Download DirectX 11 for Windows Vista SP2

Microsoft is beginning to backport Windows 7 features to Windows Vista, and as an integral part of the process, the company is also upgrading Vista’s graphics technology to the level of Windows 7.

In this regard, the Redmond-based company has made available for download the Beta development milestone of the Platform Update for Windows Vista. It is via the Platform Update for Windows Vista Beta that users running the second service pack for Vista will be able to access the new DirectX 11 package, and bring the operating system that succeeded Windows XP on par with Windows 7.

Essentially, what Vista SP2 users will be getting is the latest iteration of the DirectX platform. DirectX 11 is in no way a single component. It is, however, a sum of technologies packaged together. The Platform Update for Windows Vista Beta offers the complete new DirectX package, allowing end users and developers to take advantage of components such as DirectWrite, Direct2D, Direct3D 11, Direct3D 10 Level 9, and DXGI 1.1. In addition, the download will also deliver Windows Graphics, Imaging, and XPS Library updates to the Windows Imaging Components, XPS Print API, and the XPS Rasterization Service. Following the integration of the Platform Update for Windows Vista Beta, customers will have the same DirectX technologies on Windows Vista as in Windows 7.

A critical aspect that must be noted is that Microsoft will only target Windows Vista SP2 with the DirectX package in Platform Update for Windows Vista. Users that are currently still running the RTM or SP1 versions of Vista will not be getting upgraded, unless they first upgrade to Service Pack 2. The same is valid for Windows Server 2008, with only SP2 being supported for the DirectX upgrade introduced with the Platform Update for Windows Vista, and RTM-SP1 being ignored completely. SP2 is mandatory for the time being; however, the Platform Update for Windows Vista's DirectX refresh is bound to be tailored to Service Pack 3 (SP3) for Vista and Windows Server 2008 moving onward.

Microsoft revealed that it would offer the Platform Update for Windows Vista through Windows Update. The refresh will be supplied automatically via WU and will be labeled a "recommended" install. The Beta release of the Platform Update for Windows Vista is already served through WU. According to Microsoft, plans are in place for official launch during the Windows 7 general availability time frame. The Redmond-based company mentioned nothing about the possibility of DirectX 11 to be offered as a standalone download to Vista users.

source: news.softpedia.com

Technorati Tags: Vista,DirectX11,Windows

| Continue Reading..

Microsoft: Pirates prefer Windows XP over Vista

Software counterfeiters pass on Windows Vista and instead prefer to pirate Windows XP, a Microsoft Corp. attorney said today, outlining a practice that tracks with the leanings of many of the company's customers.

While explaining the "Global Anti-Piracy Day" educational and enforcement effort Microsoft launched today, Bonnie MacNaughton, a senior attorney with the company, acknowledged that pirates prefer Windows XP over Vista.

"Historically, counterfeiters tend to focus on the 'n-1' version of software," MacNaughton said. "Because of the more robust antipiracy and security features in Vista, most sophisticated piracy rings still continue to focus on XP. But that's changing over time."

That pirates have stuck with XP -- which retains the bulk of the Windows operating system's market share -- is "very consistent with what we've seen in counterfeiting in the past," said MacNaughton. "There's usually a lag of between one and two years [before they can] figure out how to replicate those antipiracy and security features."

Counterfeiters currently copy Office 2003 rather than the newer Office 2007 for the same reasons, she said.

MacNaughton also touted the day's announcements of new initiatives and lawsuit filings scheduled to take place in 49 countries, ranging from Argentina to the U.S. "As counterfeiters have gotten more sophisticated, we have realized that this is not a situation that we can address alone," she said. "And we want to stress [today] the collaboration with Microsoft's partners and customers, and governments."

In the U.S., Microsoft filed 20 new lawsuits in federal court against software resellers that, according to the company's allegations, either sold pirated copies of Microsoft Windows XP Professional and Office or installed the counterfeit software on new PCs. Nine of the lawsuits were filed in California; two each were filed in Ohio, Oregon and Texas; and others were filed in Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota and New York.

MacNaughton also said that Microsoft is planning on another antipiracy educational effort early next year to make sure that customers know Windows XP's lifespan is coming to an end. "We're expecting that counterfeiters will attempt to fill the void at XP's end of sales," she said.

Microsoft will halt Windows XP Professional sales to small mom-and-pop computer sellers after Jan. 31, 2009. Larger computer manufacturers, such as Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co., however, will be able to obtain XP media for "downgrades" from Vista Business and Vista Ultimate licenses through the end of July 2009. Microsoft only recently said that it would extend shipments of XP to OEMs; previously, it had said it would stop the practice in January.

Source: computerworld.com

Technorati Tags: windows,pirates,xp,vista

| Continue Reading..

Engineering Windows 7 : User Interface: Managing Windows windows

We’ve booted the machine, displayed stuff on the screen, launched programs, so next up we’re going to look at a pretty complex topic that sort of gets to the core role of the graphical user interface—managing windows. 

Dave Matthews is program manager on the core user experience team who will provide some of the data and insights that are going into engineering Windows 7.  --Steven

The namesake of the Windows product line is the simple “window” – the UI concept that keeps related pieces information and controls organized on screen.  We’ll use this post to share some of the background thinking and “pm philosophy” behind planning an update to this well established UI feature.

