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June 30
Dear Blog Site:
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 4:14 PM
Subject: When Vista's Problem Reports and Solutions is the
problem
Sent to you by Chris
McMillan, Federal Marketing Manager via Google Reader:
Sigh.
Windows Vista has a handy feature called Problem Reports and Solutions that
pops up when the system detects you've had a problem and tries to offer up a
solution (thus the name). Sounds great, right?
The problem (ahem) is, more often than not, the suggested solution is
useless.
For example, I just turned on my PC and got the following four suggested
solutions via a pop-up window:
Download updates for iTunes
Download updates for iTunes
Problem
caused by Flash Player
Solution found
I was so excited until I found out that none of them really solved any
problems.
The first two, obviously, are for the same problem. They both note that "a
newer version of this software is available for download" and provides a link to
Apple.com. Neat. But I always run the latest version of iTunes. And sure enough,
there's no update, and I'm already running the latest version. From a more
pedantic standpoint, the download link goes to the main iTunes download page
which, let's face it, isn't an "update" at all. It's just the regular (full)
download.
Solution number three was the most helpful. The version of the Flash Player
on my system was 9.0.115.0. The version on Adobe's Web site, to which it
directed me, was 9.0.124.0. That said, I don't recall any Flash-related
problems. I'll upgrade, of course. I hope it requires a reboot.
Solution four is the worst one. Navigating to this solution, I was told that
the "problem was caused by a missing driver for Intel Quick Resume Technology,
which was created by Intel Corporation." The solution, of course, is to visit
Windows Update and download the driver. But the application actually links to
the Web-based version of Windows Update, which doesn't even work in Windows
Vista (!!!!) ... How the heck would a normal PC user know to launch
Windows Update manually? Certainly not from the error message on the loaded Web
page, which reads as follows:
Thank you for your interest in obtaining updates from our
site.
To use this site, you must be running Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 or
later.
To upgrade to the latest version of the browser, go to the Internet Explorer
Downloads website.
If you prefer to use a different web browser, you can obtain updates from
the Microsoft Download
Center or you can stay up to date with the latest critical and security
updates by using Automatic Updates. To turn on Automatic Updates:
- Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Security.
- Click Security Center, and then make sure Automatic updating is turned
on.
To enhance the security and performance of your computer, make sure Windows
automatic updating is not turned off.
Wow. That advice is completely bogus ... if you're using Firefox as I am. (It
works if IE is your default browser.)
So... what happens when I run Windows Update, you ask? Nothing, of course.
The updated driver isn't there.
Come on, Microsoft. Seriously.
Things you can do from
here:
Dear Blog Site:
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 2:46 PM
Subject: Hasta La Vista, Windows XP
Sent to you by Chris
McMillan, Federal Marketing Manager via Google Reader:
I just posted this on WinInfo,
but I think it's important enough to discuss here as well:
Hasta La Vista, Windows XP
OK, I'm probably not the first person to think of that headline, but what
the heck. Today, we're mourning the passing--sort of--of an old friend here,
and I think it's OK to be informal given the egregious amount of time he hung
around in the first place. I won't bore you with the specifics of the rest of
XP's life cycle: I spelled that out earlier in Microsoft Will Not Extend XP Lifecycle Again:
Here's What's Really Happening. Instead, I'd like to just take a few
moments to look back on the somewhat inglorious early history of Windows XP,
which should make for an interesting comparison with Vista's first year.
Because for some reason, with XP, a lot of people seem to have the one-sided
memory that often accompanies a passing. It wasn't all ice cream and pie,
people.
First of all, Microsoft has sold several hundred million copies of Windows
XP, and the OS is undoubtedly the best-selling Windows version ever. But it
was that successful only because the product was artificially kept on the
market longer than necessary. If XP had been replaced in 2004, as it should
have been, it would have gone down in history as one of the most forgettable
releases of the product ever. Instead, Microsoft kept XP alive by giving that
2004 release away for free, calling it Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2).
Before that, XP launched with a whimper in October 2001--I noted that the
disappointing "midnight madness" events Microsoft organized were "neither
midnight nor madness" in a Short Takes article from that month, and they took
place after a "boring and long" launch event. Even Microsoft group vice
president Jim Allchin was sanguine about XP during the launch, noting, "It's
only a product." Gateway CEO Ted Waite revealed on stage during the launch
that XP would have no effect on his company's sales at all.
http://tinyurl.com/576tol
Just after the XP launch, Microsoft settled its antitrust case with the US
government. As I wrote at the time, "I think the settlement fails miserably
[at] punishing Microsoft for its illegal activities and preventing it from
continuing such activities in the future." What it did do, of course, was
change the way Microsoft bundles products with its OSes. And you can
thank/blame the rise of Windows Live applications on this change.
http://tinyurl.com/5pyut2
With XP complete, Microsoft turned its attention to XP SP1, unlike with
Vista, where they pretended there wasn't an SP1. And Allchin revealed that the
next Windows version, codenamed Longhorn, would hit beta in 2002 and ship in
2003. That worked out wonderfully, as you may recall. Note that after Vista
shipped, Microsoft refused to discuss the next version of Windows (Windows 7).
Clearly, the company's XP experiences guided this change of strategy.
http://tinyurl.com/5dpx2f
XP was barely out the door before the OS's first major security
vulnerability hit, a serious UPnP flaw that left XP owners open to electronic
attack. Microsoft responded to this threat by asking Web sites to stop
popularizing security breaches in its products. Yes, seriously.
http://tinyurl.com/6aywgr
In December 2001, Allchin said that XP sales were "on track," and the
company was "very happy." However, analysts and retailers were reporting that
XP wasn't selling as quickly as had previous, consumer-oriented Windows 9x
versions. And retail sales of XP were still lagging those of Windows 98 at the
time.
http://tinyurl.com/6bsndb
With 2001 ending, pundits seized the opportunity to jump all over XP in a
manner that would later be repeated with Vista. There are two differences,
however. More people are online now, so Vista looks worse by comparison. And
XP's issues were actually quite serious, unlike those that users faced with
Vista over the past year. I'll take a missing printer driver over systemic OS
flaws any day. Call me crazy.
http://tinyurl.com/6esl5z
By the end of December, panic had set in. XP retail sales plummeted from
400,000 copies in October 2001 to just 250,000 in November 2001. Windows 98,
meanwhile, had sold 580,000 copies in its first month on the market and
350,000 in its second. Microsoft chairman Bill Gates announced at CES 2002 in
January that XP sales were "double" those of the previous version, using
licenses sold by PC makers as the barometer for that statement.
http://tinyurl.com/6gavuv
Speaking of CES, Microsoft also revealed a software project there called
Freestyle. This would go on to become Windows XP Media Center Edition, which
entered the market in late 2002. Microsoft eventually shipped four different
XP Media Center versions over the years, as well as two XP Tablet PC versions.
But as Apple has so frequently reminded us, the Cupertino company shipped
three versions of Mac OS X between XP's release in 2001 and Vista's release in
2006, while Microsoft never upgraded Windows. Curious.
http://tinyurl.com/5ml5x7
By January, XP's security problems were so bad that Bill Gates wrote a memo
called Trustworthy computing, a concept he described as the company's highest
priority. "There are many changes Microsoft needs to make as a company to
ensure and keep our customers' trust at every level - from the way we develop
software, to our support efforts, to our operational and business practices.
