In This Issue:
1. Editor's Note: Innovation In The Eye Of The Beholder?
2. Today's Top Story
    - Symantec Sends AntiVirus 2006 Into Beta
    Related Stories:
    - Sophos Is Latest Antivirus Vendor With Vulnerabilities
    - Opera Fixes Bugs In 8.02
    - Hackers Gather For Woodstock-Style Conference
    - PGP Inventor Works To Encrypt VoIP Calls
    - Investors Warned About Online Accounts
3. Breaking News
    - Tibco Offers RFID Middleware
    - Hollywood Studios Say 'Action!' To Digital Movie Standards
    - Intel Server Road Map Emphasizes Performance Per Watt ...
    - ... And, Despite Critics, Intel Says Itanium Chip Is Doing Just Fine
    - Stopping Mobile Assets From Running Amuck
    - Ballmer: Microsoft Poised To Compete In New Areas
    - Microsoft's Growth Strategy Includes Premium-Priced Windows And Office Versions
    - Teenagers Say IM's Cool, E-Mail's Square
    - Dell Seeks To Migrate Exchange Users
    - Mozilla Releases Preview Of Mobile-Phone Browser
    - Oracle Bigwigs: Discounting No Big Deal
    - CA To Shed 800 Employees As Profits Surge
    - For Sale: Iraq's Cell-Phone Franchises
4. In Depth: Reviews And Personal Technology
    - Installation Diaries: Wireless Range Extender
    - New USB Flash Drive Delivers 'Linux On A Stick'
    - Are Those Your Sunglasses I Hear Ringing?
    - Supercharged Pointing, Clicking, And Tapping
5. Voice Of Authority
    - Microsoft's Get-Out-Of-Jail Card
6. White Papers
    - Best Practices For Sales Management
7. Get More Out Of InformationWeek
8. Manage Your Newsletter Subscription

Thus far, early opinions are decidedly mixed. True, the first beta has landed, and Microsoft is touting the tabbed-browsing features of the new version of Internet Explorer, as well as Vista's improved security and other enhanced management features intended for IT users.

But some Microsoft partners are waiting until the second beta hits -- and that's due in November -- before they begin pitching it to customers. And our poll, as of now, anyway, has around 40% of the respondents saying they're not planning on installing Vista for at least two years after it becomes generally available. (That's 2008, for anyone who's counting.)

Michael Silver, Gartner's resident Microsoft expert, is advising most enterprises to skip testing the first beta version altogether, unless customers are planning on getting there from Windows 2000. In that case, the more testing the better, he says.

And so the questions remain: What's your tipping point? What makes you decide to go with a new operating system as opposed to remaining with the old?

I'm hoping you'll check out my blog and weigh in with your two cents (or even more) on this issue.

Johanna Ambrosio
jambrosio@cmp.com
www.informationweek.com

Related Stories:
Sophos Is Latest Antivirus Vendor With Vulnerabilities
A bug in Sophos' antivirus software can be exploited by attackers to gain complete control of a compromised computer, the bug tracker firm Secunia said on Thursday.

Opera Fixes Bugs In 8.02
Opera Software on Thursday updated its Windows browser to patch three security vulnerabilities.

Hackers Gather For Woodstock-Style Conference
The security discussions are serious, though the confab's organizers aren't taking themselves too seriously. In a nod to the times, there's even a search-your-own-baggage checkpoint.

PGP Inventor Works To Encrypt VoIP Calls
Phil Zimmerman, the man who invented the Pretty Good Privacy program for E-mail, is now working on a way of encrypting VoIP.

Investors Warned About Online Accounts
The National Association of Securities Dealers on Thursday warned investors against using public Wi-Fi connections for accessing online accounts, saying that they pose additional risks of confidential information being stolen by cybercriminals.

Hollywood Studios Say 'Action!' To Digital Movie Standards
The standards are designed to help theater projector and equipment manufacturers create compatible digital cinema devices in the United States.

Intel Server Road Map Emphasizes Performance Per Watt ...
The chipmaker unveils a server microprocessor road map and a new naming nomenclature that divides its portfolio into three distinct performance strata.

... And, Despite Critics, Intel Says Itanium Chip Is Doing Just Fine
Shipments of the Itanium 2 processor grew 170% from the first quarter of 2004 to the first quarter of 2005.

Stopping Mobile Assets From Running Amuck
Sprint's Mobile Business Assessment service includes analysis of existing mobile equipment and security procedures, software audits, and access and policy evaluations.

Ballmer: Microsoft Poised To Compete In New Areas
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, speaking at the company's meeting with financial analysts on Thursday, said the software company is poised to compete in areas such as search and music delivery over the Internet.

Microsoft's Growth Strategy Includes Premium-Priced Windows And Office Versions
Microsoft's new triumvirate -- Gates, Ballmer, and Ozzie -- lay out a growth strategy that includes selling premium-priced Office and Windows, making more acquisitions, and selling software-as-a-service.

Teenagers Say IM's Cool, E-Mail's Square
Teens use IM to communicate with each other, and E-mail to communicate with large groups and adults, according to a Pew study.

Dell Seeks To Migrate Exchange Users
Dell on Thursday debuted a turnkey package of hardware, software, and services for enterprises that want to leave Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 before the aging mail server exits support at the end of the year.

Mozilla Releases Preview Of Mobile-Phone Browser
The Mozilla Foundation has released a technology preview of a mobile-phone browser that uses the same code base--and offers many of the same features--as the popular desktop Firefox browser.

Oracle Bigwigs: Discounting No Big Deal
Oracle spent more than $10 billion big ones for a hunk of the apps business, but it's unclear whether it will ever be as lucrative as its bread-and-butter databases.

CA To Shed 800 Employees As Profits Surge
Even though it reported good financial results for the quarter, Computer Associates said it is laying off 5% of its workforce to help reduce costs.

For Sale: Iraq's Cell-Phone Franchises
The contracts are lucrative but hazardous: Employees at the three existing Iraq cell phone operations have been kidnapped, and U.S. military forces have had to jam service to prevent insurgent cell phones from detonating bombs.

-More News-

The News Show's John Soat has his usual offbeat take on the latest IT headlines. Watch The News Show

In Thursday's episode:

John Soat and Scot Finnie On Windows Vista Fever

Chris Murphy On Students And I.T.

John Soat On GM And Sun

Eric Chabrow On Silicon Valley Inc

New USB Flash Drive Delivers 'Linux On A Stick'
The $149 USB 2.0 device also sports OpenOffice.org, Firefox, and other essential desktop apps.

Are Those Your Sunglasses I Hear Ringing?
Motorola and Oakley have developed a combination sunglasses/cell-phone headset product line that offers another option for hands-free gabbing while driving.

Supercharged Pointing, Clicking, And Tapping
Still using that old-and-busted keyboard and mouse? Check out the new hotness: aworld of innovative input devices.

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