Microsoft Corp. today announced that "Microsoft^® Casino," which offers one of the most authentic games experiences for the PC, is now available in stores.

"Microsoft Casino" brings the excitement of three premier Las Vegas resorts, The Mirage^®, Bellagio^® and Treasure Island at The Mirage^®, to the PC by accurately reproducing each casino in stunning detail. Realistic graphics and video from the resorts, along with authentic gaming tables, cards, dice and music, add to the Las Vegas ambience.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Microsoft Corp and News Corp (Australia:NCP.AX - news) (NYSE:NWS - news) are in discussions that may result in the software giant investing more than $1 billion in the media firm's Sky Global Networks Inc unit, the Asian Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

Citing ``people familiar with the situation'', the newspaper said if a definitive deal is reached, Microsoft would emerge with a 3.5 percent stake in Sky Global, which consolidates all of News Corp's global satellite-TV assets and investments.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

A hacker had high-level access to Microsoft Corp.'s computer system for 12 days - not up to five weeks, as the company had first reported - and was monitored the entire time. While the company says it believes no major corporate secrets were stolen, some security experts believe the 12-day period was plenty of time for a hacker to do damage that may not have been detected yet.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

So did they or didn't they? Through Friday Microsoft spokespeople, spinmeisters and execs seem to have been largely unsuccessful in damping down the fires started by the Wall Street Journal's 'Microsoft hacked' story, but by the end of the day some kind of corporate line seemed to be emerging - they didn't get anything, they didn't change anything, and anyway they weren't in there for long.

But the trouble with the 'no story' story is that it doesn't directly address several of the claims made by the WSJ, that it doesn't necessarily guarantee that the hackers weren't in there for longer (and that they're not actually still in there), and that this Redmond corporate line wasn't completely available when the story first broke.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Our thanks to Rodney for pointing out for you all Windows Update has a new recommended download available.

Download Internet Explorer Error Reporting and contribute to the development of Internet Explorer browser technology. With Error Reporting installed, when an application fault occurs you will now see a new dialog box that gives you the opportunity to report the problem to Microsoft. If an update or workaround is available for the error you have reported, you are directed to the appropriate Web site to download the update or view instructions for the workaround.

System Requirements:
Internet Explorer 5.0
Internet Explorer 5.01
Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 1
Internet Explorer 5.5

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Microsoft acknowledged Friday that hackers had accessed source code to programs in development, but company representatives said the intruders did not see code for existing products.

The admission quells fears hackers might have stolen the source code, or blueprint, for some of Microsoft's most valuable programs, including Office, Windows Me and Windows 2000.

As a criminal investigation under the direction of the FBI progressed, the nature of the attack appeared to be more sophisticated than first suspected, adding fuel to speculations of industrial espionage.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

The judge who ordered Microsoft split in two said he would "think very seriously" about taking himself off the case if an appeals court found his decision was "egregiously wrong."

U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson, who found that Microsoft illegally defended its Windows software monopoly, raised the possibility of removing himself from further proceedings if the appeals court wants more hearings on the breakup.

"It will depend in large measure upon the confidence the Court of Appeals reposes in my earlier decision," Jackson said after a speech to an antitrust seminar. "If I am found to have been egregiously in error, then even if they didn't remove me from the case, I might very well think very seriously of removing myself."

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Microsoft Corp. unveiled a brand-new MSN^®, giving consumers a new home on the Web. The updated MSN includes the new MSN Explorer, which provides the easiest way for consumers to get on the Internet and makes using the Web more simple and personal. Also announced were updates to virtually all the MSN services and new industry relationships that will continue to bring the best of the Web to consumers. MSN has become an easier way for consumers to get online, and it provides a unique Web experience that gives them more from their time online. With more than 210 million unique users per month, MSN is now the preferred choice for consumers.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

I've just posted my review on the brand new 3D graphic card of Guillemot International, the Hercules 3D Prophet II Ultra 64Mb. This brand new 3D acceleration card is build around the top-notch GeForce II Ultra chip of Nvidia. Be sure to read the review & the tests results to know how powerful this new card is! Here is a snippet of the review:

