Nov 26
Tech Articles Microsoft, windows, Windows 7 View Comments
I should have started my Windows 7 coverage with this article instead of divulging more exciting User Interface stuff. Before we get overwhelmed with even more Microsoft news, I think it’s important to get the essentials straight before we go drifting off daydreaming about geeky OS fluff.
Talk of the day:
Oct 07
Off-Topic, Tech Articles ad, Microsoft, windows View Comments
Back in the day when Microsoft couldn’t afford to spend $300,000,000 on Gates-Seinfeld ads, the folk at MS had to resort to their own people. Steve Ballmer took it upon himself to sell Windows 1.0 in a more than satisfactory way. After all, he’s a salesman, right..?
Hilarious.
Source: dvorak.org/blog
Provider: Youtube
Oct 01
Freebies explorer, windows View Comments
If you’re like me and prefer to keep files and folders on your hard drive in an organized mess (i.e. a strict hierarchical structure) it may become a severe pain to access deeply buried locations. The golden rule in organization advises not to let folders become nested beyond eight levels, which may seem like a lot at first, but readily becomes trivial as hard-drives and data continue to grow beyond proportion.
To remedy this, Code Sector has developed a small and free app called ‘Direct Folders’. After installation, you can double-click on an empty space in any Explorer-window (that includes the Desktop) and a list with saved folder locations will appear. This list looks like a regular right-click context-menu and is configurable in any way you prefer. Direct Folders will keep a list of your recently explored locations, which are accessible from the ‘Recent’ window.
Looking up locations in the ‘Open File’-dialog gets easier too, since you can take advantage of Direct Folder there as well.
Sep 17
Tech Articles beta, Microsoft, windows View Comments
The third wave of Microsoft’s online services called Windows Live has leaked to the internet today. Grab the combines installer at Softpedia. Some screenshots:
Jul 08
Tech Articles Microsoft, vista, windows View Comments
CNET’s Ina Fried put out an article today on Microsoft’s upcoming website called ‘Windows Vista Compatibility’, an online tool that will enable Vista users to determine whether certain bits of hardware or software will be compatible with Microsoft’s flagship operating system, Windows Vista. With this effort, Microsoft is presumably making its database of products that are certified to work with Vista publicly available.
May 26
Tech Articles Microsoft, windows View Comments
Windows 7 eventually did not include anything like the concept laid out below. Perhaps you’re interested in my other Window 7 coverage?
It certainly seems so from the screenshots that have been popping up all over the internet lately. A lot of them are most likely souped up for conceptional purposes, but one thing certain returns steadily: the click-wheel-like interface. Usually the Windows Logo Orb is seated in the center of a wheel with numerous icons surrounding it. These images are by no means official, nor were they acknowledgded by Microsoft.
They’re certainly fancy looking, though I wonder about the practicalities of it. Translucencies in the user interface as a whole seem to be coming back, too, sometimes turning out nearly transparant, other times more opaque.
Mar 28
Tech Articles Microsoft, os, windows View Comments
Windows 95, codenamed Chicago, has finally been released! It is the most exciting and promising release of the Windows Operating System ever. Along with it, Microsoft introduces 32-bit computing for the first time and with it, is planning to replace MS-DOS and Windows 3.1(1). At last, anyone with or without prior computing skills can easily step into the world of Windows without a steep learning curve.
But, most noticeably, Windows 95 introduces a major paradigm-shift with its revolutionary Graphical User Interface (further referred to as ‘GUI’). Windows’ exciting new GUI is ‘document-centric’ and far easier to use and understand than its predecessor ‘DOS’. Gone are the days of the command prompt. Point and click is the promising motto of Windows 95. The ‘Start’-button is the most prominent element in this concept, since it’s the central access hub to everything on your computer; from the Help-function, to the new Control Panel, to every single program you’ve ever installed.
Clicking the button invokes cascading menus to expand in a beveled style, like every other element in the renewed Windows user interface. Old Windows 3.1 application immediately adopt this refreshing look and fit right into their interesting new environment.
The gray bar that runs along the screen horizontally is also a new feature and is called the ‘taskbar’. It holds the Start-button, the task-buttons and the system-tray. Every running application is accompanied by a button, which allows decent multi-tasking for the first time. The system tray shows programs running in the background and the system clock at all times.
Every object can be interacted with: a left click usually selects an element, double clicking opens a document or starts a program and right clicking usually shows a contextual menu. Don’t know what a certain icon stands for? Right click it!
Resembling a real desk, the Desktop is the home of numerous system icons, like ‘My Computer’ and ‘Network Neighborhood’. User created content and shortcuts can also be placed on the desktop, however. Shortcuts are icons that point to applications and files, making it easier to access them.
DOS is still an integral part of Windows, even though it’s initially used as a boot loader. Windows 95 has full support for DOS and can even run several command prompts at the same time, each in their own consolidated, configurable shell. You can choose to run DOS application windowed or more traditionally, in full screen. Run DOS and Windows 95 alongside each other for the best of both worlds!
