Windows 7 RC technet page is live

The Windows 7 RC page was live yesterday and the published date stated that it would be released in May 2009 contrary to the previous rumours regarding it’s release on April 10.

Here is what the page reads-

Windows 7 Release Candidate
Published: May 2009
Download instructions

Welcome to Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) testing. We’re on our way to Windows 7, and the RC is a great opportunity for IT professionals like you to take Windows 7 and begin testing it in your real environment. You get to see what’s coming, and we get to see if our changes and fixes from the Beta testing are working correctly. We want to encourage you to install and actively test the RC code. This will help us ensure Windows 7 is the best possible release, and help you get ready for Windows 7 deployment.

Here’s what you need to know:

• This is pre-release software, so please read the following to get an idea of the risks and key things you need to know before you try the RC.
• You don’t need to rush to get Windows 7 RC. The RC release will be available at least through June 2009 and we’re not limiting the number of product keys, so you have plenty of time.
• Watch the calendar. Windows 7 RC will expire on June 1, 2010. So if you install the RC release you’ll either need to upgrade to the final version of Windows 7 before that date, or install a prior version of Windows. (For more about installing Windows, see installation instructions.
• Protect your PC and data . Be sure to back up your data and please don’t test Windows 7 RC on your primary home or business PC.
• Technical details/updates: before installing the RC please read the Release Notes, and Things to Know for important information about the release.
• Keep up with the news. You can keep up with general technical information and news by following the Springboard Series blog or Windows team blog. Want technical guidance, tips, and tools? Visit the Springboard Series on TechNet.
• And, you can get non-technical news, tips, and offers on the Springboard Series on TechNet
• Keep your PC updated: Be sure turn on automatic updates in Windows Update in case we publish updates for the RC.
• Microsoft Partners: Learn more about Windows 7on the Microsoft Partner Portal.

Here’s what you need to have:

• Internet access (to download Windows 7 RC and get updates)
• A PC with these minimum recommended specifications:
  • 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor or higher
  • 1 GB of system memory or more
  • 16 GB of available disk space
  • Support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB memory (to enable the Aero theme)
  • DVD-R/W Drive

Please note these specifications could change. And, some product features of Windows 7, such as the ability to watch and record live TV or navigation through the use of "touch," may require advanced or additional hardware.

Get the download

The 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 RC are available in five languages: English, German, Japanese, French, and Spanish. (Note: The RC version will not be available in Hindi or Arabic.) Just choose the version that fits the system you’ll be using, pick your language, and click go to register for and download the RC.

Downloading the Windows 7 RC could take a few hours. The exact time will depend on your provider, bandwidth, and traffic. The good news is that once you start the download, you won’t have to answer any more questions - you can walk away while it finishes. If your download gets interrupted, it will restart where it left off. See this FAQ for details.

Existing TechNet Plus subscribers, download the Windows 7 RC software here. Not a subscriber yet? Learn more about TechNet Plus.

Select the Windows 7 RC version you want to download

Choose between the 32-bit and 64-bit versions, based on the version of Windows you are currently running and your machine’s hardware configuration. Each version is available in five languages: English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.

Download the 32-bit (x86) version: Select Your Language English French German Japanese Spanish

Download the 64-bit (x64) version: Select Your Language English French German Japanese Spanish

Information about Windows 7 is preliminary and subject to change. Some product features of Windows 7, such as the ability to watch and record live TV or navigation through the use of "touch," may require advanced or additional hardware. The features and functionality you find in the pre-release product may not appear in the final version of Windows 7. If we change the software before it’s released, we’ll change this information accordingly. We’re not making express or implied warranties with this information.

