Chris Pirillo » vista http://chris.pirillo.com News and Reviews! Geek, Internet Entrepreneur, Hardware Addict, Software Junkie, Book Author, Once TV Show Host, Technology Enthusiast, Shameless Self-Promoter, Tech Conference Coordinator, Early Adopter, Idea Evangelist, Tech Support Blogger, Bootstrapper, Media Personality, Technology Consultant, Thicker Quicker Picker Upper. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:04:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 en hourly 1 © chris@pirillo.com () chris@pirillo.com() Geek, Internet Entrepreneur, Hardware Addict, Software Junkie, Book Author, Once TV Show Host, Technology Enthusiast, Shameless Self-Promoter, Tech Conference Coordinator, Early Adopter, Idea Evangelist, Tech Support Blogger, Bootstrapper, Media Personality, Technology Consultant, Thicker Quicker Picker Upper. chris@pirillo.com No no http://chris.pirillo.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpg Chris Pirillo http://chris.pirillo.com 144 144 Who Loves Windows Vista? http://chris.pirillo.com/who-loves-windows-vista/ http://chris.pirillo.com/who-loves-windows-vista/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:26:08 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=15464 Who Loves Windows Vista? is a post from Chris Pirillo


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During a recent live call, Charles nearly knocked me out of my chair when he proclaimed that he LOVES Windows Vista. I was honestly shocked, especially since the calls were supposed to be about Windows 7. Charles stated emphatically that he never had issues with Vista, and that it actually just worked for him. He fully admits that he may be the only person in his entire town – or state! – who feels this way. We did, of course, end up discussing his views on Windows 7, and about Microsoft in general.

I feel that Windows Vista was, of course, one of the worst things to happen to Microsoft. Also, of course, the iPhone was bad for Microsoft, as well. The iPhone has been probably the most sought-after gadget in recent years, which only enhances Microsoft’s lackluster products. Even people at Microsoft have admitted that Vista wasnt’ fully baked, so how was the public supposed to like it?

Charles actually liked the fact that there were five different versions of Vista. He didn’t want to pay for features he wasn’t interested in. However, I don’t feel that languages should have been part of any type of upgrade, such as in the Ultimate edition. It should be built right in to the operating system as a core component!! Having so many different versions of one operating system creates confusion amongst the public, at least in my opinion. People who don’t know better automatically assume that they need the best they can afford, whether they truly need those additional features or not. That’s just not always the case. Often, they end up having paid for things that they never end up using.

What are your thoughts? Do you feel Microsoft is consumer-friendly, and that there should be many different versions of each Windows release? Or are you thinking what I’m thinking…

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During a recent live call, Charles nearly knocked me out of my chair when he proclaimed that he LOVES Windows Vista. I was honestly shocked, especially since the calls were supposed to be about Windows 7. Charles stated emphatically that he never had issues with Vista, and that it actually just worked for him. He fully admits that he may be the only person in his entire town – or state! – who feels this way. We did, of course, end up discussing his views on Windows 7, and about Microsoft in general.

I feel that Windows Vista was, of course, one of the worst things to happen to Microsoft. Also, of course, the iPhone was bad for Microsoft, as well. The iPhone has been probably the most sought-after gadget in recent years, which only enhances Microsoft’s lackluster products. Even people at Microsoft have admitted that Vista wasnt’ fully baked, so how was the public supposed to like it?

Charles actually liked the fact that there were five different versions of Vista. He didn’t want to pay for features he wasn’t interested in. However, I don’t feel that languages should have been part of any type of upgrade, such as in the Ultimate edition. It should be built right in to the operating system as a core component!! Having so many different versions of one operating system creates confusion amongst the public, at least in my opinion. People who don’t know better automatically assume that they need the best they can afford, whether they truly need those additional features or not. That’s just not always the case. Often, they end up having paid for things that they never end up using.

What are your thoughts? Do you feel Microsoft is consumer-friendly, and that there should be many different versions of each Windows release? Or are you thinking what I’m thinking…

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/who-loves-windows-vista/feed/ 29 How to Disable the UAC in Windows Vista http://chris.pirillo.com/how-to-disable-the-uac-in-windows-vista/ http://chris.pirillo.com/how-to-disable-the-uac-in-windows-vista/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:29:19 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=15446 How to Disable the UAC in Windows Vista is a post from Chris Pirillo


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Recently I threw down the gauntlet, asking all of you to submit your best screencasts. I plan to highlight the best of the best here in my channel, and help promote yours. Dylan has sent a few in to us now, and they’re fantastic. This particular screencast is going to help you quickly and easily turn off the UAC in Vista.

The first way that Dylan shows us to disable the UAC is to go into your control panel, and select “User Accounts and Family Safety”. Then go to “Add or Remove User Accounts”. Highlight your account so that it’s selected. You’ll see an option at the bottom that says “Go to the Main User Accounts Page”. Select that, and at the bottom of that screen, you’ll see where it says “Turn the User Account Control On or Off”. Choose that, and uncheck the box. You’ll then need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

For more advanced users who are comfortable when using msconfig, you can use this method, instead. Go to your Start menu, and type msconfig in the search box so that it will open that up. Once in msconfig, click on the “Tools” tab. Scroll down until you see where it says “Disable UAC”. Click the “Launch” button, and another small box will pop up telling you the operation was completed successfully. Close that little box, click OK in msconfig, and close everything. Reboot your computer, and you’re finished!

See how easy that was? Thanks much to Dylan for providing us with this screencast. Keep them coming, everyone! Who knows – you could be featured next.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> How to Disable the UAC in Windows Vista is a post from Chris Pirillo


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Recently I threw down the gauntlet, asking all of you to submit your best screencasts. I plan to highlight the best of the best here in my channel, and help promote yours. Dylan has sent a few in to us now, and they’re fantastic. This particular screencast is going to help you quickly and easily turn off the UAC in Vista.

The first way that Dylan shows us to disable the UAC is to go into your control panel, and select “User Accounts and Family Safety”. Then go to “Add or Remove User Accounts”. Highlight your account so that it’s selected. You’ll see an option at the bottom that says “Go to the Main User Accounts Page”. Select that, and at the bottom of that screen, you’ll see where it says “Turn the User Account Control On or Off”. Choose that, and uncheck the box. You’ll then need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

For more advanced users who are comfortable when using msconfig, you can use this method, instead. Go to your Start menu, and type msconfig in the search box so that it will open that up. Once in msconfig, click on the “Tools” tab. Scroll down until you see where it says “Disable UAC”. Click the “Launch” button, and another small box will pop up telling you the operation was completed successfully. Close that little box, click OK in msconfig, and close everything. Reboot your computer, and you’re finished!

