My Infopackets Gazette articles
Most of my computer related articles will be published in the Infopackets Gazette. I’ll put the date, title and the first paragraph on this page when they’re published. This page will be updated on a regular basis. To read the article just click on the title.
8/7/08
Laptops and Electronic Devices Subject To Detainment at U.S. Borders
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reportedly decided that the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol reserves the right to seize — for an indefinite amount of time and without probable cause — documents and electronic media or copies thereof for further review, as well as make copies of, and “analyze the information transported by any individual attempting to enter, re-enter, depart, pass through, or reside in the United States.”
8/6/08
NVIDIA’s Major Hardware Headache Could Devastate Company’s Reputation
The Inquirer has reported that there are heat issues affecting significant quantities of older NVIDIA G84 and G86 GPUs used in GeForce 8400M and 8600M graphics cards. The report from the Inquirer comes on the heels of earlier reports that NVIDIA had discovered a problem relating to “significant quantities” of older mobile GPUs.
8/1/08
Windows XP Still Outselling Windows Vista
While Microsoft excitedly tries to sway public opinion by touting that Windows Vista License sales top 180 Million units, Hewlett-Packard (HP) was busy smacking Microsoft down — reportedly shipping PCs with a Vista Business license but with Windows XP pre-loaded in the majority of business computers sold since the June 30 Windows XP execution date established by Microsoft — casting a lot of doubt over how many copies of Vista have actually been sold.
7/21/08
Your Printer May Be Spying On You
In yet another case where government appears to be above the law, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has issued a report warning that your printer may be spying on you.
7/17/08
Microsoft Resorts To Propaganda To Sell Vista
Since retiring Windows XP on June 30 of this year, Microsoft has been making a push to repair the reputation of Windows Vista while attempting to gain more support from small businesses.
7/7/08
Macs Gaining Ground With Enterprises
Get a load of this one, PC fans: Computer World reports that more than ever before enterprises are turning to Macs. Yankee Group research firm recently conducted a survey of more than 700 senior IT administrators, and found that nearly 80% of businesses have Macs in-house, almost doubling the percentage from users surveyed two years ago.
6/27/08
Windows XP Deadline Approaches: June 30
June 30, 2008 is the day Microsoft is slated to discontinue Windows XP to make way for a new era in operating systems — start bars will give way to wonky buttons and a refreshed design, stable operation will give way to frequent crashing, and XP will die at the hands of a misguided killer: Microsoft. (Source: itworld.com)
6/16/08
ISP Secretly Added Spy Code To Web Sessions
A leaked internal report on a secret trial of eavesdropping and advertising technology from Internet Service Provuder (ISP) British Telecom (BT) reportedly shows that the system crashed some unsuspecting users’ browsers, causing a small percentage of the 18,000 broadband customers under surveillance to believe they had been infected with adware.
6/13/08
When DRM Goes Insane: The Draconian Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement
Under a proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA, which does not cover currency fraud) draft, any border guard in any treaty country would be able to check any electronic device for any content suspected to infringe upon copyright laws. Proof is not needed, only suspicion. Border guards would be able to seize any device — laptop, iPod, DVD recorder, mobile phone, etc. — and confiscate it or destroy anything on it, based only on suspicion, on the spot.
6/02/08
Windows Vista Blocks Some Users From Recording Shows
Some users of Windows Vista Media Center have been reportedly blocked from recording some NBC Universal TV shows, receiving error messages that read “restrictions set by the broadcaster and/or originator prohibit recording of this program” instead.
5/22/08
Endless Reboot Fix For XP SP3 Offered by Former Microsoft Man
Jesper Johansson, a former program manager for security policy at Microsoft and current MVP (Microsoft Most Valuable Professional), has reportedly published a tool designed to detect and fix PCs that may be susceptible to “endless reboots” if they are updated to Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3).
5/21/08
IDC Study Claims Pirates Cost Software Industry $48 Billion
The latest study commissioned by the Business Software Alliance (BSA) shows that software pirates caused the software industry sales losses of nearly $48 billion last year.
5/19/08
Broadband Users’ Activities To Be Monitored
Charter Communications, the fourth largest Internet Service Providers in the United States, has reportedly begun telling some of its 2.7 million broadband users that they’ll be monitoring every web site they visit to help web advertisers deliver targeted ads.
