Windows XP Gets Security Certification
Touting the success of it's new Security Development Lifecycle (SDL) process, Microsoft late Wednesday said Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP SP2 Professional and Embedded have secured the highest Common Criteria security certification from the United States government's National Information Assurance Partnership.
Four versions of Windows Server 2003 were certified, including Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition, Datacenter Edition and Windows Server 2003 Certificate Server. Both Windows 2000 Professional and Server editions previously achieved the same security rating, dubbed Evaluation Assurance Level (EAL) 4.
McDonalds to Embed Windows XP
McDonalds and Microsoft on Wednesday announced a deal to utilize Windows XP Embedded across the fast food giant's stores. Microsoft's componentized version of Windows will take orders and enable Mickey D's to accept new forms of payment such as gift cards, and train employees faster.
Windows XP Embedded has already been deployed across "several thousand" stores in Europe and Asia. Now, McDonalds will roll out the platform worldwide. Microsoft lauded the partnership for bringing an "open technology platform" to the restaurant chain and ensuring "the next generation of customer service innovations."
Microsoft Cancels November Vista CTP
Microsoft announced in a conference call on Tuesday that no Windows Vista CTP would be released for November, with the development focus shifting to a "quality based schedule, rather than a calendar date one." Instead, a December CTP will be issued before the Christmas holidays.
Amitabh Srivastava, who heads up Microsoft's Windows engineering efforts, explained that the company was endeavoring to finish the code for all Windows Vista features by the end of December, with a feature-complete build of Vista shipping "early next year."
WindowBlinds 5 Brings Vista UI to XP
One of the most anticipated features in Windows Vista is its redesigned user interface that features glass-like title bars and alpha blended windows. But with the upgrade a year away, Stardock has released WindowBlinds 5 to offer Windows XP users the same capabilities right now.
Version 5 of Stardock's flagship Windows customization software has been in the works for over a year, according to company CEO Brad Wardell. Initially, Wardell's team was dubious that such features could be added without severe performance lag to Windows XP, which lacks Vista's new advanced graphics subsystem.
New UI Font Coming to Vista, Office 12
With the release of a new user interface in Windows Vista and Office 12, Microsoft will also update the font that both products use for the first time in eight years. The company says the new font is designed to take advantage of ClearType, and is more modern than its predecessors.
Dubbed "Segoe UI," the font is more humanistic and less computer-like than it's predecessor, Tahoma. Microsoft also relied on a decade of research from its Typography unit on making fonts easier to read and scan on screen.
Gartner: Wait Until 2008 to Adopt Vista
Research firm Gartner made waves Friday by telling clients in a note that there was no compelling reason for most businesses to upgrade to Windows Vista until 2008 -- or even later. However, Microsoft's response to the scathing analysis may shock many: it called the report "balanced."
The research note, entitled "Ten reasons you should and shouldn't care about Microsoft's Windows Vista client," highlighted the problems with Microsoft's strategy for the next-generation operating system.
Microsoft Ships Second Vista CTP
As expected, Microsoft has shipped the October Community Technology Preview of Windows Vista, embarking on what the company hopes will be monthly test releases of the operating system. Build 5231 first surfaced last week and brings changes to Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player and Vista's networking.
Internet Explorer 7 has received a minor facelift, with its tabs moved below the address bar to match the interface style used by the likes of Firefox and Opera. Microsoft has additionally added a "Favorites Center" for managing links and a "QuickTabs" overview of all open Web sites.
New Windows Vista Beta Build Leaks
Weeks before Microsoft is expected to release the October Community Technology Preview of Windows Vista, build 5231 has found its way onto the Internet. The pre-Beta 2 release incorporates minor updates over the September CTP that debuted at PDC 2005, including an early build of Windows Media Player 11.
Internet Explorer 7 has also received a minor facelift, with its tabs moved below the address bar to match the interface style used by the likes of Firefox and Opera. The Windows Sidebar has re-emerged in Vista build 5231, but it's not clear if the October CTP will include the feature.
Microsoft: XP Service Pack 3 After Vista
A representative of Microsoft's French division told ZDNet France on Friday that the company plans to release a third service pack for the Windows XP operating system. According to Bernard Ourghanlian, technical and security director at Microsoft France, the update is significant and a priority for Microsoft's developers.
Microsoft last updated Windows XP in August 2004, focusing on security issues. The changes came after the company received widespread criticism over the operating system's apparent lax security. No details have been received on the contents of the update, although it may include a version of WinFX being fine-tuned for the now four year-old version of Windows.
Windows Vista Goes With the Workflow
On Wednesday, Microsoft introduced Windows Workflow Foundation, a new way for developers to quickly build workflow-enabled applications on Windows Vista. The purpose of the technology is to support business processes and make programs adapt to the day-to-day needs of people who use them.
In an interview with BetaNews, Scott Woodgate, Microsoft's group product manager for the Connected Systems Division, tried to explain the announcement's significance more clearly.
Images: Windows Vista Build 5219
Microsoft issued to PDC 2005 attendees this week the first of its monthly CTP builds of Windows Vista, which includes a number of improvements over Beta 1. The version distributed to attendees does not include the new Windows Sidebar, but Microsoft did highlight the feature at PDC.
To take full advantage of Vista's new capabilities quite a bit of computing and graphics power is required. Click the image on the right to view Vista in its full glory.
Canon Brings Color to Windows Vista
Microsoft announced on Tuesday it had selected Canon to provide the color management system for Windows Vista, the company's next-generation operating system. Color management helps graphic designers better match screen colors to print and gives a better overall graphic appearance to the operating system.
"Devices such as digital cameras, color printers, high-definition displays and cell phones all have made the use of color pervasive across many walks of life," said Will Poole, senior vice president of Windows Client Business at Microsoft.
WinFS Resurrected for Windows Vista?
Microsoft's next-generation WinFS file system has been the subject of much confusion over the past two years, and that apparently hasn't changed - even with Windows Vista Beta 1 out the door. The company is reportedly putting the finishing touches on a WinFS preview release, which will be introduced at next month's Professional Developers Conference.
WinFS, or Windows Future Storage, was originally slated to sit atop NTFS and track metadata for all files on a system to improve organizing, searching and sharing of information. Applications could also store data directly in WinFS, which is based on Microsoft's SQL Server 2005 technology.
Windows Vista Beta 1 SDK Goes Live
As Microsoft's 2005 Professional Developers Conference draws ever closer, the company has put the finishing touches on its first Windows Vista Software Development Kit, which is now available on MSDN. The SDK includes documentation, samples, header files, and tools for developing on Windows Vista Beta 1.
"For the first time, the SDK provides support for using both managed WinFX and unmanaged Win32 Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)," Microsoft says. The kit will simply be dubbed "Windows SDK" upon release, as it includes both WinFX and Vista-specific documentation.
MS to Showcase Vista, Office 12 at PDC
Microsoft on Tuesday announced that its 2005 Professional Developers Conference, which begins September 13 in Los Angeles, has completely sold out. The four day event will give developers a long-awaited taste of Windows Vista and a look at the next release of Microsoft Office, code-named Office 12.
Bill Gates will kick off PDC05 with a keynote address, and other Microsoft executives will also speak at the event. The last PDC was held in 2003 and focused on the fundamentals of Longhorn. However, much has changed in the operating system since that time and PDC05 will be crucial for any developers looking to prepare for Vista's late 2006 debut.
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