I'm a huge Messenger fan and as soon as version 4.5 leaked, I downloaded and installed it. But since yesterday, I didn't see my contacts online anymore. There was just some white space, where the list should be. I'm not gonna try this new leaked version, I'll just wait until it's final and official. If anyone else has comments/problems with the program, please let me know in

HA! I at least would like to know if my software opens a door to whatever can be hacked/transmitted or whatever... Scott Culp, the Manager of the Microsoft Security Response Center, has issued an article about recent developments in the security community. He states that reports about security flaws/bugs in software were the key to worms like Code Red, Lion, Sadmind, Ramen, Nimda and hack attacks. Quote:
It?s high time the security community stopped providing blueprints for building these weapons. (...) While the industry can and should deliver more secure products, it?s unrealistic to expect that we will ever achieve perfection. All non-trivial software contains bugs, and modern software systems are anything but trivial. (...) ...a practice that?s best described as information anarchy. This is the practice of deliberately publishing explicit, step-by-step instructions for exploiting security vulnerabilities, without regard for how the information may be used. (...) For its part, Microsoft will be working with other industry leaders over the course of the coming months, to build an industry-wide consensus on this issue. Full article @ M$ What do you think? Let it all be discussed behind closed doors or be able to decide to shut down or decrease use of software on your own?

Title: Invalid RDP Data Can Cause Terminal Service Failure
Date: 18 October 2001
Software: Windows NT 4.0 Server, Terminal Server Edition, Windows 2000 Server and Advanced Server
Impact: Denial of service
Risk: Moderate
For a more detailed description of the issue adressed Read More...

If you've ever thought, "Wow, this version of Windows Media Player is really lacking, I can do better!" - Now's your chance.

Following on from Phoenix Article this was posted in the comments to his story (Windows 2000 SP3 FTP Folder) by Anonymous. Have no idea but if you wanna see (and download) what's in the 1st service pack for Windows XP take a look at this ftp address:

ftp://hotfix.microsoft.com/winnt/windows_XP/sp1/

MiaKa Rancho*: Thanks. Unfortunately these files will be password protected too I assume...

Saw it just over NeoWin! It's version 4.5 (v.4.5.0110). Get it over here. Beware, looks like beta software.

While browsing the net tonight, I came across the official Microsoft Windows 2000 SP3 FTP folder. I counted all the folders in that directory and it appears that SP3 could have as many as 679 fixes plus. WOW. You can download them if you like, but like I said there are a lot of them. ;-) LINK: Win2K SP3 FTP Folder Sent in by Louis Green. Rancho*: Whoa! I didn't even know there is an M$ FTP...

MSN Hotmail now offers an optional supplementary storage space of 8 MB, for a total allowed mailbox size of 10MB increasing the overall storage to five times what you have today. Here's what 10MB of storage space in your Hotmail e-mail account can do for you: store more photos and attachments, keep the important e-mail messages you don't want to delete, send larger attachments...up to 1.5MB per message. All of this for only $12.95 a year.

Here´s the scoop from M$:
The 3D Windows XP screensaver shows off the power of DirectX matched with the bright colors of Windows XP. Basic system requirements: Windows XP and a 16 MB video card. Other requirements are listed and download here. Thx NeoWin.

NTCompatible reports that Microsoft has released new updates for their Office XP series. More information on included changes and fixes can be found additionally to the downloads over here [Microsoft Office Page].

"Microsoft has released an update to Microsoft Office XP. This update provides you with the latest improvements in hardware identification for your version of Office XP, preventing you from unnecessarily reactivating your copy of Office XP. This update is part of Microsoft's continued effort to provide the latest product updates to its customers."

Credit goes to NT Compatible.

For all out of sight, who want to know how Windows XP will look like (if you don't know that already). Chip.de has posted a big picture gallery about Windows XP. If you want to see this, check it out by using the above link. Btw. this screenshots are from the german version, but I think, it doesn't matter.

Ok guys, a bit more leaked info for you today. Today is Thanksgiving for all you fellow Canadians (including myself), so here's a little something to say thank you for all your support! Get the MSN Explorer Build 2117 over here.

Sorry guys, I am late I know, but too much to do in the firm... Saw it just over @ Electic: Excel and PowerPoint have a macro security framework that controls the execution of macros and prevents macros from running automatically. Under this framework, any time a user opens a document the document is scanned for the presence of macros. If a document contains macros, the user is notified and asked if he wants to run the macros or the macros are disabled entirely, depending on the security setting. A flaw exists in the way macros are detected that can allow a malicious user to bypass macro checking. A malicious attacker could attempt to exploit this vulnerability by crafting a specially formed Excel or PowerPoint document with macro code that would run automatically when the user opened it. The attacker could carry out this attack by hosting the malicious file on a web site, a file share, or by sending it through email. Grab the patch and get more information over here.

We have received a video file of a Microsoft presentation of Windows Blackcomb or the Windows .Net solution. Blackcomb will be the successor of Windows XP so watch out for the new features presented here: Online integration into Windows
Services environment & subscription integration
This video is just a short clip that runs for about 4 minutes. Note the smoothly animated pulldown menues. Interested? Grab it here.

Microsoft plans to include APIs for writing advanced instant-messaging apps in the upcoming Windows.Net server, and may build a separate real-time collaboration server to manage them. Two application program interfaces and a communications update to TCP/IP are scheduled to appear in beta 3 of Windows.Net server, due in November. With them, IT departments and independent software developers could build apps that let workers send instant messages that are encrypted, securely hosted, and allow for more sophisticated types of file transfer than is available today in Microsoft environments, according to Microsoft execs. By including these APIs and bundling in its SharePoint Team Services software for online project management with Windows, Microsoft hopes to make the operating system more appealing to IT departments.

I just received an Email from Phoenix and he told me, that he has found an exclusive screenshot from Microsofts Windows .NET system.
I have never seen a screenshot of it before but for me it is looking like a photo from the Tele-Tubbies ;-)
I hope I can get back to the old desktop... To see the picture, click the Read More button. Update:
Phoenix send some words about it, click read more and see what he is saying.

Saw it just over @ NeoWin. M$ released the newest DX 8.1. This version is Release Candidate 1 (September 28) Build (0695). Unfortunately it isn't available to the public yet, only for the official testers @ BetaPlace. (Passwort required) If we find an public download link, we inform you as soon as possible.
Update: Download Win9x/Me
Download NT/W2k
No new drivers for XP!

The way Dave Thomas describes it, he and his staff were trying to track down a series of unusual bugs in Windows, when they stumbled across something that really worried them. There, on their screens along with the code they were debugging, was the name and password they'd just used for Microsoft's Passport service. Worse, it was in plain text, and readily accessible. As he looked more deeply, he realized that creating a worm that could recover that information would be, in his words, "trivial." Thomas, who is CTO of the Oregon-based software quality assurance company, Bugtoaster, says that he wasn't really trying to get into the security business, but that this was something too obvious to let pass. It was also too important. Thanks again to Louis Green for this shocking revelation, you can find out more about M$ passport service in the Offical Microsoft Whitepaper.

Here's your opportunity to impact the future of Windows Media. If you've ever wished for a particular feature, or thought, "I can make that better!" - now's your chance. Just fill out the Wish form below and let us know what rockin' new features you'd like to see in future versions of Windows Media technologies. More info here.