• Microsoft Execs Stand Their Ground In Antitrust Case
  Time: 20:23 EDT/01:23 GMT News Source: TechWeb Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Microsoft said Wednesday that a company breakup would be the most significant remedy in the 113-year history of U.S. antitrust law.

  Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said in a statement that many elements of the government's suggested regulations are unwarranted, even without the extreme breakup proposed. "The government's proposals would take away Microsoft's property by forcing us to disclose the source for our products, even though Microsoft spent hundreds of millions of dollars to develop these products. The government also seeks to interfere with the design of Microsoft's products," Gates said.

  "The government's so-called conduct and disclosure remedies are just as damaging to the company, and just as bad for consumers as their breakup demand," said Microsoft president Steve Ballmer. "The government's proposals really represent government regulation of software design and an unwarranted taking of Microsoft's intellectual property."

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• Microsoft Response Won't Affect Share Price- Analyst
  Time: 20:21 EDT/01:21 GMT News Source: Yahoo! Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Microsoft Corp.'s formal response Wednesday evening to the government's recommendation to cleave the company in two probably won't have much effect on its trading price when U.S. markets on Thursday, an analyst said on Wednesday.

  ``It may have a mildly positive effect, if any,'' said J.P. Morgan analyst William Epifanio II. ``The response is rather predictable.''

  Shares of Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft were trading at 65 1/2 on Instinet after the closing bell on Wednesday evening, down from 66 3/16 on the Nasdaq.

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• Potential Pentium III bug easy to diagnose
  Time: 20:04 EDT/01:04 GMT News Source: News.com Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Consumers who want to know if they are affected by a recently revealed bug inside some Pentium III computers at least have the satisfaction of knowing it's easy to get an answer.

  Intel has set up a Web site providing details on how a bug in the memory translator hub, or MTH, can cause Pentium III computers to freeze and display a blue screen. The site also contains a utility to determine if a given computer contains the part.

  Consumers are being urged to contact manufacturers and dealers as well if they are experiencing problems.

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• "Digital Divas" take on MSN
  Time: 19:51 EDT/00:51 GMT News Source: News.com Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  A "Diva & Goliath" battle has broken out between Microsoft and a women's technology group that says the software giant is upstaging its act.

  The dispute was touched off in April, when Microsoft launched a tech advice area on its Microsoft Network Internet portal called "Digital Diva." That was a little too close for comfort for Dana Whitmire, who says she founded her own "Digital Divas" group three years earlier to dispense tech know-how to Internet newbies.

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• Sony Computer Entertainment America Introduces North America To the PlayStation(R) 2 Computer Entertainment System Aimed at the Broadband Era
  Time: 19:11 EDT/00:11 GMT News Source: ActiveDVD Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Gearing up for the biggest consumer product launch of the decade, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today its plans for the North American release of the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. The PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system is designed to bring together games, music and movies, and will redefine the entertainment lifestyle, eventually serving as a network platform in the broadband era.

  The PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system is scheduled to launch in North America on October 26, 2000 with an unprecedented initial launch shipment of one million units, followed by an additional two million units through March 31, 2001. Supporting both the audio CD and DVD-Video formats, the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system leads the fusion of interactive entertainment with music and video. The new system supports the existing PlayStation software catalog of more than 800 titles now on the market, bridging the generation of the two systems while protecting consumers' investment in their PlayStation software libraries.

  Read more

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• Raven @ E3 In LA
  Time: 18:18 EST/23:18 GMT News Source: Microsoft Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft's gaming character, "Raven," stands in a giant crate in front of the Los Angeles Convention Center May 10, that holds the Xbox demonstration to be shown during the E3 gaming convention through Saturday. Microsoft delivered the Xbox in response to an Internet fan survey demanding that the company reveal new Xbox material during the gaming convention. Microsoft had not planned to attend this year's E3 with great fanfare.

  

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• New Look Microsoft XBox Site Officially Launches
  Time: 17:22 EST/22:22 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp has today launched their new look X-Box website. The site contains more information on the upcoming (late 2001) console including a news section, info on games creators and much more. Anyway - here is more from the press release:

  The gamers have spoken! In an unusual move, Microsoft asked the gaming public at large how big of a splash -- if any at all -- the company should make with their future-generation video-game console at the Electronic Expo (E3) in Los Angeles this year. With well over a year before release of the console, Microsoft had not planned to attend this year's E3 with great fanfare. With the show a scant few days away, gamers overwhelming voted for Microsoft to bring Xbox to E3 -- and to do so in a big way.

  The Xbox poll ran over this past weekend on gaming news sites and Xbox fan sites alike. With the votes counted, the outcome was clear: an overwhelming 86% of fans demanded that Microsoft go whole hog and bring the Xbox to E3. Honoring the fans' request, Microsoft made emergency preparations and delivered the Xbox to the Los Angeles Convention Center this morning. Raven was on hand to ensure the safe arrival of Xbox, and downloadable AVIs and images of the event, including action shots of Raven, will be available later today on the official Xbox site at http://www.xbox.com

  Two weeks ago, top Xbox fan sites rallied together and asked readers to name Microsoft's animated "Two to Tango" demo diva, which was unveiled along with Xbox at the March Game Developers Conference. Based on that poll's overwhelming response, and with a curiosity for how gamers would react to a sneak peek at the system this early in the game, Microsoft launched its Xbox at E3 poll.

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• Microsoft Urges Court to Dismiss Government's Breakup Proposal Immediately
  Time: 17:22 EST/22:22 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. today urged U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson to dismiss the government's unprecedented proposal to break up the company and outlined more appropriate remedies as well as a range of procedures designed to move the remedy phase forward as quickly as possible.

  "We are working to try to resolve this case as quickly as possible, in a fair and reasonable manner. We believe there is no basis in this case for the government's unprecedented breakup proposal, and we are hopeful that the Court will dismiss this excessive demand immediately so that the case can move forward much more rapidly," said Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates.

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• Microsoft: Dismiss Gov't Plan
  Time: 16:26 EST/21:26 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) asked a federal judge today to throw out the Justice Department's plan to break up the software giant, saying the penalty would far exceed the antitrust violations the judge found the company to have committed.

  Microsoft offered its own remedies to correct what U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ruled last month was illegal anticompetitive behavior. The company said it was willing to stop displaying the desktop icon in its Windows operating system that leads users to its Web browser, Internet Explorer. In addition, the company would allow computer makers to prominently feature any software, including from Microsoft rivals, on the Windows desktop.

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• New Windows 2000 Compatibility Updates
  Time: 16:08 EST/21:08 GMT News Source: Microsoft Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft have, released a number of new compatibility updates for the Windows 2000 Operating System. Here is a snippet from the Windows Update page:

  Windows 2000 was specifically architected to enable customers to easily add additional application support after the product had shipped for general release. The May 2000 package is the second release of such additional application support and includes software compatibility updates for Windows 2000. The May 2000 package includes the compatibility updates of the February 2000 package.

  During product compatibility testing prior to release, Microsoft focused on the top volume business applications (thousands of applications run out-of-the-box). With that testing complete, we are now broadening our original focus and have addressed some minor compatibility issues with a few of the more popular home/entertainment/gaming applications. View the Read This First page for a complete list of the software programs addressed by this package.

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• ActiveWin Mailing List
  Time: 16:08 EST/21:08 GMT News Source: ActiveWin Posted By: Byron Hinson

  We would like to welcome you all to the new and improved ActiveWin mailing list. We have finally sorted out all of the previous problems we had with delivering our list to you all (Our server wouldn't send any more than 200 mailings out). So now you can all look forward to daily e-mails keeping you up to date with everything that is happening in the world of Windows and Microsoft.

  Subscribe to the HTML mailing list

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• Court Awaits Microsoft's Remedy Proposal
  Time: 14:55 EST/19:52 GMT News Source: TechWeb Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft will outline the reasons it believes the government's breakup proposal is inappropriate when it files its rebuttal to the Department of Justice remedy later today. Microsoft (stock: MSFT) was trading down 1 7/16, to 66 3/8, in early afternoon trading ahead of delivering its brief to a federal judge in Washington.

  The U.S. government and 17 states urged U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson to split Microsoft into an operating system company and an applications company in its proposed remedy April 28. The government plan runs over 10 years, with conduct restrictions for three years. Two of the 19 states involved in the case, Ohio and Illinois, said they preferred to evaluate the effectiveness of the conduct limitations after three years before deciding on a breakup.

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• Gates Touts Windows 2000's Web Strengths
  Time: 14:55 EST/19:52 GMT News Source: TechWeb Posted By: Byron Hinson

  In his first major keynote as Microsoft's chief software architect, Bill Gates touted the benefit of the company's Windows 2000 product as a platform for the Internet.

  The Internet is moving beyond the simple transaction phase toward becoming a full-blown platform, albeit one with many limitations, such as spotty reliability, security, and interoperability, Gates said at Networld+Interop 2000 on Tuesday.

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• Microsoft May Be Testing the Limits Again
  Time: 10:55 EST/15:55 GMT News Source: LA Times Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. is relentlessly pursuing supremacy in the market for delivery of audio and video over the Internet, engaging in aggressive tactics similar to the kind that caused the Justice Department to sue the company for breaking antitrust laws, experts say.

  The stakes are enormous because the outcome will determine which company's technology will serve as the future platform for how music, television, film and other media will be delivered into homes and offices. That could mean hundreds of millions of dollars in profits for the companies that sell software to the various media distributors and content creators.

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• Love Bug affects Linux: MS spokeswoman's crazed claim
  Time: 10:50 EST/15:50 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Byron Hinson

  A spokeswoman for Microsoft Benelux in the Netherlands has claimed that the love bug affects both Linux and Apple, in an interview with Egbert Kalse, a journalist with the Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad. The story subsequently appeared on the front page of the newspaper last Friday, and included:  "A spokesperson from Microsoft Benelux denies [the virus only spreads on Microsoft software] and said that other operating systems such as Apple and Linux are hit." 

