure could be unrelated to the problems at Big Blue, but the timing of his career move has raised eyebrows among IBM-watchers."
Why? Because the software unit failed to rack up significant growth in 2003 -- not including revenues attributed to a newly acquired company, says a former IBM executive.
On top of that, the vice president of finance for the software group, 22-year IBM veteran George Harrington, resigned last week to become chief financial officer of BMC Software in Houston. Of course, Harrington's departure could be unrelated to the problems at Big Blue, but the timing of his career move has raised eyebrows among IBM-watchers."
WSJ.com - Microsoft Says Hotmail Problems Have Been Resolved
WSJ.com - Microsoft Says Hotmail Problems Have Been Resolved: "Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) said Friday that it had restored service by 5:15 p.m. EST (0115 GMT) to customers who had trouble accessing the company's Hotmail e-mail accounts.
The company said a 'significant portion' of people who use Hotmail and other Internet-based products had trouble accessing the services for several hours.
The company said it was an internal problem rather than an attack on its system. The problem began earlier Friday.
In addition to Hotmail, Microsoft said people were having difficulties accessing products such as company's MSN Messenger instant messaging program."
It faltered in bewildering ways, e.g., MSN Messenger popped up a message telling me I had been logged out because I logged in on another machine -- as it logged me in...
The company said a 'significant portion' of people who use Hotmail and other Internet-based products had trouble accessing the services for several hours.
The company said it was an internal problem rather than an attack on its system. The problem began earlier Friday.
In addition to Hotmail, Microsoft said people were having difficulties accessing products such as company's MSN Messenger instant messaging program."
It faltered in bewildering ways, e.g., MSN Messenger popped up a message telling me I had been logged out because I logged in on another machine -- as it logged me in...
Friday, March 12, 2004
ENT News | News: Microsoft: Yukon Delay Won't Impact Longhorn
ENT News | News: Microsoft: Yukon Delay Won't Impact Longhorn: "Officially the operating system is loosely planned for a 2005 release, but most industry observers expect it in 2006 at the earliest. In light of the latest news, the conventional wisdom is pushing the Longhorn release out to 2007.
But Tom Rizzo, director of SQL Server product management for Microsoft, flatly asserts that, although Longhorn shares technology with Yukon, the Yukon delay doesn't equal a delay for Longhorn. 'There's no butterfly effect,' Rizzo says.
'A lot of those shared technologies are pretty much baked and done. It's shared technology, but it's not full-featured SQL Server. Yukon has a lot more than that,' Rizzo says."
Via http://www.watchingmicrosoftlikeahawk.com/
But Tom Rizzo, director of SQL Server product management for Microsoft, flatly asserts that, although Longhorn shares technology with Yukon, the Yukon delay doesn't equal a delay for Longhorn. 'There's no butterfly effect,' Rizzo says.
'A lot of those shared technologies are pretty much baked and done. It's shared technology, but it's not full-featured SQL Server. Yukon has a lot more than that,' Rizzo says."
Via http://www.watchingmicrosoftlikeahawk.com/
WSJ.com - More Investors Put Red Hat Back on the Rack
WSJ.com - More Investors Put Red Hat Back on the Rack: "Few stocks have been as red hot as Red Hat Inc., the dominant player in the market for the increasingly popular Linux computer-operating system.
But the stock is being doused with a bit of cold water amid concern that the enthusiasm for companies making money from the 'open source' Linux system has gone a bit too far. Potential competition for Red Hat, which sells its own version of Linux and provides service and support for the operating system, also is making some wary, as is a torrent of insider sales by top Red Hat executives."
But the stock is being doused with a bit of cold water amid concern that the enthusiasm for companies making money from the 'open source' Linux system has gone a bit too far. Potential competition for Red Hat, which sells its own version of Linux and provides service and support for the operating system, also is making some wary, as is a torrent of insider sales by top Red Hat executives."
WSJ.com - Oracle Reports Earnings Gain of 11%
WSJ.com - Oracle Reports Earnings Gain of 11% "Mr. Henley said the applications business was profitable, but that profit margins aren't as high as in Oracle's database business, where Oracle holds dominant market share and commands premium prices. Oracle doesn't break out profit margins on its individual product lines.
Oracle's cash and short-term investments remained steady at about $8 billion. Mr. Ellison rejected the idea of paying a shareholder dividend, saying the company needed the cash to pursue its acquisition strategy.
"I'm not saying we're going to be the software equivalent of General Electric, but we're looking to do a lot of acquisitions in the future," he said. "PeopleSoft was the first, and we hope to be successful there, but we have others that we're looking at."
Oracle's cash and short-term investments remained steady at about $8 billion. Mr. Ellison rejected the idea of paying a shareholder dividend, saying the company needed the cash to pursue its acquisition strategy.
"I'm not saying we're going to be the software equivalent of General Electric, but we're looking to do a lot of acquisitions in the future," he said. "PeopleSoft was the first, and we hope to be successful there, but we have others that we're looking at."
Thursday, March 11, 2004
Economist.com | Merger regulation [Oracle/Peoplesoft]
Economist.com | Merger regulation [Oracle/Peoplesoft] "According to the DOJ, if Oracle is allowed to acquire PeopleSoft, there will be a damaging reduction in competition. (It has been encouraged in this view by PeopleSoft's boss, Craig Conway, despite the fact that, not two years ago, he actually proposed a merger to Mr Ellison.) The DOJ says that the merger would reduce competition from three firms—Oracle, PeopleSoft and SAP, the market leader—to two. But this conclusion stems entirely from the DOJ's absurdly narrow definition of the relevant market as software “that can be integrated into suites of associated functions from a single vendor with performance characteristics that meet the demands of multifaceted organisations with high-level functional needs”. In other words, to the DOJ, the market is that served by companies that sell complete suites of business software to big firms.
But it requires only a slightly broader definition to reveal a market that would remain competitive even after an Oracle-PeopleSoft merger. Big computer-services firms such as IBM and Accenture thrive precisely by sticking together different software from different suppliers, some of which (Oracle, PeopleSoft and SAP) offer everything as a bundle, while others (such as Siebel, Lawson and Geac) specialise in different sorts of software. Meanwhile, Microsoft has announced its intention to enter the high-end business-software market, and has already spent $2 billion preparing to do so. The internet's disruptive presence has also begun to intrude, through “application service providers” who supply business software over the web. And, of course, there is the growing threat of outsourcing. Has the DOJ not yet heard of Bangalore? In this highly competitive market, there is no need to fear the merger of Oracle and PeopleSoft. Indeed, such a merger might even create a firm better able to compete with Microsoft. You don't need to be God, or Mr Ellison, to see the attractions of that."
But it requires only a slightly broader definition to reveal a market that would remain competitive even after an Oracle-PeopleSoft merger. Big computer-services firms such as IBM and Accenture thrive precisely by sticking together different software from different suppliers, some of which (Oracle, PeopleSoft and SAP) offer everything as a bundle, while others (such as Siebel, Lawson and Geac) specialise in different sorts of software. Meanwhile, Microsoft has announced its intention to enter the high-end business-software market, and has already spent $2 billion preparing to do so. The internet's disruptive presence has also begun to intrude, through “application service providers” who supply business software over the web. And, of course, there is the growing threat of outsourcing. Has the DOJ not yet heard of Bangalore? In this highly competitive market, there is no need to fear the merger of Oracle and PeopleSoft. Indeed, such a merger might even create a firm better able to compete with Microsoft. You don't need to be God, or Mr Ellison, to see the attractions of that."
Barry Talks! : Ode to RDF
Barry Talks!: Ode to RDF "Now it's my belief that we're entering the Age of Metadata (and out of the Age of Content), as it were. (Somehow that doesn't quite sound like something Gandalf would say.) We'll be innovating in ways to decorate everything from sites to Web Services to objects with descriptions, i.e., metadata. I'm beginning to think RDF is going to be a very big deal indeed."
Hmm -- okay, maybe there's something in RDF after all, if Barry is becoming a fan. imho a great place to start for all things data/metadata-related is Mastering Data Modeling: A User-Driven Approach
Hmm -- okay, maybe there's something in RDF after all, if Barry is becoming a fan. imho a great place to start for all things data/metadata-related is Mastering Data Modeling: A User-Driven Approach
Boston.com / Business / Technology / Survey: 50% in Greater Boston have high-speed Net service
Boston.com / Business / Technology / Survey: 50% in Greater Boston have high-speed Net service: "The approaching milestone of a broadband majority in several large US markets exemplifies the serious business challenges facing companies that offer primarily dial-up service, such as Time Warner Inc.'s America Online unit, which after years of explosive growth lost more than 2 million subscribers in the last year. Nationally, about 36 percent of Internet subscribers use broadband connections, up 2 percent from the end of September."
WSJ.com - Microsoft, HP Sign Technology Agreements With China
WSJ.com - Microsoft, HP Sign Technology Agreements With China: "U.S.-based Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) and Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) Thursday signed separate agreements with China's Ministry of Information Industry to provide equipment, support and training to help in the development of the country's software industry.
According to the memorandum of understanding with Microsoft, the company will provide software and hardware, technical support and training valued at no less than 80 million yuan ($1=CNY8.28) over the next two years, Microsoft said in a statement.
Under the guidance of the MII, Microsoft will build two laboratories to help in the research and development of software and applications using Microsoft operating systems and .NET technology, it said."
According to the memorandum of understanding with Microsoft, the company will provide software and hardware, technical support and training valued at no less than 80 million yuan ($1=CNY8.28) over the next two years, Microsoft said in a statement.
Under the guidance of the MII, Microsoft will build two laboratories to help in the research and development of software and applications using Microsoft operating systems and .NET technology, it said."
Microsoft gains market share in business-management software
Microsoft gains market share in business-management software "Microsoft Corp. claimed 11 percent of the business-management software market less than five years after beginning to sell the products, figures compiled by market leader SAP AG show.
Microsoft is gaining on Oracle Corp. and PeopleSoft Inc. in software used for customer service and accounting, according to SAP. Walldorf, Germany-based SAP says it has a 54 percent share. Oracle has 13 percent, and PeopleSoft has 12 percent."
The competitive posturing in this context is fascinating -- apparently SAP would rather have two primary competitors instead of three (i.e., SAP seems to be petitioning for Oracle's acquisition of Peoplesoft).
Microsoft is gaining on Oracle Corp. and PeopleSoft Inc. in software used for customer service and accounting, according to SAP. Walldorf, Germany-based SAP says it has a 54 percent share. Oracle has 13 percent, and PeopleSoft has 12 percent."
The competitive posturing in this context is fascinating -- apparently SAP would rather have two primary competitors instead of three (i.e., SAP seems to be petitioning for Oracle's acquisition of Peoplesoft).
Microsoft's next SQL Server delayed till 2005
Microsoft's next SQL Server delayed till 2005: "Annual sales from SQL, which competes with programs from Oracle Corp. and International Business Machines Corp., will be $1.8 billion in the year ended June 30, according to estimates from Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. Analyst Charles Di Bona. Product delays are hampering Microsoft's efforts to win more sales of two-year licenses that entitle users to updates in the period, analysts have said.
'It is important for them to have an attractive product road map for subscription customers,' said Alan Davis, an analyst at Seattle-based McAdams Wright Ragen, which manages about $2 billion and owns Microsoft shares. 'You want to have things come out on time, but you also want to have security and programs that work.'
Rizzo said the delay won't hurt Microsoft's database software sales because SQL Server 2000 is still selling well."
'It is important for them to have an attractive product road map for subscription customers,' said Alan Davis, an analyst at Seattle-based McAdams Wright Ragen, which manages about $2 billion and owns Microsoft shares. 'You want to have things come out on time, but you also want to have security and programs that work.'
Rizzo said the delay won't hurt Microsoft's database software sales because SQL Server 2000 is still selling well."
Yukon, Whidbey Releases Slip Yet Again
Yukon, Whidbey Releases Slip Yet Again "Microsoft Corp. Director of Product Management for SQL Server Tom Rizzo confirmed that Microsoft expects to ship both Yukon—Microsoft's code name for the next major update of its SQL Server database—and Whidbey—the coming update of Visual Studio—in the first half of 2005. In the meantime, a third beta has been added to the current beta schedule of Yukon, with 15 beta customers from across all major vertical industries signing up to run Yukon Beta 3 live in production settings before giving the thumbs up for Microsoft to make the product generally available.
