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Very true. On windows '95. Problems with system resources like this haven't been there since '98.

The GDI problems in Win9x were never fixed outright, just reduced. And the problems in Windows 2000 and XP are completely different, since they derive from NT.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=126 962

I've had older versions of ZoneAlarm hit this limit:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=326 591

"Windows costs more than Linux. News at 11." - by ozmanjusri (601766) on Friday November 25, @10:41PM

New News: "And, still it seems to be winning!"

(First - Read the URL in the parent to your post which I posted)

Also, I wonder about that statement of yours. Yes, the init. cost is more, but what about "TCO" (Total Cost of Ownership) analysis?

Second - Another quote:

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,155 3620,00.asp

"But for the vast majority of customers and especially those that are already Windows shops Windows still offers better TCO value, according to the Yankee/Sunbelt Software study, which is due to be published this week."

(This wasn't by a study sponsored by Microsoft either - & as you see, as to a main quote & support of quite the opposite of what you stated? WINDOWS STILL OFFERS BETTER TCO VALUE!)

APK

P.S.=> Care to argue with that? I will just bring out other studies of this nature, with the SAME results, easily. From right here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/facts /default.mspx

(And, that's just the start of it, there is tons more that show exactly the opposite of what YOUR STATEMENT said!)

Microsoft just keeps astonishing, don't they?? Actually BEATING OUT a zero-cost OS @ all levels for value... amazing! apk

It's basically msft media center being used on a wireless network? I could have sworn this is already being done by http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/ont hego/default.mspx microsoft with the media center extenders (including the xbox 360) only you don't have to pay 300 bucks for a glorified external tv tuner card. *yawn*

One of the XP power toys allows for multiple desktops.

I agree that linux holds superiorities to Windows. Hell, that's why I use it. But as I see it much of the problem is that drivers and software are still written towards only Windows. People are lucky if they even get Mac support. Some of the alternatives can accomplish the same goal but can also make it more difficult and fall short of more advanced features. The Gimp may rival Paint Shop Pro but not Photoshop. This is true for many 3D games too. It's difficult and expensive to develop software towards multiple platforms.

PDO is a free solution to most of these. It's slated to go stable this weekend.

IBM has spiffed up Cloudscape to be somewhat compatible to DB2, renamed it to Derby and is giving it away
PDO_ODBC, Zend Core for IBM

Oracle is giving away a mildly crippled version of its DB, I don't remember the exact circumstances
PDO_OCI, Zend Core for Oracle

ADABAS, also known as SAP DB, is now also FOSS
This one, I know very little about..

Firebird, née Interbase, was freed years ago and is said to be working well and under active development. I don't know why so few people seem to like it.
PDO_Firebird

I believe I heard about SQL Server being "free" under some circumstances too, but I'm not sure.
Correct, it's called "SQL Server 2005 Express Edition", formerly MSDE. (although, I've not tried EE2005, only MSDE -- it worked well)
PDO_DBLIB

S

...we might see an apology for such things soon. Then again, maybe not--they are flaunting it as of post time.

At least the monitor's hot--no wait, that was separate...

For no cost, anyone can use these tools to create just about anything they want. It's pretty amazing, and fitting for Thanksgiving to show some appreciation, that we all have access to these incredible tools for free.

I agree, it is good to support and be appreciative for cool free tools for developers.

GCC is like having a Home Depot down the street that gives their stuff away. For no cost, anyone can use these tools to create just about anything they want. It's pretty amazing, and fitting for Thanksgiving to show some appreciation, that we all have access to these incredible tools for free.

I agree, such free tools are pretty damned amazing. You should also thank the companies who allow their employees to work on free projects (IBM, SUSE and Red Hat at the minimum). Although I personally need to also thank the MingW32 folks for making GCC work well on Windows.

And while you're giving props to the GCC crowd (after you accept that they have some corporate interests), you should also thank Microsoft for their free tools:

(1) The Visual C++ command-line compiler is free.

(2) Visual Studio Express editions are free (C++ / C# / Visual Basic / J# with a full IDE).

Oh, and a big thankyou to Apple as well:

(3) Apple XCode development environment / compiler [GCC variant] is free.