  A glance at the VB script of the love bug shows with no doubt whatsoever that it is impossible for there to be any adverse effect on non-Microsoft software. But that's not all.

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• Microsoft Beats Back Sun Copyright Claims
  Time: 10:39 EST/15:39 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) has won a battle in its legal war with archrival Sun Microsystems Inc.(NasdaqNM:SUNW - news) after a federal judge ruled their dispute is a contract dispute rather than a more serious copyright violation, as Sun had claimed.

  U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte in San Jose, Calif., issued two decisions late on Monday that dismissed Sun's allegations that Microsoft violated copyrights on Sun's Java programming technology. Microsoft spokesman Mark Murray said the decisions mostly reaffirmed earlier rulings by Whyte on the issue and did not amount to a dramatic development in the case.

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• Gates Urges Use of Smart Cards
  Time: 10:38 EST/15:38 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) chairman Bill Gates urged other technology companies to forge ahead in adopting smart cards instead of passwords as a way of ensuring security on the Internet.

  ``The weakest link in security is the fact that passwords are used,'' Gates said during his keynote speech Tuesday at the NetWorld+Interop 2000 conference, a six-day computer networking event attended by about 60,000 people.

  Customers who want to buy products, bank or pay bills online usually have to choose a password when they register with the site. But Gates said that system wasn't secure because thieves can call online companies and pose as customers who forgot their passwords.

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• Hollywood.com in Alliance With Microsoft
  Time: 10:32 EST/15:32 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Hollywood.com, Inc. (Nasdaq: HOLL - news) announced today that it has entered into an alliance with Microsoft Corp. Hollywood.com will be featured at WindowsMedia.com, the MSN guide to audio and video on the Internet, and within Microsoft's new Windows Media Player 7.

  Hollywood.com, a premier movie and entertainment site, will provide video streams, including high bandwidth video streams for broadband users of the Windows Media platform. Hollywood.com video content will include movie trailers, celebrity interviews, feature coverage of Hollywood events and coverage of movie premieres. New content will be provided weekly to WindowsMedia.com and will be accessible from the Media Guide of the new Windows Media Player. It also will be accessible in the Windows Media broadband entertainment area on Hollywood.com.

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• It's rebuttal day for Microsoft
  Time: 10:32 EST/15:32 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron Hinson

  The U.S. Justice Department's top trust buster said Tuesday Microsoft Corp.'s anti-competitive actions were not invented for the new economy, but instead relied on the ``time-tested tricks'' of monopolists.

  "When it comes to antitrust enforcement, the new, new thing isn't so new after all," Joel Klein, the assistant attorney general in charge of the antitrust division, said in a speech for the Haas/Berkeley New Economy Forum being held in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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• Security flaw in Hotmail
  Time: 10:32 EST/15:32 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron Hinson

  A new security flaw has been discovered in Microsoft Corp.'s (Nasdaq: MSFT) Hotmail program that could give a hacker access to a user's account. The exploit uses an HTML attachment to give a hacker access to the account, where he or she can read a user's e-mail messages.

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• AT&T Broadband and Microsoft Provide Update On Interactive-Television Platform
  Time: 10:31 EST/15:31 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. and AT&T Broadband today expanded their commitment to each other to bringing advanced broadband television services to consumers and shared a progress report on some of their behind-the-scenes development work.

  This week at Cable 2000, the annual National Cable Television Association (NCTA) convention, the two companies are demonstrating AT&T's interactive platform on advanced set-top boxes using Microsoft^® TV Platform software, showing a glimpse of the AT&T user interface design and a few "teaser" consumer services. The two industry leaders also announced the completion of definitive agreements for AT&T to license Microsoft TV Platform software - both client set-top box software and television server software - for AT&T deployment. These deployments will include the creation of two showcase cities that the two companies committed to establishing in May 1999 and will present opportunities for additional markets beyond those cities.

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• Klein-Microsoft used old illegal methods in new economy
  Time: 18:40 EST/23:40 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  The Justice Department's top trust buster said Tuesday Microsoft Corp.'s (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) anti- competitive actions were not invented for the new economy, but instead relied on the ``time-tested tricks'' of monopolists.

  ``When it comes to antitrust enforcement, the new, new thing isn't so new after all,'' Joel Klein, the assistant attorney general in charge of the antitrust division, said in remarks prepared in a speech for the Haas/Berkeley New Economy Forum being held in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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• Microsoft: I'll show you mine
  Time: 18:40 EST/23:40 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Officials offer sneak peek at 64-bit Windows 2000. But the company's supposed "mainframe-killer" Datacenter release still remains nowhere in sight. In a corner of their booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Microsoft officials were offering a sneak peek at the future.

  During his keynote speech earlier in the day, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates remained mum on any products under development. But that didn't prevent his company from demonstrating an early version of its 64-bit version of Windows 2000 to a handful of interested attendees at the NetWorld+Interop show.

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• Microsoft Launches Windows Services for UNIX 2.0 at N+I
  Time: 14:46 EST/19:46 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Today at NetWorld+Interop 2000, Microsoft Corp. Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates announced the availability of Microsoft^® Windows^® Services for UNIX 2.0 (SFU). Microsoft Windows Services for UNIX 2.0 provides an additional set of comprehensive tools to help bridge the gap between UNIX and Windows for users and administrators. It helps create a logical enterprise network where resources are shared seamlessly and access control is simplified. Microsoft Windows Services for UNIX 2.0 provides a mechanism to take advantage of existing UNIX resources and expertise while simplifying network administration and account management in a mixed Windows 2000-, Windows NT^®-, and UNIX-based environment.

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• Zone.com Is No. 1 "Stickiest" Site on the Internet
  Time: 14:46 EST/19:46 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. today announced that, according to Media Metrix'Inc.'s March 2000 data, people are spending an average of four hours per month playing games on the MSN™ Gaming Zone (Applications), more time per month, on average, than is being spent on any other single activity on the Internet.* That means people are spending more time playing Spades, "Asheron's Call^®" and "Age of Empires^®" than they are on the leading auction, stock-trading and e-mail sites. In addition, Zone.com is one of the fastest-growing sites on the Internet. In March of this year alone, Zone.com grew 23 percent in unique users and over 40 percent in usage minutes per month, according to Media Metrix. ** Featuring a wide selection of single-player and multiplayer games, Zone.com has become the No. 1 multiplayer gaming site on the Internet with 14 million registered members and 125 available games.

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• Crimson Skies Interview
  Time: 14:34 EST/19:34 GMT News Source: Gamespy Posted By: Byron Hinson

  GameSpy.com has posted an interview with John Howard the lead designer on Crimson Skies the upcoming flight simulator come shoot em up to be released later in the year by Microsoft.

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• ActiveWin2k: Microsoft Windows 2000 Hardware Compatibility List Updated
  Time: 11:24 EST/16:24 GMT News Source: Active Network Posted By: Robert Stein

  We have just posted Microsoft's latest update of the Windows 2000 Hardware Compatibility List - This comprehensive list vitally lists all the hardware components that will work with Windows 2000. Check it out! The list is large - 1.7 MB in text format.

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• ActiveWin2k: Picking the Best Upgrade: Windows 2000 Pro or Windows 98 SE?
  Time: 11:23 EST/16:23 GMT News Source: ActiveWin2k Posted By: Robert Stein

  We have added a small page stating Microsoft's guidelines on upgrading to Windows 2000 or Windows 98 SE. These guidelines should assist people who are confused on finding the right upgrade.

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• ActiveWin2k: Windows 2000 Patches Page Updated
  Time: 11:23 EST/16:23 GMT News Source: ActiveWin2k Posted By: Robert Stein

  We have updated our Windows 2000 Patches Page; This updated list includes several Critical Security-related updates - all preventing users from gaining unauthorized access. Be sure to check it out!

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• Microsoft Announces Web Delivery of Visio Network Equipment Shapes
  Time: 10:40 EST/15:40 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Today at NetWorld+Interop 2000, Microsoft Corp. announced plans to deliver Visio^® Network Equipment (VNE) shapes to customers and industry partners via the Internet. VNE SmartShapes^® are vendor-specific symbols that represent equipment manufactured by leading networking and telecommunications vendors and are standard in Visio 2000 Enterprise Edition. Available in the third quarter this year, Web delivery of VNE will provide customers with immediate access to the most up-to-date VNE shapes and enable them to download only the shapes they need to accurately design and document their network infrastructure.

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• Microsoft and SeaChange to Extend Windows Media Technologies From Broadband Internet to Cable and Broadcast TV Systems
  Time: 10:40 EST/15:40 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Today at the National Cable Television Association (NCTA) annual conference, Microsoft Corp. and SeaChange International Inc. (Nasdaq "SEAC"), the leader in high-end digital video systems for television, agreed to collaborate on extending Microsoft^® Windows Media™ Technologies from broadband Internet delivery to cable and broadcast television systems. This collaboration will benefit content providers and television operators with a unified digital media platform that delivers video streams to both television and broadband Internet networks - doing with one video streaming server what today requires two separate server systems. In addition, content developers such as the film and video industry will be able to lower costs and maximize reach by creating digital media content once and delivering it anywhere.

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• Microsoft Submits SOAP Specification to W3C
  Time: 10:40 EST/15:40 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. today announced that the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has acknowledged its submission of the latest version of the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) specification. Microsoft was joined by Ariba Inc., Commerce One Inc., Compaq Computer Corp., DevelopMentor Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co., IBM Corp., IONA Technologies PLC, Lotus Development Corp., SAP AG and Userland Software Inc. in submitting the specification and proposing the formation of a working group in the area of Extensible Markup Language (XML)-based protocols. SOAP is an open standards-based interoperability protocol that uses the W3C's XML to provide a common messaging format to link together any applications and services anywhere on the Internet.

