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The article reports on the progress of Project Premonition, an early warning system for plagues developed by scientists working for computer company Microsoft with funding from the government program Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity. Topics discussed include efforts to merge computer technology with entomology research and the development of a next-generation mosquito trap. The results of the deployment of the system near Houston, Texas are mentioned.

Focuses on the research laboratory started by Microsoft in 1991 in Redmond, Washington. The recruiting of computer scientists by theoretical physicist and corporate executive, Nathan Myhrvold, during the start-up phase; Problems with Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center (PARC); How bureaucracy was kept to a minimum at Microsoft Research; Comments of first-hire, Richard F. Rashid; Example of new products incorporating programming code or engineering designs that were developed at Microsoft; Skepticism of John Seely Brown, former director of Xerox PARC, about Microsoft's software technology; Microsoft's status on the "science linkage" index; Work of Jim Blinn, a MacArthur "genius award" winner at Microsoft. INSET: WORK ON ANYTHING (BUT NO JETÉS).

Examines the business practices and future of Microsoft. Views of Bill Gates; Problems with complacency, bureaucracy and customer dissatisfaction; The antitrust suit against the company; Life cycles of successful companies; The company's slowed growth; Stock value; Impact of overseas instability; Relations with industrial customers; The NT 5.0 operating system; Obstacle of market saturation; Need to focus on simplicity; Problem of the company's size. INSETS: Finally, the trial is about to begin;Chairman Gates, up close and personal.

Presents letters to the editor related to the computer industry, published in the August 1998 issue of the periodical "Communications of the ACM." Differences in the operating environments of the software-based IBM Corp. and Microsoft Corp.; Significance of several computer programming languages.

Offers a look at the allegations against Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates, that he masterminded a conspiracy to kill off a rival company with the use of his monopoly control over the world's computers as weapon. Possible consequence of the Microsoft trial; Concerns of the U.S. government on the nature of the information highway; Information on the lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission against Intel, the principal partner of Microsoft in the personal computer revolution.

Focuses on Microsoft Corp. Fall 1998 events that suggest Bill Gates' empire might not rule forever; The company's position as a highly valued world company; Profitability; Legal attacks and marketplace pressure; The United States Justice Department's antitrust suit as the most serious threat to the company. INSETS: The Threats to Gates...;...Go Coast-to-Coast;Let's Go to the Videotape.

Examines the role of Microsoft in computer industry competition. Numerous antitrust lawsuits against Microsoft; Why Microsoft needs to expand its business; The company's strengths and weaknesses; Example of the PalmPilot; Microsoft's involvement in television; Importance of Windows for Microsoft; Companies competing with Microsoft; Mistakes made by Microsoft's competitors. INSETS: What if stores sold just Coke? by Joel Klein;Microsoft stock gets Teflon coated, by Steven D. Kaye.

As the computer industry's reliance on component software increases, it becomes increasingly difficult to integrate complex component systems. Modern development environments take a variety of approaches to simplifying this programming problem. This article describes how three programming language implementations provide access to Microsofts Corp.'s component object model (COM) and how they attempt to reduce the complexity of writing and using COM objects. Using COM is complex for two reasons. COM semantics may not match the object semantics of the language and hence require glue code between COM and the application. In addition COM itself is very complex, with a large API and many special cases. Many development environments can provide access to services such as COM. Though COM reflects the linguistic heritage of its creators, it was designed to be accessed from all languages, and it can be. Such access can be straightforward, at least initially. It is also clear, though, the work required to support COM differs greatly from language to language and from environment to environment. Visual C++ and Visual J++ depend on extralinguistic features. INSETS: Using IDispathc from Dylan.;Abstract Server Pages..

The article focuses on various software languages and computer companies. The Java portable programming language is being hyped as the greatest invention in the computing field since the stored program computer. But is it not an new idea. Around 15 years ago, the identically same idea flowered under the label UCSD Pascal. UCSD Pascal was a portable version of the Pascal programming language, and UCSD stood for University of California at SanDiego, California, where the pioneering work in its development was done. The network computer (NC) is a low-priced, low-capability hardware device intended to simplify and reduce the price of using computers in a networked environment. Although the various vendors of these systems have not yet agreed on which capabilities are to be left in the machines and which are to be left out, the intent of the machine is that most programs and data will be obtained from the Internet, not the computer's own storage which will, therefore, be minimal. Microsoft Corp. is the most hated companies. What is happening emotionally with respect to Microsoft is almost exactly the same thing that happened emotionally with respect to IBM Corp. some years ago. Technologists who knew IBM products were price-performance inferior hated the position their managers took and transferred that hatred to IBM.