See how easy that was? Thanks much to Dylan for providing us with this screencast. Keep them coming, everyone! Who knows – you could be featured next.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/how-to-disable-the-uac-in-windows-vista/feed/ 1 What Does Windows 7 Bring to the Table? http://chris.pirillo.com/what-does-windows-7-bring-to-the-table/ http://chris.pirillo.com/what-does-windows-7-bring-to-the-table/#comments Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:54:27 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=15324 What Does Windows 7 Bring to the Table? is a post from Chris Pirillo


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During live calls recently, the main topic of discussion was Windows 7. Ross was happy to get through, and immediately asked what he felt I think Windows 7 brings to the table for an average or intermediate computer user. I have my own opinions, of course. I’m interested in seeing what all of YOU think. So, let’s hear it!

I feel there are a variety of features that Windows 7 brings to the table. The most prominent ones are the taskbar and Start Menu changes. Those are excellent, for sure. Some people are complaining about them, of course, wishing they were more like very old versions of Windows. Personally, I think it’s about time they were so different! Functionality-wise, everything works very well on these.

I feel there is an epic UI fail, but that’s just me. Maybe it’s because I’m anal-retentive? Do you think? But I just don’t like that the popup menu where it shows recent programs has huge gaps between the program names. However, the normal “all programs” menu is missing those gaps. That just bugs me, but I’ll survive.

Ross also wanted to let all college students know that if you go to Win741 and use a college.edu email address – you can buy Windows 7 Home Premium for only $29.99! That’s official folks, and one heck of a great deal for students!

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]]> What Does Windows 7 Bring to the Table? is a post from Chris Pirillo


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During live calls recently, the main topic of discussion was Windows 7. Ross was happy to get through, and immediately asked what he felt I think Windows 7 brings to the table for an average or intermediate computer user. I have my own opinions, of course. I’m interested in seeing what all of YOU think. So, let’s hear it!

I feel there are a variety of features that Windows 7 brings to the table. The most prominent ones are the taskbar and Start Menu changes. Those are excellent, for sure. Some people are complaining about them, of course, wishing they were more like very old versions of Windows. Personally, I think it’s about time they were so different! Functionality-wise, everything works very well on these.

I feel there is an epic UI fail, but that’s just me. Maybe it’s because I’m anal-retentive? Do you think? But I just don’t like that the popup menu where it shows recent programs has huge gaps between the program names. However, the normal “all programs” menu is missing those gaps. That just bugs me, but I’ll survive.

Ross also wanted to let all college students know that if you go to Win741 and use a college.edu email address – you can buy Windows 7 Home Premium for only $29.99! That’s official folks, and one heck of a great deal for students!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/what-does-windows-7-bring-to-the-table/feed/ 7 Virtual Machines Love Windows 7 http://chris.pirillo.com/virtual-machines-love-windows-7/ http://chris.pirillo.com/virtual-machines-love-windows-7/#comments Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:11:08 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=15263 Virtual Machines Love Windows 7 is a post from Chris Pirillo


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Josh called in last week during live calls to talk with me about Windows 7. His general opinion at first was just that Windows 7 is a “great operating system”. I had to chuckle at that, because I of course agree. As we talked more, we got into a bit of a discussion about how much better Windows 7 runs on our Macs inside of Boot Camp. In my opinion, anyway, Vista never did run well on any type of virtual machine. It just plain stunk.

In a virtual machine environment, such as with VMWare Fusion, Windows 7 just – works. It runs clean, and it runs fast. When I used to try and run Vista in the same environment, with the same hardware and same configuration… it never worked. It was buggy. It would crash. It was slow. Things wouldn’t – work!

Don’t forget that I have an awesome Windows 7 eBook available for only $7.00! It’s filled with 70 excellent tips and tricks, to help you make the transition to Windows 7 even easier.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> Virtual Machines Love Windows 7 is a post from Chris Pirillo


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Josh called in last week during live calls to talk with me about Windows 7. His general opinion at first was just that Windows 7 is a “great operating system”. I had to chuckle at that, because I of course agree. As we talked more, we got into a bit of a discussion about how much better Windows 7 runs on our Macs inside of Boot Camp. In my opinion, anyway, Vista never did run well on any type of virtual machine. It just plain stunk.

In a virtual machine environment, such as with VMWare Fusion, Windows 7 just – works. It runs clean, and it runs fast. When I used to try and run Vista in the same environment, with the same hardware and same configuration… it never worked. It was buggy. It would crash. It was slow. Things wouldn’t – work!

Don’t forget that I have an awesome Windows 7 eBook available for only $7.00! It’s filled with 70 excellent tips and tricks, to help you make the transition to Windows 7 even easier.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/virtual-machines-love-windows-7/feed/ 0 Don’t Believe Everything You Read http://chris.pirillo.com/dont-believe-everything-you-read/ http://chris.pirillo.com/dont-believe-everything-you-read/#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:22:13 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=15233 Don’t Believe Everything You Read is a post from Chris Pirillo

I had to chuckle a little while ago when someone in our live chat room stated that Google’s new operating system will be 100% invulnerable to malware attacks. That’s an awful hefty claim for Google to make, if they in fact did. The truth is that nothing is impossible in this day and age of malware. Criminals, hackers and malware writers will indeed figure out a way to get inside of whatever Google comes up with. Sadly, it’s par for the course. It’s rumors like these that make people who don’t know any better think that they don’t need any type of security software.

I hate rumors and speculation. I’m a hard facts type of guy. Show me proof, or don’t tell me at all. I know, not everyone is like that. And that’s ok, I suppose. However, it’s imperative that you do your research, and find out the truth of the matter in anything you want to believe. It’s ok to have “faith”, yes. It’s not ok to blindly ASSume something is right and correct and real. Sometimes, that can get you in to trouble.

One of the reasons I love our community so much is that as Geeks, we take the time to back up what we say with facts and resources. Have you taken the time to read what it is they are trying to say?

Over in our Downloads Center, you’ll find new software and apps every day that may be vital to your existence! For instance, today we are featuring a piece of freeware that allows you, the parent, to control what sites are allowed on your family’s computers. Safety and security – for free!