The basic idea of using windows to organize UI isn’t new – it dates back (so I hear) to the first experiments with graphical user interfaces at Stanford over 40 years ago.  It’s still used after all this time because it’s a useful way to present content, and people like having control over how their screen space is used.  The “moveable windows” feature isn’t absolutely needed in an operating system – most cell phones and media center type devices just show one page of UI at a time – but it’s useful when multi-tasking or working with more than one app at a time.  Windows 2.0 was the first Windows release that allowed moveable overlapping windows (in Window 1.0 they were only able to be tiled, not overlapping.  This “tiled v. overlapping” debate had famous proponents on each side—on one side was Bill Gates and on the other side was Charles Simonyi).  In addition, Windows also has the unique notion of "the multiple document interface” or MDI, which allows one frame window to itself organized multiple windows within it.  This is somewhat of a precursor to the tabbed interfaces prevalent in web browsers. 

As a side note, one of the earlier debates that accompanied the “tiled v. overlapping” conversations in the early Windows project was over having one menu bar at the top of the screen or a copy of the menu bar for each window (or document or application).  Early on this was a big debate because there was such limited screen resolution (VGA, 640x480) that the redundancy of the menu bar was a real-estate problem.  In today’s large scale monitors this redundancy is more of an asset as getting to the UI elements with a mouse or just visually identifying elements requires much less movement.  Go figure!

From Windows 2.0 to Vista.

An area I’ve been focusing on is in the “window management” part of the system – specifically the features involved in moving and arranging windows on screen (these are different than the window switching controls like the taskbar and alt-tab, but closely related).  In general, people expect windows to be moveable, resizable, maximizable, minimizable, closeable; and expect them to be freely arranged and overlapping, with the currently used window sitting on top.  These transformations and the supporting tools (caption buttons, resize bars, etc) make up the basic capabilities that let people arrange and organize their workspace to their liking. 

In order to improve on a feature area like this we look closely at the current system - what have we got, and what works?  This means looking at the way it’s being used in the marketplace by ISVs, and the way it’s used and understood by customers.

Caption buttons give a simple way to minimize, maximize, and close.  Resizable windows can be adjusted from any of their 4 edges.

Source : blogs.msdn.com/e7

Technorati Tags: Windows 7,microsoft,windows vista

| Continue Reading..

Vista SP1 Application Compatibility Update Fixes Black Screens of Death

With the release of the gold version of Service Pack 1, but also with the maturing of the software and hardware environment orbiting around the Windows client, Windows Vista's compatibility level has continually increased.

Still, Microsoft is very much hammering away at the operating system with its evangelism wheels in motion to gather additional support for the platform. On top of the compatibility improvements delivered via SP1, the Redmond giant continues to kick the platform up a notch with the introduction of Application Compatibility updates. The latest release in this regard went live on August 12, Microsoft's traditional Patch Tuesday.

The August 2008 Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Application Compatibility Update is being distributed through the Windows Update infrastructure, but is also served through the Microsoft Download Center. The end purpose of the update is to provide resolves to specific application compatibility problems with the latest Windows client and server operating systems.

In this context, Vista RTM, SP1 and Windows Server 2008 have been updated to play nice with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5. As far as the two solutions are concerned, Microsoft indicated that it has improved their functionality for the two operating systems.

On top of this, the Redmond giant has also hard blocked One Key Recovery 5.0, a piece of software which caused black screens of death for Vista RTM to Vista SP1 upgrades. "The update puts a hard block on the application. A hard block prevents an application that is incompatible with Windows Vista from running on the system. Microsoft puts a hard block on a non-Microsoft application only when the manufacturer of the application gives its consent," the company informed.

One Key Recovery 5.0 was incompatible with Windows Vista, and in this sense the reason for the black screen of death which followed the reboot after an SP1 installation on top of Vista RTM. The fix is only provided for Vista, although Windows XP SP3 is also affected. "'Windows Vista Application Compatibility Updates are cumulative. Each update contains all the improvements that were included in previous application compatibility updates," Microsoft added.

The August 2008 Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Application Compatibility Update is available for download via the following links:
Update for Windows Server 2008 (KB954336)
Update for Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems (KB954336)
Update for Windows Server 2008 x64 Edition (KB954336)
Update for Windows Vista (KB954336)
Update for Windows Vista for x64-based Systems (KB954336)

source: news.softpedia.com

Technorati Tags: vista,compatibility

| Continue Reading..

XP SP3 and Vista SP1 Critical Security Patches

The latest Critical security patches for Windows XP Service Pack 3 and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 are available from Microsoft.

Of course, that the two Windows client versions are not the only software products patched by the Redmond company as a part of its monthly security update cycle. Although Microsoft was planning no less than a dozen security bulletin releases for August 12, 2008, it managed to come one short. Only 11 update packages made it out the door, six of which were rated with a maximum severity rating of Critical, with the remaining five receiving a label of Important.