Offers a look at computer software company Microsoft Corporation in China as of June 2004. Report that Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer regularly travel to China for meetings with customers and government officials; Report that corporate reorganizations are changing the outlook for Microsoft in China; Problems with piracy in China; Hostility of the government to Microsoft's monopoly; Role of Microsoft in improving customer support for big Chinese companies; Strategic alliance between Microsoft and Chinese companies; Competition Microsoft faces from software company Linux.

Presents an interview with Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft. Gates' predictions regarding breakthroughs in the computer industry; His efforts concerning security issues; Description of the development of the new Longhorn operating system; His comment that web searching should have been more of a priority for Microsoft; Significance of his wealth; His excitement concerning future innovations.

Focuses on Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft Corp., and the future of his company. Problems that Microsoft experienced during 2000, including a court-ordered breakup of the company as punishment for antitrust violations; Changes that have occurred; Expectations in 2001 for the launch of several new products, including an Internet-friendly version of Windows and Office and a video-game console called Xbox.

Focuses on Microsoft Corporation in light of United States District Court Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's November 1999 findings of fact in the US antitrust case against the company. Annual meeting and stock price; Possibility of a settlement; Possible remedies, including breakup of the company; Response of the US computer industry; Speculation about an appeal. INSET: The Trial's Uneasy Fallout, by Jared Sandberg.

The article offers a comparison of the Surface Book i7 laptop computer from Microsoft with Macbook Pro from Apple.

The article focuses on Microsoft Rewards, a program launched by technology company Microsoft to encourage people to use its products by offering rewards. Topics covered include the opportunity to collect points when browsing through Edge or buying items at Microsoft Stores, the difference between Bing Rewards, which focused on the search engine Bing, and Microsoft Rewards, and how Microsoft Rewards will work on Edge.

The article discusses the new features of the Anniversary Update to the Windows 10 operating system (OS) launched by Microsoft in 2016. Topics covered include the integration of Bash shell from Linux into Windows 10, the ability to pin an open application to all virtual desktops, and some improvements in the Edge browser of Windows 10. Other features of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update are Windows Hello biometric authentication support, and upgrades to the personal digital assistant Cortana.

Discusses the concerns over the growing and dangerous dominance of Microsoft Corp. in the computer industry. Corporate goal of Microsoft; Strategic advantages and growth plans of the firm; Suggestion that the U.S. government should fight Microsoft's acquisition plans.

Reports that the government has been trying to prove for nearly five years that Microsoft, the world's most successful software company, used its market dominance illegally to crush competition. Question whether the company's competitors are using the courts to accomplish what they failed to do in the marketplace; Judge Stanley Sporkin's ruling which rejected the government's antitrust settlement with Microsoft. INSET: The judge who courts controversy, by Timothy M. Ito.

The article presents the three ways that software company Microsoft Corp. can ruin or improve the indie game Minecraft following the acquisition of the game maker Mojang. It discusses topics such as in-application purchases, restrictions to a single platform, and a visually rich productivity tool. It mentions augmentation by Microsoft services, maintaining a hands-off approach with game development, and a Windows Phone version.

The article focuses on the possible launch of the Microsoft Surface all-in-one computer in October 2016. Topics covered include the possible upgrade of the Surface Pro 4 with a Kaby Lake microchip, the introduction of a trio of stand-along computers and the outlook of analyst group International Data Corp. (IDC) for desktop all-in-ones. Also mentioned is the goal of entering category-defining market segments.

The article features the major and leading computer companies worldwide. These include AT&T, Cisco Systems, Google, Intel and Microsoft. AT&T is a company that continues to offer things that people want and continues to grow its third-generation footprint including High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) and High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA). Cisco System is widely recognized as one of the biggest enterprise networking company because it is recognized as one network equipment maker. Google is a leading search vendor and hopes to become a primary provider of broadband Internet Access. Discussed are the details of other companies' profile.

The article outlines the significant moments of the era of personal computers (PC). On September 9, 1986, Compaq surprised International Business Machines (IBM) by beating it to market with a competitively priced computer carrying Intel's new 386 chip. On August 1, 1989, Microsoft Office made its debut as a $500 Macintosh suite containing the popular programs Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The National Science Foundation decided to open the Internet to commercial use on May 24, 1991 and within a few years entrepreneur Jeff Bezos would conjure up Cadabra.