]]> Don’t Believe Everything You Read is a post from Chris Pirillo

I had to chuckle a little while ago when someone in our live chat room stated that Google’s new operating system will be 100% invulnerable to malware attacks. That’s an awful hefty claim for Google to make, if they in fact did. The truth is that nothing is impossible in this day and age of malware. Criminals, hackers and malware writers will indeed figure out a way to get inside of whatever Google comes up with. Sadly, it’s par for the course. It’s rumors like these that make people who don’t know any better think that they don’t need any type of security software.

I hate rumors and speculation. I’m a hard facts type of guy. Show me proof, or don’t tell me at all. I know, not everyone is like that. And that’s ok, I suppose. However, it’s imperative that you do your research, and find out the truth of the matter in anything you want to believe. It’s ok to have “faith”, yes. It’s not ok to blindly ASSume something is right and correct and real. Sometimes, that can get you in to trouble.

One of the reasons I love our community so much is that as Geeks, we take the time to back up what we say with facts and resources. Have you taken the time to read what it is they are trying to say?

Over in our Downloads Center, you’ll find new software and apps every day that may be vital to your existence! For instance, today we are featuring a piece of freeware that allows you, the parent, to control what sites are allowed on your family’s computers. Safety and security – for free!

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/dont-believe-everything-you-read/feed/ 1 Windows 7 – Better for Gamers? http://chris.pirillo.com/windows-7-better-for-gamers/ http://chris.pirillo.com/windows-7-better-for-gamers/#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:21:51 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=15231 Windows 7 – Better for Gamers? is a post from Chris Pirillo


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During a live call session the other night, people were on the phone to gab about Windows 7. We talked about everything from security to aesthetics. This particular caller, Sonu, is a member of our live community on a regular basis. He is a gamer, and had something interesting to note in favor of Windows 7 that I hadn’t yet heard. I’m wondering if you are experiencing this, as well.

Sonu has been using Windows Vista for awhile now, and has only recently upgraded to Windows 7. He has the exact same hardware setup, and all of the same software installed now as he did with Vista. However, he’s noticed one very large – and very welcome – change: he is getting 10-15 frames-per-second (FPS) more than he did back when he used Vista.

Is this something you other gamers out there are noticing as well? I imagine that this absolutely is a very good upgrade for you if you are. Let’s hear from you gaming Geeks… are you getting more FPS now on Windows 7 than you did on other operating systems?

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> Windows 7 – Better for Gamers? is a post from Chris Pirillo


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During a live call session the other night, people were on the phone to gab about Windows 7. We talked about everything from security to aesthetics. This particular caller, Sonu, is a member of our live community on a regular basis. He is a gamer, and had something interesting to note in favor of Windows 7 that I hadn’t yet heard. I’m wondering if you are experiencing this, as well.

Sonu has been using Windows Vista for awhile now, and has only recently upgraded to Windows 7. He has the exact same hardware setup, and all of the same software installed now as he did with Vista. However, he’s noticed one very large – and very welcome – change: he is getting 10-15 frames-per-second (FPS) more than he did back when he used Vista.

Is this something you other gamers out there are noticing as well? I imagine that this absolutely is a very good upgrade for you if you are. Let’s hear from you gaming Geeks… are you getting more FPS now on Windows 7 than you did on other operating systems?

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/windows-7-better-for-gamers/feed/ 6 Best Buy and Windows 7 http://chris.pirillo.com/best-buy-and-windows-7/ http://chris.pirillo.com/best-buy-and-windows-7/#comments Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:55:38 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=15137 Best Buy and Windows 7 is a post from Chris Pirillo


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With the advent of Windows 7 going public, I opened the phone lines up. People called in to talk about anything and everything related to Windows 7. Danny Minick is a long-time member of our community, and now apparently has a new job working at his local Best Buy. During this particular call, I asked him what the buzz is around the store.

Danny says that at work the other night, several people were bashing Linux openly. There was a link given to Microsoft, some employee learning site. Apparently, there were slides and everything on there, openly dissing Linux and slagging it. I wondered why no one spoke up, with Microsoft’s claim that IE won’t run on Linux. It’s not true… and I hope all of you know that.

Danny uses OS X primarily, so I wasn’t sure if he used Windows 7. He says that he is, indeed, running Windows 7 under VMWare Fusion on his Macbook.

I reminded Danny that he can pick up my Windows 7 eBook, and any of the others that I’ve done, as well. I also reminded him (and all of you!) to keep an eye on my Coupons page for discounts on the new version of VMWare Fusion when it hits the stores.

More Best Buy Coupons:

Find Coupons for over 1100 Stores

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]]> Best Buy and Windows 7 is a post from Chris Pirillo


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With the advent of Windows 7 going public, I opened the phone lines up. People called in to talk about anything and everything related to Windows 7. Danny Minick is a long-time member of our community, and now apparently has a new job working at his local Best Buy. During this particular call, I asked him what the buzz is around the store.

Danny says that at work the other night, several people were bashing Linux openly. There was a link given to Microsoft, some employee learning site. Apparently, there were slides and everything on there, openly dissing Linux and slagging it. I wondered why no one spoke up, with Microsoft’s claim that IE won’t run on Linux. It’s not true… and I hope all of you know that.

Danny uses OS X primarily, so I wasn’t sure if he used Windows 7. He says that he is, indeed, running Windows 7 under VMWare Fusion on his Macbook.

I reminded Danny that he can pick up my Windows 7 eBook, and any of the others that I’ve done, as well. I also reminded him (and all of you!) to keep an eye on my Coupons page for discounts on the new version of VMWare Fusion when it hits the stores.

More Best Buy Coupons:

Find Coupons for over 1100 Stores

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/best-buy-and-windows-7/feed/ 2 Windows 7 Thoughts http://chris.pirillo.com/windows-7-thoughts/ http://chris.pirillo.com/windows-7-thoughts/#comments Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:26:35 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=15105 Windows 7 Thoughts is a post from Chris Pirillo


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I took several live calls the other night, talking to people about Windows 7. Mitchell was one of the callers. He absolutely loves Windows 7. He’s been a Windows user for many years, and never did like Vista. He started using Windows 7 with the very first build, and is now using the RTM via his TechNet subscription.

Although he never upgrade his own machines to Vista, he did use it on other computers. He hated it from the get-go, and refused to upgrade until something better was released. That something is obviously Windows 7 as far as he’s concerned.

In Mitchell’s mind – and my own – upgrading from XP to Windows 7 is an excellent idea. Mitchell feels that the upgrade is best because of the Windows Explorer. He’s very happy with that. He felt it was too confusing in Vista. With Windows 7, it’s easier to navigate and find what you’re looking for.

