Why not come up with some percentage of people you are willing to support, say 90%. Then find out how many people use each variety of browser or OS. These numbers are usually available on the net. Then you select the top N platforms needed to fill out your percentage supported number.
The percent will change depending on who the website's target audience is. If you're a high end clothes site you can support less stuff than say a computer shop.
From my uneducated guess, I'd say IE5 and 6, Firefox, Mozilla, Safari and Netscape 6 should be fine. If you can't convince them supporting the top 90-95% is a good idea, make sure regression testing (is that the term?) for Netscape 4 and IE 4 (etc) is a separate charge.
Also, what are most visitors it the site currently using?
Corporate America told Microsoft that they didn't like service packs because they required a lot of IT effort to roll out across the organization. As it stands, any true security patch needs to be installed ASAP, so anything in a service pack is probably something most IT departments would prefer to avoid unless it scratches their itch.
What about the users that have XP Home? Or the insane speed an unprotected XP SP0 or even SP1 system getting infected from a broadband connection in minutes?
I've valued the Service Packs because they can be integrated (slipstreamed) into the Windows install CD. Companies can avoid installing SP3 if they want to wait just as they can still avoid SP2.
They just did inventory at my friend's job, and every computer is listed as $750, while every screen is $250. This is regardless of the age or condition of the item. Maybe that is partially why the dollar ammount is so high.
I've read elsewhere on Slashdot that they knew the XP code base was so mangled that they stopped the XP-to-Longhorn project and started again with the excellent Windows Server 2003 codebase. This is why it's taking forever to get it out the door.
At what point do you move from educating the users to disciplining ones that need their system re-imaged more than once? Your company wouldn't put up with the staff showing up late, why do they tolerate end users installing crap?
I'm suprized garbage sites aren't being blocked by WebSense. If Maddox's site is blocked (as tasteless humor), why aren't known adware/spyware sites being blocked?
Firefox needs an MSI installer and some Group Policy mods to take off in a corp. enviroment.
The average person has no idea that opening an email attachment from an unknown sender is bad, or that installing COOL FREE GIZMO from CLICK YES TO INSTALL isn't a good idea. This is why my former company installs Firefox on everything; don't even give the user a choice to install the crap.
You're exaggerating on how many patches are installed per reboot cycle. The process is like this:
Install Windows 2000 Pro with Service Pack 4 already Slipstreamed.
Install Internet Explorer 6 (reboot)
Install "Rollup 1" which is what SP5 would have been. (reboot)
Install all post-Rollup patches. This means all patches after April 2005. (reboot)
Install DirectX 9C
Install Media Player 9
Install post DX9 and post MP9 patches (why these aren't being installed patched is beyond me! reboot)
Install final set of patches if they remain. (reboot)
Create disk image for rolling out to other systems of the same model.
You can get around Windows 2000/XP's inability to boot on other motherboards by changing the IDE controller to the MS Standard driver and then making the image, but it doesn't always work. Doing a repair install will remove you patches and in some cases require the install media for other programs (Easy CD/DVD 6, etc).
So yes, Windows 2000 is being phased out by Microsoft and is likely being kept in this state of endless patches in the hope that IT Directors will see how long it takes (because IE6, MP9 and DX9 aren't in a real SP5) and just move to Windows XP Pro.
I always leave my CDs (that are loose) data side down for that reason, as well as I can read the labels on top. Others (esp. techies) leave the data side up. What's your preference and why?
Printable media is even better, since they're much more top-scratch resistance.
I must spend forever trying to configure windows to run the Documents and Settings folder on a seperate partition as well as finding ways of locking the current run state install for the Window folder. Programs like drive snapshot help in the build but I can see how it may now be possible to sell a alternative PC.
I've read it is possible to the Unattended Answer File (WinNT.sif) to put the Profiles (D&S) folder on a separate partition in Windows XP (and likely 2000) but I've not been able to find a link.
Floppies won't be dead until Microsoft allows for Flash memory storage driver installs during Windows installs. Vista has a new installer so I'm not sure if they've taken the step needed to finally put the Floppy to rest.
Meanwhile, I'll keep charging $10 per floppy disk in need of recovery. It is amazing to me that people will save their only copy of a critical file on cheap disposable media.
The only people who never mod their desktop seem to be the home users, most of whom still haven't figured out where QuickLaunch went in XP. Why that and the Address Bar are off by default I have no idea.
I've not used Linux significantly, but there are a number of "Window Managers" with low resource needs such as IceWM which can even be skinned to look like your favorite commerial OS.
I wonder if Sony is giving kickbacks to other studios such as Fox for supporting the format early? Are there licence fees involved to make Blu-Ray discs?
Remember when Johnny Wilson was Editor in Chief of Computer Gaming World, and the mag was on cheap paper? I'd gladly take cheap paper over cheap words.
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Real Estate on motherboards is costly. Think of Shuttle PCs and notebooks, where would they keep the 3 BIOS chips you're recommending?
The percent will change depending on who the website's target audience is. If you're a high end clothes site you can support less stuff than say a computer shop.