The article examines the reasons underlying the slow migration of users to Windows Vista, a computer operating system from U.S.-based Microsoft Corp. that was released in November 2006. Among the reasons underlying the slow adoption of the operating system by customers are its expensive hardware requirements, incompatibility to other applications, high installation trouble for limited benefits over its predecessor Windows XP and the upcoming launch of Service Pack 1. Another cited barrier to Vista's adoption is its increased complexity, which Microsoft users complained about its User Account Control feature as nuisance and intrusive.

The article discusses the effect of the development of VMware Inc.'s hypervisors on the operating system of Microsoft Corp. in the U.S. According to the author, the rise of hypervisors may supercede the classic operating system and may create a major threat to Microsoft. An overview of the progressive condition of VMware due to this virtualization is offered. It claims that virtualization cannot defeat the operating system of the Microsoft, but will shift the balance of power.

The article examines the competition between operating systems. In 2001, Microsoft Corp.'s Windows XP dominated the market and was tagged as the only desktop operating system in the U.S. Today, OpenOffice.org has grown into a viable competitor to Microsoft Office. Moreover, the author claims that OpenOffice.org can force Microsoft toward a more open file format strategy. In the field of operating systems, Microsoft's newest client operating system, Windows Vista, has been overpowered by Linux operating systems.

The article focuses on the uncertainty of application service providers regarding Microsoft Corp.'s new operating system, Vista. It discusses the three categories of uncertainty related to the operating system. The three categories are the hardware requirements, security and its interaction with other complementary Microsoft products. According to solution providers, Vista requires basic processor and graphics memory to run and support software drivers. Therefore, it will require existing computers to be upgraded. However, it has improved its security system by enabling the system administrator to regulate access to any data by users.

The article focuses on the journey of space tourist and billionaire computer programmer Charles Simonyi to the International Space Station on April 9, 2007. Simonyi is Microsoft's former chief architect and will become the fifth space tourist to visit the space. The journey will cost Simonyi $20 million and will give him an opportunity to view the Earth from above and beyond. The author noted that during Simonyi's career with Microsoft Corp. he has confronted some intractable problem in software or life and he has tried to solve it by stepping outside or above it. The various progress in computing are also addressed.

The article announces the 6th Eweek Excellence Awards recipients in the high technology industry in the U.S. in 2006. The Analytics and Reporting award was given to the Cognos 8 Business Intelligence 8.1.1 of Cognos Inc. The Visual Studio 2005 Team System of Microsoft Corp., has won the award for the Application Development category. The Aqualogic Service Bus 2.1 of Bea Systems Inc., has received the Business Integration Systems award.

The article features Microsoft's Windows Vista computer operating system, a bridge between conventional software and online services. The initial applications of the operating system are security and administration. The results of the "InformationWeek" research showed that those who plan to implement the Windows operating system cite improved data security as the top reason.

This article evaluates several audio and video players introduced in the U.S. market as of December 2004. With the debut of Microsoft's Portable Media Center operating system, video fans can enjoy ultraportability, too. The PMC OS powers a whole array of interesting new handheld devices--from Creative, IRiver, and other vendors--sporting 3.5- to 4-inch color screens and 20GB or larger hard drives that enable users to play their favorite television shows, personal videos, and selections from their music collection--anywhere. A look at the big guns in music players: those with hard drives. This category includes both large-capacity (20GB to 80GB) and midcapacity (1GB to 5GB) models. Even though they're based on similar technology, the two types suit significantly different lifestyles. Indeed, capacity-to-size ratio is one big reason why the Apple IPod is chosen as the PC World Best Buy among large-capacity players. The $399 IPod packs a whopping 40 GB into a case smaller than those of several rivals that have half its capacity, like the Philips HDD12O/17 and the Rio Karma. The IPod's menu selections are intuitive, and its touch-sensitive Click Wheel makes navigation a breeze. The ITunes software and ITunes online music store are easy to understand and use. On the player itself, users make a few quick clicks, and they have a playlist of their favorite songs.