"You may notice that we removed one of the bulletins that we had mentioned in the "Advanced Notification Service" that we released last week. We did this prior to today’s bulletin release because of a last minute quality issue. Microsoft has heard from customers that the quality of updates is very important and, as part of the process at the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC), Microsoft tests these updates continuously until they are ready for distribution to customers through our regularly scheduled security bulletin release," explained Tami Gallupe, Microsoft Security Response Center release manager.

The August 2008 incomplete dozen of Microsoft security bulletins are designed to plug a staggering 26 holes in not only Windows, but also Internet Explorer, Windows Messenger and Office. In fact six of the security bulletins impact Windows and the components of the operating system while the rest of five affect the Office system and its software. However, details on only three of the 26 vulnerabilities have been made available in the wild prior to the Redmond company releasing its patches.

Here is the complete list of the August 2008 security bulletins provided by Gallupe:
MS08-041 – Vulnerability in the ActiveX Control for the Snapshot Viewer for Microsoft Access Could Allow Remote Code Execution (955617) – Critical
MS08-042 – Vulnerability in Microsoft Word Could Allow Remote Code Execution (955048) – Important
MS08-043 – Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel Could Allow Remote Code Execution (954066) – Critical
MS08-044 – Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office Filters Could Allow Remote Code Execution (924090) – Critical
MS08-045 – Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (953838) – Critical
MS08-046 – Vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Image Color Management System Could Allow Remote Code Execution (952954) – Critical
MS08-047 – Vulnerability in IPsec Policy Processing Could Allow Information Disclosure (953733) – Important
MS08-048 – Security Update for Outlook Express and Windows Mail (951066) – Important
MS08-049 – Vulnerabilities in Event System Could Allow Remote Code Execution (950974) – Important
MS08-050 – Vulnerability in Windows Messenger Could Allow Information Disclosure (955702) – Important
MS08-051 – Vulnerabilities in Microsoft PowerPoint Could Allow Remote Code Execution (949785) – Critical

source: news.softpedia.com

Technorati Tags: vista,xp,security

| Continue Reading..

Download Windows Vista® Performance and Tuning Guide

Improve Performance Quickly and Easily
This guide focuses on performance improvements on a single computer, but also takes a look at some of the tools used in enterprise environments to help make performance tuning manageable on a much larger scale.

Windows Vista and SP1 focus on delivering greater performance and overall system responsiveness. By striking a balance between speed and responsiveness, Windows Vista and SP1 deliver a level of performance that has the greatest positive impact on the system’s usability.This guide looks at the following areas of performance improvement:

• Making configuration changes that help a computer feel more responsive when you use it.
• Using hardware to boost the actual physical speed of a computer.
• Making configuration changes that help a computer to start faster.
• Making the computer more reliable may help increase performance.
• Monitoring performance occasionally so that you can stop problems before they get too big.

Download : microsoft.com

Technorati Tags: vista,performance,guide

| Continue Reading..

People who hate Vista shown ‘Mojave’ and like it, then find out that ‘Mojave’ is actually Vista

Okay, here’s what happened. Microsoft took a group of 120 individuals who “were either Mac, Linux, or users of versions of Windows that came before Windows Vista” and who rated their perception of Vista at less than a five on a scale of one to ten. These people were shown a demo of what they thought was a new Windows OS called “Mojave” and this demo was individually tailored to each person based on “the experiences they seemed most interested in following a series of interviews.”

While the average rating of Vista before the demo was 4.4, the post-demo rating was 8.5, even though Mojave was actually Windows Vista. So what can we learn from all this? Vista looks nice. Problem is, none of these people had to use Vista. They were just “given a demo by a trained retail salesperson.”

So you’ve got a bunch of people who have only heard bad things about Vista but have never used it (or even seen it, from what I gather), and then you show them some tricks from what they think is a new operating system and they like it. What a surprise.

Most people wouldn’t argue with the idea that Vista looks nice and perhaps even looks good on paper. What Microsoft should have done, though, is sent these 120 home with a copy of Vista and had them use it for three months. I don’t think the average score would be 8.5 after that, but if it was, it’d be a big win for Microsoft’s image. This Mojave Experiment, though, just seems kind of dumb.

I mean, how hard is it to trick 120 people who haven’t even seen Vista before? These people probably aren’t all that computer savvy to begin with. They’ve just heard from their friends and IT departments that Vista is a bad operating system. Microsoft had the right idea by attempting to teach them not to judge a book by its cover, but in this case, all they were shown was the cover of the book and a few good chapters.

Mojave Experiment Videos [MojaveExperiment.com]

Source: crunchgear.com

Technorati Tags: vista,windows,mojave

| Continue Reading..

Microsoft launches Vista compatibility checker

Microsoft has unveiled a service aimed at clearing up confusion around Windows Vista.

The Windows Vista Compatibility Center was introduced during a speech at the firm's Worldwide Partner Conference.

Microsoft hopes that the online database, which is already said to include some 9,000 hardware and software items, will clear up any lingering questions about which products are supported by the operating system.

The company had originally planned to launch an online beta version of the tool for public use on 8 July. By the afternoon, however, the site remained offline.

A notice on the site on the morning of 9 July read: 'The Windows Vista Compatibility Center will be launching soon, please check back!'

