SoftwareWill Microsoft deliver Windows 7 next year?

Recent hints suggest Microsoft might release the next version of its operating system, Windows 7, earlier than the expected 2010 date, suggesting that the company may also want to cut its losses on Vista.

SoftwareReports: Windows Live Messenger getting WPF-based makeover

The next version of Windows Live Messenger will include a new user interface based on Microsoft's Windows Presentation Foundation technology, according to blog reports.

SoftwareMicrosoft System Center gets cross-platform support

Microsoft has released beta technologies that enable its System Center software to manage servers running operating systems other than Windows.

SoftwareSiggraph: Pixar animation software to get boost on Windows supercomputers

At Siggraph 2008, Pixar Animation Studios said an upgrade of its RenderMan animation software will run on Microsoft's HPC Server 2008 operating system and 64-bit Windows Vista.

SoftwareIs Google your next data center?

Lower costs, snap upgrades and other benefits of cloud computing are leading IT organizations to increasingly outsource traditional IT infrastructure activities like storage and server management to managed services providers. How will this alter the makeup of the IT department of the future? Computerworld looks ahead.

SoftwareBusiness Objects bets on convergence of IT tools

SAP's Business Objects unit unveiled new products to take advantage of what it sees as a convergence of BI, compliance and performance management tools.

SoftwareSun close to releasing xVM Server

The product supports Sun and non-Sun x86-based and x64-based hardware, along with the Windows, Linux and Solaris operating systems.

SoftwareSQL Server 2008's future 'cloudy' as Microsoft releases new database

Microsoft began making SQL Server 2008 available to users, slightly later than planned but still within the three-year development window that the company set for itself.

SoftwareSAP users: Support debate isn't over

SAP users say they aren't ready to accept the vendor's recent decision to push all customers to enterprise support.

SoftwareVendor rating site allows users to weigh in

Since going live in March, VendorRate.com has given business IT users a place to register comments and rate some 12,000 IT providers.