The article discusses changes at Microsoft Corp. Since the late 1990s, a host of challenges have threatened Microsoft's dominance. In addition to trends like market saturation of its products, slowing upgrade cycles and soft PC sales, Microsoft faces a rolling series of virus attacks that target flaws in its programs. The rise of open-source software and the Linux operating system have established a compelling alternative to Windows. And then there are the antitrust lawsuits. In March, the European Commission levied a US$613-million fine on the software maker and ordered it to unbundle the Media Player from its Windows operating system. In December, RealNetworks filed a US$1-billion claim against Microsoft for allegedly using its monopoly powers to control the digital media market. Now its antitrust woes are spreading to Asia: in recent months, Japanese and South Korean officials have raided regional Microsoft offices Microsoft is making a concerted effort to reach out to a diverse set of tech companies, including competitors. It has even gone so far as to settle long-standing disputes with Sun Microsystems. Microsoft has launched multiple initiatives to work with industry associations and standards bodies, as well as governments worldwide, to fight piracy, virus attacks and spam. Two people at Microsoft are symbolic of its new-found maturity: Craig Mundie and Brad Smith. Both have spent more than a decade at the company and are now its senior diplomats. On public policy and legal issues, they are the new face of Microsoft. But just as important is what happens on the Redmond campus, because Microsoft needs to control the complexity of its organization without snuffing out the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit at the grassroots level.

Microsoft Corp.'s Exchange 2003 definitely delivers more value to administrators than previous versions of the messaging server. However, the hurdles of Active Directory and system migration still remain high at upgrading from Exchange 5.5. Exchange System Manager, the snap-in for MMC (Microsoft Management Console), has a number of improvements that allowed us to quickly navigate to controls and resolve problems. On the reliability side, Microsoft has improved the Mailbox Recovery tool to support disaster recovery scenarios in which Active Directory user account information and Exchange mailboxes no longer synchronize.

Focuses on the introduction of Windows Server 2003 by Microsoft Corp. Goal of the company behind development of the software; Features of the Windows Server 2003; Reasons to upgrade Windows 2003 from Windows 2000 Server; Advantage of Effective Permissions tab for system managers. INSETS: Windows upgrades give 64-bit computing a big push;Microsoft Windows road map;Shadow Copies, VDS ease storage management;Windows Server 2003

Discusses the HailStorm component of the .Net initiative, a service that store personal data that can be accessed by Web sites on behalf of the consumers, developed by Microsoft Corp. Discussion on the public image of Microsoft; Concerns about the ability of the company to safeguard the privacy of consumers; Information about the Hailstorm computer software; Challenge facing the company to market the idea.

Looks at the events in the computer and telecommunications industry of the United States in year 2000. How Microsoft Corp. was ordered to split into two companies; Decline in the value of stocks of Internet companies; Government regulation on cyberspace.

Reports on the product plans of Microsoft Corp. for year 2000. Licensing of enterprise services to application service providers in exchange for monthly subscription fees; Lowering startup costs for application software providers; Opening of the market for rented applications to more customers.

Provides information on the Raspberry Awards, given by `Interactive Week' magazine to the failure moves and decisions of people, companies and ideas in the United States computer industry as of June 19, 2000. Microsoft Corp. in its antitrust case; Decision of investors Warren, Buffett, Julian Robertson and George Soros on dropping their capital investments; Iridium; PointCast company. INSET: Rob.

Presents news briefs on the computer industry in the United States (US) as of January 2000. Capabilities of Wireless Personal Trust Agent software from VeriSign company; Legal arguments filed by Microsoft Corp. in its antitrust trial against the US Department of Justice; Earnings of Microsoft Corp. for second quarter of fiscal 2000; Decline in net income of Lucent Technologies Inc. for first fiscal quarter of 2000.

The article looks at the technological ecosystems surrounding smartphones and tablet computers. It is suggested that since most of these devices are fundamentally similar, technology companies compete primarily on the basis of interconnected products and services such as online stores, data synchronization, and payment systems. Details on the practices of companies such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft regarding product exclusivity are presented.

This article discusses a decrease in stock values among large personal computer corporations. Companies such as Dell, Intel, and Microsoft have noted a substantial decrease in their stock prices, largely due to a decrease in personal computer sales. A lack of new application development in the computer industry may also be contributing to decreased investor interest.

The article reports that Google Inc. has accused Microsoft Corp. of violating anti-trust laws by setting the latest version of its browser, Internet Explorer, to default to its search engine MSN. However, the U.S. Department of Justice found that the browser is not a threat to competition. Further, Microsoft Corp. has announced that it will invest more money into a new version of its online software MSN, to put it in direct competition with Google Inc. Microsoft Corp. is attempting to develop programs that will run most effectively with a combination of browser and desktop. INSET: PREDICTING YOUR NEXT MOVE.