Microsoft

US Army goes with Macs for security

Seems that the US government is finally taking security seriously and choosing Macs. Regardless of the alternative (non-Windows) platform there is an inherent lack of security in a homogenous Windows environment.

The Army's push to use Macs to help protect its computing corps got its start in August 2005, when General Steve Boutelle, the Army's chief information officer, gave a speech calling for more diversity in the Army's computer vendors. He argued the approach would both increase competition among military contractors and strengthen its IT defenses.

I would still ask why the government wouldn't just create … Read more

Microsoft quietly combines TV efforts

Microsoft has quietly folded its Internet Protocol television, Media Center, and HD DVD efforts into a single organization, known as the Connected TV business group.

The unit, which is part of Robbie Bach's Entertainment and Devices division, is headed by Enrique Rodriguez, the VP (and former WebTV developer) who has been heading the IPTV effort. Peter Barrett, who was CTO of the IPTV unit, takes on that role for the unit.

The move, which took place in October, paves the way for the different technologies, all centered around the television, to work more closely together.

On the IPTV front, … Read more

Ad for Microsoft's Sync pretty funny

Microsoft's product marketing tends to be fairly dull. Even inside the company, its methods for naming, marketing, and packaging have been the subject of scorn and derision.

So, that makes this commercial for its Sync in-car entertainment system all the more noteworthy.

The company illustrates the power of the system's voice controls, by showing what happens when you take those commands beyond the car.

It's a good approach to explaining a whole new type of technology--something that is often tough--just ask TiVo.

What do you think? Does it make you want to get the system, or does … Read more

Microsoft, Viacom ink $500 million ad deal

As part of a wide-ranging deal announced Wednesday, Microsoft has licensed TV and movie content from Viacom, which in turn will let Redmond serve up ads on its U.S. Web sites.

The arrangement means that Viacom will use Microsoft's Atlas technology to deliver ads to those sites. Microsoft acquired Atlas as part of its $6 billion Aquantive purchase. Additionally, Microsoft will have the exclusive right to market Viacom's unsold display advertising space.

Microsoft, meanwhile, will be able to put shows from MTV and Comedy Central and movies from Paramount Pictures onto various products, such as MSN and … Read more

Novell+Microsoft BFF Site

This month's Novell Linux Newsletter included a link to the Suse Team Blog which lists 40+ customers who "have decided to take advantage of the many benefits that the (MS/Novell) agreement brings to the table." And who knew that there was a whole site dedicated to the lovefest? (Hint: Not me.)

Unfortunately, the site, moreinterop.com appears to be down at the moment...probably running IIS :>

It's been a whole year since the ground-breaking Novell-Microsoft Collaboration Agreement was signed and announced. The one-stop shop for official info is here: http://www.moreinterop.com So … Read more

15 Biggest Tech Disappointments of 2007 (PC World)

I suppose the real question on Vista is if it's better than XP? So far, the verdict is a resounding no according to PC World which gave Vista the #1 sucker spot.

It's just that Vista isn't all that good. Many of the innovations the operating system was supposed to bring--like more efficient file and communications systems--got tossed overboard as Microsoft struggled to get the OS out the door, some three years after it was first promised. Despite its hefty hardware requirements, Vista is slower than XP.

MS Office and the Zune are also on the list … Read more

Beyond Binary Bits - Dec. 17, 2007

For those looking to get back into the swing of things, here are some interesting links from today and over the weekend. The 15 biggest tech disappointments of 2007--PC World lists the top tech letdowns of the year and, not surprisingly Vista tops the list. Zune was No. 11 and Office 2007 was No. 9. Ouch! If it makes Redmond feel any better. Apple's Leopard came in at No. 8.

Google gets ready to rumble with Microsoft--Another in-depth look at the battle between the two software giants. It's a good read with some revealing anecdotes about … Read more

Opera chairman a longtime Microsoft critic

Opera's antitrust complaint against Microsoft may be new, but Chairman William Raduchel has been a critic of Microsoft's tactics for some time.

Raduchel was in a top strategy role at Sun Microsystems back in the late 1990s, when that company filed its antitrust suit against Microsoft. And he had some choice things to say about Microsoft at the time, according to quotes rediscovered by Todd Bishop over at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

In a 1999 book, High Noon, Raduchel is said to have likened Bill Gates to John Rockefeller, saying each had a sense that they had a "… Read more

Bits from Beyond Binary--Dec. 13, 2007

Activision sued over 'Guitar Hero' for Wii--Suit follows admission by Activision that the Wii version of Guitar Hero III was outputting mono, rather than the advertised stereo sound. Office 2007 SP1 autoinstalls confuse Vista, XP users--While most users won't get the Office service pack automatically for some time, beta testers of Vista Service Pack 1 are having the update pushed automatically. Microsoft's Ministry of Truth--Blogger Long Zheng noted last week that Microsoft is hiring for a Director of Windows Client Disclosure, a position designed to making sure there are "zero surprises," when it … Read more

My first "you are an idiot for that blog post" phone call!

After an especially difficult morning, I was welcomed to the office with a delightful voicemail from my new pal Jon Prall. Jon took offense to the fact that I think that MS Exchange should die and that Google is taking over the planet. Being that it was my first experience with this blog bearing human communication I did the obvious thing and called him back. At first he didn't want to tell me who it was until I said that I don't deal with anonymous comments (plus I had his phone number :>)

Jon was concerned that I, … Read more