MS Upgrades To Be Smaller And More Frequent

MS Upgrades To Be Smaller And More Frequent

Microsoft has overhauled its core software development practices to avoid any repetition of the delays that have bedevilled the next planned version of Windows, according to Steve Ballmer, the company's chief executive. The changes, along with plans to release more frequent, less ambitious versions of the widely used software, mark a significant shift in Microsoft's approach following one of the most troubled new product cycles in its 30-year history.

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Microsoft's midlife crisis

Microsoft's midlife crisis

Steven Ballmer, Microsoft's cheerleader and chief executive, takes the stage at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta to stoke the spirits of 10,000 faithful at the company's annual sales meeting. "Win, drive, innovate, impress!" he shouts, his forehead glistening under hot stage lights as ponds of sweat soak the pale blue shirt on his barrel-chested frame. "But there's a way people keep score. Billions! Billions! Billions! If you wanna grow, things that rhyme with 'billions' are very good," he roars, sprinting up and down the aisles to trade high fives with starstruck salespeople. The crowd at the Georgia Dome loves it, but even Ballmer's booming voice can't mask the disturbing truth: Microsoft is slowing down. It is bigger, more lumbering and less profitable than it was five years ago. Its sales are up 73% in five years, but profits are up only 30%. Payroll has doubled in the last six years. In the fiscal year just ended, sales...

IM Security Space Gets More Crowded

IM Security Space Gets More Crowded

As IM security threats continue to mount, so too grow the solutions geared to protect against such threats. Managed security vendor Postinitoday announced that it would be entering the IM security fray with a new hosted solution. Postini Perimeter Manager for IM is designed to help protect users against viruses and worms. The solution benefits from Postini's partnership with IM security vendor IMlogic. Separately, Postini also announced a new Archive Manager that will help enterprises deal with regulatory compliance issues by archiving both IM and emails. Andrew Lochart Postini's senior director of marketing, explained that Postini needed IMlogic's knowledge of which ports to listen to as well as a full understanding of all the different protocols that the public networks use and relationships with those networks. The new IM solution is integrated into Postini's current framework allowing its service to check for...

Microsoft tries to save Software Assurance from drowning

Microsoft tries to save Software Assurance from drowning

Microsoft is to add technical support, training, deployment planning and other side benefits to its controversial Software Assurance licensing programme this week, according to leaked documents. The changes follow a set of improvements added in September 2003, and are designed to placate customers who feel the programme doesn't offer value for money. Software Assurance gives customers free access to upgrades for a three-year period, as well as a range of benefits including training and support discounts, in exchange for a subscription fee. However, businesses are choosing to upgrade less and less frequently, and are often on five-year upgrade cycles, according to industry analysts. The programme replaced a popular option that allowed customers to pay a discounted rate for upgrades, and to upgrade at their leisure.

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MCSE and Job Security

MCSE and Job Security

The results of the recent SunPoll were not unexpected. Your opinion about the current program was that you did not get enough credit for "real world" experience, and that the certification does not translate to higher pay. However, something new is planned. A little birdie that is involved with the process told me that MCSE will no longer be the "premier" certification available from Microsoft. You will still be able to get it, pretty much like it is today. But a new certification will be created that will have a name akin to 'Microsoft Certified Technical Architect'. That title signifies a combination of proven technical skill, real world experience, and it is a blend of both Project Management and high-level technical architecture knowledge. And you only get this 'MCTA' cert if you successfully complete both a written exam and an interview - possibly with some hands-on demo's. Now that is something that might make a few...

Microsoft scraps September security update

Microsoft scraps September security update

Microsoft has decided not to go ahead with its monthly security update after encountering an unspecified quality issue with the software patch it had planned to release tomorrow. Last week, Microsoft said it would be putting out a critical patch to a flaw in Windows. The next day, however, company representatives said that the company had changed its mind and would not be releasing any security patches this month after all.

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Microsoft chief of security hit by rogue dialler scam

Microsoft chief of security hit by rogue dialler scam

Microsoft UK's recently appointed chief security advisor, Ed Gibson, has admitted to being hit by that lowliest of online scams - the rogue dialler. The scams are seen as mainly affecting the lowest rung of Internet users - beginners using dial-up connections without basic security software, such as a firewall, that would prevent infection or alert them to the dialler's activities. However, broadband users can also be affected via back-up modem connections.

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Cisco warns over serious authentication bug

Cisco warns over serious authentication bug

Cisco has warned of a vulnerability in its IOS Firewall Authentication Proxy which might be used by hackers to launch denial of service attacks against vulnerable systems. The vulnerability stems from a software bug in processing user authentication credentials which might be exploited to cause a buffer overflow. Successful attacks can cause an affected device to reload and might even allow arbitrary code execution provided a vulnerable Authentication Proxy is configured to handle either FTP or Telnet Sessions. Devices that do not support, or are not configured for Firewall Authentication Proxy for either FTP or Telnet Services are not affected.

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eEye spots another gaping hole in Outlook and Explorer

eEye spots another gaping hole in Outlook and Explorer

Microsoft says it is investigating a new high-risk security flaw affecting Outlook and Internet Explorer, adding to the growing number of serious bugs that have been reported to the vendor but remain unfixed. eEye Digital Security disclosed the new bug, a buffer-overflow flaw potentially allowing attackers to execute malicious code on a system, last week. The bug affects default installations of Outlook, Outlook Express and Internet Explorer on Windows 2000 and Windows XP with Service Pack 1 installed, although eEye said additional versions of Windows may also be affected.

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New Trojan swaps porn for Koran

New Trojan swaps porn for Koran

A new Trojan circulating is on a moral mission against porn sites. Instead of snooping for sensitive financial information or taking control of a computer, the Trojan, called Yusufali-A, monitors Web surfing habits. When it spots an objectionable term such as "sex" or "exhibition", in the browser's title bar, it hides the website and instead pops up a message from the Koran. "Allah knows how ye move about and how ye dwell in your homes," reads part of the message, said Gregg Mastoras, a senior security analyst with Sophos.

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