As software has become ever more complex, interdependent and interconnected,
our reputation as a company has in turn become more vulnerable. Flaws in a
single Microsoft product, service or policy not only affect the quality of our
platform and services overall, but also our customers' view of us as a
company."
http://tinyurl.com/69m7jt
What Gates was really saying was that Microsoft would begin promoting
security over new features in its products. This switchover was years-long in
the making, and the company eventually halted Windows Vista ("Longhorn")
development for nine months so that it could go back and perform a full
security review of XP.
http://tinyurl.com/5aag7c
And with that, we're just three months into XP's existence. Good times,
good times.
By the way, Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing work eventually resulted in
Windows XP SP2, which was given away free to customers in late 2004. XP SP2
was the first major software product revised during the Trustworthy Computing
era and Vista, released in late 2006, was the first completely new Trustworthy
Computing product. Note that the time delta between XP and XP2 was actually
longer than the delta between XP SP2 and Vista. Just a thought for the next
time you want to talk about product development time.
As for the Vista complaints of today, we might reflect for a moment on our
short memories and remember that Windows XP, in just its first few months on
the market, suffered from more problems that Vista has had in its entire
lifetime so far. As with any major Windows release, Vista came with its share
of compatibility and performance issues when compared to its predecessor
(though those are almost completely resolved by now, of course). That's
nothing new. But as XP heads off into a distant sunset, I prefer to be honest
about that product. Yes, it was the best that Microsoft could do at the time
and a big technical advance over the 9x versions of Windows. But Vista is the
superior product, and that's especially true when you compare both XP and
Vista with regards to the times in which they were respectively released.
Hasta la Vista, Windows XP.
What amazes me is how long this thing would be if I went back to find
problems in XP's first full year. We really do paint a rosy picture of the past
in our minds. I wonder if forgetting the bad times is a key way that people
psychologically deal with life?
Things you can do from
here:
Dear Blog Site:
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 2:46 PM
Subject: Verizon CEO comments on iPhone, Jobs
Sent to you by Chris
McMillan, Federal Marketing Manager via Google Reader:
Predictably (and, in this case, deservedly), some inflammatory
comments made by Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg to the Financial Times have
gotten a lot of iCabal press in the past few days:
Verizon is the second-largest US telecoms company, and the fifth-largest in
the world.
He reserves his most acerbic remarks for Apple, the US technology company,
and Steve Jobs, its chief executive.
Apple is credited with turning the mobile internet into a user-friendly
reality with its much hyped iPhone, and Mr Jobs struck an exclusive network
deal last year with AT&T for the handset.
While describing Apple as a "great company", Mr Seidenberg highlights its
small market share of global handset sales. He scoffs at suggestions that the
iPhone is about to become a mass-market handset because Apple has accepted
mobile operators' pleas to subsidise it.
"There goes the conspiracy again," he says of Apple. "You're declaring them
a winner before they've earned it on the field."
Mr Jobs has no monopoly on innovation, says Mr Seidenberg, whose
bullishness about Verizon Wireless' future rests partly on his assertion that
the mobile phone is "the most disruptive thing in business".
As handsets become banking tools and games controllers, he argues, mobile
operators can up-end other companies' business models. "It's very cool. And
Steve Jobs eventually will get old . . . I like our chances."
Yikes. I've addressed Jobs' ill-looking health on a number of occasions but
resisted the urge after his recent WWDC appearance because all it did was
trigger a bunch of ill-conceived backlash. But let's face it, Jobs isn't looking
good. That said, I'd never be cavalier about anyone's health, and I wish Jobs
nothing but a long and happy life.
In related news, Larry Dignan still appears to be alive
and well.
Things you can do from
here:
Caroline Ragot - Marketing Director
Tel. +34 93 733 70 66 - marketing@codefactory.es The world in your pocket: Preorder Mobile Geo The world in your pocket: Preorder Mobile Geo now and get a 100-dollar discount. Discover Code Factory's powerful, flexible and innovative GPS solution at the North American Summer conventions Terrassa (Barcelona), June 30, 2008 Mobile Geo, the first GPS for the blind and visually impaired for mainstream Windows Mobile Smartphones and PDAS, will be shown at the NFB and ACB conventions. Scheduled for release in late summer, 2008, Mobile Geo will be sold at a price of $895. If you are in the USA or Canada, don't miss the opportunity to get a discount: Preorder before September 1, and get $100 off the retail price. Moreover, you can get your company, school, agency or organization to place a request along with the preorder to evaluate a prerelease demo build in July.
Why is Mobile Geo unique?
• Unlimited Hardware compatibility
Mobile Geo is a software application that can be installed on more than 400 different models of mainstream Windows Mobile devices. Just some of the most popular include the HTC S710, HTC Fusion and HTC Advantage, the Motorola Q and Q9 phones, the HP iPAQ 500 and HW6900 series, the AT&T Tilt and Samsung Blackjack II, the T-Mobile Dash, Wing and Shadow, the PPC-6800 Mogul and Palm Treo 700WX from Sprint, the XV6800 and SMT-5800 from Verizon, as well as dozens of devices from Bell, Telus and Rogers Wireless in Canada. You can buy your smartphone or PDA and Bluetooth-compliant GPS receiver at your local electronics or telephone store and benefit from the latest technologies implemented by leading mobile device manufacturers. If you choose a compatible mobile phone with a built-in GPS receiver, you will have all of what you need in one device and be free to travel anywhere without having to carry many hardware components. Explore your world with what you already carry with you — your phone.
• Powerful and Intuitive
Mobile Geo is simple, convenient and powerful. You can:
- pinpoint your location and, if you wish to be reminded of it in the future, mark it as a point of interest (POI),
- learn about the POIs and intersections in your immediate vicinity while exploring that vicinity virtually on the GPS map,
plan a route between specified points of origin and destination without having to walk the route first in order to record it and then use it next time,
determine the pedestrian or vehicular route between two places, or just get announcements about your current heading and distance to your destination as you approach it, and
get instructions on maneuvers to make as well as information about waypoints along a route that you are following.
• A truly worthwhile investment
Activated by Code Factory’s unique User-Centered Licensing system , the license to use the product can easily be transferred from one device to another anytime and at no extra cost. This allows a Mobile Geo user to upgrade to the latest in mainstream mobile technology whenever he/she likes, rather than when it is made available by a specialized vendor, as well, of course, as allowing the replacement of a broken or stolen device at little or no cost.
• Flexible and practical
Through seamless integration with Code Factory’s leading screen readers for Windows Mobile, you can use Mobile Geo with speech output in different languages and route speech to a Bluetooth headset, or access it through input and output on more than 15 different Braille devices. You can perform commands using just the hardware keys available on the device as well as direct but simplified access to the Pocket PC touch screen, without need for extra hardware to make it usable. Further, you can use your mobile device for reading books, browsing the internet, listening to music, sending and receiving calls and messages, and for personal information management, while Mobile Geo runs in the background and provides information about the route you are following.
Mobile Geo gives you the benefit of an accessible GPS solution and is compatible with mainstream mobile devices. However, everything has been designed, from the very beginning, for the specific needs of blind users and blind pedestrians. Powered by GPS and mapping technology from the award-winning Sendero Group, Mobile Geo benefits from all the know-how of Sendero's acclaimed GPS product line, which powers the GPS solutions on many other devices, including the very popular BrailleNote GPS.