5/15/08
Hackers Find A New Hiding Place for Rootkits
Security researchers have reportedly developed a new type of malicious rootkit software capable of hiding itself in an obscure part of a computer’s microprocessor, hidden from current antivirus products.
5/13/08
Problems Reported With Windows XP SP3
Microsoft has reportedly warned that users updating to Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) won’t be able to downgrade from Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) to IE6 without uninstalling Windows XP SP3.
5/07/08
After Winning The DVD Format War, Blu-Ray Sales Tank
Blu-ray may have won the high-definition format war, but sales of its high-definition DVDs and players have tanked.
5/02/08
Microsoft Device Extracts Forensic Data
Microsoft has reportedly developed a small plug-in device that can be used by investigators to quickly extract forensic data from computers that may have been used in crimes.
4/23/08
Windows XP SP3 Released to Manufacturing
Microsoft released to manufacturers (RTM) the final code for Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3). The public version will be available for download from Microsoft on April 29, 2008. CNET reported that the upgrade will be effortless for most Windows XP users. Windows XP SP3 includes functionality previously released as updates.
4/16/08
Apple Poised to Threaten Microsoft Sales
As the official June 30, 2008 deadline for Windows XP sales for PC makers and retailers looms on the horizon, Business Week is reporting that a recent upgrade to the Mac operating system (OS) is moving Apple closer to challenging Microsoft for overall computing dominance, even in the corporate market.
4/04/08
8.3 Million Personal Records Compromised?
The Washington Post reports that at least 8.3 million personal and financial records of consumers were potentially compromised by data spills or breaches at businesses, universities and government agencies in the first quarter of 2008, according to a report released from the Identity Theft Resource Center.
3/31/08
Leopard Claws Vista in Recent Survey
Computer World reports that Leopard recently dumped Vista in a corporate satisfaction survey. Mac business users were more than 5x more likely to say they’re ‘very satisfied’ than Windows Vista users.
3/24/08
Windows Vista SP1 Causing More Problems
Not that it should come as any surprise, but Microsoft Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1), Microsoft’s first update to (the never ending nightmare known as) Windows Vista, has reportedly been causing more problems for users.
3/14/08
A startling report from The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) recently revealed details on what appears to be a domestic-spying program that was banned by Congress in 2003 known as the ‘Total Information Awareness’ (TIA) program.
3/11/08
FireWire Hack Also Works With Windows Vista
Recently we reported the release of a tool that can hack into a Windows XP PC without a password using a two-year old authentication bypass technique. Information Week is reporting that it turns out the same method also works on Windows Vista and computers running Linux, Mac OS X and BSD Unix.
3/06/08
Tool Can Hack Into A Windows PC Sans Password
A New Zealand-based security consultant has released a tool that can unlock a Windows computer in seconds without a password.
2/27/08
Vista Capable Lawsuit Granted Class-Action Status
Late last week, a federal judge reportedly granted class-action status to a lawsuit alleging that Microsoft unjustly enriched itself by promoting PCs as “Windows Vista Capable”, even when they could only run the “Vista Home Basic” version of the operating system.
2/15/08
Criminals Pay High Price To Keep Security Vulnerabilities Hidden
The annual “X-Force” report, recently released by Internet Security Systems (ISS), part of IBM Corp., says 6,437 security flaws were acknowledged in 2007 by network and software vendors, down 5.4 percent from 2006. (Source: com.au)
2/12/08
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Replaces Vista Kernel
One of the ‘big’ features reportedly discussed in the early speculation surrounding Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) was a kernel upgrade that would supposedly bring Windows Vista into line with the Longhorn kernel used in Windows Server 2008.
1/30/08
Ready Or Not, Here Comes Internet Explorer 7
Microsoft posted notice to administrators that on February 12, 2008 Microsoft will release the Windows Internet Explorer 7 Installation and Availability update to Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) marked as an Update Rollup package — and they included instructions on how to prevent it to ensure you end up with the version of Internet Explorer you want.
1/29/08
Once Again Microsoft Says Vista ‘Most Secure’
Trying to sway public opinion about a flailing product, Microsoft has reportedly once again boasted about the security of Windows Vista, claiming that the operating system had 36 vulnerabilities in its first year compared to the 65 found in Windows XP during that same period. Analysts remain skeptical.
1/21/08
The ‘Save Windows XP’ Petition
Citing several real-world scenarios mainly applicable to businesses, Infoworld has started an online petition to save Windows XP in hopes of extending the current end date of availability to OEM’s of June 30, 2008, although ZDNet says it will be available from white-box vendors/system builders through January 31, 2009.
