Problems continue to pile up for Microsoft as it tries to push
out the latest versions of its major products, Windows and Office.
Microsoft said earlier this week that it won't ship Windows Vista in time for the winter
holiday season.
Meanwhile, Office has its own problems. For years, users have
complained that Office is too bloated, and now Microsoft is
reacting to those complaints by piling on new features that will
likely be appealing to only a subset of users.
Of the two packages, Vista faces the most problems. Vista has
been delayed many times. The current delay may
not seem like much of a big deal (what's a couple of months for
software that'll have a lifespan of several years?), but it means
Microsoft and its partners will miss pulling in revenues for
Vista during the lucrative holiday season.
And that's not the only problem. My colleague, Scot Finnie, pointed out some problems with the Vista
delays that I hadn't anticipated. For one thing, "Businesses,
which are unlikely to buy the operating system in big numbers
before 2008, get Vista this November, while consumers who tend to
buy new PCs at holiday time won't see it until January 2007," he
notes.
Also, there are six different versions of Vista planned, and
that's kind of confusing. Microsoft still hasn't given details on
the features of each version of Windows, but retailers and IT
managers need that information well in advance of shipment to
make business plans.
Similarly, Microsoft still hasn't put out official word on the
hardware configuration required to run Vista, making it harder
for IT managers, consumers, and retailers to certify systems as
Vista-ready.
The situation with regard to Office is less grim. Bill Gates
himself is touting Office 2007. He sat down for an interview with
InformationWeek recently and described Office 2007's new features.
Office 2007 does indeed have a lot that will make it compelling
for business users. It's strongly focused on collaboration, with
a server-based version of Excel and beefed-up SharePoint.
To read more about Microsoft's problems with Vista and Office, visit the InformationWeek Weblog. You can leave a comment there letting us know what
you think about the future prospects for Vista and Office.
Mitch Wagner
[email protected]
www.informationweek.com
2. Today's Top Story
Laptop Loaded With HP Employee Data Stolen From Fidelity
The loss of sensitive personal data could affect as many as
196,000 Hewlett-Packard employees and Fidelity clients.
3. Breaking News
Vista Delays And Multiple Versions: Cut Through The Confusion
Scot Finnie installed four of Vista's six versions and tells you
what's in them, what hardware you need to run them, and what to
think about Microsoft bumping consumer Vista to 2007.
Vista Setback Timeline
The recently announced delay of Windows Vista to January 2007 is
the latest in a series of setbacks. Here's a look back at some of
Vista's stumbles and scrapes.
It's Official: Microsoft's Sinofsky Does Windows
Steve Sinofsky is officially taking on Windows development as part
of a major reshuffling of Microsoft's Platform & Services Division.
Analysis: An Upside To The Vista Delay?
Microsoft's decision to delay Vista's release until January may have
the beneficial effect of producing a more secure, stable product.
Dell To Buy Alienware In Gaming Computer Expansion
The purchase, part of Dell's push into the lucrative computer
gaming market, could help the No. 1 PC maker boost profits.
Dell's Alienware Acquisition Start Of AMD Relationship: Analyst
The deal gives Dell access to a highly skilled design team that's
familiar with AMD chips.
Second Bug In A Week Smacks At IE
By exploiting the zero-day bug, hackers could either get Internet
Explorer to run malicious code remotely, or crash the browser.
Microsoft has promised a fix.
Four New RealPlayer Bugs Squashed
RealNetworks on Wednesday disclosed four critical bugs in a large
number of its media products, then rolled out new, patched
versions for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
Spitzer Alleges Firm Fraudulently Sold Personal Data From Millions
New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is suing a company for
allegedly selling the personal information of millions of
consumers, despite "explicit" promises to the contrary.
The H-1B Visa Race Starts Soon; Will Congress Raise The Cap?
The feds will begin accepting petitions for H-1B workers on April
1st. But the visas will run out fast because current laws allow
only 65,000 H-1Bs to be issued each year.
Apple Battles French Effort To Open iTunes
The company will likely just leave the French market if a bill to
open iTunes is signed into law, one analyst says.
