• Microsoft Invests $40 Million to Provide Training Worldwide On Microsoft Windows 2000
  Time: 10:34 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced that it is investing $40 million to train more than 150,000 developers, channel and IT professionals worldwide on the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 operating system. Through the initiative, customers will get the training necessary to help them gain expertise to plan deployment and development on Microsoft Windows 2000.

   
• Microsoft Releases Visual Basic for Applications Version 6.0 To Software Vendors
  Time: 10:32 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of the Microsoft® Visual Basic® for Applications (VBA) version 6.0 development environment to third-party software vendors through the VBA licensing program. VBA 6.0 is a powerful development technology for rapidly customizing packaged applications and is a core component of Microsoft Office 2000. VBA 6.0 offers a host of new features that extend the reach, flexibility and security of application customization while making it easier than ever for software vendors to integrate it into their products.

   
• ITSEC Rating Confirms Security of Windows NT 4.0
  Time: 10:31 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Today at the UK Infosec Conference, United Kingdom government officials announced that the Microsoft® Windows NT® Server and Windows NT Workstation 4.0 operating systems have passed a rigorous security evaluation conducted by the UK government's security standards agency. The E3/F-C2 security rating presented today by the UK Information Technology Security Evaluation Criteria (ITSEC) certification board provides independent confirmation that the Windows NT 4.0 architecture provides robust but flexible security.

   
• Microsoft Joins Internet2 Coalition to Help Build the Next Generation of the Internet
  Time: 10:30 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  At the annual Internet2 member meeting, Microsoft Corp. today became an Internet2 Corporate Partner and announced that it will make both financial and intellectual contributions to the project. As an Internet2 Corporate Partner, Microsoft will work with researchers at over 150 universities to develop advanced Internet applications and technologies.

   
• Microsoft Announces Formation of Streaming Media Division
  Time: 10:28 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced the formation of its Streaming Media Division, devoted to developing and marketing technologies and solutions for consumer and business digital-media applications. This new division joins the two existing divisions under Senior Vice President Jim Allchin (Consumer Windows® Division and Business and Enterprise Division) to provide Microsoft with the resources and business focus it needs to deliver industry-leading streaming media technology for applications ranging from music, radio, news and events to online training and corporate communications. With these divisions combined into one organization under Allchin, customers will benefit from even deeper investment in digital media support in the Windows 98 operating system, Windows 2000 and future versions of Microsoft® operating system platforms.

   
• Windows 98 Tweak Guide Updated
  Time: 10:17 GMT Source: Tweak3D Posted By: Byron

  The Windows 98 Tweak Guide has been updated. They have added new information and provided links to other resources for boosting OS performance. You can check it out here.

   
• Mailing List Update
  Time: 10:14 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Team Posted By: Byron

  We have made a few changes to our HTML mailing list to make it work far better in more and more e-mail programs. We know a few of you had some problems (You only got HTML code instead of the proper pages) so we would be very pleased if you would try us again and tell us your results this time round.

   

• We're Back!
  Time: 10:11 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Team Posted By: Byron

  To say that the last few week have been a nightmare would be an understatement. The ActiveWindows Website has been down for nearly a week now due to the fact that we had a accident involving one of our main hard-drives that keeps all of the site data. The problem was so bad that we lost almost all of our backed up files (Everything is fixed on the site now though, its even far better organized than before, so even our search is fast now) and all of our e-mail over the past week.

  We hope you understand that there was little we could do about the website being down after this unfortunate accident, and we all hope that it will never happen again.

  Thanks for your support.

• Intel Plan 600-MHz Pentium III For September Release
  Time: 12:15 GMT Source: CRW Posted By: Byron

  Intel plans to release a 600-MHz Pentium III processor in September with a 133-MHz system bus and 256 kilobytes of integrated Level 2 cache, according to an Intel price sheet examined by Computer Retail Week. The 600-MHZ Pentium III, the first high-end Intel chip to be united with its secondary cache, will be priced at $761 in quantities of 10,000. Integrating the L2 cache onto the processor die tends to significantly increase processing power. Current Celeron processors with 128 KB of integrated L2 cache can closely match performance of a Pentium II with 512 KB of L2 cache on the Slot 1 module, for example.

   

• New Red Hat Linux On The Way
  Time: 12:13 GMT Source: Cool Info Posted By: Byron

  Red Hat will announce its new Linux package Monday, a version of the Linux OS that should be faster, more manageable, and probably more expensive. Version 6.0, code-named Starbuck, incorporates the new version 2.2 of the Linux kernel and will offer improved capabilities for multiprocessing. The CD version of the OS will also probably cost more than Red Hat's current flavor of Linux, said chief executive Robert Young. The product is expected to be available in stores May 10, he said. The current version retails for $50. Young also said the new version will be downloadable for free.