1/18/08
MySQL Acquired by Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems Inc. agreed to acquire MySQL AB, developers of open source databases for about $1 billion — about $800 million in cash in exchange for all MySQL stock and to assume about $200 million in options. The transaction is reportedly expected to close late in the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter of this year.
1/10/08
Gates Inadvertently Reveals Windows Vista’s Dirty Secret
While in Las Vegas this past weekend, Gates boasted that Microsoft has served more than 100 million copies of Windows Vista since the OS was launched to consumers last January.
1/09/08
The Softer Side of Spyware from Sears, Kmart
If you visited Sears.com or Kmart.com and agreed to join their “online community,” you may have installed spyware without your knowledge.
1/08/08
Intel Drops One Laptop Per Child Program
In what’s being called a big blow to a One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) program designed to bring millions of low-cost laptop computers to children in developing countries, Intel Corp. has abandoned the program, citing disagreements with the organization. (Source: yahoo.com)
1/02/08
Why You Should ‘Upgrade’ From Vista To XP
CNET has an interesting cnet.com praising the wikipedia.org of Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), encouraging Windows Vista users to upgrade to Windows XP.
12/26/07
Possible Backdoor Added To Windows Vista SP1
A cryptographically flawed pseudo random number generator is reportedly being added to the upcoming Windows Vista Service Pack 1, raising concerns about a new random-number standard that includes a slow, badly designed algorithm containing a backdoor for the National Security Agency (NSA).
12/21/07
Googling Oneself Is Becoming Oddly Popular
A report from the Associate Press reveals details of a telephone survey of 1,623 Internet users conducted between Nov. 30, 2006 and Dec. 30, 2006 by Pew Internet and American Life Project showing that more Americans are Googling themselves, their friends, co-workers and romantic interests.
12/18/07
Zero Day Flaw Affects 82 HP Laptop Models
Hewlett-Packard (HP) has issued an hp.com warning regarding a gaping security hole that affects 82 laptop models running Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Vista. According to reports from the company, the ‘backdoor’ could put users at risk for drive-by code execution attacks. (Source: zdnet.com)
12/17/08
Windows Vista SP1 To Include Over 300 Hot Fixes
Somewhat contrary to a report from eweek.com regarding the Microsoft Trustworthy Computing Team’s claim that Microsoft Vista is far more secure than Windows XP, Linux and Mac OS X, Microsoft has released a 47-page microsoft.com detailing Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) which describes more than 300 hot fixes covering everything from data protection to video performance. (Source: informationweek.com)
12/07/07
New Version of Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage Coming
A new version of Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) is being rolled out with the first “service pack” for Windows Vista, due in the first quarter of 2008. The new WGA will employ nagging alerts on computers suspected of using pirated software instead of disabling programs on the suspected computer. (Source: nwsource.com)
11/30/07
CNET Says Vista a ‘Terrible Tech Product’
A report entitled ‘Top ten terrible tech products’ released by CNET recently ranked Windows Vista number 10. As if Vista needed any more bad publicity, the report cited numerous reasons for the dubious distinction.
11/28/07
Windows XP SP3 To Deliver Performance Boost
An article from Computer World says the Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) beta, recently released to about 15,000 testers, runs Microsoft’s Office Suite 10% faster than Windows XP SP2. Performance testing was done by Devil Mountain Software, with the results leading to further speculation that Windows XP is going absolutely nowhere.
11/21/07
Was Secret Backdoor In New Encryption Standard Put There By The NSA?
In a recent article written by Bruce Schneier, noted cryptographer from e-media mag Wired.com, the author examines the research (PDF) of security experts Niels Ferguson and Dan Shumow, presenters at the CRYPTO 2007 conference this past August. Ferguson and Shumow suggest that an algorithm for generating random numbers included in an official standard document (PDF) by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) contains a weakness that can only be described as a backdoor.
11/19/07
Microsoft Executives Questioned By Shareholders
A question-and-answer period held during a recent Microsoft shareholders meeting resulted in executives being asked to address recent stock sales by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, board member Jon Shirley, and other executives following a sharp increase in the stock a few weeks ago. (Source: Seattle PI)
11/14/07
One year after the release to manufacturing, Windows Vista has increased Microsoft’s bottom line and, according to Microsoft, shipped 88 million copies. Unfortunately, it isn’t meeting larger expectations and reportedly hasn’t made the kind of progress that was anticipated in the enterprise world.
