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Why don't they start selling their own software. Why didn't they move into other product areas. What's stopping them

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/07/13/microsoft_ japan_trouble/
http://www.thechannelinsider.com/article/Tangent+S uit+Claims+Microsoft+Soaked+Partners/171923_1.aspx
http://slashdot.org/articles/02/04/27/231221.shtml
http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/cases/f212700/212766.htm

re Re:Nice to see a competitive open environment

Correct second link: Windows XP Service Pack 2: Install With Care

I don't believe I saw an example of one of "several of their mission critical apps".

And you won't. What those locations do, and what's wrong with them, is between them and their vendors, not for your leader in Redmond to interfere with. If they worked with XP SP1, why change? A security patch, if that's what it really is, shouldn't affect functionality. If it's not a security patch, but a functionality upgrade, then it's fraudulent to call it a security patch. If undesireable changes in configuration and functionality are pushed out by bundling them with security patches deemd essential, then that's illegal and unethical, though you'll have to ask a lawyer what that's actually called.

However, a quick check of any non-MSN search engine will bring up lots of articles about the troubles caused by XP SP2.

• Redmond, We Have a Problem Here: XP SP2
• Users Give XP SP2 Mixed Marks
• Windows XP SP2 and the Risk of a Linux Backlash
• WinXP SP2 = security placebo?
• Microsoft: DRM Trojan hole is not a vulnerability
• Programs "Seem" to Break Under Windows XP SP2, Microsoft Says

Given the problems SP2 has had with third party (and even MS' own) apps as well as falling on its face security-wise, it would appear that SP2 is more about rolling out unpopular configuration and functionality changes under the guise of "security". After most customers, politicians and even courts will simply roll over and close their eyes when the magic word, "security", is mentioned.

Like I said, get over it. And while you're at it, get out of the way. Like one of the reviewers says, "Unfortunately, Windows remains a quite dangerous system to connect to the Internet, and users are still very much on their own in terms of security solutions."

Actually, Java developers ARE concerned about opening Java up. Here are some recent news articles from Googling "open java":

http://www.thechannelinsider.com/article2/0,1895,1 955870,00.asp
http://opensource.sys-con.com/read/216731.htm
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/-analysis-new-ceo-su n-needs-turnaround-plan-that-/2006/04/26/1611586.h tm
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/50449.html

To all of which, Gosling has responded, "Nope", much to the chagrin of Java developers. If you haven't heard them, it's because you've been too busy complaining on Slashdot about Slashdotters using Slashdot to Slashdot.

At least one partner, Tangent Inc., an OEM based in Burlingame, Calif., has come right out and said that Microsoft charges exorbitant fees from OEMs, distributors, and resellers for its operating system licenses.

Do you know what else Tangent claims? That Microsoft entered into restrictive agreements with OEMs and system builders that limit or eliminate their ability to feature non-Microsoft products. The company filed an antitrust lawsuit in US District Court Feb. 14 against Microsoft, alleging anticompetitive behavior in several areas (digital rights management (DRM), server software, and others). Hmmm ...

http://www.thechannelinsider.com/article2/0,1895,1 754056,00.asp

Towards the end of the article:
Making matters even more problematic is that, unlike 802.11g, where many early devices could be upgraded to the real standard with a firmware upgrade, that's less likely to be the case with the pre-N MIMO devices, depending on who wins the standard war.

If you ask me, it's not. I paid good money for both Win98 and Win98 SE, both of which claimed to be made with the Internet in mind and claimed to be secure. If they had the Internet in mind and made it secure, why did they make it with so many Internet security holes?

Linux never claimed anything to me except higher security and more stability. To this day my Linux box has never been hacked, and both whole-system freezes and single-program freezes are very rare. Plus, if you ask me, this comment shows how much Linux has progressed - as a four-year-old product, you were already willing to give Linux a shot, and for me, when it was a nine-year-old product, I thought it was good enough to switch over. When Windows was thirteen years old (Windows was first released as Interface Manager back in 1985), it still sucked and lacked good security - so much that they had to release two separate versions in the same year because of all the problems, and so much that some people thought even a FREE OS could have better security.

"millions of people would bitch and moan about it. People want to have their cake and eat it too. They want their computer to be secure, but they want total control over their computer too."

First of all, IMO if you want total control over your PC you should be using an open-source system, where you can change every little detail to your heart's desire.

Second of all, MS could just show people how to turn it off. They've expected people to know how to turn it on all this time, can't they just tell people if they don't want auto updates they can turn it off?

"The fact is tons of people run as admin in windows because that how Microsoft made it by default."

My point exactly. And if they allowed you to install programs WITHOUT admin's password (in Linux any program can be compiled and installed by any user - you only need the root password if you want to install it for all users), then maybe people would be a little more cautious when a program requires them to supply admin's password. If most apps could be installed by the user and only needed the admin's password to be installed for ALL users, you might not have this problem since most people only use one account on their computer (and even if they did, they could just install the program on demand). This would be perfect for the completely computer-illiterate people who use Windows.

"Sony's CD would simply say "You must enter your administrator password to view the special feature on this CD", and you can bet that most people would blindly do it, not realizing (or caring about) the potential consequences."

It wouldn't be too hard to make the OS tell you if the program's trying to change important system files, would it? If you have antivirus programs, they will tell you if another program is modifying your boot sector; why can't Windows tell you that a program isn't simply installing itself and needs the admin password to make it so that all users can use the program, and that it's actually trying to modify crucial system files that may cause your PC not to work if they're corrupted or missing.