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• Microsoft Flies Into E3 With New Versions Of Popular PC Game Titles
  Time: 09:53 EST/14:53 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Coming off of a successful 1999 season as one of the fastest-growing PC game companies, Microsoft Corp. arrives at next week's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles with new versions of its popular PC games and innovative titles that have already received industry praise as sure-fire hits. From fall and holiday 2000 releases such as "Combat Flight Simulator 2", "MechWarrior(tm)" and "Links(tm) LS 2001" to next year's lineup, which includes "Dungeon Siege" and "FreeLancer," the company moves further toward its goal of becoming the worldwide games leader.

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• Gates predicts Love Bug Apocalypse if MS broken up
  Time: 06:51 EST/11:51 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Alex Harris

  Global virus Armageddon will be the result of the breakup of Microsoft, "writes" Bill Gates in this week's Time magazine, due to go on sale today. Or very nearly, anyway; you may well wonder how the hell he makes that one out.

  It's simple, really, as Bill, or whoever knee-jerked the piece out so swiftly, explains. The front line defence against viruses is apparently a "continually evolving" computer operating system that encourages large numbers of software developers to write for it. But if Microsoft is split into two, there would be less innovation in the software, hence fewer developers, and ultimately less defence against viruses.

  "Bill" also claims that subsequent to a breakup new, more virus-proof versions of Office and Windows would be "much harder for computer users to obtain."

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• Win2k System Tweaking Guide
  Time: 06:46 EST/11:46 GMT News Source: Tweak Town Posted By: Alex Harris

  Tweak Town have updated their Windows 2000 Tweak Guide and here is a snippet of it:

  Let me guess... You've upgraded from Microsoft Windows 95 to Microsoft Windows 98 and were cruising along just fine. Then you delved into the unknown and upgraded to Windows 2000 and your saying 'Windows 2000 is so slow compared to Windows 9x' - Ahh well you see... That's what we are here for, to help you increase the performance of your Windows 2000 Operating System (aka NT5), as what you were used too with Microsoft Windows 9x.

  I'll explain the settings in a language that everyone can understand and apply, we won't be focusing a great deal on the networking side of things because I don't have much experience with that as yet. When I do find some network tweaks I'll add them.

  Read more here.

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• Windows Me Hits RC0
  Time: 05:30 EST/10:30 GMT News Source: BetaNews Posted By: Alex Harris

  The first Release Candidate, RC0 Build 2525, of Windows Me (Millennium Edition) was released to beta testers a short bit ago. In a message to testers, Microsoft wrote, "Many sources have commented that this is already the highest quality 9x release there has ever been. Thank you for helping us reach this goal through your cooperation, dedication, and quality of feedback. We could not do this without you." BetaNews has received mixed feedback on the subject, with some Windows Me RC0 users touting perfection and others still finding it buggy. Nonetheless, Microsoft is ready to complete testing, stating "we believe we are extremely close to being finished - functionally speaking, what you see today is what we plan to go out to the world in a released product, and we are very interested in hearing your feedback on it." Windows Me is expected to hit RTM the week of June 12th. Testers, what do you think - is Windows Me ready for public scrutiny?

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• Online agricultural auction site reaps success with Microsoft Windows DNA
  Time: 04:53 EST/09:53 GMT News Source: Microsoft Daily News Posted By: Alex Harris

  Farms.com wants to help the agricultural world get wired. The site was created by founder Benjamin Zaitz to get farmers in touch with more buyers and to cut out the middleman by conducting real-time auctions of agricultural products and commodities. It's a system that takes full advantage of the Microsoft® Windows® DNA platform. The company needed a robust platform on which to build its auction service, and one that didn't require extensive resources. With Windows DNA, Farms.com was able to get its service online in just over four months and with just two developers.

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• Microsoft announces support for Onyx Front Office 2000 e-business platform
  Time: 04:51 EST/09:51 GMT News Source: Microsoft Daily News Posted By: Alex Harris

  Microsoft is helping Onyx Software Corp. to deliver a comprehensive e-business solution.

  Microsoft has announced support for the Onyx Front Office 2000 suite of e-business software products. Built on the Microsoft® Windows® DNA platform, Onyx Front Office is integrated with key Microsoft technologies. Onyx Front Office 2000 on the Windows DNA platform provides companies with tools for marketing, sales and service, and allows them to integrate traditional and online business processes. This combination of technologies is designed to allow organizations to more effectively sell and market products, as well as interact with customers at any time, in any place, in any currency or language.

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• Microsoft Teams With Atmel on Secure Smart Card Systems
  Time: 04:49 EST/09:49 GMT News Source: Betanews Posted By: Alex Harris

  Software giant Microsoft has announced a three-year deal with Atmel Corporation, makers of non-volatile memory and RF semiconductors, to produce a secure Smart Card system. Using Microsoft's newly developed Windows for Smart Cards and Atmel's AT90SC AVR family of flash-based Smart Card ICs, the pair plans to make waves in the e-commerce pool and bring security to online transactions with the Smart Card.

  In the deal, Microsoft will create development tools for implementation on the Atmel hardware. Tools will include a Visual Basic and Visual C++ application builders, a platform builder, custom module APIs, compilers, and a testing system for Smart Card certification. It will also include the ISO 7816 communications protocol and several payment systems amongst other things.

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• Xbox at E3
  Time: 04:26 EST/09:26 GMT News Source: MSXbox Posted By: Alex Harris

  MSXbox has received official word (and proof) that Microsoft is working hard on making an impressionable presence at E3. Let me cut to the chase and give yah the goods and a behind the scenes picture of the "X-Theater": 

  Turns out Microsoft got a ton of votes from all the "Xbox at E3" polls that have been running all over the Web, so it looks like we'll be doing it up this week after all! Bill was unable to fit into the Raven costume, but we managed to find a "suitable" replacement (trust me!) who fits perfectly into the costume. Once the votes started rolling in, it became evident that we were going to have to make more of a fanfare for our Xbox. We've got guys working around the clock now to construct a theater that will be worthy of displaying the Xbox demos - and I think it will include a glimpse at the prototype Xbox itself.

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• Dungeon Siege pre-E3 sneak peek
  Time: 04:26 EST/09:26 GMT News Source: GameSpy Posted By: Alex Harris

  Microsoft has some high powered titles showing at E3 this year. On the list are Age of Empires 2: The Conquerers expansion pack; Combat Flight Simulator II; Conquest: Frontier Wars; Freelancer; Loose Cannon; Mech Commander 2; Metal Gear Solid, MechWarrior 4 and Motocross Madness 2.

  But arguably the most anticipated title is Dungeon Siege, brought to you by Chris Taylor, the man behind the 1997 hit RTS, Total Annihilation. When I chatted with Taylor in November, he already had in mind the direction he wanted his new company's first game to take, even though they had just settled on the name.

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• Microsoft Preps Counterproposal, Open Windows?
  Time: 04:18 EST/09:18 GMT News Source: BetaNews Posted By: Alex Harris

  Microsoft is reportedly drafting a counterproposal to the DOJ's breakup plan which may entail giving software developers access to Windows source code. Sources close to the discussions told MSNBC yesterday that Microsoft will also allow computer manufacturers to modify the desktop or "the area of the computer screen that is seen when programs are not running," and ship versions of Windows that "hide" the Internet browser. The proposal also bars Microsoft from making certain deals with other computer makers to promote Microsoft products. The final document is expected Wednesday and will offer alternatives to each point where Judge Jackson found Microsoft at fault. Without any specific details it is impossible to know how willing Microsoft will be to compromise, however analysts already say this deal falls short of Microsoft's initial out-of-court settlement.

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• IE5 Browser 'Bug' Detected; E-mail Passwords At Risk?
  Time: 04:16 EST/09:16 GMT News Source: BetaNews Posted By: Alex Harris

  A Seattle glitch hunter says he has found a security flaw in Microsoft's Internet Explorer 5 browser that makes it possible for a hacker to use a Web page they designed to gather such sensitive data as a Web surfer's browser history, or even their e-mail passwords.

  Bennett Haselton, who is both an anti-censorship advocate and a glitch hunter, has posted a demonstration of the problem on his Peacefire.org site, (http://www.peacefire.org), which normally is devoted to efforts blocking censorship of content to and from young people. It now contains links to three Internet hacking "exploits," or security risks, that Haselton has uncovered since April 24.

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• Microsoft inks e-book deal with Lightning Source
  Time: 04:11 EST/09:11 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex Harris

  Software giant Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) said on Monday it has an agreement with Lightning Source, a firm that stores electronic books, that will broaden Microsoft's reach in the electronic book market. The deal, whose financial terms were not disclosed, makes Lightning Source's electronic versions compatible with the Microsoft Reader, software that is targeted at a range of handheld devices. Such software would allow such devices to compete in the electronic book market with the Rocket eBook made by Gemstar International Group's Nuvomedia Inc.

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• Bill Gates keynote at NetWorld+Interop
  Time: 04:07 EST/09:07 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex Harris

  Live from Las Vegas...it's Bill Gates! Gates kicks off this year's NetWorld+Interop keynote lineup, and ZDNet will be there to bring it to you in a live Webcast. The big question on everyone's mind: What's in store for Windows?

  Gates, Chairman and Chief Software Architect of Microsoft, will give you his perspectives on the future of the OS, taking into account how advances in telecommunications, technology, and the Internet will soon bring the fruits of the Information Age to anyone, anywhere, anytime. You can listen to Bill Gates Keynote by going here and choosing your format you would like today at 9am.

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• New Microsoft exec charged with polishing image
  Time: 04:05 EST/09:05 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex Harris

  Is there a more cooperative Microsoft in your future?

  The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant today appointed Linda Stone, a Microsoft research manager, to become the company's vice president of industry initiatives, a new position designed to improve the company's relations with customers, partners and competitors and their image of the company.

  "She's basically being appointed as Microsoft's ambassador to Silicon Valley and the rest of the technology world at a time when the worst fears of many of the denizens of Silicon Valley are confirmed in the findings coming out of Judge Jackson's court," said Rich Gray, an intellectual property attorney with Outside General Counsel Silicon Valley in Menlo Park, Calif.

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• Microsoft wins another round in Java battle
  Time: 04:03 EST/09:03 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex Harris

  A federal judge sided with Microsoft in one portion of its Java license dispute with Sun Microsystems. U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte late today accepted Microsoft's request for summary judgment, dismissing Sun's copyright claims.