11/02/07
Brits Wary of Vista Licensing Agreement
Citing concerns over Microsoft’s Office 2007 and Windows Vista licensing terms, Becta, the UK government’s agency for education technology has reportedly warned schools against signing licensing agreements, and filed a complaint with the UK’s Office of Fair Trading, alleging that Microsoft engages in anticompetitive practices in the academic software license marketplace.
10/31/07
Microsoft Windows Update Strikes Again
The Microsoft Windows Updates fiasco now includes several IT administrators after Microsoft reportedly began installing (without user permission) a resource-hogging search application company-wide, despite administrators having systems configured not to use the program. It all resulted in slowing several systems to a crawl.
10/29/07
Microsoft Concedes to European Union
Microsoft has withdrawn the last two challenges to a European Union (EU) antitrust order, closing the books on its past legal fights and instead focusing on avoiding future trouble with European regulators.
10/26/07
More Windows Vista Activation Woes
In my opinion, people don’t need any more reason to avoid Windows Vista like the plague, but now APC Magazine is reporting that swapping out a video card or updating a device driver can end up triggering a complete Vista deactivation.
10/23/07
Microsoft Windows 7 Gets Redesigned Core
While Windows XP continues to thrive and Windows Vista fizzles, Microsoft has been busy redesigning Vista’s successor, currently named Windows 7. The new operating system is scheduled for release sometime in 2010.
10/19/07
ZDNet is reporting that Windows Vista users have been receiving “out of memory” and other errors when copying and moving data, especially large numbers of files, making it difficult to track down the problem.
10/17/07
Windows Vista Becomes Victim of Windows Update Snafu
Adding fuel to the fire of the ‘reasons not to use Windows Vista’ debate, the October security updates issued by Microsoft are wreaking havoc on some unsuspecting Vista users.
10/15/07
Parts of Vista Incorporated Into Windows XP SP3
Since the introduction of Windows Vista, a lot of the emphasis has been on Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) and little has has been mentioned regarding Service Pack 3 (SP3) for Windows XP. It was originally assumed that Windows XP SP3 would simply be a rolled up collection of bug fixes and patches but there reportedly seems to be more to it than that.
10/12/07
Reasons XP Will Continue To Thrive
When Windows Vista was released to the public in January of this year, it was expected to replace Windows XP. Unfortunately for Microsoft, businesses and consumers have been avoiding Vista like the plague for a wide variety of reasons, and it seems the over-priced, overrated operating system won’t be improving a whole lot in the near future.
10/10/07
Windows Vista SP1 Of Little Use To Home Users
Microsoft is reportedly telling home consumers waiting for Windows Vista service pack 1 (SP1) not to bother. Pete McKiernan, a senior product manager for Windows told CNET News that Windows Vista SP1 will include all the patches that were already released for Vista in one package, but little else for home users.
10/05/07
Deadline For Windows XP Sales Extended 5 Months
Due to customer feedback, the deadline for retailers and computer makers to continue selling Windows XP has been extended 5 months. The latest Windows XP discontinue date has been moved from January 30, 2008 to June 30, 2008. (Source: Seattle PI)
10/04/07
Secret Update Breaks Windows Update
A stealth update deviously deployed in July and August by Microsoft without user permission has broken Windows Update, preventing updates from being installed after a “repair” of Windows XP is performed. The problem was first reported by Scott Dunn from Windows Secrets, then confirmed by ZDNet.
10/01/07
Windows Vista Pushing System Builders’ XP Sales
While the debate over whether or not Windows Vista is driving sales for large PC vendors rages on, Vista reportedly appears to be helping push sales of ‘white box’ PCs with Windows XP for smaller system builders.
09/27/07
Microsoft Offering XP As Alternative For Vista PCs
In what appears to be an attempt to end sluggish sales, in June Microsoft reportedly began quietly letting PC makers offer a “downgrade” option to consumers who buy Windows Vista Business or Ultimate machines that want to switch to Windows XP.
09/21/07
What does the EU Victory Over Microsoft Mean?
In a ruling that’s expected to have far-reaching implications, the European Union (EU) Court of First Instance upheld European Commission claims that Microsoft abused their dominant position in the operating system (OS) market, siding with regulators in an antitrust case. The law suit began in early 2004. (Source: CNET News)
09/20/07
Microsoft Updating Computers Without User Permission
In yet another shining example of Microsoft having too much control of your PC, the company is reportedly up to its old tricks again by secretively updating files on Windows XP and Windows Vista without consent of the user.