Rizzo also confirmed that rumors about the final names for the products, gleaned from leaked screenshots, are correct: The final name for Yukon is SQL Server 2005, and the final name for Whidbey is Visual Studio 2005. According to Rizzo, both products are on the same timeframe for shipping for a key reason: Namely, Microsoft wants to release the best of its developer tools with the best of its database technology "to really change the industry," he said. "If you look at Oracle [Corp.] and IBM and other competitors in the open-source space, they don't have releases where new and innovative tools are released with a new and innovative database. Customers want that: the next generation of tools that exploit the next generation of database technology."
This and other articles about the slip include lots of speculation, but it's certainly not good news for Microsoft. Interesting that Whidbey is apparently going to be called "Visual Studio 2005" -- i.e., no ".NET" suffix this time. I think that's an indication that .NET (where .NET => produce/consume Web services and build on the .NET Framework) is now pervasive throughout the Microsoft product line; no doubt others will position it as a scandalous hint that .NET is flailing, just as they did when Windows .NET Server changed to Windows Server 2003. In any case, the schedule challenges are a problem for Microsoft in many respects, but I don't think they will shift overall DBMS market trends. There is no 80-20 rule in database products, and Microsoft is right to not rush SQL Server to market.
Rizzo also confirmed that rumors about the final names for the products, gleaned from leaked screenshots, are correct: The final name for Yukon is SQL Server 2005, and the final name for Whidbey is Visual Studio 2005. According to Rizzo, both products are on the same timeframe for shipping for a key reason: Namely, Microsoft wants to release the best of its developer tools with the best of its database technology "to really change the industry," he said. "If you look at Oracle [Corp.] and IBM and other competitors in the open-source space, they don't have releases where new and innovative tools are released with a new and innovative database. Customers want that: the next generation of tools that exploit the next generation of database technology."
This and other articles about the slip include lots of speculation, but it's certainly not good news for Microsoft. Interesting that Whidbey is apparently going to be called "Visual Studio 2005" -- i.e., no ".NET" suffix this time. I think that's an indication that .NET (where .NET => produce/consume Web services and build on the .NET Framework) is now pervasive throughout the Microsoft product line; no doubt others will position it as a scandalous hint that .NET is flailing, just as they did when Windows .NET Server changed to Windows Server 2003. In any case, the schedule challenges are a problem for Microsoft in many respects, but I don't think they will shift overall DBMS market trends. There is no 80-20 rule in database products, and Microsoft is right to not rush SQL Server to market.
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
FREE Burton Group TeleBriefing on Microsoft's platform strategies (3/11 and 3/12)
FREE Burton Group TeleBriefing on Microsoft's platform strategies (3/11 and 3/12)
Tomorrow and Friday -- sign up here; there will also be approx. 45 minute Q&A periods following the telebriefings; they should be lively discussions...
Overview:
"Microsoft is currently in overdrive, having released a record number of new products during 2003 and introduced the next two waves of its platform and tools strategies (Whidbey/Yukon and Longhorn) at its October, 2003 Professional Developers Conference. In this Application Platform Strategies TeleBriefing, Burton Group Senior Analyst Peter O'Kelly explains the next two waves relative to both broader application platform market trends and Microsoft's .NET strategy, including implications for Microsoft customers and competitors."
Tomorrow and Friday -- sign up here; there will also be approx. 45 minute Q&A periods following the telebriefings; they should be lively discussions...
Overview:
"Microsoft is currently in overdrive, having released a record number of new products during 2003 and introduced the next two waves of its platform and tools strategies (Whidbey/Yukon and Longhorn) at its October, 2003 Professional Developers Conference. In this Application Platform Strategies TeleBriefing, Burton Group Senior Analyst Peter O'Kelly explains the next two waves relative to both broader application platform market trends and Microsoft's .NET strategy, including implications for Microsoft customers and competitors."
The Fundamental Question of Biology (scripting versus 3GL++)
The Fundamental Question of Biology (scripting versus 3GL++): "One of the questions I've gotten many times over the years is 'I have a certain problem to solve and I don't know whether to use a script language or C or C# or what. Can you help?' Usually the questioner is in a tizzy because of myths and misinformation about the script languages. Now, obviously I worked on the script engines and so I'm a candidate for script partisanhood. But I worked on the script engines because I wanted to come up with tools that solve some problems well. If script doesn't solve your problem well, DON'T USE IT -- but please make that decision based on a dispassionate evaluation of the pros and cons, not misinformation and myths. "
Useful analysis; via John Dowdell
Useful analysis; via John Dowdell
Tuesday, March 09, 2004
Yahoo! News - Microsoft Menaces Oracle's PeopleSoft Bid
Yahoo! News - Microsoft Menaces Oracle's PeopleSoft Bid: "The department filed suit Feb. 27 to block Oracle's bid for PeopleSoft, saying it would be anti-competitive. Oracle has dismissed such concerns as unwarranted, citing among other things an imminent competitive threat from Microsoft, the world's largest software company.
But in the statement given to investigators, a representative of Microsoft says the company has no plans during the next two years to move into the market at issue -- software sold to large business customers to manage things like finances, human resources and sales forces, the sources said. "
But in the statement given to investigators, a representative of Microsoft says the company has no plans during the next two years to move into the market at issue -- software sold to large business customers to manage things like finances, human resources and sales forces, the sources said. "
Sun Adopts RSS
Sun Adopts RSS "Gillmor: How does that filter down to the Java Desktop System?
Schwartz: JDS is not necessarily about providing every choice. What you would pay Sun for isn't to assemble a bunch of open source code and give it to you on a disk. What you come to Sun for is: Give me an assembled, qualified, integrated stack that I can rely upon your roadmap to deploy.
When we make conclusions about what is the RSS infrastructure within that desktop, that's probably going to be more significant than almost anything else, even though the volume there isn't anywhere near what it is on a cell phone. We don't control all the definition of the software stack on a cell phone like we do on JDS. We obviously have to play close attention to how it is we put the infrastructure in place —and it also means that we're gonna put the infrastructure in place.
Gillmor: You mentioned earlier that Microsoft is holding RSS back for some reason. What is that reason?
Schwartz: It's a couple of things. One, the RSS market is relatively nascent. And there are some technology leaders who are going to go deliver their RSS feeds more proactively than others. Is Microsoft missing a huge market right now? Probably not. But it just goes to the prior point that he who controls distribution controls the definition of the standard.
On one hand, I think they're uncomfortable with how much of the RSS standards have been done in the open source community that they can't therefore lock away. And if they take a path, they have to take one that breaks that alliance, and in breaking that alliance –as they've tried to do with HTTP, Java, and every technology they couldn't control– lies some risk for Microsoft. I'm not sure right now they're all that interested or focused on it. I think Steve Ballmer is probably more focused on his pricing in Malaysia than he is on the infrastructure for RSS."
Also see Robert Scoble's response
Via Dan Gillmor
Schwartz: JDS is not necessarily about providing every choice. What you would pay Sun for isn't to assemble a bunch of open source code and give it to you on a disk. What you come to Sun for is: Give me an assembled, qualified, integrated stack that I can rely upon your roadmap to deploy.
When we make conclusions about what is the RSS infrastructure within that desktop, that's probably going to be more significant than almost anything else, even though the volume there isn't anywhere near what it is on a cell phone. We don't control all the definition of the software stack on a cell phone like we do on JDS. We obviously have to play close attention to how it is we put the infrastructure in place —and it also means that we're gonna put the infrastructure in place.
Gillmor: You mentioned earlier that Microsoft is holding RSS back for some reason. What is that reason?
Schwartz: It's a couple of things. One, the RSS market is relatively nascent. And there are some technology leaders who are going to go deliver their RSS feeds more proactively than others. Is Microsoft missing a huge market right now? Probably not. But it just goes to the prior point that he who controls distribution controls the definition of the standard.
On one hand, I think they're uncomfortable with how much of the RSS standards have been done in the open source community that they can't therefore lock away. And if they take a path, they have to take one that breaks that alliance, and in breaking that alliance –as they've tried to do with HTTP, Java, and every technology they couldn't control– lies some risk for Microsoft. I'm not sure right now they're all that interested or focused on it. I think Steve Ballmer is probably more focused on his pricing in Malaysia than he is on the infrastructure for RSS."
Also see Robert Scoble's response
Via Dan Gillmor
SAP to defend Oracle bid in letter | CNET News.com
SAP to defend Oracle bid in letter | CNET News.com: "Software maker SAP plans to come to the defense of rival Oracle and its contested bid to buy PeopleSoft in a letter to the U.S. Justice Department, an SAP spokesman said Monday.
Oracle is challenging a lawsuit filed by the department's antitrust division blocking it from buying competitor PeopleSoft. A letter from SAP, which competes with both companies in the market for application software designed to streamline business operations for the world's largest corporations, could boost Oracle's case. "
Oracle is challenging a lawsuit filed by the department's antitrust division blocking it from buying competitor PeopleSoft. A letter from SAP, which competes with both companies in the market for application software designed to streamline business operations for the world's largest corporations, could boost Oracle's case. "
Monday, March 08, 2004
Forbes.com - Sun On The Run?
Forbes.com - Sun On The Run? : "Indeed, though Linux was originally viewed as a threat to Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ), so far its biggest victim appears to be Santa Clara, Calif.-based Sun. Sun's expensive servers are powered by a specialized Unix-based operating system called Solaris. Solaris shares some common roots with Linux, making it easy for Sun customers to switch. Instead of buying Sun's pricey machines and equally pricey maintenance, customers can choose cheapo Intel (nasdaq: INTC - news - people ) servers. And if one breaks, who cares? Toss it out and buy another. "
...
Even some former Sun partners are jumping ship. Sapient (nasdaq: SAPE - news - people ), an 1,800-employee consulting and technology services company, originally developed the programs it uses with customers to run on a Sun-Solaris platform, a move that placed Sun machines into many IT shops. But now Sapient has rewritten its programs so that they run on Linux, and delivers them not on Sun but on IBM's Intel-based servers.
"In the late '90s Sun was the best platform, without a doubt. But things have changed," says Ben Gaucherin, chief technology officer at Sapient, in Cambridge, Mass.
Sapient is helping its own customers migrate from Sun to Linux. Among telecom companies, which were once a Sun stronghold, "we are seeing massive transformation," Gaucherin says.
Adding insult to injury, Sapient is sweeping away its own internal Sun servers and replacing them with Intel-based machines (mostly from Dell and HP) running Linux. "About 80% of the Sun that we had is going to be replaced by Linux. We'll cut our costs by more than 50%," Gaucherin says.
Sun, amazingly, says it does not believe its customers are migrating to Linux. "People might use Linux for new projects. But people do not move off of Unix," says Larry Singer, senior vice president of global market strategy for Sun. "Linux has been growing, but not at the expense of Sun.
...
Sun has always been great at dreaming up catchy slogans. The first one was "The network is the computer." Next came "We put the dot in dotcom." So what is it now? Maybe they should borrow a title from Gauguin: "Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?" "
...
Even some former Sun partners are jumping ship. Sapient (nasdaq: SAPE - news - people ), an 1,800-employee consulting and technology services company, originally developed the programs it uses with customers to run on a Sun-Solaris platform, a move that placed Sun machines into many IT shops. But now Sapient has rewritten its programs so that they run on Linux, and delivers them not on Sun but on IBM's Intel-based servers.
"In the late '90s Sun was the best platform, without a doubt. But things have changed," says Ben Gaucherin, chief technology officer at Sapient, in Cambridge, Mass.
Sapient is helping its own customers migrate from Sun to Linux. Among telecom companies, which were once a Sun stronghold, "we are seeing massive transformation," Gaucherin says.
Adding insult to injury, Sapient is sweeping away its own internal Sun servers and replacing them with Intel-based machines (mostly from Dell and HP) running Linux. "About 80% of the Sun that we had is going to be replaced by Linux. We'll cut our costs by more than 50%," Gaucherin says.
