Looks like Microsfot is being a softy and allowing support for the Internet Explorer 6 browser to continue. Its true not everyone likes to upgrade to Internet Explorer 7 yet since its still beta. But it could be that they are already using Firefox instead of IE6.
Its good that they are not going to force feed users with this browser like how it treats the OS offerings.

Support for the five-year-old Internet Explorer 6 browser won’t vanish overnight when the new IE 7 debuts later this year, Microsoft assured users on Thursday. Security updates for the older IE will continue to be produced and released, said Christopher Vaughan, a lead program manager for the browser team, in a blog entry.

“IE 6 SP1’s [Service Pack 1] support policy will not change when IE 7 ships. Everywhere that IE 6 SP1 is supported today, IE 6 SP1 will continue to be supported until the OS it ships with expires,” wrote Vaughan. “If you’re running IE 6 for Windows XP Service Pack 2, you can stay with that version of IE for as long as Windows XP SP2 is around.”

The edition of IE most in danger of disappearing from the support list is IE 6 SP1 running on Windows XP SP1, since that version of Windows will be purged Oct. 10. Vaughan also reminded users that they won’t be forced into upgrading to IE 7. “Of course, we hope our users will upgrade. But if you don’t want to move, you won’t have to. We will continue to keep our IE 6 customers secure for those of you who can’t or don’t upgrade to IE 7.”

Stuart Cohen, chief executive of the Open Source Development Lab (OSDL) predicts that Microsoft will succumb to the Linux popularity soon and even come out with a Linux flavoured Microsoft Office version. Well, don’t put you money on it….

Even though Microsoft does have some mighty big Linux brains in their company, coming out with a Linux powered software may seem a bit too trifling for them at the moment. Lets just hope Vista does not make them bankrupt.

Sure. Microsoft Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 is much easier to setup and you don’t have to hire a specialist like for Linux clusters but I still doubt its performance. Windows has been famous for slow performance and high overheads. Show me more proof and I’ll believe this article.

Microsoft Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003 is Easier source

Don’t hold your breath.. Microsoft Windows CE 6.0 and Vista might only come out in 2007. So that gives you plenty of time to save on a Vista Premium PC and Windows CE handheld device.

Microsoft will officially launch its Windows CE 6.0 OS for embedded and mobile devices in the first half of its fiscal year 2007 (July 2006-June 2007), a move which is likely to bring Windows CE 6.0-powered handheld devices to the market early next year, according to Eddie Wu, Microsoft’s senior director of device solutions sales, Asia and worldwide ODM ecosystems.

Wu made the remark yesterday in Taipei as the software giant launched a beta version of its Windows CE 6.0 in the Taiwan market.

According to Wu, Microsoft’s Windows CE embedded system currently accounted for 30% of the world’s handheld device market, with the percentage points climbing to 50% in the PDA segment. Overall, about 10 million handheld devices (excluding GPS devices) used globally are powered by Windows Mobile 5.0, Wu added.

Microsoft Windows CE 6.0 only in 2007 source