Windows Vista is on the edge of being forced down everyones throat. Whats new with this version of Windows? Marketing Money. People in marketing can learn to sell anything. Microsoft has enough resources to invest in how to sell products. The best way to sell something is to advertise the shit out of it.

Microsoft is spending billions of dollars on the marketing of Windows Vista when they really do not have to. No matter who you are, eventually you will have to upgrade to windows vista.

Recently I found and article talking about the what Vista offers that XP does not. Lets go into that.

This is a feature that windows should do without question. To say it is a security feature is too broad, of course its security, what isn't? It has already been documented by many it professionals that people should not operate there machines as a true admin. The color shield is like the Homeland security threat level. I mean, if I click on something and it says access denied, I do not have access, what about people that are color blind?

Lets be clear that the XP firewall is almost useless when users find out it only supports blocking communications one way. I am sure a simple patch/upgrade could fix the windows xp firewall to function more like any firewall, maybe that would be to much to ask. Not to mention the amount of problems I run into relating to windows firewall even though it is disabled. When Microsoft bundles in software to the OS, it makes a dandy of a time for other software to work correctly. Not to worry, all the software you will ever need will come pre built into vista, whether you like it or not.

Did we just go over this? In history who has better cleaned and defended windows? Any company other than Microsoft. Off the top of my head there are two free spyware removal programs I can think of that are better than this corporate trash, SpyBot and Ad-Aware. Windows Defender is ok, however anything integrated into the OS like this is not good practice for anyone.

6. Windows Aero
There is a new feature called Aero which is enabled for use if the system contains a high graphics card that can support DirectX 9.0 and higher. This feature, which again is not present in Windows XP, enables one to view the open windows as 3D windows. The task bar and open windows can be given translucent or semi-transparent effect.

At all the conferences for windows vista I went to everyone went crazy for the new Aero in windows. Any feature that Aero offers, windows xp can do with 3rd party software. If you are trying to make alt-tab do pretty functions as to tile tabbing windows or if you want to make windows transparent.  Vista supports direct x 9? Uh doesn't xp? So xp doesn't use all of direct 9 like Vista, and I have to upgrade to get that functionality? Give me a break. The translucent or transparent effects matter nothing to IT because it has nothing to do with anything other than one of Microsoft's main marketing points. You want me to buy new hardware and upgrade my operating system so that it is more pretty?

7.Windows Sidebar
Vista brings a sidebar similar to the sidebar in MS-Office 97. Programmes can be quickly accessed, through customizable buttons provided for the purpose. One need not navigate through Start > Programmes > Programme Group > Programme Name to run a programme. Instead, one can create a short cut on the side bar such that Programme Name can be directly accessed.

The panel displays the user's selection of Windows applications such as a clock, a calendar, Outlook inbox and currency exchange.

A sidebar is a feature? Google gadgets is one of many software programs that allow a windows slide bar. The reason Microsoft is throwing this on the desktop and calling it Microsoft is because the market is full of these types of programs. Apples mac has had a bar like this for some time, and even Microsoft knows that sidebars were available in office 97. What a breakthrough, Vista is a dream mode for windows XP.

One of the most helpful new features in Windows Vista, is the new, vastly improved search for files or applications from almost anywhere. Unlike in Windows XP, with Window Search, you can simply type a few letters of your search request, and the results appear on the fly — a very helpful feature when looking for a file or application from the Start menu. Google watch your Desktop!

To put into contrast how good Microsoft's search has been, Google, yahoo, and every major portal has made a desktop search for windows systems. Even the desktop search created by Microsoft is worse than the default search feature built into windows XP. Who made the decision at Microsoft to allow a dog to be a search assistant? One good thing about vista is that I was told the dog search assistance is gone, outa here, fired. If Vista has a search function built into that actually works, then yeah that would be a new feature. Pay for the upgrade and find out.

Also, the icons appearing on the desktop have been made larger compared to Windows XP. Microsoft has done away with word "My" in the terms such as My Computer, My Document, in Windows Vista.

