http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/lowqualitycrap/ en-us Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:30:51 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2045381/posts Windows Vista, the OS that everyone loves to hate. Despite its enhanced security, improved CPU scheduler and excellent stability, it’s still the flawed gem in many critics’ eyes. But can Microsoft win back the XP crowd with its upcoming Windows 7 offering? The fact is, they have to. Being that gadget zone is still a fan of the Redmond, Washington, company (although we like Apple too), gadget zone contributor and computer expert, Vito Cassisi, has come up with the 20 Microsoft must do's to ensure the success of Windows 7. Gadget Zone http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2045381/posts#comment Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:30:51 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2043045/posts We are investigating the issue with the MS update KB951748. For the time being we suggest you uninstall KB951748 until the issue has been resolved. We will post when we have more information Best regards, Forum Moderator ZoneAlarm forum http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2043045/posts#comment Wed, 9 Jul 2008 19:29:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2040259/posts Microsoft has given its new Office-based software-plus-service bundle a new name — “Equipt” — and a due date (mid-July), company officials said on July 2. Equipt is the product/service that was formerly codenamed “Albany” (and inside Microsoft, known as “ValueBox”). Equipt, which Microsoft describes as its “essential set of software and services for consumers,” includes a version of Office Home and Student 2007; Windows Live OneCare, Microsoft’s PC management/security bundle; a few Windows Live communication/collaboration services; and Office Live Workspace, Microsoft’s online-collaboration add-on to Office. Equipt will cost $69.99 annually (for a license that can be installed on three PCs... ZDNet http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2040259/posts#comment Thu, 3 Jul 2008 14:41:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2037550/posts Excerpt - Redmond, WA (AHN) - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) is pulling the XP operating system from its product line come Monday. The move comes 18 months after the company launched the Vista operating system. Although Microsoft will not sell the XP program any longer, they will still generate revenue from providing support for the software as it will no longer be free. Microsoft will offer extended support packages for XP until at least 2014. ~ snip ~ AllHeadlineNews.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2037550/posts#comment Sat, 28 Jun 2008 01:03:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2036240/posts "For the opening piece in our series on Gates leaving daily life at Microsoft, one goal was to give a clear picture of the Microsoft co-founder's role inside the company, as a gauge of the impact his departure will have," Todd Bishop writes for The Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Microsoft Blog. "As part of that, I went back through the internal e-mails turned over in the antitrust suits against the company, looking for new insights into his personality." Bishop found a doozy, which also happens to illustrate perfectly why Mac users have such disdain for the "Windows experience." If you've ever... MacDailyNews.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2036240/posts#comment Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:56:55 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2026280/posts One of the most successful business partnerships in history was coming unraveled. It was early 2000, and Bill Gates had relinquished the chief executive's job at Microsoft Corp. to Steve Ballmer -- for the first time taking a back seat to his college pal and right-hand man of 20 years. Mr. Ballmer got the title. But Mr. Gates retained the power, triggering a yearlong struggle between the two men that until now has remained largely under wraps. Things became so bitter that, on one occasion, Mr. Gates stormed out of a meeting in a huff after a shouting match... The Wall Street Journal - Page One http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2026280/posts#comment Thu, 5 Jun 2008 04:01:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2025472/posts <p>Would you pay extra to have an American answer your customer-service call? Dell is hoping you will.</p> <p>The computer maker recently put out a press release announcing “new premium support service.” The plan: For a fee, people get the right to talk to “the same dedicated team each time they have an issue” with a Dell product. The kicker: The service will be provided by “an advanced support team in North America.”</p> The Wall Street Journal (excerpt) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2025472/posts#comment Tue, 3 Jun 2008 21:21:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2023207/posts Excerpt - Microsoft is in a bind. Windows Vista has sold 140 million copies, but it's such a resource hog with unreliable hardware drivers that users keep asking Redmond to extend the support for Windows XP. Many corporations refuse to upgrade their server farms and cubicle-bound desktops at all. It's not often that 140 million copies of a software package that costs hundreds of dollars can be called a disappointment, but this one seems to fit that bill. Vowing to release a new operating system every three years, the company now has about 20 months until the supposed release date... The Motley Fool http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2023207/posts#comment Thu, 29 May 2008 21:59:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2022589/posts CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) - Microsoft Corp. said its next operating system will be made for touch- screen applications, an alternative to the computer mouse, and its top executives reaffirmed interest in joining forces with Yahoo Inc. Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer on Tuesday unveiled the iPhone-like touch-screen feature at The Wall Street Journal's "D: All Things Digital" conference, calling it "just the smallest snippet" of the Windows 7 operating system slated for release in late 2009. A Microsoft employee showed possible applications like enlarging and shrinking photos and navigating a map of San Diego by stroking the screen. Microsoft... Breitbart http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2022589/posts#comment Wed, 28 May 2008 19:48:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2022318/posts Excerpt - Switching gears. Walt asks about Vista and the lousy reception it’s been given. Is Vista a failure? Ballmer: Vista is not a failure. Is it something we’d like to improve? Of course. Is it something that with 20/20 hindsight we’d do differently? Sure, he confesses. But Vista has sold a lot of copies, he adds. Walt jumps in and asks about the percentage of Vista sales that result in downgrades to XP. Ballmer dodges. Gates looking a little depressed. Walt asks if Vista has damaged with Windows brand. Gates says Microsoft’s philosophy is to “do things better.” And... Wall Street Journal AllThingsD.com (excerpt) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2022318/posts#comment Wed, 28 May 2008 05:31:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2019766/posts At this stage, the best thing that you can say about Microsoft's attempt to transition its users to a new, next-generation operating system is that nobody was actually killed. Even so, it might be appropriate to have a bronze plaque installed where the first copy of Vista was sold, so that visiting dignitaries will have a place to lay ceremonial wreaths. It's simply not competing well against XP. Worse, it's opening the door a crack to Mac OS and Linux. Resistance to Vista is so heavy that major makers like Dell are exploiting legal loopholes that will allow them to... Chicago Sun times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2019766/posts#comment Thu, 22 May 2008 17:06:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2012801/posts Excerpt - If you like to download the latest episodes of “Heroes” or other NBC shows from BitTorrent, maybe you shouldn’t buy a Microsoft Zune to watch them on. A future update of the software for Microsoft’s portable media player may well include a feature that will block unauthorized copies of copyrighted videos from being played on it. ~ snip ~ The New York Times (excerpt) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2012801/posts#comment Thu, 8 May 2008 01:57:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2012127/posts SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said there will be a vast shift in Internet technology over the next decade as he met Tuesday with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak. "We're approaching the second decade of (the) digital age," the software mogul and philanthropist told Lee at the start of their meeting at the presidential Blue House, according to a media pool report. "The Internet has been operating now for 10 years," Gates said. "The second 10 years will be very different." Microsoft Corp., the South Korean government and South Korean companies are investing $313 million in... Associated Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2012127/posts#comment Tue, 6 May 2008 20:46:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2008625/posts If you didn’t have your calendar marked this day (04/29/2008) is an important day; the third service pack for Windows XP has been released to Windows Update today. It may not be trickling down just yet but several sites have already posted manual updates that can be downloaded. DailyTech reports that Microsoft hasn’t yet posted an official download for SP3 but BetaNews does have a download link that goes straight back to Windows Update. Windows XP SP3 is more than just a regular Service Pack including more than 1,100 hotfixes/patches which has new features such as Network Access Protection and... BLORGE.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2008625/posts#comment Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:43:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2006940/posts There's another round of mass SQL injections going on which has infected hundreds of thousands of websites. Performing a Google search results in over 510,000 modified pages. As more and more websites are using database back-ends to make them faster and more dynamic, it also means that it's crucial to verify what information gets stored in or requested from those databases — especially if you allow users to upload content themselves which happens all the time in discussion forums, blogs, feedback forms, et cetera. Unless that data is sanitized before it gets saved you can't control what the website will... F-Secure via slashdot http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2006940/posts#comment Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:14:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2000028/posts The researchers damn Windows in current form, urge radical changes Calling the situation "untenable" and describing Windows as "collapsing," a pair of Gartner analysts yesterday said Microsoft Corp. must make radical changes to its operating system or risk becoming a has-been. In a presentation at a Gartner-sponsored conference in Las Vegas, analysts Michael Silver and Neil MacDonald said Microsoft has not responded to the market, is overburdened by nearly two decades of legacy code and decisions, and faces serious competition on a whole host of fronts that will make Windows moot unless the software developer acts. "For Microsoft, its ecosystem... Computer Worlds http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2000028/posts#comment Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:50:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2000266/posts TheStreet.com Video - Microsoft's Vista OS is just plain awful, says Michael Comeau. (Contains some profanity. Viewer discretion is advised.) TheStreet.com Strategy Session http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2000266/posts#comment Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:27:13 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1999395/posts Excerpt - Microsoft’s Windows juggernaut is collapsing as it tries to support 