• Windows Convergence Coming
  Time: 20:25 GMT Source: IGN News Posted By: Byron

  The kernel of Windows 2000--the current name for the next release of Windows NT--will be updated next year to take the operating system into consumer markets, Microsoft chief Bill Gates said here on Monday. Gates demonstrated the upcoming operating system during his opening keynote this morning at the Spring Comdex show and followed up with comments about Windows 2000 during the Microsoft Insider's Summit this afternoon.

   
• Website Updates
  Time: 12:45 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  We have updated a few other sites today, they include the following:

  Byron's Homepage
  Dark-Design
  ActiveDVD

   
• Hollywood + DVD/MPEG-2 Playback Card - Review
  Time: 10:47 GMT Source: ActiveDVD Posted By: Byron

  I have posted my review of Sigma Designs excellent hardware DVD Decoder card, the Hollywood Plus. Here is a snippet from the review:

  Every title I tried on the Hollywood Plus card worked without any problems (Compared to a few on software decoders) with the exception of one....Microsoft's Encarta 99 DVD Edition won't run its enhanced full screen video due to Sigma still not having any work DirectShow drivers out, which was a bit of a disappointment in my eyes.

   
• Linux Hits The Desktop
  Time: 09:56 GMT Source: PC World Posted By: Byron

  Despite its underdog appeal, Linux as a desktop operating system has been strictly for geeks until now. The open-source UNIX offshoot has not matched Windows 98's nearly hands-free installation, encyclopedic Plug-and-Play hardware support, and robust cadre of available applications. But two new versions from leading Linux distributors Caldera Systems and Red Hat Software bring the upstart operating system a step closer to the rest of us. Both offer better installation programs, broader hardware support, and new graphical interfaces that bear a striking resemblance to Windows.

   
• NBC Enters Pact With Intel For Enhanced Digital TV
  Time: 09:54 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Semiconductor maker Intel Corp. (INTC - news) and broadcaster NBC will work together on enhanced digital television programming that would include interactive features, the companies said on Monday. The multiyear pact with the world's largest computer chip maker will mark NBC's first collaboration in the digital television arena. The General Electric Co. unit is preparing to begin digital high-definition TV (HDTV) broadcasting in the autumn. HDTV features sharper pictures than conventional analogue television.

   

• Microsoft To acquire Access Software
  Time: 09:53 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced its intent to acquire Access Software Inc., the leading developer and publisher of PC golf games. A 15-year-old franchise, Access' "Links" series, which includes the recently released "Links LS '99," has been the best-selling PC golf line in both units and dollars since 1992.

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• Mailing List Reminder
  Time: 21:37 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  Just a reminder for those of you who haven't yet signed up for our daily mailing list, you can do so right now. We send it out early each morning (GMT) so it is available to you when you first wake up. It includes a round up of the past days news, faq and tips. We highly recommend the new improved HTML layout version.

   
• Microsoft Unveil Sleek, Innovative New Mouse
  Time: 21:27 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  In 1968, computer pioneer Douglas Engelbart demonstrated the first computer mouse. This curious wooden prototype, roughly twice the size of a hockey puck, would soon become an essential peripheral, paving the way for the graphical user interface and transforming the way we use computers. Although hardware and software have gone through countless quantum leaps in the past 30 years, today's mouse isn't much different than those manufactured decades ago.

   
• New Creative Drivers Released
  Time: 21:23 GMT Source: ICQ Posted By: Byron

  Creative has released a number of new drivers onto their FTP file system. They include the following:

  SoundBlaster 16/32/AWE32/64
  PCI128 For NT and Windows 95/98

   
• Customers Can Preorder Windows 2000 Beta 3 Today
  Time: 14:26 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced the Corporate Preview Program (CPP) for the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 operating system, enabling customers to preorder the upcoming release of Windows 2000 beta 3. The CPP, along with the over 250,000 customers already scheduled to receive Windows 2000 beta 3 through other means, will make Windows 2000 the most widely evaluated version of Windows in Microsoft's history.

   
• Microsoft's Sleek New IntelliMouse Explorer and IntelliEye Technology Toss Out the Mouse Ball Today at COMDEX
  Time: 14:24 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Mouse balls and mouse pads are scurrying for the analyst's couch in search of a new purpose following Microsoft Corp.'s introduction today of the most radical computer mouse technology and design advancement in the 30-year life of the mouse. The new Microsoft® IntelliMouse® Explorer pointing device and IntelliEye™ optical tracking technology eliminate the mouse ball and mouse pad, beginning a new era for the humble mouse today at COMDEX/Spring 99 and Windows World (Main Hall, booth 600).

