Software Reviews

System Center Essentials 2010 Beta 1

Preview If you spend more time fighting fires than adding business value through IT, it's time to look at Microsoft's comprehensive management solution for medium-sized businesses.

Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 review

Review Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 can significantly reduce the cost and complexity of Windows Server virtualisation, although management tools are not included. This, together with deployment issues, could limit the appeal of Microsoft's standalone hypervisor beyond the enterprise market.

Chrome OS: screenshots

Photos What does a browser-based operating system look like? Here's a quick tour of Google's preliminary Chrome OS release.

1 Talkback

Chrome OS: a first look

Preview Google has released source code for a preliminary version of its Linux-based operating system. Is it destined to dominate the netbook market? Here are our first impressions.

6 Talkbacks

Office 2010 Beta: a first look

Preview How does the first public beta of Microsoft's next productivity suite differ from the Technical Preview? We have a hands-on evaluation.

Office 2010 Beta: screenshots

Photos Microsoft has given the public beta of Office 2010 a subtle interface makeover. Check out our screenshot gallery to see whether it improves usability.

2 Talkbacks

Delete review

Review This book considers the social implications of data that never expire, and suggests a solution that seems only partially workable.

Screenshots: Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala

Photos Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala is released on 29 October. New additions include the Ubuntu One service, a new boot sequence, and the Ext4 filesystem by default.

2 Talkbacks

VMware vSphere 4 review

Review The latest release of VMware's enterprise-level hypervisor and management suite raises the bar with the addition of built-in backup, thin provisioning and fault tolerance options. The combination of functionality and a proven track record makes vSphere 4 an excellent choice for high-end server virtualisation projects.

Windows 7 v Ubuntu 9.10: an illustrated guide

Tech Guide Is Windows 7 good enough to halt the move to desktop Linux in its tracks? We compare and contrast Microsoft's new OS with the latest version of Ubuntu.

15 Talkbacks

The Real Business of IT review

Review We'd recommend this book to any under-appreciated CIO seeking self-improvement, and to executives trying to extract greater value from their IT spend.

Microsoft Security Essentials

Preview Security Essentials is recommended if you want 'set and forget' security. If you need more robust configuration choices, or don't want to contribute to the cloud, then look elsewhere.

2 Talkbacks

GroupMail Business Edition v5.2 review

Review If you need to manage an email newsletter and don't want to go with a subscription-based online solution, you should consider GroupMail.

Office Web Apps Technical Preview: a First Look

Preview Microsoft Office finally makes it into the cloud with web-based versions of Excel, PowerPoint and Word. We take a hands-on look at this work in progress.

Office Web Apps Technical Preview: screenshots

Photos Microsoft Office 2010 will have an online counterpart. Here's a tour of the recently unveiled Technical Preview.