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Vol. 2, # 45 - Nov 11, 2010 - Issue # 61 |
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Is Microsoft Going Too Far to Protect Us? |
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- Is Microsoft Going Too Far to Protect Us?
- Follow-up: Is Windows 8 Risky Business?
- Quotes of the Week
- Kinect hacked to run on Windows 7 PCs
- Windows 7 "Cloud PCs" offered by Wyse
- Using the Windows.old folder to recover data
- Dell dumps Blackberry contract and goes to Windows Phone 7
- How to enable Telnet in Windows 7
- November Patch Tuesday: No Fixes for Windows 7
- Installed XP to dual boot with Windows 7 and now Win7 won't boot
- How to use the Bootrec.exe tool to repair startup problems
- Invalid channels are listed in Media Center Guide when using an ATSC tuner
- This Week's Links We Like. Tips, Hints And Fun Stuff
- Photo Cool Maker - Combine Your Favorite Photos Into Artistic Compilations
Editor's Corner
Cool Tools
News, Hints, Tips and Tricks
How to: Using the New Windows 7 Features
Windows 7 and Vista Security
Question Corner
Windows 7 Configuration and Troubleshooting
Fav Links
Product of the Week
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Editor's Corner |
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Is Microsoft Going Too Far to Protect Us?
It's a fine line to walk for an operating system vendor. If your OS is compromised by viruses or malware, it's called insecure and you get the blame. But if you build too much security into the operating system, you're called over-controlling and you might even get slapped with an anti-trust lawsuit. How far is too far to go in pushing your own particular brand of protection onto your users?
In the olden days (MS DOS), the OS was basically just an OS. If you wanted to actually do anything with it, you had to install applications. Windows (which in its first incarnations wasn't an OS at all, but a shell that ran on top of MS DOS) added more and more basic built in applications - simple word processor, calculator, games, communications apps, etc. It was the inclusion of the Internet Explorer web browser that really raised the hackles of third party software vendors and resulted in anti-trust suits in the U.S. and the Europe Union. Later the same issues were raised over the inclusion of Windows Media Player.
By the time we got to Windows XP, there were all sorts of apps included - even a rudimentary firewall - but one category of software that you still had to buy separately was anti-virus and anti-malware software. Microsoft started moving in that direction when they included Windows Defender, an anti-spyware product, in Vista and Windows 7. Meanwhile, in 2009 they released Microsoft Security Essentials, a free anti-virus program that could be downloaded from the Microsoft web site for XP, Vista and Windows 7. But the user still had to seek it out and install it.
Now that's about to change. Well, sort of. Microsoft has announced that they will begin delivering Security Essentials through the Microsoft Update service. That got some folks upset, thinking they were going to have Microsoft's anti-virus forced on them whether they wanted it or not. The good news is that Security Essentials will only pop up as an optional update. You'll still have to check the box if you want to accept and install it. And it will only show up there if Windows detects that you aren't currently running another anti-virus program. So if you have your own favorite anti-virus, as so many of us do, you should never even see it as an option.
There may be some cases where your anti-virus doesn't communicate with Windows and so isn't detected, but again, it will only be offered as an option and you don't have to accept it. Given those conditions, the intent seems pretty obvious: to prod those who are running unprotected systems into installing an anti-virus solution. However, some see this as only the first step toward including anti-virus in Windows, just as anti-spyware and the firewall are now included. Some view that end as a good thing, others as not so good. Ed Bott sees it as another potential anti-trust suit:
http://www.win7news.net/0JQTJT/101111-Expanded-AV-Offering
The free security software that Microsoft offers is pretty basic, and those "in the know" generally buy and install more full featured products, but does the average consumer know (or care about) the difference? You can argue that, regardless of whether there is an anti-virus program bundled with the OS, users are always free to disable it and install one of their own choosing. On the other hand, many people are basically lazy, and/or want to save money, and so will stick with the built-in solution. Will this pose a threat to vendors of other anti-virus products?
I think the key is for those vendors to show how their products are better. If users can see what the differences are, and see the value that makes it worth paying a little extra and taking a little time to install and configure, they'll do it - just as many users make the extra effort to download and install Firefox or Chrome or some other alternate web browser even though Internet Explorer comes with Windows.
Tell us what you think. Does offering a free anti-virus solution through Microsoft Update - even if it's only offered on systems where another AV program isn't detected - give Microsoft an unfair advantage in that space? What if they started bundling their AV program with the operating system? Should that be allowed (as long as you can easily disable it and install a different one) or does that create an anti-trust situation? Some think Microsoft should be required to include free AV and other security software as part of the OS; how do you feel about that? Will the next version of Windows have AV bundled with it? Could that threat of another anti-trust suit be the big risk that Steve B. was referring to in relation to Windows 8? I don't think so, but it makes for an interesting question. We invite you to discuss this topic in our forum at
http://www.win7news.net/0JQTJT/101111-Discuss-This-Weeks-Win7News-Here
Follow-up: Is Windows 8 Risky Business?