To pre-order Mobile Geo, contact one of the following distributors:
- Sendero Group (USA), +1 530-757-6800
http://www.senderogroup.com,
- Vision Cue (USA), +1 888-318-2582
http://visioncue.com/MobileSpeak.html
at.info@visioncue.com
- HandyTech North America (USA), +1 651-636-5184
http://www.handytech.us,
earle@handytech.us
- A.T. Guys (USA), +1 989-284-7915
http:///www.atguys.com,
support@atguys.com
- Adaptive Technology Consulting (USA), +1 978-462-3817
http://adaptivetech.net/,
gyarnall@adaptivetech.net
- RL & Associates, Inc (USA), + 1 (415)512-1180
http://www.rla.com,
peterc@rla.com
- FBC Solutions Foundation for Blind Children (USA), +1 (602)331-1470 http://www.the-fbc.org,
mnelson@the-fbc.org
- Vision Dynamics (USA), +1 (203) 271-1944
http://visiondynamics.com,
george@visiondynamics.com
- Beyond Sight (USA), +1 303-795-6455
http://beyondsight.com,
support@beyondsight.com
- Aroga (Canada), +1 (604) 431-7997
http://www.aroga.com,
sales@aroga.com
Please note that this promotion is only available to the North American market. Stay tuned for other promotions that we will announce soon for other interested individuals and groups worldwide.
If the company, school, or organization you represent wishes to get a quote for bulk orders, please write to sales@codefactory.es.
To learn more about Mobile Geo:
- Attend a public demonstration at the NFB convention. On Monday, June 30, 2008, from 1:00 to 2:00 and 4:00 to 5:00 pm, in the Travertine Room, Atrium Mezzanine, Larry Lewis, President of Flying-Blind, will be demonstrating, along with representatives from the Sendero Group, Mobile Geo.
- Drop by the booth of Sendero Group at NFB (A71) or ACB (26).
- Visit www.codefactory.es/mobilegeo.
About Sendero Group
http://www.senderogroup.com
Sendero Group – the GPS company – is the Developer of the first accessible GPS and talking map software. GPS products "Powered by Sendero" software provide access to detailed street and business location information. The blind traveler can now be a co-pilot, not just a passive passenger in a car. He or she can keep the taxi driver honest, enjoy hearing about the sites and businesses being passed and know independently when to get off the bus. Students can also chart custom routes across campus or hikers can do the same in the woods.
Sendero staff, most of whom are visually impaired, know from personal and professional experience that orientation and mobility skills and tools for blind folks are key to the enjoyment and success in all walks of life. Sendero is first and foremost "the GPS company" as well as distributing other innovative adaptive technology.
About Code Factory
http://www.codefactory.es
Code Factory is the leading provider of screen readers, screen magnifiers, and Braille interfaces for the widest range of mainstream mobile devices. Our mission is to break down barriers to the accessibility of mobile technology for the blind and visually impaired. Making accessibility means not just simple opportunity but also flexibility and affordability!
Our accessible solutions are used in more than 50 countries and 30 languages. Among Code Factory's customers are well known organizations for the blind such as ONCE, and carriers such as AT&T, Bouygues Telecom, SFR, and Vodafone. We've also built strong partnerships with mainstream companies like HP, Microsoft, and Nokia as well as leading AT companies like Baum, Bookshare.org, HumanWare, Optelec and Sendero. For more information, feel free to contact Code Factory S.L.:
Code Factory, S.L., Rambla d'Egara 148 2-2, 08221 Terrassa (Barcelona)
Tel. +34 93 733 70 66, info@codefactory.es, www.codefactory.es
Code Factory, S.L. - 2008 Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your "Subscriber Preferences Page" at http://www.codefactory.es/en/services.asp. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. You also can send an email to marketing@codefactory.es for any request related to your subscription. .
Dear Blog Site:
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2008 9:14 PM
Subject: Known Outlook Client Issues
Sent to you by Chris
McMillan, Federal Marketing Manager via Google Reader:
The picture above is the first “computer bug” found in 1945.
As a piece of techno-folklore, this was a literal bug!
We have pulled this post because of a potential problem that could
inconvience our customers. We will test for the cases reported and put this back
up as soon as possible.
Thanks for your patience,
Michael Lu
Things you can do from
here:
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: VisionCue e-news
Date: Fri, Jun 27, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Subject: BC640 with FREE Feature Pack Now Available
To: Chris McMillan <> VisionCue to Show New ALVA BC640 with Braille Audio Feature Pack at Key Summer Conventions Braille Audio Feature Pack Available FREE of Charge to Immediate Buyers PORTLAND, Oregon June 27, 2008 VisionCue announced today that it will feature the much anticipated ALVA BC640 and complementary Braille Audio Feature Pack as centerpiece displays at this summer's top national conventions. VisionCue, exclusive BC640 distributor in the U.S., will show Optelec's sixth generation ALVA Braille display at the NFB Convention in Dallas, the ACB Convention in Louisville, and at the AER International Conference in Chicago this summer. The ALVA BC640 is an ultra-slim, wireless 40-cell display that allows access to mainstream technology, including PCs, laptops, and SmartPhones. The BC640 can host popular screenreaders, making the display versatile and customizable to the user and task. The Braille display features a smooth-surface Braille array for pure comfort, ALVA's Smartpad with 5-way navigation key and 4-function keys, Bluetooth, USB port and an optional built-in screenreader for instant PC access. Feature Pack Free for Limited Time In related news, VisionCue will pass on to customers a remarkable offer from Optelec this summer; Optelec's just released Braille Audio Feature Pack for the BC640 will be included with all BC640 units at no cost to the buyer. The Braille Audio Feature Pack adds the capability of Braille input, stereo audio output and integrated note-making functionality. The Braille input keys can be used for Grade 2 text entry in Word and other text applications. The Feature Pack connects to the BC640 and comes with stereo speakers, headset, and microphone. This limited-time offer is available to all new buyers until August 31, 2008. The Braille Audio Feature Pack lists for $700 USD. There is a great deal of momentum building around the BC640. The product is beautifully made with the classic ALVA look and feel and powerful features, said Larry Lake, president of VisionCue. With the Braille Audio Feature Pack now available at no cost to our resellers/customers, all endusers will be able to experience the BC640 at the highest level. BC640 Featured at Top Summer Conferences. VisionCue will demonstrate the ALVA BC640 and Braille Audio Feature Pack at: · The annual National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Convention, June 29 July 5 in Dallas, Texas, · The annual American Council of the Blind (ACB) Convention, July 4 12 in Louisville, Kentucky · The International Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) Conference, July 22 27 in Chicago, Illinois. As an added bonus, Larry Lewis, President and Founder of Flying Blind, LLC will share his expertise and enthusiasm for the ALVA BC640 at Optelec's booth during the NFB conference. Product Pricing and Availability The ALVA BC640 is available in the U.S. for $4,795 USD. The Braille display is priced with the optional Braille Audio Feature Pack at $5,495 USD. Find local resellers throughout the U.S. at www.visioncue.com/resellers.html. About VisionCue VisionCue LLC was founded in 2004 in Portland, Oregon to offer premium-brand assistive technology products for the blind and visually impaired through a network of highly skilled resellers and product specialists. VisionCue is the exclusive distributor of ALVA Braille displays in North America and northwest regional distributor of Optelec video magnification devices. In addition, VisionCue carries a variety of technology products for the blind and visually impaired from Code Factory, Dolphin, LVI, Nuance, and many others. VisionCue also customizes systems and provides service on a wide variety of AT products at its Portland facility. About Optelec Improving the quality of life of visually impaired and dyslexic people, reaching out with simple and effective solutions, Optelec was founded in 1985 and is recognized as the worldwide market leader in providing innovative solutions for the blind, visually impaired, and learning disabled. VisionCue can be reached toll-free at 888-318-ALVA (2582) or at AT.Info@visioncue.com. Optelec can be reached by calling ShopLowVision.com toll free at 800-826-4200 Like always, if you prefer to no longer receive our e-news, please reply and note "stop" in the subject line. --
Sincerely,
Christopher McMillan
Rehabilitation Engineer
http://www.ceektechnology.com
http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
chrismmcmillan@gmail.com
203 404 7275 Work Number
203 286 2156 Fax Number
Chrismcmillan Skype Username
christophermcmillan@hotamil.com MSN Messenger Username June 27 Greetings, The following event has been posted to the GW Micro Upcoming Events page: Name: AHEAD 2008
When: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 to Friday, July 18, 2008
Where: Reno, NV
What: Conference
Who: Mr. Chris Park
Comments: GW Micro at AHEAD 2008 conference!
