Microsoft News Tracker

Mary Jo Foley explains and AppleInsider (naturally) has the screenshot and the details.

Update Nov. 15: This isn’t particularly important in the larger scheme of things and I’m sure that Microsoft will have an updated version of the Zune software available shortly. It’s just that after spending a number of years being persistently lobbied by Microsoft to roll out product support for their latest operating system ASAP (and sometimes even for beta versions thereof), I find it rather amusing that they would be caught in this way. Maybe the Zune folks should have been signed up for Microsoft’s Technology Adoption Program (TAP)? Oh wait, the name has been changed to Technical Adoption Program.

I’ve already mentioned the Forefront announcements, but Microsoft had quite a bit more to reveal today at their Tech Ed IT Forum 2006 in Barcelona:

• Windows PowerShell 1.0 Released: It was formerly known as MONAD and is a scripting tool designed for system administrators that will be integrated and included with Microsoft server products and and the upcoming Longhorn server operating system. The free download is here.
• Speaking of which, the Longhorn Server roadmap was updated: there will be a Beta 3 due in 1H2007. Also, a release candidate of Windows Server 2003 SP2 was made available to the Customer Preview Program. The last we had heard was that SP2 release wasn’t going to make 2007, and that still seems to be the case.
• Also several server products announced special Vista support, including System Center Operations Manager 2007, which will be available in the first quarter of 2007.
• Visual Studio Team Edition for Database Professionals will be released to manufacturing on Nov. 30. Info here.

Last and perhaps least, Microsoft led a mixed bag of software vendors in forming the Interop Vendor Alliance:

Today at Microsoft Tech Ed: IT Forum 2006, Microsoft Corp. announced the formation of the Interop Vendor Alliance, a global, cross-industry group of software and hardware vendors that will work together to identify opportunities for enhancing interoperability with Microsoft systems on behalf of their customers.

Notable among the founding members are BEA, Novell, Sun and AMD, but not Intel, although why AMD signed up is a bit of mystery. Of course, the whole alliance is a bit of a mystery as the goals described are unusually fuzzy. However, Scott M. Fulton III may have won the prize with the observation:

In Europe, at the heart of the global controversy over whether Microsoft and interoperability are incompatible, the Redmond company announced it is funding a global consortium of software and hardware manufacturers in the name of interoperability itself.

Maybe it’s an extra credit assignment from Neelie Kroes?

Update Nov. 15: PowerShell won’t be compatible with Vista until January 31, 2007.

Update Nov 16: Peter Galli at eWeek elaborates on Longhorn Server:

The Redmond, Wash., software maker plans to release another Longhorn CTP (Community Technology Preview) later this year, followed by another CTP in early 2007 and then Longhorn Beta 3 by the middle of the year.

“The current plan is to ship Longhorn and Vista SP1 simultaneously, as it is one source code base. So, if you follow that model, you have to ship them both at roughly the same time,” Bob Muglia, Microsoft’s senior vice president for server and tools, told eWeek at the company’s TechEd IT Forum here.

The server code will be feature-complete in early 2007, said Muglia, who put to rest speculation that Longhorn would be officially renamed Vista Server, as it is referred to on some Microsoft staff blogs.

Update Nov 18: The Windows Server 2003 SP2 RC is now available for public review. Download and info is here.

As heralded by yesterday’s pre-launch events and announcement, Microsoft’s Zune “iPod killer” went on sale in the USA today, but consumer interest seemed to be modest according to Franklin Paul at Reuters:

But initial shopper interest suggested the Zune media player — heavily promoted in gadget reviews and television talk shows — was in for a slow building process.

An employee at the Best Buy store said two shoppers entered the place as it opened and purchased Zune players, and that about 20 were sold within the first three hours.

Customers touched and tapped Zune players on display, asking employees about the differences between Zune and iPod.

However, at the Virgin Megastore in New York’s Times Square two circular displays sporting Zune players with earphones attached were unmanned that morning, save for store employees restocking supplies.

Anecdotal evidence is always of uncertain value (there’s more at CNET and BetaNews), but it’s clear that purchasers weren’t lining up around the block. I don’t know that game console-like fan loyalty was really expected by anyone and a Tuesday in the week before the American Thanksgiving holiday is hardly prime shopping time, but the point of Paul’s article is that expectations are low:

Microsoft itself has acknowledged that the Zune investment may take years to bear fruit, and analysts upheld the expectation.

“Apple will not feel any bit of discomfort from Zune, certainly this holiday season and a good part of next year,” said IDC analyst Danielle Levitas.

“Microsoft is going to put tons of money in this over time, much like they did with the Xbox” video game console, she said. “It’s not about the first generation (of devices).”

Finally, one more indicator: the black Zune is currently number 6 on Amazon’s electronics bestseller list, although there are three Apple iPods ahead of it. If you’re keeping track, the brown Zune is #43 and the white is #71.

Ted Kummert, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President, Security, Access and Solutions Division:

Today we are announcing key security products across the client, server and network edge, which map to our customer promise to help protect information and control access. First, we are excited to announce the public beta for Microsoft Forefront Client Security, a new product that helps protect business desktops, laptops, and server operating systems from viruses, spyware, and other threats. Second, we are announcing two new server security products, Microsoft Forefront Security for Exchange Server and Microsoft Forefront Security for SharePoint, which are currently in public beta, and will be available to volume-licensing customers in December. Finally, today we are unveiling new Application Optimization features for the Intelligent Application Gateway, a product included in Microsoft’s acquisition of Whale Communications this year.

While all are of importance, Microsoft Forefront Client Security is drawing the most buzz since it’s a stake pointed right at the heart of the lucrative corporate security market which has heretofore been dominated by Symantec, McAfee, and other third party ISV’s whose relationship with Microsoft has grown so rancorous lately. More information and the Client Security beta download are here.

Microsoft’s annual shareholder meeting was held today featuring Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates, but frankly there wasn’t much that was newsworthy going on. However, for a more pointed view of the proceedings, read the report at MSFTextrememakover titled The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades!

I’m paraphrasing, but that’s essentially the message from Ballmer at today’s annual shareholder meeting. Of course, that’s been his message at every other shareholder meeting since he took over as CEO 5 years ago - a period, it should be pointed out, during which MSFT’s market cap has been cut in half.

Much more by following the link.