J. Wilcox over at Microsoft Monitor tries to determine if the new file system, dubbed WinFS, in Microsoft’s NG:OS Longhorn, will indeed be considered “new“:

“If Mr. LaMonica’s WinFS description is accurate, then WinFS really is Microsoft database technology running on top of the existing NTFS file system.”

Not much new in this AP article on Yahoo, but worth a read anyway…

…many analysts are most closely watching Microsoft’s project to develop its own indexing and searching system for the Internet — and how the technology might later be deployed throughout the company.”

I was just helping out a friend who was trying to remotely restart a server that was somewhat locked-up and I found this gem on the JSI FAQ, which describes a “feature” of the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) on Windows 2000 & XP that will enable you to remotely restart a server.

Q: How can I log off or shutdown a remote Windows 2000 computer? (Quoted from the JSI FAQ)
A: You can do this from your Windows 2000 desktop.

1. Right-click My Computer and select Manage.
2. On the Action menu, press Connect to another computer…
3. Double-click a computer in the list.
4. Right-click Computer Management (’server-name’) and press Properties.
5. On the Advanced tab, press Startup and Recovery.
6. Press the Shut Down button.
7. Select an Action:
• Log off Current User
• Shut Down
• Restart
• Power down (if supported)
8. Select a Force Apps Closed action and press OK.

Very cool! I didn’t even know that feature existed!!

If that doesn’t work, there’s also a free Remote Shut Down tool from Sysinternals:

You can also get the Kill.exe from the Windows NT Resource Kit.

Oh yea, another cool hack is this one which enables you to remotely install VNC on a server.

Via Microsoft Watch from Mary Jo Foley

“Rumors about SoBig and Blaster are propagating almost as fast as the worms themselves. The latest rumor circulating on Bugtraq: Blaster caused last week’s east coast blackout. Some are speculating that Blaster brought down the monitoring and control systems at a power-plant master terminal. Meanwhile, on the SoBig front, Gartner analysts are estimating that damages incurred by businesses from the e-mail worm could top $50 million.”

Doh!

Via Microsoft Monitor:

“Office Standard 2003 full version will sell for $399 and the Pro version for $499. Respectively, upgrades will cost $239 and $329.”

However, InfoPath and OneNote will sell for $199 each, which seems a bit steep — especially if they want to get them deep into the enterprise.

I still don’t get MSFT’s strategy with InfoPath. I think they should at least have a stripped down version or “reader” (like Acrobat) that they just give away.

Over the weekend Microsoft released a new site-wide search engine for Microsoft.com that utilizes the soon-to-be-released SharePoint 2.0 and Windows 2003 Server. (Thanks for the link Martin)

In what I think is a related note, for search results.

Although I can’t seem to find the interface to this yet, but you can customize the query by changing the “search keyword” value after the “q=” in the above link. (via Anil Dash)

Some interesting quotes from this article on CNET News.com about Microsoft new search initiatives:

“The fact that Longhorn is on the horizon raises questions to whether search services will be integrated into the Longhorn experience and what the ramifications will be to other folks,”

“Microsoft’s target will be to create little perceived difference between Web search and local search,”

“Ballmer identified search as one area where Microsoft will offer “new end-user functionality and services.” As part of his “integrated innovation” message, he said the company needs to “reach out broadly” through search, consumer services and other avenues to grow.”

“If Microsoft holds true to form, signs of its custom search engine will soon proliferate. As the company proved with browsers, media players and so many other products, it has myriad distribution points at its disposal and can exploit them at will to increase usage and market share. Already, sources close to the company say that it plans to incorporate a search toolbar into the Internet Explorer browser that will use MSN’s new engine.”

Now that MSFT has much of their core services in check, I think it makes a lot of sense for them to focus on the unification of seach and the classification of unstructured and structured data at the file system level.

Cringely writes in his latest InfoWorld column:

“…one of my moles reported that Team Redmond might be looking to buy Accenture, the $11 billion consulting company. Apparently, Microsoft and Accenture have been engaged in some intense talks, with folks frequently flying back and forth between Redmond and New York, particularly during March and April. “

PCWorld reports “Microsoft is on track to release its “refresh” of Office 2003 beta 2 to testers before the end of the month, a company spokesman said Friday.”

This is good news, because I’ve been having problems with Outlook 2003 freezing occasionally. Otherwise, the other apllications in the Office 2003 beta have been stable.

Mike Gunderloy has written up an article that demonstrates how to use Word 2003 as an RSS viewer. Mike did this cool hack by transforming an RSS feed into into Words own XML flavor, WordML — Of course using XSLT and a little VBS. (via Lockergnome)