From my uneducated guess, I'd say IE5 and 6, Firefox, Mozilla, Safari and Netscape 6 should be fine. If you can't convince them supporting the top 90-95% is a good idea, make sure regression testing (is that the term?) for Netscape 4 and IE 4 (etc) is a separate charge.
Also, what are most visitors it the site currently using?
What about the users that have XP Home? Or the insane speed an unprotected XP SP0 or even SP1 system getting infected from a broadband connection in minutes?
I've valued the Service Packs because they can be integrated (slipstreamed) into the Windows install CD. Companies can avoid installing SP3 if they want to wait just as they can still avoid SP2.
Could it be the old "not invented here" syndrome?
They just did inventory at my friend's job, and every computer is listed as $750, while every screen is $250. This is regardless of the age or condition of the item. Maybe that is partially why the dollar ammount is so high.
Remember "Full Motion Video" in the 90s being a buzzword? Maybe that's what they were pirating, thousands of copies of TIE Fighter.
SC
White House IT
I've read elsewhere on Slashdot that they knew the XP code base was so mangled that they stopped the XP-to-Longhorn project and started again with the excellent Windows Server 2003 codebase. This is why it's taking forever to get it out the door.
It does not give a detailed level of signal strength, it is limited to 1-5 bars.
It will drop the connection far more often than manufacturer's utilities. In other words, don't bother playing online games on it.
The window isn't resizable. When did Microsoft think this was a good idea?*
Security passcodes have to be entered twice. That's terrible when the passcode is 10+ characters, and you can't see what you've typed in either.
It won't re-enable at times for no appearant reason. * Anyone know a way to force apps to be resizable?
This goes on all the time. Isn't that what the AP, Reuters and other "news services" are for?
And I thought the TIE Defender was getting an upgrade!
I'm suprized garbage sites aren't being blocked by WebSense. If Maddox's site is blocked (as tasteless humor), why aren't known adware/spyware sites being blocked?
Firefox needs an MSI installer and some Group Policy mods to take off in a corp. enviroment.
The average person has no idea that opening an email attachment from an unknown sender is bad, or that installing COOL FREE GIZMO from CLICK YES TO INSTALL isn't a good idea. This is why my former company installs Firefox on everything; don't even give the user a choice to install the crap.
Install Windows 2000 Pro with Service Pack 4 already Slipstreamed.
Install Internet Explorer 6 (reboot)
Install "Rollup 1" which is what SP5 would have been. (reboot)
Install all post-Rollup patches. This means all patches after April 2005. (reboot)
Install DirectX 9C
Install Media Player 9
Install post DX9 and post MP9 patches (why these aren't being installed patched is beyond me! reboot)
Install final set of patches if they remain. (reboot)
Create disk image for rolling out to other systems of the same model.
You can get around Windows 2000/XP's inability to boot on other motherboards by changing the IDE controller to the MS Standard driver and then making the image, but it doesn't always work. Doing a repair install will remove you patches and in some cases require the install media for other programs (Easy CD/DVD 6, etc).
So yes, Windows 2000 is being phased out by Microsoft and is likely being kept in this state of endless patches in the hope that IT Directors will see how long it takes (because IE6, MP9 and DX9 aren't in a real SP5) and just move to Windows XP Pro.
Hotmail can no longer be used with Outlook because Microsoft admits it's easier to block everyone and charge for access rather than cancel the accounts of spammers.
If I recall, Firewire uses a separate controller, thus another chip in the tight design. USB uses the processor to keep the implementation cost low.
Printable media is even better, since they're much more top-scratch resistance.
I've read it is possible to the Unattended Answer File (WinNT.sif) to put the Profiles (D&S) folder on a separate partition in Windows XP (and likely 2000) but I've not been able to find a link.
Meanwhile, I'll keep charging $10 per floppy disk in need of recovery. It is amazing to me that people will save their only copy of a critical file on cheap disposable media.
I've not used Linux significantly, but there are a number of "Window Managers" with low resource needs such as IceWM which can even be skinned to look like your favorite commerial OS.
Personally I prefer the "Windows Classic" theme in XP, as it takes up less resources. Microsoft also released the Media Center Theme for XP users, but it takes up about the same resources as the "Luna Theme."
If you want to get better performance out of a 2K/XP/+ system:
Disable unneeded services: Remote Registry Service and Messenger (there are more possible)
Disable System File Protection
Disable Visual Effects and Active Desktop
Disable "last access" timestamp on files.
I wonder if Sony is giving kickbacks to other studios such as Fox for supporting the format early? Are there licence fees involved to make Blu-Ray discs?
Remember when Johnny Wilson was Editor in Chief of Computer Gaming World, and the mag was on cheap paper? I'd gladly take cheap paper over cheap words.
It's likely just a demo for the time being. Owning a Dell with a microATX board myself, I can tell you those cards wouldn't fit into the case.
McAfee may have AOL, but I've never had a positive opinion of McAfee simply because I could never find the virus definions file date in their program.
The same thing Symantec always does: buy 'em!