14 DAY TRIAL // On Monday, Microsoft launched a new version of Windows Computer Cluster Server 2003, a version of its operating system developed to let powerful clusters of Windows-based machines to perform high-performance computing events.
The software solution, which was first scheduled for last year, is now expected to be released by June, with about 30 customers already testing the application.
Next day, the company released a public beta of Windows Live Messenger, an instant-messaging program that provides international PC-to-telephone calls with video features.
The PC-to-phone ability offers local and international calls through a Verizon Internet telephony system that has been developed to include Austria, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands. Entitled Verizon Web Calling, the service previously included only the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Spain. Windows Live Messenger also offers a unified contact list that presents information from other applications.
Windows Live Messenger is part of Windows Live, Microsoft's new line of online applications products and services.
On the same day, the giant released three security updates, two of which address critical flaws in the Exchange e-mail server and third-party application in Windows.
"We also issued a 'moderate' update for flaws in Windows. A malicious attacker could launch a denial-of-service attack by sending a specially crafted network message through the system to exploit the flaw", is written in the software giant's bulletin. "An attacker could exploit the vulnerability by constructing a specially crafted message that could potentially allow remote code execution when an Exchange Server processes an e-mail with certain... properties."
On Wednesday, the company released a test version of its Windows CE 6 operating system for embedded devices.
The operating system is developed for set-top boxes, GPS (Global Positioning System) devices, PDAs, industrial automation and medical devices. This allows developers to incorporate large numbers of complex solutions into devices and provide advanced multimedia and Web services. Windows CE 6 includes features from older versions of Windows CE, allowing device producers to keep previous investments in user interfaces, software, middleware and drivers.
During its fiscal third quarter that ended March 31, Microsoft's revenue from the mobile and embedded business rose 46 percent to US$89 million, compared to US$61 million a year earlier.
As part of its status report on Microsoft's antitrust compliance, the Justice Department said on Thursday that it had reviewed the search box in Internet Explorer 7 and concluded that Microsoft's implementation "respects users' and (computer makers') default choices and is easily changed."
IE7 will be included in Vista and also provided as a download for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users. A public test version of the browser is already released and available for download from Microsoft's Web site.
In the same report, the Justice Department sustained it is seeking to extend by two years the partnership that requires Microsoft to license Windows communication protocols to rivals.
A Microsoft engineer has made public a weekend challenge to the Windows Vista team: Find and fix a bug in the current code and win $100.
This bounty comes after Mozilla offered $500 and a Mozilla T-shirt to those who find critical security flaws in its products, which include the Firefox Web browser.
On Friday, The Justice Department announced that it is seeking to extend the term of its landmark antitrust settlement with Microsoft by two years. In a statement released Friday, the Justice Department sustained that it wants to extend certain parts of the final judgment in the case, set to expire in the fall of 2007, until 2009. It confirmed that Microsoft has agreed to the two-year extension of the partnership, under which it licenses its Windows communications protocols.
"The Department of Justice is committed to full and vigorous enforcement of the Microsoft final judgment. This extension will ensure that companies interested in licensing the communications protocols receive the benefit of complete and accurate documentation for the full period of time provided by the court's final judgment," J. Bruce McDonald, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, said in the statement.
"The result of the agreement today, and Microsoft's additional announcements, is that the licensing of these protocols will effectively become an ongoing part of Microsoft's regular product development and business processes," replied Microsoft officials.