The 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 RC would be available in five languages: English, German, Japanese, French, and Spanish.The RC version of Windows 7 would expire on 1st June 2010,and the specifications remains the same as the beta version of Windows 7

An Update on Messenger for Mac

I wanted to take a moment and share with you the progress we are making with Messenger for Mac. This year we successfully delivered Audio and Video (A/V) support in the corporate service (works with Office Communications Server) of Messenger for Mac 7. We are now on the path to implement A/V support in the personal service (which will work with Windows Live service), and uses the same protocol as the corporate service.
I’m glad to say that the upcoming release of Windows Live Messenger, currently in beta, delivers the new A/V protocol that enables us to deliver A/V support in Messenger for Mac. It is cross-platform compatible and will work with Windows Live Messenger. This is a huge milestone that will enable us to continue moving forward with Messenger for Mac development. 
We are very excited to be able to bring A/V support to the personal service. Our plan is to deliver a beta version of A/V in 2009. We are also working on additional features in both the personal and corporate service of Messenger for Mac for the next version of Messenger. We’ll provide more updates and details in a future blog post.

Source- MAC Mojo

E7: Continuing our discussion on performance

We’ve talked some about performance in this blog and recently many folks have been blogging and writing about the topic as well. We thought it would be a good time to offer some more behind the scenes views on how we have been working on and thinking about performance because it such an interesting topic for the folks reading this blog. Of course I’ve been using some pretty low-powered machines lately so performance is top of mind for me as well. But for fun I am writing this on my early holiday present–my new home machine is a 64-bit all-in-one desktop machine with a quad core CPU, discrete graphics, 8GB of memory, and hardware RAID all running a pretty new build of Windows 7 upgraded as soon as I finished the out of box experience. Michael Fortin and I authored this post. –Steven

Writing about performance in this blog is nearly as tricky as measuring it. As we’ve seen directional statements are taken further than we might intend and at the same time there are seemingly infinite ways to measure performance and just as many ways to perceive the same data. Ultimately, performance is something each individual feels is right–whether than means adequate or stellar might vary scenario to scenario, individual to individual. Some of the mail we’ve received has been clear about performance:

• Boot-very very fast in all applications ( open-load applications) especially so many simultaneously!!!!! Hence, massive multicore ( quad-octa core cpu) , gpgpu for all!!!!!!!!!!!!
• This is right time to do this properly, the users want speed, we’ll give them speed.
• i want to be able to run windows 7 extremely fast and still look good graphically on a asus aspire one netbook with these specs-1.5 ghz intel atom processor (single core) 1gb of ram
• I hope that in addition to improvements in the gui and heart (I hope massive multicore + 64-bit + Directx 11 ..extreme performance, etc) for windows 7, modified the feature Flip 3d In Windows 7!!!!! Try to make a Flip 3D feature, really efficient and sensible in windows 7.
• With regard to the performance thing, could you look at ways to reduce the penalty of having a lot of fonts installed.
• From performance, boot up, explorer speed and UI experience , I hope the next version of windows delivers something new and innovating. I was playing with the new UI on the HP TouchPC and I have to say they did a great 1.0 job on the touch interface controls.
• I do keep my fingers crossed for Windows 7 to be dramatically better in its performance than Windows Vista.
• The biggest feature I see a lot of people wanting is performance.

Source- E7 Blog

Windows Live Sync is Live!

Windows Live Sync is now available for Windows and the Mac.

We’ve listened to your feedback, and Sync will continue to offer the same great service as FolderShare, along with several new features:

• Higher file limits—up to 20 synchronized folders (formerly known as libraries) with up to 20,000 files in each one.
• Integration with Windows Live ID.
• Integration with the Recycle Bin.
• Unicode support.
• More languages for Windows (46 in all).
• And lots of bug fixes.

As part of the new release, we will be retiring the old FolderShare blog and newsgroup to make room for a new Sync blog and a new Sync newsgroup.

Sync may be new to some FolderShare users, but don’t worry! Sync is designed to make transition easy, although there are a few steps for you to take:

• Install the software on each of your computers that previously ran FolderShare so Sync can automatically reconnect your synchronized folders.
• To keep sharing your synchronized folders, you’ll need to send your pals a new invitation. Don’t worry if they don’t have a Windows Live ID; we’ll help them get set up using their preferred e-mail address.
• Your synchronized folders will be set to automatically sync after migrating. If you’d prefer to sync on demand, just visit the Sync website to adjust that.
• Have more questions? Take a look at the latest FAQ for more answers.