To describe the user enhancements by describing the start bar color change is a huge let down. Who cares about the color, can I change it? The start bar is the same however in Vista it is easier to view and does not take up a lot of screen, WOW. Improved folders, are improved because they are and thats what it says, and the prefix "my" has been taken out of the My Computer and My Documents. This change is a improvement to folders because folders load faster with less letters. Live icons feature can duplicated by downloading 3rd party windows software.

Vista in Summary

Is this what we have to look forward to? Big companies shoving crap down the pipeline? Is vista worth he upgrade? Yeah if you are mainly worried about how pretty your desktop looks. Windows Vista reminds me of Apple/Mac OS.

What does Vista offer the home user? More security? More functionality? Didn't windows 95 say that at install too? When you give Microsoft $200 and or upgrade your system to run Windows Vista, what are you getting in return? The chance to play Halo? Which brings up a good point as to why Microsoft should not make games. The requirement for Halo 3 is that you are running windows vista. Thanks Microsoft, you make open source more likable every operating system.

Windows Vista in reality is a mod from Microsoft to make windows XP more secure and everything else they said about Vista. Vista is just more money for Microsoft and dell, and the rest of coporate world who also run drug money for the CIA.

9/11 was an inside job. www.wtc7.net

At first it may have seemed that Internet Explorer 7 was going to separate itself from the rest of the operating system. Seeing that security is important to Microsoft and terrorism, it would be a great idea for Microsoft to split the two.

What I have found out about IE7 is that Microsoft is just a group of people, people are flawed by nature and yet IE7 is supposed to be more secure. Bite me Microsoft.

At the time of writing this entry IE7 has been out on windows update for several weeks.

When I was running a defrag recently I noticed some files that were in a folder called C:\documents and settings\bill\local settings\temporary internet files\content.ie5\somelargeyoutubevideo.flv

Seeing that it was a temp file, I wanted to delete it on my own. I browsed to the temporary internet folder to find no such folder content.ie5. I thought I had the path wrong so I triple checked it. I was right, it was hidden.

I always view hidden files and folders. Anyone that remembers every windows and IE version, you could always browse to your temporary internet files and delete them yourself.

Until ie7 any user could do this. Now IE7's temporary internet files located in the folder content.ie5,(why the hell do they label the temp folder for IE7, IE5), is considered a hidden protected system file.

The super bug is that on most xp pro service pack 2 machines, even if you view hidden files and folders and unhide protected operating system files you still can not see the Content.IE5 folder. On top of that using internet explorers delete temporary internet files from within IE7 still does not remove the file.

Are you kidding me? In an information age when viruses and spyware download and store themselves in the temp internet folders, advanced users can not view much less remove those files. It was not until I downloaded a program called PurgeIE, was I able to delete IE7's hidden temporary internet files and folders.

If this is the type of software the entire world has to look forward too, Microsoft can kiss my ass.

Microsoft has at least one patch a week or more that fixes security flaws in windows and IE. To summorize all of those descriptions of the security flaws throught Microsofts history, "There is a security risk with your software that allows remote users to execute bad code on your operating system."

Patch after patch after patch after service pack after operating system. Do you remember the install screens for windows 95 - XP? Didn't they all read something along the lines of, more secure, better pc experience, get more done faster, easy to use, blah blah blah.

The same old shit for ten or more years just for microsoft to downplay a new security vulerability found in the unreleased version of microsofts new ball of problems Vista.

Once again Microsoft shows me some error I have never seen. While trying to run windows update on a Windows XP Pro service pack 2 system, I got an error message that stated:

Files required to use Microsoft Update are no longer registered or installed on your computer.

Microsoft gives you two options, 1 register or download and install files. That option is recommended. Option 2 asks users to click it to help find a fix. Option 2 is pointless, the link takes you to a detailed search form that is blank. This helps you none in finding an aswere to microsofts problem.

There are several fixes you may try to resolve your problem.

Fix 1.

