That would be the right time, yes. But actually, the problem with todays systems is not as much the OS as the applications that run on it. Almost every self-respecting OS has an Auto-update function that works more or less well. Unless you are a paranoid schizophrenic that update the OS manually (forgetting to do it now and then), the OS is relatively secure. The problem are the applications. Now tell me, how many of us run to download a new Java machine or a new Acrobat reader, or a new Cobian Backup, or a new WinAmp when a vulnerability is discovered on any of those products. Hell you will be lucky if you even get to know that a new vulnerability was found on your faithful uTorrent... So when you get pwned, what's the first thing the user blame? The OS of course...
At work we had a Windows Server 2008 hacked. It was killing the whole network sending spam and trying to infect other machines on our AD. Our boss was already blaming Bill Gate's mother... On a closer inspection, the problem was discovered. The system was running a quite old version of WebBoard (a system for collaboration, which was developed originally by O'Reilly). The firewall has the port 8080 open to allow users to connect. Some people discovered the open port, found out that WebBoard was running, and took advantage of the vulnerability to upload and run malicious code on the server. Because WebBoard is a service, running as the System account, you can imagine what happened there. Did our IT manager know about this vulnerability. Not at all, even if it was fixed on a posterior build.... How many "forgotten" programs, and non-OS related services do people have running in their machines, unpatched and unattended? Think about this...
There's nothing scaring about humans playing "god". Sure, bad things can sometimes be created like the atomic weapon, for instance, but many of those god games result in great advances for the science. Sure, it's easy to cry armageddon for every little investigation we do in science, but, if we don't play god, who will do it then? God?
And despite the HUGE problems with Abble's Snow Leopard, with it's infinites beach balls of death, deleting whole accounts when logging in as a guest, uncountable bugs and slowness, it doesn't make this list. But, let Microsoft release a decent OS like XP with a animated dog on it. Oh! That's enough for it to be included... Gotta show you how prejudiced these kind of lists are... Who made this list? Kdawson?
It has also made creating professional Windows-based GUIs much easier and more desirable to do, which is something that only Visual Basic and hardcore C++ shell API developers could accomplish.
Hmm... Sorry but that spot is already (and has been) taken by Delphi (in the native arena anyway). After all the main architect of both Delphi and.Net is the same guy. But yes,.NET rocks.
Hmm.. it IS a free app. Just don't use it. i don't understand the point of this article. I first though that the editor was kdawson, but it seems there are some other ones like his that just salivate by the bare sight of the word Microsoft...
It's like writig an article complaining about the fonts used by default on Firefox. Just use whatever other browser you want. It's not like you have a gun ponting at your head...
I wonder how much our dear kdawson checked the background of the history before he began salivate when he saw the words "Michrosoft" and "steals" in the same sentence... Oh well....
Interesting, with all the graphic violence in Modern Warfare 2, it's funny that the only objectionable aspect of it is that the player can opt to go "undercover as an enemy terrorist."
It seems these days it's cool and hip to support tabs. I mean, in the 90s, a MDI application was the big thing. Everyone and their cats supported MDI until people began to realize that MDI was , after all not a so brigh idea. Then came the tabs... Tabs everywhere, Notepad++, opera, Mozilla, and hell, when IE came with tab I was wondering where the hell i was going to do whene every big browser was using the damned tabs... Thankfully I found a relativelly obcure extension to disable tabs (Untab) which works with some bugs and problems, but hey, it works...
It seems it will take a couple of years for people to understand once more that simplicity is always best, and cluttering more and more things under an interface is juts... well.. so 2000s...
You don't understand the power of Active directory policies/software pushing/network structure id you **think** that a repository can do the same. But hey, the happiness of the ignorance is a good thing.
They are giving a tool. They run and use the programs they want witht "their" OS. That is education for you. What we cannot allow if the maintenance nightmare that woulb be having 345527 distros in evrey machine. THAT is a nightmire. A REAL one.
And what we got with 7? Are YOU kidding or are you just one of those fanboys that don't ever botter to see beyond the pretty interface of a OS?:
Much better Active directory integration
Accessibility improvements. Microsoft has revamped the accessibility features in Windows 7 with improved speech recognition and a new Magnifier utility with full-screen and lens-mode views.
Action Center. While previous versions of Windows included a feature called Windows Security Center that monitored the various security features of the system, Windows 7 takes this functionality to the next level with Action Center. In addition to monitoring security, Action Center also monitors the OS's maintenance features and consolidates alerts from numerous Windows features into a single interface.
Aero Peek. This replacement for Show Desktop in Windows 7 lets you "peek" behind all of the open windows on your desktop and easily view and Windows Gadgets or files on your desktop. You can also peek into the contents of specific open windows.
