Microsoft is publicly promising not to engage in the practice of serving up ads based on the contents of emails, according to a report by InfoWorld, citing remarks by Tim O'Brien, Microsoft's director of platform strategy, during the SaaSCon 2010 conference in Santa Clara, Calif.

Google's Gmail is probably the highest-profile example of the practice, which can be unnerving, especially for casual computer users who don't realize what's going on. The search company reassured InfoWorld in a statement that "no human being ever reads the emails sent or received during this process."

A preliminary version of the first big service-pack update for Windows 7 has apparently leaked out ahead of schedule. GeekSmack posted screenshots of Windows 7 SP1, noting that the installation process was faster than they experienced with Windows Vista service packs. (Via Engadget)

More 'Industry Speak': KING-TV reporter Tim Robinson's head would be spinning over this one: Microsoft Announces Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Nonprofits and NGOs. Translation: Microsoft is offering a version of its customer-relationship management software that has been customized for use by nonprofit agencies and non-governmental organizations, helping them manage donations, volunteers, and other important stuff.

Microsoft this morning released a new test of the next iteration of its Windows HPC (High-Performance Computing) Server, which is used by scientists and others with massive computational needs. Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 Beta 2, as it's known, adds new features including integration with Windows 7 workstations. The final version is due out later this year.

Real-time info for computer-security geeks: Microsoft's Security Response Center, the team that investigates and addresses reports of online threats against (and vulnerabilities in) the company's software, has just launched a Twitter account: @MSFTSecResponse. More information available on the team's blog.