[H]ardNews 2nd Edition - Windows Edition

IE7 Reviews:

FlexBeta,ZDNet and Andrew Rondeau take IE7 Beta out for a spin.

It is very clear that, unlike when Microsoft targeted Netscape, they are using their classic method of producing superior software by catering to the needs of the user. This is not IE 6 with a few features borrowed from the competition, but rather a clear step in the evolution of user-centric design by addressing two areas that IE 6 is known to be lacking. Specifically, they’re working on technology to address the problem with phishing, and they’ve implemented tabbed browsing.

Beta Or Bust:

BetaNews is reporting that the new IE7 Beta release and the leaked version in the wild is busting popular Instant Messaging applications. Trillian, Gaim and IM2 all spit out error messages. There is a possible workaround involving removing MSN support, at least in Trillian.

Sources tell BetaNews the problem ostensibly lies in a DLL file used by the multi-network clients to connect to the MSN Messenger service. IE7 brings a new version of wininet.dll, which causes the crash if users connect to AOL Instant Messenger while also connecting to MSN.

Beta Nukes Search Toolbars:

The Register also reports that IE7 Beta nukes both Google and some Yahoo! search toolbars. There is also some interesting linkage surrounding these reports.

There are sound compatibility reasons for Microsoft disabling third-party toolbars in an early cut of the software. But it does raise ominous echoes of Microsoft's previous tactics of foreclosing competition by hiding the alternatives available to users. For anti-competitive reasons, Microsoft is unlikely to risk such a move in the finished product

Vista Longhorn:

Direct from the Windows Vista Virtual Pressroom pictures of Longhorn. Err..Vista, :p Seems Longhorn is now the Server codename.

The first beta of Windows Server, code-named “Longhorn,” also is now available to a limited number of participants in the Technical Beta Program, including hardware manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers, independent hardware vendors, system builders, independent software vendors and developers. The next version of Windows Server, code-named “Longhorn” is designed to provide a secure and reliable server platform, helping customers reduce IT complexity, increase end-user productivity and deliver rich new applications. The new server operating system is slated for final release in 2007.

Patent Push:

The New York Times ponders the implications of Microsoft's patent push, and software patents in general.

It must feel like a bit of a stretch to come up with 60 fresh, nonobvious patentable ideas week in, week out. Perhaps that is why this summer's crop includes titles like "System and Method for Creating a Note Related to a Phone Call " and "Adding and Removing White Space From a Document."

Smiley Rescued?:

In related news ZDNet reveals that Microsoft's efforts to patent emoticons has run into a snag, the patent application isn't quite a simple as just an emoticon rather the process of emoticon transmission, however prior art appears to already cover that aspect.

"What Microsoft is patenting has already been in use for more than 15 years; just take a look at the unofficial X-faces NNTP [a USENET protocol] header that is used in newsgroups by users to include a small graphical image with their messages."