Microsoft WSYP A very exciting and promising new technology coming from Redmond. [movie - .asf (windows media)]
posted by H. Roark on Oct 20, 2005 - 20 comments

"A look at the average number of page views per title reveals that Microsoft gets about half as many page views per title as compared to Google and Apple" a strong indication of where reader interest actually resides." - ZDNet. Intelliseek's Blogpulse reveals similar numbers: #1 Google: 473K, #2 Apple: 381K, #3 Microsoft: 262K. Venture capitalist, Ed Sim, says: "While the OS is important, Microsoft has lost its complete and utter dominance as we move to a service-oriented world where broadband is everywhere, apps are in the cloud, and the browser becomes king."
posted by spock on Jul 27, 2005 - 19 comments

The clueless reviews the Mac Mini His chief gripes are "The Mini boots up into a stripped-down operating system which Apple calls OS X, similar to the stripped-down WindowsCE OS found on many handhelds." and "No serial ports, no way to connect a printer, no PS/2 ports, no floppy drive, no 5.25" bays." Let the hate mail campaign begin!
posted by StormBear on Feb 2, 2005 - 47 comments

Bill Gates... so hot [via BoingBoing].
posted by digaman on Jan 17, 2005 - 60 comments

Whizzkid develops Linux application for Windows [...]The significance of the development is that Linux and Windows are able to work in parallel on the same computer or server. To[sic] now, the computer world is divided into systems that operate either with Windows or with Linux. [...]
posted by Postroad on Apr 12, 2004 - 33 comments

It comes as no surprise that Microsoft seems to be paying SCO to fight the fight. [via #joiito]
posted by yonderboy on Mar 4, 2004 - 23 comments

MikeRoweSoft Settles with Microsoft for an XBox
Mike Rowe had a website named after himself that was alot like the mega-corp.
MS wanted to give him $10 to change the domain, he wanted $10k. They settled on a trip to Redmond, some traffic redirection and an XBox.

Followup to this thread.
posted by fenriq on Jan 26, 2004 - 20 comments

A Net of Control "Picture, if you will, an information infrastructure that encourages censorship, surveillance and suppression of the creative impulse. Where anonymity is outlawed and every penny spent is accounted for. Where the powers that be can smother subversive (or economically competitive) ideas" Brought to you by (among others)......Microsoft !
posted by troutfishing on Dec 16, 2003 - 53 comments

AOL and Microsoft settle AOL's Netscape lawsuit. AOL gets $750 million and keeps IE as its default browser for seven years. Is this the death of Netscape?
posted by timeistight on May 31, 2003 - 33 comments

Microsoft = Megatarget. A new worm is rapidly spreading across the Internet, functioning like a massive DDOS attack and crippling ISPs in South Korea. It's host? Microsoft SQL server. (Get yor fix on, then reboot!) What impact will it have over here, I wonder...
posted by insomnia_lj on Jan 25, 2003 - 63 comments

Microsoft altering its ".NET" strategy Microsoft has announced that it's changing its overall use of .NET on its products, as it seems they've figured out that it's confusing to most users or potential customers, and flat out that "many people were unable to figure out just what it was." says the AP Wire. Now they're coming up with a nifty new logo to go with it, and perhaps they'll end up actually competing with IBM in the backend business. For some background on what .NET does, check here.
posted by djspicerack on Jan 9, 2003 - 13 comments

Top 10 Challenges for Microsoft. This is from a company called "Directions on Microsoft" in Kirkland, WA. All they do is analyze Microsoft. One of the challenges is to "keep a lid on LINUX"! My favorite part-"Hopes that the Linux community would fragment are not being realized, at least in 2003". Will these challenges hold MSFT in check? What do you think?
posted by SandeepKrishnamurthy on Jan 6, 2003 - 24 comments

Hooray! Great news for those who love to communicate - Microsoft have released a new version of their popular Windows/MSN/.NET Messenger software! So, let's glance at the new features: there's a great new look with a spinny logo thingy, and... and, erm... well... it's had some features removed... like the ability to use third-party add-ons... and, oh but wait, there's new pop-up advertising and alleged spy-ware! Oh...
posted by Pretty_Generic on Nov 26, 2002 - 20 comments

More guerilla corporate advertising. So another major technology company vandalizes a city (a la the peace-love-penguin thing) and gets a slap on the hand. Obviously, this company can afford any punishment that could come their way for mere vandalism, and the publicity about the punishment process itself just leads to even more free advertising for them. (Not to mention, the free advertising they're getting from people like me commenting on the publicity ;) ) Can anything be done to keep the judicial system from becoming a new advertising medium?
posted by badstone on Oct 30, 2002 - 16 comments

