Computer and Video Games.com reports that according to some rather paranoid sources, here's what developers in the UK have been told to work towards by Microsoft: According to sources, Xbox 2 games about to go into development are looking at the following specs as a guide: 2.8Ghz Pentium 4 central processor, 512MB of RAM, NV30 graphics chip.

Seems that there was a C*** up with the DirectX 9.0 Build 9.0.308 web setup file! Monkeyboy originally leaked the wrong web setup file, but he has corrected his mistake by leaking the REAL web setup file for build 9.0.308 which can be downloaded now. Well if your brave enough you can try again by clicking Read More ... LOL

Here it is. The unofficial fix list for Windows XP SP2. I want to make sure that you understand that SP2 isn't even close to beta yet, so this by no means is the final list and new fixes are added almost daily. Check back often for updates to this.

Tablet PC combines the power of Microsoft Windows XP Professional and the convenience of pen-based computing. Register for a Tablet PC launch event, where you'll receive $50 US rebate coupons for Windows XP Professional and Office XP Professional - and a chance to win a Tablet PC.

Visual FoxPro 8.0 Beta Available for Download Visual FoxPro 8.0 Beta includes everything you need to write, build, and test Visual FoxPro 8.0 applications. Take advantage of new XML Web services features, and new and improved compatibility with Microsoft Visual Studio .NET and Microsoft SQL Server 2000.
Visual FoxPro is an extremely powerful application development tool for building database applications, whether on the desktop computer, client-server, or on the Web through components and Web services.

Just spotted this @ Activewin.com:

Windows Update for Windows 9x machines has been updated to version 4 as seen in Windows XP or Windows 2000. A new version of the critical update notification has also been released.

This update resolves the IEEE 802.1x Authentication Cannot be Enabled on Computers Running Windows 2000 issue and is discussed in Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) Article Q313664. Download now to install 802.1X authentication on your computer.

This interim release is very close to what we will be releasing as Release Candidate 0. We are releasing this now to get early feedback to ensure that Release Candidate 0 is as polished as possible. Please note the Interim Release does not receive the same degree of testing as Beta and Release Candidates. You may wish to review the DirectX 9.0 Readme before or after any of your downloads. Also, we suggest you familiarize yourself with the testing guidelines Testing Guidelines. Read more

DeC[iP]hEr from #Betas on irc.BETASONLiNE.com has made screenshots of Office 11 Beta 1.

Thank you for your interest in participating as part of the Office Individual Evaluation Program during the pre-release period for the next version of Office. The enrollment for Beta1 is now closed. No additional participants for Beta 1 are being accepted as of Friday, October 4, 2002 at 5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time. If you would like to nominate yourself for participation in Beta 2, you may do so by following the instructions in the Signing Up section below.

This update addresses the "Inconsistent Gap Count Can Cause 1394 Devices to Not Enumerate" issue in Windows XP, and is discussed in Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) Article Q329256. Download now to allow 1394 devices to enumerate.

This update addresses the "Explorer.exe May Generate an Application Error When You Close a Folder" issue in Windows XP, and is discussed in Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) Article Q329692. Download now to resolve the application error when closing folders.

Outlook 11 will, by default, no longer grab data such as images from outside servers when previewing e-mail formatted like Web pages. The ability to send and receive e-mail formatted in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) was at one time touted as a feature in Microsoft's e-mail programs. "We've taken a step backward, so to speak, by blocking external content when you preview e-mail," Simon Marks, Office XP product manager, said this week. Marks described the new feature as an important spam-fighting tool.

Microsoft released SP1 for some time ago, but now it seems that the M$ guys are working on SP2. I found a lot of hotfixes on their FTP server. Some of the files are already available at WindowsUpdate. More will be available there soon as we know M$. Downloading this small fixes is useless because they are password protected.

Click read more to get on the FTP...

On Windows 2000, the default permissions provide the Everyone group with Full access (Everyone:F) on the system root folder (typically, C:). In most cases, the system root is not in the search path. However, under certain conditions - for instance, during logon or when applications are invoked directly from the Windows desktop via Start | Run - it can be. Read more...

Two new security updates for Windows XP Service Pack 1 are now available. Security Update, February 14, 2002 (Internet Explorer 6) This is an updated version of Security Update, February 14, 2002. This update resolves the "Incorrect VBScript Handling in Internet Explorer can Allow Web Pages to Read Local Files" security vulnerability in Internet Explorer 6 and Windows XP or Windows 2000, and is discussed in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS02-009. Download now to prevent a malicious user from using an unauthorized Web site to read the contents of files on your local computer. Q329834: Security Update (Windows XP) This update resolves the "Unchecked Buffer in PPTP Implementation Could Enable Denial of Service" security vulnerability in Windows XP and Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1). Download now to prevent an attacker from disrupting service on a server that offers private networking and uses the PPTP protocol. The security vulnerability results in the Windows 2000 and Windows XP implementations because of an unchecked buffer in a section of code that processes the control data used to establish, maintain and tear down PPTP connections. By delivering specially malformed PPTP control data to an affected server, an attacker could corrupt kernel memory and cause the system to fail, disrupting any work in progress on the system.

This update contains fixes and enhancements to Outlook Express 6.0 SP1 as well as eliminates all previously addressed security vulnerabilities affecting Outlook Express 6.0 SP1. A knowledge base article with further information is not yet published. Version - 6 Release Date - 30 Oct 2002 Estimated Download Size/Time @28.8 - 1,980 kb / 10min

Well there you have it. Even top news sites like ourselves may overlook something sometimes. Microsoft released DirectX 8.2 officially as a minor update on September 27th. This download contains DirectX 8.1b plus some DirectPlay fixes related to performance and connectivity issues exhibited with some online multiplayer game titles. This release of DirectX is not recommended for general installation. You should only consider installing this release if you have an online gaming problem that has been identified as being fixed with DirectX 8.2. This version of DirectX can replace all previous released versions of DirectX.

Following on from CFS3 contains DirectX8.2..? Posted by snave! Seems that some sites have got hold of the final build of DirectPlay 8.2 Final that will update your DirectX 8.1b to DirectX 8.2. This update was meant for Peeps that got MS Combat Flight Simulator 3 or New World Order!

We have found that Microsoft's DirectX8.1 will create a massive lag. To solve this problem Microsoft has created especially for New World Order and MS Combat Flight Simulator 3 a DirectX 8.1 patch (DirectPlay 8.2). The DirectPlay 8.2 beta patch is set to expire on October 31, 2002 . However, the final release of the DirectPlay 8.2 patch will be available prior to this expiration date allowing plenty of time to upgrade the beta to the final release. DirectX 9 will also contain this patch.

Please note: This release is neither time-bombed nor is it a beta! This can be considered a minor release as only the DirectPlay-API has been updated.

This update addresses the "WM_TIMER Messages Not Delivered to Programs" issue in Windows 2000, and is discussed in Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) Article Q322913. Download now to resolve program errors caused by undelivered WM_TIMER Messages.