'Longhorn' Rollout Slips

<font size="3">'Longhorn' Rollout Slips</font>

Microsoft Corp. has once again shifted the schedule for the release of "Longhorn," the company's next major version of Windows, leaving some users up in the air about an upgrade path.

Microsoft executives from Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates on down have long described Longhorn as the Redmond, Wash., company's most revolutionary operating system to date. The product was originally expected to ship next year. Then in May of this year, officials pushed back the release date to 2005. But now executives are declining to say when they expect the software to ship.


Source: www.eweek.com

Price war looming over faster ADSL

<font size="3">Price war looming over faster ADSL </font>
UK ISPs are planning to offer 1Mbps high-speed broadband services for under £30 a month

Many UK Web users will soon be able to get a 1Mbps broadband connection for £30 a month or less. Several Internet service providers are gearing up to offer 1Mbps ADSL for no more than other ISPs are currently charging for a 512Kbps link.

Source: zdnet news

Broadband access affects property prices

<font size="3">Broadband runs like water </font>

Broadband is increasingly becoming regarded as a basic utility - such as gas, electricity and water - and could affect the value and take-up of commercial property developments.

What's more, broadband is no longer exclusive to office developments, but is being regarded as a key asset for retail and industrial premises, according to UK-based commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton.

Full story www.theregister.co.uk

New MCP Titles Highlight Exchange Expertise

<font size="3">New MCP Titles Highlight Exchange Expertise </font>
Microsoft adds two new specialist titles to its MCSA/MCSE tracks, follows up with some details on two new Exchange 2003-based exams.

Microsoft this morning announced new specialist titles, MCSA: Messaging and MCSE: Messaging, for the systems administrator and systems engineer certifications. The titles are aimed at certification candidates who seek a title that denotes skills in planning and administering a messaging system based on Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server and Exchange Server 2003, the company's newest messaging software system that will be officially released mid-October.

Full Story: mcpmag.com

Doh! Man steals GPS tracking device

<font size="3">Doh! Man steals GPS tracking device </font>

A 40 year-old Wisconsin man has put in a strong bid for the dumbest criminal of the year after he allegedly stole a GPS tracking device used to monitor criminals on probation.

AP reports that the $2,500 device, which has a built in GPS satellite receiver, was temporarily placed outside a home by a woman serving home detention.

Source:www.theregister.co.uk

New Office locks down documents

<font size="3">New Office locks down documents </font>

As digital media publishers scramble to devise a foolproof method of copy protection, Microsoft is ready to push digital rights management into a whole new arena--your desktop.
Office 2003, the upcoming update of the company's market-dominating productivity package, for the first time will include tools for restricting access to documents created with the software. Office workers can specify who can read or alter a spreadsheet, block it from copying or printing, and set an expiration date.

The technology is one of the first major steps in Microsoft's plan to popularize Windows Rights Management Services, a wide-ranging plan to make restricted access to information a standard part of business processes.

Analysts say it represents a badly needed new avenue for boosting sales of Microsoft's server software and an opportunity to lock out competitors,...

BT takes axe to business broadband prices

<font size="3">BT takes axe to business broadband prices </font>
With over half the UK's companies yet to embrace broadband, lower prices could tempt them on board

BT has cut the prices of its business broadband packages, in the hope of taking advantage of increased awareness of the benefits of a high-speed Internet connection.

From this week, BT Openworld's business ADSL services will cost up to £20 per month less than before -- a saving of £240 over a year.

Openworld's Business 500PLUS product, which provides a 512Kbps connection, now costs £65 per month, down from £79.99. Its Business 1000PLUS -- a 1Mbps service -- has dropped from £119.99 to £100 per month, while the 2Mbps Business 2000PLUS costs £130 per month, from £149.99.

These reductions will apply to existing customers, as well as new users.

We're cutting the cost of our broadband services to boost broadband take-up across the SME...

CD-Rs deliver degrading experience

<font size="3">CD-Rs deliver degrading experience</font>

Keeping data CDs in the dark for two years isn't a good idea. According to the Dutch magazine PC Active some CD-Rs degrade in months, even at room temperature without sunlight.

PC Active tested data disks from 30 manufacturers that were recorded 20 months ago. Several data CDs developed serious errors, or became virtually unreadable.

Source: www.theregister.co.uk

Microsoft Messenger upgrade boots unlicensed clients out

<font size="3">Microsoft Messenger upgrade boots unlicensed clients out</font>
So what about Trillian and Gaim?

A SIDE EFFECT of Microsoft's determined push to get people to upgrade its new version of Messenger is that from October 15th "unlicensed clients" will get the heave-ho.
We say it's a side effect. But we wonder if it's a dose of "you probably weren't expecting this" software licence stuff.

The Great Vole said that it's going to dump support for ancient forms of IM it's made and the reason it's giving is its Rustworthy Computing initiative.

According to W2K News, MSN Messenger 6.1 will beta test real soon now.

But, as the site points out, Microsoft is telling people that from October 15th it wants, needs, no demands a licence for third party messenging clients to connect to .NET. So where does that leave said clients? Queuing up to pay the Vole the modern equivalent of doubloons and...

Freeserve defiant after Dixons chooses AOL

<font size="3">Freeserve defiant after Dixons chooses AOL</font>
Dixons is to end a five-year-old promotional deal with Freeserve, as ISPs battle for new subscribers

Electrical retailer Dixons Group said on Monday it had abandoned its long-standing distribution agreement with Freeserve in favour of a deal with AOL, confirming weeks of speculation.

The move ends five years of history between Dixons and Freeserve and could have a substantial impact upon the UK's biggest Internet service provider's ability to acquire new customers.

Karen Thomson, chief executive of AOL UK, said in a statement: "We have already established an excellent working relationship with the Dixons team and believe that this agreement represents great value for AOL in terms of subscriber growth and brand awareness."

However, Freeserve said the agreement, under which Dixons promotes Freeserve's dial-up Internet service to...