If you haven’t upgraded to Windows 7 yet, what are you waiting for? Remember, if you’re needing some tips and help, you can check out my Windows 7 eBook, available for only $7.00!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> Windows 7 Thoughts is a post from Chris Pirillo


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I took several live calls the other night, talking to people about Windows 7. Mitchell was one of the callers. He absolutely loves Windows 7. He’s been a Windows user for many years, and never did like Vista. He started using Windows 7 with the very first build, and is now using the RTM via his TechNet subscription.

Although he never upgrade his own machines to Vista, he did use it on other computers. He hated it from the get-go, and refused to upgrade until something better was released. That something is obviously Windows 7 as far as he’s concerned.

In Mitchell’s mind – and my own – upgrading from XP to Windows 7 is an excellent idea. Mitchell feels that the upgrade is best because of the Windows Explorer. He’s very happy with that. He felt it was too confusing in Vista. With Windows 7, it’s easier to navigate and find what you’re looking for.

If you haven’t upgraded to Windows 7 yet, what are you waiting for? Remember, if you’re needing some tips and help, you can check out my Windows 7 eBook, available for only $7.00!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/windows-7-thoughts/feed/ 1 How Much Computer Memory Does Windows Need? http://chris.pirillo.com/how-much-computer-memory-does-windows-need/ http://chris.pirillo.com/how-much-computer-memory-does-windows-need/#comments Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:01:37 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=13641 How Much Computer Memory Does Windows Need? is a post from Chris Pirillo


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I guess I need more memory, since I keep forgetting my own name! Sadly, I can’t just buy and install some in my brain. The question that Lynn sent in to PCPitStop is centered around the amount of memory her computer has. She purchased a computer with 128MB of memory, which is running Vista. The store clerks keep telling her she needs more RAM, but she is wondering if they are just trying to get her to spend more money.

I’m not sure how she even bought a computer with only 128MB of RAM installed. I honestly don’t think that’s totally correct, but I have been known to be wrong before. She mentions that the computer isn’t heavily used – it’s mainly a web browsing/email machine. Even so, I’m fairly sure that Vista won’t even run on that amount of memory.

No matter – whatever amount you have is fine, as long as the machine is running ok. If it’s working to your satisfaction – don’t change a thing. If you feel it is draggy, slow to respond or do things… then by all means, look into upping the amount of memory you have.

Vista will run optimally with 2GB of memory. Keep in mind that memory isn’t where you store files and folders… that’s the hard drive. The memory is where things happen, such as opening a program. When you click a program, the pc takes it and throws it into the memory. Poof! It then opens.

If you’re happy with the way everything runs, then leave it alone. Don’t tempt fate. I never recommend that! At some point in the future when things feel sluggish, you may want to check out Windows 7. It runs a heck of a lot faster than Vista. For the money… it’s a better operating system.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> How Much Computer Memory Does Windows Need? is a post from Chris Pirillo


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I guess I need more memory, since I keep forgetting my own name! Sadly, I can’t just buy and install some in my brain. The question that Lynn sent in to PCPitStop is centered around the amount of memory her computer has. She purchased a computer with 128MB of memory, which is running Vista. The store clerks keep telling her she needs more RAM, but she is wondering if they are just trying to get her to spend more money.

I’m not sure how she even bought a computer with only 128MB of RAM installed. I honestly don’t think that’s totally correct, but I have been known to be wrong before. She mentions that the computer isn’t heavily used – it’s mainly a web browsing/email machine. Even so, I’m fairly sure that Vista won’t even run on that amount of memory.

No matter – whatever amount you have is fine, as long as the machine is running ok. If it’s working to your satisfaction – don’t change a thing. If you feel it is draggy, slow to respond or do things… then by all means, look into upping the amount of memory you have.

Vista will run optimally with 2GB of memory. Keep in mind that memory isn’t where you store files and folders… that’s the hard drive. The memory is where things happen, such as opening a program. When you click a program, the pc takes it and throws it into the memory. Poof! It then opens.

If you’re happy with the way everything runs, then leave it alone. Don’t tempt fate. I never recommend that! At some point in the future when things feel sluggish, you may want to check out Windows 7. It runs a heck of a lot faster than Vista. For the money… it’s a better operating system.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/how-much-computer-memory-does-windows-need/feed/ 6 Can a Windows Vista PC Run Windows XP Instead? http://chris.pirillo.com/can-a-windows-vista-pc-run-windows-xp-instead/ http://chris.pirillo.com/can-a-windows-vista-pc-run-windows-xp-instead/#comments Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:29:03 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=13639 Can a Windows Vista PC Run Windows XP Instead? is a post from Chris Pirillo


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They say that when God closes a door, he makes you use Windows. Of course, it depends on what kind of God you have as to what version he makes you use. My God would make you use Windows 7. Your God may not be so nice, and make you use Windows Vista. We have to deal with Windows, even if we don’t use it on a regular basis. Michael from the PCPitStop community wrote in asking about using Windows XP on his Vista machine. Michael says that his Acer machine currently runs Windows Vista, but he prefers to use XP Pro. He says he ‘knows’ that the operating system is burned onto the HDD, and so he thinks he’ll have to change the HDD.

Michael – this isn’t going to be as difficult as you imagine it will be. It is quite possible to change from Vista to XP on a computer. You may run into snags relating to drivers, and will have to try and find compatible ones. Be aware that some of your hardware may not have drivers for XP – meaning that a switch back to XP would be impossible.

The operating system isn’t burnt into the hard drive. It can be taken off (wiped clean) and another operating system can be placed right onto the hard drive you already have. You could alternately set yourself up with a dual-boot, running both XP and Vista.

Theoretically, yes.. you can do what you’re asking. Practically, you may want to check with your hardware manufacturers (or even Acer) websites to make sure that they have drivers available for XP. Watch out for it, because that’s the one thing that could hurt you the most.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> Can a Windows Vista PC Run Windows XP Instead? is a post from Chris Pirillo


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They say that when God closes a door, he makes you use Windows. Of course, it depends on what kind of God you have as to what version he makes you use. My God would make you use Windows 7. Your God may not be so nice, and make you use Windows Vista. We have to deal with Windows, even if we don’t use it on a regular basis. Michael from the PCPitStop community wrote in asking about using Windows XP on his Vista machine. Michael says that his Acer machine currently runs Windows Vista, but he prefers to use XP Pro. He says he ‘knows’ that the operating system is burned onto the HDD, and so he thinks he’ll have to change the HDD.