Re-registering the various dll files that Windows Update requires to run. To do this click on the “Start” button then “Run” and enter the following command into the “Run” dialog box: regsvr32 wuapi.dll

You should recieve a message that the command was successful. Repeat the step above for the following files:

regsvr32 wups.dll

regsvr32 wuaueng.dll

regsvr32 wucltui.dll

regsvr32 atl.dll

regsvr32 msxml3.dll

Fix 2

If that fix does not work try to reinstall the Update Agent. This link takes you to the Microsoft Download for the update agent.

If you run the Update Agent and get a message telling you it is already installed do the following: Click Start > Run and type "WindowsUpdateAgent20-x86.exe /wuforce" without quotes.

When running a defrag I noticed a large file located at:
"C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Ie5\\sometempfile.avi"

I tried to browse to the folder and I could not see it. The option to view hidden files and system files was changed and the folder still did not show.

After searching around I have come to find out that either ie6 or ie7 created this hidden temp folder that not even an administrator can modify.

To delete the hidden folder and file I used a program called PurgeIE. Using this program to delete temporary internet files and folder, it deletes the hidden temp folder and files.

This is a pretty bad bug for IE. I think it was ie7. Ie7 crashes a lot. It does not seem to like multiple tabs using youtube or google video.

*I have found out that this is an IE 7 problem. For some reason IE7 saves temp files to a hidden folder that I have not yet been able to make visible. I can delete it I just can not seee it. What sucks even more about the error is that it gives the false impression that you are running IE5 for some reason. I am sure microsoft might have a good reason why they are doing this. I am sure, I wont buy that reason.

There are alternatives to IE like firefox.

When trying to install Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy for pc, nothing gets copied or you get an error installer error 1330.

The problem is not your system, its the game installer. The fix for this problem can be found at Lucas Arts website here.

I know Games and software have their problems and need patches, what I dont understand is how does an installation error get by the entire company all the way through production? I am sure they test the installation of their game or software on the most popular operating system on the planet, and the only one that supports the game.

I know over reacting is tiresome, but come on, a patch for the installer? Get it together Lucas Software.

Problem: Some networking services do not work. I can not browse the domain or connect to machines on the network.

My connection looks good and displays in the task bar as it should. When I check the properties of the network connection, Client for Microsoft Networks and File and Print sharing are unchecked. Seeing my problem fits the odd setting I can identify the problem.

Solution: What you should try doing first is check the missing items and apply them. Go back and make sure that works.

If the changes do not take, go into the device manager. Look for Network adapters, right click and uninstall your network adapters.

You can either reboot the machine or scan for new hardware to reinstall the devices you just remove.

Note: You will lose all of your settings for these network devices, especially tcp/ip settings. If you have a list of wireless device, wireless networks settings will also be lost.

Recently I ran into an off the wall printing error in Outlook that occurred when printing emails that looked like they contained html and not plain text. The error itself looks like an Internet explorer error, however I find the error to be in an outlook dll file.

CAUSE
This behavior occurs if the Ole32.dll file that is located in the %Windir%\System32 folder is not registered correctly in the registry.
Back to the top

RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, register the Ole32.dll file. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type the following command in the Open box, and then click OK: Regsvr32.exe %Windir%\System32\Ole32.dll
2. In the RegSvr32 dialog box, click OK.

 To Implement for All Users

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop
Data Type: REG_SZ [String Value] // Value Name: AutoEndTasks
Modify/Create the Value Name [AutoEndTasks] according to the Value Data listed below.
Value Data: [0 = AutoEndTasks Disabled / 1 = AutoEndTasks Enabled]
Exit Registry and Reboot

To Implement for Individual Users

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Data Type: REG_SZ [String Value] // Value Name: AutoEndTasks
Modify/Create the Value Name [AutoEndTasks] according to the Value Data listed below.
Value Data: [0 = AutoEndTasks Disabled / 1 = AutoEndTasks Enabled]
Exit Registry and Reboot

Recently I have tested the Web Developer Accessories built for ie 5. To my surprise still works for internet explorer 7. You can download it here.

Today I installed realplayer. Going through the installation I was aksed to specify my internet connection.

I just downloaded the install, so of course I don't have an internets connection.

To finish off the installation I get this question.

You do not need to bee on the internets to use google toolbar.