All posts tagged Uncategorized

Back in February, I wrote an article, Windows 7 Product Editions, in which I discussed the various SKUs (stock keeping units, or product editions) that Microsoft would provide with its next operating system. Now, with nearly fully-functional versions of each product edition available to the public, I thought I’d provide a series of tables comparing each Windows 7 product editon, similar in scope to the work I did documenting Windows Vista. It’s early yet, and things will no doubt change, so I’ll be updating these tables as needed going forward. But even at this early stage, I believe these tables will help you pick which Windows 7 product edition makes the most sense for you, based on your needs and wants. Let’s dive right in.

Full Article – http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_skus_compare.asp

There certainly has been a lot of discussion about Windows 7 in the last few weeks. A lot of folks want to know when they can get their hands on the official RC, when we are going to RTM, and what I had for breakfast.

I’m pleased to share that the RC is on track for April 30th for  download by MSDN and TechNet subscribers. Broader, public availability will begin on May 5th.

Full Article – http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/04/24/windows-7-release-candidate-update.aspx

Windows XP Mode is specifically designed to help small businesses move to Windows 7. Windows XP Mode provides you with the flexibility to run many older productivity applications on a Windows 7 based PC.

All you need to do is to install suitable applications directly in Windows XP Mode which is a virtual Windows XP environment running under Windows Virtual PC. The applications will be published to the Windows 7 desktop and then you can run them directly from Windows 7.

Full Article – http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/business/archive/2009/04/24/coming-soon-windows-xp-mode-and-windows-virtual-pc.aspx

This article is intended for use by administrators of Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), Windows Update, and Microsoft Update services. This article contains a cumulative list of content changes that have been made available for WSUS, Windows Update, and Microsoft Update. Administrators can use this list both as a quick reference to content changes that have been made during routine synchronizations and as an explanation of these changes. This information will be updated either during our regular update releases on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month or whenever an unscheduled update is released. This article lists changes that were made on or after January 13, 2009. It does not list changes that were made before that date. For more information about changes that occurred before January 13, 2009, see the “References” section.

Full Article – http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894199/en-us

Depending on your background, you may find different sections of the newly published Microsoft Security Intelligence Report (SIR) to be of more interest.  In today’s post, we would like to highlight the section on infection rates based on the operating system (OS) version and the service pack level.  Microsoft has consistently observed that machines with newer OS and with more recent service packs are less likely to be infected by malware.  The graph below shows the number of computers having malware removed per 1,000 executions of the MSRT on that OS/SP during the second half of 2008 (2H08).

Download – http://blogs.technet.com/mmpc/archive/2009/04/21/malware-distribution-across-operating-systems.aspx

April 20, 2009 (Computerworld) One of the most hated features of Windows Vista will be seen a third less often by users of the upcoming Windows 7, a Microsoft executive promised today.

“You’ll see a lot fewer UAC prompts in Windows 7,” said Paul Cooke, director of Windows 7 client enterprise security.

User Account Control, or UAC, the security feature that debuted in Vista, was designed to reduce the chance that malware could hijack a PC by forcing users to confirm that they really meant to do such things as install new software or modify key operating system settings.

Full Article – http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9131852&source=rss_topic125

Today, Microsoft announced updates to its “Smooth Streaming,” which is a set of technologies for IIS and Silverlight designed to allow consistent full-screen high definition streaming.

Among Web servers, Microsoft’s IIS enjoys about 33% market share (and slipping slightly) against market leader Apache, according to Netcraft analysis. Smooth Streaming leverages IIS Media Services (formerly known as IIS Media Pack) and Silverlight 3 to provide on-demand high-def media (720p to 1080p), or live adaptive streaming. The technology was first used with the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

Full Article – http://www.betanews.com/article/Microsoft-promises-Webbased-1080p-with-Smooth-Streaming/1240252285

Today, Microsoft announced updates to its “Smooth Streaming,” which is a set of technologies for IIS and Silverlight designed to allow consistent full-screen high definition streaming.