Visit us at AHEAD in Reno, NV July 16-18 to learn more!
New products and features:
Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 1 offers the latest advancements in screen reading technology, including full Unicode support, new scripting functionality, web browsing enhancements, a new synthesizer, and much more
The Braille Sense Plus -the lightest and latest notetaker with built in 32-cell Braille display.Also, you can find out what it and the Voice Sense (the smallest notetaker available) can do for you, including the new GW Sense Navigation powered by Sendero
Sense View Duo portable Video magnifier- next generation handheld CCTV with long distance view feature!
Conference location:
The Grand Sierra Resort
2500 East Second Street
Reno, NV 89595
Tel: 775-789-2000
Dates and hours of exhibits:
Wednesday, July 16, 5:00 pm -7:00 pm Exhibit Hall Grand Opening
Thursday, July 17, 9:00 am -4:15 pm
Friday, July 18, 9:00 am -12:15 pm
Booth Number 21
Best Regards,
Chris Park
GW Micro Inc
725 Airport North Office Park
Fort Wayne, IN 46825
Voice: 260-489-3671 ext.204
FAX: 260-489-2608
Email: chris@gwmicro.com
Web Site: www.gwmicro.com The gw-news list is an announce only list used for GW Micro news and product information.
Greetings, The following event has been posted to the GW Micro Upcoming Events page: Name: Update: Window Eyes and GW Sense Notetaker training at ACB convention
When: Saturday, July 05, 2008
Where: Louisville, KY
What: Training
Who: Chris, Raul
Comments: Haven't signed up for GW Micro training yet at the ACB 2008 annual convention? Sign up today, and you might win a door prize at each training session.
Please note that the Sense notetaker training has changed from 1:00 to 4:00 to 2:00 to 5:00. Please contact Chris Park at chris@gwmicro.com for any questions.
GW Micro is always striving to give our customers more for their money, and at the 2008 ACB Convention we've done it again.
If you are interested in learning more about Window-Eyes, the Braille Sense Plus and Voice Sense, then our two mini-training sessions are for you!
Conference Location:
Galt House Hotel and Suites
140 North Fourth St. Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: 800-The-Galt or 502-589-5200
Training Schedule:
Window Eyes Training: Saturday, July 5, 9:00 AM -12:00 PM
Explore the power of Window-Eyes using Office 2007 and Windows Vista. Learn about the advanced way Window-Eyes 7.0 implements scripts and how they can work for you.
GW Micro Sense Notetaker Training: Saturday, July 5, 2:00 PM -5:00 PM
Learn about the lightest and latest notetaker with a 32-cell Braille display: the Braille Sense Plus! Find out what it and the Voice Sense (the smallest notetaker available) can do for you, including the new GW Sense Navigation powered by Sendero.
Registration and fee:
The charge for each session is $10.00 per person and refreshments will be provided.
You need to register at the ACB registration desk for either or both sessions.
For on-line registration please click this link https://www.acb.org/convention/register2008-1.html
If you have any question regarding registration please call ACB at 1-800-424-8666
Best Regards,
Chris Park
GW Micro Inc
725 Airport North Office Park
Fort Wayne, IN 46825
Voice: 260-489-3671 ext.204
FAX: 260-489-2608
Email: chris@gwmicro.com
Web Site: www.gwmicro.com The gw-news list is an announce only list used for GW Micro news and product information.
June 25
Dear Blog Site:
Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 4:21 PM
Subject: Directly connect to your corpnet with IPsec and
IPv6
Sent to you by Chris
McMillan, Federal Marketing Manager via Google Reader:
Contrary to popular belief, the rumors of my demise have been greatly
exaggerated. Well, ok, no actual rumors, but hey, one can dream, huh?
My spring calendar was full of events in Asia and Australia, then TechEd US
seemed to suddenly appear out of nowhere! So I've been kinda swamped. I've
missed writing here; it's good to get back into the swing.
At TechEd this year, I gave a presentation called "21st century
networking: time to throw away your medieval gateways." (Actually, I've
given this same talk before, at events in Amsterdam, Brussels, Oslo, and
numerous on-campus customer meetings. It's time to bring the knowledge to the
masses.)
I described an idea of using IPv6, IPsec, NAP, and group policy to build a
pretty slick replacement for clunky VPN gateways. Turns out we've been piloting
this very idea on our internal corpnet. Like a good little bunny I got myself
enrolled in the thing and -- pardon the unattractive gushing -- this thing
rawks! Here's a brief rundown of the parts you'd configure on
managed clients:
- Windows Vista Business (with Software Assurance), Enterprise, or Ultimate
editions
- That are domain-joined
- Users run as non-admin
- Group
policy applies numerous settings
- UAC
is enabled
- BitLocker
is configured to protect confidential information stored offline
- The Windows
Firewall is enabled
- NAP
is used for checking health
- Forefront
Client Security for keeping malware off the box
- Smart
cards for strong authentication of users
- IPsec is
required for connection authentication and traffic encryption
- IPv6 is
required for worldwide Internet connectivity
- A DNS suffix search list represents the data center name space
- Static IPv6 DNS servers provide name resolution for hosts in the data
center
What does this give you? True anywhere
access, anywhere
in the world, directly to corpnet resources from managed and secure client
PCs. The Internet has replaced private WAN links for good reason: enormous cost
benefits. The only thing holding us back from fully utilizing this development
has been a lack of way to enforce and monitor the security of clients not
physically located within the corpnet. Well, those days are over. Now you can
build PCs that are trusted just as if they were on the corpnet, without knowing
or caring anything about the underlying network connections. And let me tell
you, it's as addictive as a few other substances I could mention, but will
refrain, since this is (I hope) a family blog :)
Maybe you've heard of the notion of "deperimeterization."
Taken to its extreme, I think it's a bit silly. To put a SQL Server directly on
the Internet is just plain stupid -- not because I don't think I could keep it
protected, but simply because that's unnecessary risk. Only my web server -- and
no one else -- should be talking to my SQL Server. But that web server will be
in the same subnet as the SQL Server, and IPsec policies used also here will
govern who can connect to the SQL Server. Warning to any and all network
DMZs: your days are numbered!
Shrink your perimeter to that which really matters -- your data center.
All your clients live (as we would say in the olden days) "on the
outside of the firewall." Now then, there are two kinds of clients. Managed
clients, as I described above, establish IPsec-authenticated/encrypted,
group-policy-configured, NAP-enforced IPv6 connections directly to corpnet
resources without going through any kind of access gateway. The router
connecting you to your ISP is fully sufficient for blocking denial of service
attempts. Be sure to follow my advice in "Configure
your router to block DOS attempts," and then add two more rules to permit
incoming port udp/500 and IP protocol 50 over IPv6. That's it. No NATing or
other unnatural network acts are required (finally, you can stop lying to your
significant other about why you squirrel yourself away in the computer room all
those weekend nights).
