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Top secret how? MSDN has all the Exchange protocols documented for all to see.

Others have answered your real question but something else you need to look at is application compatibility. You can deploy and run ACT on your current systems to get reports on what software is going to have problems

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/aa905066.aspx

Benchmark is not most important thing for desktop. What is -reliable drivers (i.e. all hardware components have windows 7 logo as per http://www.microsoft.com/compatibility -good product support However if you really need benchmark: 1) windows 7 has built in benchmark rating - Windows 7 rating 2) for more detailed performance analysis of performance and drivers you can use a) Built in command line powercfg -energy b) Enable driver verifier on drivers (verifier.exe) to see if it cause any blue screens (don't enable on too many drivers at once, or slow system down too much) c) Use xperf.exe, part of the freely downloadable Windows Device Driver kit for detailed performance analsysi on everythign from startup/shutdown/reboots/etc d) if graphics are important there are plenty of bench marking utilities for those such as 3dmark,etc.

Great, so where can I get a cheap compatible robot and what kind of stuff can I program it to do?

These are MSDN sites.

So be prepared for information overload.

Microsoft Robotics: 3rd Party Hardware

Microsoft Robotics Developer Center

This page is an introduction to robotic simulation, with some nice screen shots of the VSE sample environments: Simulation Overview

Great, so where can I get a cheap compatible robot and what kind of stuff can I program it to do?

These are MSDN sites.

So be prepared for information overload.

Microsoft Robotics: 3rd Party Hardware

Microsoft Robotics Developer Center

This page is an introduction to robotic simulation, with some nice screen shots of the VSE sample environments: Simulation Overview

Great, so where can I get a cheap compatible robot and what kind of stuff can I program it to do?

These are MSDN sites.

So be prepared for information overload.

Microsoft Robotics: 3rd Party Hardware

Microsoft Robotics Developer Center

This page is an introduction to robotic simulation, with some nice screen shots of the VSE sample environments: Simulation Overview

No it looks like MediaCenter http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-media-center/what-is-it/default.aspx or MediaRoom http://www.microsoft.com/mediaroom/ done averagely

No it looks like MediaCenter http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-media-center/what-is-it/default.aspx or MediaRoom http://www.microsoft.com/mediaroom/ done averagely

For most of us geeks, it's inferior to the setups we already have... But for my mom, for example, this would be great. With GoogleTV, she can view all the LOLcats she wants from the comfort of her living room sofa.

Meanwhile, Microsoft wonders why they bothered to buy WebTV in 1997 and then clearly not capitalize on it...

It's amazing how programmed the top brass at Microsoft are to including this word "innovation" in every speech.

Have you listened to top brass of any large company with a large R&D?! They all use nice words.

Of course, as you note, they are (given their R&D resources) about the most un-innovative company you could imagine.

You are equating R&D with productization. Microsoft Research is much more diverse than you think it is. That includes funding a shitload of basic sciences research which is not even intended to find a place within any product. Maybe taking a look at the research areas and the thousands of published papers would help you understand what Microsoft Research and its R&D resources are about.

> I know you're an idiot but seriously try searching. It's fast, it works. Thanks, troll harder next time.

Think I don't use the winkey search? Like I said, I use Windows 7. It's fast but NOT faster than what I have on XP. I have to type more to do the same thing on windows 7. calc = 4 keys to press. In contrast on XP winkey, 2, c = 3 keys. on XP: ssh to Machine #1 = winkey, 7, 1. ssh to machine #5? winkey 7, 5.

As for works: too often with the "start" search thing, I have to type the whole name or first word of the name before the relevant shortcut shows- it doesn't even show till I type the very last letter! I don't know why that happens and what the logic is. This sort of annoying thing makes the search crap too much of a hit or miss for me. At least with my XP setup it works the same all the time.

I tried naming stuff with a number in the start to see if it makes it faster, but I get too many false positives. Perhaps I have to name stuff starting with 111,112,113, and so on, but that's still slower than XP.

You can go ahead and not believe me. And if anyone can prove me wrong and show me a way to make Windows 7 do the stuff I'm talking about faster than XP (third party-addons don't count), I'll be happy. So far it seems that with Windows 7, you're stuck with about 9 or 10 pinned apps to quick launch.

See: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Keyboard-shortcuts

Nothing there that makes it faster. my winkey,1,1 might be slower initially than showing the desktop, but exploring the desktop and being able to sort by size, modified date etc is often much better, plus you can still access other windows doing things my way.

