Windows Vista Forum / Members / Vista News

Missing a Modem Device on High definition audion bus

missT — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:03:38 GMT

Hi people, im not very good with computers but i will continue anyway. I have an acer aspire 2920, Windows vista 32 bit and im missing a modem device on high definition audio bus, everything seems to work ok just I have a problem with shutting down my notebook often. Also my webcam doesnt work sometimes. Ive looked everywhere and cant find it and i tried to reinstall the driver but it cant because it seems to be completely missing. Im a complete dummy with these things so please can anyone help THANK YOU :)

SPAM!

ian.hindes — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:40:27 GMT

Moderator: text removed. This is not Vista news! This is advertising -- which is prohibited on this forum. Continuing to post this stuff will result in post removal, account termination, and banning of IP.

You've been warned.

SPAM!

xiaxuelee — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:20:58 GMT

Moderator: This is NOT Vista news -- this is advertising, which is prohibited on this forum.

Continuing to post this stuff will result in post removals, account termination, and banning of IP.

You've been warned!

SPAM!

playing — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:43:54 GMT

Moderator: This is NOT Vista news -- it's advertising -- which is prohibited on this forum.

Keep this up and your posts will be removed, your account terminated, and your IP banned.

Microsoft to stop selling XP starting today!!!!

lolsonjr — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:54:58 GMT

http://finance.comcast.net/www/news.html?x=http://www.origin.comcast.akadns.net/data/news/2008/06/29/997564.xml

Humm, now maybe we can began to move forward towards the future!

VistaForums.com Offical Gadget - Topic Ticker

Jason — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 11:29:10 GMT

V1.0 is now available for download. Finished up working out some bugs last minute and now its done for the time being. I have plansd for a v2.0 coming up soon which will have more features as stated below.

Download Now!

If you have a Live.com account:

http://microsoftgadgets.com/forums/6468/ShowPost.aspx

Or if you dont have a Live.com account:

http://vistaforums.com/gadget/v1.0/download/VistaForumsGadgetv1.0.zip

Install Directions:

Once you have downloaded the .zip file:

Open the file
Extract to the following directory: "C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets" Replace "C" with whatever the drive letter is in which you installed Vista on.
Once extracted if you navigate to that folder you will now see a folder named "VistaForumsV1.Gadget" along w/ the other .gadget folders.
Your Done!
Just go to your sidebar, right click > "Add Gadget". And scroll down until you see the Vista Forums gadget, right click and drag it over to the sidebar.

Enjoy.

New forum design

Jason — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:39:01 GMT

There are bugs, I'm working on fixing them, for now if you have trouble logging in I suggest hitting the "New Reply" Or "New Topic" button to be prompted with a login page.

Thanks!

Forum Status

Jason — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:07:52 GMT

Hello all,

I apologize for my absence lately, I recently started a new job this summer. I intend on completely re-vamping the site with new forum software the 1st week of August. The current software is incredibly buggy and Ive given up attempting to patch it myself.

Jason

vista news

akash222 — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 03:29:16 GMT

This document provides instructions for planning and deploying Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) for IT administrators. This guide includes technical information, procedures, and recommendations for installing Windows Vista SP1 in a business or corporate environment.

Moderator: There is no such "guide" mentioned in your post, instead, you have links to other services.

Advertising is prohibited in the forum, so, quit posting links to other services or your posts and account will be removed.

Windows Vista Recovery Challenges

Rawbandwidth — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:46:53 GMT

The other day I did something kinda stupid... And now I'm stuck in a bitter situation.

I used the "Upgrade" option from Vista to install Windows 7 RC instead of doing clean install. :pinch:
Now my PC is slower than ever and I just want Vista back! But here's the catch: I tried many different recovery techniques like booting from DVD and doing Complete PC Restore but since Windows 7 does an "Image" every time it backs up, I end up returning to Windows 7 even though I reinstalled Vista completely. So with an Image I can't get my programs and files back without Windows 7 coming back!

Anyone got a solution??

SPAM!

beatle569 — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 02:52:58 GMT

Moderator: Post removed -- advertising NOT allowed on the forum!

Wow, Moderator works for Microsoft? lol

gteclass — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 09:46:37 GMT

Yeah, about your apple comment, I have been a PC user since 1987. I have used every version of Windows since Gates stole the idea. I have already spoken to a lawyer about this issue and he feels I have a valid point and we are looking for other people who share our sentiment. For you to lock my thread instantly means either one of two things. #1, you work for Microsoft. #2, you do not believe in free speech or open communication on the internet.

Also, I am a professional computer technician of 15 years and I have a very long history of helping people with their computer problems for free on boards like this one. Good luck, Have fun! You wont be hearing from me again.

What if you buy a product and it doesn't work, do you expect to get your money back? You sure do! Same thing with software, except when the manufacturer of your computer is forced by a monopolous corporation to only sell you their operating system or no OS at all. The only option, which afaik is no longer available, is to pay ?EXTRA? to "downgrade" to the previous OS that btw was a very good OS after 4 years of end user beta testing at their own cost.

Has anyone thought of this yet?

gteclass — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:20:25 GMT

Windows Vista is really at best a beta release. Microsoft has been ripping the general public off in this manner since Windows 95. Has anyone considered a class action lawsuit against them for selling faulty software? I want my money back!!

Moderator: This forum was established for folks to share news about Vista -- not as soapbox for you to vent.. Take your attitude and go to the Apple forums -- where they'll love you!!

copy and paste, drag and drop...

sevenunder29 — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 22:07:54 GMT

I'm new to the vista thing. I had XP for 7 years. Now I understand after on 2 years on the market place that visia is out and '7' is in (or will be). Well that explains to everyone that VISTA was not the answer (XP was out for almost 10 years).

Anyhow...

I've had 'vista' for 3 weeks. I tried for the first time to 'drag and drop' a folder to my rewritable cd drive and received this error....

'invalid dos comand'

I called the 'idiots' at dell and got... you have a virus... we (Dell) are the only ones who can remove it (for $130) of course. Sorry, Dell, I was born at night...but not last night. Anyhow.. I've had Norton Antivirus 2009 on and running since day one.

I called my local computer expert and was told that there is no 'drag and drop' to the cd drive. You must open up the local 'burn software' that is in the computer and 'save' that way. XP wasn't like this.

I don't know...just one of the MANY quirks with vista that I have found.

Any help would be great.

Thank you.

My ideal version of Windows 7

Goffee — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 07:12:51 GMT

To me, at least, Windows has just become a front end, a welcome mat to the Internet, endless web services and a few essential applications. Frankly Windows deserves to be about 100Mb big and start in 0.33 seconds. If there are a few versions of Windows 7, at least make a good one for experienced users who can make their own decisions.

I'd be happy with the Windows 7 (insert real name here) Ultra-skinny-super-deluxe-lite version please. Price it around £30 ($42 - at this precise moment), please add your own choice of browser, security and web apps.

Think of it as going to Subways, choose the boring brown roll of an OS, then add all your own funky, juicy, meats, salads, peppers and sauces. Full rant [url=http://www.goffee-freelance.co.uk]here[/url]

Windows Vista All Versions Activator FF2.1.2.0.9 Beta

Jason — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 22:17:05 GMT

[b]shahjinn wrote:[/b]
This is a New Activator by me, it NOW supports many Bios Brands and also there is PID Checker integrated with this plus an install key optional is also included in this NEW GUI Activator.

[img]http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/7751/capturevb5.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/3747/captureur0.jpg[/img]

Link to Vista Networking solutions

WAW8 — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:05:39 GMT

While this is also posted in the Networking forum, I'm posting it here because we get lots of folks asking about networking solutions.

[b][url] http://windowssecrets.com/2008/12/11/02-Microsoft-DHCP-bugs-make-Windows-lose-networking [/url][/b]

The Feds oversea Windows 7 Dev

Jason — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:33:45 GMT

Windows 7 already is being reviewed by U.S. government technical appointees, something many Microsoft executives probably couldn't have much imagined happening a year ago.

Under the terms of Microsoft's November 2001 Justice Department settlement and final court judgment issued about a year later, a government-sanctioned "Technical Committee" has overseen Windows development. The TC is responsible for ensuring that Microsoft complies with the terms of the final judgment, investigating complaints about Microsoft abuses and regularly reporting on the company's compliance.

The TC required some changes before the operating system's release. Each quarter, the Justice Department, Microsoft and states' attorneys general file a joint "status report," largely based on the TC's activities. The process should have mostly ended on Nov. 12. But Google (and some other Microsoft competitors) requested an extension, and U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly gave it to them: two more years of government oversight.

So Microsoft finds itself in the uneasy position of having the TC look over its shoulder during Windows 7 development. Don't get too close, TC, because Microsoft has a big body bubble—that invisible surrounding comfort zone. On June 17, the day I went out of blogging service because of a catastrophic hard drive crash, Microsoft and government trustbusters filed a new status report. So I'm blogging a day late and a couple gigabytes short. From the document:

Microsoft has recently authorized TC access to another early build of Windows 7 (the successor to Vista), which the TC will review. As the builds of Windows 7 progress, the TC will conduct middleware-related tests in an effort to assure that bugs fixed in Vista do not reappear in the next operating system, as well as to assure final judgment compliance generally.

The evaluation is revealing. It's my contention that Microsoft plans to ship Windows 7 for holiday 2009—rather than in 2010 as some pundits surmise—and release a developer preview in October (to coincide with the Professional Developer Conference). The TC evaluation fits nicely with such a release timetable.

Windows 7 Build 6801

MafiaLord91 — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 22:13:35 GMT

I have managed to acquire build 6801. It seems like they have removed the classic view from Control Panel. I installed on VMware using 1 GB of RAM and 20 GB of HDD space, and Windows 7 uses 494 MB of RAM at idle and left me with 9.64 GB of HDD space after the initial installation. I am looking forward to the new version with the new all glass UI. Since Windows 7 is currently based upon Windows Vista the Vista beta and RC1 product keys work for activation. The net send command is still gone but there is a math input panel for tablet PC users. The onscreen keyboard is now gray with white characters.Windows sidebar is now desktop gadgets. I will post pics later.

[b]Don't even ask where I got this or if I can send it to you.[/b]

New Vista Tweak Guide

WAW8 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:37:16 GMT

A really useful tweak guide. Follow this link in our Forum:

[b][url] http://www.vistaforums.com/Forum/Topic151773-12-1.aspx [/url][/b]

Windows 7 Server to be 'minor release'

Jason — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:08:34 GMT

Microsoft said on Monday that the server version of Windows 7 will not be a major release and will bear the name Windows Server 2008 R2.

The move is surprising, given that in the past, Microsoft has used R2 monikers to signify a product with a few new features, as opposed to major changes to a product.

Microsoft declined to discuss what will be in Windows Server 2008 R2, but a spokesman confirmed that it is the server version of Windows 7. The release is due sometime in 2010, Microsoft said.

The server move calls into question just how different Windows 7 is going to be from Windows Vista on the desktop side. Steven Sinofsky, the head of development for the desktop version of Windows, has said that Windows 7 on the PC side would not make major changes to things like the kernel and driver model, but has maintained that it would be a major release of Windows.

Microsoft has said that the desktop version of Windows 7 would include a new multitouch interface, but has not talked about other features.

The software maker confirmed its naming plans, following a report by ZDNet blogger Mary Jo Foley. Initially Foley reported that Microsoft was skipping its minor R2 release and moving straight to its next major release. However, Microsoft clarified that it indeed sees Windows 7 on the server side as a minor release.

On its server roadmap page, Microsoft describes its minor, or update releases this way:

Update releases integrate the previous major release with the latest service pack, selected feature packs, and new functionality. Because an update release is based on the previous major release, customers can incorporate it into their environment without any additional testing beyond what would be required for a typical service pack. Any additional functionality provided by an update would be optional and thus not affect application compatibility or require customers to recertify or retest applications.

The question is, if Windows 7 Server needs no more testing than a service pack, is it really possible for the desktop team to add enough features on top of it to make Windows 7 a big improvement upon the oft-criticized Windows Vista.

If you are having trouble reconciling Microsoft's server and client positions, you are not alone. I pressed Microsoft's server side for more details on how this could be understood, but didn't get much help. I'll also check in with some folks on the desktop Windows team and see what I hear back.

Microsoft has said it will share technical details on Windows 7 at its Professional Developers Conference in late October in Los Angeles.

For those interested

lolsonjr — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:45:53 GMT

Speedfan Beta 4.3.5 #17 has just been posted for download on the Speedfan Beta Site. It's biggest new feature though still in Beta development is Exotics which you will find on main menu at the top. It's temperatures and speeds of most everything you need to know, and I suspect more will be added soon. This puppy is now up to 4.3.5 Beta 21. Many of the changes include changes for my motherboard and MCP73 SMBus.

$200 million for Windows advertising

Jason — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:31:34 GMT

Looks like MS is trying to battle all those Apple ads bashing Vista.
“an additional $200 million for Windows advertising this year, even though in nonlaunch years thre is typically no budget increase at all.” It sounds as though this is in addition to the $300 million Microsoft already has agreed to spend with Crispin Porter + Bogusky to improve the company’s overall image and brand.

Windows 7 Milestone 1 Leaked

Jason — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:42:06 GMT

For anyone who has been living under a rock recently, a quick rundown of some of the tweaks in this build:

Slightly refined Aero theme
Sidebar and desktop more tightly integrated
'Display' option on desktop right click menu
Search results in Start Menu fill the entire thing, as opposed to just the left hand pane
A bootscreen (Wow)
Button to pin any of your frequently used programs to the Start Menu
New system tray design
New version of Windows Media Player (The precursor to WMP12)
...and probably a bunch more I forgot...

It's still Vista, but with some bits and bobs added. But, definetly worth a download for the curious, or the collectors, or...well anyone really.

Its currently available on torrent sites and is roughly 2.9 GB's

Some screenshots: http://history.winusers.de/Betas/7/6519.html not much visual has changed.

TheTechArea.com

I see where Micrsoft has lowered Vista prices

lolsonjr — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:21:19 GMT

At least for the upgrade to Ultimate anyway. Depends I guess on what version of Vista you already have but, from the message I just received I get it for $159.00 now. Which I sure am going to take very shortly. That price is really nice.

Safari Flaw Worse Than First Thought, Microsoft Warns

Jason — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:43:08 GMT

Microsoft is warning that a previously disclosed flaw in Apple's Safari browser could have dire consequences for Windows users.

The Safari bug, originally disclosed on May 15 by security researcher Nitesh Dhanjani, allows attackers to litter a victim's desktop with executable files, an attack known as "carpet bombing."

It turns out that if this flaw is exploited in combination with a second unpatched bug in Internet Explorer, attackers can run unauthorized software on a victim's computer, according to Aviv Raff, a security researcher. Raff says he originally reported the IE flaw to Microsoft more than a year ago, and then told them about how it could be combined with the carpet bombing bug just over a week ago.

IDG News Service tested Raff's demonstration attack code, which runs Windows Calculator on a victim's system. For the attack to work, a victim must first visit a maliciously crafted Web page with the Safari browser, which in turn will trigger the carpet bombing attack and exploit the IE flaw.

Both the Safari and IE bugs "are moderate vulnerabilities that, combined, produce a critical flaw, which allows remote code execution," Raff said in an instant message interview.

Microsoft is taking the issue seriously. It released a security advisory on the problem late Friday, a sign that it may be working on a patch for the IE flaw. The advisory says that the vulnerability has to do with the way Windows handles desktop executables and recommends that Windows users "restrict use of Safari as a web browser until an appropriate update is available from Microsoft and/or Apple."

The attack reportedly affects all versions of Windows XP and Vista, Microsoft said.

Apple may not be rushing out to patch this bug, however. Dhanjani says that Apple has told him that it is not treating the Safari bug as a security issue, a response that has generated criticism from the security community. Last week, for example, the consumer advocacy group Stopbadaware.org urged Apple to reconsider this stance.

According to Raff, unless Apple patches the bug, more attacks like the one he found in IE are likely to pop up. "This is not the only issue that can be combined with the Safari vulnerability," he said. "If Microsoft fixes this, Safari users will still be vulnerable."

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment

NBC-Vista copy-protection snafu reminds us why DRM stinks

Jason — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:38:07 GMT

This happened on my media center on monday:

Handfuls of Windows Vista Media Center users found themselves blocked from making recordings of their favorite TV shows this week when a broadcast flag triggered the software's built-in copy protection measures. The flag affected users trying to record prime-time NBC shows on Monday evening, using both over-the-air broadcasts and cable. Although the problem is being "looked into" by both NBC and Microsoft, the incident serves as another reminder that DRM gives content providers full control, even if by accident.

Vista MCE users began reporting problems on Monday evening, starting with posts on the popular DVR-enthusiast forum on The Green Button. While trying to record shows like American Gladiator and Medium, Vista users were presented with an error that read, "Recording cancelled. [TV show] cannot be recorded. Restrictions set by the broadcaster and/or originator of the content prohibit recording of this program." The Green Button user justinjas posted a screenshot of the error on his blog.

It seems the flag only triggered copy protection measures in Vista, as one of our staffers with a DirecTV HD DVR recorded Gladiators as usual, and a TiVo spokesperson told CNet that the company had not received any complaints. Spokespersons from Microsoft and NBC also told CNet that the issue was being looked into, indicating that the broadcast flag was likely switched on by accident.

The serves as a unsettling reminder that broadcasters can give instructions to the software built into DVRs, although they almost never do. Many DVRs and other, similar devices appear to be aware of the content-restriction flags set by broadcasters, even if they're not programmed to "obey" them by default. Still, broadcasters would love to have the power to stop users from recording their shows, watching them later, and most importantly, skipping commercials when they do it.

Vista users aren't the only one to get hosed by broadcaster's copy-protection flags this year. Last month, DirecTV began to limit the window in which users could watch recorded pay-per-view movies. Previously, users who purchased PPV movies had unlimited time to watch their content, but DirecTV said the movie industry wanted tighter restrictions. As a result, DirecTV DVR owners must now watch their movies within 24 hours of purchase (unlike rentals on iTunes, which must be watched within 30 days of purchase, or 24 hours from the time you press the play button), or else the content will go "poof."

Remember: DRM isn't about fighting piracy. It's about the ability to strictly control how we consume content. Users who are interested in pirating TV shows and movies aren't going to do so with a DVR or buy them through PPV. They've already skipped the middle-man and gone straight to BitTorrent with its decent-quality, commercial-less, and DRM-free offerings. Boneheaded mistakes like the one apparently made by NBC and Microsoft Monday night will only serve to make alternative means of obtaining content more attractive.

If people don't like Vista what would make them think they would like whatever else Microsoft comes up with?

lolsonjr — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:46:15 GMT

Sorry if this is posted in the wrong place. I am curious what people are thinking of when it comes to Vista and whatever Microsoft replaces it with in the future. It appears that things like the Windows Media Player, Windows Media Center, and many other things that Microsoft has added to their Flagship operating systems is going to be added to and continue to grow in the future. Obviously computers are getting bigger in ram, disk space, monitor sizes, video card capabilities and so on and that will obviously continue. Surely I can see why most people will not upgrade to Vista on a four or five year old plus computer system. And obviously the economy will dictate how far the consumer in general will go anyway but, it surely seems some of the arguments for switching from one Microsoft operating system to another are kinda of strange in some ways anyway.

Look at Apple's OSX, they change it ever year since OSX was introduced and frankly either you buy it and keep current or you don't and you stay where you are at. But, OSX users are rarely complainers or the type of people who do not swear by the products that they love and use on a daily basis. Yes, you can surely have troubles with OSX as much as or sometimes more than any Microsoft OS but, the point here is that Apple continuely updates and produces new OS's on a yearly or so schedule. And for better or for worse they both seem to be going in the same direction in the end, and I guess thats what many are complaining about. As they either do not have a need for the way operating systems in general are evolving or they have just decided that they use their computers for they use them for and thats as far as it goes.

My point in all this here, is that operating systems will only get bigger in the future as they get newer technology in the computers themselves. Plus there will likely be changes on constant basis as time goes on. If XP was Microsoft's best at the time it was their Flagship product, then Vista will most likely turn out that way also. Just Vista sucks in my opinion only would not help me come to a conclusion as to whether or not I wanted it. And the fact is that I always want to try new things and or use them every day that I am on my computer, and thats really the way it should be. Of course this presents the age old problem of when you have finally had enough. But, for right now I see computers and operating systems both still changing on a constant basis and if one wants to play the game (so to speak only), then one needs to go with what makes the latest and greatest run right.

The possible downfall of Microsoft - Google Vs. MS The overview

Jason — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:31:17 GMT

Microsoft is seeing a monumental, momentum shift. Never before has Microsoft seemed so vulnerable. It is being attacked on all fronts by huge, game-changers. Is this a repeat of computing history? Microsoft changed the scene when they licensed MS-DOS and later Windows to IBM — which was the dominant force, at the time. In those days, everything had to be IBM-compatible. Microsoft’s operating system powered IBM computers — and, as we know, software can be highly profitable. Thus, Microsoft quickly eclipsed IBM and went on to rule the world with an iron fist. Is this deja vu’?

Corporate Alliance

Google and Apple have joined forces against the Microsoft Empire. Google has grown at a phenomenal rate and has been releasing platform after Internet platform to make Microsoft’s offerings less relevant. Meanwhile, Apple has taken over the consumer market, dominating where Sony use to be. Both companies have left their respective competitors in the dust in technology, business strategy, and execution.

Google seems to not only beat Microsoft at technology, but also every business play. It’s like a giant game of chess or poker. Each one calling the other’s bluff. So far Google has trumped Microsoft at every turn. First, with the $1b AOL deal for a 5% stake, beating them to a $900m partnership with MySpace, acquiring the $1.65b YouTube sweepstakes, and winning the $3b DoubleClick bid — which forced Microsoft to pick up aQuantive for an enormous $6b sum. Google has also snapped up, game-changing companies like: Blogger, Keyhole which later became Google Earth, Where2 used in Google Maps, PeakStream, etc. before Microsoft recognized the value of these companies. This is all part of Google’s acquisition strategy.

Then, when Microsoft cozied up with Facebook, in a $240m deal for a 1.6% stake, everyone thought Microsoft had finally won a hand; instead, Google released OpenSocial to eliminate the threat. Google has a competitive advantage due to their incredibly, efficient infrastructure. No one can compete with them on cost or scalability at the moment. I’d give them a 3-5 year lead on that alone. In addition, they have at least 60% of the entire search market. They dominant online advertising. Their maps platform has led to mashups everywhere. Now they are making a heavy push into the enterprise with Google Apps and Search Appliances. In effect, this is beginnings of neutralizing the reliance and need for Microsoft Office.

Google has built many of their platforms on the Internet and their applications are Web browser-based. This neutralizes the need to use Microsoft Windows. Instead, users can use Apple Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris, or whatever operating system to use Google’s applications, so long as they use a modern web browser. Being aware of this fact, Google has partnered with Mozilla Firefox and Webkit [used in Apple’s Safari], providing alternatives to Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Meanwhile, Google has built new offices in the Seattle, Redmond, Bellevue, and Kirkland areas and has been taking away some of Microsoft’s top executives and engineers. This ploy has worked so well that Yahoo recently starting building some offices in the area to try to win over some of Microsoft’s top talent, as well. Google treats their employees well. In fact, they downright spoil them. Meanwhile, Microsoft has been taking away some of their employee benefits. Not difficult to see why Google is winning Microsoft employees over.

In addition to partnering with AOL, the Mozilla Foundation, and MySpace, Google has chosen to partner with another dominant company, Apple. In fact, the CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt has a seat as one of Apple’s board of directors.

Apple has come back from the brink of death. For its part, it has risen back to relevance because of its play in digital convergence. Apple has released superior products: Mac OS X, Safari, iTunes, iPod, iPhone, iLife, iWork, and Final Cut software suites. They provide, for the most part, the most powerful user-experience available to consumers. They have partnerships with major music and movie studios. The CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, has a seat on Disney’s board of directors, after Disney acquired his other company, Pixar.

In fact, Apple’s latest incarnation of Mac OS X, called Leopard has thoroughly trumped Microsoft Windows Vista. It’s not even close. I think Apple has at least a 3 year lead over Microsoft on their operating system technology. However, as most consumers are still using Microsoft software it will take some time for platform switching. The momentum is quickly shifting, as high school and college students are beginning to switch in droves from Windows to Mac OS X. So this may make a big difference in the long-term.

Apple has, possibly, the most powerful man in media, Steve Jobs, at their helm. He is a visionary who controls the technology and media markets. He has fought many wars, over the last three decades, with Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer. He is an artist, by most measures, and a cunning business man. Google, meanwhile, has technology visionaries in Sergey Brin and Larry Page, who have equally powerful business acumen. Additionally, they have Eric Schmidt, who has fought many battles with Microsoft before — first at Sun Microsystems and later at Novell. He is the perfect man to exploit Microsoft’s weaknesses. He knows what works and doesn’t work. This merging of executive brilliance and brainpower is rarely seen.

Apple owns the best front-end, while Google owns the best back-end. These are two of the most innovate companies in technology. Their power of influence and their ability to sway the masses with their brand is enormous. Each of their moves are speculated, analyzed, and watched by innumerable consumers, analysts, and competitors. This partnership makes sense, and is seen as highly complementary. By forming this alliance, both companies have been able to combine their strengths to become much more dominant than they could on their own.

Open-Source Movement

Both Apple and Google have utilized open-source software (OSS) extensively. Both companies also contribute to the open-source movement.

Apple builds Mac OS X and OS X from open-source Darwin, and the Safari web browser from open-source WebKit. Some of Apple’s open-source contributions can be found here.

Google uses open-source quite extensively. They use a lot of Apache and GNU tools, OpenBSD, OpenSSH, in addition to MySQL and other open-source projects. Google, as mentioned above, has a partnership with the Mozilla Foundation, in particular with their open-source Firefox web browser. Google uses the Linux operating system in their massive data centers to power all their web applications. Some of Google’s open-source contributions can be found here.

Linux has become a dominant operating system for Internet and Web servers. In fact, it was IBM that made a $1b bet on Linux that really gave the operating system wings a few years back. IBM switched the entire companies server division from Microsoft Windows to Linux. Talk about the past haunting you.

Microsoft has 3 main, money-making platforms: Windows, Office, and SQLServer. MySQL, the open-source database, is being used everywhere now. It is especially popular among startup companies. Since it is free, it has cut into the profit-margins of database leader Oracle as well as Microsoft SQLServer. It will continue to do so as it gains further adoption. Last I heard, Flickr, Friendster, Wikipedia, YouTube, among millions of others, were all powered by MySQL.

As noted earlier, the Internet is the most important platform. The Apache Foundation really made Microsoft’s Internet ambitions less dominant back during the dot-com when their released the Apache Web Server. Even today, the majority of websites are powered by Apache. Microsoft has its competing IIs server, but Apache has kept it in check. Firefox is the window to browsing the Web. MySQL catalogs the Web. Linux is the operating system that all of these other services run on. This is open-source software, started on the Internet, and built for the Internet platform. The reliance on Microsoft is diminishing.

Conclusion

For some time, Microsoft was able to successfully fight against and fend off everyone. In fact, their reign of supremacy has been pretty much unprecedented — well, maybe, there was IBM. In the last few years, Microsoft has denied that Linux, Google, and Apple have hurt them. A few years back, Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer claimed that “Linux is a toy” — while it took over the Internet back-end. Then he vowed to kill Google by beating them — while Google’s lead continues to grow and Microsoft falls further behind.

Google’s move into Apps is the biggest, direct threat to Microsoft. Before this move, Google has never directly challenged Microsoft, it was always an indirect challenge via an advertising business model, while Microsoft sold software. Ballmer claims that Google Apps is no threat to Microsoft Office. However, Microsoft’s own lawyers are siting Google’s successes, as they try to sue them for antitrust.

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” - Mahatma Gandhi.

To be fair, IBM never died, but they sort of lost their way for a time. They have remained a successful company and in recent years there has been somewhat of a resurgence. However, there is a big difference between being number one and number two. Microsoft has been number one for two decades. But things are changing now. They know the end is coming. The writing is on the wall. Can they stop the onslaught and remain relevant, or will they become has-beens?

Bill Gates steps down from being Chief Architect of Microsoft next year. Is it because he knows that Microsoft is finished and fighting it will be a losing battle, or is it because he really wants to focus more of his energy in the Bill and Melinda Foundation? Is it purely coincidence?

I suspect Microsoft is going the way of IBM, left-for-dead, still profitable, but no longer the dominant and most-feared player in the game. Microsoft is not going away, but the dynasty is over.

Vista SP 1 "promo" Video

WAW8 — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:48:46 GMT

If this doesn't make you run out and buy Vista, nothing will (Courtesy of NeoWin) !!

[b][url] http://www.neowin.net/news/main/08/04/16/internal-vista-sp1-promo-rockin-our-sales [/url][/b]

Linux-XP Rips of off Vista

Jason — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 18:54:41 GMT

check it out: http://www.linux-xp.com/

Lots of new Microsoft updates today

lolsonjr — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:03:46 GMT

Turn on your Windows Updates today as Microsoft releases something like 8 of them total, and for those of you with Microsoft Office you will also get one. Most of them appear to be security updates.

What is improved in Vista SP1? Check Inside

Jason — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 23:12:52 GMT

Overview of Windows Vista Service Pack 1

When developing Windows Vista, Microsoft set out to provide higher levels of productivity, mobility, and security, with lower costs. After more than six months of broad availability and usage, it’s evident that these investments are improving the Windows computing experience. For example, in the first six months of use, Windows Vista had fewer security issues than Windows XP (Windows Vista had only 12 issues, and Windows XP had 36). According to the Windows Vista 6-Month Vulnerability Report by Jeffery R. Jones, Windows Vista had fewer security issues than all the popular operating systems he studied.

Although most companies are cautious when deploying a new operating system, many have already started testing and evaluating Windows Vista for deployment, and some have already deployed Windows Vista into their production environments and begun seeing the business benefits Windows Vista can provide.

Microsoft’s efforts to provide the best Windows experience ever in Windows Vista did not end with its launch. This white paper describes the ways Microsoft strives to continuously improve Windows Vista. It then introduces Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) and describes how the service pack will fit into the ongoing improvement process.

Organizations do not need to wait for SP1 to deploy Windows Vista; they are encouraged to begin their Windows Vista evaluation and deployment now:

•

Organizations currently evaluating and deploying Windows Vista should continue their evaluation, pilot programs, and deployment on the initial (“Gold”) Windows Vista release. Microsoft provides the tools and guidance needed to deploy Windows Vista today and will provide additional guidance, tools and support for moving to SP1 when the service pack is released.

•

Organizations just starting to evaluate Windows Vista should plan a pilot program, targeting the PCs that gain the most business value from Windows Vista (for example, many organizations will find that mobile PCs get the most benefits) and present the simplest upgrade from the gold release of Windows Vista to SP1 (How to Start a Windows Vista Pilot Deployment describes best practices for running a pilot).

Organizations waiting for Windows Vista SP1 should start their compatibility testing on the gold release of Windows Vista now, and then begin their evaluation and pilot programs on the release candidate of Windows Vista SP1 when it is released. Windows Vista includes architectural changes relative to Windows XP that improve security and reliability. These changes can cause some applications which work on Windows XP not to work on Windows Vista. However, these architectural changes are also part of Windows Vista SP1. For this reason, testing applications on Windows Vista today will be a very good proxy for compatibility with Windows Vista SP1.

Improving the Customer Experience

Microsoft uses Windows Vista instrumentation to learn what issues affect customers most and then address the issues. This instrumentation includes the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) and Online Crash Analysis (OCA), both of which are opt-in, anonymous services. Microsoft not only uses this information to fix Windows Vista issues, but it also shares this information with software and hardware vendors so they can fix application compatibility and device driver issues.

The traditional service packs with which most organizations are familiar are only one way that Microsoft improves the Windows experience. Continuous improvements to the Windows Vista experience come from numerous channels, including ongoing updates, application compatibility improvements, and device driver improvements. The following sections describe each of these channels in detail.

Ongoing Updates

Ongoing updates address some of the most important issues affecting Microsoft customers. For example, Microsoft recently released two performance and reliability updates that address issues reported by customers (see Microsoft Support articles 938194 and 938979 ). Microsoft already delivers these and many other Windows Vista updates through various channels, including:

•	Windows Update
•	Microsoft Download Center
•	Private updates for enterprise customers and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners

Organizations choose which updates they want to deploy and the methods for deploying them—using Windows Update, for example. Enterprises are more likely to deploy updates using Windows Server® Update Services (WSUS), Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007, or third-party tools.

Application Compatibility Improvements REF _Ref173226201 \h

Microsoft is making steady progress toward resolving application compatibility issues by engaging with independent software vendors (ISVs) to get major applications—such as antivirus and virtual private networking (VPN) applications—working on Windows Vista. Since the launch, more than 100 major enterprise applications have moved to Windows Vista. These include applications from ISVs like Adobe, Citrix, Oracle, Sun, HP, LANDesk, and IBM. Hundreds more applications have been tested and remediated by ISVs that visited the Microsoft ISV application compatibility lab for weeklong engagements. As a result of these efforts, nearly 2,300 applications now have the Windows Vista logo, (see REF _Ref173226201 \hFigure 1). Applications that are Certified for Windows Vista are designed and tested to deliver a superior experience with PCs running the Windows Vista operating system so software is easy to install, better performing, and more secure, while products that have earned the Works with Windows Vista logo have been tested for baseline compatibility with PCs running the Windows Vista Operating System.

Figure 1. Applications with the Windows Vista logo

In addition to helping ISVs resolve application compatibility issues, Microsoft provided robust tools at the Windows Vista launch to help information technology (IT) professionals assess and mitigate problems with existing applications. The primary tool they use is the Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0 .. To help make migrating to Windows Vista easier, Microsoft has created the Application Compatibility Factory (ACF) that connects its enterprise customers with selected partners that deliver high volume, low cost application compatibility and remediation services.

Device Driver Improvements REF _Ref173226224 \h

Device compatibility is also important to Windows Vista customers. As shown in REF _Ref173226224 \hFigure 2, device driver coverage continues to grow for Windows Vista. Microsoft has added 700,000 new device types since the initial Windows Vista release in November 2006. Including device drivers in the box and those available from Windows Update, by July 2007 Windows Vista supported nearly 2.2 million devices. That covers the vast majority of devices in use. The number of Windows Vista logo devices exceeds 15,000, and the growth is outpacing Windows XP.

Figure 2. Thousands of Drivers Available in Windows Vista and on Windows Update

Introducing Windows Vista Service Pack 1

In addition to regular Windows Vista updates, application compatibility improvements, and device driver improvements, Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) is another way Microsoft will deliver improvements to the Windows Vista customer experience.

The goal of Windows Vista SP1 is to address key feedback Microsoft has received from its customers without regressing application compatibility. Windows Vista SP1 will deliver improvements and enhancements to existing features that significantly impact customers, but it does not deliver substantial new operating system features. For example, the service pack improves the performance of the desktop shell, but it does not provide a new search user interface or a new version of Windows® Media Center.

The updates in Windows Vista SP1 fall into three categories, which the following sections describe in detail:

•	Quality improvements, including all previously released updates, which address reliability, security, and performance.
•	Improvements to the administration experience, including BitLocker™ Drive Encryption (BDE).
•	Support for emerging hardware and standards, such as an Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) and an Extended File Allocation Table (exFAT).

A more comprehensive list of changes can be found in the whitepaper titled Notable Changes in Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Release Candidate .

Quality Improvements

Quality improvements have the broadest impact on all customers. It is the foundation of Windows Vista SP1 and is about improving the overall Windows Vista experience.

First, Windows Vista SP1 will include all previously released updates for Windows Vista. It also will include security, reliability, and performance improvements. These improvements target some of the issues Microsoft has identified as the most common causes of operating system crashes and hangs, giving customers a more reliable experience. These updates also improve performance in key scenarios—for example, when copying files or shutting down the computer.

The following sections describe many of the security, reliability, and performance improvements that will be in Windows Vista SP1.

Security

Security improvements that will be in Windows Vista SP1 include:

•	Provides security software vendors a more secure way to communicate with Windows Security Center.
•	Includes application programming interfaces (APIs) by which third-party security and malicious software detection applications can work with kernel patch protection on x64 versions of Windows Vista. These APIs help ISVs develop software that extends the functionality of the Windows kernel on x64 computers without disabling or weakening the protection offered by kernel patch protection.
•	Improves the security of running RemoteApp programs and desktops by allowing Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) files to be signed. Customers can differentiate user experiences based on publisher identity.
•	Adds an Elliptical Curve Cryptography (ECC) pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) to the list of available PRNGs in Windows Vista.
•	Enhances BitLocker Drive Encryption (BDE) to offer an additional multifactor authentication method that combines a key protected by the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) with a Startup key stored on a USB storage device and a user-generated personal identification number (PIN).

Reliability

Windows Vista SP1 will include improvements that target some of the most common causes of crashes and hangs, giving users a more consistent experience. Many of these improvements will specifically address issues identified from the Windows Error Reporting tool. The following list describes some of the reliability improvements that Windows Vista SP1 will include:

•	Improved reliability and compatibility of Windows Vista when used with newer graphics cards in several specific scenarios and configurations.
•	Improved reliability when working with external displays on a laptop.
•	Improved Windows Vista reliability in networking configuration scenarios.
•	Improved reliability of systems that were upgraded from Windows XP to Windows Vista.
•	Increased compatibility with many printer drivers.
•	Increased reliability and performance of Windows Vista when entering sleep and resuming from sleep.

Performance

The following list describes some of the performance improvements that Windows Vista SP1 will include:

•	Improves the speed of copying and extracting files.
•	Improves the time to become active from Hibernate and Resume modes.
•	Improves the performance of domain-joined PCs when operating off the domain; in the current release version of Windows Vista, users would experience long delays when opening the File dialog box.
•	Improves battery life by reducing CPU utilization by not redrawing the screen as frequently, on certain computers.
•	Improves the logon experience by removing the occasional 10-second delay between pressing CTRL-ALT-DEL and the password prompt displaying.
•	Addresses an issue in the current version of Windows Vista that makes browsing network file shares consume significant bandwidth and not perform as fast as expected.

Administration Experience

Many of the changes in Windows Vista SP1 will improve the deployment, management, and support experience for Windows Vista customers. The following list describes some of these enhancements:

•	BitLocker Drive Encryption encrypts extra local volumes. For example, instead of encrypting only drive C, customers can also encrypt drive D, E, and so on.
•	Addresses problems with printing to local printers from a Windows® Terminal Services session.
•	The Network Diagnostics tool will help customers solve the most common file sharing problems, in addition to the basic problems that it already diagnoses.
•	Administrators can control the volumes on which to run Disk Defragmenter.

In addition to these changes, Windows Vista SP1 will change the tools that customers use to manage Group Policy. Administrators requested features in Group Policy that simplify policy management. To do this, the service pack will uninstall the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) and GPEdit.msc will edit local Group Policy by default. In the SP1 timeframe, administrators can download an out-of-band release that will give them the ability to add comments to Group Policy Objects (GPOs) or individual settings and search for specific settings.

Note: Users will find that after installing Windows Vista SP1, they no longer have access to GPMC, and that the new, enhanced version of GPMC has not yet been released. In this case, administrators can continue to edit Group Policy by opening a remote desktop session directly to the server or to a PC running the release to manufacturing (RTM) version of Windows Vista.

Emerging Hardware and Standards

The technology industry is fast-paced and constantly changing. Throughout the life cycle of any version of the Windows operating system, the industry creates new hardware innovations and defines new standards. Windows Vista SP1 will include support for some of these new hardware innovations and standards, because Microsoft expects them to become increasingly important in the near future. The following list describes some of the enhancements of Windows Vista SP1 that will support these emerging innovations and standards:

•	In the future, flash memory storage and consumer devices will use the exFAT file system. Windows Vista SP1 adds support for this file system to Windows Vista.
•	The service pack will include support for Secure Digital (SD) Advanced Direct Memory Access (DMA), which will be on compliant SD host controllers soon, to improve transfer performance and decrease CPU utilization.
•	x64 PCs can boot using the EFI. Windows Vista currently supports network boot by using Windows Deployment Services for x86, a PC’s basic input/output system (BIOS) for x64 PCs, and EFI for IA-64 PCs. Windows Vista SP1 will add support for network boot by using x64 EFI.
•	The service pack will add support for Direct3D 10.1, adding application programming interfaces (APIs) and features that enable 3-D applications, so game developers can better take advantage of a new generation of Direct3D graphics hardware.
•	The Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) is a remote access tunneling protocol that will be part of the Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) platform. This protocol helps provide full-network virtual private network (VPN) remote access connections without challenges that other protocols face when traversing NATs, Web proxies, and firewalls. Windows Vista SP1 will include support for SSTP.

Announcing the Windows Search 4.0 Preview

Jason — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:18:49 GMT

To search for files on my PCs, I use Windows Search - Windows Vista's desktop search feature. I use Windows Search specifically to find photos that I've tagged in Windows Live Photo Gallery or important emails and Word documents. I also rely on saving specific searches that I can go back to later on. Searching and being able to find important files quickly on my PC is very important to me. And Windows Search allows me to "find my stuff" whenever I need to. Today we get to see a little "preview" of the next step for Windows Search. The Windows Search Team is making available Windows Search 4.0 Preview - a preview of the next version of desktop search for Windows.

Windows Search 4.0 introduces several improvements I'd like to call out making search even better in Windows Vista:

* With Windows Search 4.0, the Windows Search Team has fixed most of the reported bugs causing a majority of distractions users have seen since Windows Vista RTM - many of those bugs were reported by you.
* Great improvements have been made with regards to performance.Even now as Preview, Windows Search 4.0 has query response time about 33%faster than search queries in Windows Vista RTM.
* The Windows Search Team has extended Remote Index Discovery for PC-to-PC search to work onevery supported version of Windows. This makes finding information on other PCs running Windows Search 4.0 quick and less resource-consuming. Now Windows Search can find information shared on a remote PC by accessing an index on that PC - and you will open files only when relevant to your search. This will also work if the user's profile is redirected.
* The Windows Search Team has implemented Rollback Recovery where your search index will roll back to the last known good state (this is good in handling disc write errors). If an error occurs, your index isn't rebuilt from scratch; only the newly changed files are added to the index, making recovery from system errors not as disruptive to the machine or the user

Being able to find files isn't just important to consumers - it is also important to IT Professionals managing enterprise environments. The Windows Search Team has made some improvements in Windows Search 4.0 that IT Professionals should take note of:

* We have improved performance when indexing Exchange in online mode, sending fewer packets and making less RPC calls. In this process we apply significantly less load on the Exchange server too.
* Support for Group Policy settings is extended and improved; per-user policy is supported now.
* We now support EFS - Windows Search 4.0 will index encrypted files, and user can search for them in the sane UI and through the same user experience as seen with regular, unencrypted files.

IT Professionals can expect a smooth deployment for Windows Search 4.0 and easier support.

With Windows Search 4.0, the Windows Search Team has taken the next step in improving the PC search experience in Windows. To download and check out the Windows Search 4.0 Preview yourself, [url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940157]http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940157[/url]. I encourage folks to try out the Windows Search 4.0 Preview and let us know what you think!

NVIDIA drivers responsible for nearly 30% of Vista crashes in 2007

Jason — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:49:06 GMT

That huge bundle of damning emails and documents Microsoft produced as part of the Vista-capable lawsuit is full of fascinating information about how the company developed, planned, and launched Vista, but the latest juicy nugget to come out if it suggests that a lot of problems faced by the troubled operating system are actually NVIDIA's fault -- nearly 30% of logged Vista crashes were due to NVIDIA driver problems, according to Microsoft data included in the bundle. That's some 479,326 hung systems, if you're keeping score at home, and it's in first place by a large margin -- Microsoft clocks in at number two at 17.9 percent, and ATI is fourth with 9.3 percent. Now, the chart doesn't contain a ton of additional information that would help put it in context -- a specific time period in 2007 would be nice, as would and driver and OS versions -- but we've been hearing about NVIDIA issues with Vista from the start, and this seems to confirm it. So that's pressure by Intel to support incompatible chipsets, outrage by Dell and Wal-Mart that the Vista Capable program was confusing customers, Microsoft executives saying they had been "personally burnt" by Vista, and now what looks like a huge NVIDIA driver problem -- who knows what else is going to come out of this lawsuit? At this point we're half expecting a photo of Gates signing a Save XP petition.

[img]http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/03/3-27-08-vista-crash.jpg[/img]

Service pack 1 now available

lolsonjr — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:56:28 GMT

Through Windows Update Service. Pretty painless at 66 plus meg's, though install takes a while. The 66 meg's is only if you are totally update current. If not the grand appeared to be something over 440 eg's or thereabouts.

Download IE8 Beta 1!

Jason — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:21:42 GMT

Microsoft's IE8 page is up with download links to boot.
[url=http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/ie8/readiness/Install.htm]http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/ie8/readiness/Install.htm[/url]

The Features of IE 8

Jason — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:35:18 GMT

Get the low down on IE8's features. http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/internet_explorer_8_has_arrived.php

Microsoft cuts Windows Vista retail prices

Jason — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:24:06 GMT

Update: Price cuts detailed below seem to apply mostly to "Upgrade" versions. Because Microsoft will not cut prices in the same degree worldwide they seem to have refrained from specifying the exact pricing even for the U.S. in their press release. What is clear however, is that they intend to make price cuts effective at the same time as SP1 is (officially) released.

Microsoft announced today price reductions across the board for retail copies of Windows Vista. This an uncommon practice for the software giant, who has decided to lower prices of most boxed Vista editions by 20% only a year after the OS was released. Vista Ultimate version will get a discount from $299 to $219, while Home Premium edition falls to $129, previously it was $159.

Despite of the fact retail boxed copies of Vista only represent ~10% of its total sales, Microsoft hopes this will incentive users to upgrade now rather than waiting until they get a new PC, in which case the machine would most likely come pre-installed with the software. As part of the announcement, Microsoft also said they will lower prices in 70 countries later this year along with the SP1 release, and that in emerging markets they will stop selling "upgrade" versions of the OS completely. No further clarification has been made regarding OEM copies and if these will also receive the cut, too, but it's somewhat safe to assume this will be the case eventually.

Though it may be completely unrelated, the news came only days after some controversial email exchange between Microsoft execs about Vista was made public, making for a bit of a scandal, especially in online circles.

Cold Boot Attacks on Encryption Keys - Vista's bitLocker

Jason — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:11:15 GMT

[quote]Contrary to popular assumption, DRAMs used in most modern computers retain their contents for seconds to minutes after power is lost, even at operating temperatures and even if removed from a motherboard. Although DRAMs become less reliable when they are not refreshed, they are not immediately erased, and their contents persist sufficiently for malicious (or forensic) acquisition of usable full-system memory images. We show that this phenomenon limits the ability of an operating system to protect cryptographic key material from an attacker with physical access. We use cold reboots to mount attacks on popular disk encryption systems — BitLocker, FileVault, dm-crypt, and TrueCrypt — using no special devices or materials. We experimentally characterize the extent and predictability of memory remanence and report that remanence times can be increased dramatically with simple techniques. We offer new algorithms for finding cryptographic keys in memory images and for correcting errors caused by bit decay. Though we discuss several strategies for partially mitigating these risks, we know of no simple remedy that would eliminate them.[/quote]

More Info & Video here: [url=http://citp.princeton.edu/memory/]http://citp.princeton.edu/memory/[/url]