Unmanaged clients will continue to use IPv4 to access published Web and Win32
applications through a gateway like IAG.
Since you can't trust these clients nor can you trust the data they're throwing
at you, you have to inspect and validate at the perimeter. You can take
advantage of IAG's application-modifying
capabilities to "wrap" security around poorly-written web apps; you can even
download an ActiveX control to unmanaged clients to perform some basic health
checking, policy enforcement, and cache clearing. None of these eliminates the
final requirement to continue inspecting and removing malware from servers where
users store data: Exchange,
SharePoint,
Office
Communications Server, and file
servers.
Machines are mobile, data is mobile. The mainframes and
large desktop PCs of the past posses an effective security attribute: the
heaviness of the machines. You couldn't easily saunter out the front door with a
PC-AT in your pocket! These days, we all line our pockets with tiny little
mobile phones stuffed with 16GB of storage. It's now a fact: data moves. And
like water, data moves wherever it can, as rapidly as it can, often beyond your
control if you don't prepare for that. With properly-configured and managed
clients we can enjoy a single access and authentication experience no matter
where the computer is physically located. For example: I can sit in my house and
enter '"http://internal-web-site-name" in my browser. The DNS suffix search list
adds the appropriate suffix, my browser's resolver performs an IPv6 name lookup,
and my computer makes an authenticated and encrypted connection, after it meets
the NAP policy, directly to that internal server. Very nice. As far as I'm
concerned, there's no difference between the Internet and my corpnet. It's all
just there.
For a while now many of you know I've been speaking and writing, mostly at
the conceptual level, about the day when such a way of remote computing will
arise. Well, my friends, that day is now. You can indeed build it now, with the
products you have. I won't admit it's all peaches and cream: there's a fair
number of moving parts here, it's true. But most of these moving parts are parts
you're already familiar with: I'm simply encouraging you to move them in a
specific way. You'll need to do some custom scripting for client-side connection
diagnostics, but that's about it.
My next step is to create a more detailed guide, which I plan to publish
through TechNet Magazine. I'm targeting (but not promising) the October issue.
The article will include greater details about configuring your infrastructure
to support the managed clients I describe.
I've lost track of the swelling number of individual conference attendees and
the plethora of email writers who've expressed a desire to build this in their
own environments. The one common thread from everyone is "I want to do it now!"
Folks, it's really pretty exciting for me to see so many of you ready to cross
the chasm from the perdition of paleo-networking (layer upon endless, complex
layer of DMZs) into the paradise of flat, simple, cheap, and secure access to
information. If you haven't yet, please take the time to read through some of
our information (especially Scott Charney's paper) on end-to-end
trust. Friends, the idea I describe above is the plumbing for realizing the
end-to-end trust vision.
Things you can do from
here:
Dear Blog Site:
Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 1:38 PM
Subject: Windows Roadmap Updated
Sent to you by Chris
McMillan, Federal Marketing Manager via Google Reader:
Bill Veghte, Senior Vice President at Microsoft, explores the plans for
Windows XP, progress with Windows
Vista, and the view toward Windows 7 in an open letter to Windows
customers.
Security and other critical updates continue for Windows XP through
2014. Although the “end of sales” date is June 30, Veghte explains how
customers can purchase Windows XP and under what circumstances. That said,
there are several compelling reasons for Windows Vista, including security and
compatibility.
PCs running Windows Vista were 60 percent less likely to be infected by
malware than those running Windows XP Service Pack 2. Windows Vista
supports about 77,000 components and devices, which is more than twice as many
as we supported at launch. In addition, quality and performance
improvements have been incorporated into Windows Vista with Service Pack 1.
He explains that next version, Windows 7, is built on same core architecture
as Windows Vista. “Our goal is to ensure the migration process from
Windows Vista to Windows 7 is straightforward,” Veghte writes. Windows 7
should launch around January 2010.
To read the entire letter, see An Update on the Windows
Roadmap. For more information about Windows Vista, see Get
the Facts about Windows Vista. For more information about Windows XP
availability and support, see Facts
About the Future: Windows XP.
For more a summary of the business reasons, see our blog posting Windows
Vista Facts Speak to Many Advantages.
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here:
Dear Blog Site:
Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 1:42 PM
Subject: Preparation to support Internet Explorer
8
Sent to you by Chris
McMillan, Federal Marketing Manager via Google Reader:
Things you can do from
here:
Dear Blog Site
Sincerely,
Christopher McMillan, CIO
CEEK Technology
Blog: http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
Web Site: http://www.ceektechnology.com
WM: chrismcmillan@ceektech.com or christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
E-mail: chrismcmillan@ceektech.com or christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:18:06 -0700
Subject: Microsoft Security Advisory – Rise in SQL Injection Attacks
From: chrismmcmillan@gmail.com
To: christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
Sent to you by Chris McMillan, Federal Marketing Manager via Google Reader:
What is the purpose of this alert?
This alert is to notify you that Microsoft has released Security Advisory 954462 – Rise in SQL Injection Attacks Exploiting Unverified User Data Input - on 24 June 2008.
Summary
Microsoft is aware of a recent escalation in a class of attacks targeting Web sites that use Microsoft ASP and ASP.NET technologies but do not follow best practices for secure Web application development. These SQL injection attacks do not exploit a specific software vulnerability, but instead target Web sites that do not follow secure coding practices for accessing and manipulating data stored in a relational database. When a SQL injection attack succeeds, an attacker can compromise data stored in these databases and possibly execute remote code. Clients browsing to a compromised server could be forwarded unknowingly to malicious sites that may install malware on the client machine.
The purpose of Security Advisory 954462 is to assist Web site administrators in identifying possible issues with their Web application code being susceptible to possible SQL injection attacks and to provide a stopgap solution to mitigate SQL injection attacks against the server while the applications are being fixed.
Recommendations
Review Microsoft Security Advisory 954462 for an overview of the issue, details on affected components, mitigating factors, suggested actions, frequently asked questions (FAQ) and links to additional resources.
Additional Resources
· Microsoft Security Advisory 954462 – Rise in SQL Injection Attacks Exploiting Unverified User Data Input - http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/954462.mspx
· MSRC Blog: http://blogs.technet.com/msrc
· Links to other documentation on SQL Injection and coding best practices
SQL Server Injection Protection
Preventing SQL Injections in ASP
Coding Techniques for protecting against SQL Injection
Filtering SQL Injection from Classic ASP
How To: Protect from SQL Injection in ASP .NET
Security Vulnerability Research & Defense Blog on SQL Injection Attack
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Dear Blog Site
Sincerely,
Christopher McMillan, CIO
CEEK Technology
Blog: http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
Web Site: http://www.ceektechnology.com
WM: chrismcmillan@ceektech.com or christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
E-mail: chrismcmillan@ceektech.com or christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:18:55 -0700
Subject: Reliability and Performance Update per Windows Vista SP1
From: chrismmcmillan@gmail.com
To: christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
Sent to you by Chris McMillan, Federal Marketing Manager via Google Reader:
Volevo informarvi che questa notte è stato rilasciato un nuovo update per Windows Vista SP1 (KB 952709), che migliora le prestazioni e la stabilità di Windows Vista in questi scenari: Interazione tra client di mail POP3 e software antivirus e antispyware; Cancellazione utenti tramite Pannello di Controllo; Mancato avvio di alcune applicazioni (ad esempio Excel) quando il computer è rimasto acceso per lungo tempo; Instabilità del sistema quando vengono generate le preview dei file Quick Time in Windows...( read more) 
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Dear Blog Site
Sincerely,
Christopher McMillan, CIO
CEEK Technology
Blog: http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
Web Site: http://www.ceektechnology.com
WM: chrismcmillan@ceektech.com or christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
E-mail: chrismcmillan@ceektech.com or christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:14:05 -0700
Subject: Microsoft VP confirms Windows 7 ship date: January 2010
From: chrismmcmillan@gmail.com
To: christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
Sent to you by Chris McMillan, Federal Marketing Manager via Google Reader:
Seriously. Why is this even a topic of discussion at this point? Microsoft has said repeatedly that Windows 7 will ship about three years after the general availability of Windows Vista, putting the release roughly at January 2010. Apparently, they're saying it yet again:
Microsoft will ship Windows 7 sometime in or near Jan. 2010, according to a letter company senior vice president Bill Veghte sent to Microsoft customers Tuesday.