09/18/07
How Secure is the Vista Registry?
We’ve noted in the past how easy Windows Vista makes it to track your computing habits and all the information it maintains. Joe Wilcox from Microsoft Watch has a disturbing article that shows how dangerous the Windows Vista registry can be.
09/17/07
Vista Boxed Retail Sales Sluggish
A soon-to-be-released study from NPD Group reportedly shows that standalone unit sales of Windows Vista in its first six months significantly trail standalone unit sales of Windows XP in its first six months of release.
09/14/07
P2P Software Leads to ID Theft
In what’s being described as the first case of its kind, a Seattle man has reportedly been arrested on 4 counts for using peer-to-peer (P2P) software to steal digital data and commit identity theft, alleging that he victimized at least 83 people. Gregory Thomas Kopiloff used Limewire, Soulseek and other P2P software to rummage other people’s computers for financial, medical and tax information, which he would use to open credit cards and for online shopping sprees. He bought more than $73,000 worth of merchandise online, then turned around and resold them at steep discounts.
09/06/07
The German Version of Big Brother
Ah, the modern wonders of 21st century technology. We live in a world where illegal wiretapping is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to violations of civil rights violations against U.S. citizens. Now, Germany reportedly wants to get involved in spying on citizens using tech, too.
09/04/07
As recently reported by senior editor Brandon Dimmel, Microsoft has officially announced information about Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) and is reportedly scheduled to release it sometime in the first quarter of 2008.
08/30/07
WGA Causes (More) Problems Worldwide
Once again Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) has gone awry, penalizing legitimate Windows XP and Vista users.
08/27/07
Is Windows Vista Sinking Like the Titanic?
A lot of things have been written about Windows Vista…some good, some bad. As with everything else, Vista has its good and bad points. Some have even compared Vista to the Ford Edsel, and to Windows Millenium (ME) at its worst. Now Vista has sunk to a new catastrophic low…it’s now being referred to as the second Titanic, which if you’ll recall, sank on its maiden voyage.
08/24/07
Microsoft Tellme to Compete With OnStar
Microsoft has reportedly begun showing U.S. automakers Tellme, an alternative software for in-car navigation and assistance currently being offered exclusively by General Motor Corp.’s OnStar communications service.
08/22/07
Vista Still Not a Priority for Business
A new study by Forrester Research shows that businesses that had been thinking of making a quick move to Microsoft Windows Vista seem to be doing an about-face and delaying deployment. In a report issued this week, Forrester analyst Benjamin Gray said “IT managers are finding themselves pulling back their initial Windows Vista deployment plans.”
08/20/07
In a couple recent articles by myself and my colleague Brandon Dimmel, we’ve mentioned the Big Brother concept a couple of times. Now we can talk about the worst Big Brother case scenario known to modern man (and woman).
08/15/07
Windows Vista Capable Lawsuit to Proceed
A lawsuit filed in April alleging that Microsoft misled consumers with labels on Windows XP machines touted as “Windows Vista Capable” will be allowed by a federal judge to proceed.
08/13/07
Vista Disqualified for 2008 Olympics
Microsoft Windows XP will be used to handle vital functions of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and has already been installed on most of the PCs delivered by Lenovo for the event. Microsoft’s poster boy Windows Vista will only be used on PCs set up in Internet lounges for athletes to use, contrary to a Microsoft sponsored report earlier this year. (Source: InfoWorld.com)
08/09/07
Following in the footsteps of Dell, Lenovo and Novell recently announced an agreement to provide preloaded Linux on Lenovo ThinkPad notebooks and to provide support from Lenovo for the operating system (OS). The announcement came at the LinuxWorld Conference & Expo in San Francisco.
08/08/07
Courts Favor Consumers Over Abusive EULAs
Two recent court rulings indicate that judges are paying closer attention to how corporations conduct online and technological transactions with their customers. This is good news for consumers. (Source: Wired.com)
08/07/07
Monitor Your Internet Connections
When Microsoft shipped Windows Vista, one new feature that was introduced was a firewall that monitored both inbound and outbound traffic. What Microsoft failed to mention about the firewall is the fact that monitoring outbound traffic is disabled by default.