Through the use of the VFAT file system, Windows finally allows support for long filenames. These can be up to 255 characters long (mixed case). Also, file extensions no longer need to be a mere 3 characters long. This support is confined to Windows 95 only, though, since this feature isn’t supported by DOS and earlier version of Windows. When encountered in these OSes, they’ll be truncated to their 8.3 cousins. For example: ‘Checklist for Trip to Venice.xls’ becomes ‘CHECKLIS.XLS’.
Plug and Play or PnP is a technology that detects hardware automatically. Many peripherals can be automatically installed, doing away with the intricate hassle of driver-gathering and installation. These devices have to be especially equipped with this technology, though. Until it is broadly available, this feature will be greatly crippled. Fear not, new devices are being released as we speak.
Older computers are supported too, since the user can easily specify a driver for an unrecognized device.
The built-in Paint has been enhanced and WordPad has been introduced, which is pretty much a fully-fledged word processor and fully compatible with Word for Windows 6.0. An advanced media player has been included, along with support for full-motion video. Windows 95 is also deemed to be the most stable version of Windows ever, since 32-bit applications built for Windows 95 will not be able to crash the OS, as happened every so often in Windows 3.1. Full backwards compatibility has been retained, despite the completely new 32-bit platform. DOS and 3.1-era applications will continue to work flawlessly.
Microsoft recommends the following to run Windows 95 smoothly:
And optionally:
Windows 95 should run fine on Windows 3.1 era hardware, but better is recommended for optimal performance.
I’m very excited about this new OS, especially after the Windows 3.1(1) debacle. It’ll take a while before 32-bit computing becomes mainstream, but Windows 95 will be at the frontline. Who knows what greatness the next version of Windows will bring us!
Now, let us return to 2008…
Mar 15
Freebies, Tech Articles free, windows View Comments
The ultimate tool for control freaks: ‘Taskbar Shuffle’! Aside from being able to categorize your windows in virtual desktops with Vista/XP Virtual Desktops, you can also organize the buttons on the taskbar. Why would you want that? Don’t think there’s a real reason, other than being strongly clung to daily habits. Although, you could make a good case of improved productivity, too.
After this gizmo’s installed, all you need to do to order the buttons differently is click and drag. It’s as simple as that. System tray icons can also be dragged around, if you hold the CTRL-button whilst doing so.
A great little tool for the frenzied computer user.
Feb 17
Off-Topic Microsoft, windows View Comments
The alert sounds that ship with Windows may enervate you after years and years of listening to them, but they’ve also found a new purpose. On YouTube, a little song was composed, comprised of merely Windows 98 and XP sounds.
It’s just as ingenious as it is frighteningly nostalgic. You have been warned.
Jan 27
Tech Articles delicious, digg revolt, eee pc, format war, itunes, kde, Linux, Microsoft, news, Opinion, rentals, sp1, ssd, Tech, virtualization, vista, wimax, windows, Windows 7 View Comments
MacWorld Expo and CES. It seemed as if these were the only two topics grabbing the headlines this past month, huh. I don’t feel much for CES and — if I’m honest — MacWorld wasn’t very exciting either, despite the extraneous coverage on blogs and podcasts alike. Yet, permit me to sidetrack to Apple for a moment…
But before I do that, here’s a list of what I’ll be babbling about. Yes, the links are anchors (it’s been a busy week):
From the few announcements I could remember from MacWorld, I was particularly disappointed in Apple’s decision to charge for the so called ‘January Software Update’, which includes apps that were previously developed for the iPhone and would now make their debut on the iPod Touch.
Mail, Maps, Weather, Notes and Stocks are to be added to the iPod Touch’s scarce Home Screen for 20 USD (or 18 EUR). Now, the only applications I’d really consider are Mail and Maps. The Wifi Triangulation is another sweet feature I’d love to try.
Even though it’s tempting, I’m not sure I want to pay for something that ought to be free in the first place. This software wasn’t even developed from scratch. I reckon I’ll hold off on the paid update and waddle along with my trusty mobile version of GMail…
Without intending to make this an overdue MacWorld reporting, I found the MacBook Air pretty un-impressive. The design-aspect is not the issue, you’d be an ass not the like the exterior of this baby, but hardware-wise the Air seems a bit over-hyped and underpowered. If I were in the market for a sub-notebook, I’d opt for a 13" Dell XPS or a regular MacBook. There’s no way I’d have accessories dangling down from a single USB-port.
KDE 4.0 was released earlier this week boasting half-baked implementations of potentially innovative technology. With QT4 as its underpinnings, KDE is leaping ahead more elegantly with the new Oxygen Visual Style. The new desktop shell dubbed Plasma makes its debut, along with the Phonon multimedia system and the Solid Hardware Layer. The KDE project hopes to have laid the stepping stones for a whole new experience, which they hope will be delivered in the future, albeit incrementally from this point onward. While most of the new stuff is still a bit rough around the edges, it’s obvious that when this thing becomes stable it’ll make Linux a nicer to place to reside in.