And (as a hint) - if you embrace Microsoft's or Apple's platforms (instead of only Linux), there's a chance that J. Random user will actually be able to run your software (as literally nobody runs Linux except freaky zealots or college kids).

GCC is like having a Home Depot down the street that gives their stuff away. For no cost, anyone can use these tools to create just about anything they want. It's pretty amazing, and fitting for Thanksgiving to show some appreciation, that we all have access to these incredible tools for free.

I agree, such free tools are pretty damned amazing. You should also thank the companies who allow their employees to work on free projects (IBM, SUSE and Red Hat at the minimum). Although I personally need to also thank the MingW32 folks for making GCC work well on Windows.

And while you're giving props to the GCC crowd (after you accept that they have some corporate interests), you should also thank Microsoft for their free tools:

(1) The Visual C++ command-line compiler is free.

(2) Visual Studio Express editions are free (C++ / C# / Visual Basic / J# with a full IDE).

Oh, and a big thankyou to Apple as well:

(3) Apple XCode development environment / compiler [GCC variant] is free.

And (as a hint) - if you embrace Microsoft's or Apple's platforms (instead of only Linux), there's a chance that J. Random user will actually be able to run your software (as literally nobody runs Linux except freaky zealots or college kids).

Why not come up with some real numbers?

That is a real number. M$' 2004-2005 annual revenue is $40,000,000,000+. A little less for 2002-2004.

I also said nothing about linux; it's a fact that open standards will lead to a more open, competitive software market, reduced prices and reduced lockin for everybody, government included.

---

DRM = Total Customer Control = Ultimate Customer Lockin = Death of the free market.

Why not come up with some real numbers?

That is a real number. M$' 2004-2005 annual revenue is $40,000,000,000+. A little less for 2002-2004.

I also said nothing about linux; it's a fact that open standards will lead to a more open, competitive software market, reduced prices and reduced lockin for everybody, government included.

---

DRM = Total Customer Control = Ultimate Customer Lockin = Death of the free market.

http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/productfeedback/view feedback.aspx?feedbackid=e976ea2a-ba1e-4537-9493-4 6af9429a81e

It's ridiculously expensive (~$11k for what was previously MSDN Universal): http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/howtobuy/default .aspx

This is a classic problem for a successful company in a high-margin business. If you expand into a lower-margin business, your margins decline and your stock goes down.

Game machines are not a high-margin business.

What Microsoft really does, as a business, is sell Office. That's the high margin product. Microsoft's business units are Client (i.e. desktop Windows), Server, Information Worker (Office and some related products), Business Solutions (the Great Plains stuff), Mobile and Embedded, and Home and Entertainment. Only the Client and Information Worker units consistently make money. Home and Entertainment has been a money drain for years.

Cool, OK, that clears it all up for me.

The submission article is TERRIBLE in every way. Loaded with buzzwords and nonsensical meaningless drivel, it was made for the sole purpose of getting hits. I wish I could mod down a front page story.

View the presentation from the Launch 2005 event and you'll get much more useful information than the tripe submission.

As one aside (quoted from the linked article): "There are far, far too many nuts-and-bolts geniuses out there who can rewrite DaVinci's Codex in T-SQL, but who think two-dimensional client-server architecture is good enough for Internet apps. To build decent apps today, and Internet apps in particular, you need more than an idea, more than good tools, more than an application-level design; you need an application architecture, a high-level framework that carefully addresses your applications' intended functionality within the context of your hardware, network, and data-source infrastructure -- and, worse yet, too many IT managers who know the buzzwords but don't yet really understand this. "

I find this humorous, because many of the designs that have crashed and burned terribly are the over-designed, n-tier, architectural astronaut abortions that were pushed on an unsuspecting public. On flip side, many of the designs that have pervaded and succeeded at tremendous levels of scale could best be described as "some scripts that hit a database". Slashdot, for instance. Wikipedia...Digg...I could go on.