   
• Microsoft Unveils the Year's Fastest-Growing ISVs for Windows
  Time: 14:23 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced "Winning on Windows®, the ISV 75," a new annual ranking of North America's fastest-growing independent software vendors (ISVs) for the Windows operating system for 1998. These top 75 ISVs that target Microsoft® Windows for their application development efforts are growing at an impressive 119 percent yearly - more than 8.5 times the industry average - and delivered more than $1 billion in innovative IT solutions in 1998.

   
• Leading PC Manufacturers and Global Systems Integrators Get Ready for Microsoft Windows 2000
  Time: 14:21 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced support from major top PC and server manufacturers and leading global systems integrators planning to deliver a wide array of integration, support and deployment services, as well as software and hardware solutions for the upcoming beta 3 version of the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 operating system.

   
• Microsoft Adds WorldPages To Internet Explorer 5
  Time: 14:15 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp will integrate WorldPages Inc.'s white pages and yellow pages directory to its Internet Explorer browser. The directory will let users of the new 5.0 version to search for business and personal listings

   
• Another Privacy Hole In Internet Explorer 5?
  Time: 14:15 GMT Source: Wired Posted By: Byron

  An obscure feature in Microsoft's Internet Explorer 5.0 Web browser informs Web sites when users bookmark their pages.

  The feature was discovered during an audit of Wired Digital server logs by software development manager Kevin Cooke and confirmed Thursday by Wired News.

  Microsoft called the privacy implications "unfortunate" and said it is evaluting changes to future releases of the browser to address the issue.

   
• Intel 810, 810e, 820 Chipset Specs Leak Out
  Time: 11:01 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  The good ship Intel is developing leaks across the world and the latest holes in its hull are the 810, 810e and 820 chips specifications.

  We have already revealed i810 details in an upcoming processor here, and have also published information about the i840 workstation chipset and two motherboards here.

  Go to Kbench where you'll find some very juicy info about the 810, 810E and 820 chipsets.

  The English language tables show how these chipsets relate to future PC platforms, and the information appears to be genuine.

   

• Compaq CEO Pfeiffer Resigns
  Time: 10:59 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron

  In a stunning and unexpected development, Compaq Computer Corp. has announced the resignation of its long-time CEO, Eckhard Pfeiffer. In a statement, the world's No. 1 personal computer maker said CFO Earl Mason is also leaving the company. The move comes just 10 days after the Houston-based company maker warned of less-than-expected profits.

   
• Office 2000 Review: Part 1
  Time: 10:58 GMT Source: E-Mail Posted By: Byron

  Netigen Web have thrown up the first part of their Microsoft Office 2000 review. Part 1 focuses on Microsoft's premier word processing client Word 2000. They have broken up the review into several areas of discussion and have included numerous screenshots. The second part of the ongoing review will revolve around the popular FrontPage 2000.

• IE5a CD's Finally Ship
  Time: 20:51 GMT Source: ICQ Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft has finally started shipping the Internet Explorer 5 CD's to customers who ordered it. The CD that has shipped includes the latest version (IE5a) which was released a week or so ago now.

   
• Windows NetMeeting 3 FAQ's
  Time: 17:50 GMT Source: Windows NetMeeting Place Posted By: Byron

  The Windows NetMeeting Place has set up a new FAQ's section all made for Windows NetMeeting version 3. Check it out for all the latest news.

   
• MS Starts Windows 2000 Push By Offering Server Version For $125
  Time: 17:48 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  A Windows 2000 special offer posted on the Microsoft site seems to confirm that Microsoft is going for widespread circulation of the Win2k beta 3, which is now due on April 28, as reported here earlier. The offer, posted here, in the Direct Access training section, gives you a clutch of software, NT Server 4.0, beta 3 when it's available and the full version of Win2k Server when it ships, for $125.

  The offer is only available in the US and Canada right now, and Microsoft is claiming a two-week order backlog, but that would kind of fit with the new beta 3 ship date, wouldn't it?

   

• Ultra TNT2 Review
  Time: 17:44 GMT Source: Gamespot Posted By: Byron

  Gamespot UK has posted a review of NVidia's Ultra TNT2. Here is a snippet:

  TNT2 adds a number of significant features to Nvidia's existing TNT chip, including support for 32Mb of memory and improved rendering pipelines which boost the multi-textured visuals seen in games such as Quake II, Half-Life and others. Unlike TNT, TNT2 is based upon a 0.25 micron process which enables it to support clockspeeds up to 175MHz. This makes it a worthy rival to 3DFx's Voodoo 3 chip which offers maximum speeds of 183MHz. The Voodoo3's 350MHz Ramdac chip is also slightly faster than TNT2's 300MHz component. Although the maximum resolutions offered by both are identical, the Voodoo 3 features a slightly higher refresh rate of 75Hz at 2048x1536 than TNT2's 60Hz at the same figure.