The letter, sent to enterprise and business customers, will eventually be publicly posted on Microsoft's Web site.
In the letter sent to "Windows Customers" and titled "An Update on the Windows Roadmap," Veghte said "our plan is to deliver Windows 7 approximately three years after the January 2007 general availability launch date of Windows Vista."
Veghte wrote, "You have told us you want a more regular, predictable Windows release schedule" and he said that was the impetus for setting the 2010 ship date.
"You've also let us know you don't want to face the kinds of incompatibility challenges with the next version of Windows you might have experienced early with Windows Vista. As a result, our approach with Windows 7 is to build off the same core architecture as Windows Vista so the investments you and our partners have made in Windows Vista will continue to pay off with Windows 7. Our goal is to ensure the migration process from Windows Vista to Windows 7 is straightforward."
Things you can do from here:
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Dear Blog Site
Sincerely,
Christopher McMillan, CIO
CEEK Technology
Blog: http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
Web Site: http://www.ceektechnology.com
WM: chrismcmillan@ceektech.com or christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
E-mail: chrismcmillan@ceektech.com or christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:14:38 -0700
Subject: IE8 and Trustworthy Browsing
From: chrismmcmillan@gmail.com
To: christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
Sent to you by Chris McMillan, Federal Marketing Manager via Google Reader:
via IEBlog by ieblog on 6/24/08
This blog post frames our approach in IE8 for delivering trustworthy browsing. The topic is complicated enough that some context and even history (before we go into any particular feature) is important, and so some readers may find this post a bit basic as it’s written for a wide audience. In previous posts here, we’ve written about IE8 for developers: the work in standards support, developer tools, script performance, and more. In future posts, we’ll write about IE8 for end-users (beyond the benefits of improved performance, activities, and Web Slices). This post starts a series about trustworthy browsing, a topic important for developers and end-users and everyone on the web. By setting the context and motivation with this post, the next posts that dive into the details of IE8 will build on this foundation.
Trustworthy refers to one of our overall goals: provide the most secure and most reliable browser that respects user choice and keeps users in control of their machine and their information. For reference, Microsoft’s framework for Trustworthy Computing in general spans four areas: security, privacy, reliability, and business practices.
Security is often where the trust discussion begins. Narrowly, security in this context means “as the user browses the web, the only code that runs on the user’s machine is code that the user allows to run". For example, when the user visits “www.somebadsite.com” the site should not be able to just run “virus.exe” and infect the user’s machine with malware. IE7 made a lot of progress on security, starting with Protected Mode and developing IE to be “secure by design, secure by default” as part of the following SDL requirements. IE7 was the first browser to support Extended Validation certificates to help protect users from deceptive websites, as well as delivering anti-phishing protection, International Domain Name support with protection from deceptive websites, a richer SSL experience and support for stronger SSL cipher algorithms, ActiveX opt-in, and great integration with Parental Controls in Windows Vista. We have done even more security work in IE8 to address the evolving threat environment.
Privacy is a complex topic that more often than not puts one party in conflict with another. If security boils down to “the user is in control of what code runs on the machine,” then privacy boils down to “the user is in control of what information the browser makes available to websites". Many people immediately think of “cookies” at this point because so much discussion and early work around privacy focused on the specific implementation of cookies. Cookies and cookie protection are definitely one aspect of the online privacy discussion. IE6 included innovative work implementing the P3P web standard (from the W3C), and both IE6 and IE7 use it to block cookies from websites that don’t have a privacy policy that complies with the user’s settings. It’s a great example of a privacy protection in use today on the web. In IE7, deleting cookies as well as other information that shows where the user has been on the web is much easier. That said, there’s more to online privacy than cookies, as cookies are only one implementation of content that can disclose information to websites. In some discussions, people have also described IE7’s Phishing Filter as a privacy feature because it helps protect users from sharing information. The larger challenge here is notifying users clearly about what sites they’re disclosing information to and enabling them to control that disclosure if they choose. As we talk more about privacy, we will broaden the discussion to include additional protections from sharing information that the browser can offer users.
Reliability is relatively simple: the browser should always start, find the Internet, and show web sites without crashing. We define reliability to mean “as the user browses the web, the browser performs well and does not terminate unexpectedly". End-users really don’t care about the cause of instability in the system – malformed web pages (see the old Slashdot article that this post refers to, for example) or third-party extensions (like toolbars; see this post about IE7’s “No Add-ons” functionality) – they just want the browser to work. In addition, when something does go wrong, an important part of reliability is how gracefully the browser recovers from the unexpected. Another aspect of reliability is that sites continue to render correctly. We’ll post more here about the work we’ve done to make IE8 more robust, as well as more interoperable and compatible at the same time.
Business practices guide decisions we make in designing and distributing our products. The key principle here is respecting user choice. For example, when a user installs a new version of IE, IE respects the user’s choice of default search engine. In IE, the user can add or remove different search providers using OpenSearch, a public and open standard that some other browsers have chosen to support as well. IE respects the user’s choice of system defaults (Windows Vista’s “Default Programs” functionality, as well as Windows XP’s Set Program Access Defaults). Explicitly asking the user before installing a new version of IE is key to respecting the user’s browser choice.
Ultimately, trustworthy browsing is about enabling users to be in control and respecting the choices users make. Specifically, it’s about enabling users to be in control of their machine, of their browser, of their settings, of their experience, of what data they share with whom when. Each part of trustworthy browsing involves an industry-wide challenge. For example, security is an industry challenge; every browser on the web faces attacks.
While all these statements may sound inherently obvious to some readers, these topics are so important that we thought it would be good to talk in general about how we think about them overall. Over the coming weeks this blog series will talk about how we’re making progress against these challenges, to set the stage for the release of IE8 Beta 2 in August.
Thanks,
Dean Hachamovitch General Manager Internet Explorer
Edit: removed hyperlink 
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June 24
Dear Blog Site
Sincerely,
Christopher McMillan, CIO
CEEK Technology
Blog: http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
Web Site: http://www.ceektechnology.com
WM: chrismcmillan@ceektech.com or christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
E-mail: chrismcmillan@ceektech.com or christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:18:03 -0700
Subject: The end of Windows XP, an update on Windows Vista, and Windows 7 you say?