Microsoft counters Mac's 'Switch' campaign using the testimony of an unnamed 'freelance writer' who seems to be all sorts of things, including a stock photography model.
posted by Hall on Oct 14, 2002 - 51 comments

"Microsoft's TrueType core fonts for the Web are no longer available for download" [via kottke] This is going to disappoint The Official Women of Wrestling.
posted by kirkaracha on Aug 13, 2002 - 51 comments

Now what? MS is following Sony's lead by dropping the XBox's price to $199 USD. I don't know about you, but I -was- going to get a PS2. Now I'm not so sure.
posted by shadow45 on May 15, 2002 - 38 comments

Humorous experiance of a lady with Microsoft Technical Support Staff in relation to Klez worm.
posted by arnab on May 1, 2002 - 8 comments

MS Windows for your car? Let me make sure I'm getting this...cell phones in cars = bad, BSOD in cars = good?
posted by kasnj on Mar 4, 2002 - 14 comments

Windows Media Player records your viewing and listening habits. But, it's ok cause Microsoft changed their privacy policy to reflect this. Does anyone get surprised by this sort of thing any more?
posted by jeremias on Feb 21, 2002 - 17 comments

Not even the duckie escapes co-optation No one disputes the XP GUI is cool. "Good Artists create, Great Artists STEAL, and Real Artists Ship" [link from nofuncharlie]
posted by otherchaz on Feb 5, 2002 - 31 comments

Fed Up? Happy? Excited? Step right up and add your comments to the Microsoft Antitrust Trial. Due to the Tunney Act, all of us have the right to comment on the proceedings. The comment period closes Monday morning (the 28th) so if you have an opinion, and we know everyone here does, email/snail mail/call the DOJ.
posted by plemeljr on Jan 23, 2002 - 5 comments

Judge kills Microsoft private suit settlement that would have had MS donate hundreds of millions of dollars worth of software to schools... and effectively killed any incentive to use non-MS products such as a Macintosh or Linux.
posted by pmurray63 on Jan 11, 2002 - 9 comments

"Opening a file type previously considered safe, e.g. plain text or HTML file isn't safe with IE". (via email, you wouldn't know him)
posted by holloway on Dec 11, 2001 - 13 comments

Justice Rejects Microsoft Penalty (yahoo news) The government considered but rejected penalties against Microsoft Corp. in its antitrust case that would have required the company to reveal the secret blueprints to its flagship Windows software and to distribute products from its fiercest rivals, court records show. The Justice Department also set up an e-mail address where consumers and companies may send their comments about the antitrust settlement. That address is: microsoft.atr@usdoj.gov Whether or not you're pro-Microsoft, anti-Microsoft, or on the fence... I encourage everyone to send their thoughts along.
posted by SilentSalamander on Nov 16, 2001 - 9 comments

Microsoft signs consent decree with the US government to settle antitrust case. Settlement is fair, reasonable and good for consumers; It is time now to focus on challenges ahead for the industry and Economy, says Gates.
posted by riffola on Nov 2, 2001 - 23 comments

The Table PC: promising 'new' form factor or marketing tripe? It's not a new idea. Both the Grid and Vadem's Clio did this a long time ago. I wonder will Microsoft's rallying of major hardware manufacturers (Sony, Toshiba, Fujitsu, etc.) be able to turn this form factor into an affordable and practical product.
posted by stevengarrity on Oct 31, 2001 - 15 comments

MSN.com shuts out non-Microsoft browsers. If you're using Mozilla or Opera, you'll have to get a hex editor and change your User-Agent string and pretend you're using IE. Is this lawsuit material?
posted by manero on Oct 25, 2001 - 56 comments

Is it sloppy programming, or do full computer security vulnerability disclosure make it too easy for hackers? Microsoft has a personal interest in minimizing the exploit of their code, but the evil you know is better than the evil you don't. Others have weighed in on this debate in the past, or provided a fair but vague blueprint for the computer security community. Do you think that a middle ground exists?
posted by machaus on Oct 18, 2001 - 14 comments

I hate that bloody Paperclip too, but this seems a bit extreme.
posted by saladin on Oct 12, 2001 - 9 comments

Remember the scary-sounding Hailstorm that was set to prove how evil Microsoft's system is? Well worry no longer, because it's now called .NET My Services. How could something with such a cute, gentle name like that be bad for users?
posted by mathowie on Sep 25, 2001 - 15 comments

