Vista the Secure Headache

Microsoft in build a secure operating system has made it so secure that it has become a headache to use. Let us take a look two of the security features and headaches.

• User Account Control - Is designed to keep the average computer from opening an unwanted door to a hacker or malicious software. However, the user is hounded with popup windows asking, "Are you sure you want do this?"
• Projection Mode - A new feature in Vista with Internet Explorer 7 is what is called Protection mode. If Internet Explorer does not recognized a website as a secure website, it won't let you go to that website. This is good, but I can't visit an unrecognized website without being hounded by pop up warnings.
• Vista Basic - Yes his is the cheapest edition of Vista, but are not going to get some of the features that make Vista. Vista Basic is just what it says; basic email, and basic web surfing. If you want more then you will have to upgrade.
  

Windows XP Is NOT Dead

On the DELL website there announced that they have been listening to their customers. DELL will continue to provide XP on certian models. Below is a list of DELL's posting.

DON’T ELIMINATE XP JUST YET
We heard you loud and clear on bringing the Windows XP option back to our Dell consumer PC offerings. Based on your feedback, the following Dell consumer systems with Windows XP are now immediately available on Dell.com:

Dell Inspiron: 1405, 1705, 1505, 1501 Dell Dimension: E520, E521

RAM Usage Is On The Increase

In the past couple of weeks, I have started to notice that systems that enough RAM, a year ago, now is lacking minimum requirements. No major programs have been added. No major hardware has been added. The system was clean of malicious software. What causing the increase usage of RAM.

The only real change was the all the security updates. Could all these Anti-virus, Anti-spyware, and Windows Updates cause and increase drain on the average computer? If this is the case we are slowly pushed more powerful computer.

I am not saying that we don't need all these updates. The more robust security system puts more of a demand on a computer hardware. This is all important to have our computer protection to cover our level of risk or being attack.

DOS Is Not DEAD

In an era were we have been pointing and clicking on icons. Voice interactive computer software will soon become a reality. There are a few who still use DOS (Disk Operating System) and Windows 3.1 (released in April 1992).

I came across two commercial businesses that are still using DOS and/or Windows 3.1. These people as slow to up grade. Their comments were around waiting for the bugs getting worked out of the newer programs and operating systems.

If I was in their position, I would be using Linux. However I have to stay just behind the cutting edge of what is new to the market, as a service to my clients.

Who is Protecting Us from Security Software?

I come across more back security software than Trojans,Viruses, Worms, and other malicious computer software. I use to have to use special software tools to remove infections from people computers.

Today, I have to carry with me special software tools to remove "Security Software". This security software doesn't protect the computer. It won't uninstall through Add/Remove Program of the Control Panel.

Some of these programs that are protecting us, have become the problem through not doing their job.

Vista Ready Really Means?????

Pushing for sales of a product makes salesmen to tell half or partial truths. The sales of Windows Vista has landed Microsoft in court, again. It all surrounds the term, "Vista Ready".

What is being reported is "Vista Ready" means that a computer can run Windows newest operating system, Vista. However, "Vista Ready" means your computer will run "Vista Home Basic".

Vista Home Basic is lowest of the four versions of Vista. This version does not have many of the WOW features of Vista. You see the features of each version of Vista at Microsoft comparsion webpage. Click Here to go directly there.

I Can't Resist Temptation

I am a software junkie. I am never satisfied with current software on my computer. I am always looking for the "The latest, greatest. and best software that is on the internet".

If I see new program that I think I can use, I will download it. This a cause me a lot of extra work. I find a lot of the programs that I download not meeting my expectation. I have to uninstall, reboot, clean undeleted files, and clean the registry.

I have forgot how many programs, I have installed and uninstall programs. It has gotten so bad that I have had to wipe my hard drive clean and start over.

Maybe I should find a support group for downloading junkies?

Veiwing Movies Will Never Be The Same

Technology is changing. What was an 8mm movie gave way to the VCR cassette. The VCR cassette has fell to the DVD disk. The DVD disk is giving way to Blu-ray and HDTV.

Since high speed of internet access has got many tech business people thinking of providing movies over the internet. YouTube.com is just the tip of the ice burg of what is to come.

