05/01/2007

May 2007 - Show Yourself: VARs To Get Better Visibility Under Microsoft Program

In this issue: May's cover story looks at Microsoft's U.S. Partner Revenue Influence Program, which aims to better track the sales contributions of trusted advisors to Large Account Resellers. The issue also has stories on what Microsoft is trying to tell its partners about Dynamics, how to plan for disasters without losing your shirt, partner priorities for the next fiscal year, and more.


News

Microsoft Releases Host of 'Live' Betas

Microsoft Product Manager Nick White announced betas for Windows Live Messenger 8.5, Windows Live Mail, and Windows Live Writer.


Gates, Jobs Make Rare Joint Appearance

Legendary technology rivals Bill Gates and Steve Jobs made a rare joint appearance Wednesday and wasted no time making nice.


Vista Pre-Release Time Bomb Set To Explode

Warning to users of pre-release versions of Windows Vista: In two days, your operating system will self-destruct, like the cassette tape at the beginning of "Mission: Impossible."


SharePoint 2007 Earns Government Compliance Certification

Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 has received government certification for its ability to meet regulatory compliance standards.


Microsoft Cancels Its Flagship Developer Conference

The Professional Developers Conference, scheduled to take place from Oct. 2 to 5 in Los Angeles, has been canceled this year.


Microsoft Forges Security Alliance With Juniper Networks

Microsoft, Juniper work to integrate Network Access Protection and Unified Access Control


Microsoft Pushes Non-Security Security Update

Microsoft Corp.released a new security advisory. The good news is that it doesn't actually deal with a known exploit, worm, or virus. In other words, it doesn't technically deal with security at all.


Microsoft Office To Work With Chinese Counterpart

Microsoft, in its latest foray into the love/hate relationship with the open-source community, is extending the interoperability between a number of its products and the Chinese open document format.


Vietnam Agrees To Use Licensed Software Only

Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer witnessed the signing of an agreement Monday requiring all of Vietnam's government offices to use licensed computer software in a step to curb rampant piracy.


Microsoft Reorganizes

Microsoft is doing some reorganizing, including one of its largest and most profitable business units.


Microsoft Supports Rival Office Document Format

Microsoft is supporting a chief rival to its Office suite for approval to a national standards board.


Microsoft Unveils Windows Server Roadmap

Windows Server 2008 general availability is still months away, but Microsoft already has plans for a Windows Server 2008 R2 release in 2009.


New Web Site Opens Technology to Women, Minority-Owned Businesses

Women and minority-owned businesses have a new technical training partner: Biz Tech-Connect.


Gates Details Industry Support for Home Server, Unveils System Builder Edition

Bill Gates unveiled a system builder-focused version of the forthcoming Windows Home Server and detailed industry support for WHS.


VoIP, Conferencing Added to Office Communication Server 2007 Beta

Microsoft's unified communications picture is making one more push before seeing the light of day this summer in the form of deployable products.


It's Official: 'Longhorn' Is Now Windows Server 2008

Bill Gates confirmed that the next version of Windows Server, formerly code-named "Longhorn," will be called "Windows Server 2008."


First-Timers: Big Discount on First MCP, Dynamics Exam

If you're taking your first MCP or Microsoft Dynamics exam, you're eligible for a 40 percent discount on your very first exam.


Poll: 40 Percent of Companies Plan To Be on Vista Within a Year

While most corporations eventually intend to migrate, it could be a long process, and there are still significant concerns with Vista.


Microsoft Patches a Septet of Critical Flaws

Microsoft published seven new fixes for "critical" vulnerabilities in its Windows, Office, Exchange, Internet Explorer and BizTalk Server products.


Seven Critical Patches on Tap for Tuesday

All seven updates will address critical issues, Microsoft said. Redmond lumped the bulletins into several groups, two of which affect Windows.


Reports: Microsoft Pursuing Yahoo

Microsoft is said to be resuming its pursuit of search engine operator Yahoo, which will help it better compete with search leader Google.


BizTalk R2 Beta Released

BizTalk R2 represents a change in thinking about RFID, or radio frequency identification, says Microsoft product manager.


Microsoft Moves to the Forefront of Security

Formally announces availability of security suite for Microsoft clients


Company Concedes 'Excel' Name to Microsoft

A niche software company says it will rename one of its programs, admitting defeat in a three-year effort to win money from Microsoft Corp. after it claimed the name was too close to Excel.


Silverlight Will Include CLR, Support for Dynamic Languages

Capability will allow developers to program against Silverlight for both Windows and Mac environments using any .NET-supported languages


BioPassword: Authentication Approach Going from Low-Key to Keystone?

As keystroke dynamics-based authentication finally begins to gain market traction, one company is poised to make a successful run with it.


IAMCP Kicks Off 'Great Americas' Initiative

The International Association of Microsoft Certified Partners (IAMCP) has launched an ambitious effort to expand its presence in Latin America.


Sophos Goes 100 Percent Channel

Security vendor shelves the idea of selling from retail shelves.


Setting the U.S. Partner Stage for FY '08

Excerpts from a conversation with Microsoft's U.S. channel chief Robert Deshaies.


Gold Club List

AVICode, Kyocera among latest companies to achieve the gold standard.


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