REAL users of Vista never complain

...because they know that this operating system is superior to Windows XP. Only those who failed to make it work, mostly because of lack of knowledge and/or appropriate hardware whine and complain to the point of throwing tantrums. After using Windows XP for more than 7 years, and Windows for more than 16 years, I believe my switch to Vista was worthwhile. Oh, and it was installed in an "old" Sony VAIO desktop computer. I stopped listening to people who don't know what they're talking about especially when their "opinion" is fed by the rumor mill and media mantras. I was so well impressed by Vista's performance, features and a nicer user experience that I decided to create this blog.

A year with Windows Vista

'Twas in the spring of 2008 when I first laid my hands on Windows Vista a little bit doubtful, I should confess, by paying too much attention to the misinformation on the Web and mainstream media always hungry for tabloid headlines. Yet, when I was pleasantly surprised by the elegance, agility and the whole user experience provided by Windows Vista I decided to charge against the rumor mill and this blog was born! Installed on a Sony Vaio ("Yes, you can run a lot of new—and old—software") it has been running smoothly and efficiently, considering that I only have 3.67 GB free on the primary partition where I'm running this great OS, proof that Vista handles very efficiently whatever resources are available. I can run everything I used to run in Windows XP (for 6 years) and, unless I buy another PC with Windows 7, I believe I will stick to Vista for a long time to come. For starters, Windows 7 is to Windows Vista what Windows XP was to Windows 2000.

I told you so: a non-event, an unfulfilled doom on April 1

Just about any judicious observer of the IT world would've come to the same conclusion regarding the Conficker worm: a non-issue, already dealt with since November of 2008, that turned out to be a 'dud' (a fizzle!) as reported by the Houston Chronicle. Or, as The Wall Street Journal bluntly put it, April 1, a much-hyped date when a sophisticated computer virus was set to potentially cause havoc, came and went without incident. There's nothing else to say, except that this type of viruses or worms have been and will be around as long as there are computers and IT networks. Oh, and I have yet to see some news where they say that Vista is also vulnerable...

Conficker... the usual April Fool's day scare, plus media hype

And obviously those in the media "reporting" about the worm known as Conficker (I can't help but see a German word in the last two syllables. Hint: it's similar to a heavy loaded insult in English) just keep copying and pasting the same blown out of proportion "story." When it comes to technology, computers, Internet and related subjects frankly few 'communicators' know what they're talking about. Look at what they did to Vista and all of them were wrong (maybe somehow right in winter 2007, but that was it). The public at large and some lazy IT staff would believe them... and would repeat the "rumors"... but enough about hot air. Not to belittle the actual threat I have to quote Microsoft: On October 23, 2008, Microsoft released a critical security update, MS08-067, to resolve a vulnerability in the Server service of Windows that, at the time of release, was facing targeted, limited attack. The vulnerability could allow an anonymous attacker to successfully take full control of a vulnerable system through a network-based attack, the sort of vectors typically associated with network "worms." Read everything related to Conficker directly from Microsoft: what could happen tomorrow, how to protect PCs from this worm, how to clean them once infected and a thorough timeline from November 2008 till present. I personally don't want to pay much attention to this, not only because I believe my iolo Antivirus and my built-in Windows Firewall are taking care of it, but also because it may be just another IT urban legend (c'mon! you're smart and you're not going to click on the "congratulations!" banner...). Besides, I like to read a refreshingly calm view cutting through the bull.... On the other hand, on Vista and Windows Server 2008, the combination of Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) and Data Execution Protection (DEP) will make the exploitation of this vulnerability more difficult. Windows 2000, XP and Server 2003 have it tougher. Read more...

Ce clair objet du desir*

As if it wasn't enough with the impending rush of colors of the spring, and other good news around the corner, I came across, just today, the newest and coolest laptop design ever by Dell. It's called Adamo, pure Industrial Design (yes, my first career choice, still one of my greatest interests) and so attractive as to make people fall in love with it, admire greatly, covet (yes, the name is Latin). Well, among its many notable features: Windows Vista as the OS of choice! I am really glad manufacturers, like now, stopped the silliness of trying to please some customers who still, in 2009, want to be catered with Windows XP (a really old OS in computer years. Is that 8 years?!). Well done, Dell! I know, the news came out 10 days ago. [*That's French for "That light object of desire" paraphrasing unforgetable Buñuel's "Cet obscur objet du désir."]

Time to upgrade to Internet Explorer 8

That is, to IE RC1 (release candidate 1), a step ahead of the Beta version we installed back in the summer of 2008 and a step behind of the final, "gold" version. Already good reviews are coming out specially in the area of protection against malware. While still a big user of Firefox, I believe I will be using both intensely specially for their great developer add-ons. On the other hand, I will consider to completely remove my copy of Safari, apparently not fairing well in the 'browser wars.'

The inescapable taxes and good software to help

That time of the year again, getting close to April 15 and here we are facing another layer of reality on top of the rugged surface of hard times. While that's an unavoidable obligation, luckily software tools save us from dealing with the tedious work of filing a tax return. I have always used TurboTax for this purpose and, like many a good software package, it runs flawlessly in Windows Vista. It's well designed and does really a great job. I believe Vista's coming of age (which happened more or less a year ago) is an indisputable fact, even now when some users and reviewers are giving good reviews to Windows 7, like they never knew how good Vista is.