Windows 8 main screen
The computer world is abuzz with Windows 8 preview news. You can get the last beta release today by downloading the developer preview at no cost.
That will give you a two week jump on the crowd in learning about Windows 8 and how it works on your computer. Continue reading
Multi-core illustration by Ars Technica
A new virus threat has been discovered by Massoutec.com that can expose multi-core computers running Windows XP and Vista 32-bit. According to the research, most of the standard anti-virus programs cannot detect the KHOBE malware.
Essentially what the virus does is present a clean file for the anti-virus program to check. Once passed, it swaps into another cpu core the malware program with the same name. Very tricky and so far no virus program, according to the researchers, has detected the infection.
Having personally just come from a Apache Linux infection on a major web hosting company, read about Google’s attack by the Chinese, it’s no time to relax. Continue reading
You cannot upgrade from 32 bit Vista to 64 bit Windows 7The debate has been raging since last Friday when $29 student upgrades to Windows 7 started going into a never-ending reboot.
“For those that have purchased Windows 7 from Digital River and receive the error ‘We are unable to create or save new files in the folder in which this application was downloaded’ when going through the ‘Unloading the Box’ [step] Microsoft Answers
Considering the millions of successful upgrades, the people who are having trouble are not statistically significant but it it’s your computer then it is a nightmare.
By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, January 17, 2009
We hate change and resist it with a passion. Now that the word is out about Windows 7, the articles are everywhere: should you wait for Windows 7, get Vista or try to keep Windows XP? CNET has a user story which is interesting if not instructive.
Of course you should upgrade to Vista. Why not? You heard it had bugs? For a generation raised on technology it’s hard to believe we are so stuck in the past.
Here’s a stunning revelation: every operating system since the beginning, since Noah pre-released Ark 1.0, had bugs and incompatible drivers, devices and programs. That’s the nature of technology. New things are better, hopefully, but always different and usually a bit of trouble. There is one law I’ve learned: you can’t go backwards in technology or life. Try driving your car backwards to the store, work or Toronto.
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Windows 7 may not work on your computer
Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, August 10, 2009, updated August 12th, 2009
Microsoft is ramping up the hype machine for Windows 7. The reality when we try to make it work with existing hardware will disappoint many people. M-Audio will not be ready with drivers until next year.
Windoiws 7, going back to Vista is painful
This is one sadder but wiser beaver after my brief affair with Windows 7 which is not ready for prime time. How easy it is to get distracted by a pretty face eh?
I’ve always been that way.
I took the original Windows beta home over Christmas to play with for three years in a row until Windows 3. Will, James and I became an official Windows for Workgroups Beta site in 1992 with a fun three-computer home network. Continue reading
Windoiws 7, going back to Vista is painful
Windows 7 does not uninstall automatically. While the installation says it is creating a restore point, that point is not your last operating system as in Vista or Windows XP. Microsoft is not clearly warning people when they download the free release code. None of the support sites contemplate reverting which is too optimistic. Continue reading