MSN Messenger 6.1 for Windows (Dec 19)
This will update MSN to version 6.1.0.207. No change log available so I don’t know what’s new (just some bug fixes I guess).
Download: MSN Messenger 6.1 for Windows (English)
Download: MSN Messenger 6.1 for Windows (different language)
Microsoft Office Solution Accelerator for Sarbanes-Oxley Will Aid in Corporate Financial Compliance (Dec 19)
Microsoft Corp. today (sorry about the slow update, this was the 17th) announced the forthcoming Microsoft® Office Solution Accelerator for Sarbanes-Oxley, the product of ongoing work, including input from experts from Big Four accounting firms, to help companies meet growing compliance requirements in a cost-effective way with software they already license. The accelerator, one of a series of accelerators aimed at helping companies handle key business issues, is designed to make it easier for publicly traded companies to more easily manage their internal financial controls.
Specifically, the accelerator helps address the recurring needs surrounding internal control documentation, monitoring and testing, as required by sections 404 and 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Although the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is U.S. legislation, regulatory compliance is an issue for companies around the world. The accelerator will support Japanese and other double-byte characters, making it ideal for global companies.
Microsoft will use the accelerator to help meet its own compliance needs. “Our pain points are similar to those of other companies, and this tool will go a long way toward reducing them,” said Scott Di Valerio, corporate vice president and corporate controller at Microsoft. “We’re working closely with the Microsoft product group, which is developing the accelerator to meet the world’s needs – but also our own.”
Built on Windows SharePoint Services and Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003, the Office Solution Accelerator for Sarbanes-Oxley is the first deliverable under a larger compliance initiative from Microsoft. The accelerator, scheduled for March 2004 release, combines software components, templates and architectural guidance to help companies work with partners to create compliance solutions.
View entire article: Microsoft Office Solution Accelerator for Sarbanes-Oxley Will Aid in Corporate Financial Compliance
Microsoft Office HTML Viewer Service for Windows SharePoint Services (Dec 19)
The Office HTML Viewer server provides support for users who want to view the content of files on document libraries, but do not have Word, Excel, or PowerPoint from Office 97, or a newer release of Office, installed on their local computer.
Download: Microsoft Office HTML Viewer Service for Windows SharePoint Services
Research and Reference in Microsoft Office 2003 (Dec 19)
The Research and Reference feature in Microsoft Office 2003 applications provides rich, integrated search functionality. Research and Reference is also a platform for organizations to build their own research and reference services and for third party research providers to build subscription services.
Download: Research and Reference in Microsoft Office 2003 (Technical White Paper)
Outlook 2003 Junk E-mail Filter Update (Dec 19)
Microsoft recommends that you use the Office Update site to determine if your computer requires this update before installing it.
This update enhances the junk e-mail filter in Outlook to help provide a higher level of protection against junk e-mail. As part of Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to reducing junk e-mail, periodic updates will be provided to Outlook users. This update is optional and simply provides a more up-to-date definition of messages that are considered to be junk or not junk.
For more information on this update, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article (832333) Overview of the Outlook 2003 Junk E-mail Filter Update: KB832333.
Download: Outlook 2003 Junk E-mail Filter Update (English)
Download: Outlook 2003 Junk E-mail Filter Update (different language)
Download: Outlook 2003 Junk E-mail Filter Update (administrative)
Live Communications Server 2003 Document: Release Notes 1.0b (Dec 19)
The Release Notes Update contains new information for Live Communications Server 2003 Standard Edition. It contains all of the information in the release notes that shipped with the product, as well as, a new section containing the most up-to-date information.
Download: Live Communications Server 2003 Document: Release Notes 1.0b
I’ve passed my SQL exam!!! (Dec 17)
Yes, finally I sad down and just took the exam and passed! Since I passed for my MCSA exam I didn’t feel like studying anymore but still kept taking my SQL book with me everywhere I go (but opening it… :-S). Since I didn’t want to drag that book along with me in 2004 anymore I simply had to take that exam. Now that I’ve passed I’m an MCSE!!!