Among Web servers, Microsoft’s IIS enjoys about 33% market share (and slipping slightly) against market leader Apache, according to Netcraft analysis. Smooth Streaming leverages IIS Media Services (formerly known as IIS Media Pack) and Silverlight 3 to provide on-demand high-def media (720p to 1080p), or live adaptive streaming. The technology was first used with the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

Full Article – http://www.betanews.com/article/Microsoft-promises-Webbased-1080p-with-Smooth-Streaming/1240252285

The Microsoft Learning team has come out with a great series of bite-sized “Learning Snacks” to help introduce you to new features coming in Windows 7. They’ve just released a new series of Snacks this week, and we thought you might enjoy them!

Desktop Experience in Windows 7

Setting Up a Home Network in Windows 7

Implementing User Account Control in Windows 7

Introducing BitLocker and AppLocker in Windows 7

Introducing the Troubleshooting Platform in Windows 7

Using the Deployment Image Servicing and Management Tool for Servicing Windows 7 Images

Microsoft finally is adding integration with a wider variety of third-party social networks and content to Windows Live.

From Microsoft’s Web site, where there’s an April 21 interview with Brian Hall, General Manager of the Windows Live Buiness group:

“We’re releasing an important update to Windows Live that’s really about two things. First is that we’ve added 20 new third-party content partners that you can integrate with Windows Live, bringing the total number of third-party content partners to more than 30.”

Full Article – http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=2566

Ok, so maybe I was wrong about Zack Whittaker’s sources concerning visual changes coming in Office 2010. Zack recently wrote an article displaying early screenshots of user experience aspects to Office 2010 such as Microsoft Word 2010 splash screen. Zack strengthens this with further screenshots of the new Outlook, About UI interface and possibly a new Office 2010 logo.

Full Article – http://adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!E8E5CC039D51E3DB!23088.entry

The Outlook team would like to congratulate our friends in Exchange for announcing the Beta 1 availability of Exchange 2010, which together with Office 2010 represents the next wave in the Microsoft Office product family!

This next wave of Office-related products will enable you to be more productive across the PC, phone, and browser. Outlook 2010, together with Exchange, will continue to improve productivity with the ultimate inbox experience, through innovative end-user technologies such as:

• MailTips – Warn users before they commit an e-mail faux pas such as sending mail to large distribution groups, to recipients who are out of the office or to recipients outside the organization, helping protect against information leaks and reducing unnecessary e-mail messages.

Full Article – http://blogs.msdn.com/outlook/archive/2009/04/20/outlook-and-exchange-2010-the-next-wave.aspx

The Outlook team would like to congratulate our friends in Exchange for announcing the Beta 1 availability of Exchange 2010, which together with Office 2010 represents the next wave in the Microsoft Office product family!

This next wave of Office-related products will enable you to be more productive across the PC, phone, and browser. Outlook 2010, together with Exchange, will continue to improve productivity with the ultimate inbox experience, through innovative end-user technologies such as:

• MailTips – Warn users before they commit an e-mail faux pas such as sending mail to large distribution groups, to recipients who are out of the office or to recipients outside the organization, helping protect against information leaks and reducing unnecessary e-mail messages.

Full Article – http://blogs.msdn.com/outlook/archive/2009/04/20/outlook-and-exchange-2010-the-next-wave.aspx

Almost anyone who has been following the development of Windows 7 knows that it’s currently kernel version 6.1. But all that could be set to change, at least if an obscure MSDN page is to be believed.
In a page describing device installation with the Windows Driver Kit, the documentation shows “Msft.NT.7.0” being used as a label to specify drivers only for use with Windows 7.
Previously, Neowin reported that Mike Nash, Corporate VP of Windows Product Management, posted on on the Windows Vista Team Blog with the official explanation that Windows 7 would be kernel version 6.1.

Full Article – http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/04/20/windows-7-to-also-be-version-7-of-the-windows-kernel

Arrange your photos

Now you can arrange the photos in your albums in the order you want them to appear by clicking Sort by, and selecting Arrange photos.

If you have Silverlight, you can arrange your photos by simply dragging them into the order you want. You can also sort your photos and files by name, size, date, or type. Now you can arrange the photos in your albums and slide shows and tell stories the way you want to tell  them

View photos of yourself and your friends

Coming soon when you visit your friends’ profiles you can view photos they’re tagged in by selecting “Photos of ” from the menu under their profile picture.  You’ll see this entry point in a few days! ………………Full Story with screenshots at Source

Full Article – http://skydriveteam.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!977F793E846B3C96!18733.entry