Michael – this isn’t going to be as difficult as you imagine it will be. It is quite possible to change from Vista to XP on a computer. You may run into snags relating to drivers, and will have to try and find compatible ones. Be aware that some of your hardware may not have drivers for XP – meaning that a switch back to XP would be impossible.

The operating system isn’t burnt into the hard drive. It can be taken off (wiped clean) and another operating system can be placed right onto the hard drive you already have. You could alternately set yourself up with a dual-boot, running both XP and Vista.

Theoretically, yes.. you can do what you’re asking. Practically, you may want to check with your hardware manufacturers (or even Acer) websites to make sure that they have drivers available for XP. Watch out for it, because that’s the one thing that could hurt you the most.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/can-a-windows-vista-pc-run-windows-xp-instead/feed/ 14 What’s New in Windows 7: User Account Control (UAC) http://chris.pirillo.com/whats-new-in-windows-7-user-account-control-uac/ http://chris.pirillo.com/whats-new-in-windows-7-user-account-control-uac/#comments Mon, 19 Jan 2009 06:19:08 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=12037 What’s New in Windows 7: User Account Control (UAC) is a post from Chris Pirillo


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Oh Vista UAC how we hate you. The UAC is still present in Windows 7. Instead of just being an all-or-nothing as the UAC is inside of Vista, it has selectable controls in Windows 7! Windows 7 UAC Settings has a Slider to change your ‘comfort-level’ with the notifications.

To customize your UAC in Windows 7, go to the Control Panel, and choose User Accounts, and then Account Settings. You can choose to “never notify” or “always notify”… and there are two other levels in between. My recommendation is to leave it at the default setting for a bit, to see how that works for you, and then adjusting as needed from there. The default setting is to only notify you when something attempts to make changes to Windows. That’s probably a good thing for most people to know about, right?

If you’re a novice, or setting it up for a novice, my suggestion is to bump it up to always notify. That would notify them any time programs try to install software or make changes to the system. If they aren’t sure of what they’re doing, they could potentially create harm on their computer.

Since most programs didn’t support the UAC when it was unleashed in Vista, the programs would fail and create unnecessary problems, which created bad user feedback and experience. Since most software is built with the support of the UAC now, it’s pretty much a great experience within Windows 7.

It’s very nice to see that the UAC has been casually refined. It’s apparent that Microsoft listened to the feedback from the users who hated it when it came out in Vista. So far, the only time I’ve been prompted by it in Windows 7 is when installing drivers. That’s a good thing, since those would definitely make changes to my system.

This is better than all-or-nothing as it was in Vista. Keep your settings at the default level when you start out, and make your changes as needed. Definitely try Windows 7 if you have a machine to do so with. Start playing with it! You won’t be disappointed.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> What’s New in Windows 7: User Account Control (UAC) is a post from Chris Pirillo


Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

Oh Vista UAC how we hate you. The UAC is still present in Windows 7. Instead of just being an all-or-nothing as the UAC is inside of Vista, it has selectable controls in Windows 7! Windows 7 UAC Settings has a Slider to change your ‘comfort-level’ with the notifications.

To customize your UAC in Windows 7, go to the Control Panel, and choose User Accounts, and then Account Settings. You can choose to “never notify” or “always notify”… and there are two other levels in between. My recommendation is to leave it at the default setting for a bit, to see how that works for you, and then adjusting as needed from there. The default setting is to only notify you when something attempts to make changes to Windows. That’s probably a good thing for most people to know about, right?

If you’re a novice, or setting it up for a novice, my suggestion is to bump it up to always notify. That would notify them any time programs try to install software or make changes to the system. If they aren’t sure of what they’re doing, they could potentially create harm on their computer.

Since most programs didn’t support the UAC when it was unleashed in Vista, the programs would fail and create unnecessary problems, which created bad user feedback and experience. Since most software is built with the support of the UAC now, it’s pretty much a great experience within Windows 7.

It’s very nice to see that the UAC has been casually refined. It’s apparent that Microsoft listened to the feedback from the users who hated it when it came out in Vista. So far, the only time I’ve been prompted by it in Windows 7 is when installing drivers. That’s a good thing, since those would definitely make changes to my system.

This is better than all-or-nothing as it was in Vista. Keep your settings at the default level when you start out, and make your changes as needed. Definitely try Windows 7 if you have a machine to do so with. Start playing with it! You won’t be disappointed.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/whats-new-in-windows-7-user-account-control-uac/feed/ 6 What’s New in Windows 7: A Lot!! http://chris.pirillo.com/whats-new-in-windows-7-a-lot/ http://chris.pirillo.com/whats-new-in-windows-7-a-lot/#comments Fri, 16 Jan 2009 08:20:32 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=11964 What’s New in Windows 7: A Lot!! is a post from Chris Pirillo

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Yes, I’m now running Windows 7 on my HP TouchSmart PC, instead of using Vista. I knew that the Beta had been released, after hundreds of you had come pouring into our chat room asking if I had used it yet – and what I thought of it. I gotta say – so far it’s running very well!

I wasn’t able to get Windows 7 to recognize all of the hardware. I had to install it twice. The first time, it wouldn’t really work well. The second time, I did the same thing and it worked great. The only thing I cannot get to work still is the multi-touch feature of the TouchSmart. I was surprised to see that things I hadn’t expected to change have done so – and for the better! A lot more features have been fleshed out.

There are a few things I think will plague Windows for all of eternity. Once again, this version of Windows is chock full of the Tahoma font. For that reason alone, I could never think of any version of Windows as more than a Beta. I just can’t stand to have to look at it! I don’t think any self-respecting designer would release an operating system that had the use of MS Sans Seriff Tahoma throughout the UI. It’s kind of sloppy in my book.

However, if you can look past something like this, then Windows 7 will likely be an excellent upgrade for you. It’s definitely a lot faster than Vista. There isn’t any lag at all when doing a search from within the start menu or elsewhere on the system. When I plug in a USB device, it is recognized immediately.

A lot of the things that I appreciate are the things that they’ve seen through. A lot of what we saw added into Vista were taken out even more. They’ve added even more functionality without overwhelming the users. If you’re a power user, my recommendation is that you download Windows 7 Beta and give it a shot. I don’t know that I’d use this yet as your primary system, but it’s definitely worth trying.