I know this is slightly off-topic, but I'm not sure why anyone would want to use Lotus Notes. Outlook, for all its problems, is certainly better than anything IBM/Lotus has come out with. We use Notes 5 at work, which means we're behind by about 8 years or so. Anyway, the folks in my group here at work use a connector so we can use Outlook. I think the better solution for the problem that Microsoft is trying to solve is to buy out Lotus Notes and destroy it. Forget RSS extensions.

Download the connector here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?Fa milyID=8EBBBA59-5F17-4E52-8980-C4F0DFA92D65&displa ylang=en

Consumer1 - I'm purchasing the XBox360 Live package.

Consumer2 - Well I'm only going to purchase the XBox360 bare version and save a little money to buy a game.

Day or two passes...

Consumer2 - Returns to store to purchase "Live Accessories" (at a price much higher than the bundle) so they can hit http://xboxupdate.microsoft.com./

Microsoft - Wins on either package sold.

Jim

Read the MSDN SSE Spec (as linked above by another poster I'm too lazy to search for).

In particular, check out Licensing Information at the bottom. They don't seem to want to patent this -- at least at the moment. They've got a very clear statement there that would be difficult to reneg on.

Also, for those suspecting that MS will embed binaries, I didn't see anything to support this suspicion in the spec.

RTFA. The draft is published under a Creative Commons licence (by-sa 2.5), and is available here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/xml/rss/sse/

The parent is insightful? Read the spec and find a use of binary data.

This will neither break existing (well-designed) readers, nor be 'evil'. In fact, it seems like a good idea. I'll only use it in the workplace, where it belongs, mind.

>I can't wait to see this one.

You don't have to wait, it is already published. Instead of just spouting off, go read the spec and judge it on its technical merits, instead of adding another needless me too "MS sucks so this must suck" post.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/xml/rss/sse/

Then come back and give a reasoned opinion about the flaws in the proposed extension.

Too bad I don't have mod points for you, man, and too bad your comment is buried at the bottom. To all the wankers already going off about MS patenting the specs:

Take a look at the licensing information - get to the source.

Ok, if you really are that lazy, it's a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5, which means you only have to credit MS for this stuff, and release your own stuff (plugin/library?) under the same license.

You mean the sooper sekrit details posted here under a Creative Commons license, which was linked in TFA?

Listen, I'm not prepared to take everything they say at face value, but this is probably a step in the right direction. We have an instance where they've proposed this extension and published it, for anyone to use.

Now, someone more technical than me will have to review what they've published and comment on what, if anything, it screws up.

Not in the real world it doesn't. If the issuing company is, for example, full of mindless drones who are paid to issue certificates as quickly as possible, then they will - and do - occasionally issue the wrong certificate. IE, they will give Joe Bloggs a certificate saying that he is Citibank.

Certificates do nothing to fix human error at the issuer end and even leaving that aside, I don't trust Verisign any more than I would Richard Nixon.

The only certificates I'm interested is ones which I am sure were generated by the site themselves, not some junk handed out by Verisign to whoever faxed them a copy of something that looked vaguely like the company letterhead they were expecting.

Verisign reliability bulletin from one of their customers.

TWW

If A and B are true, you have successfully connected to citibank.com over an encrypted channel, end of story.

Not quite. If A and B are true, you have successfully connected to a computer claiming to be citibank's website at citibank.com using a certificate issued by someone to "prove" it. Of course, https://web.da-us.citibank.com/ (the site I get when I hit login) has a certificate issued by VeriSign, and we know how well they verify the identify of people requesting certificates.

1. Download TweakUI for XP (or the older version)
2. Run TweakUI
3. In the XP version*, look through the tree list on the left and go to My Computer, AutoPlay, Types.
4. On the right, uncheck "Enable Autoplay for CD and DVD drives"
5. Click OK and reboot (just for kicks)

Sure, it's karma whoring, but I get tired of the "shift key" advice when so many of us have moved on. Never worry about evil code on a CD again! If you're particularly paranoid, feel free to deselect the other checkbox as well.

* if you're using the older version, you'll have to do some searching. I have no reference for it.