  The decision is the second blow to Sun's case in about a month. On April 7, Whyte rejected select portions of Sun's interpretation of the license with Microsoft for its Java technology. But Whyte's actions are no indication of a Microsoft victory or a sign the case won't make it to trial. In February, for example, he rejected a Microsoft motion regarding the independent development of Java.

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• Yahoo! Messenger For Pocket PC and Windows CE v2.11 Beta
  Time: 04:00 EST/09:00 GMT News Source: File Flash Posted By: Alex Harris

  Yahoo! has released a new version of its online communications tool for the Pocket PC and Windows CE. This version supports a bunch of new devices and HTTP proxies.

  You can download the beta from here.

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• Napigator v1.11 & Napigator v2.0 Beta 6 released
  Time: 03:58 EST/08:58 GMT News Source: File Flash Posted By: Alex Harris

  A new Napigator is out to fix compatibility on Windows 95/98 systems with Napster Beta 6. Napigator is your free navigator to nap servers. It is your exclusive guide to helping you find almost all the Internet audio online you want. Napigator works side-by-side with your favorite Windows nap client, giving you an up to date status of all nap servers on various networks, including the new and openly free Opennap Network and popular Napster Network.

  You can download the new version from here or the beta here.

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• Noddy's Guide To Graphics Card Jargon
  Time: 03:54 EST/08:54 GMT News Source: EuroGamer Posted By: Alex Harris

  EuroGamer has sent word that they have posted an article about what all that jargon means with the graphics cards, so if you don't know your Full Screen Anti-Aliasing from your Vertex Skinning then head over and read this article. Here is a snippet of it:

  The last couple of weeks has seen a frenzy of graphics card announcements and previews, with 3dfx, ATI and NVIDIA all claiming to have produced the best thing since sliced bread. To allay your confusion, EuroGamer has cut through the jargon and hype to help you pick out the contenders from the also-rans.

  To start off we will be explaining some of the most common terms that you will come across when comparing the new generation of graphics cards, and then next week we will be bringing you all the latest information on the cards themselves.

  Read more here

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• Symantec puts Love Bug fix online
  Time: 18:10 EST/23:10 GMT News Source: InfoWorld Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Symantec Monday posted a free Love Bug repair tool, which helps eliminate the side effects for those who have been hit by the notorious e-mail worm or its multiple variations, and is providing the fix for free for computers running Windows 95, 98, 2000, or Windows NT at www.sarc.com.

  The tool, called FIXLOVE.EXE, repairs damage to the e-mail registry as well as Microsoft Internet Explorer settings altered by Love Bug, although it cannot restore deleted or overwritten files.

  "This computer worm will actually enumerate, or list, every single targeted e-mail address in the registry that it has hit so that it does not resend itself out to each address again," said Carey Nachenberg, chief researcher at Symantec Anti-Virus Research Center. "In doing so, if you have a corporation of 100,000 people, it will add literally 100,000 new registry entries to the system, which can cause sluggishness or even cause your machine to crash. [FIXLOVE.EXE] will go through and remove essentially tens or hundreds of thousands of registry keys from your system that were created by the worm to eliminate any potential problems."

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• Microsoft Expands Music Deal
  Time: 14:45 EST/19:45 GMT News Source: Adweek Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Atomic Pop, an online music and pop culture Web destination, has expanded its marketing agreement with Microsoft Corp. so that as of Tuesday Atomic Pop became a featured music content provider for WindowsMedia.com, Microsoft Network's guide to audio and video. Also today Microsoft launched Windows Media Player 7, software for downloading music from the Internet, in beta form.

  One of four featured content providers on the music page, Atomic Pop (http://www.AtomicPop.com) supplies daily music and entertainment content to WindowsMedia.com, including audio downloads, video interviews, DJ sets, music videos and live performances.Atomic Pop and Microsoft will continue to offer thousands of individual tracks and albums for digital downloads from their catalog of over 4,000 songs accessible through the music section of WindowsMedia.com.

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• MS Money: Better than Quicken?
  Time: 10:29 EST/15:29 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron Hinson

  For the first time, Microsoft Money is winning better reviews than entrenched rival Quicken -- but so far users of home finance software seem unimpressed. For years, Microsoft Corp.'s (Nasdaq: MSFT) Money product has been battling Intuit Inc.'s (Nasdaq: INTU) Quicken, but reviewers, customers and even Microsoft itself (Microsoft tried to buy Intuit) saw Money as an inferior product. And that helped Quicken hold on to a market share estimated at 70 percent or better.

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• Activity Centers Preview
  Time: 10:11 EST/15:11 GMT News Source: WinInfo Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Paul has posted up a preview of "Activity Centers" that have been mentioned around many times, this time he has some of the conception designs Microsoft have been working on. Here is a snippet:

  Activity Centers are single-window applications, written in a combination of HTML and the Win32 API, that facilitate easy ways to complete common tasks (Figure). They are designed primarily for new and inexperienced users. Activity Centers facilitate the completion of common, infrequently repeated tasks, a design goal that may confuse some. The theory here is that if is task is repeated infrequently, then the user will need to relearn the steps needed to complete that task every single time they attempt to perform that task. So an Activity Center should present a simple, clear user interface that will help the user quickly complete specific tasks without going through this relearning process. Tasks that are repeated frequently, however, are not appropriate for Activity Centers because these new user interface elements stress simplicity and discoverability over efficiency.

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• SideWinder Supports the Hottest PC Games at E3 By Showcasing Its Revolutionary Products
  Time: 09:59 EST/14:59 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Traditionally, fifth anniversaries are celebrated with gifts made of wood. Those with more modernist sensibilities prefer silverware. For gamers, the fifth anniversary of Microsoft^® SideWinder^® might inspire a far more unconventional choice: a suite of three new products to be demo'd at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E³). Since its release in 1996, the original SideWinder game pad has become the No. 1 brand in PC game devices, and its pre-eminence and versatility are extended with the fall 2000 launch of SideWinder Strategic Commander, SideWinder GameVoice and SideWinder Force Feedback 2.

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• Microsoft TV Partner Programs Launched at NCTA Show Include Extensive Resources for Content Developers and Solution Providers
  Time: 09:59 EST/14:59 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Yesterday at Cable 2000, the National Cable Television Association (NCTA) conference, Microsoft Corp. launched the new Microsoft^® TV Partner Programs, a coherent suite of free and subscription-based resources to help content producers and developers, independent software vendors (ISVs), systems integrators, hardware manufacturers, television production tools vendors, and other solution providers seize the opportunity of enhanced television. The three programs - the Microsoft TV Content Developer Program, the Microsoft TV ITV Tools Program and the Microsoft TV Solution Provider Program - further strengthen Microsoft's commitment to the enhanced-TV arena. This comprehensive program builds on Microsoft's long history of excellence in developing and supporting an evolving community of third-party companies that build on and add value to Microsoft platform technologies. Currently there are more than 100 members of the Microsoft TV Partner Programs.

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• Leading Vendors of Video-on-Demand Solutions, Concurrent, DIVA, Intertainer, nCUBE and SeaChange, Integrate With Microsoft TV Platform
  Time: 09:59 EST/14:59 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Today at Cable 2000, backed by the support of five leading video-on-demand (VOD) vendors, Microsoft Corp. announced a significant step forward for VOD solutions that fully integrate with the Microsoft^® TV Platform.

  Concurrent Computer Corp., DIVA, Intertainer Inc., nCUBE Corp. and SeaChange International Inc. - all recognized leaders in providing VOD products and/or services to the cable television industry -are integrating with the Microsoft TV Platform and plan to have Microsoft TV-based VOD solutions available later this year. Several working models of their Microsoft TV Advanced-based VOD solutions running on digital set-top boxes are being demonstrated this week at Cable 2000, the annual National Cable Television Association (NCTA) convention, in New Orleans.

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• Microsoft TV Platform Now Offers Greatest Choice For Enabling Delivery of Enhanced-TV Services to Consumers
  Time: 09:59 EST/14:59 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. today kicked off its presence at Cable 2000 by announcing the Microsoft^® TV Platform family of technologies, an open, standards-based solution that provides the most comprehensive and scalable platform for enabling enhanced-TV services. The Microsoft TV Platform now includes technologies that will enable network operators to deliver Enhanced-TV services to both set-top boxes currently on the market and new, advanced set-top boxes expected to be rolled out later this year. Industry support for the Microsoft TV Platform continues to grow. More than 100 companies, including content developers, tools vendors, ISVs, IHVs, systems integrators and OEMs, are now engaged in various stages of creating solutions based on the Microsoft TV Platform.

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• NagraVision and Microsoft Announce The Integration of NagraVision's Conditional Access Technologies With Microsoft TV
  Time: 09:59 EST/14:59 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Today at Cable 2000, NagraVision™, the digital pay TV division of the Kudelski Group, and Microsoft Corp. announced the integration of NagraVision's Open conditional access technology with the Microsoft^® TV Advanced client software for advanced set-top boxes. The companies also announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further integrate NagraVision technologies across the Microsoft TV Platform, continue to innovate and develop new technologies, and market the integrated solution. As part of the MOU, both companies agreed to work toward a definitive agreement. This solution will be demonstrated this week in the Microsoft and NagraVision booths at Cable 2000, the annual National Cable Television Association's trade show.

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• Microsoft and Matsushita Have Co-Developed Advanced Digital Cable Set-Top Boxes for U.S. Cable Industry
  Time: 09:59 EST/14:59 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Today at Cable 2000, Microsoft Corp. and Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Ltd. announced they have developed a working model of advanced digital cable set-top boxes for the U.S. cable industry as a result of collaboration in furtherance of a memorandum of understanding entered into in July 1998.

  Matsushita will demonstrate the Panasonic-branded digital interactive set-top box supporting the Microsoft^® TV Platform in Microsoft Booth 3501 this week at the National Cable Television Association (NCTA) conference. The device complies with the OpenCable specification, supports the IEEE 1394 home-networking specification, and supports Internet browsing and e-mail.

