Microsoft Watch Code Name Tracker 4.7 and Year-Ahead Planner 4.7

In This Issue
Microsoft Watch Code Name Tracker 4.7 and

Year-Ahead Planner 4.7

Here are our monthly installments of our updated list of Microsoft projects and their code names, plus our rolling calendar, which tracks the coming year’s key Microsoft-related events. There are some key changes in the structure of our charts, as of this month, given recent developments at Microsoft.

In terms of the Code Name Tracker, we are now organizing our charts around five business units, as Microsoft is planning to continue to report separately the revenues/losses for each of these divisions.

Until recently, Microsoft organized itself into seven profit and loss centers: Server and Tools, Client, Information Worker, Business Solutions, MSN Personal Services and Business, Mobile and Embedded Devices, Home and Entertainment. In mid-July, Microsoft announced that it was folded its Business Solutions unit into Information Worker and its Mobile and Embedded unit into the Homer and Entertainment division. Microsoft also moved its Exchange business from Server and Tools, to Information Worker, as part of these changes. We are following Microsoft’s lead on these shifts, as reflected in the July issue of our tracker. (We also are continuing to follow two additional categories: Disappearing code names and important Microsoft Research project code names.)

At the management level, company officials reorganized Microsoft in late September 2005 into three divisions: Platform Products & Services; Microsoft Business; and Entertainment and Devices. Microsoft officials said the company’s decision to report results along the five aforementioned units reflects its current three-division structure. (Yeah, we don’t follow that one, either.)

All dates in our charts reflect calendar years, not Microsoft fiscal years. Changes made since the last version of the Code Name Tracker are in bold-faced type. We detail new entries and changes to existing ones in the body of the charts.

The calendar, which we update monthly, lists major shows, product launches and other dates of interest to Microsoft Watchers. We include some third-party-sponsored shows, trainings, and other events we think of interest. We also may choose to include data points regarding Microsoft’s major competitors, which may have some bearing on Microsoft.

Our intent is not to be all-inclusive; it is simply to provide you with planning tools – ones that we use ourselves — to keep tabs on the sleepless software giant.

Your trusty Microsoft Watcher takes personal responsibility for any gross oversights or omissions, and welcomes suggestions for future entries from you loyal readers.
As always, questions, comments and tips are welcome, and confidentiality is guaranteed. Please use the form at here or e-mail us at

href=”mailto:[email protected]”>[email protected].
Thanks!

Mary Jo Foley, Editor
Highlights From Code Name Tracker 4.7 and Year-Ahead Calendar

4.7

• We’ve added a couple of new shows to this month’s calendar, including next week’s Black Hat USA 2006, TechEd IT Forum in Barcelona in November, and the Worldwide Partner Conference 2007 (it’s Denver or bust!).
• We’ve also tweaked (yet again) the expected due dates for Office 2007, reflecting Microsoft’s slight slippage in internal ship targets. The latest: Office 2007 will RTM before end of calendar 2006 (not in October, as planned). We’re hearing November, right now. The current plan of record is to launch Office 2007 and Windows Vista together for business users around November (our sources say), and for consumers in January.
• We’ve also updated a number of Information Worker real-time communications and Server and Tools security-specific products with their new, official names in this month’s tracker.
• On the Code Name Tracker side of the house, we’ve added some of the many new home and entertainment code names floating around to our charts. Check out new entries for Argo, Zune, Pyxis and Alexandria. We’ve also resurrected the portable Xbox player from the “Disappearing Code Names” chart, given that a number of consumer-gadget experts are reporting that Microsoft has put this concept back on the drawing board.
• We’ve also, as has come to be habit, made a number of new additions and tweaks to the MSN/Windows Live portion of the tracker, given the ever-changing Windows Live landscape.

