No 1: Slide Show, The Best and Worst Microsoft Products—June 24, 2008
From the server-side scripting Active Server Pages to perennial stalwarts
Windows Server 2003 and Exchange Server, Microsoft has more than a few solid
products. On the other hand, there's Hotmail, Internet Explorer 6, ActiveX and,
of course, the very regrettable and forgettable Bob. eWEEK Labs picks the 10
best and 10 worst Microsoft products so far.
Related News Story: Bill Gates: It's a Wonderful Life—June 24, 2008
In his time, Bill Gates helped spur the PC revolution that has changed how
people work and live. And he built one of the most powerful and influential
companies that the world has ever seen. Nevertheless, lots of people hate him
and Microsoft—some of that hatred probably earned—but his company has done a
lot of good, too, and accomplished quite a bit to help bring about the current
computing age. And no one can deny that Microsoft's co-founder changed
computing, changed business and changed our lives.
No. 2: Slide Show, The 25 Most Influential People at IBM—Jan. 18, 2008
Powerful and influential Chairman and CEO
Samuel J. Palmisano tops any list at IBM,
but the iconic IT firm also includes such talent as Rodney C. Adkins, who leads
IBM's global server and storage systems
hardware and software development, as well as semiconductor manufacturing
operations. And then there's Michael E. Daniels, who oversees the go-to-market
and business-line management for IBM's
offerings in strategic outsourcing, integrated technology services, small and
midsize business services, maintenance, and IBM
global financing. And, well, the list goes on.
No. 3: Slide Show, Seven Client OSes That Could Replace Windows—Aug. 13, 2008
Microsoft's Windows is the undisputed king of the desktop, and, for a long
time now, it's seemed as though Windows would reign forever more. However, with
customer uptake of Windows Vista still limp—even with the magical Service Pack
1 milestone months behind us—it's time to ask if any one of Windows' client operating
systems has what it takes to capture a bigger chunk of the mainstream desktop.
Here are some of the contenders.
No. 4: Slide Show, eWEEK Labs Walk-Through: Windows 7—Oct. 28, 2008
In October, Microsoft gave the public its first peek at the Windows client
release that's supposed to make up for the disappointing Vista.
Based on eWEEK's early tests of the new client, Windows 7's speed and polish
earn impressive kudos.
Related Review: Windows 7 a Big Improvement over Vista—Oct. 28, 2008
Windows 7 is a less ambitious offering than Vista,
but one with more realistic goals. Seven's new features and improved
performance make it seem like a better version of Vista
rather than a major step forward.
No. 5: Slide Show, Emerald Green Computing Comes to IT—March 12, 2008
The Irish may be known for many things, but one of the things they don't get
enough credit for is their IT acumen. It turns out that Ireland
has a number of indigenous companies that leverage the country's growing base
of network specialists and application developers focused on specific vertical
markets, such as financial software and e-learning systems.
No. 6: The 100 Most Influential People in IT—April
7, 2008
Editors from eWEEK, CIO Insight and
Baseline put their heads together to name the 100 people who are having the
most influence on IT—the people who are shaping the future of the way we use
technology. The list includes people who not only have a tangible track record
of IT success, but also have had far-reaching influence, the ability to effect
change and a deep level of engagement in developing emerging technologies.
No. 7: Top 10 Disruptive Technologies Affecting the Data
Center—Feb. 22, 2008
Several technologies are poised to shake up the data center. Gartner
Research Vice President Carl Claunch provided eWEEK with a list of 10
technologies to watch. They are all relatively immature today, Claunch said,
but will mature enough for widespread use in the next 18 to 36 months.
No. 8: Inside Intel 'Larrabee'—Aug. 6, 2008
Intel's "Larrabee" processor is Intel's first multicore processor
and first stand-alone graphics card. It is also a swipe at graphics chip makers
Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices, whose powerful graphics chips are starting
to look like a threat to Silicon Valley's king of
silicon chips. Larrabee will have numerous x86 processor cores and support for
OpenGL and DirectX, allowing it to run existing games and software requiring
high-end graphics.
Related Story: Intel Details 'Larrabee' Processor Architecture—Aug. 4, 2008
Intel describes aspects of its Larrabee microarchitecture, including the
design of an x86 processing core developed specifically for the chip. The chip maker
explains why its engineers believe the Larrabee processor will usher in a new
era of parallel software programming.
No. 9: Windows Live SkyDrive Exits Beta—Feb. 21, 2008
Microsoft's free online file management and sharing service, Windows Live
SkyDrive, offers 5GB of storage. Users get password-protected "anywhere
access" to their information, which can be shared with others. This
anywhere, anytime access to files is key to Microsoft's Windows Live vision: the
powerful integration between Web services and client software.
Related Story: Microsoft to Phase Out Windows Live OneCare—Nov. 18, 2008
Microsoft is giving up on its Windows Live OneCare subscription service next
June. But it is not giving up on the security business entirely—it has plans
for a free anti-malware product code-named Morro. The new service will be
designed to use minimal computing resources to make it useful in low-bandwidth
scenarios and on less powerful PCs.
No. 10: Slide Show, Solid-State Memory Will Kill HHDs—Aug. 22, 2008
HHD, or hybrid hard drive, disk storage is a technology that will generally
give way to the simpler, more efficient SSD,
or solid-state drive, form factor. Want proof? Seagate Technology, Western
Digital, Samsung, Toshiba, Fujitsu, Intel, AMD,
Micron Technology, SanDisk and LSI Logic are
well into flash development as the next generation of processors begins to take
shape. Here's why SSD storage will kill HHD
storage.
Related News Story: Intel Unveils Its First Solid-State SATA Storage Drives—Aug. 19, 2008
Intel has been putting a great deal of R&D into
developing flash memory SSDs that will withstand the rigors of 24/7 data center
server usage, heavy-duty client/server desktop and laptop use, and embedded
applications. Intel is convinced that it has added enough storage capacity—up to
160GB—on these SSDs to more than handle enterprise duty.
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