Aero Snaps. By dragging open windows in certain ways, you can "snap" them to the edges of the screen, maximize, or minimize. This obviates the need to click tiny onscreen elements, making these features more accessible to users.
Backup and Restore. Windows Vista's stellar backup and restore features have been streamlined and simplified in Windows 7. Like its predecessor, Windows 7 supports both data backup and image-based system backup, but now the UIs are more segregated.
Bitlocker To Go. The full-drive encryption feature that first debuted in Windows Vista has been updated in Windows 7 to support removable USB storage devices like flash memory drives and portable hard drives.
Blu-Ray support. Windows 7 natively supports Blu-Ray optical discs and enables you to write to Blu-Ray recordable media.
Device Stage. This Longhorn-style user experience will be made available for multi-function devices such as smart phones, multifunction printers, portable media players, and the like. Through this UI, you'll be able to access the features that are unique to each device. Each Device Stage page can be extensively customized by the device maker.
Devices and Printers. This activity center provides a central location for interacting with any hardware devices--digital cameras, mice, displays, keyboards, and the like--that may be attached to your PC.
DirectAccess. This feature is aimed at business users who need to securely access corporate network resources while away from the office. Essentially a simple replacement for VPN connections, DirectAccess requires Windows Server 2008 R2 on the server-side.
DirectX 11. Windows 7 includes the latest version of the DirectX multimedia libraries.
Display improvements. Windows 7 includes numerous improvements related to computer displays, including integrated display color calibration, improved high DPI support, ClearType, and improved support for external displays. A new Windows Key + P keyboard shortcut helps you easily switch between connected displays.
HomeGroup. Microsoft has consolidated the most common network-based sharing tasks into a single simple interface called HomeGroup. Computers in a HomeGroup can easily share documents, digital media files, and printers over a home network.
Internet Explorer. Windows 7 ships with the latest version of Microsoft's Web browser, Internet Explorer 8.
Libraries. In Windows 7, Microsoft has realized a long-term goal to replace the static special shell folders from previous Windows versions and replace them with virtualized shell locations that aggregate content from a variety of physical locations. Libraries are implemented as virtual folders and the views
Not true. With 7 we deploy patches, programs, policies, you name it via our Active directory with one click. We Linux is not so easy, and believe it or not, time IS money.
While there could be some 2000 boxes here and there, we have a policy of XP minimum for our desktop computers that are directly connected to out AD. And now, it seems like 80 % of them are already running 7. The few Macs we have were reverted to Leopard from SL because the innumerable numbers of problems found on it. We have some Linux desktops as well, but they are more "on the wild" and not under our direct control.
I can only speak for the university I work for. We have upgraded 8000 machines from XP to 7 after passing over Vista all these years. And boy are we glad we did.
As a responsable IT person at my university, I buy a lot of different hardware (laptops, stationary, servers)...
I ALWAYS format the computer before giving it to the final user, but as a rule I can tell you that any "big" name out there installs a lot of crapware, but the winner is: LENOVO.
The last Dells I've got have:
1. Adobe reader
2. Google toolbar
3. Google Desktop (!!!! ahhhggg the pain)
4. Adobe Flash player
5. Lots of Dell crapware like Support center and so on..
Lenovo:
1. Adobe reader
2. MS Office 30 days trial (yes, trials ARE crapware in my book)
3. McAffee antivirus + Firewall + anything (60 days trial)
4. Google toolbar
5. Google Desktop
6. Google Chrome (AHHHHHHH MORE PAIN)
7. Adobe flash player
8. Skype (!!!)
10. Lots and I mean LOOOOTS of Lenovo panels, gadgets and stuff
HP
1. Adobe reader
2. Norton antivirus + Firewall + anything (60 days trial)
4. Google toolbar
5. Google Desktop
6. Lots of gadgets and added HP value"
On the bright side, Dell always gives you a new brand Windows CD and a CD with drivers so the re-installation is easy.
Lenovo? They give you a Restore CD that installs the system with all the crap from the beginning.
Oh well... At lest nobody else (that I know) is installing Abble crapware by default. The day some big name intalls iTunes, QuickTime, Safary or other Abble Supercrap, as default, that's the last day I buy such a brand for us.
Naee, it's like an ugly chick criticizing a hot one, green of envy... and the question is, when was the last time you (yes I'm looking to you Dvorak) put something decent out? Can you do better? Well do it!!!
Sure, but you culs always do like it's done in some other games (Formula One racing Simulator, for example) where real life Marlboro, Camel. Michelin, etc ads are replaced by fake products (Colten soda, Frantic tires, etc). The result? A very realistic environment without the real life ads poisoning.
