Windows Archive

Today virtualization is expensive for licensing. Microsoft asks people to license every OS installed on virtual machines, even if powered off. But something is changing. Since the release of Windows Server 2003 R2 Microsoft started approaching a per-use licensing model instead of a per-installation model. So that now Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition owners can run up to 4 virtual machines with same OS at no additional costs.

BentUser takes a look at the differrences between Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista b5270. The differrences are interesting and help to show what improvements, if any, have been made in the oft-delayed operating system.

"Back in 2001 Microsoft's early betas of Windows XP contained a user interface dubbed 'Watercolor'. But only months before the operating system shipped Microsoft completely replaced it with an entirely different look and feel called 'Luna' which became known as 'Windows XP Style'. That move has created speculation that current Windows Vista look and feel, called Aero glass, would be replaced by a different look and feel later in the beta process. However, this week's PowerUser.tv podcast has an interview with Microsoft developers who have confirmed that there will be no major change to the look and feel of Windows Vista from what is being shown in build 5270. In other words, Aero-Glass is it."

"One of the big concerns of anyone considering moving to Windows Vista is 'How many of my applications will work on Windows Vista?' We have spent a lot of time trying to answer that very question for our company so I will share with you some of the common problem areas we found for applications to help give you an idea of what applications might have problems for you."

Microsoft has officially released the patch that fixes the WMF flaw. The patch can be download individually here, but it is advised to simply use Windows Update. Yesterday, Microsoft said it would not release it until next Tuesday, but two (1 | 2) third party fixes were already available. And to make matters worse, Microsoft accidentally leaked their own patch to the Net yesterday.

"As every network manager knows, you should never run your computer as administrator, especially if it has access to the Internet. Malware often depends on admin rights to disable firewalls, delete registry entries and download or create files. Without those rights, malicious code must find another path to your destruction. That bit of insight led Microsoft Security Engineering's Michael Howard to create DropMyRights for Windows XP and up. Once DMR is added to a web application's shortcut, the app starts with Normal User Rights instead of Admin rights. Users get the freedom of movement they've always enjoyed, with a little extra protection." In related news, there's now another unofficial patch for the WMF flaw.

The December pre-beta 2 release of Windows Vista offers the first true glimpse of the OS but is missing key elements. More information and screenshots can be found at Desktop Pipeline.

The saga around the WMF flaw in Windows continues. "A cryptographically signed version of Microsoft's patch for the Windows Metafile vulnerability accidentally leaked onto the Internet late Tuesday, adding a new wrinkle to the company's round-the-clock efforts to stop the flow of malicious exploits. The MSRC (Microsoft Security Response Center) acknowledged that a slip-up caused 'a fast-track, pre-release version of the update' to be posted to a security community site and urged users to 'disregard' the premature update."

"Microsoft set out to adopt a formal and rigid support lifecycle in 2002, back at a time when most analysts were expecting to see Windows Vista within a couple of years. My own point of view was that this lifecycle business had a lot to do with Microsoft's then-new volume licensing scheme, which among other things is oriented towards selling software subscriptions. If you're buying a subscription for software, you can see how lifecycle plans become important. However, delays in Windows Vista coupled with a questionable approach to 'consumer' products means that 2007 will carry a few surprises unless policy changes are made at Redmond."

Microsoft has updated its advisory today on the critical Windows flaw to state that development of the patch is complete, and they are now in the process of testing it. The expected release date for the patch is currently set for January 10, which will be included as part of Microsoft's monthly release of security bulletins. In the meantime, Microsoft advices against using a third party fix which appeared.

Microsoft acknowledged late Wednesday the existence of a zero-day exploit for Windows Metafile images, and said it was looking into ways to better protect its customers. Even worse, by the end of the day nearly 50 variants of the exploit had already appeared. One security company said the possibilities were endless on how the flaw could be exploited. 'This vulnerability can be used to install any type of malicious code, not just Trojans and spyware, but also worms, bots or viruses that can cause irreparable damage to computers,' said Luis Corrons of Panda Software.

MS is holding a contest in Europe & Pakistan, in which you have to guess what date MS will launch their long awaited next version of Windows. All legal residents of Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK who are 18 years of age or older have the chance to win from 1 of 3 prizes available in different prize bands; 1st Prize: Be live at the Launch Event in the USA: the full package with entry, flight and 3 nights in a 4-star Hotel, 2nd-4th Prize: New XBOX 360, 5th-10th Prize: XBOX Core System. NOTE: It seems to require IE to sign up, as it doesnt work in Safari, it may work in FF however.

"Microsoft's free Shared Computer Toolkit lets you configure a PC that can be used to search the Internet, look up resources, and run approved programs; it also stops users from making permanent system changes, running arbitrary programs, or introducing malware. Administrators on domain-based PCs have long been able to do this; the toolkit offers a similar level for any PC. You don't need an IT degree - the kit leads an administrator through the steps of locking down a system."

Microsoft has published a set of guidelines on which decisions to make now, so that your computer will be ready to run Windows Vista. They claim that any mid-range AMD or Intel processor will do, and even low-end ones will pack enough power to run Vista. 512 MBRAM is advised, but for more advanced users, 1GB is recommended. As for graphics card: "If you are building or buying PC today, you probably want to avoid the low end of the current GPU range and make sure you get a GPU that supports DirectX 9 and has at least 64 MB of graphics memory." My take: I can confirm that the Windows Vista December CTP, with all the effects turned on, runs more than fine on my aging AMD Athlon XP 1600+, 512MB SD-RAM, Ati Radeon 9000 128MB DDR-RAM (DirectX 8 compatible card, so not a DX9 card). Just so you know.