1. Download TweakUI for XP (or the older version)
2. Run TweakUI
3. In the XP version*, look through the tree list on the left and go to My Computer, AutoPlay, Types.
4. On the right, uncheck "Enable Autoplay for CD and DVD drives"
5. Click OK and reboot (just for kicks)

Sure, it's karma whoring, but I get tired of the "shift key" advice when so many of us have moved on. Never worry about evil code on a CD again! If you're particularly paranoid, feel free to deselect the other checkbox as well.

* if you're using the older version, you'll have to do some searching. I have no reference for it.

Check out DropMyRights - should be exactly what you want.

The sun has risen this morning, and the Earth is rotating around its axis.

The big wheel keeps on turning
On a simple line day by day
The earth spins on its axis
One man struggle while another relaxes

-- Massive Attack

No, this isn't for every situation. Common hardware is a must (or at least a real help). But, it does neatly solve other common issues, like system builds.

A freind of mine does just this on his home system about once a month (well, and at work...as he says, we're not in the business of installing an OS by hand anymore). I'm going to take the same plunge. Pick an automated system rebuild method, test it, build new systems with it and rebuild your systems on some sort of regular basis. There are lots of caveats to the Microsoft methods (ADS/RIS... single partition systems, you need BOOTP, blah blah blah). And, the image-based methods can be tricky (Ghost? Oh come now). Other options like nLite might help, too.

It may not be what the doctor ordered, but it will simplify your life when you need to build a new workstation. And, if one gets pokey beyond the reach of the other tools mentioned, blow on a new image. Plus, if you're using XP, you can use folder redirection to keep the user files someplace else, so you don't neccesarily have to rely on draconian policies regarding where they should save files (well, you can't let them save files just anyplace, so a few policies may be in order).

Is this the ultimate insult that the best way to manage Windows workstations is to automate reinstalling them? Well, maybe, depending on your viewpoint. But, it is what it is, so we build automated methods to learn to live with the limitations.

Humbly submitted, here are some of my bookmarks on the subject:
http://www.cmu.edu/computing/andrew-windows/andrew -ris-server.html
http://ani.sourceforge.net/
http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb; en-us;299441
http://www.livejournal.com/users/lotso/1863.html
http://isg.ee.ethz.ch/tools/realmen/
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/howi tworks/management/remoteover.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/archive/risover.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windo wsserver2003/library/TechRef/3983c4a4-e6ff-4664-84 25-28ec740474b1.mspx
http://unattended.sourceforge.net/
http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?Art icleID=7109
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windo ws2000serv/evaluate/featfunc/intmiror.mspx

No, this isn't for every situation. Common hardware is a must (or at least a real help). But, it does neatly solve other common issues, like system builds.

A freind of mine does just this on his home system about once a month (well, and at work...as he says, we're not in the business of installing an OS by hand anymore). I'm going to take the same plunge. Pick an automated system rebuild method, test it, build new systems with it and rebuild your systems on some sort of regular basis. There are lots of caveats to the Microsoft methods (ADS/RIS... single partition systems, you need BOOTP, blah blah blah). And, the image-based methods can be tricky (Ghost? Oh come now). Other options like nLite might help, too.

It may not be what the doctor ordered, but it will simplify your life when you need to build a new workstation. And, if one gets pokey beyond the reach of the other tools mentioned, blow on a new image. Plus, if you're using XP, you can use folder redirection to keep the user files someplace else, so you don't neccesarily have to rely on draconian policies regarding where they should save files (well, you can't let them save files just anyplace, so a few policies may be in order).

Is this the ultimate insult that the best way to manage Windows workstations is to automate reinstalling them? Well, maybe, depending on your viewpoint. But, it is what it is, so we build automated methods to learn to live with the limitations.

Humbly submitted, here are some of my bookmarks on the subject:
http://www.cmu.edu/computing/andrew-windows/andrew -ris-server.html
http://ani.sourceforge.net/
http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb; en-us;299441
http://www.livejournal.com/users/lotso/1863.html
http://isg.ee.ethz.ch/tools/realmen/
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/howi tworks/management/remoteover.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/archive/risover.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windo wsserver2003/library/TechRef/3983c4a4-e6ff-4664-84 25-28ec740474b1.mspx
http://unattended.sourceforge.net/
http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?Art icleID=7109
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windo ws2000serv/evaluate/featfunc/intmiror.mspx

No, this isn't for every situation. Common hardware is a must (or at least a real help). But, it does neatly solve other common issues, like system builds.

