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Security Update for Windows 7 BETA - (KB958690)
Quote: Overview A security issue has been identified that could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to compromise your system and gain control over it. You can help protect your system by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this update, you may have to restart your system. This update is provided to you and licensed under the Windows 7 Prerelease License Terms. Learn more here
Download for Windows 7 32-bit here Download for Windows 7 64-bit here
This security update also applies to previous releases of Windows including: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Server 2003, and Server 2008. Learn more here Previously: Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 Application Compatibility updates
IE8 Reliability Update for Windows 7 Beta Now Available
Microsoft Hardware Support for Windows 7 BETA Technorati Tags: Security, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, Microsoft, Vulnerability,  Malware, Windows Update, Patches, Fixes, PDC 2008, Exploit Up Link Partner adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!E8E5CC039D51E3DB!21858.entry
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My complete thoughts on the Windows 7 Editions
Today Microsoft confirmed the official line up of SKU’s (Stock Keeping Units) editions of Windows 7 that will be available to customers at RTM. There is a lot of improvements to how Microsoft markets the new OS and at the same time, I believe there are some blunders. The good news is Microsoft is focusing on two specific SKU’s that provides more clarity in what end users should go after when they are thinking about upgrading, Home Premium and Professional. Interestingly, the Professional branding which was used for Windows 2000 and XP has returned, it seems Vista customers never really caught on with Business because of the name or it just did not seem like a true successor to XP Professional. Some parts of the feature set for SKU’s such as Windows 7 Professional for instance will be marketed as a small business edition of the OS, yet it includes consumer oriented features such as Windows Media Center. Do SMBs use Media Center? Does the the typical XP Professional or Vista Business user really want this feature? | Edition | Features | | Starter | Broad app and device compatibility with up to 3 concurrent applications, Safe, reliable, and supported. Ability to join a Home Group, Improved taskbar and JumpLists. | | Home Basic | Starter features, Unlimited applications, Live Thumbnail Previews & enhanced visual
experience, Advanced networking support (ad-hoc wireless networks and internet connection sharing), Mobility Center | | Home Premium | Home Basic features, Unlimited applications Aero Glass & advanced windows navigation, Easy networking & sharing across all your PCs & devices, Improved media format support, enhancements to Windows Media Center and media streaming, including Play To, Multi-touch and improved handwriting recognition. | | Professional | Professional features, Unlimited applications , Ability to join a managed network with Domain Join, Protect data with advanced network backup and Encrypting File System, Print to the right printer at home or work with Location Aware Printing. | | Enterprise | Windows 7 Enterprise is available only through Microsoft Volume Licensing. | | Ultimate | Professional and Consumer, Unlimited applications, BitLocker data protection on internal and external drives, DirectAccess provides seamless connectivity to your corporate network. (requires Windows Server 2008 R2), Decrease time branch office workers wait to open file across the network with BranchCache. (requires Windows Server 2008 R2), Prevent unauthorized software from running with AppLocker Note: Ultimate includes all Enterprise and all Home Premium features, including multi-language packs. | The problem I find with Windows 7 editions is the lack in innovation and giving end users more value and choice. Don’t get me wrong, the new Anytime Upgrade is awesome, simply provide a key and you are upgraded to an SKU with more features, no need for a separate disk or online access necessary. But I believe certain features should have been componentized and sold to the user depending on their SKU. A pick and choose approach especially for users who get a laptop preloaded with Home Basic, carry it to school or work and find out they need to join a domain to access resources, it would be very handy. Some would say, just upgrade to the SKU with the supported feature. But that means
paying for more than you really want. Vista’s SKU lineup was marketed around scenarios, XP was more about hardware form factors and architectures. Windows 7 combines a little bit of each philosophies, but when you look at what Microsoft is recommending for Netbooks, you see the necessity for a pick and choose approach. For customers with specialized needs: for price-sensitive customers with small notebook PCs, some OEMs will offer Windows 7 Starter. If you look into Starter Editions feature set, it lacks some of the basic mobility capabilities available in higher tier SKU’s such as Mobility Center and Ad-hoc wireless networking capabilities. One of the key elements of a Netbook is, its an Internet oriented small form factor notebook. If features such as the new networking capabilities of Windows 7 such as Sensors won’t be available in it, then its probably gonna be useless on Netbooks except for just WordPad and Paint. Also, artificial restrictions such as a max resolution of 1024 by 768 might make users think twice before choosing this particular SKU with a Netbook. Also, Home Premium I believe should include Remote Desktop and Complete PC Backup, users of that particular SKU will still have to depend on third party solutions for those capabilities. Bad decision. The SKU strategy for Windows 7 should have been like this: - Windows 7 Home – same strategy as Vista Home basic, supports upgrading from XP Home Edition and Vista Home Basic. Decent looking theme (AERO Glass). I am sure by 2010; most computers will have a powerful enough graphics to at least run this theme.
