Despite reports to the contrary, Microsoft has confirmed to BetaNews that it has made no changes to its Windows Genuine Advantage program to lock out users with invalid or pirated keys.

Microsoft's latest desktop Windows Operating System update codename Longhorn is not due till 2006 yet the pre-beta builds have given people an insight into the ambitious goals Microsoft has for the future - and here we present LongHorn build 4083 for your review...

Since May this year we've heard dribs and drabs about Microsoft's much hyped next generation Operating System. According to the internal calendar Longhorn is due to hit Beta 1 on February 16th 2005 and hit RTM May 22nd 2006. Don't be surprised if the Beta 1 date slips let alone the RTM date.

On November 17, 2004, Hotmail Wave 10 will incorporate new features and functionality related to: Human Interface Proof Validation; Sending Photos; Junk Mail Filtering; Anti-Virus Scanning on e-Mail Forwarding; Contact Cards; Sender Identification; E-mail Search & Sort.

Listen in soldier! Master Chief?s MJOLNIR MK VI battle armour is made from a combination of advanced alloys and reverse-engineered Covenant energy shielding. We?ve modified this technology to enhance your Windows Media Player.

Ever ponder whether or not to install Windows XP SP2? Here they compiled a few reasons why you shouldn't upgrade; bare in mind that these reasons were collected from actual user experiences around the net.

On November 9th , Microsoft will release its monthly security bulletins. Join us for a brief overview of the technical details of the November security bulletins followed by an extensive Q&A session.

This update addresses an issue when you view a Web page that can render vector graphics on screen in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 running on Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), Internet Explorer may stop responding or crash and you receive an access violation in Vgx.dll.

Longhorn Screenshots Roundup for old/past screenshots of Longhorn to see how longhorn has evolved along the way of development.

Windows Media Audio and Video 9 Series is a breakthrough set of codecs that enables multichannel audio and high definition (HD) video at resolutions up to 1080p. See high definition in action for yourself with these downloads. To deliver ultra-high quality, these clips were encoded at 24 frames per second (fps), and at the resolutions noted of either 1280 x 720 (720p) or 1920 x 1080 (1080p). (Resolutions vary per clip.)

Windows XP Reloaded is a planned interim marketing push for Windows XP that will more widely broadcast features that have been shipped since the initial XP release in 2001, including XP SP2, a new Windows Media Player version, and other exciting consumer-oriented features.

Paul Thurrott Windows SuperSite

Microsoft released MSN Messenger 7.0.0332 to the beta testers of BetaPlace. There are several fixes, changes and more. Changes: - Contact list spacing issues (used to occur when a contact had a long display name or an emoticon in it); - Right-clicking Get this emoticon on a Premium (i.e. Blue Mountain®) emoticon would crash; -Spelling correction: "sent" vs. "send" when sending a nudge to an older client; -Pinned emoticons now shows 60/60; -Crying face emoticon :'( and disappointed emoticon now appear differently in the emoticon dropdown menu; -Close and Minimize buttons are hidden only at the smallest width of the main window when in frameless mode.

Thank you for your interest in Microsoft Windows Update version 6 Beta site. This site previews the next version of Windows Update. Before proceeding, please read the following terms and conditions carefully...

The Partner Pack is the ultimate application package for your Windows XP PC. Install this package and you will be able to play new games and have more fun, explore the internet in new ways, keep in touch and share information with friends and family, better protect your PC and do more with tools and desktop utilities. You can either download this software package for free or get a CD (and pay just for Shipping and Handling).

Microsoft has just released a combo add-on pack intended for users of Windows XP. Dubbed the "SuperPack", Microsoft has included both the Windows XP Plus! and Plus! Digital Media Edition add-on packs into one large offering.

See how to tell whether a Web site or e-mail is fraudulent, and learn what you can do to avoid these schemes-and how to report them.

Spyware is software that collects personal information without your knowledge or permission. You might be the target of spyware if you download music from file-sharing programs, free games, or other software from an unknown source. Learn how you can help to protect your computer.

Microsoft Virtual PC 2004 Service Pack 1 (SP1) contains the latest software updates for Microsoft Virtual PC 2004 that improve the reliability, performance and manageability of Virtual PC. Updates have been made to improve the performance of Windows XP Service Pack 2 as a guest in Virtual PC, to improve the manageability of virtual machines when used with SMS 2003 Service Pack 1, and to provide support for running Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition as the host operating system.

Download the complete DirectX 9.0 SDK - (October 2004), which contains the FINAL release of the DirectX 9.0c Runtime and all DirectX software required to create DirectX 9.0 compliant applications in C/C++, and C#.

This update resolves a compatibility issue with a non-Microsoft software application installed on your computer. This application prevents successful installation of Windows XP Service Packs, critical security updates and other system file updates. This update should be applied to your system to enable safe installation of these updates now and in the future.