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• Microsoft and Pace Announce Wide-Ranging Memorandum of Understanding to Develop Applications for Digital Television
  Time: 09:59 EST/14:59 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Today at Cable 2000, Microsoft Corp. and Pace Micro Technology plc announced a far-reaching memorandum of understanding under which they plan to cooperate closely to develop a wide range of applications and enabling technologies to meet the rapidly expanding demand for digital television. The memorandum builds on a five-year relationship between Microsoft and Pace, the world's leading developer of digital set-top box technologies, and is likely to provide important business opportunities for both companies.

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• Microsoft, Lightning Strike New Alliance to Dramatically Expand Access to eBooks, Other Digital Content
  Time: 07:15 EST/12:15 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft and Lightning Source, a subsidiary of Ingram Industries Inc., today announced a new alliance that will give publishers and retailers a revolutionary technology platform to meet growing consumer demand for eBooks and provide dramatically expanded access to thousands of new titles in Microsoft Reader format.

  For users of Microsoft Reader, this alliance will dramatically increase both the selection of eBooks titles available as well as the number of retail options for purchasing eBooks. Lightning has long-standing, trusted relationships with publishers and retailers around the world, and has an established reputation as the one of the most knowledgeable providers of digital content in the book industry. By utilizing Microsoft technology to help offer its titles in electronic format, Lightning's digital library will be more accessible to an increasing number of publishers, retailers, and consumers.

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• Gates: Viruses Harder To Protect
  Time: 06:20 EST/11:20 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  ``Love Bugs'' of the future could be harder to protect against if Microsoft is split in two, company co-founder Bill Gates writes in an essay published in this week's Time magazine.

  New versions of the Windows operating system and Office applications software that could offer protection from outside attacks would ``be much harder for computer users to obtain,'' Gates wrote in ``Viewpoint.'' The issue hits newsstands Monday.

  The Love Bug virus invaded computers across the world last week in an e-mail carrying the subject line, ``ILOVEYOU.'' The virus, which only affected computers running on Microsoft's Windows operating system, attacked the company's Outlook e-mail program and Internet Explorer browser.

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• Report: Gates Wants Yacht Team
  Time: 06:20 EST/11:20 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates is part of a ``secretive'' American syndicate that has approached New Zealand's championship America's Cup team to race for the United States, the Observer reported Sunday.

  The syndicate wants the New Zealanders to sail under the Stars and Stripes for the next America's Cup in 2003. The Observer said 20 of the team's 30 members have been offered a total of $200,000 with the promise of American citizenship if they switch sides.

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• Metabyte Networks Demonstrates MbTV On Microsoft TV Platform
  Time: 06:19 EST/11:19 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Metabyte Networks, Inc., a Personal TV technology and service company, today announced it is demonstrating Metabyte's MbTV(TM) on the Microsoft TV Platform for the first time at the National Cable Television Association Cable 2k conference. MbTV, the totally automatic and totally private personal television service, will be demonstrated on the Microsoft TV Platform in Booth 5675. MbTV creates personal profiles by automatically learning what a viewer likes to watch.

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• Paper: Microsoft Works on Answer
  Time: 13:52 EST/18:52 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. is developing a response to the U.S. government's breakup proposal that would put curbs on its business practices, including offering a version of the Windows operating system that ``hides'' access to the software giant's Internet browser, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.

  The Post said under the Microsoft counterproposal, computer makers also would be given flexibility to alter Windows software and Microsoft would refrain from entering into certain deals with computer makers that promote Microsoft products over rival products.

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• Microsoft Drafts Reply To Breakup Proposal
  Time: 07:26 EST/12:26 GMT News Source: Washington Post Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Microsoft Corp. is drafting a counterproposal to the government's breakup plan that involves limits on its business practices, such as giving computer makers more flexibility to alter Windows software and offering versions of Windows without access to the company's Internet browser, people familiar with the plan said yesterday.

  The company's proposal is meant to show U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson that there is a remedy directly addressing the court's verdict--that Microsoft broke federal antitrust law--without going to the "radical" extent of breaking the company in two, sources close to the company said.

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• Microsoft Settlement Predicted
  Time: 06:20 EST/11:20 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Some antitrust experts predict the Justice Department won't settle its landmark case against Microsoft Corp. until President Clinton leaves office. The predictions were made by Microsoft legal consultant C. Boyden Gray, who served as an aide to Presidents Reagan and Bush, and Nicholas Economides, dean of New York University's Stern School of Business, at an NYU legal conference on the case held late last week.

  ``I think the likelihood is that it will be settled,'' Gray said - but after the November election. The Justice Department would be ``more the same with Gore, but there would be a change. Any administration is going to put new people in.''

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• DOJ, Microsoft Lawyers Rehearse the Final Act
  Time: 12:38 EST/17:38 GMT News Source: The Standard Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Whatever the outcome of the antitrust battle between the government and Microsoft (MSFT) , the two-year-old case is destined for a spot in the legal canon, alongside government antitrust battles against Standard Oil, IBM and AT&T. Though the trial's endgame is still unfolding before U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson in Washington, D.C., the case is already being picked over by legal and economic scholars – and defended in legal circles by the Department of Justice.

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• Microsoft Working On love.vbs Fix
  Time: 19:04 EST/00:04 GMT News Source: ActiveWin Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft have informed us that a fix for the love.vbs file that millions have been infected with should be posted on the Microsoft homepage within the next hour or so.

  Update: http://support.microsoft.com/support/exchange/love_letter.htm

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• Microsoft Use Aided Virus Spread
  Time: 18:55 EST/23:55 GMT News Source: Associated Press Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Widespread use of Microsoft products contributed to this week's spread of the ``love bug'' virus, making it easier for the virus writers — with the help from millions of unwitting accomplices — to blanket the globe with it in less than a day.

  Through Microsoft's Windows operating system — found on more than 85 percent of personal computers — and Outlook e-mail program, virus writers had a large audience for their mischief. They also took advantage of Microsoft features that make computers more efficient and easier to use.

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• Breakup Plan Could Stymie Microsoft Investment Strategy
  Time: 18:25 EST/23:25 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  The proposed breakup of Microsoft Corp., under which all the company's third-party investments and joint ventures would fall under a new applications business, could cripple Microsoft's plans in two hot markets: wireless and end-to-end services.

  By their nature, those markets further blur the lines between operating system and application. Case in point: technology from STNC Ltd., a British company that Microsoft acquired last July. STNC developed the small browser technology that Microsoft plans to use for a future cell phone that runs Windows CE.

  If Windows CE falls into the government's proposed operating systems company and STNC into the applications company, Microsoft's wireless plans could suffer, especially since its competitors in this space won't face the same restrictions. Palm Inc., which is moving its PalmOS into cell phones through partnerships, generally bundles features such as the calendar application with the operating system; both are burned into the chip.

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• Microsoft: What's The Next Step?
  Time: 18:25 EST/23:25 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  While Microsoft works on its counter-remedy proposal in the Department of Justice antitrust case, the company plans to move to have the DOJ's remedy proposal thrown out.

  Microsoft intends to claim that the DOJ's remedy proposal introduces arguments and evidence that were not part of the government's original case, and thus should not be considered by the judge overseeing the case. "We believe this remedy brings in issues that were not part of this case," said spokesman, Jim Cullinan.

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• Microsoft, Netscape squabble over browser scripting hole
  Time: 18:23 EST/23:23 GMT News Source: News.com Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Microsoft and Netscape Communications are pointing fingers at each other over a browser-related security problem that neither company has any intention of fixing.

  In a security scenario that lets a hostile Web site pilfer private information, including email passwords and some browsing history, both Netscape and Microsoft play a role. An exploit would use privileges granted by Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser to run a script placed on the Web site visitor's computer by Netscape's Communicator.

  "This is by-design behavior, not a security vulnerability," said Scott Culp, security program manager with Microsoft's security response center. IE "allows a Web site to run any script that it trusts, including scripts placed on the (Web page visitor's) computer."

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• Flink Ink: Bitten by the Love Bug?  Expect Worse!  ....Linux too!
  Time: 15:05 EST/20:05 GMT News Source: ActiveWin Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Well wasn't that 'I LOVE YOU' virus/worm fun!  So a teen in the Philippines can bring down email systems world wide.  I can hear the rumble of thousands of other kids saying, "Heck, that was easy!  I bet I can do better!"  What a sad thought.  You may as well prepare because there will be lots of copy-cat email viruses in coming days!  Ok world, you've had your wake up call!  Now get busy doing what you SHOULD have done all along.... Protect yourself!  Here's how.  It does NOT take that much effort!

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• Flink Ink: Closing the Digital Divide with an Integrated Vision Initiative
  Time: 15:05 EST/20:05 GMT News Source: ActiveWin Posted By: Byron Hinson

  On April 8th and with updates on the 22nd I posted an article suggesting an Internet Future that involves the serious integration of the TV and other electronic entertainment media with the computer and Internet.  As a vision, it's not very revolutionary, having been in the movies and science fiction nearly as long as these technologies have existed.  What is significant is that we're on the verge of making this real in our day-to-day lives.  And this can have revolutionary impact on the Information Technology industry and the broader society.

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• X-Box At E3? Vote Here
  Time: 14:20 EST/19:20 GMT News Source: Microsoft Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft has asked us to help them decide a new poll on whether they should bring the Xbox to E3 with them (Which we're going to by the way with a number of interviews with Microsoft). So get voting.
  
  

  Should Microsoft go whole hog and bring the Xbox to E3?
  	Bring it on! Bill, clad yourself as Raven (complete with X belly tattoo) and show us some kicks and hooks before introducing it.
  	Yes. Just cram the X into a little glass case and stick it on the show floor.
  	No way. It’s too freakin’ early to show off the goods in front of the other guys.