Microsoft hopes that the service will warn customers about which products are not supported by Vista, and alleviate fears about what hardware and software items will still work with the new operating system.

Despite being released some 18 months ago, Vista is still struggling to gain acceptance among consumer and enterprise users.

PC vendors such as Dell and HP have responded to lingering user demand for XP by finding new ways to extend the availability of the old operating system and keep it available to users far beyond Microsoft's original discontinue dates.

Microsoft also suffered a PR embarrassment last week when Intel, one of its most loyal hardware vendors, revealed that it was going to bypass Vista all together and wait for the new version of Windows before upgrading many of its company PCs.

---

Source: vnunet.com
Posted By: IndoSourceCode

Technorati Tags: vista,microsoft,compatibility

| Continue Reading..

Microsoft Makes Vista SP1 Play Nice with the VIA 64-bit CPU

Even though the processor market is dominated by Intel, with AMD struggling to expand its elbow room, new players are able to find a little room to breathe.

VIA Technologies is an illustrative example in this respect, with its products embraced even by Microsoft. However, the marriage between Windows client and server operating systems and VIA chips is not necessarily a match made in heaven. Case in point: computers with Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 RTM/SP1 have problems recognizing the new 64-bit CPU from VIA Technologies.

"Microsoft has released a hotfix to support the new 64-bit CPU from VIA Technologies. You can apply this hotfix on computers that are running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1). This hotfix adds the ID and vendor strings for the new VIA 64-bit CPU. After you apply this hotfix, computers that are running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista SP1 can recognize the VIA 64-bit CPU and the system model that is based on this kind of CPU," the Redmond giant stated.

The hotfix became available at the end of June 2007, but is yet to be integrated into all copies of Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008. Usually, Microsoft waits for the next service pack release to incorporate hotfixes that are not released through Windows Update, but it looks like in this situation the company will indeed turn the fix into an update. Still, for the time being the update designed to make Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 play nice with the x64 processor from VIA has to be ordered directly from Microsoft.

"A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix," Microsoft informed.

---

Source: news.softpedia.com
Posted By: IndoSourceCode

Technorati Tags: vista,processor,hotfix

| Continue Reading..

Download Free, Pre-Activated Copies of Vista

Being the loyal adept of a business model based on proprietary software, a free operating system is not exactly something that Microsoft customers can expect from the company.

But of course that there are always exceptions to confirm the rule. And the free copy of Windows Vista up for grabs via Microsoft Download is an illustrative example in this context. That's right, a completely free copy of the latest Windows client, time-bombed of course, but free nonetheless.

Microsoft continues a tradition debuted after the launch of Internet Explorer 7. Because two different versions of Internet Explorer cannot coexist under normal circumstances on the same Windows machine, let alone be used simultaneously, the Redmond giant turned to an alternative solution to make the lives of web content developers and designers a tad easier. The company released Internet Explorer Application Compatibility VPC Images.

The images are essentially nothing more than Virtual Hard Disks designed to integrate with Virtual Server 2007. This is precisely the case of the latest IE Application Compatibility VPC Image containing Vista. The VHD brings to the table a pre-activated copy of Windows Vista with Internet Explorer 7. And just as with the previous releases of the Application Compatibility VPC Images, the Vista VHD is also time-bombed. According to the software giant, the June 17, 2008 release of the IE image containing Vista is set to expire on September 9.

But until that point the operating system is fair game. It can be downloaded for free from Microsoft and used in a virtual machine running under Virtual PC 2007 until September. At that point in time Microsoft is bound to make available new releases of IE Application Compatibility VPC Image to replace the ones that have expired.

The Internet Explorer Application Compatibility VPC Image containing Windows Vista is available for download here. (look for the downloads labeled IE7-VIS1.exe, IE7-VIS2.rar, and IE7-VIS3.rar.)

---

Source: news.softpedia.com
Posted By: IndoSourceCode

Technorati Tags: free,windows,download

| Continue Reading..

From Windows Aero to the Windows Vista Sound Schemes

One aspect made clear by Microsoft from the get go is that, with Windows Vista, it had worked to achieve a complete user experience by bridging the graphical user interface with the sound schemes of the operating system.

Steve Ball, Principal Program Manager Lead on the Windows Sound Team, indicated that the default Windows Vista sound scheme and the visual elements as well as the desktop experience share common design principles. At the same time, Microsoft aimed to provide continuity for the User Interface language for sound between Windows XP and Windows Vista, while also delivering a much needed evolution.

"In contrast, the Windows XP sounds, while appropriate at the time and for that product design, were very ‘Western' and literal, using pianos and western orchestral instruments. The XP sounds were designed to complement the ‘photo-realistic' Bliss desktop (blue sky, green grass photo.) The Windows XP sounds can also be rather percussive and jarring in the context of day to day PC use, so it was an explicit goal to re-orchestrate the default Windows Vista sounds to complement the softer, cleaner theme and user interface elements in Windows Vista," Ball explained.

