From: Mike '/m' 


http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060324-6453.html

===
Microsoft yesterday announced that it was reorganizing its Platforms &
Services Division to better suit the company's burgeoning approach to its
consumer products.

"As we launch new Windows Live services and finalize Windows Vista,
we’re looking ahead to how we deliver the best possible experience for
customers, now and into the future. Today we are enhancing the leadership
team and structure across the division to ensure we have the right
organization to support our technology vision," said Kevin Johnson,
co-president of PSD.

Microsoft's own press release details the changes, but here's what you need
to know. First, it's highly unlikely that the delay announced on Tuesday is
the primary cause for this reorganization. While it's tempting to bring the
two together (and plenty of people are doing it), the reorganization's
primary drive is elsewhere. Case in point: Steven Sinofsky will not only
oversee the new Windows and Windows Live Group, but all groups in the
Platforms & Services Division now report to him. He is now a senior
vice president, and in years to come, he'll be the new Jim Allchin.

This is part of a larger change at Microsoft, and it's an important one. As
a brand, MSN appears to be losing steam; Microsoft's "Live"
branding effort forgoes MSN entirely in favor of the Windows brand.
Sinofsky essentially is sitting on top of those efforts, in charge of both
Windows (including Internet Explorer) and the entire cadre of Live
"experiences" coming out of Redmond, including Windows Live
Search, Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Messenger. This is a significant
change: it's the Windows brand that Microsoft is turning to in its battle
with Google. When you think Microsoft search, they want to you think
Windows, not MSN.

Furthermore, Sinofsky isn't working on Windows Vista. That's still Jim
Allchin's baby, and will be until it ships. Sinofsky and this
reorganization are about Windows and Windows Live in a world where Vista
has already shipped.

Massive code rewite?

Meanwhile, Smarthouse is reporting that 60 percent of the Windows Vista
code has to be re-written. Reportedly, the Media Center code in the OS is
in shambles, and needs to be saved by the Xbox code team. Curiosity piqued,
I contacted my usual sources. In short, the story is an extreme
exaggeration. I suppose this much is obvious from the mere fact that what
was once a late November shipping date has now moved to January 2007: would
the revelation that more than half of the code is in need of repair only
translate into a two month delay? Of course not. I suppose the cynic could
still invest in this rumor by arguing that the delay will stretch into
2007, but that has yet to be seen, and it really amounts to FUD at this
point.

The real reason for the delay is a code problem, of course. Microsoft has
admitted as such, citing security issues. My contacts are reticent to
reveal additional details, other than to say that the problems apparently
affect third parties, and are being taken seriously.
===

  /m



On Fri, 24 Mar 2006 19:05:13 +0000, Adam
<""4thwormcastfromthemolehill\"{at}the field.near the
bridge"> wrote:

>http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Computing/Platforms?Article=/Computing/Platforms/
R7G5G6U4
>
>"Up to 60% of the code in the new consumer version of Microsoft new
>Vista operating system is set to be rewritten as the Company
"scrambles"
>to fix internal problems a Microsoft insider has confirmed to SHN.
>
>In an effort to meet a dealine of the 2007 CES show in Las Vegas
>Microsoft has pulled programmers from the highly succesful Xbox team to
>help resolve many problems associated with entertainment and media
>centre functionality inside the OS. The team are also working closely
>with engineers from the Intel Viiv team. and it is now expected that the
>next version of Viiv could be delayed to line up with the launch of the
>consumer version of Vista at the 2007 CES Show in Las Vegas.
>
>One of the key components of the consumer version of Vista is the Media
>Centre code. This will be an optional package in the same way that
>Microsoft currently sell a Professional and Home version of XP. With
>Vista there will not be a seperate Media Centre SKU.
>
>Microsoft has also admitted that it has major problems in it's  Windows
>division and has has immediatly initiated a total restructure of the
>division, a move that comes after a costly delay in rolling out its
>Vista program."
>
>
>Adam

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