microsoft

Users of Excel's immensely popular spreadsheets are increasingly having to look over their shoulder. Insiders are today reporting that a new security leak -- for the third this month -- has been discovered within the program. Excel 2000, 2002, 2003 ... and Office 2000, XP and 2003 are all affected, and the fallout is driving accountants into the fetal position. The most recently reported flaw allows attackers to carry out their own commands by convincing a user that a repair is needed on a specific file. Once that file is opened, hackers can do what they wish to an affected users' system. Caught ... (view more)

After weeks of speculation, Google has finally introduced "Google Checkout", its first foray into the world of online payment systems. Although Google refused to confirm such rumors, it has today gone ahead with a program that is most comparable ... with Microsoft's "Passport" service. Both systems use a single login name to allow users a payment method with a host of participating online vendors. The greatest difference between Google's Checkout and Microsoft's Passport are the time and, obviously, the company. In recent months, Microsoft has scaled back its Passport service considerably. ... (view more)

Speculation over Microsoft's entry into the world of portable entertainment has been a rollercoaster for anyone interested in the prospect. Rumors earlier this year labeled the device as direct competition for the Sony Playstation Portable (PSP) and ... Nintendo Dual-Screen (DS), but reports of a legitimate "Xboy" could never be confirmed. By the end of March, Microsoft had denied the rumors enough that tech writers simply gave up on the story completely. Theories are now again in the works, some including gossip that Microsoft's device may be more competition for Apple's iPod than its more ... (view more)

Calling some of the bugs affecting Windows and Office "critical", Microsoft today announced that it will be releasing a free update/download on Tuesday to correct such problems. Four updates will be issued for Windows, with three on the way for ... Office. At least one download for each application have been placed in Microsoft's "highest-risk" category, and the company encourages users to make the necessary changes as soon as the updates become available next week. (Source: news.com ) The download itself will be detectable through the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer and the Enterprise Scan ... (view more)

With criticism of its recent security software (OneCare Live) and anti-piracy program (Windows Genuine Advantage) taking its toll, Microsoft is showing fatigue. Recently, industry insiders are reporting that the Redmond-based company will not only ... be laying off 214 employees from U.S. sales, but it may also miss shipping Office 2007 on time. Although this is hardly the first time Microsoft has cut staff, it is remarkable for a company that has routinely increased its manpower by thousands each year. Reports from inside the company suggest that of the 214 jobs cut, most are corporate account ... (view more)

Probably, I should preface my remarks by saying I don't work for Microsoft. As an editor for infopackets.com, as well as a contributor, it was hard reading all the articles without inserting my own opinion. Watching people jump on the bash Microsoft ... bandwagon, however, can be amusing. The furor over WGA is unfortunate. If it motivates folks to turn off Automatic Updates entirely, that would be tragic. Clearly, there were problems with WGA, both in its initial implementation and in the PR treatment. Leo Notenbloom, in a Lockergnome article, gave a fair and balanced view. http://ask-leo.com/ ... (view more)

Recent findings by gaming insiders predict that the Sony Playstation 3's (PS3) hardware and software will end up costing consumers considerably more than originally thought. The rise in cost is primarily due to the PS3's use of next-gen Blu-Ray DVDs ... its lavish hardware configuration. The inevitable result will be titles that cost the average gamer more money, making the already expensive PS3 ($499 USD for 20GB hard drive, $599 USD for 60GB hard drive) a system only appealing to those with fire money -- the kind that burns holes in your pocket. Japanese gaming magazine Ge-Maga recently ... (view more)

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you've undoubtedly stumbled across the term "WGA" -- or more affectionately known as, The Windows Genuine Advantage Program. Reminder: What is WGA? Designed as anti-piracy software by ... Microsoft, WGA is an install designed to check the legitimacy of a user's Windows applications and Operating System. Those whose systems are running pirated software are given the chance to purchase legitimate identification keys or prove that they were duped into buying the illegal merchandise. Those who are victims of piracy dealers -- and can ... (view more)

With major executives leaving at a time when the company is desperately trying to market an amalgam of new programs and hardware, Microsoft is now trying to repair its public image by announcing a forum-based website where it will share code with ... outside developers. The new measures are in an effort to greater connect programmers and Microsoft, with each side sharing technical information and software know-how. Not All About Love and Roses The website itself, called CodePlex, has been in beta testing for some time. Its ultimate intention is not as interested in the kindness of sharing as it ... (view more)

I've been hearing a lot of hype about this Windows Genuine Advantage program. I especially liked Brandon Dimmels articles about it here at Infopackets (see "Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) Under Fire"). I don't like programs that needlessly contact ... their home websites to report on me. Many people call that "Spyware" and I also agree that WGA fits the description. It's taken a little while for me to figure out what to do about WGA. The funny thing to me is that I've had the "Fix" on my PC for a long time. Here's what I've done ... Install BigFix Turn off automatic downloading of Windows ... (view more)