A freind of mine does just this on his home system about once a month (well, and at work...as he says, we're not in the business of installing an OS by hand anymore). I'm going to take the same plunge. Pick an automated system rebuild method, test it, build new systems with it and rebuild your systems on some sort of regular basis. There are lots of caveats to the Microsoft methods (ADS/RIS... single partition systems, you need BOOTP, blah blah blah). And, the image-based methods can be tricky (Ghost? Oh come now). Other options like nLite might help, too.

It may not be what the doctor ordered, but it will simplify your life when you need to build a new workstation. And, if one gets pokey beyond the reach of the other tools mentioned, blow on a new image. Plus, if you're using XP, you can use folder redirection to keep the user files someplace else, so you don't neccesarily have to rely on draconian policies regarding where they should save files (well, you can't let them save files just anyplace, so a few policies may be in order).

Is this the ultimate insult that the best way to manage Windows workstations is to automate reinstalling them? Well, maybe, depending on your viewpoint. But, it is what it is, so we build automated methods to learn to live with the limitations.

Humbly submitted, here are some of my bookmarks on the subject:
http://www.cmu.edu/computing/andrew-windows/andrew -ris-server.html
http://ani.sourceforge.net/
http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb; en-us;299441
http://www.livejournal.com/users/lotso/1863.html
http://isg.ee.ethz.ch/tools/realmen/
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/howi tworks/management/remoteover.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/archive/risover.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windo wsserver2003/library/TechRef/3983c4a4-e6ff-4664-84 25-28ec740474b1.mspx
http://unattended.sourceforge.net/
http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?Art icleID=7109
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windo ws2000serv/evaluate/featfunc/intmiror.mspx

No, this isn't for every situation. Common hardware is a must (or at least a real help). But, it does neatly solve other common issues, like system builds.

A freind of mine does just this on his home system about once a month (well, and at work...as he says, we're not in the business of installing an OS by hand anymore). I'm going to take the same plunge. Pick an automated system rebuild method, test it, build new systems with it and rebuild your systems on some sort of regular basis. There are lots of caveats to the Microsoft methods (ADS/RIS... single partition systems, you need BOOTP, blah blah blah). And, the image-based methods can be tricky (Ghost? Oh come now). Other options like nLite might help, too.

It may not be what the doctor ordered, but it will simplify your life when you need to build a new workstation. And, if one gets pokey beyond the reach of the other tools mentioned, blow on a new image. Plus, if you're using XP, you can use folder redirection to keep the user files someplace else, so you don't neccesarily have to rely on draconian policies regarding where they should save files (well, you can't let them save files just anyplace, so a few policies may be in order).

Is this the ultimate insult that the best way to manage Windows workstations is to automate reinstalling them? Well, maybe, depending on your viewpoint. But, it is what it is, so we build automated methods to learn to live with the limitations.

Humbly submitted, here are some of my bookmarks on the subject:
http://www.cmu.edu/computing/andrew-windows/andrew -ris-server.html
http://ani.sourceforge.net/
http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb; en-us;299441
http://www.livejournal.com/users/lotso/1863.html
http://isg.ee.ethz.ch/tools/realmen/
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/howi tworks/management/remoteover.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/archive/risover.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windo wsserver2003/library/TechRef/3983c4a4-e6ff-4664-84 25-28ec740474b1.mspx
http://unattended.sourceforge.net/
http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?Art icleID=7109
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windo ws2000serv/evaluate/featfunc/intmiror.mspx

No, this isn't for every situation. Common hardware is a must (or at least a real help). But, it does neatly solve other common issues, like system builds.

A freind of mine does just this on his home system about once a month (well, and at work...as he says, we're not in the business of installing an OS by hand anymore). I'm going to take the same plunge. Pick an automated system rebuild method, test it, build new systems with it and rebuild your systems on some sort of regular basis. There are lots of caveats to the Microsoft methods (ADS/RIS... single partition systems, you need BOOTP, blah blah blah). And, the image-based methods can be tricky (Ghost? Oh come now). Other options like nLite might help, too.