Vista Home Basic doesn't support Aero. And that's available everywhere.

call me when you can script a GUI as easily as a CLI.

http://www.autohotkey.com/
http://www.autoitscript.com/
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/t0aew7h6(VS.85).aspx
http://archworx.wordpress.com/2006/11/05/how-to-create-a-vista-sidebar-gadget
http://www.w3schools.com/js/default.asp

Your ignorance doesn't change facts.

Instant on... It's on a chip, not the drive. It's paired down and loads quick but would be a pain to use all day for all your computing needs.

You can embed many operating systems (including Windows). Does that make them then "non-traditional"?

Actually, strcpy (and a bunch of other similarly unsafe stuff) is explicitly banned from all Microsoft source code - you won't pass a code review if you use them, and there are automated code scanners to catch anything that might slip past accidentally.

See this for more details (and keep in mind that the list there is outdated, as it is constantly extended).

Not to mention that Microsoft literally gives out the dev tools for free (Visual Studio Express)

Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition and above or Microsoft Visual Studio 2005, Standard Edition or above (Express Editions are not supported). But thanks for playing!

"64-bit versions of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. [...] Concerned users are being advised to disable Windows Aero until Microsoft can issue a fix."

I recall that Microsoft made a huge deal about the new Aero look, back when Windows Vista was released, touting it as some kind of major revolution for PC computing (even though it was "just" a GUI.) They even used bullsh*t "hype" language that it would "enable you to manage the windows on your desktop by arranging them in a visually striking yet convenient way", which is another way of saying "you can arrange windows on your desktop." Oh boy.

That Microsoft is advising users to disable Aero seems like a black eye for Microsoft:

"Yeah, that huge feature we said was really important to computing? Just turn it off, it's buggy."

By the way, care to explain how Microsoft could have claimed that Windows 95 was the first 32 bit PC operating system when Microsoft themselves had created Windows NT (a 32 bit PC operating system) several years earlier?

I think you're still making things up, and attributing them to Microsoft to "prove" your point.

I might stop believing marketing hype if the hype you claim i'm believing actually existed.

Very simple. Windows NT wasnt going anywhere. Microsoft had been touting a new 32bit OS for everyone for a while, and NT wasnt cutting it in that marketplace. So, they tried pushing Windows 95 onto the masses as that OS, full well knowing that 99% of the computer users out there would not know better. They also mis-stated the memory requirements on the original box. They also had press releases out stating (either through implication or directly) it's non-reliance on DOS. Besides the fact that much of this is in the DOJ docs from the antitrust case against them, I was there, working for CompUSA, and tasked by Microsoft themselves to be their support representative in our store. If anyone was a CompUSA technician at that time, and on our video teleconfernce (it was one way video from MS to all the stores, with live call ins from the stores) with Microsoft before Win95 release, they will remember one particular tech that called into the call to call Microsoft's marketing bullshit on those matters. Those of you who were on that call (if there are any of you here), that technician, was me. When they blocked our number after the first call, I called back from my GM's line. Any of you remember that little tech teleconference call? It was quite humorous... they asked for my GM on my second call - not knowing he's the one who gave me his phone (knowing it would not be blocked) so I could call back with the rest of our concerns... and one of the idiots (one very famous for his assinity) asked for my GMs name, and was quite upset when I told him I was calling from the GMs phone, at his behest and was more than willing to put him on the phone.

Ah... fun times.

But, anyway, since you, oh probable Microsoft employee and/or zealot, probably wont believe me, TO THIS DAY Microsoft STILL has documents on their site that state as much:

Windows 95 is a 32-bit operating system with built-in connectivity support

Microsoft TechNet

In their defense, they have since added this disclaimer which basically states "we know we lied our asses off with many of these claims, so dont believe what this document says" - here it is in it's original form without my more accurate paraphrase:

Archived content. No warranty is made as to technical accuracy. Content may contain URLs that were valid when originally published, but now link to sites or pages that no longer exist.

You can keep on living in your own little world, but Reality doesnt care. And Reality isnt what you seem to believe it is.

You could make a case for shouldn't, but that would be irrelevant, since it does.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa383015(VS.85).aspx

On the server, RDP uses its own video driver to render display output by constructing the rendering information into network packets by using RDP protocol and sending them over the network to the client

Modularity also has its drawbacks, esp. concerning speed. No OS has done this to date (Singularity might). And it's particularly bad for testing, where it's infeasible to test n^2 component configurations.