From: chrismmcmillan@gmail.com
To: christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
Sent to you by Chris McMillan, Federal Marketing Manager via Google Reader:
Yesterday, Bill Veghte, Microsoft Senior Vice President, published an open letter to all business customers around the world regarding Windows Vista, the continued support and availability of Windows XP and the future roadmap on Windows 7. I am sharing this here to ensure you see it, as well as some informational links and some other suggestions at the end.
=======================================================
Today, more than 1 billion personal computers around the world run Windows. Over the years, Windows has been the catalyst for innovations that have transformed the way people communicate, access information, create and share content, and much more, at work and at home. Windows is the platform that most people use to get the greatest value and benefit from their personal computers. Windows is also the platform that brings together the broadest array of choices across PCs, devices and applications. To all of our Windows customers, thank you! To the hundreds of thousands of partners that develop millions of solutions for Windows, thank you.
Your experience and satisfaction are Microsoft’s top priorities. I wanted to take this opportunity to share some thoughts about Windows and to answer some questions you may have about Windows XP and Windows Vista.
There are three things I want to give you an update on:
- Our plans for Windows XP
- Our progress with Windows Vista
- Our view on Windows 7
The Future of Windows XP
With the June 30, 2008, “end of sales“ date for Windows XP approaching, many people have asked me if they will still be able to get support for Windows XP. The answer is an emphatic “yes, you will continue to be supported.” We recently released Service Pack 3 for Windows XP and we will continue to provide security updates and other critical updates for Windows XP until April, 2014. Our ongoing support for Windows XP is the result of our recognition that people keep their Windows-based PCs for many years and a reflection of our commitment to provide the highest level of support for all our customers.
The other question people ask is whether they will be able to buy PCs with Windows XP after June 30. The answer again is “yes.” It’s true that we will stop selling Windows XP as a retail packaged product and stop licensing it directly to major PC manufacturers. But customers who still need Windows XP will be able to get it. For example:
- For businesses small to large, buying Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate provides the option to use Windows XP Professional through a customer benefit known as “downgrade rights.” Downgrade rights are also available to all business customers that license Windows, such as Windows Vista Enterprise, through our Microsoft Volume Licensing programs. In addition, some of our OEM partners are planning to offer services designed to help business customers that buy these versions of Windows Vista on new PCs to exercise their downgrade rights. This is a great value because it lets you use Windows XP on new PCs today if you need it and then make the move to take advantage of the additional capabilities of Windows Vista when you are ready, without having to pay for an upgrade.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to get Windows XP Professional through downgrade rights, contact your favorite PC maker.
- As our next generation PC platform, Windows Vista has many advantages that make it the best choice for people who are buying a new Windows-based PC to use at home or in a small business. However, some small business customers may have applications that aren’t compatible with Windows Vista. In most cases, your software vendor should have an updated version of these applications. In the case that you still need Windows XP Professional as noted above, you can purchase Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate on a new PC and then use downgrade rights until you are ready to upgrade to Windows Vista. When you are ready, you are “future proofed” since you already have a license for Windows Vista.
- For customers interested in buying a low-end personal computer (often referred to as a “NetBook” or “NetTop”), we are making Windows XP Home and Windows XP Starter available for use on these budget systems. Additionally, System Builders (sometimes referred to as “local OEMs”), may continue to purchase Windows XP through Authorized Distributors through January 31, 2009. All OEMs, including major OEMs, have this option.
Important Progress with Windows Vista
Windows Vista was a very ambitious release. It contains significant advances in many areas, ranging from enhanced security and lower total cost of ownership to support for the next generation of hardware, to better audio and video experiences, to improvements that make it much easier to find all kinds of information, content, and data on your PC and on the Web.
When we began designing Windows Vista, we started with feedback from customers indicating that we needed to improve the security of Windows. To respond, we made significant changes in Windows Vista to improve the security and resiliency of the system. The good news is that these changes have resulted in significant security improvements for customers who are using Windows Vista. During 2007, Windows Vista had half the number of critical vulnerabilities as Windows XP Service Pack 2 did during the same time period. PCs running Windows Vista were 60 percent less likely to be infected by malware than those running Windows XP Service Pack 2. The phishing filter in Internet Explorer 7—which is included with Windows Vista—stops about 1 million phishing attempts every week.
Our Focus on Compatibility
The architectural changes that improved security and resilience in Windows Vista led to compatibility issues with existing hardware and applications. Many hardware drivers and applications needed to be updated, and while the majority worked well when we launched Windows Vista, some key applications and drivers were not yet available. Since then, Microsoft and its industry partners have been hard at work to address compatibility issues and now the situation is fundamentally different. Today Windows Vista supports about 77,000 components and devices, which is more than twice as many as we supported at launch. As a result, most devices work on most systems, and in most cases where the latest driver is not available on Windows Update, we are able to provide a link to the device vendor’s Web site where the latest driver can be found.
Today, 98 of the top 100 applications for Windows sold at retail in US in the last year in the categories of Finance, Business, System Utilities, Imaging/Graphics, Personal Productivity, and Education, are compatible with Windows Vista. But what about gaming? We are happy to report we now have Application Compatibility Updates for more than 125 popular PC games to enable them to work on Windows Vista. These updates are installed automatically using Windows Update.
Free downloads like Adobe Reader and iTunes have versions that are optimized for Windows Vista. With the exception of devices that are very old, the vast majority of compatibility and driver issues have been addressed and customers are seeing a much improved user experience.
Quality and performance improvements to Windows Vista with Service Pack 1
One of the key investments we made in Windows Vista was to create a comprehensive “telemetry system” that lets us gather anonymous information about how real customers are using Windows Vista, and what their experiences are with real applications and devices running on real systems. This has helped us prioritize the work of our development teams and of our hardware and software partners to make sure we have support for devices and applications. It also guided our work in Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1).
Windows Vista SP1 didn’t introduce a lot of new features but it was a very important milestone because it enabled us to incorporate telemetry data to improve Windows Vista performance, compatibility, and reliability. There are hundreds of small improvements that combine to deliver a significantly better overall experience. For example, Windows Vista SP1 copies files up to 50 percent more quickly, improves the time it takes to decompress contents of a large folder by as much as 71 percent, and provides diagnostic system enhancements that make Windows Vista easier for IT organizations to support.
Partnering to deliver great Windows Vista-based PCs
The telemetry data we collect has also helped our partners that make Windows-based PCs to identify, diagnose and fix the top issues that affect the customer experience.
For example, by identifying third party software that causes performance issues, we helped our partners shorten the amount of time it takes to startup and shutdown Windows Vista. One major OEM we worked with reduced system boot times by almost half, and system resume time from 15 seconds to 2 seconds. By improving driver quality, we also helped OEM partners extend battery life by an average of 10 percent, and in one case we were able to gain 30 minutes additional battery life with a single driver change.
Many of these improvements are the result of basic steps like using the latest drivers and making sure that the right software is installed on the system.
The Bottom Line
Windows Vista is a very significant step forward, but our customers have made it clear to us that they want broader support for devices and applications in order to enjoy the overall experience. During the last year, we have worked diligently with our hardware and software partners to improve compatibility to remove the barriers that prevent users from taking advantage of the important advancements Windows Vista delivers. It has been a year of exciting and critical progress.
Beyond Windows Vista
Some of you may have heard about “Windows 7”, which is the working name for the next release of Microsoft Windows. We have learned a great deal through the feedback you have shared with us about Windows Vista and that feedback is playing an important role in our work on Windows 7. You have told us you want a more regular, predictable Windows release schedule. To this end, our plan is to deliver Windows 7 approximately 3 years after the January 2007 general availability launch date of Windows Vista.