08/03/07
Fewer Businesses Believe Vista is More Secure
A recent survey of more than 250 CIOs, CSOs, IT managers and network administrators across Europe, Asia Pacific, and the U.S. conducted by PatchLink shows that fewer businesses are now planning a migration to Windows Vista than seven months ago.
08/01/07
Microsoft, the DoD and Windows
After coming across the information from the “Does Windows Vista Send Information to the Government?” story, I decided to do a little research on Microsoft, the Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Security Agency (NSA). What I found was very interesting, and it raises some serious questions.
07/31/07
Windows Genuine Advantage Causes More Problems for Vista
At a time when Microsoft didn’t need any more bad Windows Vista news, reports are beginning to surface about problems with the product activation system.
07/27/07
Microsoft Patent Application Raises Security Concerns
In what’s beginning to look like the technological version of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” Microsoft filed a patent application on July 5 detailing advertising software that uses applications and data on a computer rather than the web. (Source: Information Week)
07/26/07
Does Windows Vista Send Information to the Government?
Is there more to Windows Vista being big brother than was originally thought? There appear to be features and services bundled into Windows Vista that stay in touch with the government and their associates, too.
07/23/07
Roxio’s Vista Compatibility Issues
Vista Compatibility and Vista Certified seem to mean many different things to both Microsoft and other manufacturers of software applications. It would be nice to get a clearer definition of each, if that’s at all possible.
07/20/07
Paul Thurrott, a well known Windows expert and advocate, posted an article titled “Microsoft Ignoring Customer Needs with Continued Silence on Future Windows” in which he refers to Microsofts behavior as paradoxical, almost diabolical.
07/19/07
Windows Vista: A Forensics Examiner’s Dream Come True
A report by the American Bar Association notes that from a litigator’s perspective, Windows Vista makes it easy to uncover what’s been performed on a particular PC. Quite simply, forensic evidence maintained by Vista makes it easier to find out what was done and when it was done.
07/18/07
So, we’ve read all about Windows Vista in North America. Despite selling some 40 million plus copies, it’s generally considered a work in progress (with many consumers avoiding the new Microsoft product altogether).
07/16/07
Is Microsoft finally beginning to get it or is this more smoke? According to Softpedia.com, Microsoft has decided to continue focusing on desktop products. This means Windows Vista and the 2007 Office System will be followed by Windows Seven and Office 14. Kevine Turner, Chief Operating Officer at Microsoft, emphasized the fact that Windows Vista will not be the last big operating system release from Microsoft. That also holds true for Office 2007.
07/13/07
Be Cautious of Upcoming Vista SP1 Beta
After spending months denying that there even was a Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1), Microsoft will be rushing out the first Vista SP1 beta around the middle of July.
07/11/07
In another unprecedented move for Dell, the PC manufacturer is “stepping back” from telling businesses to upgrade to Windows Vista due to challenging migration issues and is warning them about hardware issues they’ll have to deal with.
07/09/07
Vista Users Beware: Big Brother is Watching
Softpedia.com released a nice article regarding the plethora of Windows Vista “features and services” that collect, maintain and transmit your personal data to Microsoft and/or their “controlled subsidiaries and affiliates.”
06/28/07
Deconstructing Windows Vista, Part 3
Every year Microsoft introduces the “latest technology”, bent on revolutionizing computers or their software. Anyone who’s familiar with Microsoft is naturally suspicious when “new” technology is introduced — and for good reason.
06/27/07
Deconstructing Windows Vista, Part 2
Recently, I laid out some of the reasons why Microsoft’s marketing offensive for Windows Vista has overextended the supply lines of reality. Although it looks great and might have potential, there are only a handful of reasons to upgrade now.
06/26/07
Flashback to late January 2007 — Microsoft releases Windows Vista consumer versions of their “latest and greatest” new operating system (OS) with the marketing hype of “the wow is now”. The Vista web site even offers 100 reasons you’ll be speechless.
06/25/07
AT&T is offering a digital subscriber line (DSL) plan for $10 a month as part of the concessions made to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the $86 billion dollar acquisition of BellSouth Corp that was approved last December.
06/14/07
Talk about deja vu. A Finnish security researcher recently discovered that the same problems affecting Windows XP and recovery disks were inherited by Windows Vista.
06/08/07
Storm Clouds on Vista’s Horizons?