Regardless, as mentioned in TFA, it can be permanently disabled. Worrying about a "policy oversight" is unprecedented and stupidly over-paranoid.

I guess you didn't bother checking out this or this.

I guess you didn't bother checking out this or this.

This is insanity! So the government of US, UK, Israel, China, etc. will get information on vulnerabilities before the general public?

That's all you're worried about? The heck with vulnerabilities, Microsoft already shared their source code with China, Russia, and some NATO members... all to open markets of course, not for virus/rootkit writers. ;)
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2003/feb03/02-28gspchinapr.mspx

Iphone OS and WinMo 6, WinMo 6 has no such restrictions, I can run unsigned code on any WinMo 6 device.

Microsoft disagrees.

Iphone OS and Symbian S60, Symbian S60 has no such restrictions, I can run unsigned code on any S60 device.

But to access certain services it needs to be signed, though any nerdy enough user can sign it on their own.

Iphone OS and Android, Android has no such restrictions, I can run unsigned code on any Android device.

If you are a nerd and root it and install your own build, if the operator has installed a version that restricts you to signed apps (AT&T's latest shenanigans if you managed to spot that while busy hunting for iPhone-hate opportunities).

So, mostly for nerds, as expected.

There is C++ for CIL

C++/CLI, yes. But it targets unverifiable CIL. If you use /clr:safe, which outputs verifiable code, you only get a rather narrow subset of C++ - you don't get pointers nor references for example, you don't get unmanaged classes (i.e. no "class" or "struct", only "ref class" & "value class" etc). Since you don't get pointers, you don't get C strings, either. In practice, the resulting language isn't significantly more expressive than C#, not enough to warrant using it - and you lose all compatibility with existing C/C++ libs.

someone just has to rewrite the safe parts of std::* in managed code.

Again, not really possible, because contracts for many std classes and functions are not memory-safe. You can do it with a subset - see STL/CLR - but I've yet to see anyone actually use that in production code.

There is C++ for CIL

C++/CLI, yes. But it targets unverifiable CIL. If you use /clr:safe, which outputs verifiable code, you only get a rather narrow subset of C++ - you don't get pointers nor references for example, you don't get unmanaged classes (i.e. no "class" or "struct", only "ref class" & "value class" etc). Since you don't get pointers, you don't get C strings, either. In practice, the resulting language isn't significantly more expressive than C#, not enough to warrant using it - and you lose all compatibility with existing C/C++ libs.

someone just has to rewrite the safe parts of std::* in managed code.

Again, not really possible, because contracts for many std classes and functions are not memory-safe. You can do it with a subset - see STL/CLR - but I've yet to see anyone actually use that in production code.

Yeah, my bad, but its still best to have the OS on something a bit faster than usual (and of course having all the tombstones on the fast drive helps too :)

As for VAIL, its based on 2k8r2 SBS, so is x64 native, I am hoping the 2k8r2 license for a client OS under the Hyper-V will let me use it, if not, meh.

From the beta I have noticed that one of the hoped for toys, active directory, is not present, maybe its being added in later, I really hope so. Another thing that would be nice is if SBS CALs could be used on it.

The only "huge" change from a client standpoint (and lets face it, that's the most important thing with a headless server) is the support for Homegroups, if this is the only change I will not be upgrading.

Meaningfull or not.. Assuming you use windows you can get the signal strength rather easy. (Since most of those damned manufacturers supply crap linux drivers that'll be the case most likely) The easiest one is using this crappy new api they came up with. Reference here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd323271(v=VS.85).aspx specifically look at IMbnSignal.

Wrong: it's nothing to do with the file system type. If you're on Windows and you want volumes larger than 2TB, your need NT 5.1 or newer (i.e. XP x86 or older will not cut it).

"XP is 9 years old and Win7 is a very good replacement for newer machines,"

Because there's a lot of hardware out there that does not have drivers for Windows 7

For example, there are no USB streaming drivers for Sony Digital8 camcorders. Sure, these are older (2000-2007) tape-based digital camcorders, and you could argue "Make them buy new!", but if you're buying new camcorders along with new operating systems it can get very expensive very fast.