I'm sorry, but this is just a little too creepy... I checked it out for myself. Totally coincidence, to be sure, but creepy nonetheless.
posted by tpoh.org on Sep 16, 2001 - 24 comments

Microsoft Flight Simulator From the Theory-Of-The-Moment Dept: Is it possible to use Microsoft Flight Simulator as a training tool for terrorists?
posted by BarneyFifesBullet on Sep 12, 2001 - 20 comments

Microsoft wins!!!
posted by Steven Den Beste on Sep 6, 2001 - 71 comments

Microsoft support letters from dead people : Bill, "I can see dead people, and they all seem to like me"
posted by tomplus2 on Aug 23, 2001 - 6 comments

Microsoft vs. AOL Gee, who do you root for in this one? Personally, I'd love to see a Pay-Per-View kickboxing match between Steve Case and Bill Gates.
posted by Rastafari on Jul 30, 2001 - 3 comments

Slate's Mickey Kaus and the Washington Post ask the question: For all the claims of illegal monopolies and unfair advantage, is the tech industry counting on Microsoft and Windows XP's Oct. 25 release to save its bacon?
posted by rcade on Jul 30, 2001 - 19 comments

"[Gigantic Media Company]'s actions are unprecedented and completely anti-consumer," said [Other Gigantic Media Company] spokesman Vivek Varma. "[Gigantic Media Company] is paying computer makers to eliminate consumer choice, forcing people to select the most expensive service in the industry." Uh, pot, kettle left a message for you: you're black.
posted by lawtalkinguy on Jul 26, 2001 - 12 comments

Classic Microsoft user disdain. I want to submit to Microsoft. They just don't let me.
posted by luser on Jul 18, 2001 - 18 comments

Microsoft Kills IE6 Smart Tags "External feedback" was one of the factors that led the company to remove the feature, although he indicated it could be resurrected in later versions. Perhaps the constant barrage of complaints worked on this one? They've got it working, now they are back peddling. I for one am glad, "No Squiggly Lines".
posted by benjh on Jun 28, 2001 - 68 comments

Windows XP inserts its own links into any page on the Web. I especially like the part about their fear that some pages are "underlinked". The implications behind this are huge.
posted by goto11 on Jun 7, 2001 - 59 comments

Microsoft Tech Support vs. The Psychic Friends Network - so who gives better support for MS Access?
posted by paladin on Apr 27, 2001 - 9 comments

OK if Microsoft is putting this kind of development effort into the Xbox I don't think Sony has anything to worry about. Sheesh, the world's largest software company can't write a bug-free TV listing program. Have TiVo and ReplayTV had these kind of problems too? (And not received as much press because they aren't MS?)
posted by redleaf on Apr 13, 2001 - 4 comments

Microsoft to cripple MP3 capabilities I don't think anyone has posted this yet; Microsoft's new Windows XP operating system is set up so as to cripple MP3 copying, in order to nudge users into using Windows Media Player format for all their music files. Of course, the latter is a proprietary format with copy protection built in. Not only does the built-in software not copy MP3 files at a higher sampling rate than 56kps, but third-party MP3 software apparently does not work properly. --As usual, this will not stop knowledgeable users from finding workarounds, but the goal is to make unprotected copying too difficult for the average Joe.
posted by Rebis on Apr 12, 2001 - 45 comments

Clippy dead - news at 11. Anyone who has had to deal with "Clippy" in Microsoft's Office products will appreciate this new spin Microsoft is placing on the animated character.
posted by milnak on Apr 11, 2001 - 29 comments

Internet Explorer 6 and Standards Microsoft says they'll have 100% CSS1 and DOM (I assume level 1) support. A step in the right direction? Too little too late? Discuss.
posted by fil! on Apr 5, 2001 - 19 comments

Hailstorm! "Web Services" like Ebay on your im app, email, phone, whatever. Is the era of the "universal login" finally here? (Microsoft or not).
posted by owillis on Mar 19, 2001 - 18 comments

I'd like to bid on an OS that crashes my computer, please. Microsoft, eBay enter alliance to support Internet services.
posted by darren on Mar 12, 2001 - 7 comments

One million credit card numbers stolen! News at 11! The FBI has gone public with a rather dry account of a huge organized attack on ecommerce sites, exploiting security flaws in NT which Microsoft fixed and offered patches for nearly two years ago.
posted by Steven Den Beste on Mar 9, 2001 - 5 comments

Microsoft exec calls Linux a threat to innovation? "One of Microsoft's high-level executives says that freely distributed software code such as Linux could stifle innovation and that legislators need to understand the threat."
posted by macewan on Feb 15, 2001 - 25 comments