• IBM: PC Not Dead
  Time: 23:20 GMT Source: News.com Posted By: Cliff

  Recent comments from IBM chief executive Lou Gerstner about the end of the PC era and calls by analysts at prominent investment houses for IBM to exit the PC business have caught more than a few people's attention.

  But IBM's new general manager at the Personal Systems Group, Jim Pertzborn, said yesterday in an interview that "the PC is far from dead."

   
• Site News & Misc. Bits
  Time: 23:30 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Cliff

  Sorry about the lack of news updates today, it just doesn't seem to be a big news day. Byron's out for a couple of days, so I'll be handling the updates until he gets back.

  A couple of things of note:

  • ActiveDVD has an article about a new special release of Ghostbusters on DVD.
  
  
  • It turns out that the Winamp 2.11 that has been circulating around the Net for the last few days has been a beta version, as the head programmer at Nullsoft has updated his .plan with some new info.

• Windows Netmeeting 3.0 Review
  Time: 20:08 GMT Source: Netmeet Posted By: Byron

  The Windows NetMeeting Place has posted their review of Windows NetMeeting 3.0. Here is a snippet:

  There's incremental improvements in nearly every corner of NetMeeting 3.0. Add in some needed new features (like remote desktop application sharing and encryption) and we finally have a NetMeeting version worthy of the 3.0 moniker.

   
• Dreamcast To Invade U.S In September
  Time: 20:08 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron

  U.S. video-game players hungry for the latest generation of powerful electronic game systems don't have much longer to wait.

  Sega Enterprises Ltd. will release its next-generation Dreamcast, in September, hoping to gain a competitive advantage against rivals Sony and Nintendo for the crucial holiday shopping season.

  Sega is expected to announce details today of a $100 million marketing campaign to support the U.S. rollout of Dreamcast, which will retail for $199.

   
• IDE Hard Drive Round Up
  Time: 20:04 GMT Source: CoolInfo Posted By: Byron

  iXBT has posted an IDE hard drive round up. Here is a snippet:

  Life is inexorably taking its course, and harddisks manufacturers are on their guard. Well, actually, it was put too mildly: they are at their best! That's why we had to give up the idea of collecting all the novelties and testing them all together - we simply couldn't keep pace with the manufacturers. In this respect we decided to test the new harddisks little by little as soon as we manage to get an interesting sample. So, today we would like to introduce you the samples from the most popular HDD class - harddisks with capacity from 4GB to 15GB. All harddisk drives described in this roundup come from the families listed below:
  
  

  • Quantum Fireball CR;

  • A new Western Digital Caviar;

  • Fujitsu MPC30xxAH;

  • And a not so new but a popular group - IBM DTTA (so that you could compare).

   

• Windows Netmeeting 3.0 Beta Released
  Time: 13:10 GMT Source: Microsoft Posted By: Byron

  A first for us here. We have just gotten e-mail from Microsoft stating that Windows Netmeeting 3 Beta (Notice the rename we mentioned before has been confirmed) has been released. You can download it right this moment, it is a major update over the previous version and will take you a while to get used to, but well worth it.

  http://www.microsoft.com/windows/netmeeting/ - Main Website http://download.microsoft.com/msdownload/netmeeting/3.0/x86/en/NM30.EXE
  http://msdownload.isdnet.net/msdownload/netmeeting/3.0/x86/en/NM30.EXE
  http://mdpau02.ozemail.com.au/msdownload/netmeeting/3.0/x86/en/NM30.EXE
  http://139.134.5.5/msdownload/netmeeting/3.0/x86/en/NM30.EXE
  http://194.159.240.196/msdownload/netmeeting/3.0/x86/en/NM30.EXE

   
• Early LX Chipset Incompatible With 3Dfx Voodoo3 AGP
  Time: 12:50 GMT Source: ICQ Posted By: Byron

  the weslovian gazette discovered an incompatibility issue with earlier revisions of the ABIT LX6 motherboard this past weekend.  This has not been confirmed by either 3dfx or ABIT, but early indications are that these two peripherals refuse to talk.

  A reviewer for the gazette received a Voodoo3 3000 AGP 2x card for review on Thursday, April 8th and spent the weekend trying to run the standard review tests.

   
• Intel To Roll Out 840 Chipset In The Summer
  Time: 12:18 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  While Intel blunders around in the midrange market trying to decide whether to go for PC133 SDRAM on the creaky old BX platform or to hang on hoping Camino will show up sooner rather than later with its support for direct RAMbus memory, the workstation guys are quietly getting on with the job of bringing the 820's big brother to market sometime in late summer.

  The i840 will come in two flavours – the standard dual processor variant for Pentium III or PIII Xeon and the high-end, four-way i840-QP for PIII Xeon alone.

  Intel has two 840 motherboards in the pipeline – the low end Outrigger and the all-singing, all-dancing Brigantine, both scheduled for launch in mid Q3.

