Novell announced that Ximian Desktop 2 now supports the latest editions of Linux client operating environment software from SUSE LINUX. Ximian Desktop 2 includes Ximian Evolution for email and personal information management that can be directly integrated with Microsoft Exchange 2000/2003 and other messaging and collaboration servers.

Kubi Software announced that the company has raised $8 million in Series C financing from leading venture-capital firms. The round is led by new investor North Bridge Venture Partners, and also includes previous investors Lazard Technology Partners and VIMAC Ventures, LLC. Kubi Software’s products provide structured team spaces in which individuals and teams can collaborate without leaving the familiar Microsoft Outlook or IBM Lotus Notes email clients.

Techworld reports that Microsoft has launched the first general public beta for its Windows Server 2003 64-bit operating system designed for AMD’s Opteron chip. The Windows Server 2003 64-bit Extended System preview is available only in the Enterprise Edition. Only a few 64-bit applications are compatible with the beta, according to Microsoft, including Computer Associates eTrust Anti-Virus beta for AMD 64-bit and Microsoft’s own SQL Server "Yukon" beta. The 32-bit applications that are compatible include IBM DB2 Enterprise Edition 7.2, IBM WebSphere Application Server, Lotus Domino Server 6.0, J.D. Edwards ERP 8.0 and SAP R/3 4.7.

Sunbelt Software announced a major upgrade of its anti-spam software, iHateSpam. The new version 4.0 adds enhancements to the product’s spam-blocking technology and extends spam detection integration to Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express, MSN Hotmail, Eudora and IncrediMail users.

Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine reports that Microsoft is expected to offer Exam 70-285, Designing a Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Organization, to beta testers beginning Friday, January 16. The beta will end January 22.

Microsoft’s Macintosh Business Unit plans to release the Office 2004 for Mac suite in the first half of 2004. The Seattle Times reports that the new Office suite adds a small but significant number of first-on-the-Mac features, including a new form of project management, which allows individual users to link calendar events, contacts, files, and email into virtual project groups.

Interstar Technologies announced its support for Windows Server 2003 for the company’s LightningFAX and XMediusFAX products. Interstar’s products also run on the Microsoft Windows NT and 2000 Server platforms. They fully integrate with Microsoft Exchange to allow users to send and receive all their faxes directly through Microsoft Outlook.

AME Info reports that Microsoft has announced that as part of its coordinated anti-spam effort, its spam-filtering SmartScreen Technology will be deployed across all of Microsoft’s email platforms. Developed by Microsoft Research, early versions of SmartScreen Technology have already been introduced in Outlook 2003, MSN 8 and Hotmail and will soon be available in a new add-on for Exchange Server 2003, called Microsoft Exchange Intelligent Message Filter.

CNET says that delays in the Microsoft’s introduction of its Yukon database software, which marks the debut of the company’s key unified storage technology, could derail other products. A new version of Microsoft’s Exchange messaging server, code-named Kodiak uses the storage technology. Yukon and Kodiak are expected to debut in 2006.

Nemx Software has announced that it has partnered with three anti-spam=20 service providers =97 Mail Deflector, SpamCop and MailAbuse =97 to provide an=20 additional layer of spam protection for enterprises using Microsoft=20 Exchange server.