- Windows 7 Business (Eliminate Enterprise, let whatever unique functionality it offers be add on under software assurance). This would in fact I believe spur more Company’s to actually sign up, and push the initiative of software as a service in the Enterprise and revamp some of Microsoft’s volume licensing programs like SA and EA.
- Windows 7 Premium – Includes Media Center and all multimedia features and the successor to Ultimate. Persons who upgrade from Vista Ultimate to 7 Premium must get access to all the same and improved functionality. So, things like Domain Join for instance that is in Ultimate, but is not a default feature of 7 Premium, must be carried over, just write it off as an add on purchased by the user, similar to what I described earlier. I can give an example of this. Remember when the first version of XP MCE was released? It included Domain Join, but subsequent versions after that were done through clean installs did not include Domain Join, but if you upgraded from say MCE v1 to MCE 2004 or 2005, the Domain Join functionality is retained, yeah, it’s something like that.
What might make the buying process simple is Microsoft’s approach to retailing the product. Windows Starter and Home Basic might become only OEM products along with being sold through retail only in emerging markets. Mean while for mainstream developed markets Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate will be the only ones you see on store shelves. That’s a good thing I believe, at least Microsoft is trying lesson the mind maze when you enter the store. Previously: Windows 7 to use similar Vista SKU strategy Technorati tags:  Windows 7, SKUs, Editions, Operating Systems, Form Factors, Netbooks, Starter Edition, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise, Ultimate, 32-bit, 64-bit Up Link Partner adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!E8E5CC039D51E3DB!21143.entry
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Critical Security Update for Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003/2008, Vista and Windows 7 Pre-BETA
Microsoft released an update to that fixes a vulnerability in current and future versions of Windows. The vulnerability can be remotely exploited by malware. Microsoft advises every Windows user / Administrator to update their machines, every currently supported Windows version is affected, so: Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server
2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 & Windows Server 2008 Core Installation. An interesting note I found out is that this vulnerability also affects the Windows 7 Pre-Beta build Microsoft is expected to hand out to PDC 2008 Attendees next week. Quote: This vulnerability was reported after the release of Windows 7 Pre-Beta. Customers running Windows 7 Pre-Beta are encouraged to download and apply the update to their systems. On Windows 7 Pre-Beta systems, the vulnerable code path is only accessible to authenticated users. This vulnerability is not liable to be triggered if the attacker is not authenticated, and therefore would be rated Important. So get patching!
More information: Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification for October 2008 Technorati tags: Security, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, Microsoft, Vulnerability, Malware, Windows Update, Patches, Fixes, PDC 2008, Exploit Up Link Partner adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!E8E5CC039D51E3DB!19848.entry
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The Week in ‘7’ – Oct. 22 – 25th 2008.
