Jason Brooks

The services that drive some of the capabilities of Microsoft Corp.s SharePoint Portal Server 2003 (see review) also make possible the full exploitation of a variety of Microsoft applications—most notably, Office 2003. In fact, the full function of Offices capabilities relies on Windows SharePoint Services, a software component thats available as a free add-on for […]

With its dramatically remade presentation, storage and communications systems, Microsoft Corp.s “Longhorn”—the next-generation Windows client operating system—gives Windows users and developers plenty to be excited about. Back when Windows XP was still known by the code name Whistler, the most exciting thing about Microsofts client OS-in-progress was that it wasnt Windows 9x. But now that […]

Back when Windows XP was still known by the code name Whistler, the most exciting thing about Microsoft Corp.s client OS-in-progress was that it wasnt Windows 9x. But now that Windows users can take for granted such basics as real multiuser support and relative freedom from blue screens of death, it will take a lot […]

The latest version of Samba, the free software that provides systems running Linux and Unix with Windows-compatible file and print services, now works more closely than ever with Windows. Samba 3.0, which became available last month, enables machines to join an Active Directory domain as a native member and to authenticate users with LDAP and […]

For users of Linux on the desktop, Gnome and KDE offer two good, yet different, environments for interacting with their computers. Although these projects split the bulk of Linux desktop real estate, other good alternatives remain. Ive been testing XFce4, a desktop environment that covers all the interface basics while maintaining a slim, quick profile. […]

Palm Inc. has bolstered its lineup of enterprise-oriented handheld computers with the Tungsten T3 and Tungsten E, two new devices marked by their high-resolution displays, compelling software enhancements and affordable prices. In the case of the $399 Tungsten T3, eWEEK Labs was impressed enough by the quality and implementation of the units half-VGA display and […]

One of the Biggest Compromises that handheld computers make in exchange for their small size is ease of inputting data, which is why an external keyboard is such a handy add-on. Palms $69.95 Wireless Keyboard, which began shipping this month, is an affordable and comfortable-to-use alternative to the stylus for taking notes or writing e-mail […]

With broad new support for XML, expanded collaboration capabilities and a raft of usability improvements, Microsoft Corp.s Office 2003 is better in every way than the version it replaces. For many companies, however, better wont be good enough to justify an upgrade. Whats more, the emergence of lower-cost, multiplatform alternatives to Office gives companies a […]

Sun Microsystems Inc.s StarOffice 7 productivity suite is a capable cross-platform alternative to Microsoft Corp.s Office that comes at a price too attractive for enterprises to ignore. The follow-on to last years impressive StarOffice 6 starts at less than one-sixth the cost of Microsoft Office 2003, yet in eWEEK Labs tests, the StarOffice suites word […]

The KDE Projects KDE 3.2, which eWEEK Labs reviewed in its initial alpha release, should impress companies countenancing desktop Linux deployments. Along with GNOME, which we reviewed in its 2.4 beta edition last week, K Desktop Environment is one of the two most popular graphical environments for Linux, so changes in KDE can affect users […]

While GNOMEs nautilus file manager has seen compelling improvements in its latest version, theres always room for alternatives. eWEEK Labs took one such competing GNU Network Object Model Environment file manager, called Velocity, for a spin, and we were impressed with its potential. Velocity, written by developer Kyle Davis, is available for free download at […]

I cant overstate my appreciation for the scroll-wheel buttons that now grace most mice. Its tough to stomach much Web browsing without one. Microsoft, which helped popularize the scroll button, has introduced a horizontal axis to its scroll wheels, starting with the Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer, which began shipping earlier this month for $54.95. This new […]