Paul's Picks - 27 Aug 2008

Mozilla Firefox 3.0
Pros: Big browser update with lots of functionality and security improvements
Cons: Not as easily managed via Group Policy as is Microsoft Internet Explorer
Rating: 5 diamonds
Recommendation: Mozilla Firefox 3.0 is the fastest, safest, and most feature-rich web browser available on any platform, and I recommend it to all individuals. Corporations face a different proposition, however: Firefox 3.0 isn’t as easy to deploy or manage via Group Policy as Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), and it might not be compatible with IE–based intranet sites. That concern aside, though, I recommend Firefox 3.0 without hesitation, as it’s one of those very rare, nearly flawless software products and a key tool in my own personal computing arsenal.
Contact: Mozilla • www.mozilla.com
Discussion: www.itprotoday.com/article/reviews/mozilla-firefox-3-review.aspx

Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V RTM
Pros: Free with Windows Server 2008; supports legacy Microsoft Virtual Hard Disk–based virtual machines; large-memory support; can be installed in Server Core
Cons: Unproven new technology; not as mature or well-supported as VMware’s products
Rating : N/A
Recommendation : Microsoft’s near-bare-metal virtualization technology places Windows Server Hyper-V squarely in VMware’s crosshairs as a viable virtualization solution. Add Hyper-V to Microsoft’s surprisingly rich set of virtualization products—including Terminal Services (presentation virtualization), Application Virtualization (formerly SoftGrid), document redirection and offline files (profile virtualization)—and System Center centralized management products, and you’ve got a comprehensive solution. Hyper-V is ready for business.
Contact: Microsoft • www.microsoft.com • 800-426-9400
Discussion: www.itprotoday.com/article/showcase/windows-server-2008-hyper-v.aspx