It may not be what the doctor ordered, but it will simplify your life when you need to build a new workstation. And, if one gets pokey beyond the reach of the other tools mentioned, blow on a new image. Plus, if you're using XP, you can use folder redirection to keep the user files someplace else, so you don't neccesarily have to rely on draconian policies regarding where they should save files (well, you can't let them save files just anyplace, so a few policies may be in order).

Is this the ultimate insult that the best way to manage Windows workstations is to automate reinstalling them? Well, maybe, depending on your viewpoint. But, it is what it is, so we build automated methods to learn to live with the limitations.

Humbly submitted, here are some of my bookmarks on the subject:
http://www.cmu.edu/computing/andrew-windows/andrew -ris-server.html
http://ani.sourceforge.net/
http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb; en-us;299441
http://www.livejournal.com/users/lotso/1863.html
http://isg.ee.ethz.ch/tools/realmen/
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/howi tworks/management/remoteover.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/archive/risover.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windo wsserver2003/library/TechRef/3983c4a4-e6ff-4664-84 25-28ec740474b1.mspx
http://unattended.sourceforge.net/
http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index.cfm?Art icleID=7109
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windo ws2000serv/evaluate/featfunc/intmiror.mspx

Microsoft provides you nothing with windows

This would be insightful if things like this weren't in the shrink-wrap from Microsoft. You know, the OS, a complete web server, mail platform, fax handling, SQL server, firewalling, collaboration suite, and remote access/routing tools all in a single install. Most small businesses that do set up MS-based server solutions go exactly this route and save themselves a lot of trouble and money. And yes, you can pretty much secure and patch all of it with a couple of mouseclicks as needed, or let it happen automatically. Most actual business settings, though, start to require an admin (or rent-an-admin) with enough brains to know when/why/how to perform some of those tasks so as to not disrupt business. But don't assume that all you can get on a CD from MS is an O/S - it's just not like that, and hasn't been for years. They were providing "SBS" packages/installs back with good old NT, and it's been getting better and easier to deal with ever since. It's pretty much just-add-water (um, consulting/training for end users) at this point.

1. Ad-Aware SE
2. Spybot Search & Destroy
3. SpywareBlaster
4. Microsoft Anti-Spyware
5. Some Anti-Virus Program that you like (at my work, we install Norton even though it is a resource hog, but never Norton Internet Security since it eventually always fucks a computer up)

Set your Anti-virus program to scan at least weekly, and automatically update itself, Update and sca with Ad-Aware and Spybot weekly at a minimum, and update and protect with SpywareBlaster weekly at a minimum.

It is absolutely ridiculous that a person should have to do this to keep their computer running decently. We get so many Windows machines in the shop that it isn't even funny, but thusfar, whenever we have managed to convince someone to upgrade to a MacOS X machine (Typically when their Dell, Compaq, HP, E-Machines has a motherboard failure). They have came back completely excited and astonished that they don't really have to worry about spyware and viruses so much.

My reccomendation on keeping your WIndows XP machine in top performance. Go buy a high-end Mac and run VirtualPC if it can run whatever program you NEED to run (Note: Games do not count), if you cannot run your Prorgram under VPC, buy a low-end PC and keep it off the network.

1. Ad-Aware SE
2. Spybot Search & Destroy
3. SpywareBlaster
4. Microsoft Anti-Spyware
5. Some Anti-Virus Program that you like (at my work, we install Norton even though it is a resource hog, but never Norton Internet Security since it eventually always fucks a computer up)

Set your Anti-virus program to scan at least weekly, and automatically update itself, Update and sca with Ad-Aware and Spybot weekly at a minimum, and update and protect with SpywareBlaster weekly at a minimum.

It is absolutely ridiculous that a person should have to do this to keep their computer running decently. We get so many Windows machines in the shop that it isn't even funny, but thusfar, whenever we have managed to convince someone to upgrade to a MacOS X machine (Typically when their Dell, Compaq, HP, E-Machines has a motherboard failure). They have came back completely excited and astonished that they don't really have to worry about spyware and viruses so much.