In last week's editorial, we discussed Steve Ballmer's statement at the Gartner Symposium that the next version of Windows would be Microsoft's riskiest product bet, and what he might have meant by that.
Many of you ventured the guess that the risk is about the cloud, and given Ballmer's own declaration that Microsoft is "all in" on that score, it's not an unreasonable speculation. But if that's the case, it seems most of you don't think that's a risk worth taking. You keep bringing up the same issues that are always raised when cloud computing is discussed: security, reliability and performance. Until those are addressed, betting too heavily on the cloud could indeed be risky business.
Roger J. pointed out something that most have overlooked in discussing tablet computing: the need for full handwriting functionality. The iPad and its clones focus on multi-touch, pinch and zoom, etc. but don't address handwriting recognition. The one tablet (prototype) that did was the Courier, a project that Microsoft ended up killing before it ever came to fruition.
PixelStuff had some interesting suggestions. The idea of getting rid of the registry is an intriguing one, but what would they replace it with? Go back to individual .ini files? I don't see that happening. A differently (presumably better) structured database? That would certainly be risky, since it would break backward compatibility and render most applications written for recent versions of Windows unusable. A single version for $99? Again, I don't think so. They might reduce the number of editions (which would be a welcome change) but one size doesn't fit all, and I don't think consumers want an OS with all the features that enterprises need, even if it did cost only $99. A new file system is at least remotely possible, while dumping the 32 bit version is a very real possibility, despite the fact that it couldn't be installed on older hardware. They've already moved to 64 bit only in a number of server products, so it seems like the logical next step is to take that to the client side.
Removal of backward compatibility is exactly what Billhannah wants to see. This is what Microsoft did with their phone OS, so it's not completely inconceivable that they would eventually do the same with the desktop. Personally, though, I don't think Windows 8 will be the one that does it.
Griminal wants to see three radically different Microsoft operating systems developed in tandem: one for the desktop, one for mobile devices and one for the cloud. With the "from the ground up" redesign of Windows Phone 7, they do seem to be heading in that direction. And I like the idea of all of these working seamlessly together. That could be the real key to success in tomorrow's computing world.
Henrik14 came up with a very creative possibility: turn Windows 8 into a distributed computing platform, where users would pay for their usage by allowing other users to use the dormant capabilities of their machines (RAM and CPU).
And via email, Dr. Dave D. has this dream: Windows v.Next as a combination of a core operating system and one or more virtual machines, with different VMs optimized for different purposes (e.g., gaming, business, software development, etc.). Virtualization is becoming more and more important in the business world, with virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) all the rage right now. And it's leaking over into the consumer world, as well, particularly with Windows XP Mode as a "bonus" in Windows 7 Pro and above.
I was a little surprised to see so many comments that "the cloud has come and gone" and "the cloud has blown away." Apparently some readers feel that cloud computing not only won't be the big thing that the tech industry thinks it will be, but is already a complete failure. And many of you think mobile computing isn't all it's cracked up to be, either - for a whole slew of reasons. Steve T. pointed out that small portable devices often place your body in a very unergonomic (and unhealthy) position. Quite a few folks plan to hang onto their bulky, space-consuming desktop computers for a while longer (as do I).
I really enjoyed reading all your input on this subject and the ideas that you put forth. It'll be fun to see just who was right as we find out more about where Windows 8 is going.
As always, thanks to all of those who participated in this discussion!
 'Til next week,
Deb Shinder, Editor
PS: Did you know this newsletter has a sister publication for XP users called WXPnews? You can subscribe here, and tell your friends:
http://www.win7news.net/0JQTJT/101028-WXPnews
And for IT pros, there's our "big sister," WServerNews, at
http://www.win7news.net/0JQTJT/101028-WServerNews
Look for the Win7News fan page on Facebook!
Quotes of the Week
A society that gets rid of all its troublemakers goes downhill. – Robert A. Heinlein
Less is only more where more is no good. – Frank Lloyd Wright
Sometimes history takes things into its own hands. – Justice Thurgood Marshall |
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Cool Tools |
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News, Hints, Tips and Tricks |
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Kinect hacked to run on Windows 7 PCs
Kinect is Microsoft's answer to the Wii MotionPlus and PlayStation Move, a technology for the Xbox 360 that allows users to interact with and control the games via a natural user interface (gestures, objects and images). It's designed to run on the Xbox 360 game console, but now hackers have modified it to run on Windows 7 PCs. Should Microsoft port the technology to Windows? What do you think?