You’ve also let us know you don’t want to face the kinds of incompatibility challenges with the next version of Windows you might have experienced early with Windows Vista. As a result, our approach with Windows 7 is to build off the same core architecture as Windows Vista so the investments you and our partners have made in Windows Vista will continue to pay off with Windows 7. Our goal is to ensure the migration process from Windows Vista to Windows 7 is straightforward.
So What Should You Do?
The other question I often get when I have a conversation about Windows with customers is “what should I do now?” The answer depends a little bit on who you are:
1. For customers using Windows in enterprises: Windows Vista offers significant advances in security and productivity and we recommend that enterprises that have not yet deployed it should absolutely evaluate its benefits. If you looked at Windows Vista previously and had concerns, the combination of Service Pack 1 and improvements made by our partners probably fixed many of the issues you were worried about and we encourage you to take a second look. We designed our management tools to support a mixed environment of Windows XP and Windows Vista, so a strategy that puts Windows Vista on newer PCs that have the hardware capability for Windows Vista, while leaving Windows XP on older systems may be best. Since many of you are using Windows XP, rest assured we will continue to support Windows XP and that you can deploy new PCs with Windows XP if you choose. You should also deploy Windows XP Service Pack 3 and Internet Explorer 7 for an improved, more secure experience.
2. For customers using Windows at home or in a small business: A new PC with Windows Vista will provide the best experience, deliver the best results from today’s hardware, and work well with the vast majority of hardware and software solutions available today. So there is no reason not to choose the best version of Windows, which is Windows Vista. If you use an application that isn’t available for Windows Vista or if you just aren’t ready to upgrade, you should get a new PC with Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate, and then take advantage of downgrade rights to use Windows XP Professional for as long as is necessary. If you have existing PCs running Windows XP, then you can use Windows XP for as long as you need. If you do stay on Windows XP, we recommend you install Service Pack 3 and Internet Explorer 7.
For more information about Windows Vista, I encourage you to visit:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/whynow.mspx
Additionally, I hope this clarifies questions and issues you may have about Windows XP availability and support. For more detailed information, please visit:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsxp/future.mspx
I want to thank you for your continued business and partnership. We value your feedback and want to continue to be a long-term partner with you. We stand behind our products and will continue to focus on providing excellent support so that your experience with Windows is optimized for you.
Regards,
Bill Veghte
Senior Vice President
Microsoft Corporation
=========================================
I will also add one more item to the "What should you do list," above. For your clients evaluating their Desktop Operating systems right now, remember that within 90 days of acquiring an OEM Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate license, they can add Software Assurance to it which then gets them 3 years of Software Assurance benefits (including BitLocker, Multi-language interface, 4 Virtual Desktop Operating System licenses, Upgrade protection, etc.) for the full 3 year term of their Open Value or Open Value Subscription agreement. For those interested in "Windows 7," doing the math on three years of upgrade protection from now compared to Bill's statements above on "Windows 7" availability... And remember, if you are adding Software Assurance, you should always be doing so through Open Value or Open Value Subscription, not through Open License. Plus, at 10¢* per day to get your Windows Vista Enterprise Upgrade and Software Assurance, it may be something to heavily consider. Just some food for thought... If you are interested, here are the Microsoft Windows Vista Business Upgrade Open Value Subscription Part #s and Prices.
Thank you and have a wonderful day,
Eric Ligman
Microsoft US Senior Manager
Small Business Community Engagement
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
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Dear Blog SIte
Sincerely,
Christopher McMillan, CIO
CEEK Technology
Blog: http://ceektechnology.spaces.live.com
Web Site: http://www.ceektechnology.com
WM: chrismcmillan@ceektech.com or christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
E-mail: chrismcmillan@ceektech.com or christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:19:55 -0700
Subject: Task Scheduler Changes in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 – Part One
From: chrismmcmillan@gmail.com
To: christophermcmillan@hotmail.com
Sent to you by Chris McMillan, Federal Marketing Manager via Google Reader:
 Today we are looking at a couple of new changes/additions to the Task Scheduler service in Windows Vista and Server 2008. As an overview, the Task Scheduler service provides controlled, unattended management of task execution, launched either on a schedule or in response to events or system state changes. If you have worked with Task Scheduler in the past, then the updates/changes are fairly significant. So, with that said, let’s dive right in … starting with the User Interface:
As you see above, Task Scheduler has now been integrated into the MMC as a new snap-in. Say goodbye to the stand alone Scheduled Tasks window via Control Panel, and hello to your one stop shopping location for everything related to the Task Scheduler. Within this window, you are presented with the Task Status and Active Tasks' section. These sections allow you to quickly view the status of your tasks and which ones are currently active. There are quite a few changes, so to keep our post brief, we’re only going to cover Triggers and Conditions and Settings in this post – beginning with Triggers:
The ability to trigger a task based on any event captured in the event log is one of the most powerful new features of the Windows Vista / Server 2008 Task Scheduler. This new capability allows administrators to send an e-mail or launch a program automatically when a given event occurs. And it can be used to automatically notify a support professional when a critical event—for example, a potential hard drive failure—occurs on a client machine. It also enables more complex scenarios, such as chasing down an intermittent problem that tends to manifest overnight. Task Scheduler can be configured to notify an administrator by e-mail that a problem has occurred. An administrator can also use Task Scheduler to automatically launch a program to collect more data when the error occurs.
Setting up tasks to launch when events occur is easy with the new Task Scheduler Wizard in Windows Vista / Server 2008. An administrator can simply select the task in the Event Viewer to be used as a trigger and, with one click, launch the Task Scheduler Wizard to set up the task. The seamless integration between the Task Scheduler user interface and the Event Viewer allows an event-triggered task to be created with just five clicks. In addition to events, the Task Scheduler in Windows Vista / Server 2008 supports a number of other new types of triggers, including triggers that launch tasks at machine idle, startup, or logon. A number of additional triggers allow administrators to set up tasks to launch when the session state changes, including on Terminal Server connect and disconnect and workstation lock and unlock. Task Scheduler still allows tasks to be triggered based on time and date, and provides easy management of regularly scheduled tasks.
In the new Task Scheduler, triggers can be further customized to fine tune when tasks will launch and how often they will run. You can add a delay to a trigger, or set up a task to repeat at regular intervals after the trigger has occurred. Administrators can also set limits on tasks, indicating that the task must stop running after a given period of time. Activation and expiration dates can also be specified.
In addition to specifying Triggers, a number of conditions can be defined for each task. Conditions are used to restrict a task to run only if the machine is in a given state. For example, you can launch a program when an event occurs only if the network is available, launch an action at a specific time only if the machine is idle, or launch an action at logon only if the computer is not operating in battery mode. In Windows Vista / Server 2008, administrators can define conditions based on the idle state of the computer, the power source of the computer (AC versus batteries), network connectivity, and the power state of the computer ("ON" versus in a sleep state). Perhaps most importantly, a task can be configured to awaken the computer from hibernation or standby to run a task.
Administrators can use settings to instruct Task Scheduler what actions to take if a task fails to run correctly. In case the task fails, administrators can indicate how many times to retry it. If the computer is not powered on when a task is scheduled, an administrator can use settings to ensure that the task will run as soon as the machine is available. An administrator can also define a maximum execution time for a task, ensuring that the task will time out if it runs too long.
With that, it’s time to wrap up this post. In our next post we will cover Flexible Actions and Triggers, Security and Reliability.
- Blake Morrison
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