ScriptLogic, provider of network administration software for Microsoft Windows-based networks, announced that it is expanding its global presence through a partnership with CNT Brasil. CNT Brasil has been operating in the Brazilian market for 10 years in two different areas: Product Distribution and Specialized Training with a focus on Security, Connectivity, Access Infrastructure, VOIP and Wireless.

Microsoft is launching new initiatives intended to make the Windows operating system a more attractive target for software developers. The company on Sunday launched a new support program and detailed a number of ways it is trying to better connect with the thousands of software makers who develop products that complement Microsoft’s offerings.

Microsoft is working to include newer search technology in its Office family of applications. Microsoft, which is developing is own search technology to challenge No. 1 Web search provider Google, is also working on ways to allow users to easily find information stored on hard drives, such as documents, e-mails and data files.

Internet Explorer use is dropping for the first time in years, according to San Diego, Calif.-based Web analytics firm WebSideStory. Data collected from thousands of Web sites and 20 million to 40 million users a day has shown WebSideStory that there is a small decline in Internet Explorer use from 95.73 percent on June 4 to 94.73 percent on July 6.

A Microsoft employee working on the world’s largest software maker’s search initiative was arrested last week on charges that he stole source code from the AltaVista search engine two years ago, authorities said on Friday. Laurent Chavet, a former AltaVista employee, was charged with accessing the company’s computers in 2002 after he was no longer employed by the Web search provider but before he was hired by Microsoft, according to an FBI affidavit in an indictment issued by the U.S. District Court of Northern California.

Quest Software recently released its newest version of its Exchange Migration Wizard, which is targeted to companies migrating from Exchange 5.5 to 2003. The latest version, Exchange Migration Wizard 3.5, has been enhanced to preserve continuous access to offline folders during migration.

Microsoft said that the long-awaited update of Windows XP will be sent to manufacturing in August, a month later than expected, with the product should be in customers’ hands later that month.

Microsoft has made a deal with British communications giant BT Group to boost the software giant’s Live Meeting Web conferencing service. BT will resell Live Meeting subscriptions integrated with the company’s own conference calling services.

Microsoft plans to invest $850 million over the next year in sales, marketing and research and development programs dedicated to beefing up its Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) division. And as part of the renewed MBS focus, Microsoft is considering creating an MBS Global Services plan, via which the division will offer more consulting services around Microsoft’s MBS wares.

The configuration change Microsoft announced Friday fails to fix the browser’s core problem and may actually interfere with programs that have worked fine to date, critics say.