I, myself, have always preferred Gnome over KDE, mainly because of KDE’s intricate system of (Windows-like) bars and menus. I understand it’s packed with advanced stuff and all, but it’s just too clouded for the likes of me.
Perhaps KDE 4 will make this turn around somewhat in order to reach a broader audience.
Apple seems to be having trouble getting their newly released Movie Rentals in iTunes to Europe. Unlike the US, Europe is a cluster of individual countries, with each their own set of rules and laws. This heterogeneous environment makes it difficult for Apple (or anyone else) to provide a consistent service across the board.
Where I live (Belgium), we’re pretty much locked in by the one and only cable company, which reigns over the digital television realm. They provide the TV, the Electronic TV Guide, the Prime movie channels and the Pay-per-View services. There’s hardly any competition in this area, so it’d be extremely welcome if Apple would offer movie rentals over here. It would at least fire up some competition, which is always good for the consumer. It’s just not reasonable to pay 4 to 5 EUR for the sakes of renting a single movie (that’s between 6 and 7 USD!).
I love and use Delicious daily, but there’s no denying the interface is — mildly put — bland. I wholeheartedly agree with the ‘keep it simple‘-principle, but simple doesn’t equal to mid 1990′s… There has been word of Delicious 2.0 for quite a while now and everyone was pretty much expecting it to launch this week.
Alas. Maybe next week.
Back when Windows Vista was unleashed on the public for the first time, Microsoft stood its ground and persisted that only Business and Ultimate editions of the OS would allow virtualization. This caused a widespread ‘what the heck?’ feeling to spread across the Windows community and rightly so. The reason for MS’ decision was entirely economical, of course, as opposed to their own public statement in which they twisted it into a security issue.
Tech enthusiasts galore just do virtualization of Vista anyway, since there’s no real technical restriction to hold you back. The theoretical illegality aside, it was more a mindset-thing than anything else.
Finally Microsoft is giving up their pigheadedness about this issue, so at last, anyone can virtualize Windows without having to purchase yet another license.
Microsoft has churned out yet another Technical Refresh of SP1′s Release Candidate. Some are speculating it’ll be finalized by February 15th, though this date hasn’t been verified by MS.
I agree that now is the time to get SP1 out the door, even though it won’t be groundbreaking, at least it’ll add some stability and performance — which could haul over businesses and withholding consumers. Others might just as well wait until Windows 7 ships. And in turn, they would have to wait for SP1 of that release… And.. And..
Windows 7 screenshots have also popped up. T
he images of the M1-build we’re seeing, look much like Vista. Obviously this build is merely experimental and in no way representative of the end product.
The final release date has also been shoved a year earlier. It is now forecasted to be released late 2009, whereas MS previously projected an end 2010 timing.
It’s looking like Microsoft is trying to make up for the lost time with Vista. They’re probably trying to re-acquire the credence they lost and build on top of the deep-going work they performed with Vista. It’s too early to see where this project is heading, though.
After Warner Bros’ breaking with HD-DVD it seemed inevitable Blu-Ray would win the format war. And it’s certainly starting to look that way too. Engadget reported a spectacular decline in HD-DVD’s market share (hardware players) from 49% to 7%.
I have backed HD-DVD for a long time, for no particular reason other than pure cost, but it seems HD-DVD is up for a quick demise into the realm of forgotten technology. It’s only a matter of time until Microsoft and other pro-HD-DVD companies have to lay down the sword and back Blu-Ray. I guess it’s over. It passed quicker than anyone could’ve thought. But is that a good thing, per sé?
Kevin Rose announced Digg was altering the way their algorithm works in order to allow more diversity. They’re incorporating a diversity rank, which renders group voting (a group of friends digging up a story) impossible. Moreover, the algorithm will keep stories with a digg-count of over 100 in the ‘Upcoming List’. This caused a lot of uproar from the regular diggers.
I’ve never participated a lot in Digg. I dig the concept, but it is pretty impossible to get a story popular if you don’t have a large circle of Digg-friends. This is causing a lot of people to look for alternatives, like the three months old Mixx.com.
A couple of days ago, Asus released a version of the Eee PC running Windows in Japan. The tiny notebook will run Windows XP and will be called the Eee PC 4G-X. The specs haven’t changed at all, though this means the US and other countries will be up soon.
I think my hands would be too big for the Eee’s keyboard. With or without Windows
.
The largest Indian telco is planning to build the biggest mobile WiMax network thusfar. It’ll be capable of serving up to 250 million people. The Indian government requires that 20 million broadband connections are in place by 2010.
Sniff.
While the futuristic Solid State Drives may have many benefits, the extraneous costs aren’t persuading consumers, it seems. Honestly, are added costs of up to 1,300 USD (MacBook Air) an incentive to invest in this technology?
While you can shake an SSD to death in operation, I’m sure conventional hard drives will continue to be built into laptops as the primary means of storage. At least for the time being. 1,300 could buy you another laptop, or a TV…
(Did you know switching on Windows Paging can kill a SSD in a matter of hours?)
Still hoping for Delicious 2.0 to come out soon 
.
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