Since the release of the TNT Ultra chip, NVIDIA has begun the undisputable reign as the 3D chip manufacturer leader of the world. They grabbed this position with the introduction of the GeForce chip in early 1999 when they created the world first GPU (Graphic Processor Unit), a new concept for 3D video cards. NVIDIA introduced a chip designed only for 3D hard-core gamers to bring them exceptional video quality along with incredible performance. NVIDIA’s goal of designing the GeForce ship was put only on performance and they perfectly reached this goal. When NVIDIA introduced the GeForce chip other competing 3D cards like the Matrox G400 instantly beat them. Then at the beginning of this year NVIDIA unveiled to the world the GeForce II GTS the world first AGP 4x gigatexel 3D accelerator. Now with the GeForce II Ultra they make things better again as like a conventional CPU they increased the internal frequency of the chip and memory so overall speed was enhanced. The card we will test now is probably the most exceptional one we’ve seen yet: the Hercules 3D Prophet II Ultra 64MB manufactured by Guillemot is not only one more board that uses a NVIDIA chip. Indeed unlike its competitors (like Creative Labs) who are content in releasing a NVIDIA reference like card, Hercules has really built its 3D card around the NVIDIA chip with the gamer in mind by enhancing hardware design in order to obtain better performance and reliability.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

We have just posted our very comprehensive interview with Brent Bentsen of Microsoft regarding Project 2000. We discuss how Project aids in Windows 2000 deployment, development details of the product, optimizing the SDK, new features they implemented and much, much more! Business users this is a must!

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

I've just posted my review on the brand new 3D graphic card of Guillemot International, the Hercules 3D Prophet II Ultra 64Mb. This brand new 3D acceleration card is build around the top-notch GeForce II Ultra chip of Nvidia. Be sure to read the review & the tests results to know how powerful this new card is! Here is a snippet of the review:

Since the release of the TNT Ultra chip, NVIDIA has begun the undisputable reign as the 3D chip manufacturer leader of the world. They grabbed this position with the introduction of the GeForce chip in early 1999 when they created the world first GPU (Graphic Processor Unit), a new concept for 3D video cards. NVIDIA introduced a chip designed only for 3D hard-core gamers to bring them exceptional video quality along with incredible performance. NVIDIA’s goal of designing the GeForce ship was put only on performance and they perfectly reached this goal. When NVIDIA introduced the GeForce chip other competing 3D cards like the Matrox G400 instantly beat them. Then at the beginning of this year NVIDIA unveiled to the world the GeForce II GTS the world first AGP 4x gigatexel 3D accelerator. Now with the GeForce II Ultra they make things better again as like a conventional CPU they increased the internal frequency of the chip and memory so overall speed was enhanced. The card we will test now is probably the most exceptional one we’ve seen yet: the Hercules 3D Prophet II Ultra 64MB manufactured by Guillemot is not only one more board that uses a NVIDIA chip. Indeed unlike its competitors (like Creative Labs) who are content in releasing a NVIDIA reference like card, Hercules has really built its 3D card around the NVIDIA chip with the gamer in mind by enhancing hardware design in order to obtain better performance and reliability.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

The chief executive officer of chip titan Intel said Friday the U.S. company's long-awaited Pentium 4 microprocessor will be launched in about one month, just ahead of its original year-end target.

"We'll price the Pentium 4 processor precisely as necessary to get it in the volume desktop marketplace," Intel CEO Craig Barrett told reporters here.

"The product will be introduced in about a month, and we are going to ramp it very rapidly next year," he added. Intel has not publicly given a specific date for its Pentium 4 launch, only saying that its target is the second half of the year. The company said it had notified clients of the date, however.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

It may be a Friday, but it's not a winding down day for Microsoft [NASDAQ:MSFT] as at least one of its systems has been hacked by a new Trojan horse application.

Warnings from F-Secure and Sophos, two major anti-virus specialists, have been issued about the Microsoft incident this morning, and IT managers worldwide have been warned to be on the lookout for new variants of the Qaz Trojan horse, one of which apparently attacked a Microsoft development PC earlier in the week.

Jason Holloway, F-Secure's UK general manager, told Newsbytes that unknown hackers apparently gained access to a development computer at Microsoft's headquarters earlier in the week and, using the Qaz Trojan, the hackers were able to download the source code to at least one Microsoft application in development.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Microsoft has started work on a beta test of the first service pack for Internet Explorer 5.5. The Service Pack 1 release is due before the end of the year and includes a number of fixes and slight improvements over Internet Explorer 5.5.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Do you remember the Great Browser Wars? Three years ago the Internet's hottest story centered on the combat between Netscape and Microsoft. Back then it was believed that Web browsers would soon replace operating systems, and the battle over who would control the browser market seemed to be a crucial one.

