A (Microsoft) Code Name a Day: Warsaw
I'm resuming my Microsoft Code Name a Day series that I started in December 2006. The goal: To provide the back story, each day in August, on one of Microsoft's myriad code names. Some of these code names might be familiar to Microsoft watchers; others (hopefully) will be brand-new.
Microsoft code names offer some great clues about the Redmondians’ development priorities, not to mention a better understanding of which future Microsoft products fit together, from a strategy standpoint. And not every product group is moving to boring, numbered codenames (like Windows 7 and Office 14).
Without further ado, let the codename games begin.
Microsoft code name of the day: Warsaw
Microsoft code name of the day: Warsaw
Best guess on what it is: Unified Communications Managed API (UCMA) creating SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) clients, SIP servers and middle-tier applications
Meaning/context of the code name: Warsaw is yet another of Microsoft's growing family of city/country-themed codenames. The unified-communications team at Microsoft has favored European-city codenames (like Kiev, Greenwich).
Back story: Microsoft's Office Communications Server (OCS) 2007 product, which the company released to manufacturing in late July and plans to launch officially later this fall, is a combined enterprise instant-messaging/VOIP/audio-video conferencing server. OCS also is going to be a development platform, if Microsoft has its way. Microsoft wants to create a set of developer tools and management tools that will enable third-party developers to write add-ons to its family of UC products.
Additional info: Warsaw is not the only unified-communications platform API that Microsoft is opening to developers. Others include the speech server API; Office Communicator Automation API; Communicator Web Access API; and more.
Got a Microsoft code name you’ve been wondering about? Send it my way and I’ll do my best to track down some leads on what it might be.
And if you want to keep track of the full month's worth of Microsoft code names I end up posting, bookmark this "Microsoft Codenames" page. You can also check out this video-whiteboard I did recently on Microsoft codenames.