Happy Holidays 2004 from BetaNews

As 2004 winds down, we at BetaNews would like to extend our heartfelt thanks for all of the support we have received from our software authors, downloaders and devoted readers. 2004 has brought incredible changes to BetaNews inside and out, none of which could have been accomplished without you.

While we celebrated our sixth birthday last June with the launch of the new BetaNews, much remains in store for 2005. Work on a refresh of the site is underway, including added features and special member opportunities. We will also continue to improve speed and usability, bringing you the best BetaNews experience possible.

2005 is set to be an exciting year in technology as well. Microsoft is poised to finally release Longhorn Beta 1, while fending off open source in the enterprise. Office will become the new platform of choice at Microsoft, and developers will get a taste of what Redmond has in store come February.

But 2005 will surely be the "year of the search" - be it on the desktop, or on the Web. Google continues to dominate the market, but search rivals Microsoft and Yahoo! are ramping up their efforts to dethrone the king. Search veteran AOL will also play a key role, as the company opens its content and services to the masses.

As always, we wish all of you a safe and happy holidays as you celebrate with family and friends. Although we are on an abbreviated schedule, be sure to check for new beta releases or jot a quick greeting to the staff.