I do plan to do a small series on Windows 7, to prepare people for what they’ll see. I am going to focus small videos on things that I have found within this new operating system that I already like. Windows 7 isn’t enough to make me want to “switch back” and away from Mac OS X. But I do like it, yes. It’s an excellent experience so far, and I know many of you are going to be happy with it. It feels so much more complete than Vista – it feels like what Vista should have been. There isn’t a lot of “wow” factor, but they have taken a lot of time to develop features that are important.

If you want to send feedback to Microsoft, you can download the Beta. Inside of every window, there is a direct feedback link. You can give it a star ranking, type in your feedback, and more. Allegedly, Microsoft will be taking a serious look at everything you have to say.

Keep in mind, you will likely run into issues as you begin to use Windows 7. Remember – you’re using a Beta, not a final release! Identifying and fixing bugs and issues is what a Beta is all about. Let me know what your experience is like so far – both positive and negative. If you have excellent tips and tricks already, let us hear from you!

FirstRSS+ThunderIT AWS HMAC ERROR: "http://xml-us.amznxslt.com/onca/xml?AWSAccessKeyId=05G128QTRXN0J06J6PG2&ContentType=text%2Fxml&Keywords=microsoft%2Bwindows%2B7&Operation=ItemSearch&ResponseGroup=Large&SearchIndex=Blended&Service=AWSECommerceService&Signature=BmGGu%2FzkbpdVaTcvPATFOVQpaPXhtlwQ9%2BhZ0Z6FLVU%3D&Style=http%3A%2F%2Ftagjag.com%2Fcss%2Famazon.xslt&Timestamp=2009-11-22T10%3A32%3A31Z&Version=2005-07-26" NOT FOUND!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> What’s New in Windows 7: A Lot!! is a post from Chris Pirillo

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

Yes, I’m now running Windows 7 on my HP TouchSmart PC, instead of using Vista. I knew that the Beta had been released, after hundreds of you had come pouring into our chat room asking if I had used it yet – and what I thought of it. I gotta say – so far it’s running very well!

I wasn’t able to get Windows 7 to recognize all of the hardware. I had to install it twice. The first time, it wouldn’t really work well. The second time, I did the same thing and it worked great. The only thing I cannot get to work still is the multi-touch feature of the TouchSmart. I was surprised to see that things I hadn’t expected to change have done so – and for the better! A lot more features have been fleshed out.

There are a few things I think will plague Windows for all of eternity. Once again, this version of Windows is chock full of the Tahoma font. For that reason alone, I could never think of any version of Windows as more than a Beta. I just can’t stand to have to look at it! I don’t think any self-respecting designer would release an operating system that had the use of MS Sans Seriff Tahoma throughout the UI. It’s kind of sloppy in my book.

However, if you can look past something like this, then Windows 7 will likely be an excellent upgrade for you. It’s definitely a lot faster than Vista. There isn’t any lag at all when doing a search from within the start menu or elsewhere on the system. When I plug in a USB device, it is recognized immediately.

A lot of the things that I appreciate are the things that they’ve seen through. A lot of what we saw added into Vista were taken out even more. They’ve added even more functionality without overwhelming the users. If you’re a power user, my recommendation is that you download Windows 7 Beta and give it a shot. I don’t know that I’d use this yet as your primary system, but it’s definitely worth trying.

I do plan to do a small series on Windows 7, to prepare people for what they’ll see. I am going to focus small videos on things that I have found within this new operating system that I already like. Windows 7 isn’t enough to make me want to “switch back” and away from Mac OS X. But I do like it, yes. It’s an excellent experience so far, and I know many of you are going to be happy with it. It feels so much more complete than Vista – it feels like what Vista should have been. There isn’t a lot of “wow” factor, but they have taken a lot of time to develop features that are important.

If you want to send feedback to Microsoft, you can download the Beta. Inside of every window, there is a direct feedback link. You can give it a star ranking, type in your feedback, and more. Allegedly, Microsoft will be taking a serious look at everything you have to say.

Keep in mind, you will likely run into issues as you begin to use Windows 7. Remember – you’re using a Beta, not a final release! Identifying and fixing bugs and issues is what a Beta is all about. Let me know what your experience is like so far – both positive and negative. If you have excellent tips and tricks already, let us hear from you!

FirstRSS+ThunderIT AWS HMAC ERROR: "http://xml-us.amznxslt.com/onca/xml?AWSAccessKeyId=05G128QTRXN0J06J6PG2&ContentType=text%2Fxml&Keywords=microsoft%2Bwindows%2B7&Operation=ItemSearch&ResponseGroup=Large&SearchIndex=Blended&Service=AWSECommerceService&Signature=CBLu8dxfUtHieK5Qo4J3CfLnHk4hw6zsuNttI3oeajM%3D&Style=http%3A%2F%2Ftagjag.com%2Fcss%2Famazon.xslt&Timestamp=2009-11-22T10%3A32%3A33Z&Version=2005-07-26" NOT FOUND!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/whats-new-in-windows-7-a-lot/feed/ 21 1TB Hard Drive + MS Vista Ultimate for only $229 http://chris.pirillo.com/1tb-hard-drive-ms-vista-ultimate-for-only-229/ http://chris.pirillo.com/1tb-hard-drive-ms-vista-ultimate-for-only-229/#comments Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:30:05 +0000 coupons http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=11911 1TB Hard Drive + MS Vista Ultimate for only $229 is a post from Chris Pirillo

Tiger Direct has the Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1TB Hard Drive Bundle With Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit DSP OEM DVD for only $229 + $2.99 Shipping

Not sure how long these will last, so you better move fast. Cheapest prices I’ve found on the drive and Windows Vista Ultimate are $100 and $185 respectively, so this is a good deal.

]]> 1TB Hard Drive + MS Vista Ultimate for only $229 is a post from Chris Pirillo

Tiger Direct has the Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1TB Hard Drive Bundle With Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit DSP OEM DVD for only $229 + $2.99 Shipping

Not sure how long these will last, so you better move fast. Cheapest prices I’ve found on the drive and Windows Vista Ultimate are $100 and $185 respectively, so this is a good deal.

]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/1tb-hard-drive-ms-vista-ultimate-for-only-229/feed/ 2 How Community Works: Past, Present, and Future http://chris.pirillo.com/how-community-works-past-present-and-future/ http://chris.pirillo.com/how-community-works-past-present-and-future/#comments Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:51:38 +0000 coupons http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=11826 How Community Works: Past, Present, and Future is a post from Chris Pirillo

The following is a partial transcript of my presentation at Macworld. For full effect, you might just press play on this embedded video on How Community Works: Past, Present, and Future.