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• Microsoft fine-tunes TV software strategy
  Time: 14:14 EST/19:14 GMT News Source: News.com Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft will announce its revamped interactive television software Monday, sources say, as the software giant aims to focus its TV strategy. Microsoft will unveil new features in its Microsoft TV software suite, including TV-based chat, scripted dialog, and improved parental control software, at the National Cable Television Association convention in New Orleans, sources said.

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• Microsoft slammed for email security holes
  Time: 05:30 EST/10:30 GMT News Source: News.com Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Security issues tied to Microsoft's Outlook email program drew heated criticism today from security analysts after a new virus swept through computer systems across the globe.

  Some analysts said the "I Love You" attack points to serious flaws in Microsoft code. They noted that the virus takes advantage of well-known exploits involving Visual Basic script files, which end in the extension ".vbs." Visual Basic is a high-level programming language developed by Microsoft that is graphically oriented.

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• Microsoft case could prompt employee departures
  Time: 05:28 EST/10:28 GMT News Source: News.com Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  As the landmark antitrust case against Microsoft winds its way through the legal system, the software giant will have to guard against employee defections to keep its competitive edge, experts warn.

  Microsoft faces two likely futures. One would involve breaking the business into an operating system company and an applications company. The other scenario involves continuing the legal battle with the Department of Justice at the appellate level. Each option, however, creates looming uncertainties, which in turn could lead to defections among Microsoft employees, one of the company's most valuable assets.

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• Manufacturing users tell Microsoft to slow down new products
  Time: 05:16 EST/10:16 GMT News Source: Computer World Posted By: Alex Harris

  The year-old Microsoft Manufacturing User Group (MS-MUG) wants the software giant to slow down the introduction of new operating system releases affecting real-time manufacturing controls.

  Manufacturers can't afford to shut down plants to implement new operating systems or service packs as often as Microsoft Corp. plans, members of the MS-MUG said in interviews today. The 50-member group, which includes technology managers at large processing plants, recently sent Microsoft officials its first report addressing the issue of product turnover, or churn, according to a press release issued by MS-MUG today.

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• Online job service employs Windows 2000 Server for high availability, performance
  Time: 05:05 EST/10:05 GMT News Source: Microsoft Daily News Posted By: Alex Harris

  In the high-tech job market, job seekers and employers want a way to connect anytime, anywhere.

  ComputerJobs.com serves the IT community with more than 50,000 online job listings and a screened resume database. The site is available around the clock thanks to Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Server. Since migrating its 40 production Web servers to Windows 2000 from Windows NT® 4.0 Server, ComputerJobs.com has gained higher availability, better performance and simpler administration.

  "Our competitive advantage hinges on the continual availability of our entire site," said Mike Gilfillan, CEO and founder of Atlanta-based ComputerJobs.com. "Windows 2000 has helped us keep a high-volume Web site up at a very low cost, in a very stable and efficient environment."

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• Modem Blaster Windows 2000 Updates
  Time: 05:03 EST/10:03 GMT News Source: File Flash Posted By: Alex Harris

  A bunch of new drivers have been posted for download from the Modem Blaster website. If you have a Modem Blaster and are using Windows 2000, head over there and grab them.

  You can download the file from here.

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• EU extends deadline on Microsoft/Micro Leader probe
  Time: 05:01 EST/10:01 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex Harris

  The European Commission said on Thursday it had given U.S. software giant Microsoft Corp <MSFT.O> extra time to provide data in a probe into a complaint brought by French company Micro Leader Business.

  "We've extended the deadline to May 12 from May 2," Commission spokeswoman Amelia Torres said. "We're in a fact-finding mission to find out if we have a case. Micro Leader supplied us with more information, so we asked Microsoft more questions. This led us to extend the deadline."

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• New variant of 'ILOVEYOU' virus
  Time: 04:59 EST/09:59 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex Harris

  A new variant of the "ILOVEYOU" virus is spreading, according to several sources. An unknown copycat has created a new virus that may continue to spread by changing the name of the attached .vbs file to "Very Funny.vbs" and the subject of the e-mail to "joke." In all other respects, the virus appears to be the same.

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• Inside the 'ILOVEYOU' worm
  Time: 04:57 EST/09:57 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex Harris

  In less than six hours Thursday, Love spread worldwide. The ILOVEYOU worm struck hundreds of thousands of computers in Asia, Europe and the United States as workers clicked on an e-mail attachment called LOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU.TXT.vbs.

  Late Thursday, the worm had turned. Some users reported receiving the same nasty e-mail, but one that substituted "I love you" wording with "very funny joke."

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• Intel workers indicted in alleged software piracy ring
  Time: 04:55 EST/09:55 GMT News Source: CNet Posted By: Alex Harris

  Prosecutors today announced the indictment of a global ring of suspected software thieves and five workers at chipmaker Intel who allegedly exchanged hardware for access to an array of pirated software.

  A federal grand jury in Chicago indicted 17 people, including a former Microsoft employee and two Europeans, for allegedly infringing the copyrights on more than 5,000 computer software programs.

  Of those indicted, 12 allegedly were members of the group known as "Pirates with Attitudes" (PWA), a software piracy ring that was infiltrated by government investigators last year.

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• Microsoft not planning Worm response
  Time: 15:23 EST/20:23 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) said it has no plans to issue a patch or security warning to its customers on the "ILOVEYOU" worm. Instead, the company is simply reminding its users to continue to follow best security practices, such as to be leery of dubious e-mail. "The antivirus companies are the experts here. We are working closely with the antivirus community to provide them with any information we can," said a Microsoft security spokeswoman. She added that right now Microsoft has no plans to temporarily shut down its own internal mail servers -- something the company did to halt the proliferation of the "Melissa" virus last year.

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• Microsoft Manufacturing User Group Tackles DLL Hell and Legacy Support Issues
  Time: 15:19 EST/20:19 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  The Microsoft Manufacturing User Group, or MS-MUG, recently issued its first feedback report detailing key issues faced by manufacturers when applying Microsoft technology in industrial automation applications. MS-MUG, currently operating as a working group within the Open Architecture Controller User Group, or OMAC, is devoted to addressing issues faced by manufacturers when applying commercial software technology to manufacturing automation applications. The group's first feedback report to Microsoft highlighted problems with DLL Hell, version management, and other issues that spawned the initial formation of this working group.

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• Microsoft Technology Chief Makes Departure Official
  Time: 15:13 EST/20:13 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp.(NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) Chief Technology Officer Nathan Myhrvold, the brains behind the software titan's $3 billion-a-year research lab, has left the company, officially ending a nearly year-long leave of absence.

  Myhrvold, who at age 40 holds a doctorate in theoretical and mathematical physics and masters degrees in mathematical economics, geophysics and space physics, will continue to act as an advisor to Microsoft co-founder and Chairman Bill Gates, the company said in a statement on its Web site.

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• EU extends deadline on Microsoft/Micro Leader probe
  Time: 15:13 EST/20:13 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  The European Commission said on Thursday it had given U.S. software giant Microsoft Corp (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) extra time to provide data in a probe into a complaint brought by French company Micro Leader Business.

  ``We've extended the deadline to May 12 from May 2,'' Commission spokeswoman Amelia Torres said. ``We're in a fact-finding mission to find out if we have a case. Micro Leader supplied us with more information, so we asked Microsoft more questions. This led us to extend the deadline.''

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• InfoCure Announces Strategic Alliance with Microsoft
  Time: 09:14 EST/14:14 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Alex Harris

  InfoCure Corporation (Nasdaq: INCX - news) announced that it has signed a definitive agreement with Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT - news) in which Microsoft will make a strategic resource investment to accelerate InfoCure's marketing and product development efforts. The investment will further the development of new healthcare applications and service offerings by VitalWorks, the comprehensive practice management solution for physicians, as well as the continued development of ASP applications. These efforts will produce an advanced software and services solution for healthcare providers, powered by Microsoft platforms, in the InfoCure and VitalWorks application suite and service offering.

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• Microsoft Announces Strategic Relationship With Plural To Build Premier Global E-Business Solution
  Time: 09:15 EST/14:15 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Alex Harris

  Microsoft Corp. and Plural Inc. today announced a strategic relationship designed to provide Global 2,000 and Internet start-up clients with market-leading e-business solutions. Plural and Microsoft will jointly invest to drive the adoption and deployment of innovative interactive-based solutions built on the Microsoft® Windows® DNA platform.

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• Microsoft Takes Steps to Protect Consumers and Honest Channel Partners In Iowa and Nebraska
  Time: 09:13 EST/14:13 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Alex Harris

  Microsoft Corp. today announced that it has filed software piracy lawsuits against three companies in Iowa and one in Nebraska. The lawsuits, alleging copyright violations and trademark infringements, were filed against businesses in both states for allegedly distributing counterfeit and/or infringing Microsoft^® software. The lawsuits aim to protect customers and legitimate distributors from the effects of software piracy.

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• CAIS Internet and Microsoft Advance Internet Services for Consumers
  Time: 09:11 EST/14:11 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Alex Harris

  CAIS Internet Inc. (Nasdaq "CAIS") and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq "MSFT") today announced a broad, three-tiered alliance that will advance broadband access and content services for consumers nationwide and selected international markets. CAIS and Microsoft will develop a co-branded portal that will distribute Internet content via CAIS's broadband networks in the hospitality industry, with an option for Microsoft to participate with CAIS in multifamily dwelling unit industries. In addition, Microsoft® BackOffice® will be an operating platform for CAIS and MSN™ services. In connection with this agreement, Microsoft has also agreed to make a $40 million equity investment in CAIS Internet in convertible preferred stock at a conversion price of $24 per share.

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• Driveway.com Enters Strategic Alliance With Microsoft
  Time: 09:09 EST/14:09 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Alex Harris

  Driveway.com, (http://www.driveway.com/), the leading provider of personal online storage, has entered into a strategic alliance with Microsoft Corp. that will offer visitors to MSN™ a variety of methods to save important documents and files online. The agreement regarding MSN (http://www.msn.com/), one of the top three most visited Internet portal sites according to Media Metrix Inc., will include integrated placement throughout the MSN network of Internet services.