Ultimately you're correct, over time it makes more sense to just go with Windows 7 as 16 and 32gb of ram becomes the standard and programs are written to take advantage of the space while 32-bit XP is limited to 4gb, but in 2010 there's still a lot of hardware not Windows 7 compatible, and compatibility modes only go so far.

If you're on windows, you'll either need EFI or a separate boot drive.
Windows cannot boot from driver larger than 2 TB

The issue is, MBR doesn't support drives that big, so you have to use GPT (which Windows won't boot from w/o EFI).
So if you're on Windows, but without EFI, you're SOL. ;)

Also, kind of a pain on *nix+BIOS combos too.

I downloaded those files: "Click here to download a zip file with all of the PDF files." from this page: Microsoft Office File Formats Introduction. There are hundreds of megabytes of files.

They apparently list is only what Microsoft calls "protocols". There is a list of the name of what is in every byte, but very little information information, that I was able to find, of how the file format works. There is therefore nothing "open" or documented. What is "open" is mostly just a list of the variable names given each byte in a binary file.

I downloaded those files: "Click here to download a zip file with all of the PDF files." from this page: Microsoft Office File Formats Introduction. There are hundreds of megabytes of files.

They apparently list is only what Microsoft calls "protocols". There is a list of the name of what is in every byte, but very little information information, that I was able to find, of how the file format works. There is therefore nothing "open" or documented. What is "open" is mostly just a list of the variable names given each byte in a binary file.

This is already available on some Ford models.

These days, Windows users DO have H.264 by default, so not supporting H.264 on Windows is strictly a political decision; there is literally no other reason on that platform. (Oddly, the first hit for "windows h.264" is http://www.apple.com/quicktime/technologies/h264/faq.html and the fourth hit is http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd797815(VS.85).aspx ... that's more than a little lame. Even google has an Apple bias, apparently.

First of all, the DOC format (the original Word formats) are not open, only DOCX are somewhat open.

Oh please! The DOC format is not open in the sense that anyone can contribute. But the documentation of the format is fully available for anyone who take interest. It merely requires a single google: http://www.microsoft.com/interop/docs/OfficeBinaryFormats.mspx

DOCX is fully open. Anyone who wants to contribute is free to do so. You just have to go through ECMA/ISO - just like Microsoft. It is fully described in the ISO standard ISO/IEC 29500. The standard is freely downloadable from ISO. If you had cared to download it you would have found that your claims are BS:

The problems are in: charts, styles, watermarks, fonts, tracked changes, and SmartArt.

Charts, watermarks, tracked changes and SmartArt are not open/documented in the OOXML formats.

Charts are part of DrawingML and described in section 21.2 Charts.

Watermarks are described as part of the document settings/template feature. See section 11.1

Tracked changes for DocumentML is described in full in section 17.13.5 Revisions. Similar sections exists for e.g. SpreadsheetML.

The built-in SmartArt gallery is not part of the standard. But any SmartArt "chart" is just a DrawingML part with a datamodel, both of which are described in sections 14 and 21. It is not like the graphics are intermingled with the data in such a way that others have no way of figuring out what's going on. SmartArt is the term used for the manipulation of such graphics. At all times the "data" is kept separate from the graphics and the end-graphics is the result of a transformation. A transformation which is fully described in the standard.

Styles and fonts (assuming you mean text styles in Word) are described in section 17.7 Styles and 17.8 Fonts

All the rules - including support lifecycle - were spelled out upfront when you paid the money.

So that you don't make similar mistakes in the future, here is the page which lists all released Microsoft products with their lifecycle. For example, Win7 mainstream support will be retired in 2015, and extended support for it, in 2020. Keep that in mind when you're shelling out $$$ for that box - though I dare you to find a more long-term policy for consumer desktop OSes.

Microsoft has documented all the binary and XML file formats used by office: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc313118(office.12).aspx

disabling SSID broadcast does little: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb726942.aspx

From the article you mention:

Unlike broadcast networks, wireless clients running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or Windows Server® 2003 with Service Pack 1 that are configured to connect to non-broadcast networks are constantly disclosing the SSID of those networks, even when those networks are not in range.

While I agree with your point, this sounds very much like Microsoft telling us that the only difference between their software and a bucket of shit is the bucket.

Again, I assume you are using Windows (since mounting devices to the /mnt folder is commonplace on linux, or /Volumes on OSX).

I just do it in Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Computer Management->Storage/Disk Management

From there, just select the drive, Right Click and do 'Change Drive Letter And Paths'. You can remove the existing drive letter, and 'Add' a new mount point by putting in the path there.