The launch of Windows Vista earlier this year may have helped fuel Mac sales according to research conducted by Gartner Research. Mac sales were up 35 percent in the first quarter compared to a year ago. Comparatively, PC sales were up by 9 percent. (Source: Kansascity.com)
06/06/07
Dell Introduces Three New Linux PCs
Dell officially launched three consumer PCs that run the Ubuntu 7.04 Linux Operating System (OS): two desktops and one laptop. The new PCs give consumers a third choice when purchasing a computer — namely, a machine with Windows installed, a machine with no OS so they can install whatever they want, and one with Ubuntu Linux installed.
06/01/07
Vista Only Marginally More Secure Than XP, Research Suggests
Independent security tests performed by CRN.com suggests that Windows Vista is only marginally more secure than Windows XP. CRN spent a week testing both operating systems against various Trojans, viruses and various exploits.
05/30/07
Hardware Issues Continue To Plague Vista
At the annual WinHEC (Windows Hardware Engineering Conference) earlier this month, Microsoft issued new numbers in an attempt to bridge troubled waters concerning the success of their new Windows Vista operating system (OS).
05/16/07
Is Free Software Doomed? MS Claims 235 Patents Violated, Part 1
In what’s being labeled by some as an attempt to deflect questions surrounding their floundering Vista reception and sales, Microsoft is threatening law suits aimed at open source distributors and users, claiming that Free Open Source Software (FOSS) violates 235 of their patents … and they want royalties from it. If they get their way, free software won’t be free any more. Part 2 can be found here.
05/03/07
Hewlett-Packard offers English-Spanish PCs
Hewlett-Packard (HP) is offering the first affordable PCs with English and Spanish versions of Microsoft Windows Vista Basic and Home Premium to Spanish-speaking consumers and small businesses.
04/25/07
Nvidia’s “Windows Vista Capable” Faces Lawsuit
Nvidia, the manufacturer of PC graphics cards is facing a possible class action lawsuit over “designed for Windows Vista” claims with their new “Series 8 GPU” line after they announced that their 8800 graphics card series were “Windows Vista Capable.”
04/20/07
Dell Offers Windows XP to Home Users
Dell has announced that it will begin offering Windows XP on some of their consumer systems due to significant customer demand. The company said many customers have been asking for XP as part of the Dell IdeaStorm project, which asks customers to help the company come up with product ideas.
04/18/07
Windows Vista: Limited IE7 Protection Mode
“Protected Mode provides the safety of a robust Internet browsing experience while helping prevent hackers from taking over the system and installing programs or deleting your information.”
04/13/07
Microsoft Pulls the Plug on Windows XP
In what appears to be a last ditch effort to sell more of it’s newest operating system (OS), Microsoft has notified computer manufacturers that by the start of 2008, they will no longer be allowed to ship PCs loaded with Windows XP.
04/06/07
Microsoft sued over Vista “Capable” and “Premium Ready” Marketing
In the first of what may become many law suits involving Microsoft Windows Vista, a class action suit was recently filed alleging that people who bought. “Vista Capable” and “Vista Ready” computers last year have found themselves with a machine barely capable of running Vista, not capable of running “the real Vista.”
03/30/07
Survey Says: UK Businesses to Deploy Vista Later
Research carried out by analyst Vanson Bourne shows that UK firms have little enthusiasm for the new Windows Vista operating system. Nearly 6 out of 10 businesses say they have no plans to deploy it. (Source: Techworld.com)
03/27/07
HP’s newest Energy Star PCs ship with Windows XP
Hewlett-Packard’s (HP) newest energy star PCs won’t ship with Windows Vista. In order to comply with the new Energy Star 4.0 business desktop computer standards, the Compaq dc5700, dc5750 and dc7700 will be loaded with Windows XP Pro, despite the fact the HP recommends Windows Vista Business.
03/22/07
Vista: No Activation Required for 1 year
Some versions of Windows Vista can be run for at almost a year without being activated, says Brian Livingston.
03/14/07
More Federal Agencies Delay Migration to Vista
Last week we reported how the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration imposed a moratorium on users migrating to Windows Vista, Internet Explorer 7 and Office 2007 citing no compelling reasons to upgrade at this time. Federal Computer Week is reporting that more Federal Agencies are delaying the migration to Windows Vista.