Moving to Apple or Not

This year since Vista's launch there has been an increase move to the Apple operating system and computer. Many of those who have made the move seem to like the smoothness that Apple has to offer.

On the down side, I hear complaints about the expense is higher than expected with the replacement of software. Apple does not have all the programs that Windows has, i.e. Microsoft money. However, very few people have complained about going from a two plus button mouse to a one button mouse.

I like the look of Apple. I like the smoothness of the way Apple works. Nevertheless, Windows is still the most popular platform for computing. I still like to tweak, and customize my computers. Apple does not offer this. I have yet seen an Apple OS in a point-of-sale application.

The majority of everyday computer users still choose the Windows operating platform over Apple. My wife wants to an iMac. She will more than likely get one before the end of the year. For me, I am going to stay with Windows.

iTunes needs Quick Time

Over the weekend I was getting frustrated because I could not the updated iTunes to work on my computer. I even had gone to the point of downloading Juice and Real Player.

Mid Sunday afternoon, a light went on. I was updating iTunes, but I didn't update Quick Time. Once I installed the update of Quick Time, iTunes worked just fine. Quick Time is the media player for iTunes.

Another lesson learned. I also realized how addicted I am to the podcast feeds through iTunes.

I Hate Upgrades - Sometimes

Upgrades are nice. They make improvements on existing software and drivers. What I don't like is when that upgrade makes things worse or harder. Right now I am dealing with two upgrades that I wish didn't happen.

Itunes upgraded their media player. I downloaded it and did the install. Itunes has not worked since. I use Itunes for my podcast downloads and playing. I use certain podcast like listing to the morning news.

I have gotten so frustrated that I have had to go to another two programs to have the same results. Apple hurry up and fix your upgrade!!!

I have a couple of clients that have upgraded to Vista when they bought their new computer. Both are having issues with installing old software. They have found that they are having to get the new updated versions. One will client with 2 computers will have to spend over $3,000 before they can get back to functionality before the upgrade.

DST okay, RAM well??

It is Monday morning, we have passed into a new era of Day Light Savings Time. There has been only a couple corporate systems that had problems with the update. In the great scheme of things, the change went off fairly smooth.

What seems to be the hot topic this morning all those people that want large amounts of RAM to run Vista. I am talking at the 2 plus Gigabyte range. I read one blog posting about a guy that was up set he put in 4 Gigabytes of RAM and lost over 600 MB to the motherboard and system caps. Well he is running only a 32 bit system. He really should of have started with a 64 bit motherboard.

Cnet News reported that laptops are now out selling desktop. This I do believe. A laptop is more portable, lighter than a desktop. Laptops are more portable and just as powerful and desktops. This I do believe. When I go down to Boise State, I see almost every student having a laptop hanging from their shoulder.

The Ever Shrinking Hard Drive

When hard drives got to 1 Gigabyte, I thought that they would never be enough information on a personal computer to fill it up. When hard drives reached 10 Gigabytes, I said that was all I needed to storage space. When I installed a 80 Gigabyte hard drive, I didn't expect to need anything larger.

Well, today I am watching the amount of free space on my hard drive slowly shrinking. I have an 80 Gig. It is partitioned into a 45 (is my C drive) and 35 (is my D drive). The 45 Gigabyte partition is my operating system and programs. The 35 Gigabyte partition is used for storage of pictures, documents and other data. The 45 Gigabyte partition is 78% full and shrinking.

Over the last week or so, I have deleted files, programs from my C drive. Still it is shrinking. I am forced to re-evaluate the program that is on my C drive and delete even more. Those programs that are nice to have, but I rarely use are going to have to go.

I tell friends and clients that if their hard drive gets over 75% full it is time to upgrade. Well, I do not want to upgrade to a larger hard drive. I don't more storage space. I just have to learn to use what I have more efficiently.

Vista Popularity is Going Down

This morning I awoke, got my morning cup of coffee then went to my computer. There I began to read the morning technology news. The first two headlines from information week struck my eye. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has put a stop of their computer being upgraded to Vista. Second the Free Software Foundation is urging people to take their new computers and install Linux. The popular free operating system.

The first full week in March is starting to see a sharp decline in Vista's popularity. In the past couple of weeks I have had more customers get their computer's rebuilt or buy refurbished, so they would not have to upgrade to Vista. I have even got a phone call from a Vista user asking me to take Vista off his computer and install Windows XP.

