Microsoft Archive

MS-DOS 4.0: The Next-Gen DOS That Never Shipped

Eugenia Loli 2004-03-23 Microsoft 62 Comments

Most people don’t know about Microsoft's other multitasking operating system, MS-DOS 4.0 which was actually a version of MS-DOS 2.0 that was written in parallel with MS-DOS 3.x (DOS 3.x shipped while DOS 4 was under development, which is why it skipped a version). The MS-DOS 4 version described here was never shipped and instead a beefed-up version of 3.x was labeled 4.0 and shipped instead.

EU planning massive fine against Microsoft

Eugenia Loli 2004-03-23 Microsoft 35 Comments

With last week's failure to agree on a settlement, the European Union is set to rule in the Microsoft antitrust case Wednesday. It's likely to impose a massive fine and demand concessions from the software maker. European regulators plan to levy a record fine of more than $600 million against Microsoft as part of a strongly worded rebuke of the company's business practices.

More troubles await Microsoft in Europe

Eugenia Loli 2004-03-22 Microsoft 39 Comments

While the European Commission this week goes through the final steps to conclude its five-year case against Microsoft, the company's legal problems in Europe are far from over and appear to be accelerating, antitrust lawyers and officials said.

Windows XP variant is embedded in EU probe

Eugenia Loli 2004-03-20 Microsoft 20 Comments

Microsoft software designed for, of all things, cash registers and slot machines played a persuasive role in the European Union's landmark antitrust case labeling it an abusive monopolist.

EU, Microsoft Fail to Agree on Deal

Eugenia Loli 2004-03-18 Microsoft 59 Comments

Microsoft's last-ditch talks aimed at reaching a settlement with the European Union and avoiding antitrust action have failed, paving the way for a landmark legal ruling next week.

Microsoft Salutes Open Source – Cautiously

Eugenia Loli 2004-03-18 Microsoft 23 Comments

Microsoft recognises the benefits of open source but is not prepared to turn over its Windows operating system to the paradigm. Instead, Microsoft provides access to source code on a limited basis, said a Microsoft representative.

Microsoft Details Enterprise Software Management Initiative

Submitted by Tudy Parghel 2004-03-16 Microsoft 7 Comments

Microsoft Corp. executives on Tuesday spent a lot of time talking up the Dynamic Systems Initiative (DSI), which is the company's vision and technology roadmap for reducing the cost of managing and securing enterprise systems. Elsewhere, Microsoft exec says that open source model endangers the software economy.

A Plea for Relief from Microsoft’s Escalating Anti-Competitive Tactics

Submitted by Dave 2004-03-12 Microsoft 90 Comments

David Mohring has written an open letter to antitrust, competition, consumer and trade practice monitoring agency officials worldwide, asking for relief from Microsoft's anti-competitive tactics.

Yukon, Whidbey Releases Slip Yet Again

Eugenia Loli 2004-03-11 Microsoft 17 Comments

The wait for the long-awaited Yukon and Whidbey is going to be longer still, eWEEK.com has learned. 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.

Windows Could Lose Media Player in EU Tangle

Submitted by danjr 2004-03-08 Microsoft 86 Comments

If Microsoft cannot settle an antitrust case brought by European Union regulators, the company may be ordered to remove Windows Media Player as an integrated feature of the dominant Windows operating system, at least for personal computers sold in Europe.

Interview: Martin Taylor, Microsoft’s Manager for Platform Strategies

Submitted by Rodrigo 2004-03-02 Microsoft 32 Comments

Microsoft's general manager of platform strategies describes plans to compete with Linux, including segmenting the market into small, medium and large businesses. Taylor also defends the security and innovation of the proprietary development process against open source critics.

Europe may tell Microsoft to split software

Eugenia Loli 2004-02-25 Microsoft 52 Comments

European antitrust regulators are considering a requirement that Microsoft sell two versions of Windows in Europe--one with the music- and video-playing software stripped out--should they find the company to be an abusive monopoly, according to people close to the case.

Microsoft places bet on Whitehorse

Eugenia Loli 2004-02-24 Microsoft 3 Comments

Microsoft this year will seek to distance itself from Java rivals with tools designed to streamline how Windows-based business software is built and used.

Microsoft Creates Stir in Work with U.N.

Eugenia Loli 2004-02-23 Microsoft 12 Comments

Microsoft 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 United Nations business standards group.

Microsoft Research Ready with Aura

Eugenia Loli 2004-02-14 Microsoft 5 Comments

Microsoft's Research organization is preparing to publicly release in a few weeks the client application for its Aura research project, a researcher told attendees of the O'Reilly Emerging Technology Conference. Research Sociologist Marc Smith, demonstrating Aura during his keynote presentation, explained that the project uses mobile devices to interact with physical objects to retrieve information about them from the Internet as well as to automatically capture and annotate data from them.

How Microsoft Develops and Releases Software Patches

Eugenia Loli 2004-02-12 Microsoft 11 Comments

"When we launched our first security newsletter in December, I asked you to send me your comments and feedback so that I could be your advocate at Microsoft for security issues—and you delivered! I appreciate the many e-mail messages with comments and questions, and we will begin answering them this month." Read the rest here by Jeffrey R. Jones, Senior Director, Microsoft Security Business Unit.

Can Microsoft deliver on CRM?

Eugenia Loli 2004-02-11 Microsoft 5 Comments

Microsoft’s newly discovered desire to become the CRM software supplier of choice for SMEs has, let’s face it, been greeted with more than a hint of skepticism.

Microsoft picks new fight with Linux, IBM

Eugenia Loli 2004-02-04 Microsoft 42 Comments

Microsoft is moving to a new phase in its competitive attack, arguing that the company is better than IBM and Linux when it comes to connecting different applications.

Microsoft’s New Genetic Code

Eugenia Loli 2004-02-03 Microsoft 7 Comments

"When you think about enterprise systems management, companies like Computer Associates, Hewlett-Packard and IBM come to mind. They offer comprehensive suites for monitoring and managing the behavior of the broad array of IT components that keep an enterprise afloat. You don't necessarily consider Microsoft in the same vein, but with its characteristic resolve, the company is attempting to make comprehensive systems management part of the genetic material of Windows." Read the article at ZDNet.

Microsoft’s Longhorn Platform Promises to Remove Middleware

Eugenia Loli 2004-01-30 Microsoft 15 Comments

Microsoft’s chief software architect Bill Gates took centre stage at last week’s software developer day in London in a bid to convince UK software developers to stick with Microsoft’s roadmap, even though Longhorn, its next generation operating system, is two to three years away.