The Windows Vista start-up sound, along with additional acoustic elements across the operating system are the direct work of Robert Fripp. In 2005 and 2006 Microsoft Studios recorded with Fripp Soundscapes sessions of sounds, some of which became an integral part of the Windows Vista default sound scheme. But Microsoft also offered end users additional sound schemes via Ultimate Extras.

The Ultimate Extras Pearl and Ultimate Extras Glass Sound Schemes were made available in April 2007, approximately one month since Vista Service Pack 1 became available for download. As Ultimate Extra releases, both sound schemes are accessible only to users of the Windows Vista Ultimate SKU.

Ball explained that Microsoft had aimed to give the impression that the sounds of the Glass Scheme were made with glass instruments. In this context, users should notice a correlation between the glassy sounds and the transparent effects of the user interface. By contrast, the Pearl Scheme moves away from frozen, clinking, reverberant sounds to focus on percussive, milkier and richer acoustics.

"Both of the new Ultimate Extras sound schemes embody more percussive elements in contrast to the soft edges of default Windows Vista sound scheme and they extend of the existing sound design language established by XP and Windows Vista. Functionally, the percussive elements of these sound schemes may also help users hear Windows events from a greater distance, if that is desired. They are intended to provide an extended personalization option for users who wish to differentiate their Windows Vista experience from the default experience," Ball added.

---

Source: news.softpedia.com
Posted By: IndoSourceCode

Technorati Tags: aero,windows,vista

| Continue Reading..

Vista SP1 Installed System Memory RAM

One of the aspects that Service Pack 1 changes for Windows Vista is the way that the operating system reports the amount of installed system memory.

The way that Vista SP1 now deals with the physical RAM impacts both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the platform and end users could experience an increase of the memory value reported. According to Microsoft, in the eventuality that physical memory was reserved for the graphics card, or if additional peripherals share the RAM via settings in the system BIOS, and also on computers with more than 3 GB of system memory, Vista SP1 will report the full resources available.

"This change occurs because Windows Vista with SP1 reports how much physical memory installed on your computer. All versions of Windows NT-based operating systems before Windows Vista Service SP1 report how much memory available to the operating system. This change in Windows Vista SP1 is a reporting change only," Microsoft informed.

Vista SP1 end users will be able to notice the increase in RAM reporting across various areas of the platform including the Welcome Center, in My Computer windows, System Properties windows as well as into the Performance Information and Tools item in Control Panel. RAM reporting evolved in Vista SP1 to include Installed Physical Memory (RAM), Total Physical Memory and Available Physical Memory in the System Information tool.

It is important to understand that not all the physical RAM is available to the operating system. Before SP1, Vista only took into account the system memory that it could use, and ignored the rest, even if it was installed. Because of BIOS and driver reservations of RAM, both 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Vista RTM failed to report the full amount of memory on a system. Vista SP1 comes to resolve this problem, and will provide correct information of the hardware configuration even if the operating system has to share the RAM and can use only a portion of it.

"On computers that have a 32-bit operating system, more than 3 GB of system memory, and with a version of Windows that is earlier than Windows Vista SP1, users will see a larger difference in how much memory is reported as available to the operating system compared to how much physical memory is installed. This is because some physical address space must be reserved as I/O regions for memory mapped peripherals. These I/O regions are allocated between the 3 GB physical address and the 4 GB upper physical address limit," Microsoft added.

---

Source: news.softpedia.com
Posted By: IndoSourceCode

Technorati Tags: memory,vista

| Continue Reading..

Vispa 0.2.1

Vispa secures your Windows Vista installation and protects your privacy. In addition to so-called antispy features, it disables common security threats and increases your Windows performance.

The only recommendation I can give is not applying settings without vague knowledge of what you´re doing. Not every setting is desired in every environment. Vispa is no tool for beginners, just a more convenient way of tweaking your operating system the way you know you want it.

What's New in version 0.2.1:

* added translations for help dialog
* added restore feature for 404 search
* fixed bug in IEUnSearchScope
* fixed bug in UsabUnDisableSounds
* fixed bug in UsabUnClassicLogon
* fixed bug in "all settings" warning
* fixed firefox download link
* fixed windows mail detection
* fixed bug with /lang switch
* fixed spelling mistakes
* modified Windows Classic installtype

Download:
Vispa 0.2.1 (link 1)

 

Technorati Tags: software,download

| Continue Reading..

Is it game over for Windows Vista?

The saviour that was meant to be, Vista Service Pack 1, isn’t. In some cases it’s actually a performance decrease for an operating system already grinding up-to-date PCs to a halt.

XP fans (for the most part) are happily using Service Pack 3, and Windows 7 (formerly known as Blackcomb) is barking at the gates (or should that be Gates?), ready for an early release in Q3 2009. Windows Vista never stood a chance.

Not much has gone right for Microsoft’s fledgling OS. First it was delayed over three years (initially it was meant to be a stopgap between XP and 7, but then turned into a fully fledged OS), then stories of incompatible software and drivers surfaced. Most recently Vista Service Pack 1 was pulled from Automatic Download. Now that it’s back up and running it could very well be the one and only service pack ever released for the struggling OS.