My reccomendation on keeping your WIndows XP machine in top performance. Go buy a high-end Mac and run VirtualPC if it can run whatever program you NEED to run (Note: Games do not count), if you cannot run your Prorgram under VPC, buy a low-end PC and keep it off the network.

I have to do the same thing.

This gives me an idea: a "free your windows" installer that automatically installs the useful stuff on a PC to set it free
  -firefox, thunderbird
  -VLC
  -ShrinkTo5 DVD backup utility
  -open office
  -(maybe java, perl, python runtimes)
  -purge all the stuff you dont want users at
  -ad-aware
  -lock down IE settings so that AX is turned off except for trusted sites; trusted sites are set to "medium" and http://.microsoft.com/ added so that windows update works.

If the google toolbar gets included, we'd make a $1 an install, which could be enough to cover costs...

According to this post by a Microsoft employee, the format is free to use. In his next post, Brian points out that the license is perpetual; that is, it cannot be changed once granted. He cites the license itself, which says, that the license is perpetual for everyone, and is only terminable if the individual sues Microsoft over patent infringement claims relating to reading or writing of Office Schemas.

How do your findings hold up against page 31 of the recent leaked MS Singularity OS research document found at ftp://ftp.research.microsoft.com/pub/tr/TR-2005-13 5.pdf, in which MS compares current versions of Windows XP, Linux and FreeBSD, only to show that Linux and FreeBSD outperform Windows XP?

Why do you suppose that MS would even consider building a new OS from the ground up, as they are doing with Singularity, if their current model already beats the competition?

The sample, although too small to provide conclusive statistical comparisons, illustrates the methodology and begins to shed light on some key model differences between the platforms.

The is another way of saying "no scientific conclusions may be validly drawn from my study, but I am going to draw some anyway". Further, you no doubt knew Microsoft would tout such invalid conclusions whether or not you did yourself. Do you believe this behavior is ethical?

One thing I did not see in the study was a good description of assumptions you made.

I guess I must have found a different study -- the one I found has a section titled "Assumptions and Rules" starting on page 11, then an "Additional assumptions on Quantitative Data" running from around the middle of page 12 through about the top third of page 14.

Is this a different one than you were looking at?

--
The universe is a figment of its own imagination.

The penguins here (most of slashdot) cannot seem to stand their OS got its tail handed to them here vs. a 99.999% rated OS as to uptime, but this time, about security issues!

No less, in a legit test, vs. Windows Server 2003 (SP #1, & fully hotfix patched) + SQLServer 2000 (SP#3), which is not as good security-wise as SQLServer 2005 no less, beat the hell out of LINUX using Oracle OR MyPhP iirc, as the DB engine back end!

See here:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/a/5/4a528 af3-a63b-422b-a6d2-6a7b2b7ab7ea/Reliability_Analys is_Security_Innovation.pdf

& here:

http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/11/16/ 169206&tid=109

Funniest part of it all? Most of the security issues were not with the DB engines, but the OS kernel/cores...

Linux is ok, don't get me wrong, & has it specialty/niche areas its great at (and it's MUCH better @ hardware support than it was, but still is way behind MS stuff here as well as apps for it, + being as versatile as Win32 softwares are on Win32 OS platforms)... but, for how long?

What's left?? Clustering???

Man... anyone that says that will be solely a province of Linux (or UNIX) vs. MS, doesn't understand the talent, resources, & cash MS has to make things happen for them!

E.G.-> Give MS 1-2 years (when the release of their clustering version of 2003 server comes out & it's already underway) & we'll see what's-what there even, then.

Clustering - It's a niche area that Linux has, for now, vs. Windows... keywords being 'for now'... try remember that.

APK

P.S.=> Still, it would be interesting to see you "Pro-Linux Penguins" try to get the better of the man who allegedly ran this test, just to see if you can, I would find that VERY interesting to see if you can... apk

The link to the study is for a different one, comparing RHEL to Windows. Here is the actual study and slashdot article for the right one, comparing to SUSE.