Of course I had to study for it this week and didn’t had the time to update the site. I hope you can forgive me! I’ll be updating the news tomorrow and I’ll post a little Internet Explorer tip. I’m also going to begin with my newsletter now which will be sent out in the first week on 2004. No a subscriber yet? Subscribe here.
(official logo not yet available)
Bookshelf Symbol 7 Font Removal Tool (Dec 12)
This utility removes the bssym7.ttf font included in Microsoft Office System 2003, which has been found to contain unacceptable symbols.
Download: Bookshelf Symbol 7 Font Removal Tool (English)
Download: Bookshelf Symbol 7 Font Removal Tool (different language)
Excel 2003 Sample: XML File (Dec 12)
This download contains the sample workbook that accompanies the Assistance Center on Office Online article How to use XML in Excel 2003. The workbook contains sample XML data that you can use to create a fictitious expense report.
Download: Excel 2003 Sample: XML File
Exchange SDK Documentation and Samples December 2003 (Dec 12)
The Exchange SDK Documentation and Samples assist developers building applications for Exchange. This release of the SDK includes new and updated information and sample code to help you develop collaborative enterprise applications with Exchange. The README file contains installation instructions and late-breaking information about the Exchange SDK Documentation and Samples.
Download: Exchange 2000 SDK Documentation and Samples December 2003
Download: Exchange 2003 SDK Documentation and Samples December 2003
Added Content: Getting the News button in Outlook 2003 (Dec 11)
Got the new Outlook 2003 but are you missing the news option on the Go menu? Follow the instructions in the FAQ to get the option back.
View: Getting the News button in Outlook 2003
Can’t Keep Up With Your E-mail? (Dec 11)
You might have seen the banner already; HowTo-Outlook is now officially sponsored by Sperry Software. Sperry Software produces Add-ins for Microsoft Office Outlook and is officially listed at the Microsoft Office Market Place.
What are Outlook add-ins?
Add-ins are helper programs that integrate directly into Outlook. They enhance and expand the capabilities of Outlook. All of their add-ins are for Microsoft Outlook 2003, 2002 or 2000.
As a visitor of HowTo-Outlook you’ll now get an extra 5% discount when you use the discount code “BH93RF24”. This is on top of the 10% discount you get already when you buy 2 or more add-ins!
View: Complete overview of the Sperry Software Add-ins
Sobig-F blamed for massive increase in spam (Dec 11)
Two thirds of spam originates from computers infected by viruses such as Sobig-F, according to MessageLabs. The email filtering firm blames Sobig-F, the world’s fastest spreading virus for a rise in both spam and viruses in 2003. At its peak, one in every 17 emails stopped by MessageLabs contained a copy of Sobig-F. By December 1, more than 32 million emails containing the virus had been stopped by MessageLabs, making Sobig-F the biggest viral nuisance this year.
Top 10 Viruses of 2003, according to MessageLabs
Sobig-F (32,432,730)
Swen-A (4,184,129)
Klez-H (4,006,766)
Yaha-E (1,920,424)
Dumaru-A (1,129,061)
Mimail-A (1,052,481)
Yaha-M (862,682)
Sobig-A (842,729)
BugBear-B (814,865)
SirCam.A (511,578)
View entire article: Sobig-F blamed for massive increase in spam
Using Exchange Server 2003 Recovery Storage Groups (Dec 11)
Using the recovery storage group feature in Exchange Server 2003, you can mount a second copy of an Exchange mailbox database on the same server as the original database, or on any other Exchange server in the same Exchange administrative group. You can do this while the original database is still running and serving clients. The recovery storage group can also be useful in disaster recovery scenarios. This book provides information on how to determine if a recovery storage group is useful in your deployment, how to set up a recovery storage group, and how to troubleshoot common problems.
Download: Using Exchange Server 2003 Recovery Storage Groups
Troubleshooting Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Performance (Dec 11)
This technical article provides administrators of Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 with information on how to isolate performance degradations and how to use existing tools and products, such as Performance, Load Simulator, Exchange Stress and Performance 2003, Network Monitor, and Filemon, for this purpose. The information in this article can also be used to ensure that a server is not degrading over time because of hardware issues or malfunctions.
Download: Troubleshooting Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Performance