Last time I saw a kernel panic in Ubuntu was like... yestarday. I was installing a new USB scanner and poff... And yeah it was not Linuzz fault, it was the driver yada yada.... Like if a BSOD was Windows fault.
One day, giving products for free on the streets like the Jehovas Witnesses, another day making a I'm a Linux your a Windows ad on the TV, and now this. When your product doesn't talk for itself, you need to make a clown of yourself to get some attention... Classy as always.
Slashdot Mirror
There are a LOT of phones that are technically superior to the Iphone. They are not shiny, though.
Hmm... WebBoard is an independent server Einstein. It doesn't use IIS (or any other web server) for anything.
At work we had a Windows Server 2008 hacked. It was killing the whole network sending spam and trying to infect other machines on our AD. Our boss was already blaming Bill Gate's mother ... On a closer inspection, the problem was discovered. The system was running a quite old version of WebBoard (a system for collaboration, which was developed originally by O'Reilly). The firewall has the port 8080 open to allow users to connect. Some people discovered the open port, found out that WebBoard was running, and took advantage of the vulnerability to upload and run malicious code on the server. Because WebBoard is a service, running as the System account, you can imagine what happened there. Did our IT manager know about this vulnerability. Not at all, even if it was fixed on a posterior build.... How many "forgotten" programs, and non-OS related services do people have running in their machines, unpatched and unattended? Think about this...
There's nothing scaring about humans playing "god". Sure, bad things can sometimes be created like the atomic weapon, for instance, but many of those god games result in great advances for the science. Sure, it's easy to cry armageddon for every little investigation we do in science, but, if we don't play god, who will do it then? God?
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9139250/Snow_Leopard_bug_deletes_all_user_data
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=031001SMSU6O
http://venturebeat.com/2009/08/27/apples-snow-leopard-may-stop-you-from-doing-your-job/
I can go on forever....
And despite the HUGE problems with Abble's Snow Leopard, with it's infinites beach balls of death, deleting whole accounts when logging in as a guest, uncountable bugs and slowness, it doesn't make this list. But, let Microsoft release a decent OS like XP with a animated dog on it. Oh! That's enough for it to be included... Gotta show you how prejudiced these kind of lists are... Who made this list? Kdawson?
Hmm... Sorry but that spot is already (and has been) taken by Delphi (in the native arena anyway). After all the main architect of both Delphi and .Net is the same guy. But yes, .NET rocks.
It's like writig an article complaining about the fonts used by default on Firefox. Just use whatever other browser you want. It's not like you have a gun ponting at your head...
I wonder how much our dear kdawson checked the background of the history before he began salivate when he saw the words "Michrosoft" and "steals" in the same sentence... Oh well....
Interesting, with all the graphic violence in Modern Warfare 2, it's funny that the only objectionable aspect of it is that the player can opt to go "undercover as an enemy terrorist."
It seems it will take a couple of years for people to understand once more that simplicity is always best, and cluttering more and more things under an interface is juts... well.. so 2000s...
Calling AD software pushing a "repository" is like calling a Ferrari a bike. Sure, both have wheels.
You don't understand the power of Active directory policies/software pushing/network structure id you **think** that a repository can do the same. But hey, the happiness of the ignorance is a good thing.
And what we got with 7? Are YOU kidding or are you just one of those fanboys that don't ever botter to see beyond the pretty interface of a OS?:
Much better Active directory integration
Accessibility improvements. Microsoft has revamped the accessibility features in Windows 7 with improved speech recognition and a new Magnifier utility with full-screen and lens-mode views.
Action Center. While previous versions of Windows included a feature called Windows Security Center that monitored the various security features of the system, Windows 7 takes this functionality to the next level with Action Center. In addition to monitoring security, Action Center also monitors the OS's maintenance features and consolidates alerts from numerous Windows features into a single interface.
Aero Peek. This replacement for Show Desktop in Windows 7 lets you "peek" behind all of the open windows on your desktop and easily view and Windows Gadgets or files on your desktop. You can also peek into the contents of specific open windows.
Aero Snaps. By dragging open windows in certain ways, you can "snap" them to the edges of the screen, maximize, or minimize. This obviates the need to click tiny onscreen elements, making these features more accessible to users.
Backup and Restore. Windows Vista's stellar backup and restore features have been streamlined and simplified in Windows 7. Like its predecessor, Windows 7 supports both data backup and image-based system backup, but now the UIs are more segregated.
Bitlocker To Go. The full-drive encryption feature that first debuted in Windows Vista has been updated in Windows 7 to support removable USB storage devices like flash memory drives and portable hard drives.