Microsoft has shot itself in the foot in two ways with regards to Vista. Firstly, it went ahead with the release of Service Pack 3 for the hugely popular Windows XP. Secondly, its progress on Windows 7 and its potential release ahead of schedule has been extensively covered by the media. What this means is that consumers who were reluctant to switch from a perfectly reliable XP SP2 to Vista now have no reason to. They have a fresh upgrade in SP3 that should be able to see them through the roughly 1.5 years until Windows 7 hits shelves.

No matter what kind of reluctant computer user you are, swapping to Vista just doesn’t make sense anymore. There are a few different perspectives you can look at it from. It’s hard to come up with reasons for broad groups of computer users, like gamers, business users and home users to migrate to Vista as well.

Gamers especially should be running for the hills whenever they hear the word Vista. Yes, it’s the only way you can get DirectX 10, but is that really a big enough carrot to dangle in front of gamers? Not by a long shot. While DirectX 10 delivers a significant improvement in graphics, Vista provides a significant drop off in performance, even with SP1. In fact, it’s been proven that installing SP1 could actually make your PC slower. What’s more, over a year after Vista was released, there still isn’t a compelling enough library of games that make good enough use of DirectX 10 to justify the upgrade (around 20 only if Wikipedia is to be believed). It’s no wonder gaming PC manufacturers like Alienware and NRG by Altech have only just switched over to supplying their machines with Vista.

Business users are in the same boat. Most important to them is reliability and security. But Vista isn’t any better than XP in either reliability or security. Most of the security issues with XP were fixed with SP2 and even more have been fixed with SP3. Any additional problems are more than likely to have been dealt with by third party tools and applications. Reliability is a non-contest. XP has a five-year head start. Add to this the fact that the reason SP1 was pulled from Automatic Download was an issue with Microsoft’s Dynamic RMS software used by small to medium businesses and the Vista doesn’t seem all that welcoming.

Furthermore, business users are well aware of the fact that there are still plenty of drivers and software that won’t play nice with the OS, a particular problem for small businesses requiring obscure software. Financially, it wouldn’t be a smart idea for them either. The cost of upgrading an entire company to Windows Vista can’t be justified if another operating system is just around the corner.

Even general home users have no reason to upgrade. This is the group that doesn’t mind using technology that’s not at the forefront. They use PCs for email, music, the Internet and minesweeper. Upgrading from XP to Vista will likely turn a working PC into a sloth if users have less than 2GB of memory, and it can become quite costly if they need to upgrade their PC’s specs to handle the transition on top of purchasing the OS.

---

Source: loader.gadgetzone.com.au
Posted By: IndoSourceCode

Technorati Tags: vista,windows

| Continue Reading..

Vista Codec Package 4.6.6

With Vista Codec Package installed, you won't need to install any other codec or filter. Many user suggested default settings are implemented. It does not contain a media player.

It does not associates filetypes. With this package installed you will be able to use any media player (limited only by the players capabilities) to play DVD's, movies and video clips of any format. Streaming video (real and quicktime) is supported in web browsers. Visit the homepage to get a 64bitAddon which enables xvid, divx and DVD playback in Vista's MediaCenter.

Vista Codec Package has the following other editions available: Vista Codec Package x64 Components.

Latest Changes:

* Add shortcuts for MP4 splitter choice
* Set Haali as the default 32bit MP4 splitter
* Upgrades are disabled - clean install required
* Update ffdshow to tryouts rev 1960
* Fix issues with single core systems
* Minor improvements

Download:
Vista Codec Package 4.6.6 (link 1)
Vista Codec Package 4.6.6 (link 2)

---

Posted By: IndoSourceCode

Technorati Tags: vista,codec,download

| Continue Reading..

Vista Loader 2.1.3 - Windows Vista Activator 2008 Support SP1 with No Boot String

Vista Loader is one of the most successful Vista activation crack available to date, second only to physical modify (hardmod) the BIOS to include SLIC table to make BIOS Vista activation-compliant.

Vista Loader 2.1.3 also been named as “Windows Vista Activator 2008?. It’s an Windows Vista product activation activator in its purest form (also one of the best Vista crack tool)- without any crap, rubbish or potential virus or backdoor Trojan. It was originally released by w00tageman, and works on both x86 and x64 (32-bit and 64-bit) versions of Windows Vista, including support for Windows Vista SP1. All editions of Windows Vista - Ultimate, Business, Enterprise, Home Basic and Home Premium editions can also be activated instantly and fully by Vista Loader 2.1.3.

Windows Vista Activator 2008 aka Vista Loader 2.1.3 will install Grub4Dos Linux Grub boot loader (GRLDR) which emulate a BIOS with OEM SLIC information, install corresponding OEM digital license/certificate (OEM .xrm-ms digital cert auto installer) and insert a corresponding royalty OEM SLP product key. All these steps ensure that Windows Vista will be activated after reboot, which will be done automatically. Beside, Windows Vista will be able to pass Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool check as genuine and legitimate.

Note that if your Windows Vista system has been activated, and still effectively activated, it’s not necessary and not recommended to use another crack tool such as VistaLoader 2.1.3 again to avoid BSoD (Blue Screen of Death) or cannot startup blank screen severe error.

