Microsoft Fixes 26 Security Flaws, But Update Service Fails
by Alex Woodie

It was a very busy Patch Tuesday for Microsoft security personnel yesterday, as the company issued 10 patches that fix 26 security vulnerabilities in its software, including six critical patches, three of which fix zero-day vulnerabilities. The company also had to scramble to get automatic updates back up and running after its Automatic Update service went down, further delaying the distribution of patches and setting Microsoft back a step at a critical juncture in the quickening war against malware and malware writers.READ MORE >

Microsoft Tightens the Screws on Windows Pirates
by Alex Woodie

Microsoft is closing a giant loophole in its Windows licensing system that should dramatically reduce the ability of software pirates to distribute forged copies of the operating system, the software giant announced last week. The new system, which will debut with Windows Vista and Windows Server "Longhorn," will incrementally reduce the functionality of the operating system until the Windows license keys, which will be encrypted for the first time, are cleared with Microsoft over the Internet. READ MORE >

Gateway Rolls Out Xeon Servers, Readies Opterons
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

While Gateway is best known as a vendor of personal computers--and one of the innovators in direct marketing of PCs--the company has tried a number of times to get a toe-hold in the server business. The reason is simple: servers and the software and services that are usually sold in conjunction with them have a lot bigger inherent profit margins than do PCs. Of course, if there is a business that is almost as cut-throat as the PC business, it is the X64 server market. READ MORE >

Microsoft Talks Up 'Real World' SOA
by Alex Woodie

Microsoft took advantage of its Microsoft SOA & Business Process Conference, held last week at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington, to discuss its views on how service oriented architecture (SOA) will fit into the real world. The company also reiterated its commitment to deliver adapters for IBM System z and System i servers in new editions of its BizTalk Server integration software due this year. READ MORE >