20 years of applications and becomes more complicated by the minute. Meanwhile, Windows has outgrown hardware and customers are pondering skipping Vista to wait for Windows 7. If Windows is going to remain relevant it will need radical changes. That sobering outlook comes courtesy of Gartner analysts Michael Silver and Neil MacDonald. Half of a full room of IT managers and executives raised their hands when asked whether Microsoft needed to radically change its approach to Windows. “Windows is too monolithic,” says Silver. ~ snip ~ ZDNet.com (excerpt) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1999395/posts#comment Thu, 10 Apr 2008 09:39:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1997525/posts With the market preparing for the next -- and final -- phase of the life of Windows XP with the forthcoming general availability of Service Pack 3, the old operating system continues to show itself to be a spry performer. In head-to-head tests between Windows XP Service Pack 3 Beta (Release Candidate 2) against Windows Vista Service Pack 1, it's clear that XP still holds a measurable performance advantage overMicrosoft (NSDQ: MSFT)'s next-generation desktop operating system. Our CRN Test Center conducted a faceoff-type of performance evaluation. Testing was done on two identical desktops: HP (NYSE:HPQ)'s rp5700 model with a single... ChannelWeb http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1997525/posts#comment Sun, 6 Apr 2008 12:31:58 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1997206/posts Journal written by symbolset (646467) and posted by ScuttleMonkey on Saturday April 05, @07:21AM from the also-duke-nukem-forever dept. Microsoft's efforts to get businesses to adopt Vista may come to a screeching halt now that Bill Gates has announced "Sometime in the next year or so we will have a new version", referring to Windows 7, the next expected version of the company's flagship desktop operating system.With a new version available soon, many organizations may decide to wait and see if they can avoid the pain of a Vista rollout altogether. Slashdot http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1997206/posts#comment Sat, 5 Apr 2008 16:46:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1996487/posts Microsoft said today it will continue to sell Windows XP Home beyond its scheduled June 30 kill-date for the emerging class of "ultra-low-cost PCs," or ULCPCs. The operating system has been granted a reprieve until mid-2010, but only for the diminutive laptops such as the Asus Eee PC and Intel Classmate PC which lack the hardware necessary to run Windows Vista adequately. The cut-off date for XP licenses in mainstream boxes remains the end of June, 2008. Free live support and warranty-based technical support will dry up next April. After that, customers need to pay for phone support until April... The Register http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1996487/posts#comment Fri, 4 Apr 2008 03:00:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1994680/posts SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Dell Inc (DELL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Monday it plans to save $3 billion annually over the next three years by closing its Austin, Texas desktop computer manufacturing plant and cutting thousands of jobs. The company's shares rose 1.1 percent following the announcement after closing up 1.6 percent on Nasdaq. Dell, the world's second-largest PC maker after Hewlett-Packard Co (HPQ.N: Quote, Profile, Research), also repeated its goal of cutting 8,800 jobs, or about 10 percent of the work force, and said it will review "ownership alternatives" for its Dell Financial Services business. The company said... Reuters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1994680/posts#comment Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:34:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1991655/posts Symantec, Windows users beset by Vista SP1 flaws By Tom Espiner, ZDNet UK Monday, March 24, 2008 10:56 AM Security vendor Symantec has said that updated drivers to replace those adversely affected by Windows Vista Service Pack 1 are not yet available. The company said users will have to wait for the updated drivers, which will be available "in the coming weeks". The drivers in question are for Endpoint Protection and Network Access Control, two of Symantec's flagship enterprise security products. Microsoft released Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) to Windows Update on Tuesday. However, in the Vista team blog, Vista... ZDNet http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1991655/posts#comment Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:43:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1991388/posts Microsoft has sought to appease frustrated Windows Vista customers by giving away free support to anyone struggling to install service pack one (SP1). A huge swath of people has been frozen out of the upgrade until an unknown date in April, but some were able to manually download SP1 as of last week via the firm’s Windows Update website. However, a heap of complaints have been stacking up on the firm’s official Vista blog, over troubles with the service pack install. So, in an apparent attempt to ease some of the grumbles, Microsoft blogger Brandon Le Blanc says that anyone,... The Register http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1991388/posts#comment Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:13:33 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1991100/posts According to Microsoft's timeline, XP is on its way to becoming an ex-operating system. The approaching death of Windows XP may upset you, but it shouldn't come as a surprise. Microsoft Corp.'s product life-cycle guidelines have foretold the fate of XP since 2001. In fact, Microsoft has been killing off one version of a product as it is replaced with another for years now. But this time around, the approaching demise of XP is getting more attention than, say, the final passing of Windows 2000. Why? For a couple of reasons: XP is the most widely used operating system on... Computer World http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1991100/posts#comment Tue, 25 Mar 2008 03:44:05 GMT