-Caveat Lector- Technology News Microsoft Offers Fixes To Y2K Software Glitches (01/08/99, 1:42 p.m. ET) By Stuart J. Johnston with Bruce Caldwell, InformationWeek Microsoft unveiled Thursday a long-expected comprehensive initiative to help users find and fix year 2000 problems in its software. A key component of the initiative is a product-analyzer tool that examines users' hard disks and lets administrators know which Microsoft products in use are compliant and which need patches. That tool will be available this quarter. The also initiative includes a free CD subscription service for customers. CDs will contain the product analyzer when it becomes available, as well as quarterly updates on Microsoft product-compliance issues. The subscription service is available now. Microsoft has made available three plug-ins for Excel that help users fix any year 2000 problems in spreadsheets that use two-digit years. Additionally, Systems Management Server 2.0, which is due out early this year, will be able to inventory users' PCs and inform administrators which Microsoft software needs to be updated. The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant also has posted on its website free patches and hot fixes for many of its products, according to company officials. "The tools will help small and medium businesses that are way behind, but they are too little, too late for larger organizations," said James Duggan, an analyst at Gartner Group, in Stamford, Conn. Duggan also said many customers invested heavily in installing Service Pack 3 of Windows NT 4.0 last year, with the understanding that it would address their year 2000 issues. It was "very aggravating" when they later discovered they would also need to install a fourth service pack, which Microsoft released late last year, to fix additional problems. Users can subscribe to the CD service at http://www.microsoft.com/year2000 or by calling 888-673-8925. Technology News Microsoft Hit With First Y2K Suit (12/24/98, 3:19 p.m. ET) TechWeb Microsoft has been hit with its first year 2000-related lawsuit. The class- action complaint, brought by one plaintiff, alleges Microsoft knowingly designed FoxPro and Visual FoxPro so that they could not properly handle the century change. The suit asks for Microsoft to notify all FoxPro and Visual FoxPro users of the problem and issue a corrective patch, as well as some punitive damages. Search Archives DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