The browser wars were also the Princess Diana of tech media -- whenever a reporter or editor couldn't think of something to write about, he or she would trot out a detailed analysis of the latest shots fired by spunky upstart Netscape or monolithic, deep-pocketed Microsoft.

But then it ended. Microsoft won. Netscape was sold to America Online. And the glory days of easy news stories seemed to be long over -- until this week.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

It's no coincidence Microsoft Corp. launched a revamped Internet service the same day America Online Inc. released its latest online platform.

Since 1995, when Microsoft introduced the Microsoft Network alongside Windows 95, the software giant has been tilting unsuccessfully at the AOL windmill. AOL has remained a step ahead, first with chat and e-mail, then Web content and electronic commerce.

After quickly signing up about 2 million MSN users in 1995 and 1996, Microsoft's growth rate flattened out. Meanwhile, AOL's subscription figures kept climbing, and the company, based in Dulles, Va., now claims 25 million users, compared with MSN's 3.5 million.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Microsoft Corp's Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said on Friday the future of the Internet was in making the Net's various Web sites, services and hardware devices work seamlessly together.

Ballmer, on a world tour to promote Microsoft's MNS portal, which is part of its broad .NET strategy for the easy exchange of data across software services, was speaking at an Internet seminar at Saltsjobaden near Stockholm.

``When I teach my handheld device to recognize voice commands I should be teaching my PC to recognize voice command and my mobile phone to recognize voice commands. It should be one set of learning,'' he said, adding he expected sophisticated voice recognition software in some three years.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Software giant Microsoft Corp. said on Thursday that hackers had broken into the company's computer system, in what a spokesman called ``a deplorable act of industrial espionage.''

Microsoft spokesman Rick Miller declined to comment on what specific areas of the computer network were breached, what the specific goals of the hackers were, or the possible motives. The company had reported the break-in to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and was working with authorities to protect its intellectual property, he told Reuters.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

The operating system battles have been pretty ugly. But recent database rhetoric has escalated the long-running war of words between Microsoft and Oracle.

Trade-show keynote speeches are a sure soapbox for vendors to dis their competitors. But not since the days of OS/2 vs. Windows have barbs been flying as they have recently in the database space. In fact, Microsoft Corp. has called in its lawyers over Oracle Corp.'s recent criticisms of Microsoft's SQL Server performance, Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) CEO Larry Ellison mentioned casually during a Wednesday night keynote address at Internet World.

"Microsoft's lawyers sent us a letter threatening to sue us," Ellison told the trade-show audience. He said Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) was unhappy with his latest stump speech, in which Ellison said that the only software that runs well on SQL Server running clustered Windows 2000 servers is the Transaction Processing Council's TPC-C benchmark suite. The TPC-C is an industry-standard test that measures transaction-processing-system throughput in terms of orders processed per minute.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

America Online has asked the appellate court hearing the Microsoft case to allow it to file a brief in support of the government.

America Online Inc. was one of several individuals and organizations who requested Wednesday to file amicus, or friend of the court, briefs. Several trade associations who filed with the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia had participated as friends of the court during the lower court proceedings.

Executives from AOL, Dulles, Va., testified on behalf of the government and later as hostile witnesses for Microsoft during the trial. In December 1998, in the midst of the trial, AOL bought Netscape, which the Justice Department and 19 states portrayed as the victim in their antitrust suit against Microsoft Corp.. But even after acquiring Netscape, AOL continued its agreement with Microsoft to feature its Internet Explorer browser.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Our AskAW Helpers have been busy answering your e-mail and we have just posted the most recent questions.  We also have a new page format we hope you all will enjoy.