Sun, amazingly, says it does not believe its customers are migrating to Linux. "People might use Linux for new projects. But people do not move off of Unix," says Larry Singer, senior vice president of global market strategy for Sun. "Linux has been growing, but not at the expense of Sun.
...
Sun has always been great at dreaming up catchy slogans. The first one was "The network is the computer." Next came "We put the dot in dotcom." So what is it now? Maybe they should borrow a title from Gauguin: "Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?" "
Intel envisions TiVo-like wireless PCs | CNET News.com
Intel envisions TiVo-like wireless PCs | CNET News.com: "Intel wants desktop PCs to double up as network hubs and video recorders, a move that could make life tough for the companies that produce those standalone products.
The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chipmaker will begin midyear by adding wireless networking technology Wi-Fi to an upcoming pair of desktop chipsets. When manufacturers choose a specific version of one of the two new chipsets, they will be able to add the foundation for a built-in Wi-Fi access point nearly for free. "
The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chipmaker will begin midyear by adding wireless networking technology Wi-Fi to an upcoming pair of desktop chipsets. When manufacturers choose a specific version of one of the two new chipsets, they will be able to add the foundation for a built-in Wi-Fi access point nearly for free. "
WSJ.com - Portals: Do We Get Enough In Innovation for What We Give to Microsoft?
WSJ.com - Portals: Do We Get Enough In Innovation for What We Give to Microsoft? "It's 2004; do you know where your computer dollars are going?
One can learn a lot about the computer industry by looking at the breakdown of manufacturing costs in an average desktop PC, as compiled by iSuppli Corp., a market-research firm. Excluding labor and shipping, and leaving out the costs of a monitor, keyboard or mouse, the typical desktop PC these days costs the Dells or the H-Ps of the world roughly $437 in parts.
The biggest portion of that -- 30%, or $134 -- goes to Intel for a Pentium processor. The disk drives, including whatever CD or DVD is installed, cost around $104; the RAM memory is $54; and the remaining hardware items -- power supply, case, circuit boards -- total $100.
The final 10%, or $45, goes to Microsoft for the Windows operating system.
Because these prices are never disclosed, the figures here represent best guesses. But you can start to see the contours of the computer industry in that bill of fare. Specifically, you begin to understand how Microsoft could amass its $61 billion in cash and other assets. It's easy when you collect nearly 10% of the cost of every PC that's shipped, while having no manufacturing costs of your own."
One can learn a lot about the computer industry by looking at the breakdown of manufacturing costs in an average desktop PC, as compiled by iSuppli Corp., a market-research firm. Excluding labor and shipping, and leaving out the costs of a monitor, keyboard or mouse, the typical desktop PC these days costs the Dells or the H-Ps of the world roughly $437 in parts.
The biggest portion of that -- 30%, or $134 -- goes to Intel for a Pentium processor. The disk drives, including whatever CD or DVD is installed, cost around $104; the RAM memory is $54; and the remaining hardware items -- power supply, case, circuit boards -- total $100.
The final 10%, or $45, goes to Microsoft for the Windows operating system.
Because these prices are never disclosed, the figures here represent best guesses. But you can start to see the contours of the computer industry in that bill of fare. Specifically, you begin to understand how Microsoft could amass its $61 billion in cash and other assets. It's easy when you collect nearly 10% of the cost of every PC that's shipped, while having no manufacturing costs of your own."
WSJ.com - Free Use of Linux Is Dealt a Setback
WSJ.com - Free Use of Linux Is Dealt a Setback "Computer Associates International Inc. confirmed that it signed licenses from SCO Group Inc. to use Linux software, in a development that sent a ripple of worry through the coalition of companies and programmers attempting to uphold their legal right to use Linux for free.
...
Computer Associates' acknowledgment that it signed several licenses last year for Linux machines, indemnifying it against litigation from SCO, came as a surprise because CA has been an active member of an industry coalition supporting Linux. It is a founding member of the Open Source Development Labs, the home base of Linux developer Linus Torvalds. CA also has widely trumpeted its support for Linux, and evangelizes it to its customers.
The Islandia, N.Y., company, one of the biggest makers of corporate software, said that although it signed the licenses, it didn't pay for them -- and never would. It said it agreed to sign the licenses only to settle a lawsuit with the Canopy Group, one of SCO's major investors. SCO has been pressing Linux users to buy the licenses for $699 for each server using the software, or face legal action."
...
Computer Associates' acknowledgment that it signed several licenses last year for Linux machines, indemnifying it against litigation from SCO, came as a surprise because CA has been an active member of an industry coalition supporting Linux. It is a founding member of the Open Source Development Labs, the home base of Linux developer Linus Torvalds. CA also has widely trumpeted its support for Linux, and evangelizes it to its customers.
The Islandia, N.Y., company, one of the biggest makers of corporate software, said that although it signed the licenses, it didn't pay for them -- and never would. It said it agreed to sign the licenses only to settle a lawsuit with the Canopy Group, one of SCO's major investors. SCO has been pressing Linux users to buy the licenses for $699 for each server using the software, or face legal action."
Saturday, March 06, 2004
SAP plan could spawn software battle | CNET News.com
SAP plan could spawn software battle | CNET News.com "NetWeaver is the new technical foundation for SAP's popular collection of application programs, which are used by thousands of the largest companies around the globe to streamline manufacturing, accounting, sales, human resources and other corporate tasks.
The new architecture puts SAP on a collision course with IBM and Microsoft, analysts said. That's because it incorporates many of the same interoperability tools and computing infrastructure programs that those two sell. Specifically, NetWeaver is intended to compete with IBM's WebSphere and Microsoft's BizTalk Server products, as well as with software from smaller makers. It's also a challenge to consulting companies specializing in systems integration, including Accenture and the Global Services arm of IBM, they said."
The new architecture puts SAP on a collision course with IBM and Microsoft, analysts said. That's because it incorporates many of the same interoperability tools and computing infrastructure programs that those two sell. Specifically, NetWeaver is intended to compete with IBM's WebSphere and Microsoft's BizTalk Server products, as well as with software from smaller makers. It's also a challenge to consulting companies specializing in systems integration, including Accenture and the Global Services arm of IBM, they said."
Web services downgrade for SAP - Loosely Coupled weblog, Mar 3rd 2004 10:50am
Web services downgrade for SAP - Loosely Coupled weblog, Mar 3rd 2004 10:50am: "Analysts at London-based broker Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein have downgraded SAP stock because of web services. They reiterated a 'sell' rating on SAP AG (SAPG.F) today, citing a price target 10 percent below the current market price.
'According to Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein's research note published this morning, one of the core markets for SAP in the long term is web services-based composite applications,' reports online information site New Ratings. 'The analysts mention that new applications are likely to provide limited revenue growth opportunities for SAP in the long term, given that these applications need to be highly commoditized and standardized.' "
Via Barry Briggs
'According to Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein's research note published this morning, one of the core markets for SAP in the long term is web services-based composite applications,' reports online information site New Ratings. 'The analysts mention that new applications are likely to provide limited revenue growth opportunities for SAP in the long term, given that these applications need to be highly commoditized and standardized.' "
Via Barry Briggs
NYT: Sun Microsystems Debt Cut to 'Junk'
NYT: Sun Microsystems Debt Cut to 'Junk' "Friday's move by the credit agency is a big blow to Sun's recent efforts to turn its fortunes around. During the second quarter of fiscal 2004, the company's revenues topped analysts' projections, rising 13.9 percent over the first quarter, the highest growth rate from a first quarter to a second since 1998. Sun's stock closed Thursday at $5.16 after starting off the year at $4.49
Ms. Toll-Reed said the company continued to face enormous hurdles in the server market where it competes with I.B.M. and Hewlett-Packard, as well as with Dell Computer at the low end of the market. Dell has in recent years moved aggressively into that market, selling less-expensive servers based on industry standard technologies like Linux and Microsoft Windows. By contrast, Sun continues to rely on selling more-expensive servers, based on its own proprietary version of Unix.
"The biggest competitors are clearly I.B.M. and H.P., but not to be discounted is the low-end impact of a Dell Computer, who's got a very effective cost model," Ms. Toll-Reed said. "You can't do the same things with a Dell server and a Sun high-end server, but the cost factor is not to be underestimated."
Ms. Toll-Reed said the company continued to face enormous hurdles in the server market where it competes with I.B.M. and Hewlett-Packard, as well as with Dell Computer at the low end of the market. Dell has in recent years moved aggressively into that market, selling less-expensive servers based on industry standard technologies like Linux and Microsoft Windows. By contrast, Sun continues to rely on selling more-expensive servers, based on its own proprietary version of Unix.
"The biggest competitors are clearly I.B.M. and H.P., but not to be discounted is the low-end impact of a Dell Computer, who's got a very effective cost model," Ms. Toll-Reed said. "You can't do the same things with a Dell server and a Sun high-end server, but the cost factor is not to be underestimated."
Friday, March 05, 2004
Feds reject Eolas browser patent | CNET News.com
Feds reject Eolas browser patent | CNET News.com "The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has invalidated a claim to Web browser technology central to a case against Microsoft, a move that could spare the software giant from paying more than half a billion dollars in damages, according to documents obtained on Friday.
The patent agency's preliminary decision, if upheld, also means that Microsoft will not be required to make changes to its Internet Explorer Web browser that would have crippled the program's ability to work with mini-programs that work over the Internet, such as the QuickTime and Flash media players.
...
Martin Lueck, the lawyer who represented Eolas, said it was not uncommon for the patent office to invalidate a claim as the first step of a review process, but said he was confident that the patent office would ultimately uphold Eolas' claim on the Web technology.
"They're somewhat routine and typical," Lueck said."
(File under "Wishful thinking")
The patent agency's preliminary decision, if upheld, also means that Microsoft will not be required to make changes to its Internet Explorer Web browser that would have crippled the program's ability to work with mini-programs that work over the Internet, such as the QuickTime and Flash media players.
...
Martin Lueck, the lawyer who represented Eolas, said it was not uncommon for the patent office to invalidate a claim as the first step of a review process, but said he was confident that the patent office would ultimately uphold Eolas' claim on the Web technology.
"They're somewhat routine and typical," Lueck said."
(File under "Wishful thinking")
CRN : Breaking News : Psion Faces Revolt Over Symbian Sale To Nokia
CRN : Breaking News : Psion Faces Revolt Over Symbian Sale To Nokia: "The future of the Symbian mobile phone operating system group has been clouded after the largest shareholder in Psion announced its opposition to the mobile computing company's $252 million sale of its Symbian stake to Nokia."
Looks like the price is going up...
Looks like the price is going up...
AT&T Wireless Sony Ericsson T68 Upgrade
AT&T Wireless Sony Ericsson T68 Upgrade Got my postcard from AT&T Wireless today, informing me that they're sending me a Sony Ericsson T226 to replace my current T68i. The "upgrade" program has been quite controversial, e.g., greatly annoying Ed Brill, who thinks AT&T Wireless (or Cingular, or whatever it is this week...) is being disingenuous by not clearly warning customers that the T226 doesn't have a bunch of useful features that many T68i users rely on, e.g., Bluetooth support (which I use with my spiffy Jabra FreeSpeak headset).
So I called AT&T Wireless; here's "... the rest of the story:"
1. The T226 simply works better as a phone -- better reception, broader coverage area, etc.
2. We don't have to return the T68i phones -- it's really a gift, not a trick.
3. They provide mailers etc. for people who do wish to dispose of their T68i phones.
So what's not to like? Now I'll have a spare, more effective phone for traveling, and I'll only need to swap the SIM card from one phone to the other to move my number, contacts, etc. I don't use the Jabra very often anymore anyway, since I switched to Vonage for my office line.
So I called AT&T Wireless; here's "... the rest of the story:"
1. The T226 simply works better as a phone -- better reception, broader coverage area, etc.
2. We don't have to return the T68i phones -- it's really a gift, not a trick.
3. They provide mailers etc. for people who do wish to dispose of their T68i phones.
So what's not to like? Now I'll have a spare, more effective phone for traveling, and I'll only need to swap the SIM card from one phone to the other to move my number, contacts, etc. I don't use the Jabra very often anymore anyway, since I switched to Vonage for my office line.