   
• AMD To Ship K7 In July
  Time: 12:16 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  A poster on one of the myriad investor conferences claims to have heard AMD's CEO, Jerry Sanders III, outlining futures of the K7.

  According to the post, Sanders said a tier one OEM will ship a K7 box in July. At the same time, AMD's K62 mobile chip will appear in an IBM StinkPad and in machines from Compaq, Toshiba and NEC.

   

• Windows 2000 Faces IE5 Incompatibilty
  Time: 12:15 GMT Source: MSNBC/Netigen Web Posted By: Byron

  In what has to be the most ironic twist in Microsoft's grueling road map, BugNet reports that Internet Explorer 5.0 is incompatible with the beta release of Windows 2000. According to the software giant, you won't be able to do either a full or a component installation. To fix the glitch, a special updated IE will be made available through the beta program.

  This news comes on the heels of last week's undercover IE 5.0-update which fixed version incompatibilities with its flag-ship Office 2000 suite. Although that update was incorporated into the public version of IE 5.0 it has yet to be seen if Microsoft updates the download once again.

• Microsoft Announces Logo Program for Microsoft Agent
  Time: 20:26 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  At Spring Internet World '99, Microsoft Corp. today announced the logo program for Microsoft® Agent, which provides Web site creators and application developers worldwide with an official logo to identify their use of Microsoft Agent software services and interactive animated characters. The logo program, available to developers at http://www.microsoft.com/msagent/, provides the more than 2.5 million Microsoft Agent users around the world with a way to recognize Web sites and solutions that offer the ease of use of a Microsoft Agent-based interface.

   
• Microsoft MapPoint 2000 Released to Manufacturing
  Time: 20:25 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced that Microsoft® MapPoint™ 2000 business mapping software, the newest member of the Microsoft Office family, was released to manufacturing. The product is scheduled to be available to volume license customers in May and to be broadly available to retail customers on June 10, 1999, coinciding with the availability of Microsoft Office 2000. On May 3, customers will have an opportunity to receive a free* trial version of the product on the MapPoint Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/mappoint/ and through participating retailers.

   
• Windows 2000 Beta 3 Goes On Sale
  Time: 20:18 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron

  Further smudging the line between shipping product and test product, Microsoft Corp.'s Certified Solutions Providers (MCSPs) plan to charge users for a Beta 3 version of Windows 2000. An e-mail went out to users this week that offers the Windows 2000 Corporate Preview Program (CPP) through the MCSP plan. The CPP will cost $59.95 (£36) and include Windows 2000 Server Beta 3 and the client Windows 2000 Professional Beta 3.

   
• Microsoft To Release FrontPage 2000 Demo
  Time: 14:44 GMT Source: CRN Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft said it will make available on Wednesday a trial version of FrontPage 2000, the company's authoring tool for website creation and management. Company executives said the 45-day trial version includes two CDs. The first CD includes the FrontPage software. The second CD has images customers can use on their websites including themes to help create a look and feel, a tutorial, plus a 30-day trial version of the business-graphics software called PhotoDraw 2000.

  FrontPage 2000 is expected to ship in June, said Priscilla Mistele, a Microsoft product manager. Mistele said customers can order the software at http://www.microsoft.com/frontpage/trial, and only have to pay for shipping and handling charges. The software has been completely revamped compared with the previous version, Mistele said. Some key new features include integration with Microsoft Office, improved Web integration including HTML preservation, and an easy site-management feature that provides 13 new site reports.

  One analyst said FrontPage continues to be a market leader because of Microsoft's distribution channels and because of its tight integration with other Windows products. "Some of the enhancements that will integrate well with content authors are the XML integration," said Ron Rappaport, an industry analyst at Zona Research, a Redwood City, Calif., consulting company. "FrontPage is the weather vane all the other tools need to be aware of."

   
• Microsoft Introduces Internet Explorer 5 Evaluation and Deployment Kit
  Time: 10:06 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of the Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5 Evaluation and Deployment Kit (EDK), a comprehensive resource designed to assist corporate customers in their evaluation of Internet Explorer 5. The EDK provides customers with a variety of evaluation resources, including information on the capabilities of Internet Explorer 5, a complete deployment guide, instructions on how to migrate their business to Internet Explorer 5 from Netscape Navigator, and case studies on corporations that have already rolled out Internet Explorer 5. In addition, the EDK includes Internet Explorer 5 software as well as the Internet Explorer Administration Kit 5. Customers can find more details about the EDK as well as order the EDK CD-ROM for $6.95 at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/offers/EDK/default.asp.

