April 2006 - Posts
If you’re interested in getting up to speed on the next version of Microsoft Office, Don Campbell has created a “mind map” of all the resources available.
Check it out!
Learn first-hand about exciting and innovative offerings from AMD and Microsoft, co-sponsors for this year's Tech Tour. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to network with other professionals. Explore the potential of AMD64 technology and preview Microsoft's Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office system. We know this will have a tremendous impact on your business.
Discover the latest insight on:
- The value of 32 and 64-bit Vista, presented by AMD and Microsoft
- Preview Microsoft Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office system
- The AMD64 technology outlook for Servers, Desktops and Mobile
- AMD and Microsoft's True Server Solutions with Windows Server System
- AMD Validated Servers from partners
Find out how AMD and Microsoft plan to help you meet customer demands in the coming year through market opportunities for:
- Small and medium businesses
- Mainstream and everyday computing users
- Prosumers, power users, digital content creators and Gamers
- Learn about AMD's System Builder Solution Provider program and Microsoft's Partner Program
For more information and to register, go to http://www.amdmicrosofttechtour.com/.
You can download the new SQL Server 2005 Service Pack here, or view a list of features and improvements here.
The Selling Microsoft SQL Server 2005 as a Business Intelligence Platform webcast will help Microsoft partners—including resellers, system integrators, and independent software vendors (ISVs)—learn how to discuss data integration, reporting, and analysis needs with customers and sell Microsoft SQL Server™ as a comprehensive and integrated BI platform. At the end of this seminar, you will be able to discuss solution scenarios, overcome common objections, and position SQL Server as the strategic choice for business intelligence solutions.
To register, go to http://www.msreadiness.com/WS_abstract.asp?eid=15003982. We hope you can join us!
The Windows Vista Product Guide provides a comprehensive overview of the innovative features and functions that make Microsoft® Windows Vista™ the next-generation Windows client operating system and successor to Windows XP. This guide also provides information the benefits Windows Vista offers diverse users as well as information about the different editions (SKUs) available. It’s about 300 pages, and contains a lot of really great information about Windows Vista. Definitely a must-read!
So, where’s the guide? It’s now freely available in Microsoft Word format!
If you want to learn more, attend a Microsoft Across America event. This quarter's TS2 events for Microsoft Partners will cover opportunities around Microsoft desktop, server, and office solutions for small businesses. Considering what Microsoft is doing with Windows Vista, Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2, and the 2007 Office system, it should be very informative. We also offer TS2 Webcasts and this TS2 Community site, so there's plenty of Microsoft Partner information to go around!
If you’re an Independent Software Vendor, why should you use SQL Server 2005? This Wednesday, we’re presenting a webcast that will show you why SQL Server 2005 should be your primary database platform. At the end of this presentation, you’ll understand the available market opportunity, the competitive benefits of SQL Server 2005, and how Microsoft can provide you with a strategic advantage.
To register, go to http://www.msreadiness.com/WS_abstract.asp?eid=15003981.
As Susan Bradley posted on her blog, the Shared Computer Toolkit has now been updated to version 1.1. From the download details at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=7256d456-e3da-42ea-857d-92b716077a84&displaylang=en:
Overview
Shared computers are commonly found in schools, libraries, Internet and gaming cafés, community centers, and other locations. Often, non-technical personnel are asked to manage shared computers in addition to their primary responsibilities.
Managing shared computers can be difficult, time-consuming, and expensive. Without restrictions, users can change the desktop appearance, reconfigure system settings, and introduce spyware, viruses, and other harmful programs. Repairing damaged shared computers costs significant time and effort.
User privacy is also an issue. Shared computers often use shared accounts that make Internet history, saved documents, and cached Web pages available to subsequent users.
The Microsoft Shared Computer Toolkit for Windows XP provides a simple and effective way to defend shared computers from untrusted users and malicious software, safeguard system resources, and enhance and simplify the user experience. The Toolkit runs on genuine copies of Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Home Edition, and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.
What’s New in the Shared Computer Toolkit for Windows XP Version 1.1
Microsoft Shared Computer Toolkit Version 1.1 provides the following software updates:
- The error, “There is a Problem with this Windows Installer Package. A Script required for this install to complete could not be run. Contact your support personnel or package vendor.” will no longer appear when uninstalling the Shared Computer Toolkit.
