David Worthington

Microsoft has provided partners with an early glimpse of the first official service release for its flagship Windows 2003 Server. It is a closed test and thus no public feedback is being solicited at this time, the company says.

In an e-mail to beta testers, the Microsoft server team wrote, "We are pleased to announce Windows Server 2003 Service Pack IDS build 1039-2 is now available for download at BetaPlace.com. This build is provided for partner evaluation only. This is NOT a preview of the Beta."

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The MSN product team at Microsoft is seeking testers for the MSN 9 beta program. The beta is expected to begin in September and may last until January of next year. This test comes on the heels of arch rival AOL's announcement of AOL 9 Optimized, a special version of the client catered toward broadband services.

With MSN 8.5 as its latest official version, Microsoft is striving to leap ahead in the numbers game.

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Russ Cooper, a moderator for the NTBugtraq mailing list claims to have uncovered a critical flaw in Microsoft's Windows Update patching process. The problem lies in the method WU uses to confirm installation of fixes – a brief inspection of information in the Windows registry.

According to Cooper's findings, should an installation fail, information may still be entered into the registry generating a false sense of security against present dangers like the "Blaster" worm. Microsoft disputes the research following its own internal testing.

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The bell has sounded for round two of Microsoft's PC Satisfaction beta. Testers who bitterly complained of serious performance issues will find significant headway has been made toward resolve slumping system performance.

The Redmond development team has liberally applied spit and polish to each facet of this build, as it trudges along towards a final release - one that is not without a touch of controversy.

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After a long, tumultuous relationship with NVIDIA, Microsoft has switched directions and penned an agreement with key NVIDIA competitor ATI Technologies. ATI is now set to become one of the key vendors to supply Microsoft's gaming division. The two firms have commenced a technology development agreement to foster in a new graphical engine that will power future Xbox products and services.

According to the company, Microsoft awarded the contract on the basis that its technical vision was close bedfellows with ATI's own product roadmap. ATI, which provides the graphics processor for Nintendo GameCube, seems to be in complete agreement with the software giant's appraisal of its technologies.

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Microsoft has acknowledged to ZDNet Australia that Outlook Express will soon be cast to Redmond's graveyard of obsolescence. Sustained development teams will continue to issue needed fixes, while the bulk of Microsoft's emphasis in the consumer e-mail space will be directed toward MSN and Hotmail.

Outlook Express has enjoyed years of being tightly bundled with all versions of Windows and standalone downloads of Internet Explorer. The distribution has made Microsoft's freeware e-mail client one of the most pervasive products on the market.

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This past week at LinuxWorld, Real Networks announced its latest endeavor: an open source digital audio and video player for Linux, Unix and Solaris that meets the quality of the company's flagship RealOne product.

The Helix Player, in conjunction with bundled RealAudio and RealVideo binaries, will conform to Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL 2.0) standards set forth by the World Wide Web consortium. Real's goal is to develop a player for millions of users to experience the same richness of its Mac OS X and Windows brands.

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America Online has opened public beta testing for AIM Express 4.0, the latest incarnation of its Web-based real time communications service. The 4.0 milestone sports the look and feel of AOL 9 Optimized, but has more changes in store before its final release to ultimately mirror the Windows AIM interface.

This release will soon support Netscape 7.1 and Mozilla 1.4 on both Windows and Mac OS X. Users of America Online will need to use an external browser for testing. Customers experiencing other issues can sort through a list of known issues.

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Preparations are underway at McAfee to beta test Firewall 5.0. Product manager James Schmidt recently sat down with BetaNews to detail what's in store for this year's release.

For its updated Firewall product, McAfee has focused on automation and customer education. Extended intelligent application handling operates from a list of trusted programs that are instantaneously permitted access without need for customer intervention. A new optional "setup assistant" and online tutorial collectively educate users on what a firewall is and what is does.

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America Online has publicly released the final version of AOL Communicator, its new unified client featuring e-mail, an address book, and real time communications.

Formerly known by the code-name "Photon" during its testing phase, the product has sustained development for the past two and a half years following the lackluster debut of Netscape 6.0 in November 2000.

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After purchasing SpamKiller from Novasoft last year, McAfee worked to broaden the software product with a different architecture while keeping its strong suits intact.

Now the software maker is gearing up to release the first major revision of the product under its auspice. SpamKiller 5 is currently undergoing beta testing, with a release to manufacturing date set for September 5.

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A stealth distribution on Windows Update let loose the final version of Microsoft's P2P designs for Windows XP this past week. The update has also been released as a standalone download, with the plumbing of a software development kit in close quarters.

The upgrade for Windows XP Service Pack 1 repositions the operating system's Internet underpinnings to the next generation IPv6 networking stack. The download also bridges together legacy network standards through NAT traversal technology known as "Teredo."

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Healthier fare and Newman's own dressing are not the only things McDonald's is cooking up these days. The bastion of fast food is continuing to expand its flirtation with Wi-Fi, spreading the "fat" across New York. A total of 75 golden arches across New York State sporting the @ symbol will serve as gateways to the Net, according to the company.

The wireless service, aimed at selling more meals, will be free throughout August and then rescind to a flat daily rate of less than three dollars. These revenues are being sought after to shore the company's finances up against a well publicized slip in sales and sliding profit margins.

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Microsoft has invited beta testers to participate in the company's PC Satisfaction Trial, an underlying piece of its "Real People, Real Data" customer research program.

Testers will be included in an important Web services trial to gauge how confident they feel when the security of their PC, personal information, and safety of their data are not in constant jeopardy.

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America Online has introduced AOL 9 optimized; a broadband version of the client software formerly code-named Blue Hawaii. Today’s announcement also gave legs to the "Members First" download campaign. Starting Friday, August 1st, subscribers using the Windows 2000 or XP operating system will get an exclusive first look at the code before the product’s general release to stores and other marketing outlets.

Since BetaNews first reported on the 9.0 beta in May, there have been a plethora of changes introduced to both the standard and broadband flavors of the client from a tight-lipped AOL.

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