   
• Leading ISVs Announce Support for Microsoft Windows 2000
  Time: 10:04 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced overwhelming support for the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Professional operating system and Windows 2000 Server from the independent software vendor (ISV) community. Applications from companies such as The Baan Co., Seagate Software and Visio Corp. are explicitly taking advantage of new technologies in Windows 2000, as defined by the Windows 2000-based Application Specification, and application vendors are ensuring application compatibility with Windows 2000. Microsoft also announced the Application Catalog for Windows 2000, available with the upcoming release of beta 3 for Windows 2000, which is designed to provide customers with the information they need to ensure that their applications will be both compatible and reliable.

   
• Inacom and Microsoft to Provide Accelerated Technology Deployment and Management Solutions
  Time: 10:03 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Inacom Corp, a global Fortune 500 technology services leader, and Microsoft Corp, today announced a technology solutions alliance through which Inacom will develop its new services around upcoming strategic Microsoft® products - such as Microsoft Office 2000 and the forthcoming Windows® 2000 operating system. This close collaboration with Microsoft will enable Inacom to develop competencies on emerging Microsoft technologies. In addition, Inacom professionals will now have access to prerelease versions of Microsoft software, enabling Inacom to bring to market solutions for its clients immediately upon availability of new Microsoft products.

   
• Microsoft Announces Beta Release of Windows Media Technologies 4.0
  Time: 10:00 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Today at the House of Blues, Microsoft Corp. announced the public availability of the Microsoft® Windows® Media Technologies 4.0 beta, a major upgrade to the industry's fastest-growing streaming media platform. The new version provides content providers, solution providers and software developers with the industry's best audio and video quality, a flexible content-rights-management system and improved electronic-commerce solutions.

   
• Microsoft and Reciprocal Extend Strategic Alliance to Deliver Digital Rights Management Solution Based on Windows Media Technologies 4.0
  Time: 09:59 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. and ReciprocalTM today announced a complete, end-to-end DRM solution from Reciprocal tailored for the music industry. This announcement marks the next step in the companies' strategic alliance to deliver digital rights management (DRM) solutions for the digital content economy. Today at the Windows® Media Technologies 4.0 launch, executives from Microsoft and Reciprocal appeared onstage, with the Reciprocal representative demonstrating a prerelease version of the end-to-end DRM solution based on the Microsoft® Windows Media Rights Manager, a component of Windows Media Technologies 4.0. The solution provides consumers with new ways of accessing, downloading and purchasing digital music over the Internet while enabling content providers to build new revenue streams.

   
• Microsoft Wins Industry Support for Windows Media Technologies 4.0
  Time: 09:58 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. today announced that its new Windows® Media Technologies 4.0 has won enthusiastic support from leading Internet content providers (ICPs), independent record labels, independent software vendors (ISVs) and solution providers in the streaming media arena. These groups are taking advantage of this major software upgrade to enhance their offerings and provide users with major improvements in audio and video quality, digital media creation, and electronic-commerce solutions. This strong showing of support for Microsoft® Windows Media Technologies 4.0 will further accelerate the adoption of today's fastest-growing streaming media platform and make Windows Media Technologies available to a far broader audience.

   

• Microsoft Windows Media Technologies Gains Support for Downloadable Music from Top Music Sites, Independent Labels, Popular Bands And Innovative Developers
  Time: 09:57 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  At the House of Blues, Microsoft Corp. today announced that its new Windows® Media Technologies 4.0 has over 20 leading music sites and independent record labels, and 15 innovative software, hardware, service and solution providers singing praises of support. Top industry players outlined plans for using the latest upgrade to offer consumers unprecedented access to music and videos on the Internet, and personal jukebox software. The Casio E-100, based on the Microsoft® Windows CE operating system with Windows Media Technologies 4.0, was also announced as the first handheld PC with high-quality stereo playback. And the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Microsoft commented on reducing piracy and working on the Secure Digital Music Initiative.

   

• Winamp 2.11 Released
  Time: 09:56 GMT Source: E-Mail Posted By: Byron

  Note: The download site has been removed since we posted this news, we will repost it as soon as it becomes available again. Winamp 2.11 has been released by Nullsoft. Here are a few of the new features in this latest release:
  
  

  • MSaudio 4.0 (WMA) input/output support

  • Generic PCM EQ that works on most formats (WAV/XM/MOD/IT/VQF/AAC/etc)

  • Minibrowser improvements

  • Fixed vis/dsp plug-in directory bugs

  • Fixed de-registration problem.

  • Fixed CDDA support

  • Fixed a few small bugs

   

• We're Back!
  Time: 09:43 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Team Posted By: Byron

  It seems to have taken us an age to get back online. This has been both due to our website being hacked (We caught the person) and also due to the fact that I have been ill and unable to help out getting the site back online, hopefully everything will go a little more smoothly now.

  We have a number of new bits and pieces going up on the site (They should have been up last week, grrrrr) including reviews of The Hollywood Plus DVD Decoder Card, X-Wing: Alliance, Rollcage, Championship Manager 3, and an actual DVD Player for the DVD site.

