When I installed Microsoft Windows 7 beta on one of my computers, one things I’ve noticed was that it was a quick and rather painless install. It seems light with less “bloatware”. It reminded me of a linux install way back when Linux didn’t try to be “use-friendly”. Back then when you install Linux, [...]]]> [ad#inline-ad-in-article]

windows 7 desktop

HomeGroup password

When I installed Microsoft Windows 7 beta on one of my computers, one things I’ve noticed was that it was a quick and rather painless install. It seems light with less “bloatware”. It reminded me of a linux install way back when Linux didn’t try to be “use-friendly”. Back then when you install Linux, you install an OS, nothing else. After installing the OS, you then go about installing what you want applications and tools to go with the OS. It looked like a majority of people, I guess because most are either busy or lazy and not wanting to deal with something “they don’t have to” didn’t like going through this and most didn’t even consider Linux. This made Linux the OS of geeks.

From the beginning, Bill Gates realized this and he capitalized on it. Success. People loved it because it was “user-friendly”. Microsoft began adding more and more stuff into its OS and it showed in the Windows OS that started coming out of Redmond. Together with flashy, epic naming schemes (remember Millenium Edition? ugh), Windows became increasingly bloated with each version. But because hardware because increasingly powerful and better, the bloat didn’t pose any significant problem to users. Adding more memory and faster peripherals seems to make the bloat a non-issue. Until Vista, when Microsoft found the straw that broke the camel’s back. I didn’t even installed Vista because the horror stories scared me. So I’m one of the many XP holdouts.

As I was saying, the install went well and the next few personalization setup were pretty easy as well. But then I tried working with networks and this is where a few issues were found. Can you believe it? This OS wants you to remember (it actually ask you to write it down) a series of alphanumeric characters because IT assigns a password you rather than just allowing you to create one, an easy to remember one. So primitive in my opinion.

And one more very important thing which really got into my nerve. You CAN’T upgrade a Windows XP computer. Yep, you have to wipe out the entire system and install fresh. In a few computers you would really want to do this but for some, a simple upgrade is the simplest and preferable way moving from one OS to another.

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Computerworld reports Windows 7 full version is now available for sale, month’s before Microsoft officially releases it for sale.

Pirated copies of Microsoft Windows 7 have hit the shelves at China’s electronics bazaars, months before the operating system officially goes on sale.

A stall owner at one of the multistory PC markets in Beijing [...]]]> [ad#inline-ad-in-article]

Windows 7 Desktop

Pirated copies of Microsoft Windows 7 have hit the shelves at China’s electronics bazaars, months before the operating system officially goes on sale.

A stall owner at one of the multistory PC markets in Beijing sold a copy of the program for 40 yuan (US$5.86) on Monday. It was not clear from the thin, DVD-shaped box or the contents of the disc what version of Windows 7 it purported to carry, but a 1.8GB file named Win7.gho was on the disc. A .gho file is an image of a system that can be copied onto a new hard drive, potentially letting a user bypass the activation key step for programs like Windows.

Both legal and cracked copies of Windows 7 were already available online. A release candidate version of the operating system is publicly available, and subscribers to the Microsoft Developer Network can download the RTM (release to manufacturing) version on the network’s Web site.

A cracked version of Windows 7 has also appeared online in recent weeks. An image file containing Windows 7 Ultimate RTM and a manufacturer product key was stolen from Lenovo and placed on a Chinese hacker forum, the company said in a statement.

A user can purportedly pair the leaked key with a certain hack to install and use the operating system, Microsoft said in an MSDN blog entry. But Microsoft said it is working with Lenovo to make sure no PCs using the pirated manufacturer key are sold, and Lenovo said the key would be disabled. Windows 7 will go on sale Oct. 22.

Pirated software from Microsoft and other companies is widely used in homes and offices across China, and it is often sold in stores or on streets.

The vendor at the Beijing bazaar said she said had sold pirated copies of Windows 7 for more than a month and had a dozen buyers on some days. She kept the program discs in a low cabinet that she opened only when asked specifically for the OS.

It was not clear if the pirated Windows 7 disc carried malicious code, but its setup file promoted a Web site, www.pkghost.cn, infested with a high level of malware. Google found 31 scripting exploits, 25 Trojans and 21 other exploits on the site, according to its diagnostic page.

Malware may have been on the disc as well. Pirated software packages sold in China often include malware used to steal personal information from users, said Vu Nguyen, a McAfee Avert Labs researcher. One common type of Trojan steals passwords for popular online games, he said. Attackers can then profit by selling virtual items in the game accounts.

But low prices lead many Chinese users to buy pirated software despite the risks, Nguyen said.

The pirated Windows 7 box had the labels “complete cracked version” and “standard version 1.0.” The disc inside displayed a Windows logo and images of a penguin and a globe. It also displayed the name “Loxon Soft Studio,” but no company by that name could immediately be located.

Source: computerworld

[ad#inline-ad-in-article] ]]> http://resbak.com/blog/windows-7-for-sale-only-us586-a-copy/feed/ 0 http://resbak.com/blog/get-your-free-windows-7-now/ http://resbak.com/blog/get-your-free-windows-7-now/#comments Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:08:36 +0000 truthcaster http://resbak.com/blog/?p=868 Windows 7 RTM build 7600 is free for download at Technet and MSDN. The download was actually made available on August 6 and early downloaders slowed the speeds to a crawl but expect it to speed up as soon as they drop off. The 32-bit edition comes in at a heavy 2.4 Gb.

If this [...]]]> Windows 7 RTM build 7600 is free for download at Technet and MSDN. The download was actually made available on August 6 and early downloaders slowed the speeds to a crawl but expect it to speed up as soon as they drop off. The 32-bit edition comes in at a heavy 2.4 Gb.

If this release is anything similar to release 7100, expect it to install quickly and run better. It should have the similar look and feel of the previous release candidates.

ZDNET Australia reported that a version was released to manufacturing on July 20. Today, Australian IT news reports that they are getting Lenovo netbooks loaded with Windows 7. Lenovo Australia won a $150 million contract to prvide netbooks to NSW secondary school students and teachers. IBM Australia won a $70 million contract to build Aruba wireless networks in 232,000 secondary schools.

According to lifehacker, Best Buys Windows 7 pricing will be $49.00 and $99.99. For systems purchased after June 26th, the upgrade is free. Upgrade versions are advertised on it’s website for 119.99 and 199.99.

Windows 7 is supposed to offer improved security, better search tools and mobile support and easier networking. Whether this is true is yet to be seen. Microsoft is betting this new OS will move small business from Apple’s OS X and Redhat’s Linux.

Netbook users and future users should be forewarned that Windows 7 starter, the version targeted for netbooks will be limited. Starter will be the least featured edition.

Windows 7

sources:
Daily Tech