http://www.win7news.net/0JQTJT/101111-Kinect-for-Xbox-360
Windows 7 "Cloud PCs" offered by Wyse
Wyse Technology is a well known maker of "thin client" systems - and now they're offering a line of "Cloud PCs" that boot Windows 7 from the cloud instead of from a local hard drive. There is no disk, so applications and data are also stored on a server in a datacenter, either on premises (Private Cloud) or off (Public Cloud). Read more here:
http://www.win7news.net/0JQTJT/101111-Wyse-Cloud-PC
Using the Windows.old folder to recover data
If you upgraded an XP or Vista computer to Windows 7, you probably have a folder on your hard drive called Windows.old. It's a copy of your former Windows installation and can be used to roll back to the older version of Windows. But that's not the only thing it's good for; it can also be used to recover files and settings to be used with the new Windows 7 installation. Find out about using Windows.old to recover documents, music and email in this article over on Notebooks.com:
http://www.win7news.net/0JQTJT/101111-Recovering-Data
Dell dumps Blackberry contract and goes to Windows Phone 7
Here's some good news for Microsoft, not so good for Research In Motion: Dell is moving to Windows Phone 7 for its 25,000 employees, which means dropping their current contract with RIM. By eliminating the cost of RIM servers, the company expects to cut costs by around 25 percent.
http://www.win7news.net/0JQTJT/101111-Dell-Dumps-Blackberry
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How to: Using the New Windows 7 Features |
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How to enable Telnet in Windows 7
Once upon a time, Telnet was king. It's a protocol that can be used for text- based communications across a network (Internet or local) in a terminal window, most often to provide a command line interface to a remote computer. It's not very secure, but there might still be times when you need to use it, such as accessing older proprietary applications on host machines. But where is it in Windows 7? If you try to use the telnet command at a command prompt, you'll get an error message, and you won't find it in the Start | Programs | Accessories menu. That's because you have to first enable it. The good news is that it's easy to do. Just follow these steps:
- Click Start | Control Panel.
- Click the Programs and Features icon.
- In the left pane, click Turn Windows features on or off.
- In the list of features, scroll down to "Telnet Client" and check the checkbox.
- Click OK and wait while the change is applied.
- Now click Start and type cmd in the Search box to open a command prompt. Type telnet and you should see "Welcome to Microsoft Telnet Client" and a Telnet prompt.
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Windows 7 and Vista Security |
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November Patch Tuesday: No Fixes for Windows 7
The good news in security this week is that there's no news, at least when it comes to November's patches. Microsoft is only releasing three updates this month, with two of them being for Office and one for the Unified Access Gateway (UAG), an enterprise server product. For the first time in a while, no version of Windows or Internet Explorer needs patching. Read more here:
http://www.win7news.net/0JQTJT/101111-Patch-Tuesday
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Question Corner |
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Installed XP to dual boot with Windows 7 and now Win7 won't boot
QUESTION:
I bought a new computer that has Windows 7 installed. I have some programs, though, that need XP, and there are some things that I like better about XP, so I was going to install XP (I have the installation disc) and dual boot both operating systems for a while until I get used to Windows 7 and get newer versions of my applications. But after I installed XP, I can boot into XP but can't boot into Windows 7 anymore. Oops! I remember this problem with installing an older version of Windows to dual boot with XP, but I don't remember the solution. Can you help? - James E.
ANSWER:
It always works better to install a newer Windows OS after the older one(s), but you can still make your dual boot installation work by repairing the master boot record and then manually creating an entry in the BCD for the earlier version of Windows so that you can select it from the boot menu. You can find instructions for doing all this here:
http://www.win7news.net/0JQTJT/101111-Dual-Boot
Also see KB article 919529 at
http://www.win7news.net/0JQTJT/101111-MS-Support-919529
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Windows 7 Configuration and Troubleshooting |
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How to use the Bootrec.exe tool to repair startup problems
If you have problems starting your Windows 7 or Vista computer due to problems with the master boot record, a boot sector or a boot configuration data (BCD) store, you can use the bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot the issue and repair the problem. Find instructions in KB article 927392 at
http://www.win7news.net/0JQTJT/101111-Startup-Problems
Invalid channels are listed in Media Center Guide when using an ATSC tuner
When you set up Windows Media Center in Windows 7, sometimes you may see that some of the channels you saw during the setup process no longer appear in the channel guide after setup is completed, and/or there are invalid channels listed in the Guide. This happens because some channels that don't have signal strength are shown. There is a manual scan you can do for digital TV antenna signal strength that will resolve this problem. Find out how to do it in KB article 974724 at
http://www.win7news.net/0JQTJT/101111-Invalid-Channels
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Fav Links |
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This Week's Links We Like. Tips, Hints And Fun Stuff
Disclaimer: Win7News does not assume and cannot be responsible for any liability related to you clicking any of these linked Web sites.
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Product of the Week |
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Photo Cool Maker - Combine Your Favorite Photos Into Artistic Compilations
A-PDF Photo Cool Maker can combine your favorite photos into an artistic compilation. With Photo Cool Maker, you can quickly and easily make beautiful photo collages complete with resources such as layouts, templates, photo frames, special mask effects, rich clipart and word art. The created collages can be saved, printed, directly sent via E-mail and even saved as wallpapers. What's more, you can also create your own calendars, personalized greeting cards, invitation cards, and posters. Your imagination is the key to creativity with PDF Photo Cool Maker! Included clipart and cartoons add spice to your photos. Download the trial version here.
http://www.win7news.net/0JQTJT/101111-Product-Of-The-Week
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About Win7News |
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