- The Shared Computer Toolkit uninstalls properly when it was previously installed in a domain environment and Windows Disk Protection is enabled.
- When you upgrade to MSN Messenger 7.5 from a previous version, your User Restrictions for MSN Messenger will be retained.
- When Windows Disk Protection is enabled and the protection partition is full, the end user will be prompted to save files to a different location and restart the computer.
Tools Summary
The Toolkit includes several command-line tools and the following graphical tools:
- Getting Started. Provides access to computer settings and utilities and helps first-time operators learn the Toolkit basics quickly.
- Windows Disk Protection. Protects the Windows partition (typically drive C) that contains the Windows operating system and other programs from being modified without administrator approval. Disk changes made are cleared with each restart unless the administrator chooses to save them.
- User Restrictions. Restricts user access to programs, settings, and Start menu items. The tool also allows you to lock shared local user profiles to prevent permanent changes. (This tool is specifically for use in workgroup environments that do not use Active Directory and Group Policy. A Group Policy template is also included for use in Active Directory environments.)
- Profile Manager. Creates and deletes user profiles. You can use this tool to create user profiles on alternative drives that will retain data and settings even though Windows Disk Protection is on. You can also use the tool to completely delete profiles that have been locked by the User Restrictions tool.
- Accessibility. Makes Windows accessibility options and utilities such as StickyKeys, FilterKeys, and Magnifier available to users who have been restricted from accessing Control Panel and other system settings.
This download includes a comprehensive, 107-page Handbook in PDF format. The Handbook can be
browsed online on TechNet.
Warning: The Toolkit is not intended for use on family computers as a parental controls measure — many of the security features may have adverse effects on family computers. Be sure to review the Handbook section on restricting children on a family computer if you are installing the Toolkit at home.
Market Bulletin: Microsoft Announces New Price, and Availability of Linux Support, for Virtual Server 2005 R2
Starting yesterday (April 3, 2006), Microsoft will make Virtual Server 2005 R2 available as a free download at www.microsoft.com/virtualserver. This policy applies to all users of Virtual Server 2005 R2, and it will apply to the forthcoming Service Pack 1 of Virtual Server 2005 R2. This price change makes it easier for customers and partners to cost effectively run Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition with Virtual Server 2005 R2 for server consolidation, application re-hosting, disaster recovery, and software test and development.
In addition, Microsoft announced the availability of virtual machine add-ins for Linux and technical product support model for Linux guest OSes running on Virtual Server 2005 R2.
The add-ins are available via free download, and will be supported for an initial set of nine Linux distributions listed below. Microsoft has performed extensive interoperability testing with these distributions in the Virtual Server 2005 R2 platform. Based on customer and partner input, we will consider additional operating systems and new releases of the Red Hat and Novell/SuSE distributions.
Enterprise distributions:
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 (update 6)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 (update 6)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4
Novell’s SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 9
Standard distributions:
Red Hat Linux 7.3
Red Hat Linux 9.0
Novell’s SuSE Linux 9.2
Novell’s SuSE Linux 9.3
Novell’s SuSE Linux 10.0
Resource management has always been part of the operating system, and over the years customers have been able to obtain this functionality as an integrated part of their operating system platform. As Microsoft releases its Windows hypervisor technology in the Windows Server “Longhorn” wave, customers will be receiving the benefits of virtualization as part of the Windows Server operating system.
Today’s price change makes it easier for customers to access and experience the benefits of virtualization technology with Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition, customers can run up to four virtual operating systems on one physical server at no additional cost.
Today’s announcement enables customers to easily and cost-effectively run Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition with Virtual Server 2005 R2 for server consolidation, application re-hosting, disaster recovery, and software test and development.
Further details for the announcement today are available here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/virtualserver/evaluation/news/bulletins/vs05pricing.mspx
I’m presenting a webcast tomorrow on the database market for SQL Server 2005. If you’re a reseller and/or business owner interested in the opportunities around databases, this is definitely a webcast to attend! I’ll be presenting a lot of industry market research as well as the business value of SQL Server 2005.
You can register for the seminar on www.msreadiness.com.