How Community Works: Past, Present, and Future

I’ve been a geek for much of my 35 years on this Earth. Most of my life I spent as a Windows user. Yes, I know, and I’m sorry. Don’t worry, since I’ve obviously seen the light to a better path now. It took a long time, and there were actually three key things that led me to throw myself deeper into the Apple community:

  • Apple switching to the Intel platform
  • Leopard
  • Vista

You could say that in the past, I was a person who championed the idea of software on the Windows platform. I was a community leader of sorts, writing a lot of material primarily relating to Windows. When Vista’s Beta 2 began to ship, I met Jim Allchin in person at a Blogger’s Roundtable. He told me specifically that he wanted my honest feedback. So – I gave it to him. My post Windows Vista Feedback listed more than 100 issues that I had with Vista. Little things bothered me, such as the developers using three different fonts in the same window. I was cast out of the Windows community because they said “Who cares?!”. Well, I DID care. I DO still care. To make that long story much shorter: one of my most prized possessions is a DVD of Windows Vista Beta 2, autographed by Jim Allchin. Under his name her wrote: “I’m sorry”.

Community is Already There, Inside Everyone.

The idea of community… of belonging… is everywhere, including inside of you. You are a walking Venn diagram. Think of circles that sometimes intersect with one another. You are a part of many various communities. I live in Seattle, so I belong to that community. I’m now a Mac user, so I’m part of that community as well. There are others who both live in Seattle, and use a Mac. There may even be another layer of people who own a Tenori-On. The idea of community intersects – it flows in between us all. This idea goes with you. It may be odd to think about, since the Internet is set up in silos. You have to say you’re someone’s friend on one website, and then again on another, and yet again on another! It’s unintuitive, and very non-user-centric, this idea of community.

Community isn’t about a Company – It’s about a Culture.

Years ago, I read the Cluetrain Manifesto, and the revelation came to me. The book is based on the idea that markets are conversations. Given the news that Apple will no longer be participating in Macworld, it makes me realize more that this is about the culture, but not necessarily the company. Most of you are disappointed in the news. I am not really surprised by it. To me, this is less about the company, and more about the culture… and the people you connect with. Hopefully you’ve made good connections here. That’s my favorite part of going to events like this. If given a choice between an event like this where I know I’ll share a common bond and some hoity-toity “other” conference… I’m choosing this every time. Making those connections, and spending time with people who want to be here, instead of being told they have to be, is invaluable to me. It doesn’t matter how large a trade-show floor is. A conference is all about the value of the connections you make with people.

Community is Becoming Increasingly Distributed.

This idea of community online used to exist in silos, but those walls are starting to be broken down; the idea of being able to connect with someone on one site and know that you are going to be able to connect with them everywhere else. There are people that know me, just as there a lot of people who DON’T know me. That’s fine. The people that do know me, don’t have to know me through a certain website to connect with me. They don’t have to go to website XYZ to get to know me – I bring that community with me. So if I’m on Twitter, FriendFeed, Facebook, MySpace… if I know someone on one, they are as much of a friend on the others. Community no longer exists in only one place. It’s everywhere – omnipresent. You bring those relationships with you, whether you are visiting another website, or you are actually meeting people in person, in “meatspace.”

Community Requires Tools that Can’t be Built.

People ask me all the time what I use to build a community. It’s impossible to pinpoint this. A community isn’t something that you just create by installing something. It doesn’t happen that way. The best community tools are ones that cannot be built. It exists in your heart, and extends from there. From your heart, it goes to your mind, then your mouth, and potentially to your fingers (depending on how you are communicating). The idea of putting something in front of a group of people and just expecting things to happen is asinine. I’ve seen people over and over cry out “I started a forum, but no one is joining!”. Well, gee – it’s not like they started the only forum dedicated to whatever it was. What makes one stand out over another? It’s all about what is in your heart, what you take with you wherever you go – that sense of community.

This is just the beginning of what I covered in this presentation at Macworld 2009. There’s more to be discovered about community in this video, including:

  • Community is a Commodity, but People Aren’t.
  • Community Cannot be Controlled, only Guided.
  • Community is no Longer Defined by Physical Boundaries.
  • Community Grows its own Leaders.
  • Community is the Antithesis of Ego.
  • Community needs Macworld more than Apple Does.
  • Community is Everywhere – Including Inside of You.
]]> How Community Works: Past, Present, and Future is a post from Chris Pirillo

The following is a partial transcript of my presentation at Macworld. For full effect, you might just press play on this embedded video on How Community Works: Past, Present, and Future.

How Community Works: Past, Present, and Future

I’ve been a geek for much of my 35 years on this Earth. Most of my life I spent as a Windows user. Yes, I know, and I’m sorry. Don’t worry, since I’ve obviously seen the light to a better path now. It took a long time, and there were actually three key things that led me to throw myself deeper into the Apple community:

  • Apple switching to the Intel platform
  • Leopard
  • Vista

You could say that in the past, I was a person who championed the idea of software on the Windows platform. I was a community leader of sorts, writing a lot of material primarily relating to Windows. When Vista’s Beta 2 began to ship, I met Jim Allchin in person at a Blogger’s Roundtable. He told me specifically that he wanted my honest feedback. So – I gave it to him. My post Windows Vista Feedback listed more than 100 issues that I had with Vista. Little things bothered me, such as the developers using three different fonts in the same window. I was cast out of the Windows community because they said “Who cares?!”. Well, I DID care. I DO still care. To make that long story much shorter: one of my most prized possessions is a DVD of Windows Vista Beta 2, autographed by Jim Allchin. Under his name her wrote: “I’m sorry”.

Community is Already There, Inside Everyone.

The idea of community… of belonging… is everywhere, including inside of you. You are a walking Venn diagram. Think of circles that sometimes intersect with one another. You are a part of many various communities. I live in Seattle, so I belong to that community. I’m now a Mac user, so I’m part of that community as well. There are others who both live in Seattle, and use a Mac. There may even be another layer of people who own a Tenori-On. The idea of community intersects – it flows in between us all. This idea goes with you. It may be odd to think about, since the Internet is set up in silos. You have to say you’re someone’s friend on one website, and then again on another, and yet again on another! It’s unintuitive, and very non-user-centric, this idea of community.

Community isn’t about a Company – It’s about a Culture.