New IM Product Rolling Out of Oracle
New IM Product Rolling Out of Oracle: "The offerings will be built on the XMPP (for Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol) (define), which competes with the widely-used SIMPLE protocol (Session Initiation Protocol for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions) (define). But Sunkara said Oracle could build an adapter for compatibility with the SIP-SIMPLE protocol too.
He also said the new messaging offerings will be designed to work on a variety of devices (desktops, laptops, personal digital assistants and Web-enabled phones) and operating systems (Windows, Linux and Macintosh).
...
... Paul Haverstock, an architect in Microsoft's real-time collaboration unit, said the company is working to make IM more useful by enhancing graphics and working on portability across devices."
Congrats to Paul on his joining the Redmond-based subset of axle.org...
He also said the new messaging offerings will be designed to work on a variety of devices (desktops, laptops, personal digital assistants and Web-enabled phones) and operating systems (Windows, Linux and Macintosh).
...
... Paul Haverstock, an architect in Microsoft's real-time collaboration unit, said the company is working to make IM more useful by enhancing graphics and working on portability across devices."
Congrats to Paul on his joining the Redmond-based subset of axle.org...
Citizen Schwartz: Sun EVP Jonathan Schwartz on citizen pricing, Microsoft, and IBM's open source “offer“
Citizen Schwartz: Sun EVP Jonathan Schwartz on citizen pricing, Microsoft, and IBM's open source “offer“ "... we're talking to a different target. We're talking either to people who can't afford Microsoft, or politically are repulsed by them.
A lot of the nations in the world, especialy in South America and in Asia, view Microsoft as the nasty American monopoly. So their derision of the company is less associated with the artifacts of their technology than the way they run their business."
...
"You see IBM as lagging the market?
No, I see IBM as leading the market and frustrated that they can't deliver a new feature in Websphere without customers coming back to them and saying, “but that's not in J2EE.” And I think that's very frustrating for them, because they want to be able to split off and do things that only come from IBM.
Some have suggested that IBM might move toward C#?
That would create turmoil in their marketplace, that is, the marketplace for IBM's customers. I think that would not be in IBM's best interests given that I've never in the history of computing seen any Microsoft technology benefit anyone other than Microsoft. If IBM's actually thinking about that they should repeat carefully: the difference between white mice and humans is that white mice learn."
Well, that certainly helps to elucidate Sun's software strategy.
A lot of the nations in the world, especialy in South America and in Asia, view Microsoft as the nasty American monopoly. So their derision of the company is less associated with the artifacts of their technology than the way they run their business."
...
"You see IBM as lagging the market?
No, I see IBM as leading the market and frustrated that they can't deliver a new feature in Websphere without customers coming back to them and saying, “but that's not in J2EE.” And I think that's very frustrating for them, because they want to be able to split off and do things that only come from IBM.
Some have suggested that IBM might move toward C#?
That would create turmoil in their marketplace, that is, the marketplace for IBM's customers. I think that would not be in IBM's best interests given that I've never in the history of computing seen any Microsoft technology benefit anyone other than Microsoft. If IBM's actually thinking about that they should repeat carefully: the difference between white mice and humans is that white mice learn."
Well, that certainly helps to elucidate Sun's software strategy.
eWeek: Convoq Provides Expert Help
eWeek: Convoq Provides Expert Help "Convoq's first-generation IM and Web conferencing service, skillfully manages contacts so that users can easily find a secondary contact when primary contacts are offline. Like many first-edition products, ASAP doesn't have all the bells and whistles of entrenched competitors, but it's appealingly priced, ranging from $50 per user per year for five users to $100 per user per year for a 25-user license."
I've been using Convoq for meetings this week. It works quite well for presentations and video.
I've been using Convoq for meetings this week. It works quite well for presentations and video.
developerWorks : Java technology : Getting on the open road: Migrate to the Java platform
developerWorks : Java technology : Getting on the open road: Migrate to the Java platform "Getting on the open road is a three-part series of roadmaps designed to assist developers of .NET, Windows client/server, and ASP applications make the jump to the Java platform. In Getting on the open road, the authors help you leverage your existing development knowledge to ease the way onto the path of open-standards-based programming. Share your thoughts on these articles with the authors and other readers in the accompanying discussion forum. (You can also click Discuss at the top or bottom of the article to access the forum.)"
Via theserverside.com
Via theserverside.com
Thursday, March 04, 2004
Op-Ed Columnist: Small and Smaller
Op-Ed Columnist: Small and Smaller "...The first era, from the late 1800's to World War I, was driven by falling transportation costs, thanks to the steamship and the railroad. That was Globalization 1.0, and it shrank the world from a size large to a size medium. The second big era, Globalization 2.0, lasted from the 1980's to 2000, was based on falling telecom costs and the PC, and shrank the world from a size medium to a size small. Now we've entered Globalization 3.0, and it is shrinking the world from size small to a size tiny. That's what this outsourcing of white-collar jobs is telling us — and it is going to require some wrenching adjustments for workers and political systems.
Globalization 3.0 was produced by three forces: First is the massive installation of undersea fiber-optic cable and bandwidth (thanks to the dot-com bubble) that have made it possible to globally transmit and store huge amounts of data for almost nothing. Second is the diffusion of PC's around the world. And third (what I missed most) is the convergence of a variety of software applications — from e-mail, to Google, to Microsoft Office, to specially designed outsourcing programs — that, when combined with all those PC's and bandwidth, made it possible to create global "work-flow platforms."
(Thanks to Richard Eckel)
Globalization 3.0 was produced by three forces: First is the massive installation of undersea fiber-optic cable and bandwidth (thanks to the dot-com bubble) that have made it possible to globally transmit and store huge amounts of data for almost nothing. Second is the diffusion of PC's around the world. And third (what I missed most) is the convergence of a variety of software applications — from e-mail, to Google, to Microsoft Office, to specially designed outsourcing programs — that, when combined with all those PC's and bandwidth, made it possible to create global "work-flow platforms."
(Thanks to Richard Eckel)
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: Microsoft's researchers display wares at TechFest
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: Microsoft's researchers display wares at TechFest: "TechFest also shows off the range of interests of the world's largest software company, which is using some of its resources to explore how tomorrow's computers will be used, developed and connected.
About 700 of the company's 56,000 employees work in the research group, which started in 1991. It has 450 employees in Redmond and the rest at labs in Beijing, Cambridge, San Francisco and Silicon Valley"
About 700 of the company's 56,000 employees work in the research group, which started in 1991. It has 450 employees in Redmond and the rest at labs in Beijing, Cambridge, San Francisco and Silicon Valley"
Microsoft Launches BizTalk Server 2004
Microsoft Launches BizTalk Server 2004: " So what's new in BizTalk Server 2004? This release includes a more scalable process-management engine that lets the product work effectively in even the largest corporate environments. Programmers can get up to speed more quickly by using the BizTalk Server 2004 developer tools that are now integrated into Visual Studio .NET 2003. For managers, a new Health and Activity Tracking (HAT) feature provides live monitoring capabilities. And a new Business Activity Monitoring (BAM) feature lets executives and knowledge workers track business processes by using familiar tools such as Microsoft Office Excel 2003 and Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server 2003.
Unlike most Microsoft products, BizTalk Server is designed to work specifically with the heterogeneous server products that large enterprises employ, so it's compatible with today's most common server applications, including those from Ariba, PeopleSoft, and SAP. BizTalk Server 2004 uses XML-based software adapters to make this integration possible"
Unlike most Microsoft products, BizTalk Server is designed to work specifically with the heterogeneous server products that large enterprises employ, so it's compatible with today's most common server applications, including those from Ariba, PeopleSoft, and SAP. BizTalk Server 2004 uses XML-based software adapters to make this integration possible"
Apple Opens a Store, and It Clicks
Apple Opens a Store, and It Clicks: "Lately, this has been a city of long, expectant lines. First came the throngs of same-sex couples outside City Hall, waiting to be married and to make history in the process. Then, last Saturday morning, came the Apple Computer faithful, waiting . . . well, waiting to see a store that is practically identical, in its sleek interior design, to the company's 75 other retail outlets around the country.
For some Apple fanatics, apparently, the queue's the thing."
For some Apple fanatics, apparently, the queue's the thing."
WSJ.com - America Online's ICQ Plans Social-Networking Service
WSJ.com - America Online's ICQ Plans Social-Networking Service: "The social-networking party is drawing a powerful crowd.
America Online Inc.'s ICQ plans to launch a social-networking service Thursday, joining two other big online companies tiptoeing into the space over the last week, InterActiveCorp and Lycos Inc. Others say they are watching the area, which is known for start-ups like Friendster Inc. and Tickle Inc.
ICQ ('I Seek You') sees its offering as mapping out its community of tens of million of registered users, many of whom are outside the U.S. The service hopes its ability to integrate instant messaging into social networking, its experience running a community and its large number of users will help the new service, called ICQ Universe, become a leader among social networking sites. Parent America Online is a unit of Time Warner Inc., of New York."
I hadn't seen an ICQ article in a very long time...
America Online Inc.'s ICQ plans to launch a social-networking service Thursday, joining two other big online companies tiptoeing into the space over the last week, InterActiveCorp and Lycos Inc. Others say they are watching the area, which is known for start-ups like Friendster Inc. and Tickle Inc.
ICQ ('I Seek You') sees its offering as mapping out its community of tens of million of registered users, many of whom are outside the U.S. The service hopes its ability to integrate instant messaging into social networking, its experience running a community and its large number of users will help the new service, called ICQ Universe, become a leader among social networking sites. Parent America Online is a unit of Time Warner Inc., of New York."
I hadn't seen an ICQ article in a very long time...
Wednesday, March 03, 2004
Pew study suggests many people create content on the web
Pew study suggests many people create content on the web: "A new Pew study reports that many many individuals are putting content on the Internet. The study released today suggests that there is major demand among individuals for ways to put content on the web.
In my view, this is bullish for mainstreaming personal publishing and blogging--that is, for 'crossing the chasm.'"
Via Robert Scoble, who adds "This is a MUST READ report for anyone evaluating blogging or online content creation industries."
In my view, this is bullish for mainstreaming personal publishing and blogging--that is, for 'crossing the chasm.'"
Via Robert Scoble, who adds "This is a MUST READ report for anyone evaluating blogging or online content creation industries."
CRN : Breaking News : Sun To Offer 'Per-Citizen' Software Pricing by June 30
CRN : Breaking News : Sun To Offer 'Per-Citizen' Software Pricing by June 30: "Sun Microsystems software chief Tuesday said Sun plans to offer what the company is calling 'per-citizen' pricing for its Java software to countries outside of the United States by June 30, the end of the vendor's 2004 fiscal year.
Both the Java Enterprise System (JES), a suite of enterprise-scale infrastructure software, and the Java Desktop System (JDS), a Linux-based desktop operating system (OS), will have such pricing, said Sun Executive Vice President of Software Jonathan Schwartz, speaking at Sun's San Francisco office Tuesday.
The per-citizen pricing, which he proposed could be something like 40 cents per individual user -- with that user being a citizen of a country -- would allow nations that are underdeveloped technology-wise, such as China or the Philippines, to have access to affordable networking technology. "
Remember when the prospect of a "Microsoft tax" was a bad thing?...
Both the Java Enterprise System (JES), a suite of enterprise-scale infrastructure software, and the Java Desktop System (JDS), a Linux-based desktop operating system (OS), will have such pricing, said Sun Executive Vice President of Software Jonathan Schwartz, speaking at Sun's San Francisco office Tuesday.
The per-citizen pricing, which he proposed could be something like 40 cents per individual user -- with that user being a citizen of a country -- would allow nations that are underdeveloped technology-wise, such as China or the Philippines, to have access to affordable networking technology. "
Remember when the prospect of a "Microsoft tax" was a bad thing?...