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• Microsoft Research Leaders Promoted in Recognition Of MSR Growth, Contribution to Microsoft and Industry
  Time: 09:07 EST/14:07 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Alex Harris

  Microsoft Corp. today announced that Dr. Rick Rashid has been promoted to senior vice president of Microsoft Research (MSR), and Dr. Dan Ling has been promoted to vice president of Microsoft Research, Redmond.

  "Rick and Dan have built Microsoft Research into a world-class research lab that is contributing both to the development of innovative products for Microsoft customers and to academic and computer industry efforts to create dynamic new technologies that benefit consumers around the globe," said Microsoft President and CEO Steve Ballmer.

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• ILOVEYOU virus hits Europe
  Time: 09:05 EST/14:05 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex Harris

  A new computer virus is proliferating at rapid speed across Europe and has already felled at least three UK businesses according to a number of reports. According to these early reports, the virus is contained within an email headed: ILOVEYOU, and is contained within an attachment called... A Love Letter For You.

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• First look: Running Win2000 on a Mac
  Time: 09:03 EST/14:03 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex Harris

  Personable.com Inc., a new application service provider funded by memory giant Kingston Technology, announced that its service now allows Mac users to run Microsoft Windows 2000 applications through Internet Explorer 4.0 or later. The service, launched last December, previously worked only with Windows-based browsers. The company said it also plans to add Netscape support.

  The company's technology, developed in cooperation with Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT), provides access to a virtual Windows 2000 desktop through the browser. It then allows users to run such popular Windows applications as Microsoft Office, Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

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• Culture clash: Gates meets Robert Frost
  Time: 09:01 EST/14:01 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex Harris

  A poet went to Redmond in search of Microsoft's kinder, poetic side ... and found youthfulness, bouyancy -- and, yes, arrogance -- on the day the DOJ dropped its hammer. A camel will get through the eye of a needle now and then, and a poet will lecture at Microsoft. Not only did I get to lecture Microsoftees, I did so the day the government announced its intention to slice the company in half. I didn't expect to see dazed and staggering life forms passing out all over the manicured lawns, but I did hope for some articulate anxiety.

  No such luck. Over salmon, garlic potatoes and spinach salad in the three-star cafeteria, my table companions declared as one that "the anxiety level is zero."

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• Quake III flaw could frag your computer
  Time: 08:59 EST/13:59 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Alex Harris

  Game developer Id Software Inc. announced on Wednesday that its flagship first-person shooter has a security flaw that could leave Quake III players' computers open to attack while they play.

  "The basic nature of the exploit is that malicious server operators could overwrite any file on a client system," wrote Robert Duffy, a programmer at Id Software , in his .plan file on Wednesday.

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• Microsoft May Challenge Evidence
  Time: 06:05 EST/11:05 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) may ask a federal judge to throw out the Justice Department's plan to break up the company, arguing that the government improperly based its proposal on evidence that wasn't presented at trial, according to people close to the antitrust case.

  Microsoft objects to the statements of five outside experts in the plan submitted to U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson of Washington, D.C., by the Justice Department and 17 states, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

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• Microsoft Tech Officer Leaves Job
  Time: 06:04 EST/11:04 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Nathan Myhrvold, the chief technology officer at Microsoft Corp., said Wednesday he will not return full time to the company he served for 14 years. Myhrvold said he would continue to advise Microsoft chairman Bill Gates occasionally, as he has since going on leave last summer to pursue other interests. ``If I wanted to do a single thing, I'd go back to Microsoft,'' Myhrvold said. ``But there's so much I want to do and try, and so far I've been having a great time doing it.''

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• Microsoft Evolving into Web Services Company
  Time: 14:34 EST/19:34 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  An Executive Briefing issued today by Internet strategy consulting firm Mainspring, says that a government-proposed breakup of Microsoft would have a dramatic impact on Microsoft's vision of moving to a distributed model of Internet computing, called Web Services, as well as have critical implications on how existing businesses plan their future e-business strategies and technical architectures.

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• SWAT 3 Review
  Time: 11:15 EST/16:15 GMT News Source: ActiveNetwork Posted By: Alex Harris

  I have posted my review of Sierra's SWAT 3. Here is a snippet of the review:

  As an officer of D Platoon SWAT you must have a deep and abiding reverence of human life and a firm resolve that all possible alternatives have been exhausted before employing deadly force. 

  After a video introduction you are presented with the main menu which gives you the choice to start a Mission, New Career, Restore Career (Save Game) and Over and Out (Exit). The Mission tab lets you play any mission in any order, quite handy if you want to practice a certain level, or if you really love a level. The Career tab initiates a career path for you and you have to play the missions in order. The restore career tab takes you to the save game screen where you can continue playing a game you have already started.

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• Motocross Madness 2 - Gold
  Time: 10:27 EST/15:27 GMT News Source: E-Mail Posted By: Byron Hinson

  We'll keep this short and sweet - Microsoft has just sent word that Motocross Madness 2 has hit gold and should be out in stores on May 26th.

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• MS: Beware of the charging bull
  Time: 10:27 EST/15:27 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Why do Chairman Gates and CEO Ballmer insist on waving a red flag in front of a charging bull? It's Microsoft's right to express dismay over the government's proposed remedy to break up Microsoft as a remedy for its alleged wrongdoings on the antitrust front.

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• Experts line up to back DoJ MS breakup plan
  Time: 09:21 EST/14:21 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Byron Hinson

  One of the surprises in the recent filing by the DoJ was a series of six weighty accompanying Declarations. Five have been put online, but not the one by Ernest Von Simson, who is described by the DoJ as "a computer consultant to large global enterprises". In fact Von Simson was previously director of research for the Diebold Group, and is now with Asera, a Kleiner-Perkins backed business solutions provider in Redwood City, California. He is also on the board of Linuxcare.

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• Microsoft Rebuttal May Drag Out Antitrust Trial
  Time: 07:23 EST/12:23 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Lawyers for Microsoft are preparing a response to the government's broad "remedy" proposed to U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson that is widely expected to push the trial's endgame well past a scheduled May 24 courtroom hearing.

  Two hours after the government formally asked Jackson on April 28 to split Microsoft into two companies - one for Windows operating systems, subject to a raft of conduct restrictions, and one for Microsoft's Office software suite and other applications - the beleaguered software giant's general counsel, William Neukom, vowed to push for "a significant expansion of the remedy process."

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• Windows Media 7 Beta: 'Not Bad,' Says Analyst
  Time: 07:23 EST/12:23 GMT News Source: NewsBytes Posted By: Byron Hinson

  With the release of its beta version of Windows Media Player 7, Microsoft Corp once again proves that imitation is the ultimate form of flattery, according to one technology analyst.

  "They've taken a page from all of the successful media players," says Billy Pidgeon, a Web technologies analyst for Jupiter Communications.

  Microsoft made today a big day, announcing the release of its latest multimedia player in a pre-launch beta version, which is available free for download from Microsoft's home site at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia.

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• Windows bug shuts down school system's computers
  Time: 07:22 EST/12:22 GMT News Source: Mac Central Posted By: Byron Hinson

  According to a story in the Calgary Herald, the Calgary Board of Education moved much of their system to Windows based computers and now has to deal with a virus shutting the system down for two weeks.

  CBE officials shut down the computer system Friday after staff detected the computer virus, W32FunLove, in the system. FunLove was discovered last November in the United States, Britain and the Czech Republic. It infects files with an .exe ending when using the Windows 95/98 and Windows NT systems. The virus is able to give all users access to every file, regardless of security measures.

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• Access Windows 2000 apps on your Mac via the Internet
  Time: 07:22 EST/12:22 GMT News Source: Mac Central Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Macintosh users can soon use Windows 2000-based software, without installing software emulation packages like Virtual PC or Soft Windows, to run Windows 2000 applications on Macintosh platform, according to Personable.com.

  How? The company says because of its new browser support. Personable.com, the first Application Service Provider (ASP) offering a range of "shrink-wrapped" software for rent over the Internet via standard Web browsers, claims to be the first company in the ASP space to serve Windows 2000 Applications to the Macintosh community.

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• Microsoft and I/O Software Strengthen Industry Adoption of Biometrics
  Time: 14:37 EST/19:37 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT - news) and I/O Software Inc. today announced their cooperation to foster widespread growth of biometrics through the integration of biometric authentication technology in future versions of the Microsoft® Windows® operating system. Microsoft has acquired I/O Software's Biometric API (BAPI) technology and SecureSuite core authentication technology to provide users with a higher level of network security based on a secure and reliable personal authorization method. The integration of biometric authentication will enable users to log on to their computers and conduct secure e-commerce transactions using a combination of fingerprint, iris pattern or voice recognition and strong private key, instead of a password.

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• Microsoft Defense Seeks Gov't Files
  Time: 14:37 EST/19:37 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft plans to ask for authority to seek government records and subpoena witnesses to support its argument that breaking the company in two would be going too far, a company spokesman said today. Jim Cullinan said he expects a long discovery process to find out how the Justice Department came up with its ``Draconian and overbearing'' proposal.

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• Heaps Of New Creative Labs Drivers
  Time: 14:33 EST/19:33 GMT News Source: E-Mail Posted By: Byron Hinson

  A whole load of new Creative Labs drivers have been released, be warned though that as per usual with new Creative releases - the server is just about dead - here is a bit more information:

  Graphics Blaster RIVA TNT, 3D Blaster RIVA TNT2 3D Blaster RIVA TNT2 Ultra Graphics Blaster RIVA TNT2 Value (32Mb) 3D Blaster GeForce/3D Blaster GeForce Pro for Windows 2000
  Sound Blaster Live! for Windows 95/98 and NT

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• Microsoft Transforms Audio and Video Experience on the PC With Release of Windows Media Player 7 Beta
  Time: 09:19 EST/14:19 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. today announced the immediate availability of the beta version of Microsoft^® Windows Media™ Player 7. The beta release, available for download from http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia/ and http://WindowsMedia.com/, furthers Microsoft's efforts to bring digital media to the mainstream by enabling consumers to enjoy a full range of digital media activities, including CD audio playback, streamed and downloaded audio and video, jukebox capabilities for CD recording, media management, and Internet radio. The Windows Media Player 7 beta version introduces pioneering new features including SRS WOW™ 3-D audio enhancement technology, breakthrough audio and video quality, unmatched support for popular portable devices and storage media, and new customization features.