We have an archive of questions you might want to search through located at: http://www.activewin.com/askaw/archive/index.shtml

We are currently responding to questions in a week or less. Any questions submitted to our Staff after the date on of our last question/answer post will be posted the following week. Anyone sending in a question will receive a follow-up e-mail stating that a response has been posted. If you have a question that you would like answered then just drop us an e-mail at: askaw@activewin.com.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Byron has been working on what we hope will be a big improvement in our news layout design, but before going ahead and using it straight away - we have decided to get your views on our first draft layout. What we would like you all to do if possible is to check out the new layout page and then e-mail Byron with your views on it, what you like and what you hate etc. We would like your views ASAP as we are working on our news engine in tandem with this design. Please note that the only part we need comments on at the moment is the new news layout - anything else is still a work in progress. Thanks for all your support over the past 2-3 years.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

It's been an awfully long time coming but it seems that Microsoft has finally rustled up the nerve to have a pop at Linux. For years the company has been scared of the operating system that looks likely to seal the company's fate, for the worse naturally, and has responded by doing little more than sending internal e-mails saying how scared they all are. Now though its got its finger out its rear and has come to the table with a blistering, relatively speaking admittedly, attack on the O/S.

In an advertising campaign devised by ad agency McCann Erikson, the company has come up with a splendidly witty retort, given that this is the IT industry it's obviously not that funny, to the bullish Linux brigade. The adverts consist of a number of penguins, based presumably on Tux the Linux mascot, that all have rather deformed, or at least mutated, heads. It's all fairly high level you understand.

Underneath this however Microsoft puts the boot in with the tag line that read, 'An operating system does not just have advantages' followed by the sucker-punch – 'It can mutate unexpectedly. But with Windows 2000, you get all of the services and support from the same vendor. That will save time and real money.' Pretty heavyweight stuff for Microsoft.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

ICQ (I Seek You) Inc. has just released a new public beta version of its well known ICQ software that lets you chat instantly with friends when they are online. Be sure to download it right away by clicking here.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said Microsoft Corp's (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) interactive television unit WebTV agreed to settle charges filed by the regulatory body, which accused the company of false advertising.

The settlement will prevent the company from making ``deceptive advertising claims about the performance capabilities of the WebTV system'', the FTC said in a statement. It will also require the company to clearly disclose long distance telephone toll charges that some consumers may incur while using the service. The settlement ``will require reimbursement to certain former WebTV Internet service subscribers for long distance charges they incurred in the past''.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Credit Suisse Group unveiled an Internet partnership deal with Microsoft Corp (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) on Thursday as the U.S. company continues moves aimed at becoming the most popular Web destination in Europe.

Credit Suisse said it had concluded a strategic pan-European partnership with Microsoft in which the Swiss financial group's new investment service will feature on Microsoft's MSN Web portal.

More alliances are expected in coming weeks as Microsoft prepares the launch of the MoneyCentral personal finance channel on MSN in Europe, with Chief Executive Steve Ballmer currently in Switzerland as part of a European tour.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

As people with disabilities continue the struggle to obtain meaningful employment in the face of an enormously high unemployment rate, Microsoft Corp. today announced its latest round of grants as part of a program designed to improve the employment situation for individuals with disabilities. The announcement was made today at the Business Leadership Network national summit in Seattle, a conference of over 400 business and government leaders from across the nation. A total of $250,000 in grants are being awarded to nine innovative organizations across the country that are working in the area of employment for this traditionally overlooked and underutilized segment of workers.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Microsoft WebTV Networks, Inc. today announced that for $9.95 a month, UltimateTV^® service subscribers will have up to 35 hours of digital video recording (DVR), the ability to pause live TV, interactive television and three hours of Internet access. For an additional five dollars, or a total price of $14.95, subscribers can use their own compatible Internet service provider (ISP) such as the MSN^® network of Internet services. DIRECTV programming is sold separately; package prices vary.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Fulfilling the long-awaited promise of broadband entertainment direct to the television, ZoomTown.com, the wholly-owned Internet broadband subsidiary of next-generation communications provider Broadwing Inc., together with Intertainer, uniView Technologies Corp. and Microsoft Corp. today announced that ZoomTown.com will market-test a service to provide asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL) broadband entertainment directly to consumers' televisions. ZoomTown.com expects to deploy the service to its more than 35,000 subscribers next year following successful completion of the trial.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Microsoft has released a patch that eliminates a security vulnerability in the Microsoft(r) virtual machine (Microsoft VM) that originally was discussed in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS00-011. Like the original vulnerability, the new variant could enable a malicious web site operator to read files from the computer of a person who visited his site or read web content from inside an intranet if the malicious site was visited by a computer from within that intranet.

The Microsoft VM is a virtual machine for the Win32(r) operating environment. It runs atop Microsoft Windows(r) 95, 98, Me, Windows NT(r) 4.0, and Windows 2000. It ships as part of each operating system, and also as part of Microsoft Internet Explorer.

