Next month, Microsoft is expected to start rolling out a number of 2010 products -- at least, rolling them out to its manufacturing operations and partners. Office 2010, SharePoint 2010, Visio 2010 and Project 2010 all seem primed and ready to go.
There will be about a month-long lag before IT pros like you can get their mitts on these puppies, as general availability is scheduled for May 12.
You've already told me everything you know about Office 2010 and it looks pretty good (unless you're one of the many who still dislike the ribbon). Now I'm getting curious about SharePoint 2010. Any of you folks beta testing this thing? If so, send your thoughts to [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 03/10/2010 at 1:17 PM0 comments
If you're a midmarket company, a version of Windows Server built just for you is no more. Well, it still exists -- it's just that there will be no new versions of Windows Essential Business Server.
The server was aimed at shops with 75 to 300 end users and, like Small Business Server, was designed to be easy to set up and manage, and included most of the core apps a shop of that size should need.
For Microsoft, the move will save some money. And it was seeing -- or at least expecting -- flagging demand as midmarket shops look to the cloud for application services.
Will you miss WEBS? Do you use Small Business Server and, if so, what do you think? Answers to either question welcome at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 03/10/2010 at 1:17 PM1 comments
After releasing two "important patches" for Office and Windows, Microsoft issued a warning that IE 6 and 7 may be subject to remote code execution attacks. Security experts say that hackers have found this hole and that a "limited" number of attacks have been reported.
All software has flaws. One of the reasons Microsoft's software seems to have so many holes is that Microsoft aggressively reports its problems.
Do you agree or still think that Microsoft is less secure that its competitors? Shoot your answers to [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 03/10/2010 at 1:17 PM1 comments
Last month's Patch Tuesday was a bit of a bear. To make up for it, Microsoft is planning a light patch batch tomorrow. In fact, there are only two "important" patches prepped. Both patches address remote execution attacks, one aimed at Office and the other at Windows.
IT could use a breather around now!
Posted by Doug Barney on 03/08/2010 at 1:17 PM0 comments
Microsoft loves to make well-publicized big bets, like when Bill Gates released his famous "The Internet Is Everything" memo.
Now Steve Ballmer says "The Cloud Is Nearly Everything" and believes his company has a head start. Most apps, such as SharePoint, Office and Exchange, can already run as hosted software. And he believes Azure is more robust and scalable than other cloud tools such as those from Amazon. The cloud leads to a number of possibilities, Ballmer believes. It can foster the creation of smarter devices that rely on cloud power, and offers the possibility of new software inventions and services.
But while the cloud might be nearly everything, it's not the only thing. Ballmer argues that good, old-fashioned hard drive-based software will be important for years to come.
How you tried Azure? What do you think? Shoot your responses through the ether to [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 03/08/2010 at 1:17 PM1 comments
In recent years Microsoft has bought companies and built new technologies to catch up with Google. Now Google is playing catch-up, buying DocVerse so it can have cloud apps that are more compatible with Office.
Google Apps are like mini versions of their Office counterparts. With DocVerse, you can apparently use Word, Excel, et. al and share work over the Web through the Google Apps infrastructure. Hmm...I guess the cloud isn't replacing Office after all.
What do you think of Google Apps? Share your experiences at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 03/08/2010 at 1:17 PM0 comments
Readers share their thoughts on Novell, which a New York-based hedge fund offered to buy last week for $2 billion:
I like the analogy comparing Novell to Ali. He was great in his time, but got pummeled a few too many times and could barely communicate in midlife. Yep, sounds like Novell.
However, I don't see how you can admire Novell. They blundered in their marketing against NT. NetWare and directory services could have buried NT with the right marketing. Yet they persisted in asking for the additional pound of flesh when you bought it; Microsoft undercut them. They blundered in buying WordPerfect (for way too much money), thinking they could go against Microsoft on their own software platform. The first few WordPerfect versions on Windows were horrible. GroupWise under a different company might have been a contender, but almost 10 years later, SharePoint is finally doing what Novell wanted to do back then. Novell was the king. The king is dead. Long live Microsoft.
-Joseph
As a Windows professional working in a Novell shop (well, we just migrated away from Novell), I remember this video from BrainShare in 2002. Our Novell engineers all got a big laugh out of it. But when I looked at it more closely, the crash errors appeared to be from Windows 98 vintage, not from Microsoft's new OS at that time, Windows 2000.
I don't think NT killed NetWare. I think Active Directory killed NetWare. Don't get me wrong, I think Novell had good products. But when they should have been innovating to separate themselves from Active Directory, all they did was try and make fun of Microsoft's products. Flying Boy and the Microsoft butterfly swatter are what I remember most from Novell.
-Kevin
Doug's mailbag was recently filled with readers' gripes about the Office ribbon. A few of you wrote in to commiserate and offer some tips:
You might want to post a tip for the folks who think the ribbon is too big. If you click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar icon on the top line of an Office app, there is an option to minimize the ribbon at the bottom of the menu. I have chosen that in all my Office 2007 apps, and now the ribbon is only active when I click one of the commands (just like a pull-down menu).
All in all, I think the ribbon is slightly better than a pull-down menu. I'm still using Office 2003 at home (for financial reasons), and I'm now finding those pull-down menus to be irritating, especially when I have to branch out three or more times to get to a function!
-Ron
I, too, struggled with the ribbon, and continue to do so. A co-worker of mine sent me a link to a video from Microsoft that helped alleviate the pain somewhat. The video is called "The Ribbon" and is located here. Near the middle of the page, under "Key Features," is the link to play it.
