NEWS
Volume 1 Issue 4
Microsoft's Tug of War in China
From: Information Week 08/08/2005 issue pg. 32
Despite the difficulties
Microsoft is having in China it continues to invest hoping to tap into
China’s complex market. Most resent investment was announced last week; a
new software-development center in Beijing is being developed with Lang Chao
International Ltd. The new center will perform performance test on Microsoft
Software. A hurdle for Microsoft to overcome in China is that “more than 90%
of software in China is counterfeit”.
Microsoft has been breaking into the Chinese market since 1992 by opening a
sales office and then a research lab in 1998. Then invested in 2002,
millions of dollars into the Chinese state planning department to train
engineers. Apparently, this investment did not impress the Chinese
government because they choose to use Linux operating system over Windows.
This is why “western companies find the Chinese market very complex”.
Microsoft acquires Frontbridge
From: Information Week 07/25/2005 issue pg. 12
Frontbridge Technologies Inc. manages E-mail systems for companies to insure compliance with government regulations and protects against spam and viruses. Microsoft has plans to do similar and offer archives for companies to retrieve emails and instant messages. This acquisition will take Microsoft down a path yet to be traveled and could prove to be profitable for Microsoft and partners alike.
FREE Add-on to Word 2003
From: Information Week 08/08/05 issue pg 75
It is called Word Redaction, it blacks out confidential information much like the government when it releases memos with particular parts carefully blacked out. This is a 1-Mbyte download which simply adds a new toolbar. Check it out!!
Microsoft Internet Explorer
From: Information Week 08/08/05 issue pg. 48
Internet Explorer (IE) 7 will support cascading style sheets (CSS) in its upcoming release. As well as addressing more hard pressed issues developers have been complaining about. Like the absence of the standards, in the Acid2 test published by Web Standards Project, in previous versions of IE. Other browsers, such as Apple Computer’s Safari or Opera from Opera Software are ahead of the game in this department. Nonetheless, IE 7 will be a more impressive web browser than previous versions.
or
Microsoft's Virtual Earth
From: Information Week 07/25/05 issue pg. 22
As Information Week Magazine reported Del Ross, VP of global E-commerce stated “maps have become a critical component to being able to sell effectively on the Internet”. Microsoft has upgraded its virtual maps in order to compete with Google. Virtual Earth was launched last month as a free tool to the public and business.