The version of the Microsoft VM that ships with Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.x and Internet Explorer 5.x contains a security vulnerability that could allow a Java applet to operate outside the bounds set by the sandbox. A malicious user could write a Java applet that could read - but not change, delete or add - files from the computer of a person who visited his site or read web content from inside an intranet if the malicious site is visited by a computer from within that intranet..

The vulnerability at issue here is a new variant of the vulnerability originally discussed in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS00-011. The only significant difference between the new and original variants lies in the specific programming technique used to exploit the vulnerability; in other respects, the two are virtually identical. Applying the new patch eliminates both the new and original variants.

Affected Software Versions: Versions of the Microsoft VM are identified by build numbers, which can be determined using the JVIEW tool, as discussed in the FAQ. The following builds of the Microsoft VM are affected: - All builds in the 2000 series. - All builds in the 3000 series.

New versions of the Microsoft VM that include a fix for the vulnerability can be downloaded from the following locations:
- 2000-series builds: A patch specifically for the 2000-series builds will be available shortly. Customers who wish to eliminate the vulnerability can also do so by upgrading to build 3319 at http://www.microsoft.com/java/vm/dl_vm40.htm
- 3000-series: Upgrade to build 3319 or later at http://www.microsoft.com/java/vm/dl_vm40.htm.

Note: 2000-series builds are shipped as part of Internet Explorer 4.x; 3000 series builds are shipped as part of Internet Explorer 5.x. However, customers may upgrade the Microsoft VM on their machines independent of the browser, and the Microsoft VM also ships as part of many other applications, so it is possible for the actual build number to be higher than the one associated with the version of IE that is installed on the machine. In such cases, customers should determine what version of the patch to install based on the build number, not on the version of IE.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Electronics Boutique Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: ELBO - news), a leading global specialty retailer of interactive entertainment products, today announced a strategic alliance with Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT - news), whereby its retail customers will receive rebates up to $400 after they have purchased eligible merchandise and signed up for MSN Internet Access. The promotion, beginning today, expands upon Electronics Boutique's internet arm EBWorld.com and its successful relationship with MSN as the premier video game and PC retailer on Zone.com.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Microsoft Canada and Navantis Inc. today announced an agreement that will see the companies collaborate on the marketing of Knowledge(at)Work; a new knowledge management tool from Navantis designed specifically to help small businesses easily build and maintain a full-function business intranet. The initiative was announced in conjunction with the Microsoft Big Day Tour small business seminar in Mississauga. Ted Arnott, Parliamentary Assistant to the Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Trade Al Palladini, delivered the opening address.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Software giant Microsoft Corp. (NasdaqNM:MSFT - news) on Wednesday took the wraps off its refurbished MSN Web service, backing the offering with a $1 billion war chest in its biggest effort yet to topple leading Internet access rival America Online Inc. (NYSE:AOL - news).

The new service, which includes a colourful new Internet browser as well as content updates, is also MSN's first step toward carrying out Microsoft's broad .NET strategy to make it easy to swap data across its software and services

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

I've just posted my look at the Microsoft Meet Me Tour... Check it out! "As I walked towards the Meet Me booth, out of the blue I was promptly greeted with a nice Windows Me bag full of brochures and received a nice Windows Me pen (although somebody else I know received about twenty from a different guy, see above)."...

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

Anyone who regularly searches the Internet knows the common frustrations. Ask a search engine for one thing, and it often gives you another. Search for breaking news, and you get last month’s headlines or sketchy overviews. Ask for music and video clips, and you have to wade through several screens of links to find what you're after -- if it’s even offered. Try locating a local business or product online, and you must re-type the words of your search each time you enter a new window or Web site.

With the newest version of its popular search engine, MSN Search, released in October 2000, MSN predicts that users will notice richer, more diverse content when hunting for information on the Internet. MSN has upgraded its search functionality to integrate new interpretive search methods and tabs that make it easier and faster to find information in a variety of ways. Also, the search engine puts a wealth of up-to-date news, music and video clips one mouse click away.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News]

The MSN^® network of Internet services will air the first, exclusive online episode of Music in High Places (MIHP), a yearlong series that will feature top recording artists as they travel to some of the Earth's most cultural and sacred locations. Music lovers can enjoy the adventures and experiences of 12 artists as they make their journey to their destination.

[Submit News]  [Return To Headlines]  [Translate]  [Site News