There are lots more additions and changes in both the Calendar and Code Name Tracker. Without

further ado, click

href=”http://www.microsoft-watch.com/download_newsletter/0,2199,a=184443&d=3469,00.asp”

target=”_blank”>here for the full Code Name Tracker 4.7

(simply login to your account and download the PDF)

And get your full Calendar 4.7

href=”http://www.microsoft-watch.com/download_newsletter/0,2199,a=184443&d=3469,00.asp”

target=”_blank”>here (simply login to your account and download the PDF)

Chats and Web Casts to Watch

Those tedious online chats and Web casts do contain tasty tidbits and even a lesson or two. There are plenty to choose from (as you can see if you click on our resources links at the bottom of this item).

Here are our recommendations for your viewing pleasure over the next 30 days:

****
August 3: 01:00 PM (EST) start time

href=”http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=920957″ target=”_blank”>

Expert Zone Support WebCast: Explore new home networking features in Windows Vista
If you want the gory details on Vista’s Network Center, Network Explorer and wireless technologies, this is the Webcast for you.

****
August 9: 2:00 PM (EST) start time

TechNet Webcast: Information About Microsoft August Security Bulletins
On August 8, 2006, Microsoft will release its regular monthly security bulletins. This Webcast will go into more depth on what Microsoft’s fixing this month.
****
August 10: 01:00 PM (EST) start time
Security in Microsoft Products
More security goodness – this time in the form of a live Web chat with

the new Mike Nash, a k a Ben Fathi, Vice President for the Microsoft Security Business Unit. Fathi and and his team will field any and all security questions.
****
August 11: 12:00 PM (EST) start time

href=”http://www.microsoft.com/events/EventDetails.aspx?CMTYSvcSource=MSCOMMedia&Params=%7eCMTYDataSvcParams%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22ID%22+Value%3d%221032302636%22%2f%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22ProviderID%22+Value%3d%22A6B43178-497C-4225-BA42-DF595171F04C%22%2f%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22lang%22+Value%3d%22en%22%2f%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22cr%22+Value%3d%22US%22%2f%5e%7esParams%5e%7e%2fsParams%5e%7e%2fCMTYDataSvcParams%5e” target=”_blank”> MSDN Architecture Webcast: An Early Adopter’s Progress Report on Windows Communication Foundation and the .NET Framework 3.0
We hear folks are building Window Communication Foundation apps like there’s no tomorrow. What are the first wave of developers encountering in the “connected systems” world?
****
August 21: 2:00 PM (EST) start time

href=”http://www.microsoft.com/events/EventDetails.aspx?CMTYSvcSource=MSCOMMedia&Params=%7eCMTYDataSvcParams%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22ID%22+Value%3d%221032303012%22%2f%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22ProviderID%22+Value%3d%22A6B43178-497C-4225-BA42-DF595171F04C%22%2f%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22lang%22+Value%3d%22en%22%2f%5e%7earg+Name%3d%22cr%22+Value%3d%22US%22%2f%5e%7esParams%5e%7e%2fsParams%5e%7e%2fCMTYDataSvcParams%5e” target=”_blank”>Momentum Webcast: China: Supply Chain Challenges, Lessons Learned, and Developing Your Plan for China
This Webcast was so unusual, we just had to include it. A anufacturing program director with marke-research firm IDC will offer tips and tricks for doing busiess in China.
****
Resources
Microsoft

USA Webcasts
Archived

Microsoft Webcasts Available on Demand
MSDN

Chats
New:

MSDN Web Casts Web Log

TechNet

Technical Chats

href=”http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/itcommunity/chats/default

.asp” target=”_blank”>TechNet

Technical Chat Transcripts

target=”_blank”>Product

Support Webcasts

****

Got a Microsoft product, strategy or personality you’re just dying to read more about? Send your

ideas, rants, raves, quibbles and other tidbits to

href=”mailto:[email protected]”>[email protected]. (Don’t worry, though: Confidentiality

is guaranteed!)
If you experience any difficulties with receiving your issues of Microsoft Watch, please

href=”https://ziffdavis.omeda.com/zm/msw/msw.cgi?login” target=”_blank”>click

here.