microsoft

The UK takes the "special relationship" too far with Microsoft

Glyn Moody points out a range of activities in the United Kingdom that have the government getting a bit too close for comfort with Microsoft. The UK has long had a "special relationship" with the United States, but come on. This goes too far. Especially since Microsoft hardly represents the US. At least, not what's best about the US.

Microsoft has long been working feverishly to lock up the UK as a Windows stranglehold. (Remember this deal from 2004?) But surely at some point the UK should start its own IT revolutionary war? That is, declare its … Read more

Dear Microsoft: "We're not your slaves"

I've written before about how proprietary software pits vendors against customers, making enemies of two groups that should be fast friends. But what I've failed to cover is how proprietary software pits vendors against their partners, and equally unnecessarily.

This is particularly true in Microsoft's case, where Microsoft is reportedly using its partners to police license infractions, infractions which are increasingly difficult to avoid, even for those who want to, as CRN reports:… Read more

iPod to Zune: Heads, I win; tails, you lose

With the new iPod announcement looming on the horizon, there really couldn't be a worse time for the Zune to be unveiled. The folks over at Gizmodo got their mitts on a what could potentially be marketing material showcasing a new line of flash-based and hard-drive-based Zune players (see photo). Whether the photo is accurate or not, the next question (especially in the light of incoming iPods) is a resounding "So what?"

Could it be an Flash player with Wi-Fi and integrated wireless music downloads? If it is, I saw it already when it was called the … Read more

Microsoft antitrust deal earns mixed grades

Editor's note: This blog was updated at 12:40 p.m. PDT with additional information from the Department of Justice filing and a link to Microsoft's report.

With most of Microsoft's antitrust settlement with the government poised to expire this November, federal and state prosecutors overseeing the Windows giant's compliance were divided Thursday on the deal's past and future effectiveness.

One one hand, attorneys for the U.S. Department of Justice and a posse of state plaintiffs known as the "New York group," which also includes Maryland, Wisconsin, Ohio and Louisiana, proclaimed the 2002 consent decree with the Bush administration … Read more

Does Microsoft not trust in its value?

OK, there are lots of good reasons for Microsoft pulling down the AutoPatcher service. AutoPatcher has been running for four years as an alternative to Windows Update:

[AutoPatcher provides] an up-to-date collection of security patches and tweaks in a single file for each supported version of Windows. Sys admins could save time and bandwidth by updating machines from a single file obtained from the service rather than downloading everything for Windows Update.

Microsoft's reason for shutting it down?… Read more

More on the Novell earnings

I put a quick post up yesterday noting Novell's improved earnings last quarter, and wanted to follow it up with Jason Maynard's (Credit Suisse) more studied analysis. Net net: the company seems to have stabilized but the long-term benefits from selling out to Microsoft aren't going to sell.

Q3 results came in above our estimates and consensus due to higher professional services fees as well as improved expense controls. Despite the outperformance, the company did not change its revenue and earnings goals for F2007, but management did indicate they expect to exceed its operating income target range of $0-10M.… Read more

Vista SP1: Small things come in big packages

Microsoft's planned Vista Service Pack 1 may not be adding many features, but it sure does take up a lot of space.

Based on current test versions, the operating system update will be a 1GB file when uncompressed. By way of comparison, Windows XP--the whole thing--shipped on a CD, which only holds about three quarters of a gigabyte. On the plus side, systems that already have the latest Vista patches can be brought up to the Service Pack 1 level with only a 50MB compressed file through Microsoft's online Windows Update utility.

Also notable, installing the OS will … Read more

Microsoft's WGA: it's only human(s)

As Mary Jo reports, Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) service outage was caused by human error. How comforting. Now if we could just get rid of those pesky humans, SaaS outages would be nonexistent. :-)

Free Software Foundation to Microsoft: You are not above the law

Microsoft may wish that it were above the law, but the Free Software Foundation has issued a press release calling Microsoft to repentance for its efforts to deny GPLv3's hold on it.

We do not...agree with Microsoft's characterization of the situation involving GPLv3. Microsoft cannot by any act of anticipatory repudiation divest itself of its obligation to respect others' copyrights. If Microsoft distributes our works licensed under GPLv3, or pays others to distribute them on its behalf, it is bound to do so under the terms of that license. It may not do so under any other terms; it cannot declare itself exempt from the requirements of GPLv3.… Read more

Adobe: No DNG turf war with JPEG XR

Update 5:15 p.m. PDT Friday: Adobe requested minor adjustments to quotations, and I obliged.

Adobe Systems' Digital Negative (DNG) format isn't a competitor to JPEG XR, a format Microsoft created as a higher-end replacement for conventional JPEG, an Adobe executive has predicted.

"I wouldn't label the two formats as competitive," said Tom Hogarty, product manager for Photoshop Lightroom, in an e-mail interview. He believes that not only is the case now, but more significantly, will be the case in the future as well.

DNG is Adobe's attempt to standardize the profusion of proprietary &… Read more