03/13/07
Intel Won’t Upgrade to Vista: For Now
Intel, who has not benefited from expected boosts in sales after the Microsoft Windows Vista launch, has decided not to upgrade its PCs to Vista until the first service pack has been released. Once the service pack is released, Intel says they will still hold off on a full Vista roll-out. (Source: PC Advisor UK)
03/09/07
Vista Users May Be Forced To Pay For Software Upgrades
Users thinking about upgrading to Windows Vista may end up spending more than they thought. Besides having to pay for faster hardware, users should expect to pay for Vista upgrades to a lot of their favorite software. (Source: computerworld.com)
03/08/07
U.S. DOT bans Vista, IE 7 and Office 2007
Recently, Information week obtained a memo citing concerns over cost and compatibility issues by the federal U.S. Department Of Transportation (DOT) in January 2007, prohibiting thousands of federal workers from upgrading to Windows Vista, Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) and Office 2007.
03/02/07
SupportSoft Tech Support Tools Leave PCs Vulnerable to Remote Attack
The United States Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) has issued an advisory regarding remote tech support tools made by SupportSoft.
03/01/07
Not All Custom Built Dell’s Ship with Vista
Consumers purchasing some high end computers online Dell are having to make those purchases with Windows XP, due to issues with some peripherals that are incompatibile with Windows Vista.
02/27/07
Windows Vista: You May Be Prompted to Activate Again
Last week Microsoft released their newest version of the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) tool. WGA is designed to make sure the Microsoft software on your computer is properly licensed (legitimate, not counterfeit) and supported by Microsoft or one of their trusted partners.
02/21/07
Vista Migration Tools Released by Microsoft
In an attempt to help businesses adapt to Windows Vista, Microsoft has released free tools that will help companies migrate to the new operating system, including software that will allow older versions of Windows to run alongside Vista in a virtual environment.
02/15/07
Major Security Flaw Discovered in the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine
Oops! It looks like Microsoft has once again scrambled to update a recently discovered vulnerability in their Malware Protection Engine, used by the Windows Defender security programs.
02/09/07
Vista In The News: Incompatibility Issues
Windows Vista has been released to the public for only a few weeks, and as expected, a number of credible sources are reporting that there are numerous issues with the new operating system.
02/07/07
Daylight Savings Time Zone Update Available
In July of 2005, the U.S. Congress passed the Energy Policy Act in an attempt to establish a comprehensive long-range energy policy. President Bush later signed it into law in August of 2005. The new law changes both the start and end dates of daylight savings time (DST).
02/01/07
Windows Vista: The Wow isn’t Now
One day after the release of Microsoft’s 6 billion dollar operating system, and there are already reports from UK’s PC Advisor that the Windows Vista DRM is being cracked by a Canadian kernel developer.
01/30/07
A lot of the hoopla surrounding the new Windows Vista operating system (OS) is based on it’s new multimedia capabilities.
01/26/07
Microsoft already Hard at Work on Vista Service Pack 1
A recent email memo leaked to APC Magazine revealed that Microsoft is already hard at work on Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1).
01/25/07
Windows Vista: Roadmap and Purchase Guide
Confused about which flavor of Windows Vista is right for you? What about all those upgrade options and Vista add-ons?
12/22/06
Sony BMG Rootkit Debacle Reaches $1.5M Settlement
Recently, Sony was fined $1.5 million in penalties and costs to reimburse Californians and Texans whose computers were affected by the illegally installed Digital Rights Management software [software aimed at antipiracy] on some of their music CDs.
11/23/06
Staying safe while shopping online
Now that the holiday season is rapidly approaching, it’s a good time for some quick reminders about safely purchasing items online. Armed with the proper knowledge and a little common sense, purchasing things online can be as safe as going to the store and purchasing it in person.
11/08/06
Block and Remove / Uninstall Internet Explorer 7 (IE7)
Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) has been released as of November 1, 2006. If you’re not ready for it yet, there are a few options to prevent its installation through Automatic Updates.
04/22/06
Coping with Microsoft’s April 2006 Windows Update Headaches (MS06-015)
Earlier this month, Microsoft released a series of critical patches that affect the way that Internet Explorer handles web pages that use ActiveX controls.
01/14/06
The perils of purchasing a computer online
So you finally decide you want to purchase your own computer and have it custom built just for you. Reasons for this could be that you don’t want all the extra software that comes bundled with major manufacturers such as Dell, or you want to have a nice high-end system built with the specs just the way you like it. Here is a little advice based on some of my experiences. Ask yourself the following questions and think about them.