Please check out the new software here

Source- Windows Live Sync Blog

Service Manager Beta 1 Now Available for Download

The new beta of System Center Service Manger is now available. This beta includes the updated infrastructure components that will both deliver the performance we are targeting for the release and support our objective of delivering an IT service desk that is tightly integrated with the rest of the System Center product family.

How to Get the Bits: You can access the beta on Microsoft Connect, where you will first need to fill out a nomination survey. Once you’ve completed the survey, you will see the Service Manager beta connections page, which provides links and instructions for downloading.

As a reminder the objectives of Service Manager are to deliver an IT service desk that provides:

· Built in service management best practices

· Simple customization and extensibility

· Common platform and workflows across System Center

You can download a whitepaper outlining the vision for Service Manager here.

Key capabilities available for testing in this beta release include:

· Administrative tasks such creating users and groups

· Change management activities such as creating and monitoring the progress of requests

· Creating and viewing configuration items (CIs)

· Editing incident notification templates or workflows

· Create incidents and editing the incident (and problem) workflow

· Integration with System Center Configuration Manager

Source- MSDN Blog

Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac 12.1.5 Update

This update contains several improvements to enhance stability, compatibility, and performance. In addition, this update includes fixes for vulnerabilities that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer’s memory with malicious code. For more information about this update, please visit the Microsoft Web site.
Applies to: Office 2008, Office 2008 Home and Student Edition, Office 2008 Special Media Edition, Word 2008, Excel 2008, PowerPoint 2008, Entourage 2008.

Download Here

Download Open XML File Format Converter for Mac 1.0.2

Open XML Converter allows you to convert Open XML files that were created in Office 2008 for Mac or Office 2007 for Windows so that you can open, edit, and save them in earlier versions of Office for Mac. Open XML Converter can convert Word documents, Excel workbooks, and PowerPoint presentations that are in the Open XML Format so that you can open and edit the files in Office 2004 for Mac and Office v. X for Mac. You can choose to convert and open one file, or convert a large number of files.
This update contains several improvements to enhance stability and performance. In addition, this update includes fixes for vulnerabilities that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer’s memory with malicious code. For more information about this update, please visit the Microsoft Web site.

Download Here

BizTalk Server 2009 CTP

BizTalk Server 2009 represents the next release in Microsoft’s long-term strategy to enable the connected enterprise. BizTalk Server 2009 enhances enterprise connectivity with broad industry support of WS* protocols, the edge via Microsoft BizTalk RFID, and business partners though EDI.

What’s new in BizTalk Server 2009?

Simplify Interoperability

· Support for .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 and Visual Studio 2008 SP1 - take advantages of the latest developer tools

· Support for Windows Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 – full support of Hyper-V, and increased performance and scale

Extend To The Edge

· EDI - enhanced out of the box support for the most commonly used EDI schema and trading partner management tools

· Simplify development of mobile applications that expose relevant, real-time business information (RFID Mobile)

Enhance Productivity

· ALM – new support is provided for Team Foundation Server (TFS), allowing development teams to leverage the integrated source control, bug tracking, support for team development, Project Server integration and support for automating builds via MSBuild

· Enhanced Developer Productivity – improved underlying project system enhances debugging support for artifacts, pipeline components and orchestrations, and enables support for unit testing

Support
This beta is community supported.  The TechNet forums will be the primary place for support - http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=1470&SiteID=17
This beta is for evaluation purposes only.  It is not supported in a live operating environment.
ESB Guidance 2.0 CTP is also now available at - http://msdn.microsoft.com/esb.

Sign up here - https://connect.microsoft.com/site/sitehome.aspx?SiteID=218.

Source- MSDN Blog