Groove Networks - Products - Groove Workspace - v3.0 Beta - Sign Up
Groove Networks - Products - Groove Workspace - v3.0 Beta - Sign Up: "You get at an advance look at what's coming, and can begin to expand your vision for the ways Groove can be applied to the changing nature of your organization's business. Your input will also help shape the finished product, and potentially help shape the way we all work together virtually over networks. You also get the satisfaction of knowing your input contributed to the finished product. We would love you to help!"
Check it out...
Check it out...
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
Macromedia - Breeze Live : Overview
Macromedia - Breeze Live : Overview: "For the month of March, Macromedia is offering free Breeze web conferencing.* With Breeze, more than half a billion web users can immediately experience engaging online meetings and rich content. Using the ubiquitous Macromedia Flash Player, Breeze delivers instant web meetings without requiring special plug-ins or media players"
"Features
* Instant meetings. Breeze Live works through Macromedia Flash, which is installed on nearly all PCs today. No software download or plug-in installation required.
* Meetings with rich content. Bring PowerPoint slides, digital video, FlashPaper* documents, Flash simulations, and other types of media into your live meetings.
* Interact and collaborate. Chat with a few or broadcast to many. Share applications,* screens, images and documents with participants. Easily transfer files* to facilitate collaborations.
* Annotate and whiteboard. Use integrated tools to whiteboard or overlay annotations on slides, video and other content.*
* Gather real-time feedback through polls. Quickly create and post real-time polls in your meeting room, and usee Breeze reports for further data analysis.*
* Customize and expand. Customize meeting room layouts and add* your organization’s logos and color schemes. You can even have experts create custom pod plug-ins and integrate with business systems through advanced integration features.*
* Leverage content through the centralized, searchable content library that lets presenters and trainers re-use and re-purpose content throughout the organization."
"Features
* Instant meetings. Breeze Live works through Macromedia Flash, which is installed on nearly all PCs today. No software download or plug-in installation required.
* Meetings with rich content. Bring PowerPoint slides, digital video, FlashPaper* documents, Flash simulations, and other types of media into your live meetings.
* Interact and collaborate. Chat with a few or broadcast to many. Share applications,* screens, images and documents with participants. Easily transfer files* to facilitate collaborations.
* Annotate and whiteboard. Use integrated tools to whiteboard or overlay annotations on slides, video and other content.*
* Gather real-time feedback through polls. Quickly create and post real-time polls in your meeting room, and usee Breeze reports for further data analysis.*
* Customize and expand. Customize meeting room layouts and add* your organization’s logos and color schemes. You can even have experts create custom pod plug-ins and integrate with business systems through advanced integration features.*
* Leverage content through the centralized, searchable content library that lets presenters and trainers re-use and re-purpose content throughout the organization."
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: Oracle's dream ally: Microsoft
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: Oracle's dream ally: Microsoft "Oracle Chief Executive Larry Ellison, who has derided Microsoft as a "convicted monopolist," is seeking to enlist his rival — willingly or not — to bolster his hostile bid for PeopleSoft.
The company plans to request information from Microsoft to challenge the federal government's stance that the $9.4 billion offer for PeopleSoft would violate antitrust laws, a lawyer for Oracle said.
...
Orlando Ayala, a Microsoft senior vice president, said the company will compete for clients or subsidiaries with as many as 10,000 employees. He refused to rule out selling business-application software to the biggest companies in a few years.
"This will be a head-on collision with Oracle, you bet," he said in July. "They are moving down to smaller customers, and we are moving up."
The company plans to request information from Microsoft to challenge the federal government's stance that the $9.4 billion offer for PeopleSoft would violate antitrust laws, a lawyer for Oracle said.
...
Orlando Ayala, a Microsoft senior vice president, said the company will compete for clients or subsidiaries with as many as 10,000 employees. He refused to rule out selling business-application software to the biggest companies in a few years.
"This will be a head-on collision with Oracle, you bet," he said in July. "They are moving down to smaller customers, and we are moving up."
Introducing the New Avalon Graphics Model
Introducing the New Avalon Graphics Model "The new graphics model introduced by Longhorn offers the best aspects of previous approaches to building the UI, such as Win32-style repainting, bitmap backing store, and HTML-based user interfaces. It provides a powerful set of drawing primitives and makes them very straightforward to use through markup, relieving application developers of the more tedious aspects of getting the user interface to appear on screen. At runtime, there is an object model that reflects the structure of the markup, making it very easy to manipulate the display and keep it up-to-date. All of this is built on top of a new display model that removes many of the restrictions of the old Win32 model, enabling much more interesting visual effects with its powerful new composition engine."
Microsoft Notebook: Office finds its way onto eBay
Microsoft Notebook: Office finds its way onto eBay: "The biggest software company and the best-known auction site want to build a virtual bridge between their respective worlds.
In a strategic move for both companies, Microsoft Corp. and eBay Inc. today plan to announce a partnership through which they have created a sample program which software developers can use as a model for moving data back and forth between the eBay site and two Microsoft Office programs."
In a strategic move for both companies, Microsoft Corp. and eBay Inc. today plan to announce a partnership through which they have created a sample program which software developers can use as a model for moving data back and forth between the eBay site and two Microsoft Office programs."
Microsoft Execs Hit the Streets to Pump Up a Slowing Leviathan
Microsoft Execs Hit the Streets to Pump Up a Slowing Leviathan: "After two decades of hypergrowth, the Microsoft juggernaut has slowed dramatically, so for the past few weeks the company's two most famous executives have been out stumping for a kinder, gentler software giant. In the new Microsoft they're projecting, however, growth will slow and new recruits will have to be convinced that a career in software development is exciting, not a chore. Blame the company's security problems for the most recent dip in interest in Microsoft, if you like, but these problems have been digging away at the company's core strengths for years as it struggles to duplicate its Windows and Microsoft Office duopoly's success in other markets. So Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates have turned up the volume a notch--as if to say, 'Hey, we still matter.'"
Monday, March 01, 2004
CRN : Breaking News : Server Market Posts Growth
CRN : Breaking News : Server Market Posts Growth: "Servers running Linux, generated $960 million in quarterly revenue. Revenue from servers running the open-source operating system increased 63.1 percent year-over-year, while unit shipments jumped 52.5 percent.
But Windows servers also showed strong growth. Revenue from the servers running Microsoft's operating system rose 16.1% year-over-year and unit shipments were up 23.3 percent. Windows servers accounted for $3.9 billion in the fourth quarter, representing 31.7 percent of the server market revenue. "
But Windows servers also showed strong growth. Revenue from the servers running Microsoft's operating system rose 16.1% year-over-year and unit shipments were up 23.3 percent. Windows servers accounted for $3.9 billion in the fourth quarter, representing 31.7 percent of the server market revenue. "
Michael Helfrich's Weblog: Firefight at BIAP
Michael Helfrich's Weblog: Firefight at BIAP "Those of you that read this blog will recognize that our goal at Groove is a consistent, well-planned march towards ubiquity. The network effects of human interaction within Groove are critical to this march. My friend Eric leveraged Groove with his social network of 134 people crossing 43 organizations, furiously working to avert a humanitarian disaster in Iraq. Lieutenant Colonel Bob (hereinafter referred to as LTC Bob) was but a single point of light Eric's social network, yet he swallowed the "Red Pill" and formed his own network centric workgroup in his drive towards a strategic plan for the reconstruction of Iraq.
Swallowing the "red pill" is a common phrase within Groove for those that really get what Ray and the founders set out to do when they designed the product in 1997: a highly adaptive platform that morphs to the problem set and embraces divergent constituencies and function."
Incredible insights from war zone collaboration experience...
Swallowing the "red pill" is a common phrase within Groove for those that really get what Ray and the founders set out to do when they designed the product in 1997: a highly adaptive platform that morphs to the problem set and embraces divergent constituencies and function."
Incredible insights from war zone collaboration experience...
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: More room to roam: New technology provides far-reaching wireless connections
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: More room to roam: New technology provides far-reaching wireless connections: "WiMax would allow an operator to place antennas on just a couple of towers in a town to offer wireless Internet access just about everywhere. Customers within two or three miles of an antenna could share Internet access at speeds of 75 megabits per second (Mbps), likely receiving 1 or 2 Mbps each. Users as far as 30 miles away would have access as well, albeit at slower speeds.
By contrast, Wi-Fi connects users to a landline Internet connection at 11 to 54 megabits per second, and a Wi-Fi cloud extends only a few hundred feet. And while Wi-Fi is an extension of wired Internet access, WiMax could be marketed as an alternative to DSL or cable-modem service for residential users or small businesses. Eventually, proponents envision a portable service that subscribers could access around town via laptops or handheld devices. "
By contrast, Wi-Fi connects users to a landline Internet connection at 11 to 54 megabits per second, and a Wi-Fi cloud extends only a few hundred feet. And while Wi-Fi is an extension of wired Internet access, WiMax could be marketed as an alternative to DSL or cable-modem service for residential users or small businesses. Eventually, proponents envision a portable service that subscribers could access around town via laptops or handheld devices. "
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: Google reportedly plans to offer free e-mail service
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: Google reportedly plans to offer free e-mail service: "Google is reportedly planning to introduce a free e-mail service, as its competition with Yahoo! and Microsoft's MSN heats up. Yahoo!'s e-mail service is both a revenue generator as well as a way the company increases users' activity and loyalty. Google's rumored entry into e-mail would be a major move and a direct threat to one of Yahoo!'s strongest areas, The New York Times reported. Larry Page, a co-founder of Google, did not confirm the plan, but did say, 'We are trying to put our effort into things that really matter to people that we can make significantly better.' "
WSJ.com - Oracle Hews to Acquisition Goals As It Fights for PeopleSoft Deal
WSJ.com - Oracle Hews to Acquisition Goals As It Fights for PeopleSoft Deal: "Even as Oracle continues its nine-month effort to acquire PeopleSoft, its executives have indicated they are considering other acquisitions as well. Oracle Chief Executive Larry Ellison has repeatedly said that he considers consolidation inevitable in software because too many companies are chasing limited revenue opportunities. Mr. Ellison has said several times that he would be interested in buying BEA Systems Inc., a leading maker of software for Web-based applications. At Friday's closing price of $13.76 a share in 4 p.m. Nasdaq Stock Market Trading, BEA had a market value of nearly $5.6 billion.
'It all comes down to price,' Mr. Finn said of Oracle's interest in BEA. 'We've been clear all along that we're pursuing an acquisition strategy. We've said for the last year that we are looking a little harder.' BEA's chief executive, Alfred Chuang, has said he isn't interested in being acquired."
'It all comes down to price,' Mr. Finn said of Oracle's interest in BEA. 'We've been clear all along that we're pursuing an acquisition strategy. We've said for the last year that we are looking a little harder.' BEA's chief executive, Alfred Chuang, has said he isn't interested in being acquired."
Friday, February 27, 2004
Burton Group TeleBriefing: Microsoft’s Next-Generation Platform Strategies: Putting Whidbey/Yukon and Longhorn in Context
Burton Group TeleBriefing: Microsoft’s Next-Generation Platform Strategies: Putting Whidbey/Yukon and Longhorn in Context
TeleBriefings are part of the Burton Group service offering, along with detailed analysis/reports, consulting, etc. I'm presenting my first one in a couple weeks:
"Microsoft is currently in overdrive, having released a record number of new products during 2003 and introduced the next two waves of its platform and tools strategies (Whidbey/Yukon and Longhorn) at its October, 2003 Professional Developers Conference. In this Application Platform Strategies TeleBriefing, Burton Group Senior Analyst Peter O'Kelly explains the next two waves relative to both broader application platform market trends and Microsoft's .NET strategy, including implications for Microsoft customers and competitors."
This TeleBriefing will be available in trial/complimentary mode (i.e., free); sign up at the link above.
TeleBriefings are part of the Burton Group service offering, along with detailed analysis/reports, consulting, etc. I'm presenting my first one in a couple weeks:
"Microsoft is currently in overdrive, having released a record number of new products during 2003 and introduced the next two waves of its platform and tools strategies (Whidbey/Yukon and Longhorn) at its October, 2003 Professional Developers Conference. In this Application Platform Strategies TeleBriefing, Burton Group Senior Analyst Peter O'Kelly explains the next two waves relative to both broader application platform market trends and Microsoft's .NET strategy, including implications for Microsoft customers and competitors."