• Microsoft Alters Windows Strategy, Hinting It May Unveil Underlying Code
  Time: 14:27 GMT Source: MSNBC Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. announced a sharp strategy shift in its operating systems for consumers, and hinted it might take the radical step of releasing the underlying programming code for its long-awaited Windows 2000 operating system. Steve Ballmer, Microsoft’s president, told a gathering of hardware executives here it will release a consumer operating system next year based on its existing Windows 98 software.

   

• XML Starts To Live Up To Its Hype
  Time: 14:23 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron

  After being hyped heavily as a makeover for the Web, XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is starting to live up to the hype. Recently, a slew of announcements from giant backers and the formation of new consortiums have delivered a shot of adrenaline to the promising new standard designed to describe the contents of Web pages.

  Those who have been following the XML story know that it has broad implications for intelligent Web searching, but XML is going in some brand new directions too -- such as assisting voice-based information sharing.

   

• Microsoft Clarifies Windows 98 Bug Fix Issues
  Time: 11:41 GMT Source: CNet Posted By: Byron

  As expected, Microsoft has started to correct some of the Windows 98 info that has been posted about over the last couple of days, here is some of the news off of CNet:

  Bug fixes for Windows 98 will be free, but consumers will have to buy a CD to get features such as better support for advanced hardware features and better support for home networking, Microsoft officials have said, a clarification that will likely quell complaints from some users.

  "Users don't have to pay for bug fixes," said Mike Nichols, Windows product manager, adding that the long-awaited bug patches to Windows 98 will be posted on the company Web site within the first half of 1999.

  And, a few months later, Microsoft will start selling a CD on its site that will essentially allow users to upgrade from the current version of Windows 98 to a new version that includes technologies such as advanced support for Universal Serial Bus, a copy of Internet Explorer 5.0, and a technology called Internet Connection Sharing, which eases the process of home networking. The CD will also contain the bug fixes.

  The price of the CD has not been set, but Nichols said he didn't imagine it selling for more than $30.

   

• IE5 Boosts MS's Browser Marketshare
  Time: 11:38 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  Further evidence has emerged today that Microsoft Internet Explorer is increasing its lead in the browser war as Net users desert Netscape in favour of the Great Satan of Software's software.

  According to figures published by analyst WebSideStory, IE ranks number one in the browser hit parade with 68.75 per cent of Internauts using it to get online, up almost two percentage points on last month.

  Netscape only has 29.46 per cent of the market down from 31.21 per cent over the same period. The figures -- gathered from more than 22 million unique daily visitors to more that 55,000 Web sites using the HitBOX Tracker -- are accurate as of yesterday. The figures also suggest that almost nine per cent of Net users now employ IE 5 even though it was only launched less than three weeks ago. ®

   
• Microsoft Announces Windows Image Acquisition Architecture
  Time: 11:34 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Today at the Windows® Hardware Engineering Conference and Exhibition (WinHEC) 99, Microsoft Corp. announced the Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) architecture, a new infrastructure that will seamlessly integrate digital imaging functionality into the Microsoft® Windows operating system and make it easier for users to capture, view, manipulate and publish still images.

   
• Industry Support Grows for Intel and Microsoft Easy PC Initiative
  Time: 11:32 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Today at the Windows® Hardware Engineering Conference and Exhibition (WinHEC) 99, Microsoft Corp. President Steve Ballmer outlined the Easy PC Initiative, a multiyear vision co-developed with Intel Corp. in continuation of work on PC ease of use and targeted at improving the overall experience for PC users. Leading PC manufacturers, including Compaq Computer Corp., Dell Computer Corp., Fujitsu Microelectronics Inc., Gateway 2000 Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co., IBM Corp., Micron Electronics Inc., NEC Inc. and Toshiba Corp., announced their support for the initiative, and will work to develop new PC prototypes by the end of this year and advocate the initiative's goals within the industry.

   
• Intel, Microsoft Announce Windows Server Appliance For Small Businesses at WinHEC
  Time: 11:31 GMT Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron

  Today at the Windows® Hardware Engineering Conference and Exhibition (WinHEC) 99, Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp. demonstrated a server appliance prototype for small businesses based on the Intel® architecture and the Microsoft® Windows NT® Embedded 4.0 operating system. Products based on these building blocks are expected to be available from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the second half of this year and will provide a simple and affordable way for small businesses to enjoy the productivity and benefits of networking.

   
• Microsoft Plans Another Windows Release
  Time: 11:27 GMT Source: CNet Posted By: Byron

  No real surprises, here is a piece from the article from CNet:

  LOS ANGELES--Although Microsoft said a year ago that Windows 98 would be its last DOS-based operating system, the company today said that it would release another version of the Windows 9x OS for consumer computers in the year 2000.

  Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's president, announced the Windows 98 news during his keynote at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference here.

