So many users, so little time to complain

After conducting a (non-scientific) survey of Vista users, based on the evidence shown in the real world (libraries, cafés, public transportation, households, workplaces, etc.) it is fair to say that Windows Vista is already everywhere. I divided the group of Vista users and would-be users in four main categories: Power users (the ones who use their computer for more than playing solitaire, browsing the web and emailing); Die-hard XP users (this group includes those who failed to make Vista work, simply because their lack of knowledge and/or their lack of good hardware, and those who refuse to even try because they already "know" [Vista] is not worthy); Unsuspecting users (those who don't even know they are running Vista, because, like many car drivers out there, they're not supposed to know much about the car they driving and have usually null knowledge of what is under the hood); and last but not least "Users" of other Operating systems (who, like Die-hard XP users, "already know" it is not worth trying, and who categorically refuse to use anything that comes from MS, and others who at least tried). How do I know? Well, this is just my "illustrated" opinion. My figures are 10, 30, 58 and 2%, respectively.

Message to Redmond: Yahoo!? Fugedaboudit!

Microsoft should forget about Yahoo! altogether. IMHO the future of Internet search-with-ads will be highly fragmented in just a few years and then you will end up with an overpriced technology. You will not only spread too thin but will be investing in a company which is itself overpriced. And how about cloud computing? Do not fall completely for it. The Internet will cease to exist as the do-it-all medium, not to grow; that's the IT mirage du jour. The P in PC stands for personal, meaning your computer, your home, your office, right? The desktop and laptop PCs will continue to exist for a long time. Like the automobile, an invention that is part of everyday life. Continue to work on virtualization, Vista, Windows servers, natural language... Open source? Another mirage. An alternative that is NOT gratis. A lot of fellows still don't get the fact that free is as in "freedom of speech" not as in "free beer."

Mea culpa from Microsoft after the storm

"We're going to tell our story, our story, the real Windows Vista story" said Brad Brooks, corporate vice president of Windows Consumer Product Marketing, during the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2008, held in Houston last week. And he went on to say "we're drawing a line right here on this stage that we're going to do things differently going forward." He was referring to how Microsoft has been straightening things up after the IT kerfuffle that followed when the initial version of Vista failed to deliver (before the advent of SP1, the redeemer). "We had an ambitious plan. We made some significant investments around security in this product," he said "and you know what, those investments, they broke some things. They broke a lot of things. We know that. And we know it caused you a lot of pain in front of your customers, in front of our customers." Brooks also introduced the new Windows Vista Compatibility Center a comprehensive Web site to see all of the devices and all the applications that are compatible with Windows Vista. Read his complete remarks. I find this PR move commendable (better late than never). Yes, I believe the storm is over. Vista is and will be inevitable.

All work and no play makes anybody dull

Try your hand at some of the games included included in Vista. There are four new games (not sure if all Vista versions include them): Chess Titans, Mahjong Titans, InkBall and Purble Place. And, exclusively for Vista Ultimate, Hold'Em. The other five classic games have been updated with new graphics and sounds: Solitaire, FreeCell, Minesweeper, Spider Solitaire, and Hearts. And for each game, in the Games Explorer window (press WinKey and then type games, to get there), the performance requirements are shown. Apparently, they're not too demanding when it comes to resources judging by the recommended ratings of the Windows Experience Index. These games are a far cry from the games you found in previous versions of Windows. Go to Games for Windows Vista, if you want to learn more. (By the way, I should upgrade my game skills from the '90s... )

When it comes to software, nobody's perfect (2)

In this day and age of software designed with lots of usability, user-friendliness, a "rich user experience", etc. to come across a screen like this one makes you exclaim "what the h* is that?!". You might as well don't display anything if you don't tell the user what's happening. Windows Live OneCare team, this one is for you, I believe you can do better than that. I am currently on my "trial version" of Windows Live OneCare, "the always-on PC-care service from Microsoft. Working quietly in the background on your computer, OneCare protects against viruses, spyware, hackers, and other unwanted intruders." So does System Mechanic Professional, my favorite utility for Windows XP. I am waiting for a version that runs flawlessly in Vista and that doesn't give me the infamous rundll32.exe-related error message, that apparently is triggered by faulty software. My first days with Vista were disappointing because of this "mysterious" error that applies to many situations... In my particular case, the culprit was System Mechanic Professional. Solution? Just uninstall it. In spite of everything, I want to assign this post to the "Trivia" compartment.

Independence Day waving goodbye to the past

It's a fact: beginning this week, on June 30th, Windows XP, as a commercial product, has come to an end, after Microsoft made a tough choice. I personally won't miss an operating system that I used, struggled with, learned with and finally left, in a process that lasted about six years. Enough. And the main reason to leave that OS was not exactly under-perfomance, but the mere fact that I discovered something even better: Vista (hesitantly at the beginning, just because I was, like many people, badly influenced by rumors and misinformed reviewers' comments). Once you know better, you will never go back. Guaranteed. Like everything else in life. For more information, go to the source: Get the facts about Windows Vista, the future of Windows XP and so many relevant topics. Microsoft has promised to support Windows XP until 2014 (!), which is tantamount to having offered support to Windows 3.1 until 2004.

When XP was the villain

At the end of 2001, just after the release of Windows XP, users were already "complaining" about the incompatibilities, the slowness, the futility of upgrading... As they did in 1999 when Windows 2000 was released and in 1997 when Windows 1998 came out and in 1995 when Windows 3.1 and DOS were still commonplace in American corporations and homes. Ed Bott, co-author of the newly released "Windows Vista, Inside Out, Deluxe Edition" (recommended) remembers those early days of Windows XP...

Nice setup: PHP and MySQL with IIS7

Either it is easier in Vista, compared to XP, or I was just luckier this time (making open source software to work can be really awkward sometimes) installing PHP and MySQL. I just followed the complete instructions on how to create a Windows Vista powered web server using these extremely popular tools. However, I just want a developer box not a server box, so I did not open port 80 nor changed the priority of background services. I used my own directory paths, and installed MySQL selecting Detailed Configuration, Developer Machine, Multifunctional Database, and Decision Support (DSS)/OLAP. Other than that, I followed each step to the letter. Also, very important to install the MySQL Administrator that comes with a very nice GUI, unless you think that using the command line is cool... Now, you're all set to start fine tuning your skills and learning a bit more.

Vista vs XP: a non-issue? Maybe

There is no need to conduct a scientific survey to realize that a lot of people are already using Windows Vista. Just go to a library, visit one of those ubiquitous cafés or simply peek at your neighbor wielding a laptop computer in the bus or train. It occurred to me that this sort of "debate" about upgrading or downgrading, better or worse, now or later or never, and so on and so on, are as just meta-realities created by the media... And you know what happens to your life when you pay too much attention to the media? Well, fill your mind and spirit with that sort of apocalyptic junk food that proclaims in a veiled fashion that "the end is near, repent". Precisely, that sort of veiled discourse cleverly intertwined with "be more beautiful and this is the formula just for you" and "buy more and save more"... Let's turn the TV and the Internet off once in a while as a matter of mental hygiene.