This TeleBriefing will be available in trial/complimentary mode (i.e., free); sign up at the link above.
Ray Ozzie's Weblog: Applied Decentralization: A large-scale social system for HLS
Ray Ozzie's Weblog: Applied Decentralization: A large-scale social system for HLS: "Today, with the gracious permission of one of our most significant customers, Groove made an announcement that I'd like to talk about for a moment. It's very significant to me for two reasons: First, the nature of how Groove is being used in this solution demonstrates to the extreme the very reason why Groove was built the way it was, from a technology and architecture perspective. Decentralization at its finest. The customer's core challenge was to enable individuals from many, many different organizations - most of whom had little or no opportunity for training - to rapidly assemble into small virtual teams to selectively share information, make decisions, get the job done, and disassemble. The individuals are geographically dispersed. They use different kinds of networks, behind different organizations' firewalls and management policies. They are very, very highly mobile. And there are few applications where the requirement for deep and effective security is more self-evident."
A Brief History of Microsoft on the Web: Reflections on microsoft.com from Birth to 'Middle Age'
A Brief History of Microsoft on the Web: Reflections on microsoft.com from Birth to 'Middle Age': "In the beginning, www.microsoft.com was just one computer tucked under a table at the end of a long hallway. It was designed to test Microsoft's first 32-bit Windows implementation of TCP/IP, the software plumbing in Windows that enables Internet communications.
Microsoft legend says that this machine once lived under the desk of the site's first official administrator, Mark Ingalls, but like most legends that's only half true. A staging server for microsoft.com was actually housed beneath his desk, and it was relocated because too often Ingalls reached down and turned off the wrong machine by mistake. "
A bit dated but still a fascinating read, via Nick Bradbury
Microsoft legend says that this machine once lived under the desk of the site's first official administrator, Mark Ingalls, but like most legends that's only half true. A staging server for microsoft.com was actually housed beneath his desk, and it was relocated because too often Ingalls reached down and turned off the wrong machine by mistake. "
A bit dated but still a fascinating read, via Nick Bradbury
Fortune.com - Technology - Tivo's Dreams Come True ... Sort Of
Fortune.com - Technology - Tivo's Dreams Come True ... Sort Of "When Mike Ramsay and Jim Barton co-founded TiVo in 1997, they could only have dreamed that three million people would one day use digital video recorders. But now that it has happened, TiVo is facing a depressing reality: It may become the latest in a long line of technology pioneers that see competitors run away with the riches. It'll join the fellow who wrote the original DOS operating system—no, not Bill Gates—and of course the founders of Netscape, to name just two.
First, the good news. TiVo's service, which gives customers a huge array of recording and viewing options, including the much-noted ability to pause live programs, has attracted a million users. In its most recent quarter TiVo added 209,000 subscribers, more than twice as many as it signed up in the previous quarter. Sales for the first nine months of 2003 totaled nearly $100 million, a 35% year-over-year jump.
But the company has yet to make a profit. Worse, TiVo's overall DVR share is about a third and shrinking, according to Forrester Research. The market has been flooded by cheaper, more efficiently distributed products, including a set-top cable box made by Scientific-Atlanta that doubles as a DVR. The cable-box maker shipped more than 500,000 units in its first year. Cable companies like Time Warner Cable (which, like FORTUNE, is owned by Time Warner) are distributing the boxes to customers free in return for a monthly service charge that ranges from $5 to $9. (Buying a TiVo at retail costs a minimum of $199, plus $13 a month for programming data.) And a host of ultracheap DVRs made by manufacturers like South Korea's LG Electronics are about to hit retail stores."
First, the good news. TiVo's service, which gives customers a huge array of recording and viewing options, including the much-noted ability to pause live programs, has attracted a million users. In its most recent quarter TiVo added 209,000 subscribers, more than twice as many as it signed up in the previous quarter. Sales for the first nine months of 2003 totaled nearly $100 million, a 35% year-over-year jump.
But the company has yet to make a profit. Worse, TiVo's overall DVR share is about a third and shrinking, according to Forrester Research. The market has been flooded by cheaper, more efficiently distributed products, including a set-top cable box made by Scientific-Atlanta that doubles as a DVR. The cable-box maker shipped more than 500,000 units in its first year. Cable companies like Time Warner Cable (which, like FORTUNE, is owned by Time Warner) are distributing the boxes to customers free in return for a monthly service charge that ranges from $5 to $9. (Buying a TiVo at retail costs a minimum of $199, plus $13 a month for programming data.) And a host of ultracheap DVRs made by manufacturers like South Korea's LG Electronics are about to hit retail stores."
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Microsoft exec says marketing effort faltered with Windows XP
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Microsoft exec says marketing effort faltered with Windows XP: "People who use Microsoft's Windows XP operating system aren't taking advantage of many of the systems best features, a top executive said - and the world's largest software maker has only itself to blame.
Jim Allchin, Microsoft's group vice president for software platforms, including Windows, said he thinks customers aren't using gadgets like Windows Messenger and Movie Maker because Microsoft hasn't done a good enough job telling people about them.
'I don't think we've marketed it very well,' he said at a dinner with journalists Wednesday in Bellevue, near the company's Redmond headquarters."
Jim Allchin, Microsoft's group vice president for software platforms, including Windows, said he thinks customers aren't using gadgets like Windows Messenger and Movie Maker because Microsoft hasn't done a good enough job telling people about them.
'I don't think we've marketed it very well,' he said at a dinner with journalists Wednesday in Bellevue, near the company's Redmond headquarters."
Microsoft PressPass - Microsoft Expands Office Solution Accelerator Program
Microsoft PressPass - Microsoft Expands Office Solution Accelerator Program: "Rinearson: Industry partners and customers have expressed strong interest in the new Office Solution Accelerators, but they've also told us they'd be even happier if we permitted all Microsoft customers -- not just those on a Software Assurance program -- to use solutions built on the accelerators.
In response to these requests, we'll expand the availability of Office Solution Accelerators to all Microsoft customers and industry partners at no charge. We'll significantly increase the support resources offered online and through our developer-focused communications channels to enable a much broader set of partners to build development and support practices around a growing number of Office Solution Accelerators. "
In response to these requests, we'll expand the availability of Office Solution Accelerators to all Microsoft customers and industry partners at no charge. We'll significantly increase the support resources offered online and through our developer-focused communications channels to enable a much broader set of partners to build development and support practices around a growing number of Office Solution Accelerators. "
Mass High Tech: Groove Networks software to be the core of new Homeland Security network
Mass High Tech: Groove Networks software to be the core of new Homeland Security network "The Department of Homeland Security has chosen Beverly-based Groove Networks Inc., a maker of secure virtual office software, to provide its software as a core component of an information-sharing network that Secretary Tom Ridge announced Tuesday.
The financial nature of the deal was not released.
According to Ridge, the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) will expand on the Joint Regional Information Exchange System (JRIES) that includes Groove Workspace as a core component for real-time, secure, intra- and inter-agency collaboration. JRIES has been developed by state and local officials in partnership with the federal government.
The financial nature of the deal was not released.
According to Ridge, the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) will expand on the Joint Regional Information Exchange System (JRIES) that includes Groove Workspace as a core component for real-time, secure, intra- and inter-agency collaboration. JRIES has been developed by state and local officials in partnership with the federal government.
Thursday, February 26, 2004
CRN: Macromedia's Flex XML Tool On Track To Ship This Spring
CRN: Macromedia's Flex XML Tool On Track To Ship This Spring: "Macromedia is edging closer to the release of Flex, a presentation server designed to enable developers and solution providers to code multimedia applications through an XML-based language.
At Web Edge 2004 East in Boston on Wednesday, David Mendels, senior vice president of tools and platforms at Macromedia, told CRN that Flex is due to begin shipping this spring, 'on the cusp' of the first and second quarters. "
At Web Edge 2004 East in Boston on Wednesday, David Mendels, senior vice president of tools and platforms at Macromedia, told CRN that Flex is due to begin shipping this spring, 'on the cusp' of the first and second quarters. "
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: 'Windows XP Reloaded' will bridge version gap
The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: 'Windows XP Reloaded' will bridge version gap: "Microsoft will release an update kit for Windows XP this fall to bridge the gap until the company releases a new version of Windows around 2005 or 2006, Windows chief Jim Allchin said yesterday.
Called 'Windows XP Reloaded,' the kit will include a new media player and other new technologies, Allchin said. The kit will provide features in addition to security improvements to be available by this summer in an upgrade kit that Chairman Bill Gates detailed Tuesday."
Called 'Windows XP Reloaded,' the kit will include a new media player and other new technologies, Allchin said. The kit will provide features in addition to security improvements to be available by this summer in an upgrade kit that Chairman Bill Gates detailed Tuesday."
Windows XP SP2 Update Adds Security Center, Other New Features
Windows XP SP2 Update Adds Security Center, Other New Features: "XP SP2 build 2082 includes the new Windows Security Center application, which is based on a similar tool from last year's 'PC Satisfaction' beta. Basically a Web-based tool, Security Center monitors your Windows Firewall, Automatic Updates, and Virus Protection settings and warns you if any are deemed unsafe. You can now set the Windows Firewall to On (Recommended), On (But don't allow exceptions; recommended for mobile use), and Off (Not Recommended). Beyond this obvious new feature, build 2082 includes small tweaks to the wireless-networking interface and slightly updated versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), Microsoft Outlook Express, and Windows Media Player (WMP) 9 Series."
WSJ.com - Vonage Makes Phoning Through the Internet Convenient and Cheap
WSJ.com - Vonage Makes Phoning Through the Internet Convenient and Cheap "If you're sick of your local or long-distance phone company, you now have an alternative: Internet phone calling.
Internet calling can save you money, and allow you to add features and flexibility unheard of in the traditional phone industry.
The idea of making voice calls over the Internet isn't new. For years, some Internet users have been doing this, mainly to save money on international calls. But it was a pretty techie process. You had to use a PC, or a special phone, and find the other person in some special online directory, or by typing in an Internet address. The quality of calls was lousy."
I've been using Vonage for a couple months now, along with an inexpensive AT&T dual-line speaker phone. I'm a very happy Vonage customer, and I'm also happy to be a thrice-wired (Vonage line, home line, and AC power -- i.e., no batteries to worry about) phone user; my AT&T Wireless/Sony Ericsson/Jabra Bluetooth headset is fine when I'm mobile, but it just wasn't sufficient for all of the conference calls etc. I have from my office.
Internet calling can save you money, and allow you to add features and flexibility unheard of in the traditional phone industry.
The idea of making voice calls over the Internet isn't new. For years, some Internet users have been doing this, mainly to save money on international calls. But it was a pretty techie process. You had to use a PC, or a special phone, and find the other person in some special online directory, or by typing in an Internet address. The quality of calls was lousy."
I've been using Vonage for a couple months now, along with an inexpensive AT&T dual-line speaker phone. I'm a very happy Vonage customer, and I'm also happy to be a thrice-wired (Vonage line, home line, and AC power -- i.e., no batteries to worry about) phone user; my AT&T Wireless/Sony Ericsson/Jabra Bluetooth headset is fine when I'm mobile, but it just wasn't sufficient for all of the conference calls etc. I have from my office.
Forbes.com: Video That's Finally On-Demand
Forbes.com: Video That's Finally On-Demand ... "thanks to startup Akimbo, soon, we'll be able to watch these same videos on our TV sets. Akimbo, which demonstrated an intriguing product at the Demo 2004 conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., earlier this week, was founded by Steve Shannon, a former executive of ReplayTV, the TiVo competitor that is now a unit of D&M Holdings. The company demonstrated the Akimbo player, a set-top box that doesn't look much different from a TiVo or other personal video recorder box. Like those other players, it has an 80-gigabyte hard drive that stores video played on a TV. But it's the source of the video that's unusual. The Akimbo player is connected to the Internet via a broadband Internet connection. Through a subscription service, the company plans to offer access to roughly 20,000 hours of video offered for download. Akimbo's service will present video from services like IFilm, Digicast and CinemaNow, among others, all of which are available as part of a $10 monthly subscription."