"Sorry, I never said there weren't any zero day exploits for Windows. There have been (and will be) zero day exploits for every operating system until the end of time. I said there have not been any *worms* that have exploited zero day exploits."

Sorry, but Google says otherwise. First item on the page - New Version of MyDoom Worm in Zero-Day Attack.

"The main difference between Windows and other operating

Sounds like the Sun Ray system. Load of thin clients with centralized logins and smartcards.

here and from the horses mouth

That a great way to be a good neighbor. Piss all over all the channels available so no one else can do anything.

I was about to post with the same sentiment until I read more on the tech.

MIMO is not your typical blast-it-on-multiple channels approach. This article discusses the technology. Instead of using up a bunch of channels, MIMO systems send multiple signals on one channel and use multiple antennas and advanced algorithms on both ends to sort out which signal came from or went which direction.

It really doesn't matter what You think about certifications.

What matters is that HR departments use them as a filter to keep out the great unwashed from jobs.

You can have been the guy who said to Linus, "Hey, have you looked at Minix? Pretty cool, huh?" Or, have actually written the program that the company someone to run, but without the right letters on your resume, you're not going to land the job.

I talk some more about it, and Linux, here:

http://www.thechannelinsider.com/article2/0,1895,1 627386,00.asp

The bottom line: certification and networking (and I'm not talking TCP/IP) are two of the best ways to get an IT job.

Steven

Many analysts feel the same..

Article from Sci-Tech Today
Still, its chip sales to Apple contribute less than 1 percent of IBM's total revenue of $99 billion, suggesting the financial impact of Apple's decision will be minimal.

"The headline risk is greater than the actual risk," wrote Goldman Sachs analyst Laura Conigliaro, who left her profit estimates for IBM this year unchanged.

Another clip

The loss of Apple means a 10-15 percent reduction in IBM's semiconductor revenues coming through its Microelectronics unit, or less than 0.5 percent of total IBM revenues.

I understand many people have high sales expectations for Apple computers but many people are still only forecasting 3 million in sales compared to about 200 million PC's worldwide for 2005. IMHO, Apple will make up larger and larger % of sales but just like the diehard Washington Redskin fans have found out, even with Joe Gibbs, it takes time to get to that level.

The Year of the Linux Desktop: 2003
2004: The Year of the Linux Desktop?
2004 Won't Be the Year of the Linux Desktop
2005 Will Be the Year of the Linux Desktop

Joe Zwers wrote a good article about Truth in benchmarking and how some companies blantantly manipulate data to reach marketing goals.

Slashdot coverage on earlier Linux vs Windows studies: here, here, here, here and here.

We also coverd a Microsoft study on W vs L

As for format changes, most users I know (especially at the highschool level) only use the most basic of features. As such Abiword (no offense guys) and Siag could do the job as basic as they are. Heck even Wordpad would do for what most highschoolers I know need.

The resistance to OOo comes from people who see something slightly different and panic. Are there some real differences between MSO and OOo? Sure, but these aren't nearly as big at the introductory level. Also, I seem to remember a usability study which found that the two were just about equal for basic tasks. There is also this article.

Personally, I'm sick of having to be compatible with MS when plenty of other alternatives are there.

Former Word Perfect user - now OOo user

It's got a lot of strikes against it:

• It was late
• Lots of apps don't work with XP SP2, including some of Microsoft's own
• It's been known to be
• unstable
• Difficult to install
• Additions like the firewall have serious shortcomings
• It messes with settings and permissions
• Is still vulnerable anyway in many ways, and it can take weeks or months to force a repair or even admission.
• Doesn't fix or remove MSIE
• Has DRM features that let spammers 0wn the machine

You are correct - there is only path to memory in a standard AMD socket 939 motherboard, I never said there wasn't.

http://www.thechannelinsider.com/article2/0,1759,1 682262,00.asp

However, it's dual channel and DDR 400, and that helps. Intel also offers dual channel boards and chipsets. I am no AMD "fanboi" as say, if Intel was making better products, I'd be telling you about them right now. It just so happens that AMD's crossbar architecture is much better than Intel's memory access for dual cores right now. It would be better for the industry if Intel could match the technology AMD is going to be shipping, that way prices would fall all the way around - but that won't happen until Intel gets the Pentium M line going in dual core mode, in which case they may also use on-chip memory controllers or atleast an improved northbridge.

The Inquirer is reporting that Intel will counter the AMD Turion 64 Mobile Processor with a Pentium M Extreme Edition. It is an alphabet soup of potential Intel Pentium M releases and you'll probably have to read it through twice or thrice to understand it all, but an interesting and inciteful read nonetheless.

There's another interesting article about the future of 64-bit as it relates to Intel here.

And of course, we can't forget our beloved Celeron.

How many insecurities has Internet Explorer had since it was launched with XP? I lost count.

So, you don't actually know, then? How can you criticise them meaningfully if you don't know?

According to Secunia, MSIE 5.5 has had 55 so far with 10 remaining unpatched.
MSIE 6 has had 76 so far with 20 remaining unpatched, 98% are remote exploits.

SP2 was supposed to fix many things, but it was as as difficult as a major OS upgrade, just ended up breaking many things, not fixing much and not really fixing what it claimed to fix. Granted, it's slightly more than purely a PR move, but not by much. However, it burned up valuable staff time that could have otherwise been used to evaluate competing products. The delay doesn't help MS' claim of prioritizing security much either.

It's common knowledge that MS products just aren't designed with security in mind, but if you want details, then look it up.