Blu-Ray support. Windows 7 natively supports Blu-Ray optical discs and enables you to write to Blu-Ray recordable media.
Device Stage. This Longhorn-style user experience will be made available for multi-function devices such as smart phones, multifunction printers, portable media players, and the like. Through this UI, you'll be able to access the features that are unique to each device. Each Device Stage page can be extensively customized by the device maker.
Devices and Printers. This activity center provides a central location for interacting with any hardware devices--digital cameras, mice, displays, keyboards, and the like--that may be attached to your PC.
DirectAccess. This feature is aimed at business users who need to securely access corporate network resources while away from the office. Essentially a simple replacement for VPN connections, DirectAccess requires Windows Server 2008 R2 on the server-side.
DirectX 11. Windows 7 includes the latest version of the DirectX multimedia libraries.
Display improvements. Windows 7 includes numerous improvements related to computer displays, including integrated display color calibration, improved high DPI support, ClearType, and improved support for external displays. A new Windows Key + P keyboard shortcut helps you easily switch between connected displays.
HomeGroup. Microsoft has consolidated the most common network-based sharing tasks into a single simple interface called HomeGroup. Computers in a HomeGroup can easily share documents, digital media files, and printers over a home network.
Internet Explorer. Windows 7 ships with the latest version of Microsoft's Web browser, Internet Explorer 8.
Libraries. In Windows 7, Microsoft has realized a long-term goal to replace the static special shell folders from previous Windows versions and replace them with virtualized shell locations that aggregate content from a variety of physical locations. Libraries are implemented as virtual folders and the views
Not true. With 7 we deploy patches, programs, policies, you name it via our Active directory with one click. We Linux is not so easy, and believe it or not, time IS money.
While there could be some 2000 boxes here and there, we have a policy of XP minimum for our desktop computers that are directly connected to out AD. And now, it seems like 80 % of them are already running 7. The few Macs we have were reverted to Leopard from SL because the innumerable numbers of problems found on it. We have some Linux desktops as well, but they are more "on the wild" and not under our direct control.
Yes, 7 is ***cheap*** for education.
Shitty article. Nothing to see here....
I ALWAYS format the computer before giving it to the final user, but as a rule I can tell you that any "big" name out there installs a lot of crapware, but the winner is: LENOVO.
The last Dells I've got have:
1. Adobe reader
2. Google toolbar
3. Google Desktop (!!!! ahhhggg the pain)
4. Adobe Flash player
5. Lots of Dell crapware like Support center and so on..
Lenovo: 1. Adobe reader
2. MS Office 30 days trial (yes, trials ARE crapware in my book)
3. McAffee antivirus + Firewall + anything (60 days trial)
4. Google toolbar
5. Google Desktop
6. Google Chrome (AHHHHHHH MORE PAIN)
7. Adobe flash player
8. Skype (!!!)
10. Lots and I mean LOOOOTS of Lenovo panels, gadgets and stuff
HP 1. Adobe reader
2. Norton antivirus + Firewall + anything (60 days trial)
4. Google toolbar
5. Google Desktop
6. Lots of gadgets and added HP value"
On the bright side, Dell always gives you a new brand Windows CD and a CD with drivers so the re-installation is easy.
Lenovo? They give you a Restore CD that installs the system with all the crap from the beginning.
Oh well... At lest nobody else (that I know) is installing Abble crapware by default. The day some big name intalls iTunes, QuickTime, Safary or other Abble Supercrap, as default, that's the last day I buy such a brand for us.
Naee, it's like an ugly chick criticizing a hot one, green of envy... and the question is, when was the last time you (yes I'm looking to you Dvorak) put something decent out? Can you do better? Well do it!!!
Sure, but you culs always do like it's done in some other games (Formula One racing Simulator, for example) where real life Marlboro, Camel. Michelin, etc ads are replaced by fake products (Colten soda, Frantic tires, etc). The result? A very realistic environment without the real life ads poisoning.
Old news. Chancellor Palpatine already hacked a whole army of robots in a galaxy far away.
1- Other will be sued if they succeed.
2- MS, Abble and others will get more and more defensive patents..
So here we go...
Last time I saw a kernel panic in Ubuntu was like... yestarday. I was installing a new USB scanner and poff... And yeah it was not Linuzz fault, it was the driver yada yada.... Like if a BSOD was Windows fault.
One day, giving products for free on the streets like the Jehovas Witnesses, another day making a I'm a Linux your a Windows ad on the TV, and now this. When your product doesn't talk for itself, you need to make a clown of yourself to get some attention... Classy as always.