Sun's Sueltz shifts to Salesforce.com | CNET News.com
Sun's Sueltz shifts to Salesforce.com | CNET News.com: "Patricia Sueltz, who led the services unit at Sun Microsystems to record revenue, is leaving the company this week for a post at Salesforce.com.
Beginning Thursday, Sueltz will become president of marketing, technology and systems at Salesforce.com, according to a statement from Sun on Wednesday. Salesforce delivers customer relationship management software over the Web."
Bad news for Sun, good news for Salesforce.com, imho
Beginning Thursday, Sueltz will become president of marketing, technology and systems at Salesforce.com, according to a statement from Sun on Wednesday. Salesforce delivers customer relationship management software over the Web."
Bad news for Sun, good news for Salesforce.com, imho
IBM urges Sun to make Java open source | CNET News.com
IBM urges Sun to make Java open source | CNET News.com: "In a letter sent by Rod Smith, IBM's vice president of emerging technology, IBM offered to work with Sun to create a project that would shepherd development of Java through an open-source development model. If implemented, portions of Sun's most valuable software asset--Java--would be freely available, and contributors ranging from volunteer programmers to large corporations would submit changes to the Java software. "
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
Webmonkey: authoring: Mighty Atom: Really Similar Syndication?
Webmonkey: authoring: Mighty Atom: Really Similar Syndication? "So then, why do we need Atom, again?
Dave Winer's RSS spec is penned in a succinct, conversational style that's both easy to read and easy to learn. Yet while brevity and informality work great when it comes to getting the masses to adopt new ideas, the spec had some notable gaps and gray areas. And late efforts to re-write or repair the RSS spec were hampered by a variety of issues, such as RSS's emphasis on backwards compatibility and its adoption of a Creative Commons license."
Dave Winer's RSS spec is penned in a succinct, conversational style that's both easy to read and easy to learn. Yet while brevity and informality work great when it comes to getting the masses to adopt new ideas, the spec had some notable gaps and gray areas. And late efforts to re-write or repair the RSS spec were hampered by a variety of issues, such as RSS's emphasis on backwards compatibility and its adoption of a Creative Commons license."
Firewall Vendors Wary of Microsoft Rivalry - Computer Business Review
Firewall Vendors Wary of Microsoft Rivalry - Computer Business Review "Microsoft Corp's announcement yesterday of its imminent entry into the personal firewall market was expected, but it is still concerning for some companies already playing in that space.
The company has been flagging up advanced firewall features of Windows XP Service Pack 2 for some time, and Bill Gates yesterday revealed some of the Windows Firewall features that will be turned on by default in the forthcoming release.
"SP2 is a release that's totally focused on security," he said. "And, in fact, today this is the primary focus of the Windows team...we prioritized resources and activities around what's an intermediate release under the name SP2, which is just security-oriented.""
File under "Damned if you do,..."
Via http://www.watchingmicrosoftlikeahawk.com/
The company has been flagging up advanced firewall features of Windows XP Service Pack 2 for some time, and Bill Gates yesterday revealed some of the Windows Firewall features that will be turned on by default in the forthcoming release.
"SP2 is a release that's totally focused on security," he said. "And, in fact, today this is the primary focus of the Windows team...we prioritized resources and activities around what's an intermediate release under the name SP2, which is just security-oriented.""
File under "Damned if you do,..."
Via http://www.watchingmicrosoftlikeahawk.com/
Gates Details Security-Related Technology Investments and InnovationsAt RSA Conference 2004
Gates Details Security-Related Technology Investments and InnovationsAt RSA Conference 2004: "Highlights of the keynote include the following:
The announcement that Microsoft is investing in the development of security technologies to extend integrated protection to PCs, to make them more resilient in the presence of worms and viruses
Gates demonstrating, for the first time, upcoming security enhancements in Windows® XP Service Pack 2 including Windows Firewall, Windows Security Center and browsing enhancements in Internet Explorer
An outline of Microsoft's technological approach for reducing spam, including its Coordinated Spam Reduction Initiative (CSRI) and technical specifications for the establishment of caller ID-like functionality for e-mail to help prevent domain spoofing
The announcement of Exchange Edge Services, a milestone in the development of next-generation Microsoft® Exchange Server e-mail protection and security technologies to better protect users' systems from viruses and junk e-mail "
The announcement that Microsoft is investing in the development of security technologies to extend integrated protection to PCs, to make them more resilient in the presence of worms and viruses
Gates demonstrating, for the first time, upcoming security enhancements in Windows® XP Service Pack 2 including Windows Firewall, Windows Security Center and browsing enhancements in Internet Explorer
An outline of Microsoft's technological approach for reducing spam, including its Coordinated Spam Reduction Initiative (CSRI) and technical specifications for the establishment of caller ID-like functionality for e-mail to help prevent domain spoofing
The announcement of Exchange Edge Services, a milestone in the development of next-generation Microsoft® Exchange Server e-mail protection and security technologies to better protect users' systems from viruses and junk e-mail "
Wired 12.03: The Complete Guide toGooglemania!
Wired 12.03: The Complete Guide toGooglemania! "Why is Microsoft so obsessed? Because it knows search is a key component in the future of computing. Microsoft's next-generation OS, Longhorn, is conceived as a unified interface for a PC, its local network, and the Web. For it to work, Longhorn needs a sleek search utility. If Microsoft can't buy Google, it'll resort to its time-tested strategy: copy the best technology and integrate it on the desktop.
At the same time, Google has become more than a typical search engine. Its search box is a phone book and a dictionary. It can check stock prices, provide news, track FedEx packages, perform metric conversions, locate airplanes, offer street maps, and supply weather conditions. It'll search retail outlets by zip code and, with Froogle, scour the Web for products. In short, Google execs are innovating like they're running from someone. "People at Google don't talk about it, but it's pretty evident," says Danny Sullivan, editor of Search Engine Watch. "Microsoft's making a move into search that's equal to its move into Web browsers. That's got to make you nervous."
For all their differences, the two companies have a lot in common. Microsoft looks at Google and sees its own past, full of promise. Google looks at Microsoft and sees the future - a swaggering company that dominates the tech landscape. It's a classic battle between youth and experience or, as Google likes to believe, good and evil."
Multi-part, multifaceted Wired cover story series on Google.
At the same time, Google has become more than a typical search engine. Its search box is a phone book and a dictionary. It can check stock prices, provide news, track FedEx packages, perform metric conversions, locate airplanes, offer street maps, and supply weather conditions. It'll search retail outlets by zip code and, with Froogle, scour the Web for products. In short, Google execs are innovating like they're running from someone. "People at Google don't talk about it, but it's pretty evident," says Danny Sullivan, editor of Search Engine Watch. "Microsoft's making a move into search that's equal to its move into Web browsers. That's got to make you nervous."
For all their differences, the two companies have a lot in common. Microsoft looks at Google and sees its own past, full of promise. Google looks at Microsoft and sees the future - a swaggering company that dominates the tech landscape. It's a classic battle between youth and experience or, as Google likes to believe, good and evil."
Multi-part, multifaceted Wired cover story series on Google.
Epistemologically Multiple Actor-Centered Systems: or, EMACS at work!
Epistemologically Multiple Actor-Centered Systems: or, EMACS at work!: "Actors from different backgrounds contribute multiple ways of knowing, understanding and resolving problems that arise in the innovation process. This paper employs a socio-technical perspective to analyze how editing macros are shaped by diverse actors, and at the same time also shape these actors and their practices.
...
Unlike some proprietary software firms that try to lock users in by using proprietry document formats (and critics say they do this in order to dominate the market), EMACS engages users by presenting greater shared interests in socio-cultural or technical aspects."
...
Unlike some proprietary software firms that try to lock users in by using proprietry document formats (and critics say they do this in order to dominate the market), EMACS engages users by presenting greater shared interests in socio-cultural or technical aspects."
Fortune.com - Technology - How the Open-Source World Plans to Smack Down Microsoft, and Oracle, and ...
Fortune.com - Technology - How the Open-Source World Plans to Smack Down Microsoft, and Oracle, and ... "Microsoft thrives, of course, when faced with competition—remember how it rallied to crush Netscape during the Internet boom. (Nor is it without allies: Tiny SCO of Lindon, Utah, has worried Linux users by claiming copyright ownership of some of the underlying code—a claim that's wending its way through federal court in Salt Lake City.) Today at Microsoft hundreds of employees are working on Linux and other threats, and the word "open" crops up a lot. Martin Taylor, a rising star who recently served as CEO Ballmer's chief of staff, is assigned full-time to the open-source challenge. Says Marshall Phelps, an ex-IBMer whom Microsoft hired in June to develop an intellectual-property licensing program: "Microsoft has been pretty closed as a company. Basically now we're open for business." Jason Matusow, who runs a program that allows selected customers special rights to view Microsoft source code, says, "Customers in large numbers are telling us we need greater transparency."
Then there is Bill Gates. Microsoft's chairman and chief software architect is spending most of his time these days on a top-to-bottom reworking of Windows, the company's $11-billion-a-year mainstay. Code-named Longhorn and not due for release before next year, the software aims to make computers more versatile and less expensive to maintain. It also aims to discourage defection to Linux: It will integrate key functions of Office and database software so that users won't be as easily tempted by free programs like OpenOffice and MySQL.
As the popularity of open source surges and prices and profit margins in software crumble, will the industry be ruined? Microsoft's Mundie warns darkly that the erosion of profits will slow innovation. But Torvalds (sounding positively Gatesian) argues that the demand for innovative software is limitless: Programmers will never lack for moneymaking opportunities as infotech weaves itself into all aspects of our lives. That may be closer to the truth. Software companies have always had to innovate to survive—and fear focuses the mind."
Another long open source article in Fortune. Annoyingly requires registration.
Then there is Bill Gates. Microsoft's chairman and chief software architect is spending most of his time these days on a top-to-bottom reworking of Windows, the company's $11-billion-a-year mainstay. Code-named Longhorn and not due for release before next year, the software aims to make computers more versatile and less expensive to maintain. It also aims to discourage defection to Linux: It will integrate key functions of Office and database software so that users won't be as easily tempted by free programs like OpenOffice and MySQL.
As the popularity of open source surges and prices and profit margins in software crumble, will the industry be ruined? Microsoft's Mundie warns darkly that the erosion of profits will slow innovation. But Torvalds (sounding positively Gatesian) argues that the demand for innovative software is limitless: Programmers will never lack for moneymaking opportunities as infotech weaves itself into all aspects of our lives. That may be closer to the truth. Software companies have always had to innovate to survive—and fear focuses the mind."
Another long open source article in Fortune. Annoyingly requires registration.
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
"The World's Gone Crazy with XML," Says Sun's Senior IT architect (SYS-CON)(Printview)
"The World's Gone Crazy with XML," Says Sun's Senior IT architect (SYS-CON)(Printview): "'The world has gone crazy with XML and then Web services,' writes Sun's senior IT architect Victoria Livschitz, in an article currently to be found on the official Sun Web site.
'SOAP and UDDI are getting enormous attention,' she continues, 'and yet, from a software engineering standpoint, they seem to me a setback rather then a step forward. We now have a generation of young programmers who think of software in terms of square brackets. An enormous mess of XML documents that are now being created by enterprises at an alarming rate will be haunting our industry for decades. With all that excitement, no one seems to have the slightest interest in basic computer science.' "
See the full article for a lively debate -- Sun, MS, etc.
'SOAP and UDDI are getting enormous attention,' she continues, 'and yet, from a software engineering standpoint, they seem to me a setback rather then a step forward. We now have a generation of young programmers who think of software in terms of square brackets. An enormous mess of XML documents that are now being created by enterprises at an alarming rate will be haunting our industry for decades. With all that excitement, no one seems to have the slightest interest in basic computer science.' "
See the full article for a lively debate -- Sun, MS, etc.
