microsoft

Why do we build such complex, ugly things?

I'm not talking about open source here, though open source is as guilty in this as any other software. Indeed, sometimes more so (e.g., developers writing code for other developers). I'm talking about all of the software world, and particularly enterprise software, though not exclusively so.

I started thinking about this during lunch with my grandmother on Thursday. We were talking about ways she could communicate with my parents down in Argentina (Skype, iChat, etc.) and she said:

I can hardly use a computer anymore. It's constantly changing. I'm just too dumb to use it.

Of course, that self-deprecation is probably exactly what the digerati would encourage, but the truth is, it's not my grandmother's fault. It's the software world's fault, largely building tools for itself that only "the elect" outside Silicon Valley can comprehend.… Read more

Report: Yahoo, Microsoft to reveal Web search privacy policies

The Financial Times is reporting that Yahoo and Microsoft will update their privacy polices within the next few weeks and publicly reveal how long they plan to keep data on consumer Web searches.

The action was prompted by the work of a group called the Article 29 Working Party, which advises the European Union on privacy policy and has also been in discussions with Google, the article says.

Google's proposed $3.1 billion purchase of online ad firm DoubleClick is being scrutinized by the European Commission following complaints from consumer and privacy groups there and in the U.S. … Read more

Microsoft to 'Bring it Home' again at E3 '07

During last year's E3, Microsoft allowed Xbox 360 owners to download exclusive content from the show as a part of "Bringing it Home"--a campaign designed to get gamers as close as possible to E3 without actually being there. A great deal of buzz was generated from the huge Lost Planet demo that allowed gamers to play two near-finished levels of the game.

Sticking with what works, Microsoft has wisely decided to continue offering E3 content from this year's expo in the form of downloadable goodies. The Gamerscore Blog reports that beginning July 10 and running … Read more

Microsoft: In case you thought we had a clue on open source, surprise! We don't!

This post by Microsoft (disclaiming its need to adhere to GPLv3) has me depressed. Not because of what it portends for open source, but because of how dumb it makes the company look, as Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet points out. Not to mention that it makes Novell look really dumb for trusting Microsoft to play nicely. (But then, that foolishness was never in doubt.)

Still, Novell has just released this response to Microsoft's position:

Shortly after the GPLv3 license was released, Microsoft issued a statement in which they expressed their view that Microsoft is not a party to the GPLv3 and it is therefore not applicable to them. Yesterday, they also articulated that, "to avoid any doubt or legal debate on this issue, Microsoft has decided that the Novell support certificates that we distribute to customers will not entitle the recipient to receive from Novell, or any other party, any subscription for support and updates that includes the receipt of any code licensed under GPLv3."

Microsoft's current position, taken unilaterally, is intended to eliminate any perceived ambiguity about the applicability of GPLv3 to Microsoft. Nonetheless and independent of Microsoft's position, we would like to make clear our commitment to our customers that Novell will continue to distribute SUSE Linux Enterprise Server with its full set of functionality and features, including those components that are licensed under GPLv3.

In other words, we'll carry the water for Microsoft since they really have turned out to be a terrible Linux partner. Who knew?

PJ at Groklaw rightly castigates Microsoft for backing out of its commitment. Stephe Walli goes one step further, chastising Microsoft for foolishly backing out of an entire future (which might well be perfectly rosy for Microsoft):… Read more

Web tuning in to Microsoft's LiveStation plan

Microsoft is getting renewed attention this week for LiveStation, an Internet video site co-developed by its research arm and Skinkers, a British start-up.

The project, which uses Microsoft's Silverlight technology, was announced back in April and is still in limited testing. It has gotten a flurry of blog mentions this week, being dubbed a "Joost killer," among other things.

LiveStation uses peer-to-peer technology to allow live video to be more effectively broadcast over the Internet. A video demo of LiveStation is posted to Microsoft's Soapbox site. In the video, Skinkers CEO Matteo Berlucchi says that the … Read more

Xbox 360 shipments fail to reach target

Microsoft acknowledged on Thursday that, in addition to experiencing an unacceptably high rate of hardware failures with the Xbox 360, the game console has also failed to reach its sales target.

The company had said it would sell 12 million of the consoles by June 30. Instead, it has shipped a total of 11.6 million units, Chief Financial Officer Chris Liddell said on a conference call

"That is slightly shy" of its projections, Liddell said, but added "we're happy with that number."

Earlier Thursday, Microsoft said it was extending the warranty on the console … Read more

Microsoft to expand Xbox 360 warranty

Microsoft said on Thursday that it will expand its warranty on the Xbox to three years for certain hardware failures after an investigation showed the game console can be vulnerable to problems.

"As a result of what Microsoft views as an unacceptable number of repairs to Xbox 360 consoles, the company conducted extensive investigations into potential sources of general hardware failures," Microsoft said in a statement. "Having identified a number of factors which can cause general hardware failures indicated by three red flashing lights on the console, Microsoft has made improvements to the console and is enhancing … Read more

Samsung store in Europe

When Microsoft released its Zune player-store-software combination, it effectively drove a stake into the heart of PlaysForSure, the company's logo program that identifies Windows Media-based online stores and the players that work with those stores. Sure, Microsoft still claims that it's equally committed to both initiatives, but PlaysForSure partners have a right to be concerned that their technology partner is competing directly against them.

Samsung was one of Microsoft's most steadfast digital media partners: it released one of the earliest Portable Media Centers (portable audio-video devices based on Windows Mobile software, which beat the video iPod to … Read more

Microsoft announces six patches coming in July

As part of its July 2007 Patch Tuesday, Microsoft will patch at least six vulnerabilities. Three of the patches are deemed "critical" by Microsoft and affect software for Excel, Windows, and .Net Framework. Two are deemed "important" and affect software for Publisher and Windows XP. One is deemed "moderate" and affects Windows Vista. Details will be released on Tuesday, July 10, 2007.

Microsoft: Please let us tax you, Red Hat! Please? Pretty please?!?

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from [Steve Ballmer-ustus] that all the world should be taxed.

Some capitulated but some, like Red Hat, continue to resist, as eWeek notes. The sad thing is how foolishly consistent Microsoft is on this patent thing. And confused as to what open source means.

Here are just three points that Microsoft is making clear, which are completely wrong (on a number of different levels):

Microsoft wants to suggest that all open source infringes its patents, but this is like saying all proprietary software does, too, just because a few companies might. Bob Muglia, SVP of Server and Tools at Microsoft, says: