News (408)

Ballmer to testify in Vista suit

A judge last week ruled that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer would have to testify in a class action suit over the "Vista Capable" logo program that Microsoft ran ahead of the launch of Windows Vista. Read more »

Microsoft aims Windows 7 for 2009 holiday season

In a technical session on Thursday afternoon, Microsoft provided the clearest public indication that it is planning on getting Windows 7 completed in time to run on PCs that ship for next year's holiday buying season. Read more »

Windows 7 Server gets its day

After two weeks of focus on the desktop version of Windows 7, it's server counterpart finally got a day in the sun. Read more »

Touching Windows 7

Along with the gestures themselves, Microsoft has tweaked the desktop to support touch, doing things like spreading out menu lists to make the operating system easier to navigate with just a finger. Read more »

Windows 7 pre-beta hits BitTorrent

The pre-beta version of Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system released to developers at the Professional Developer Conference has already made it onto prominent BitTorrent sites, where thousands of enthusiasts around the world are currently downloading it. Read more »

Windows 7 gets mixed reviews

As developers received their copies of Windows 7 on Tuesday in the US, they offered varied reactions to the Microsoft operating system update. Read more »

Windows 7 pre-beta receives positive response

Microsoft on Tuesday offered up far more details on Windows 7, successor to the company's oft-maligned Windows Vista. Read more »

Microsoft issues security patch for unreleased software

Microsoft released a security patch on Monday for software that won't be available publicly until Tuesday at the company's Professional Developer Conference. Read more »

Microsoft launches Windows Azure

Microsoft has announced a version of Windows that runs over the internet from inside Microsoft's own datacentres. Read more »

Vista SP2 beta due this week

In a blog posting on Friday, Microsoft confirmed that a beta version of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 will be released this week. Read more »

Features (50)

10 questions to ask before migrating to Linux

If you're thinking about making the switch to Linux, Jack Wallen is all for it -- but only if you approach the migration with your eyes open. He recommends that you evaluate a number of key issues before taking this big step. Read more »

Options for passing a driver into the Windows Server 2008 install program

The Windows Server 2008 installation offers a little flexibility on how drivers are installed. This article shows ways to access the mass storage drivers when you need some out-of-the-box thinking. Read more »

Disable removable media through Windows Server 2008's Group Policy configuration

Among the more frequent requests for data protection, disabling removable media access is quite simple. Learn how to deploy a Windows Server 2008 Group Policy configuration through a Group Policy object. Read more »

50 significant moments from internet history

We take you through 50 defining moments of the internet. Read more »

Microsoft unveils the F# programming language

This article kicks the tyres on the September 2008 Community Technology Preview of F#. Read this brief overview of the programming language's features and environment. Read more »

10 ways the credit crunch will hit IT

As job losses mount and with HP announcing it will lay off tens of thousands of workers following its purchase of EDS, we look at what the crunch means for the IT industry. Read more »

10 surprising things about Windows Server 2008

When you take a look at Windows Server 2008, you'll discover big changes -- including some legitimate improvements. This article outlines a few of the unexpected aspects of the new OS, both good and bad. Read more »

Why Chrome will win and why it will lose

Google dipped its mighty toe into the increasingly crowded world of internet browsers today with the announcement of Chrome. We spoke to industry experts and Google's new rivals to find out why Chrome matters and whether the browser reality can deliver on the hype. Read more »

Brazil's love of Linux

Walk into the Ponto Frio electronics store at Sao Paulo, Brazil, which proudly displays a penguin-shaped logo, and you will find a healthy supply of Linux PCs alongside the usual Windows machines. Read more »

How to create a Blue Screen of Death

Feeling nostalgic about the Microsoft Blue Screen of Death, which used to plague desktops in the bad old days of Windows? No need to keep those feelings locked away. This handy guide will show you how to force your PC to recreate the infamous error. Read more »

Video (28)

Is Windows 7 Vista all over again?

Although Windows 7 is still months away from a public release, word on the street is that Microsoft's new OS is only marginally different from Vista. CNET senior writer Ina Fried got her hands on a prebeta laptop with Windows 7 and shares her first impressions with Kara Tsuboi on this edition of the Daily Debrief. Read more »

Microsoft hopes 7 is lucky

A two-day Microsoft developer conference begins Monday in Los Angeles, where the company is expected to give details on its cloud platform and Windows 7. In this Daily Debrief, CNET's Ina Fried explains to Kara Tsuboi why consumers can expect more Read more »

Windows maths and Browser Goodies -- Club Builder

Windows 7 will be code-versioned as Windows 7.0, won't it? On this week's Club Builder we see that it isn't so, as well as get Steve Ballmer thoughts on Vista deployment; plus we see some new HTML5 tricks. Read more »

Ballmer touts Windows 7 features

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer reveals that Windows 7 is going to be a major release, not just a Vista update. He says the new Windows will have a better user interface, information management tools, and performance. It isn't practical to wait for Windows 7 instead of deploying Vista, he says, since both systems are compatible. Interviewers: Neil MacDonald and David Mitchell Smith of Gartner. Read more »

Remove Windows Vista SP1 installation files

When you install Microsoft Windows Vista Service Pack 1, the process leaves behind about 800 MBs of original Windows Vista files--in case you want to remove SP1. In this IT Dojo video, Bill Detwiler shows you how to remove all those old files using the SP1 Files Removal Tool. Read more »

Seinfeld, Wiimotes and Woz -- Club Builder

On this episode of Club Builder: Jerry Seinfeld is the new face of Vista, we learn how to make a cheap whiteboard, and Woz talks about Steve Jobs. Read more »

Tinfoil Time -- Club Builder

What does an ex-NSA scientist think about code reviews? Can Bill Gates predict the future? Will Windows 7 save Vista? All the answers in this week's Club Builder! Read more »

Charney: App vendors are the weakest security link

Microsoft now builds security into products such as Vista but attackers have shifted their focus to applications so software vendors are the weakest link, says the VP of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing Group. Read more »

Windows 7: The anti-Vista

Microsoft is maintaining a cloak of silence around its next major release of Windows. ZDNet Editor in Chief Larry Dignan talks with blogger colleagues Mary Jo Foley, editor of All about Microsoft, and Ed Bott, editor of Microsoft Report, about the road map for Windows 7, including feature sets, timelines,... Read more »

Vista UAC prompts unexpected, not intuitive: Microsoft

Scott Charney, who heads up Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing division, admitted this week that Windows Vista's User Account Control (UAC) prompts are unexpected and not intuitive. Read more »

Blog (53)

Google faces down Apple

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- What's the point in following Apple's rules on the iPhone SDK if other developers will just flaunt them? We check the answer out and cover the other issues from the week: OLPC, IE, Ballmer and the Internet in space. Read more »

How many Windows 7s will there be?

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- The internet has been awash with rumours about Windows 7, with a pre-beta release being handed out to attendees at the Professional Developers Conference in the US this week. But how many Windows 7 versions will there be? Read more »

Microsoft's PDC Potpourri

Chris Duckett [blogs:betaliving] -- While not game-breaking in their own right, these little titbits complete the picture from Microsoft's recent PDC conference at Los Angeles. Read more »

Azure: A matter of trust

Brendon Chase [blogs:codemonkeybusiness] -- Ray Ozzie hit the nail on the head when he said Azure's success will hinge on trust. Who outside (and inside) the core circle of ISV trust Microsoft? Read more »

Wired keyboards lead to tin foil hat wearing

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- Just because you don't wear a tin foil hat, doesn't mean they aren't after you keystrokes. Read more »

Flash vs. Silverlight

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- In this week's Roundup we take a look at the latest versions of Flash and Silverlight, Windows 7 and what's new in the world of open source. Read more »

Making the new Firefox Beta even faster

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- Mozilla fans can now play with the anticipated speedier JavaScript engine in the first beta for Firefox 3.1, as well as explore improvements to the Smart Location Bar and a slick interface for hotkey tab switchi Read more »

XP stays on life support for longer

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- This week's Roundup looks at Microsoft's decision to extend the life of Windows XP, the release of Microsoft Surface SDK, Firefox's new Geode plug-in, Yahoo's new tool -- Smush It and more. Read more »

Windows 7 is Vista--

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- The prevailing consensus is that Windows 7 will be Vista++, but it may actually be Vista--, as Microsoft confirmed that they would be removing the built-in programs for e-mail, photo editing and movie making Read more »

Is software development international?

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- A quick glance across the developer agenda for the next couple of months sees a number of our industry favourites hosting the European versions of some of the events and meetings that have been staged stateside this summer. Read more »

Others (1)

Sneak peek at Tech.Ed 06

In this picture gallery we take a look behind the scenes at Tech.Ed 06. Read more »

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