Steve Gillmor: RSS Anonymous
Steve Gillmor: RSS Anonymous "OK, here's the deal. My name is Steve Gillmor. I am an RSS addict. I have 4,624 unread items in NetNewsWire. Why so many? Because I have 400 separate feeds and some of them (the New York Times, Yahoo, Scobleizer) emit hundreds of items a day. Why so many unread? Because what I don't read won't get deleted. Why is that important?
What I really want is a persistent, controllable store of RSS data. Not just the abstract, or summary, data, but the full text and graphics, even scripting data, executables, and enclosures. Couple that with embedded browser rendering (Safari on the Mac) and add the ability to cache the Web pages of RSS feeds that don't support full-text.
Now add authoring system services with WYSIWYG features for dragging and dropping quotes, URLs, graphics and formatting. Safari doesn't support XML yet, but Mozilla does—and it's cross-platform. Here's where Jon Udell's vision suddenly crystallizes. If we have the full text, we can convert the HTML to XHTML and use XPath and XQuery to create whatever view is most appropriate to the consumer.
For me, the view that's most important is the one that reflects my interests—and the interests of those I consider most important. Some of that data already exists in NetNewsWire in an OPML file called MySubscriptions.xml—what RSS feeds I subscribe to, and in what order. The file could easily be augmented with additional data—what items I read, and in what order. Technorati's Dave Sifry calls just such an extension attention.xml."
What I really want is a persistent, controllable store of RSS data. Not just the abstract, or summary, data, but the full text and graphics, even scripting data, executables, and enclosures. Couple that with embedded browser rendering (Safari on the Mac) and add the ability to cache the Web pages of RSS feeds that don't support full-text.
Now add authoring system services with WYSIWYG features for dragging and dropping quotes, URLs, graphics and formatting. Safari doesn't support XML yet, but Mozilla does—and it's cross-platform. Here's where Jon Udell's vision suddenly crystallizes. If we have the full text, we can convert the HTML to XHTML and use XPath and XQuery to create whatever view is most appropriate to the consumer.
For me, the view that's most important is the one that reflects my interests—and the interests of those I consider most important. Some of that data already exists in NetNewsWire in an OPML file called MySubscriptions.xml—what RSS feeds I subscribe to, and in what order. The file could easily be augmented with additional data—what items I read, and in what order. Technorati's Dave Sifry calls just such an extension attention.xml."
Microsoft Parades 'Whitehorse' at DevDay Kick-Off
Microsoft Parades 'Whitehorse' at DevDay Kick-Off: "Forte described Whitehorse as a set of integrated, model-driven design tools for the design, deployment and maintenance of 'service-oriented distributed systems.' He showed how developers can use Whitehorse to link components graphically, add methods and then create code.
'It doesn't sound that different from UML (Unified Modeling Language). But Whitehorse is a two-way street,' he explained.
Whitehorse updates design documents as programmers code. And if they modify the design document, the change is automatically reflected back in the code, Forte said. At the same time, Whitehorse simplifies deployment by detecting settings on machines in advance, thus alleviating the need for trial-and-error code deployment, he said.
What Forte didn't say during his keynote, but mentioned on his Weblog is that Microsoft's System Definition Model (SDM) is at the core of Whitehorse's architecture. SDM is the foundation of Microsoft's Dynamic Systems Initiative, which is its utility-computing products/strategy."
'It doesn't sound that different from UML (Unified Modeling Language). But Whitehorse is a two-way street,' he explained.
Whitehorse updates design documents as programmers code. And if they modify the design document, the change is automatically reflected back in the code, Forte said. At the same time, Whitehorse simplifies deployment by detecting settings on machines in advance, thus alleviating the need for trial-and-error code deployment, he said.
What Forte didn't say during his keynote, but mentioned on his Weblog is that Microsoft's System Definition Model (SDM) is at the core of Whitehorse's architecture. SDM is the foundation of Microsoft's Dynamic Systems Initiative, which is its utility-computing products/strategy."
Microsoft Posts InfoPath 2003 SP1 Preview
Microsoft Posts InfoPath 2003 SP1 Preview "The InfoPath 2003 SP1 preview is fully backward-compatible with the original InfoPath 2003 release and can be mixed into existing environments. SP1 comes with a wide range of improvements over the original release, including
- better security--improved support for digital signatures so that users can sign individual portions of a form and verify their intentions even after future changes are made to the form
- better reliability--enhanced document recovery, data-submission and filtering controls, and stability-related enhancements that are based on data gathered from users through Office 2003's automated error-reporting tools
- better technology integration--improved handwriting support for Tablet PC users and simpler email-attachment support, which lets users send InfoPath forms to one another through Outlook
- better programming environment--richer page-layout controls that will help developers and technical users more easily create new forms, integration with Microsoft BizTalk Server 2000's workflow-automation functionality, customizable capabilities accessible through professional programming environments such as Visual Basic .NET and Visual C#, and more extensive support for XML schemas and XML Schema Definition (XSD) language data sources
Office 2003 SP1 will also include dramatic changes to other applications, including several expected changes to Office OneNote 2003, Microsoft's new note-taking application. Microsoft says it will release Office 2003 SP1 in June."
- better security--improved support for digital signatures so that users can sign individual portions of a form and verify their intentions even after future changes are made to the form
- better reliability--enhanced document recovery, data-submission and filtering controls, and stability-related enhancements that are based on data gathered from users through Office 2003's automated error-reporting tools
- better technology integration--improved handwriting support for Tablet PC users and simpler email-attachment support, which lets users send InfoPath forms to one another through Outlook
- better programming environment--richer page-layout controls that will help developers and technical users more easily create new forms, integration with Microsoft BizTalk Server 2000's workflow-automation functionality, customizable capabilities accessible through professional programming environments such as Visual Basic .NET and Visual C#, and more extensive support for XML schemas and XML Schema Definition (XSD) language data sources
Office 2003 SP1 will also include dramatic changes to other applications, including several expected changes to Office OneNote 2003, Microsoft's new note-taking application. Microsoft says it will release Office 2003 SP1 in June."
Critics question motive by Microsoft
Critics question motive by Microsoft: "Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates won widespread applause in January when he trumpeted an agreement to give $1 billion in software and cash to the United Nations as part of a job-training program for the developing world.
But Microsoft did not seek any attention for a much smaller amount that it contributed earlier to pay some travel expenses for a U.N. business standards group.
That payment, critics say, had a much more opportunistic motive than the big donation.
Several software industry executives and technologists contend that Microsoft has been moving behind the scenes to undercut support for a set of business-to-business electronic transaction standards jointly developed by the United Nations and an industry-sponsored international standards group."
Not like the ebXML gang doesn't have its own agenda, of course...
But Microsoft did not seek any attention for a much smaller amount that it contributed earlier to pay some travel expenses for a U.N. business standards group.
That payment, critics say, had a much more opportunistic motive than the big donation.
Several software industry executives and technologists contend that Microsoft has been moving behind the scenes to undercut support for a set of business-to-business electronic transaction standards jointly developed by the United Nations and an industry-sponsored international standards group."
Not like the ebXML gang doesn't have its own agenda, of course...
Monday, February 23, 2004
Wired News: MySQL Profits From Open Source
Wired News: MySQL Profits From Open Source: "Zack Urlocker likes to compare his employer's database software to a budget airline.
It's cheap, devoid of luxurious trappings and doesn't expend much effort catering to customers' whims. But if the point is to reach one's destination quickly and easily, it'll do the job.
'We don't try to be the database that has all the features,' said Urlocker, vice president of marketing for MySQL AB, the Swedish maker of an open-source database platform. 'If someone needs the advanced grid capabilities, they should buy that from Oracle.'
If, on the other hand, they don't want to spend the money, he advises they take a look at open source."
It's cheap, devoid of luxurious trappings and doesn't expend much effort catering to customers' whims. But if the point is to reach one's destination quickly and easily, it'll do the job.
'We don't try to be the database that has all the features,' said Urlocker, vice president of marketing for MySQL AB, the Swedish maker of an open-source database platform. 'If someone needs the advanced grid capabilities, they should buy that from Oracle.'
If, on the other hand, they don't want to spend the money, he advises they take a look at open source."
The Register: Symbian beats a million handsets a month
The Register: Symbian beats a million handsets a month: "The Symbian operating system shipped in 2.76 million handsets in the fourth quarter of 2003.
This was up from 0.98 million for the fourth quarter of 2002. In December the smart phone OS designer exceeded the million phones a month mark for the first time.
...
Symbian receives $7.25 per unit for the first two million units, and $5 thereafter"
This was up from 0.98 million for the fourth quarter of 2002. In December the smart phone OS designer exceeded the million phones a month mark for the first time.
...
Symbian receives $7.25 per unit for the first two million units, and $5 thereafter"
Most Wanted: Notebook Sales Grow
Most Wanted: Notebook Sales Grow "The notebook PC is becoming the computing equivalent of a second car in many households. Notebooks finished off last year with strong sales, continuing to grab a growing share of the consumer PC market, NPD Techworld reported last week.
Mobile machines accounted for more than 35 percent of all PC’s sold in retail stores last year, up from 29 percent in 2002 and 23 percent in 2001, the research firm said. Measured in dollar terms, consumer desktop and notebook sales are even.
The usual technology trends — faster, cheaper and better — have made notebooks more attractive and affordable. Consumer notebooks carried an average price tag of $1,329 in the fourth quarter of last year, down from $1,672 three years earlier."
Mobile machines accounted for more than 35 percent of all PC’s sold in retail stores last year, up from 29 percent in 2002 and 23 percent in 2001, the research firm said. Measured in dollar terms, consumer desktop and notebook sales are even.
The usual technology trends — faster, cheaper and better — have made notebooks more attractive and affordable. Consumer notebooks carried an average price tag of $1,329 in the fourth quarter of last year, down from $1,672 three years earlier."
BW Online | March 1, 2004 | Linux For The Desktop: It's A Contender
BW Online | March 1, 2004 | Linux For The Desktop: It's A Contender With a few caveats:
"Of course, there are a lot of people who shouldn't even consider Linux. The primary reason to avoid it is the need for software, whether a custom corporate application or a commercial program that exists only for Windows. From Adobe (ADBE ) Photoshop to Apple (AAPL ) iTunes, you're out of luck. And even when a Linux version exists, such as Real Player, installation is a complicated, slightly scary business -- and RealNetworks (RNWK ) disavows support of the product.
Corporations, which are looking to Linux PCs to reduce costs and simplify administration, usually restrict it to settings where the software is limited. The most popular uses are in call centers and other transaction-processing operations, where employees will often run just one application."
"Of course, there are a lot of people who shouldn't even consider Linux. The primary reason to avoid it is the need for software, whether a custom corporate application or a commercial program that exists only for Windows. From Adobe (ADBE ) Photoshop to Apple (AAPL ) iTunes, you're out of luck. And even when a Linux version exists, such as Real Player, installation is a complicated, slightly scary business -- and RealNetworks (RNWK ) disavows support of the product.
Corporations, which are looking to Linux PCs to reduce costs and simplify administration, usually restrict it to settings where the software is limited. The most popular uses are in call centers and other transaction-processing operations, where employees will often run just one application."
WSJ.com - Nokia Takes Leap Into Wi-Fi Arena With New Phone
WSJ.com - Nokia Takes Leap Into Wi-Fi Arena With New Phone: "Nokia Corp., in a move that could loosen mobile-phone operators' grip on the wireless market, plans to unveil Monday its first handset capable of surfing the Internet using short-range wireless technology known as Wi-Fi.
Nokia's Communicator 9500 will be able to bypass conventional mobile-phone networks, but still access the Web and even make phone calls using a Wi-Fi network. Key to its operation are 'hot spots' springing up in offices, homes, coffee shops, hotels and other areas within 300 feet of a Wi-Fi base station connected to the Internet via a fixed line. Consumers now need a specially equipped laptop or personal organizer to use these hot spots."
Nokia's Communicator 9500 will be able to bypass conventional mobile-phone networks, but still access the Web and even make phone calls using a Wi-Fi network. Key to its operation are 'hot spots' springing up in offices, homes, coffee shops, hotels and other areas within 300 feet of a Wi-Fi base station connected to the Internet via a fixed line. Consumers now need a specially equipped laptop or personal organizer to use these hot spots."
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