Windows Archive

Review: Microsoft Windows Vista Build 5270

Submitted by Shah Jahan 2006-01-25 Windows 32 Comments

"A while back, when Microsoft announced its decision to no longer release a monthly CTP for Vista, we were a bit worried, since we wanted to follow-up on the latest developments of Microsoft's next-generation operating system (though Microsoft promised to update current versions via critical updates). To Microsoft's credit, it has kept its word and has released an update sooner than we had anticipated, and needless to say, the changes in this release are substantial."

Microsoft Opens Windows for EC Compliance

Submitted by James Ralston 2006-01-25 Windows 8 Comments

Microsoft is to open up the source code behind its server communication protocols, in an attempt to get the European Commission off its back. The announcement covers the source code behind the communication protocols for Windows Workgroup Server and Windows Desktop. Microsoft already offers 12000 pages of technical documents and 500 hours of free technical support to anyone applying for a license. Companies making software which interacts with Microsoft servers use those licences to make their products work properly with Microsoft ones. Such license-holders will now also get to look at the source code, but will not have the right to publish the code or include it in their own products.

Build a Windows Vista System Today

Thom Holwerda 2006-01-23 Windows 39 Comments

"Within the next few weeks, Microsoft will be releasing beta 2 of Windows Vista. The actual ship date of Vista hasn't been announced, but Microsoft's new OS is likely to ship sometime this Fall. Since Windows Vista was announced, some of the bleeding-edge features have been scaled back. For example, WinFS, a file system built using relational database concepts, won't be included in the final release. But it's likely that the Windows Vista's feature list is now stable enough that we can predict what kind of system you'll need to build today to accommodate the new OS."

Submitted by PlatformAgnostic 2006-01-21 Windows 107 Comments

"With little fanfare, Microsoft just announced that the x64 version of Windows Vista will require all kernel-mode code to be digitally signed. This is very different than the current WHQL program, where the user ultimately decides how they want to handle unsigned drivers. Vista driver developers must obtain a Publisher Identity Certificate (PIC) from Microsoft. Microsoft says they won't charge for it, but they require that you have a Class 3 Commercial Software Publisher Certificate from Verisign. This costs $500 per year, and as the name implies, is only available to commercial entities."

Preview: Windows Live

Thom Holwerda 2006-01-21 Windows 13 Comments

The personification of the duality-in-man, Paul Thurrot, takes a look at Windows Live. "In this article, I'll examine the genesis of Windows Live, and take a look at how Microsoft plans to capitalize on the integration of Windows with various Web-based services and products. Then, I'll briefly examine each of the Windows Live services that the company plans to ship this year, saving full reviews of each service for their eventual ship dates."

Submitted by Mystic TaCo 2006-01-20 Windows 25 Comments

Microsoft has changed the code-name for the next version of Windows after Vista from 'Blackcomb' to 'Vienna', according to company evangelist and blogger Robert Scoble. Blackcomb was named back in 2000, when Windows XP was still known as Whistler. But Microsoft says it needed a name that fit the 'Vista' theme.

Submitted by twickline 2006-01-19 Windows 66 Comments

A set of banchmarks has proven that under some conditions, WINE can beat Windows XP SP2 at some tests. To be exact, out of 147 tests, WINE beats Windows XP on 67. The WINE version used was 0.9.5, running on a Gentoo Linux system, with some fairly decent hardware.

Microsoft Releases Key Vista Developer Technologies

Thom Holwerda 2006-01-18 Windows 2 Comments

Microsoft on Wednesday gave developers access to a key piece of Windows Vista, months ahead of the operating system's release. The company posted near-final versions of two software development technologies that are part of WinFX, the underlying programming model being introduced with Vista, which is slated to ship late this year. The release is "a significant checkpoint" on the road toward delivery of the company's new programming model since it allows developers to build and deploy applications on their core production systems, according to Ari Bixhorn, director of Web services strategy at Microsoft.

Learning Monad, the Scripting Language for Windows Vista

Submitted by Anonymous 2006-01-18 Windows 35 Comments

"Monad, also known more formally as the MSH Command Shell, is a next generation Windows command shell. Built on top of the .NET Framework, MSH provides a powerful infrastructure for the automation of a wide range of administrative tasks. At last, the command line is a first-class citizen in the world of Windows system management."

Windows XP Service Pack 3: Not Until 2007

Thom Holwerda 2006-01-17 Windows 20 Comments

The 'preliminary' due date for the next collection of fixes and patches for Microsoft's desktop operating system is as more than a year later than many company watchers were expecting. Microsoft has gone public with a tentative date for its third service pack for Windows XP. And that date - the latter half of 2007 - is considerably later than many company watchers were expecting.