  Download Windows Media Player 7 Beta From ActiveWin - an official download site

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• Microsoft Unveils Redesigned WindowsMedia.com With Powerful New Features and Content
  Time: 09:17 EST/14:17 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. today announced a dramatic upgrade to WindowsMedia.com, the Internet's most popular audio and video guide*, now offering unmatched search and navigation capabilities, integrated access to artist and album information from Alliance Entertainment Corp.'s All Music Guide, and one of the Web's largest directories of downloadable music from major and independent labels. WindowsMedia.com's new features make it easier than ever for mainstream consumers to find and enjoy music, movies and more in the high-quality Windows Media™ Format.

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• I-Jam Multimedia and Microsoft Unveil First Digital Music Player To Exclusively Support the Windows Media Format
  Time: 09:08 EST/14:08 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  I-Jam Multimedia LLC, a pioneer in the development of the smallest digital music players, and Microsoft Corp. today unveiled the new Win-Jam Digital Music Player, the first device to exclusively support the Microsoft^® Windows Media™ Format. I-Jam developed the Win-Jam Player to enable consumers to easily enjoy CD-quality digital music that is half the size of equivalent MP3 files, while breaking through the price barriers of first-generation portable digital music players. The Win-Jam Digital Music Player is scheduled to be available in July for a suggested retail price of $129.99. Today's announcement underscores the rapid mainstream acceptance of the Windows Media Format among both portable device manufacturers and consumers.

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• Microsoft Windows for Smart Cards Experiences Rapid Industry Adoption
  Time: 09:08 EST/14:08 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Today at the annual CardTech/SecurTech conference, Microsoft Corp. announced that five new original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have signed on to build and distribute Microsoft^® Windows^® Powered Smart Cards, another indication of the technology's rapid industry adoption since its initial availability less than six months ago. The newest licensees include Alladin Knowledge Systems Ltd., California Plastics Inc., ICT, Rainbow Technologies and Eastgate Smartron Pte Ltd. Windows for Smart Cards makes it easy and cost-effective for these companies to use industry-standard smart-card technology to produce secure solutions for data access and storage.

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• Windows Media 7 Beta Today
  Time: 08:47 EST/13:47 GMT News Source: E-Mail Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft will today release a public beta of the new version of Windows Media player - this brings the player up to version 7. It should be downloadable on both the Windowsmedia site and Windows Update later today

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• WinCE retail market share collapses
  Time: 08:47 EST/13:47 GMT News Source: The Register Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft's PocketPC launch couldn't have come sooner, according to a report by NPD Intelect. The US market research company's numbers, cited by All Net Devices, show retail sales of Windows CE devices have all but dried up.

  NPD Intelect's stats, derived from sales through US retail and mail order channels, show Palm held 87.3 per cent of the PDA market in February, an increase of over 20 per cent on its February 1999 share of 65.5 per cent. IBM, a PalmOS licensee, also experienced growth, seeing its share rise 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent between February 1999 and February 2000.

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• ActiveWin Mailing List
  Time: 08:47 EST/13:47 GMT News Source: ActiveWin Posted By: Byron Hinson

  We would like to welcome you all to the new and improved ActiveWin mailing list. We have finally sorted out all of the previous problems we had with delivering our list to you all (Our server wouldn't send any more than 200 mailings out). So now you can all look forward to daily e-mails keeping you up to date with everything that is happening in the world of Windows and Microsoft.

  Subscribe to the HTML mailing list

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• MS Courting Public Opinion
  Time: 05:29 EST/10:29 GMT News Source: Wired Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  Microsoft has launched newspaper and television advertising in response to the government's recommendation to break up the software giant on antitrust grounds, but experts said Monday the campaign was unlikely to affect the outcome of the case in court.

  Even so, advertising, public relations and legal professionals said efforts by the world's largest software company to shore up its image with the public, its employees, and shareholders could prove critical for Microsoft's business in the months and perhaps years before the dispute is finally resolved.

  Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and President and CEO Steve Ballmer, in a full-page ad appearing in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and other major newspapers, argued that splitting the company in two would hurt consumers and punish innovation.

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• Justice Remedy Looks Toward Future Products
  Time: 05:29 EST/10:29 GMT News Source: TechWeb Posted By: Matthew Sabean

  The government's proposed remedy in the Microsoft case looks toward competition in future products instead of breaking up the software giant's existing monopoly, a well-known antitrust attorney said Monday.

  Furthermore, the U.S. Supreme Court has said a remedy can extend to products beyond the original lawsuit, said George Washington University law professor William Kovacic. "But it's got to have a relationship," he said. "You can do it, but you're going to have to look over your shoulder more," he added, referring to the judges reviewing the case on appeal.

  Breaking up Microsoft (stock: MSFT ) into more than one operating system company would have immediately created competition, but would have disrupted engineering units and resulted in duplication, Kovacic said.

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• Microsoft Windows vs. Microsoft Office?
  Time: 05:28 EST/10:28 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Could Microsoft end up its own worst enemy? That seems to be the government's thinking. Assistant U.S. Attorney General Joel Klein summed up the Department of Justice's reason for recommending a Microsoft Corp. breakup: The best competitor to Windows will come from a Microsoft Office company.Klein reiterated the Windows vs. Office line of reasoning on Sunday morning's "Face the Nation" on CBS.

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• Microsoft ad campaign seen helping image until case resolved
  Time: 05:24 EST/10:24 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) has launched newspaper and television advertising in response to the government's recommendation to break up the software giant on antitrust grounds, but experts said on Monday the campaign was unlikely to affect the outcome of the case in court.

  Even so, advertising, public relations and legal professionals said efforts by the world's largest software company to shore up its image with the public, its employees and shareholders could prove critical for Microsoft's business in the months and perhaps years before the dispute is finally resolved.

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• Lotus 'Bluejay' lands in MS Exchange
  Time: 15:03 EST/20:03 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron Hinson

  In anticipation of this summer's expected release of Microsoft Corp.'s (Nasdaq: MSFT) Exchange Server 2000, Lotus Development Corp. is working on a project that will make Domino and Notes more Microsoft-friendly. Lotus' new effort, code-named Bluejay, will take the form of a Domino add-on and enable Exchange users to run a Domino back end while deploying an Exchange client. Story to follow.

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• ActiveWin: Microsoft IntelliMouse Optical - Review
  Time: 11:07 EST/16:07 GMT News Source: ActiveWin Posted By: Robert Stein

  Julien and I have posted our review of Microsoft's new IntelliMouse Optical. Here is a snippet from the review:

  As if the first generation of Microsoft's IntelliEye mice were not good enough, the second generation has just gotten better. Microsoft's latest mouse, the IntelliMouse Optical has the same attractive new look as the former, however this time it features a new ambidextrous design for improved comfort. The  lefties and odd-sized hand people of the world will now love Microsoft as this new style is ergonomically fit for everyone. Combined with the newest IntelliEye Technology and the new programmable buttons, even the sternest curmudgeons will buy this mouse.

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• New evidence triggered DOJ action
  Time: 10:55 EST/15:05 GMT News Source: ZDNet Posted By: Byron Hinson

  New evidence that Microsoft Corp. is continuing to use its Windows monopoly to muscle into new markets helped persuade state and federal antitrust enforcers to propose breaking up the software company, government officials said.

  The Justice Department and 17 states asked a federal court Friday to slice the company into competing camps -- one armed with Microsft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Windows operating-system software; the other with its widely used Office and other applications, plus Microsoft's Internet businesses. In addition, they asked the court to impose immediate and far-reaching restrictions on Microsoft's conduct to protect competition during expected appeals, which could delay any ruling by a year or more.

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• Before the Bell - Microsoft strengthens
  Time: 09:59 EST/14:59 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Shares in Microsoft Corp. (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) rose in pre-opening trade on Monday after federal and state antitrust authorities proposed breaking up the software powerhouse. Microsoft was at 72 on the Instinet electronic broker system, up from a Friday close at 69-3/4.

  On Friday federal and state antitrust enforcers proposed breaking Microsoft in two, the harshest antitrust penalty sought by the government in two decades. ReliaStar Financial Corp. (NYSE:RLR - news), the No. 8 publicly held U.S. life insurer, was up at 51-1/4 from a Friday close of 43-1/16. Dutch financial services group ING Groep NV (NYSE:ING - news) said it was buying ReliaStar in a $6.1 billion deal.

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• Microsoft Announces Support for Onyx Front Office 2000
  Time: 09:59 EST/14:59 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq "MSFT") today announced support for Onyx Front Office 2000, a leading enterprisewide, customer-centric e-business suite of software products from Onyx Software Corp. (Nasdaq "ONXS"). Onyx Front Office 2000 on the Microsoft^® platform provides companies with an Internet-based competitive advantage by enabling superior marketing, sales and service for employees, customers and partners with a broad e-business platform that allows companies to combine traditional and online business processes.

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• Microsoft "Motocross Madness 2" to Feature Honda Motorcycles
  Time: 09:59 EST/14:59 GMT News Source: Press Release Posted By: Byron Hinson

  Microsoft Corp. and American Honda Motor Co. Inc.'s Motorcycle Division today announced that they have reached an agreement to feature a lineup of Honda 2000 series off-road motorcycles in the new Microsoft^® "Motocross Madness™ 2" game for the PC. In addition to providing heart-pumping racing action, "Motocross Madness 2" lets PC owners take their favorite Honda off-road motorcycles, including the race-inspired CR^®125R, CR 250R and the high-performance XR™400, on virtual test rides in over 40 photo-realistic riding environments and tracks.

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You can read more of the past months news in our News Archive for April and Previous May News.

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