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Vista
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hardware
microsoft
How to sell Windows Vista to white people
Microsoft is pulling out all the stops to buff the image of its startingly unpopular operating system, Windows Vista. Nothing so far has worked. Don't worry, Apple and Linux fans — Microsoft is not doing anything threatening, such as actually improving the software. More »
Microsoft now offers Ultimate support
Microsoft's money comes largely from its corporate clients. But they're the ones dumping Vista every chance they get. So Microsoft is trying other tactics to woo them. First, an "Ultimate" option for customer service focusing on proactive support instead of just fixing problems once they're called in. Microsoft Services Premier Ultimate is said to maintain a company's "IT health." Secondly, Microsoft is relaxing its licensing agreements to let companies reuse applications on multiple servers. [Ars Technica and CNN]
Microsoft's money comes largely from its corporate clients. But they're the ones dumping Vista every chance they get. So Microsoft is trying other tactics to woo them. First, an "Ultimate" option for customer service focusing on proactive support instead of just fixing problems once they're called in. Microsoft Services Premier Ultimate is said to maintain a company's "IT health." Secondly, Microsoft is relaxing its licensing agreements to let companies reuse applications on multiple servers. [Ars Technica and CNN]
You're not the only one who hates Vista
Did you buy a new computer and come to realize that you just really hate Windows Vista? You're not alone. InfoWorld figures that 35 percent of its audience — mostly corporate users — had dumped Vista and reinstalled Windows XP on their current-model computers. Maybe IT professionals are harder to fool with marketing gimmicks. [InfoWorld]
Did you buy a new computer and come to realize that you just really hate Windows Vista? You're not alone. InfoWorld figures that 35 percent of its audience — mostly corporate users — had dumped Vista and reinstalled Windows XP on their current-model computers. Maybe IT professionals are harder to fool with marketing gimmicks. [InfoWorld]
security
Vista security completely end-run by hack
Today at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas, two security experts showed off a new Web-based break-in that completely bypasses all of the hardware memory protection built into Windows Vista. Once inside, a program can then load any content at all from the Internet via your browser. The best tech writeup is at Electronista: "The malicious code not only negates the effectiveness of Vista's Address Space Layout Randomization and Data Execution Prevention technologies, but specifically abuses their behavior to ensure an attack gets through." What does this mean for you? It's not the end of the world. But stand by for one very important Security Update.
Does Windows Vista by another name smell as bad?
Microsoft has finally released the videos from the company's "Mojave Experiment," where it convinced focus-group attendees who had heard bad things about Vista that they were trying a new and better operating system called Mojave — which was ultimately revealed to be Vista all along. Feel-good marketing triumph or sign of desperation? Considering the company had to pull this stunt at all, I'm going with the latter. [mojaveexperiment.com]
MORE » 
Eric Rudder
Microsoft heir apparent looks for life after Windows
Looking past the fail that is Vista, Microsoft is working on a next-generation operating system codenamed "Midori." Eric Rudder, a senior vice president at Microsoft whose name has been floated as Microsoft's next CEO, will be developing the new OS. Shockingly from a company known for slogging away at version after version of its existing software, Midori won't even be based on Windows. Programming for Midori will also be different, designed for many kinds of devices, from cell phones to server farms. More »
great moments in customer service
Blogger gets Vista refund with only 4 emails, 3 phone calls, 2 months
In theory, Microsoft's license agreement for Vista says you can get a refund from your PC's manufacturer if you buy a model with Vista preinstalled, but replace it with Windows XP, Linux or another operating system. In practice, Equlibriate blogger Kim Kido, a k a uncle_benji, spent two months calling and emailing HP before the company finally cut her a $200 check. She's posted a detailed recap of the story, including screenshots of customer service emails and a photo of the check. I'm willing to bet Kido cost the company another $200 in customer service time. (Photo by uncle_benji)
feature
Dell and Sony discover gold in the old
A relentless neophilia is Silicon Valley's signature characteristic. One must have a new iPhone, a new Twitter, a new electric car. You're either in beta or in the grave. That's why I'm intrigued by two decisions by Dell and Sony. Dell has figured out a way to wriggle around Microsoft's licensing rules and still sell its discontinued Windows XP operating system. Sony, meanwhile, is profitably selling its nine-year-old PlayStation 2 videogame console in markets like India. This just isn't done. More »
1:00 PM on Thu Jul 3 2008
By Owen Thomas
806 views,
1 comment
Latest by Shadowlayer: "That's exactly what Nintendo has done with the Wii" Yeah yeah, except that the Gamecube was $99 in 2004!, while the more »
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