Sunday, June 11, 2006

Windows VISTA beta 2 - An exciting beta you can use !!

Micorsoft for a change has opened its Windows vista beta 2 to all users, and they even provide you with trial product key.Ok lets forget it all and come down to business, I installed vista ultimate edition last week and seriously didnt find anything discerning.

The beta is as smooth as any normal version, cool features wonderful new concepts.And it really looks like one for the future. The Collaboration tool and also IE and support for both 32 bit and 64 bit applications, and ability to run IE in both 32bit and 64 bit mode are real cool. The inbuilt phising filter,antispyware and Firewall have beefed up heavily.The security features have improved vastly.And cooler vista doesnt allow any software to run in admin mode without ur permission...so virtually denying spywares any control at all.

I got nVidia drivers for vista (yes most hw manufacturers already provide vista beta drivers).Even if vista installs ur driver I recommend you to download from hw manufacturer.Most XP drivers will do for Vista as well. Diagonistic tool in system menu recommends ur hw changes and driver updates and also suggests reasons why your PC is slower.

My recommendation for Vista (minimal)

Any P 4 or AMD XP or AMD 64

atleast 512 MB RAM(if you have a good ie 128MB or above graphics card)

(or)

1GB RAM

128MB or above graphics card(aero compatible)

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Microsoft's WGA(windows genuine advantage program) has raised more than a few eyebrows.When I first came across this news I was literally shocked that this issue hasnt gained needed attention.When Google is suing Microsoft over its MSN search default why no such antitrust suite has been filed against Microsoft bemuses me..

Ok let me explain what the real problem is , Microsofts Genuine advantage program which requires you to install an activex to verify ur Windows installation(to find pirated versions), calls back home (fancy word the online community coined for this issue) ie ur windows contacts Microsoft server everytime you start your machine.Though Microsoft says it collects no personal info, what shocks many is that this practice of microsoft has come out only after a year(since july 2005), until now no antispyware softwares or companies could detect this beahavior and Microsoft hasnt given an option for opting out of this problem.Only after a popular techie's blog exposing this issue Microsoft issued an statement in this regard.Microsoft gives a funny reason that in case if their validation tool fails and starts giving false positives, this approach will help them to shutdown the WGA program..

Now after much controversy Microsoft says that their sw wont call home everytime you rebot , well now only once in 14 days.. my question is if I have validated my software once what is the need for verifying after that??

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K J Dinesh, kj.dinesh@gmail.com , +919940392919