-Anonymous
I like the ribbon now that I'm used to it. Most of our users aren't tech-savvy and need a lot of hand-holding. Consequently, we were late to adopt Office 2007. Users are adapting and may eventually become more productive with the new UI. But whatever gains we see are offset by increased training and support costs. To me, the ribbon is an example of fixing something that wasn't broken.
-George
And one reader offers a wry assessment of the new breed of smartphones:
Whenever I get a new phone and start trying to figure it out, I can't help but chuckle as I recall the words of Bjarne Stroustrup, inventor of C++: "I have always wished for my computer to be as easy to use as my telephone; my wish has come true because I can no longer figure out how to use my telephone."
-Anonymous
Share your thoughts with the editors of this newsletter! Write to [email protected]. Letters printed in this newsletter may be edited for length and clarity, and will be credited by first name only (we do NOT print last names or e-mail addresses).
Posted by Doug Barney on 03/08/2010 at 1:17 PM0 comments
I love Novell. This company has been on the ropes more than Ali in Zaire. But like Muhammad, Novell clearly has the knock-out punch. Whereas Wang, DG and WordPerfect all died because they couldn't escape their legacy, Novell did. NT killed NetWare and Office killed WordPerfect (which Novell bought), but yet Novell not only survives, but prospers.
Don't believe me? Well, why else would a hedge fund offer a cool $2 billion (in cash) for Novell?
I've seen enough companies come and go, and I've covered Novell on and off for almost three decades. Novell's survival and success are something we should all admire.
What's your best or worst Novell memory? Stories may be passed along to [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 03/05/2010 at 1:17 PM3 comments
Many IT pros are wary of the cloud because they can't control the data and must rely on the service provider to keep hackers at bay. But the cloud, in many cases, is financially and technically compelling. So if the economics lead you to a cloud solution, do your best to make sure your apps are secure. A report from the Cloud Security Alliance has some advice -- and a few warnings.
Here are some things for you to think about and to press your cloud provider on: How does the provider handle patching and, in general, administer your system? Because most clouds are virtualized, what specific steps have been taken to make sure cracking one VM doesn't lead to hacking all of them? How secure are the APIs? And finally, what measures are taken to make sure the service provider's own employees aren't a risk? IT people can be just as bad as any other, as I discovered in this report that was entirely based on Redmond Report readers' experiences.
Have you gone to the cloud? How do you handle security? Let me know at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 03/05/2010 at 1:17 PM0 comments
Microsoft recently helped shut down the Waledac botnet, but Doug still wonders if spam has been getting worse:
In the days since I first read the report of the MS crackdown on spammers, I have suddenly been flooded with spam across most of my e-mail accounts. Most appear to be originating from Russia, after a cursory look at the IP addresses and domains involved.
I haven't see this massive a thrust in months. It is almost as if whoever was shut down decided to prove that it meant nothing.
-Bernie
I think spam has gotten much worse over the past few months. When the government shut down the two spam host sites a couple of years ago, my spam dropped to nearly nothing. Now SPAMfighter is catching 20 to 25 messages a day, with the biggest increases over the past two or three months.
-Tony
Doug recently asked readers whether they've taken Google Apps -- or some other Web-based productivity offering -- out for a spin:
I've wondered why Google Apps gets so much attention when there are other cloud-based apps that offer more than Google Apps and will even integrate with Google Apps.
For instance, Zoho rocks. I've used both and, to me, there is no comparison. Not only do you get the standard apps like word processing and spreadsheets, you can have invoicing, CRM, project management, HR, remote support and more.
-Cameron
I set up my family's domain and cub scout's domain to include e-mail, Jabber type IM and Web sites. Very pleased. Besides domain name registrar fees, it's all free.
-Kevin
Finally, one reader wants to clarify Doug's explanation for the recent spate of blue screens on XP systems with a specific Microsoft patch installed (which Microsoft has since reissued). Doug originally wrote that "there's a rootkit that attacks the patch itself and causes these freezes."
Not really. The rootkit modified kernel code in specific locations. Those locations contain different code when the patch is installed, causing the modified code to fail.
Microsoft can't really fix the problem, unless they can prevent rootkits from modifying the kernel. The patch has been reinstated, and the rootkit developer has issued a correction. Talk about strange circumstances!
-Anonymous
Share your thoughts with the editors of this newsletter! Write to [email protected]. Letters printed in this newsletter may be edited for length and clarity, and will be credited by first name only (we do NOT print last names or e-mail addresses).
Posted by Doug Barney on 03/04/2010 at 1:17 PM1 comments
It's been tough in IT for, what, about the last 10 years? It's gotten even worse in the last two, as you've been asked to not only do more with less, but sometimes do more with nothing!
How have these budget cuts affected you? How does it feel to lose co-workers or even be the one to give them their pink slips? How do you keep your head up and respond to these challenges? How do you prioritize spending when you're dealing with chump change?
I want to bring your stories to life in a cover story for Redmond magazine. I want your war stories and advice. E-mail me directly at [email protected] and we may feature your experiences in this upcoming article!
Posted by Doug Barney on 03/03/2010 at 1:17 PM2 comments
Windows Server 2008 R2 is hot enough to literally lift the x86-based server market out of its doldrums. IDC says server sales in the fourth quarter were up nearly 14 percent, with 42 percent of those running Windows Server. That's more than double the amount of servers running either Linux (at 14 percent) or Unix (at 18 percent). In that part of the market, Linux is rising slightly while Unix continues to fall.
Posted by Doug Barney on 03/03/2010 at 1:17 PM2 comments