Its been a busy week for Windows 7 news around the web and its not a surprise actually, since this Monday Microsoft's most anticipated Developers Conference (PDC 2008) will bring individuals from around the world to witness where Microsoft is heading with the platform. The big topics of course Windows 7, Windows Live, Windows Cloud and .NET is on everybody's mind. Well, I can't be there, so I will just have to stay at home and enjoy the show from within Internet Explorer. Anyway, here is a recap of the week in 7 with interesting stories, opinions and rumors about Microsoft's next version of Windows. Bob Stein of ActiveWin.com will be at PDC 2008 this week covering the event with interviews so make sure you check the site for regular updates. Windows 7 Logo Requirements now available - istartedsomething.com Sharp eye reader Long Zheng
just posted about the availability of the Windows 7 Logo requirements. Microsoft is on a aggressive move to get third party ISV's ready for this major update of Windows. No doubt this also applies to IHVs and there conference is just little bit after next weeks PDC. Windows 7 on Netbooks and Office 14 in the web browser? - CNET CNET's Ina Fried is making some early speculation about information concerning Windows 7's support on the new notebook form factor called Netbooks, which are miniature laptops, small screen, keyboard preloaded with either Windows XP or Linux. That's probably the disadvantage for Microsoft right now, Netbooks are not running Windows Vista because it requires more memory and processing power than what is available in a Netbook, not to mention hard disk space. An ASUS CEO said in an interview recently that his Company will have Windows 7 on a future version of the Eee PC in the second half of 2009 with Touch capabilities. Critical Security Update for Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003/2008, Vista and Windows 7 Pre-BETA
Quote: This vulnerability was reported after the release of Windows 7 Pre-Beta. Customers running Windows 7 Pre-Beta are encouraged to download and apply the update to their systems. On Windows 7 Pre-Beta systems, the vulnerable code path is only accessible to authenticated users. This vulnerability is not liable to be triggered if the attacker is not authenticated, and therefore would be rated Important. Two new Official Microsoft Windows 7 Blogs are ready Mary Jo foley talks about two new Microsoft blogs dedicated to the next release of Windows, 7. Windows 7's release date spurs up speculation Bloggers Ed Bott and Long Zheng have dugg up information about when the next version of Windows, 7 might be released to manufacturering. Of course, the speculated date given is no surprise, 'November 2009'. Microsoft has always promised that Windows 7 would be available by late 2009, even Steve Ballmer identified this earlier in the year. Other interesting news and opinions from around the web about Windows 7 and Microsoft: Windows Vista Team Blog: Vista Service Pack 2 Confirmed
PCMag: Windows 7: A Turning Point for Microsoft?
NetworkWorld: 5 reasons why skipping Windows Vista could backfire
Up Next: Office 2007 SP2
Early glimpse of Office ‘14’ at PDC 2008
Yahoo! kills Yahoo! Messenger for Windows Vista
Previously:
The Week in ‘7’ – Oct. 12 – 17. 2008.
The Week in ‘7’ – Oct. 7 – 10. 2008.
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Today is Windows XP's Birthday - if anybody remembered
Vista is Microsoft's current flagship version of Windows, but that doesn't mean XP has been put out to pasture just yet. The operating system that brought new experiences in reliability and stability for consumers is 7 years old today. That's a long time in the software world. Thinking back to when the product RTMed in August 2001, I had just finished high school, the terrible tragedy of September 11, 2001 had occurred and then the Anthrax scare started happening, a whole lot was going on at the time. Windows XP over the years has grown into a beloved product and regardless of the bumps along the way such as Code Red, Nimda and Welchia that occurred in 2003, the product garnered a massive
user base that is still strong. Windows XP has seen numerous updates in its life in particular the security heavy Service Pack 2 that some would describe as a brand new release of the in itself. Looking back at its development history, Windows XP formerly code name Whistler was targeted as a major release building on the fundamentals of Windows 2000, not introducing incompatibilities and bringing the investments that consumers and businesses made in Windows 9x and Windows NT into the new millennium. Today's Internet at the time was in its infancy the plethora of blogs dedicated to Windows today was quite small although there were still major enthusiast web sites like ActiveWin.com, NeoWin.com and WinSupersite
around at the time giving us the latest details on what to expect. Today, the information overload of Windows has reached a height of disbelief sometimes. Examples include the recent fiasco over Windows 7's kernel version which was not even an issue for Windows XP which is NT 5.1. People cared about the fundamentals of Windows back then and a lot do today, but we have seen a shift in how Windows is perceived over the past couple years since Vista was released. Yet, still, Windows XP remains in the news with good commendation while its future successors try to communicate there amazing benefits in security, ease of use, features and reliability and advanced technologies like 64-bit computing and Multi-touch. Windows XP is still available to OEMs through Media until January 2009 and the OS will continue to be supported on the new notebook form factors called Netbooks until 2010. Happy B-day XP! Previously:
Windows XP Matures - 5 Years Later Resources:
Microsoft Windows XP Website
The GUI Gallery
ActiveWin: Windows XP Review Up Link Partner adacosta.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!E8E5CC039D51E3DB!19948.entry
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