PayPal To Offer Paying By Text Message
The move by PayPal, an eBay unit, marks a big step in bridging
E-commerce and the physical world of brick-and-mortar stores by
giving consumers a pay-as-you-go option via phones, analysts say.
Online Help-Wanted Ads Fell 8% In February: Report
The Conference Board said its measure of online job ad volume
slipped to 1.99 million last month from 2.16 million in January.
Microsoft Strengthens Industry Focus
A new online directory lets customers search through over 5,000
third-party products by industry, geography, or Microsoft product.
'Skype Killer' Products To Do Battle In Marketplace
There's a new breed of so-called "Skype-killer" products
filtering into the marketplace. They aim to help overworked IT
shops get a grip on the popular P2P application.
Microsoft To Relaunch MSN Spaces Under Windows Live
The company said it would unveil the new version in the summer
and also posted a help-wanted ad. Microsoft is looking for
developers in Ajax and DHTML.
All Our Latest News
Watch The News Show
In the current episode:
John Soat With 'Small World'
The government starts accepting H1-B visa applications April 1st,
phishing E-mail virus targets baking information, Apple says au
revoir to France, and China ramps up solar power.
Aaron Ricadela With 'Microsoft Takes On Web 2.0'
Learn how Microsoft customers are exploiting the Web.
KC Jones With 'I Am Craig'
An interview with Craigslist.org founder Craig Newmark poses the
question, does he think he's putting newspapers out of business?
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4. Grab Bag: News You Need From Around The Web
Hollywood Takes New Tack Against Film Piracy (International
Herald Tribune)
Hollywood studios, seeking a way to foil piracy and looking
toward life beyond the DVD, are turning Europe into a proving
ground for new methods of digital movie distribution. Within
several weeks, new services from Universal Pictures and Warner
Brothers will offer Internet movie downloads at the same time that
major blockbusters enter retail stores in DVD form, marking the
first time studios will make "virtual" movies available so quickly.
Let Computers Screen Air Baggage (Wired News)
It's no surprise airport screeners let knives, guns, and bomb
components slip through--humans just aren't well-suited for the
job. That's why better technology is needed at the metal
detectors. Commentary by Bruce Schneier.
Macheads, Just Say No To Windows (BusinessWeek)
Tech journalist Arik Hesseldahl says running Windows on Mac Intel
hardware means users can now run an inferior operating system on
a more expensive machine--getting the worst of the Windows and
Mac worlds.
5. In Depth
Review: Gcast Podcasting Service
Want to be a radio star? Gcast offers beginners the chance to try
out basic podcasting for free.
The Tale Of The Tube
Today's Internet is no match for television. Major improvements
in technology are needed for the Web to provide programming that
matches the quality received today over cable or satellite, not
to mention the high-definition TV expected in the near future.
Faxes: The Achilles' Heel In Your Compliance Armor
Despite the many intricate and hardened systems that are put in
place to secure electronic documents and verify the accuracy of
their contents, there's a gaping vulnerability in almost every
system: the fax machine.
Review: DataTraveler Elite--Privacy Edition
Kingston's latest USB flash drive offers security-conscious
travelers a way to keep sensitive data away from prying eyes.
Siemens Is Ringing: Dare You Answer?
Siemens' new P2P VoIP system will be easy to deploy. Businesses
should wonder whether it will be just as easy to hack.
6. Voice Of Authority
Vista Delay: Subtle Warnings Were There
John Foley says: Many people were surprised when Microsoft
revealed yesterday that its much anticipated Windows Vista
operating system would be delayed until January, missing the
critical end-of-year shopping season. Surprised Microsoft had
given no indication that Vista might miss its deadline? You
wouldn't be if you listened very closely.
7. White Papers
Train To Ingrain: Technology To Permanently Improve Leader
Performance And Business Results
Based on how skills are formed in the brain, TRAIN-TO-INGRAIN is
a five-phase, reinforcement-intensive systems approach to
leadership development that permanently changes behavior.
Managers play a key role in the Learning Triangle (trainer,
learner, and the learners' direct manager) to achieve human
performance improvement.
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