Laptop Batteries Safe????

Yesterday, PC Magazine publish the story that Lenovo laptop computer battery packs are recalling 205,000 battery packs. It was discovered many would overheat if dropped or banged, posing a fire and consumer safety hazard.

As we left 2006, I was under the false impression that laptop batteries were fixed. I was wrong. Could this be money in technology products produce blind greed, and leave social responsibility in yesterday's trash.

It does not matter if it is hardware or software, we have seen and are still seeing the release of computer related products before they are really for the end-user market. These products may still make it through the warranty period, but fail six months later.

Laptop batteries, or Operating systems should come with a warning, "Use at your own risk!".

The Politics of Vista

In January Microsoft released Vista, it's latest and great operating system. Yes, you have to upgrade your computer, and only certain software will work smoothly. As Microsoft works out the bugs, I see more politics than in a Presidential election year.

Symantec and McAfee act like congressman in doing the ole political give and take to get the source code for Vista. Apple has launch an ad campaign to steal a big share of the PC users. There is three groups of commentators. One focuses on the positive of Vista. The other wants Microsoft to do a recall of Vista. Then there is a third that wants a choice of getting Vista or XP.

Personally, I like some of the features of Vista. They are nice eye candy. The new security features are not as user-friendly as I would like. When it comes to election time in November of 2008, I will vote for Vista.

Processes Needs To Be User-Friendly

The old says. "Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance" has followed me most all my life. I find myself going back to the saying to look at ways to improve my performance. Eight out of ten times that improved my performance is done by simplifying my actions and/or thought processes.

This morning I was thinking about that planning, learning, or prep must be user-friendly. What I consider as user-friendly, may not be user-friendly to another person. If a procedure is not user-friendly, then procrastination takes over and it will eventually will not be done.

I like using Frontpage for my website. In the process, I look at the html and java script to refine what I want to do. There are people who do not attempt doing a website because of the complexity of learning the code behind the scenes.

I see a lot of computer users that do not back up their computer's files because they see it as a complex procedure. Once they are introduced to a one or two click back up process, then they start backing up their important data.

Losing Sleep Early This Year

The energy bill President Bush signed in August 2005, DST (Day Light Saving Time) begins three weeks earlier on March 11. Remember to set you clocks forward. If your computer or network is in the United States, the changes to Daylight Saving Time (DST), courtesy of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, is going to affect your operations.

I have heard a few news commentator compare the possible problems with the Y2k issue. I really don't see that if everyone has their computer patched and check their computer clock when they arrive at work on Monday morning.

The natural tendency is to be alarmist when it comes to such matters. It is better just to be aware of the issue. Other than making sure you have all your computer updates, you can't really do anything until March 12.

XP Still Tops Vista

The first sales figures are out. Cnet.com reported that since the launch of Windows Vista the sale of units sold, is 59 percent less than those sold of Windows XP in the first week after it's retail launch.

I am seeing people who are buying new computers looking for machines that have XP. 1 out of 10 want Vista. It is becoming harder to find new computers with Windows XP installed. A lot of consumers have the "wait until the bugs are worked out" attitude about Vista.

Others computer users who are more resistant to upgrading, and waiting for Microsoft to recall Vista. That is very unlikely considering all the time, and money Microsoft has put into Vista. Microsoft is really pushing hard to get Vista out.

Of course 75% of more of the computer users are going to have to upgrade their hardware to before installing Vista. Not to many computer users are willing to do the hardware for an operating system that still has bugs.

Personally, I won't upgrade to Vista for a year or two. Currently, I am running Windows XP Pro with a Vista Transformation Pak. That way I can get the look and feel of Vista without having to actually have Vista on my computer.

It is all about Marketing!

This afternoon I overheard my wife do a phone call to a perspective customer. She came off so professional and confident that the person on the other end of that phone line could not say no. An appointment was made for next week. I am a sure that they will be a new account for the Web Building department of T.E.N. Solutions.

Speaking about website marketing. The most common question I get, when talking about websites is, "How can get my website notice on Google, Yahoo, and other search engines?" I tell them it is more than having a good looking website. It takes marketing that website in forums, blogs, and to people who might be interested in the content of the website.