And yet while Microsoft engineers were trudging through their death march, the open source community shipped a series of major upgrades to the Linux operating system. How can hackers, scattered across the globe, working for no pay, linked only by the net and shared values, apparently outperform the smartest software company on the planet?

Site – http://observer.guardian.co.uk

“If we are correct about our investment, and this marketplace really does take off in the next three to five years, then we take our revenues as the marketplace builds,” said Tandy Trower, general manager of the Microsoft Robotics Group.

Site – http://www.technewsworld.com

Microsoft Corp. today announced that effective July 2008 Bill Gates, chairman, will transition out of a day-to-day role in the company to spend more time on his global health and education work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The company announced a two-year transition process to ensure that there is a smooth and orderly transfer of Gates’ daily responsibilities, and said that after July 2008 Gates would continue to serve as the company’s chairman and an advisor on key development projects.

Site – http://www.microsoft.com

Microsoft today began expanding its anti-piracy program by quietly pushing out a software update that in many cases automatically scans Windows computers and reports on whether they are powered by unlicensed software. The “new pilot program” is a fairly broad expansion of Microsoft’s Windows Genuine Advantage program, under which the anti-piracy check was required only for users who wish to download security updates or other free programs from Microsoft’s site. Under WGA, users who chose to receive fixes via Automatic Updates were not prompted to install and run the anti-piracy software.

Site – http://blog.washingtonpost.com

It’s pretty incredible to look back 30 years to when Microsoft (Research) was starting and realize how work has been transformed. We’re finally getting close to what I call the digital workstyle. If you look at this office, there isn’t much paper in it. On my desk I have three screens, synchronized to form a single desktop. I can drag items from one screen to the next. Once you have that large display area, you’ll never go back, because it has a direct impact on productivity.

Site – http://money.cnn.com

A new portable media device that allows users to listen to music, play video games, browse the internet and jot hand-written notes is the initial vision of a product in development by Microsoft and its partners, the software giant confirmed.

Site – http://smh.com.au

Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates said Wednesday that attempts by governments to censor Web site contents were doomed, because banned information can seep out despite official injunctions.  “The ability to really withhold information no longer exists,” Gates told a government forum on the Internet.

Site – http://news.yahoo.com

Microsoft Corp will invest about 100 million dollars annually over the next three to five years in China, the world’s second largest Internet market with 111 million users, state press reported.

Site – http://www.physorg.com

Reading this made me rethink my opinions of Bill Gates.  Mr. Gates is one of the largest donators in history to charities which provide medical relief for poor countries.  Maybe Microsoft isn’t such the horrible monster I say it is everyday.  Microsoft, Gates tops for the largest total philanthropic gifts by individuals in 2005. The Microsoft chairman’s and his wife’s pledge to the Gates Foundation – which commited more than $1 billion to global health along this year – will increase its endowment to nearly $32 billion, by far the largest in the world.

Site – http://www.time.com

According to Microsoft, the new anti-virus application known as Windows OneCare Live consumer beta is “like taking your PC in for a tune up at the service station”.

Site – http://www.theregister.com