  The consumer revision of Windows will be at the center of a long-term initiative, called the Easy PC Initiative. The joint Intel-Microsoft project will focus on creating a less-complex PC encouraging innovative designs. The PC in this vision completely hides MS-DOS and only uses USB, IEEE 1394, and Device Bay for expansion.

   
• Microsoft Unveils Plug and Play Project
  Time: 11:24 GMT Source: CRW Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft rolled out Wednesday a plan for a multivendor organization to define schemas for network devices. The so-called Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) group will manage and facilitate UPnPdevelopment, said Phil Holden, Microsoft product manger. "As part of that, we will make available sample source of the UPnP implementation to different vendors to license at no cost," he said.

   
• Microsoft Give Hotmail A Facelift
  Time: 11:21 GMT Source: CNet Posted By: Byron

  MSN Hotmail has substantially revised its email service to combat spam, tighten security, and circulate its 40 million members to other parts of the Microsoft Network. Microsoft's MSN Hotmail has long been considered the 800-pound gorilla of the free email market, and it said today that it has bulked up even more in amassing more than 40 million members. But Microsoft, like other free email providers, has been hard-pressed to translate those millions of people into millions of dollars, instead pouring resources into keeping the service running under ever-growing demand.

   

• Microsoft Offers Update To IE5 Code
  Time: 11:20 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. has updated its Internet Explorer 5.0 bits to incorporate fixes made to IE 5.0-Office 2000 integration, company officials acknowledged.

  Microsoft has included the updated IE 5.0 code as part of the Office 2000 CD versions which the company sent to manufacturing late last month and which it plans to begin shipping to its volume licensors in the next couple of weeks.

  Microsoft officials said the IE 5.0 update was meant to remedy Office 2000 integration issues, such as the use of the English-language spell checker with the French-language version of IE 5.0.

   

• Windows 2000: Simplicity Not Speed
  Time: 11:18 GMT Source: CRW Posted By: Byron

  Focusing on simplicity rather than speed, the next version of Windows for consumers will be an extension of the Windows 98 code rather than based on Windows 2000, Microsoft President Steve Ballmer told a group convened at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) here on Wednesday.

• Normal Services To Resume Tomorrow
  Time: 12:55 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  Our normal regular updates throughout the day should return starting from tomorrow. We have had a few problems, inability to update and also a number of us went on holiday over Easter and have just returned. So hopefully we should all be back and updating (Including a look back over what we missed during the past week or so) sometime tomorrow.

• Internet Explorer 5a Released
  Time: 01:05 GMT Source: Microsoft Posted By: Byron

  Just a quick update before we return later in the week after our holidays. Microsoft have sneaked out a new version of Internet Explorer 5 - This is version 5a and fixes a number of problems (Clipboard, ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) errors etc). Many other users have also noted a lot of bug fixes, although those reports are currently just rumors. This newer version certainly looks like it is worth the download. We do recommend uninstalling IE5 before installing 5a.

  Download Internet Explorer 5a

• Happy Easter!!!
  Time: 10:16 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Bob, Byron

  ActiveWindows would like to wish all our viewers a safe and joyous Easter holiday. Updates will begin again next week, so for the meantime relax and enjoy the weekend!

   

• Linux On The Fast Track
  Time: 11:06 GMT Source: CNet Posted By: Byron

  Over the next five years, Linux will grow faster than all other operating systems combined, according to a new study.

  On the strength of support from such major players as IBM, Intel and Compaq Computer, Linux is emerging as a major player in the server operating system market, moving beyond its core "ABM"--Anything But Microsoft--market, said Dan Kusnetsky, an International Data Corporation analyst. "Linux has done fairly well on the server side, but doesn't have the same penetration on the client," said Kusnetsky. IDC today released its projections for the operating system market over the next five years, including Linux as a separate category for the first time.

   
• The Magic Date For Windows 2000?
  Time: 11:02 GMT Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron

  Microsoft Corp. is trying to better define just when its beleaguered Windows 2000 product will ship, and October 6 has emerged as a target.

  As previously reported, Windows 2000 Beta 3 Release Candidate 1 shipped to testers earlier this month, and the OS team is on track to ship the final Beta 3 on April 21 at Comdex in Chicago

   

• Celerons Go to 100MHz FSB
  Time: 11:01 GMT Source: The Register Posted By: Byron

  Informed sources close to Intel's plan said today that the company will introduce Celeron processors with a 100MHz front side bus (FSB) in the first quarter of next year.

  Intel always had the technology to do that with Celerons, as reported here early this year, but has now made the decision to go ahead.

   

• Site News
  Time: 06:56 GMT Source: ActiveWindows Posted By: Byron

  Sorry about the lack of updates, there have been a few problems being for us in terms of getting online. We will update again ASAP. Thanks for your time and e-mails.

Read more of the past months news in our News Archive for March.

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