Microsoft News Tracker

Microsoft today released Virtual PC 2007 which, in keeping with the competition in virtualization, is available as a free download from the web. You can check out the overview document for technical details, but it uses Microsoft’s XPS format which means you have to install .NET Framework 3.0 to read it if you aren’t running Vista. If that’s impossible or the prospect fills you with dismay, the net is that Virtual PC 2007 adds:

* Support for x64 Windows as a host operating system
* Support for hardware virtualization support
* Support for Windows Vista as a guest and host operating system
* Support for PXE network booting of virtual machines
* Support for the use of fullscreen virtual machines on multi-monitor systems (VM still stays on just one monitor though)

However, as we mentioned in January, you won’t be running any Home versions of Vista in a Virtual PC because it is forbidden. Allowable hosts are Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows XP Professional, or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.

Windows Live Shopping launched in beta in April, 2006 as a version of MSN Shopping with a spiffed up interface. Now Chris at LiveSide reports that the shutters are going up and erstwhile shoppers will be redirected to MSN:

From today Windows Live Shopping beta will be taken offline, with users being sent to MSN Shopping, available at shopping.msn.com. This appears to be part of the ongoing self-correcting process taking place on Windows Live, occurring as a result of various MSN products being moved over to the new Windows Live brand in 2006, without much thought being given to their long-term future.

No word on whether Microsoft will discard the Live interface or adopt it on MSN.

There’s more by following the link including a pointer to last Friday’s news that one of my least favorite Windows Live services, Windows Live Connection Center Wi-Fi , is going to be moved under the MSN brand as well. The good news is that “MSN” is considerably shorter than “Windows Live.” The bad news is the continuing train wreck that is Windows Live and MSN branding and marketing.

Today, Microsoft released Service Pack 2 for SQL Server 2005 that a trifle belatedly brings it up to date with Vista:

Microsoft Corp. today released Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2005 SP2, an update to its award-winning data management and analysis platform. Customers can now take advantage of enhancements in the familiar and easy-to-use Windows Vista™ operating system and 2007 Microsoft Office system to easily connect and integrate with the power, security and reliability of SQL Server 2005. In addition, Microsoft announced that it is expanding virtualization use rights to allow unlimited virtual instances on servers that are fully licensed for SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition.
…
Customers can download SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 immediately from http://www.microsoft.com/sql/sp2.mspx.

Follow the link or hit the “What’s New” page for details on the functional enhancements, some of which add Office 2007 compatibility, but the big one from my perspective is the arrival of a free Vista compatible desktop version of SQL Server Express for all the ISVs (including Microsoft) who have been depending on the now unsupported SQL Server 2000 MSDE as an embedded desktop database for their applications. Vendors will still have to modify and test their applications however.

Also in the press release was the note that Microsoft has been keeping up on their SQL Server Common Criteria security certifications which are a requirement for various government customers.