Download: VistaLoaderV2.1.3.rar

---

Source: mydigitallife.info
Posted By: IndoSourceCode

 

Technorati Tags: vista,activator

| Continue Reading..

Anti-Hack Update For Windows Vista Rev from Microsoft

The release of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 not only heralded a long-awaited update of the operating system, it also meant the end of two common Windows Vista anti-activation exploits - the Grace Timer exploit and the Paradox OEM BIOS activation crack.

But those who think they can escape by not updating to Service Pack 1 would be sadly mistaken.

That's because Microsoft has surreptitiously released an anti-hack detection update via Windows Update. Those who chose to have Windows Vista install updates automatically would have this update installed and running by now. If you chose to manually select updates to be installed, you should find this update listed.

You can see that the KB940510 update is listed as Important. At this point, most users would assume it's an important patch that fixes flaws in Windows Vista and install it. Double-click on the update and you will find this short description.
Microsoft describes the KB940510 update as such :

This update enables Windows Vista to detect activation exploits that bypass product activation and that interfere with usual Windows operation. An exploit is a form of software that replaces or modifies authentic Windows components. When exploits are present on a system, it indicates that a software or hardware vendor may have tampered with genuine Windows to enable the sale of counterfeit software. Therefore, the security and the privacy of the computer are put at risk. After this update is installed, you will know if exploits are present on the system.

In truth, the KB940510 update installs an anti-hack detector that looks for the two most common hacks - the Grace Timer exploit and the Paradox OEM BIOS activation crack. If none of them are detected, then the update silently exits.

If these exploits are detected though, you will be sent to a Microsoft website that will teach you "how you can remove the exploits". Removing the exploits will require you to use a valid product key to activate Windows Vista. However, if you refuse to remove the exploits, Windows will disable them anyway, forcing you to activate Windows Vista using a valid product key.

Currently, KB940510 appears to detect only the Grace Timer and the Paradox OEM BIOS hacks. Both the hardware SLIC BIOS mod and the software Vista Loader hack are not affected.

---

Source: techarp.com
Posted By: IndoSourceCode

 

Technorati Tags: vista,update

| Continue Reading..

Mac OS 10.5.2 = Vista made in Apple?

I’ve heard many different complaints about Mac OS 10.5.2 since it was released, from my own Skype/podcasting problems to issues with just about everything else, including: printing, third-party wireless routers, software freezing and problems with Time Machine.

The Apple discussion boards are littered with stories about all kinds of crawlers in 10.5.2, and while hardly an epidemic, they’re not exactly isolated incidents either.

Chuck Freedman from the PowerPage Podcast shares his problems with 10.5.2 on his MacBook Pro – he thinks it’s the buggiest software update in years. So much so, that he coined a new term for 10.5.2 – “Apple Vista.” The picture below isn’t a screen grab of the latest maze game, it’s Chuck’s MBP screen after a spectacular 10.5.2 crash.

Read more about Chuck’s tale of woe and check out six more gallery images after the jump.
Late in 2007 Apple began releasing its new operating system, Mac OS 10.5 (a.k.a. Leopard). With new hardware announcements in early January 2008 Apple began shipping this new OS with all new computers they sold, and wow, what an OS. There were tons of new features to knock your socks off. From then on, all Macs purchased came with Leopard pre-installed – life was supposed to be good.

During the early days of 10.5 Apple found a few bugs and tweeks and released an update to Leopard called 10.5.1, and again, all was well. I continued to operate my MacBook Pro running this new OS with near flawless behavior. I could go days (sometimes weeks) without rebooting my machine. I could run a dozen applications simultaneously and all was good.

In February Apple began shipping their Time Capsule backup appliance which allowed me to have a wireless network and shared network attached storage – something I’d been waiting for. Time Capsule allowed Apple’s new Time Machine software to automatically back up my data to a shared network drive and restore it easily. A great concept, but it still needs some bugs worked out (that’s a topic for another article.)

In order to get my machine to see, utilize and understand the Time Capsule, I had to upgrade my Mac to 10.5.2. Without hesitation, I did. From that day forward I’ve been running the worst operating system I’ve run on a Mac in years. My machine now runs slower and if I run more than a few applications at a time, it barely operates. It takes nearly six minutes to wake from sleep, and when it does finally wake, the mouse bounces around uncontrollably and requires a hard shut down to fix.

Again, time on my side, Apple released a keyboard firmware update to fix some issues. I applied the update, but didn’t see any fixes. Shortly thereafter Apple released EFI firmware update 1.5 - well things can’t be any worse (so I thought), so I applied it. Boy was I wrong. See the screen shots. Only days later Apple released EFI Firmware 1.5.1 which fixed more, but at this point my machine was dead. I’ve sent it in to Apple repair to get it fixed, and I’m waiting for its return.

If I wanted to run on a buggy crappy operating system, I’d pickup a PC running Microsoft Vista. I don’t expect this from my Mac. Mac OS 10.4.11 (Tiger) ran great whereas Apple Vista just appears to be immature and needed more time to cook.