You can also do it directly when you format a new drive (there is an option to mount to a folder).

Drive letters are dead! Long live drive letters! (I wish)

More info along with cli solution:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc753321.aspx

I never had an experience with that particular config but if you blue screened I'd blame HP's drivers...for their portables they are pretty crummy. I think HP seriously spends 10% of their time getting the low level (critical) features working and the other 90% implementing things like detecting when you're low on ink or disconnected from the internet.

For example the HP media keys driver can bork any other keyboards connected to the system. If it fails for whatever reason, you have to boot into safe mode to type in your password. I've never seen any other media key driver () that can bork the system keyboard driver completely. Most other media key drivers use a service or user mode application...I suspect that HP is using a filter driver which doesn't cascade the information down to the lower drivers properly.

I've also seen them release ATI display drivers which are completely custom built and don't match (or work with) the components of the regular ATI release drivers...and it's not for optimization. The ATI release drivers work better in every way, and the HP ones will often have random hardware acclerated features disabled in their drivers for no apparent reason (maybe the video peformance is too good?).

Their uninstallers often lock up or crash the system entirely outside of safe mode too, which shows how stable their driver packages are, and how well they're tested. The list of bad drivers and software included with the Pavillion is huge. Any service pack upgrade with their stuff installed is a serious game of chance. A clean install of SP3 would probably work. Just make sure you preserve your OEM activation if your model uses it. Also make sure your SATA controller's text mode drivers are included in your Windows XP install disk because you can only install them from a floppy in text mode setup. You can slipstream them with nLite if they aren't included.

I'd do that, but my XP disc is stamped "DO NOT MAKE ILLEGAL COPIES OF THIS DISC" and I haven't yet finished reading USC Title 17 to determine whether your recommendation would be illegal.

I know you are going for sarcasm, but Microsoft actually tells you how to do this. Also, it says "illegal copies", Microsoft has never much cared if you make copies for your own personal use. Hell, they don't even distribute media by default for their bulk licensed products. You have to download them or pay extra for the media.

I'd do that, but my XP disc is stamped "DO NOT MAKE ILLEGAL COPIES OF THIS DISC" and I haven't yet finished reading USC Title 17 to determine whether your recommendation would be illegal.

I know you are going for sarcasm, but Microsoft actually tells you how to do this. Also, it says "illegal copies", Microsoft has never much cared if you make copies for your own personal use. Hell, they don't even distribute media by default for their bulk licensed products. You have to download them or pay extra for the media.

There was an issue with AMD processors right after release. AFAIK, they fixed it within a couple weeks of release. Still, do all other available updates before trying it, and you might want to try the offline installer - I've had better luck with that than the Windows Update site.

I'd go "WTF" at people who install XP64 for nonexperimental use.

Hard for me to say which is worse: XP64 or vista. Like choosing which way to be tortured slowly to death.

FWIW, I use Windows 7 64 bit at work (boss's bright idea), and I still prefer Windows XP SP3.
Windows 7 had this annoying problem: "Windows Explorer may stop responding for 30 seconds when a file or a directory is created or renamed after certain applications are installed."
It sure was longer than 30 seconds for me. I hope it's really fixed now: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/980408
There are lots of other annoyances: it still takes a while to display certain folders, you can probably press Esc or something. You can't quickly close windows by right clicking on the task button and pressing C. And I currently can't think of any way it helps me do things faster or be more productive. The only thing that might be useful is the per app volume control, however this is a work machine so I normally just mute the sound or have everything at a low sound level.

Visual Basic.

Yours In Astrakhan,
Kilgore Trout

In Soviet Amerika, coding office secure YOU !

Your MS Office prices are also equally as skewed, as it starts at $119 for MS Office (Home and Student) and $235 for Business. All full retail copies.

Tell that to microsoft. http://emea.microsoftstore.com/europe/en-US/Microsoft/Office-Standard-2007-Full-(English), http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/office/category/202

Minimal business version (Office Standard) is 485.30 EUR or 400 USD.

Original post said Retail and not OEM. OEM prices you get when you buy things together with hardware.

From Microsoft sales.

Yours In Ufa,
Kilgore T.

It's not like there aren't much bigger and popular Web sites peddling much more harmful and destructive products.

It's not like there aren't much bigger and popular Web sites peddling much more harmful and destructive products.