"Secure Windows development will always be an oxymoron until Microsoft fixes their OS so that Administrator privileges are not required to do the most mundane tasks." - by Not The Real Me (538784) on Monday November 21, @02:36PM

First of all, there is TONS of ways to make Windows secure & not be vulnerable... even running things as Administrator entity/user.

It's doable. I hate that line of "F.U.D." that Linux people spout here constantly that are "pro-linux penguins"... it's not correct. Both OS are capable of being "hardened" more than default installs are (or, you get customized hardened versions, & both are out there to be had, such as Secure Linux or Windows offered by various vendors).

NOW, the "good stuff":

http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/a/5/4a528 af3-a63b-422b-a6d2-6a7b2b7ab7ea/Reliability_Analys is_Security_Innovation.pdf

Take a GOOD read - download that, & tell me that Linux + DB Engines like Oracle & others, just do NOT do as good a job security-wise!

(Note also? The majority of security issues did NOT come from the DB engines used (many did, but see the majority), but from the OS kernel used from the Linux world & Windows world - more were from LINUX than Windows, period!)

It's there, from a legit test run by a party other than MS, & yes, it clearly showed Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (SP#1 + hotfixes) & SQLServer 2000 (SP #3) doing a BETTER JOB OF SECURITY than Linux & other DB engines!

Read...

(As I stated above? This was an article from THIS website in fact, & I got it from slashdot as I mentioned/noted! Read the pdf...)

* :)

APK

Here's your other:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/a/5/4a528 af3-a63b-422b-a6d2-6a7b2b7ab7ea/Reliability_Analys is_Security_Innovation.pdf

I made NOTHING up! It's there, from a legit test run by a party other than MS, & yes, it clearly showed Microsoft Windows Server 2003 (SP#1 + hotfixes) & SQLServer 2000 (SP #3) doing a BETTER JOB OF SECURITY than Linux & other DB engines!

Read...

(As I stated above? This was an article from THIS website in fact, & I got it from slashdot as I mentioned/noted! Read the pdf...)

* :)

APK

P.S.=> "A shame it's ruined BY FULLY capitalising random WORDS, as well as the total lack of a point, and any actual information or arguments that hasn't already been disproved in the discussion or that makes the slightest bit of sense anyway" - by DarkIye (875062) on Monday November 21, @02:34P

LOL, yea, right... read the above article, ok?

(And, as to who's reply was full of "fluff" & lack of facts with backup? I read yours, doesn't seem TOO substantial or backed well, now does it?) apk

Well, the tcp/ip stack for windows is based on bsd iirc
I'm afraid you recall incorrectly. Read this slashdot thread to get more info - but essentially, whilst there is plenty of BSD code in microsoft products, its unlikely that they used a bsd based tcp/ip stack in windows versions beyond NT3.5.

beyond this, I never said the firewall was software and ran on the windows machine...

Where they are running is irrelevant to this discussion.

for that matter, there's also router attacks, and other types of DOS attacks.

errr, yes - thats why I said I'm sure you could think of other attacks given ten minutes.

I didn't mean to infer that there weren't possibly other means of attack, so much as that they are much less a possibility... I'm not aware of any attacks exploiting the windows tcp/ip stack directly...

Have a read of Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-019
Vulnerabilities in TCP/IP Could Allow Remote Code Execution and Denial of Service

Interestingly, as part of my Computer Science degree at the University of Leeds I take a Secure Computing module in my final year, sponsored (ironically) by Microsoft.

http://www.microsoft.com/uk/press/content/presscen tre/releases/2003/03/PR03013.asp

"Threat Modeling gets its own Item, but isn't covered in great depth. Brown lays out Microsoft's STRIDE system (Spoofing, Tampering, Repudiation, Information disclosure, Denial of service, and Elevation of privilege) as a guideline for threat modeling. He also talks a bit about attack trees."

Didn't Gandalf use the assistance of Attack Trees to topple Isengard? Sarumon really needs to read this book.

But seriously folks....another good reference here:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/5957.asp

No, seriously.

http://www.microsoft.com/products/expression/en/in teractive_designer/default.aspx

Prototype in XAML and then hook the prototype UI directly into your back-end code.

Of course, judgment is suspended until it actually ships, but the demos at PDC were very promising.