A debate erupted over the effectiveness of the user account control feature in Microsoft's beta release of Windows 7.
                    
			            - By Jabulani  Leffall
- 02/05/2009
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft plans to rollout four security bulletins for this month's patch cycle on Tuesday, with two "critical" items and two "important" patches on the slate.
                    
			            - By Jabulani  Leffall
- 02/05/2009
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    EMC and Microsoft formally renewed a partnership on Tuesday,  extending their collaborative efforts on virtualization, content management and  security solutions for the enterprise market through 2011.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Despite gloomy economic projections, IT professionals may fare better than people working in other job sectors this year, according to Computer Economics report.
                    
			            - By Herb  Torrens
- 02/04/2009
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft has begun aggressively reaching out to the channel  to prepare for the release of Windows 7.
                    
			            - By Scott  Bekker
- 02/04/2009
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft described its product lineup plans for  its forthcoming Windows 7 operating system launch, expected in early 2010 or  possibly earlier.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Xenocode, the Seattle-based maker of virtualization tools, today released the latest version of its Virtual Application Studio, a developer-focused authoring environment for virtualizing existing Windows-based applications. 
                    
			            - By John K. Waters
- 02/02/2009
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Windows XP powers "71 percent of PCs within North American and European enterprises," according to a report published last week by Forrester Research.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Users testing Microsoft's Windows 7 Beta have been asking Microsoft when it will release the final product, but Microsoft isn't saying right now, according to a Windows 7 team blog posted on Friday.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    A dispute with the European Union might change how Microsoft  distributes its software in the region.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft has advanced to the next testing phase by issuing Release Candidate "Escrow"-build versions of Service Pack 2.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft's rollout of Windows 7 Beta, the company's newest  operating system, has resulted in a stepped-up workload for the Department of  Justice effort overseeing Microsoft's compliance with a past federal court  antitrust ruling.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    For the second time in as many weeks, after a breach at  Heartland Payment Systems, a company storing a large volume of personal data has  been hit by a major theft.
                    
			            - By Jabulani  Leffall
- 01/27/2009
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    One bright spot in the IT economy appears to be virtualization, with leading provider VMware today announcing that its yearly revenue rose 42 percent in 2008 to $1.9 billion. Fourth quarter revenues  were a "solid" $515 million -- up 25 percent over last year. 
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft has extended the  general public availability of its Windows 7 Beta yet again, with a new final  date of Feb. 9 to get it.
                    
		            
                
                    
                    
                    
                 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft will discontinue its PerformancePoint business intelligence product and will merge its function into SharePoint Server, the company said late last week.
                    
			            - By Michael  Desmond
- 01/26/2009
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Citrix Systems has teamed with Intel Corp. to provide virtualization technology for Intel-based desktop computers. 
                    
			            - By Rutrell  Yasin
- 01/23/2009
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft is still trying to control the Conficker worm, both  the bug itself and news about how it's handling it.
                    
			            - By Jabulani  Leffall
- 01/23/2009
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Redmond's security team is undergoing a revamp with the announcement that Andrew Cushman, director of Microsoft's Security Response Center, will be stepping down to be replaced by group manager Mike Reavey.
                    
			            - By Jabulani  Leffall
- 01/23/2009
 
            
                
	                
                    
                                        
		            
                    Microsoft's disappointing second-quarter earnings showed just how dependent the software giant is on new PC sales.