Submitted by glarepate 2006-01-16 Windows 25 Comments

Microsoft has shipped the first critical security update for Windows Vista, the next version of its flagship operating system. Over the weekend, the company released patches for beta testers running the Windows Vista December CTP and Windows Vista Beta 1, and warned that the new operating system was vulnerable to a remote code execution flaw in the Graphics Rendering Engine.

Longhorn Datacenter Server will Have No Virtualization Licensing Costs

Submitted by Alessandro Perilli 2006-01-11 Windows 4 Comments

Today virtualization is expensive for licensing. Microsoft asks people to license every OS installed on virtual machines, even if powered off. But something is changing. Since the release of Windows Server 2003 R2 Microsoft started approaching a per-use licensing model instead of a per-installation model. So that now Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition owners can run up to 4 virtual machines with same OS at no additional costs.

Windows XP and Vista b5270 Side-by-Side

Submitted by Andrew Bragdon 2006-01-10 Windows 28 Comments

BentUser takes a look at the differrences between Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista b5270. The differrences are interesting and help to show what improvements, if any, have been made in the oft-delayed operating system.

Submitted by Resolution 2006-01-10 Windows 46 Comments

Just when you thought the insanity was over, researchers claim that two new WMF exploits (along with proof of concept code) have been identified in the wild. This news comes just days after Microsoft released an 'out of cycle' patch for a newly discovered WMF exploit. The new flaws affect fully patched versions of Windows 2000, Windows XP (SP2 included) and Windows Server 2003.

Submitted by Armeck 2006-01-09 Windows 47 Comments

"Back in 2001 Microsoft's early betas of Windows XP contained a user interface dubbed 'Watercolor'. But only months before the operating system shipped Microsoft completely replaced it with an entirely different look and feel called 'Luna' which became known as 'Windows XP Style'. That move has created speculation that current Windows Vista look and feel, called Aero glass, would be replaced by a different look and feel later in the beta process. However, this week's PowerUser.tv podcast has an interview with Microsoft developers who have confirmed that there will be no major change to the look and feel of Windows Vista from what is being shown in build 5270. In other words, Aero-Glass is it."

Will My Applications Work on Windows Vista?

Thom Holwerda 2006-01-08 Windows 20 Comments

"One of the big concerns of anyone considering moving to Windows Vista is 'How many of my applications will work on Windows Vista?' We have spent a lot of time trying to answer that very question for our company so I will share with you some of the common problem areas we found for applications to help give you an idea of what applications might have problems for you."

Microsoft to Ship all OS Optional Parts with Every Version of Vista

Eugenia Loli 2006-01-08 Windows 102 Comments

Microsoft plans to market several versions of Vista but will distribute all of the OS bits with every product shipped so users can easily unlock and step up to more full-featured versions using electronic keys, sources said.

Microsoft Officially Releases Patch for WMF Flaw

Thom Holwerda 2006-01-05 Windows 45 Comments

Microsoft has officially released the patch that fixes the WMF flaw. The patch can be download individually here, but it is advised to simply use Windows Update. Yesterday, Microsoft said it would not release it until next Tuesday, but two (1 | 2) third party fixes were already available. And to make matters worse, Microsoft accidentally leaked their own patch to the Net yesterday.

DropMyRights: Tighten Security; Again Unofficial WMF Patch

Submitted by zanek 2006-01-05 Windows 3 Comments

"As every network manager knows, you should never run your computer as administrator, especially if it has access to the Internet. Malware often depends on admin rights to disable firewalls, delete registry entries and download or create files. Without those rights, malicious code must find another path to your destruction. That bit of insight led Microsoft Security Engineering's Michael Howard to create DropMyRights for Windows XP and up. Once DMR is added to a web application's shortcut, the app starts with Normal User Rights instead of Admin rights. Users get the freedom of movement they've always enjoyed, with a little extra protection." In related news, there's now another unofficial patch for the WMF flaw.

Gates Shows Off Vista in CES Keynote

Thom Holwerda 2006-01-05 Windows 50 Comments

"After months of touting Vista's geekier side, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates on Wednesday highlighted features designed to convince the average consumer that they need the next version of Windows. During his keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show, Gates showed new photo-editing tools and a revamped media player designed to improve the way that Windows tackles the types of media files that are most used by consumers. Gates also showed the improved remote-control experience that will be part of the Media Center edition of Vista." Be sure to check the video on Windows Vista, it's a lot better than that crappy one I put up a few days ago.