Also, I know that Apple wants to push sales of Leopard but I don’t like being forced to upgrade because of some new piece of hardware is released. Rather than force 10.5.2 down my throat because I spent more money on a Time Capsule, why not just give me a driver or application to install. The OS should be hardware independent.

In the meantime, my Apple Vista machine is in for repair, and I’m writing this on my trusty Tiger machine.

source: blogs.zdnet.com

 

Technorati Tags: vista,apple

| Continue Reading..

Security Development Lifecycle Not Just for Vista, but also for Web Applications

Windows Vista was the first product to come out of Redmond developed under the comprehensive guidelines of the Security Development Lifecycle, also known as SDL. Windows Server 2008 was built under SDL as well, and Microsoft now applies the advanced secure development practices, guidelines and resources to all new products including those in the cloud. Bryan Sullivan, Security Product Manager SDL team, revealed that the Redmond company is currently hard at work adapting SDL to tailor the development process of web applications, a move increasingly necessary as Microsoft is making headway with the introduction of its Software + Services strategy.

The main difference between web applications and box products is the release cycle. While two- or three-year long release cycles are not uncommon for box offerings, web solutions generally hit the market within months or even weeks from the moment the projects get green light.

"This presents something of a dilemma from a security standpoint. We can’t and won’t allow our software to be released with known security vulnerabilities, but we also need to allow teams to spend the grand majority of their time implementing new features. In order to reconcile these requirements, we need to continue to adapt the SDL to the needs of lightweight, agile development teams," Sullivan said.

Sullivan even pointed to the end of this summer for the first taste of the new SDL, one that would permit the same level of security built into Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 to be offered with web applications. "I’m currently working with Michael [Michael Howard is a Senior Security Program Manager in the Security Engineering group at Microsoft] and several other people in teams across the company (including Online Services Security & Compliance, ACE, and SWI) to make these changes in the SDL, to fine-tune it so that it works even better for online services and other short-release-cycle products than it does already," Sullivan added.

The new SDL Microsoft is looking to provide additional security mitigations set up to add protection for end users against the most common web solutions vulnerabilities which, according to the Open Web Application Security Project, are (in order of their importance): "Cross-Site Scripting; Injection Flaws; Malicious File Execution; Insecure Direct Object Reference; Cross Site Request Forgery; Information Leakage and Improper Error Handling; Broken Authentication and Session Management; Insecure Cryptographic Storage; Insecure Communications and Failure to Restrict URL Access."

"Today, the single biggest threat to Web application security is the Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that XSS is the new buffer overflow, the Public Enemy #1 for Web applications. With a successful XSS exploit, an attacker may be able to accomplish all of the following: hijack the victim’s application session and impersonate him/her; phish the victim’s username and password; log the victim’s keystrokes and send them back to the attacker; forge malicious requests with the victim’s authentication credentials, create a worm that will attack not only the victim but all of the victim’s email contacts, and all of their contacts, and so on," Sullivan explained.

source : news.softpedia.com

 

Technorati Tags: vista,web,development

| Continue Reading..

Windows Vista SP1 RTM Optimized Desktop

With the advent of Windows Vista at the end of 2006/the beginning of 2007, Microsoft has started pouring a consistent amount of efforts into enabling optimized desktops.

Throughout 2007, and after the introduction of Windows Vista Service Pack 1, the Redmond company continued to fine tune a set of offerings bundled together under the umbrella of Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) for Software Assurance customers. The Microsoft Management Summit (MMS) in Las Vegas was the stage where the software giant stressed its constant commitment to both optimized Vista desktops and virtualization.

"The combination of MDOP and Windows Vista gives customers the tools they need to support more flexible work environments for their users, while making it easier and more efficient to manage and maintain their networks. This is the concept we refer to as the optimized desktop, and many of our customers have the tools to realize the benefits today. We're responding to the enthusiasm our customers have shown for these products by continuing to improve upon them and roll out new updates in real time", revealed Shanen Boettcher, General Manager of Windows Product Management for the enterprise.

In this regard, Boettcher informed that the Redmond company is preparing the Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 Release Candidate 1 for delivery no later than June 2008. Microsoft's Software Assurance customers will have access to the tool via Connect. According to Boettcher, the inherent benefits associated with virtualization are increasingly making sense to customers, with Microsoft Application Virtualization Beta counting in excess of 7,000 downloads.
Following the availability of Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 RC1, the Redmond company will move on by offering Asset Inventory Service (AIS) 1.5 as well as Advanced Group Policy Management (AGPM) 3.0 in the third quarter of this year. "AIS 1.5 will add license reconciliation, System Center Configuration Manager integration and scalability enhancements. AGPM 3.0 will provide Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 support (x86 and x64), globalization, more flexible security, enhanced reporting and an enhanced UI", Boettcher added.

But as Microsoft's focus is no longer limited to the U.S. market, the company now plans to introduce support for additional languages in MDOP. Boettcher enumerated no less than 10 localized languages for MDOP including Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

"We plan to release localized versions of Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT) 6.0 and Desktop Error Monitoring (DEM) 3.0 SP1 in ten languages in Q3 2008. AGPM and Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 will follow toward the end of 2008", Boettcher said.

source: news.softpedia.com

Technorati Tags: vista,optimization

| Continue Reading..