Years ago, I read the Cluetrain Manifesto, and the revelation came to me. The book is based on the idea that markets are conversations. Given the news that Apple will no longer be participating in Macworld, it makes me realize more that this is about the culture, but not necessarily the company. Most of you are disappointed in the news. I am not really surprised by it. To me, this is less about the company, and more about the culture… and the people you connect with. Hopefully you’ve made good connections here. That’s my favorite part of going to events like this. If given a choice between an event like this where I know I’ll share a common bond and some hoity-toity “other” conference… I’m choosing this every time. Making those connections, and spending time with people who want to be here, instead of being told they have to be, is invaluable to me. It doesn’t matter how large a trade-show floor is. A conference is all about the value of the connections you make with people.

Community is Becoming Increasingly Distributed.

This idea of community online used to exist in silos, but those walls are starting to be broken down; the idea of being able to connect with someone on one site and know that you are going to be able to connect with them everywhere else. There are people that know me, just as there a lot of people who DON’T know me. That’s fine. The people that do know me, don’t have to know me through a certain website to connect with me. They don’t have to go to website XYZ to get to know me – I bring that community with me. So if I’m on Twitter, FriendFeed, Facebook, MySpace… if I know someone on one, they are as much of a friend on the others. Community no longer exists in only one place. It’s everywhere – omnipresent. You bring those relationships with you, whether you are visiting another website, or you are actually meeting people in person, in “meatspace.”

Community Requires Tools that Can’t be Built.

People ask me all the time what I use to build a community. It’s impossible to pinpoint this. A community isn’t something that you just create by installing something. It doesn’t happen that way. The best community tools are ones that cannot be built. It exists in your heart, and extends from there. From your heart, it goes to your mind, then your mouth, and potentially to your fingers (depending on how you are communicating). The idea of putting something in front of a group of people and just expecting things to happen is asinine. I’ve seen people over and over cry out “I started a forum, but no one is joining!”. Well, gee – it’s not like they started the only forum dedicated to whatever it was. What makes one stand out over another? It’s all about what is in your heart, what you take with you wherever you go – that sense of community.

This is just the beginning of what I covered in this presentation at Macworld 2009. There’s more to be discovered about community in this video, including:

  • Community is a Commodity, but People Aren’t.
  • Community Cannot be Controlled, only Guided.
  • Community is no Longer Defined by Physical Boundaries.
  • Community Grows its own Leaders.
  • Community is the Antithesis of Ego.
  • Community needs Macworld more than Apple Does.
  • Community is Everywhere – Including Inside of You.
]]> http://chris.pirillo.com/how-community-works-past-present-and-future/feed/ 1 Do You Think Windows Will Last? http://chris.pirillo.com/do-you-think-windows-will-last/ http://chris.pirillo.com/do-you-think-windows-will-last/#comments Tue, 11 Nov 2008 07:43:11 +0000 Chris http://chris.pirillo.com/?p=9318 Do You Think Windows Will Last? is a post from Chris Pirillo

There’s been an interesting discussion going on over at Geeks surrounding the future of Windows. There are hot tempers on both sides of this coin, so I had to ask some other friends to chime in with what they thought, as well.

As long as it comes with almost every PC you buy..then yes – Dennis Bjørn Petersen

at least until the computing paradigm migrates away from single machines to cloud computing/ubiquitous computing – Victor Ganata

as with everything, widows will eventually cease to exist. But, for the foreseeable future, windows will be the preferred OS for business. Mac OS just doesn’t provide the flexibility and security that corporations seek. – Bob Blunk

Bob: I think you need to clarify that. MacOS doesn’t provide security and flexibility? – Dennis Bjørn Petersen

dennis: he didn’t say OSX doesn’t have any, consider the ease at which you can lock a system or user down with active directory group policies allows an immensely flexible transition of staff between job roles and the securities required per role. Still, a computer system is only as secure and flexible as the user – have a dumb user, you’ll have holes and problems regardless of what OS you throw at them. Also, you’ll find that the overwealming majority of software security holes come from 3rd party apps. – alphaxion

also, something that I *never* see in "anything vs windows" arguements is commentary on corporate network structure and use… can those of you who have extensive knowledge on linux and OSX networking provide comparisons with the active directory integration you get in the windows world. – alphaxion

@victor cloud computing will never take 100% in the corporate world – they’ve been trying to push cloud computing for decades now, from IBM’s centralised servers and MS terminal servers with dumb clients to Suns "the network is the computer" tag line. Some companies will use it, the majority will be very reluctant to allow their precious data to be elsewhere and/or to allow net downtime to cripple their entire office staff. – alphaxion

@alphaxion of course it’ll never be 100%. There are lots of mainframes and servers out there that aren’t connected to the Internet, and maybe aren’t even connected to the corporate intranet because they deem the data to sensitive. But those systems probably aren’t even running Windows in any case, and as technology continues to advance, the dominant paradigm is certain to change – Victor Ganata

I don’t deny that some companies will go for it – just look at services such as message labs anti spam or mail serving and archiving companies. I just don’t think it’s going to be the massive sea change people are making it out to be. My job entails that I keep an eye on this just in case it turns out to be a better solution than in house development and services. We are looking at moving our phone system to the "cloud" so to speak. My experience suggests that it’ll be a few things rather than everything. – alphaxion

What do you think? Where is Windows – and Microsoft – headed?

]]> Do You Think Windows Will Last? is a post from Chris Pirillo

There’s been an interesting discussion going on over at Geeks surrounding the future of Windows. There are hot tempers on both sides of this coin, so I had to ask some other friends to chime in with what they thought, as well.

As long as it comes with almost every PC you buy..then yes – Dennis Bjørn Petersen

at least until the computing paradigm migrates away from single machines to cloud computing/ubiquitous computing – Victor Ganata

as with everything, widows will eventually cease to exist. But, for the foreseeable future, windows will be the preferred OS for business. Mac OS just doesn’t provide the flexibility and security that corporations seek. – Bob Blunk

Bob: I think you need to clarify that. MacOS doesn’t provide security and flexibility? – Dennis Bjørn Petersen

dennis: he didn’t say OSX doesn’t have any, consider the ease at which you can lock a system or user down with active directory group policies allows an immensely flexible transition of staff between job roles and the securities required per role. Still, a computer system is only as secure and flexible as the user – have a dumb user, you’ll have holes and problems regardless of what OS you throw at them. Also, you’ll find that the overwealming majority of software security holes come from 3rd party apps. – alphaxion

also, something that I *never* see in "anything vs windows" arguements is commentary on corporate network structure and use… can those of you who have extensive knowledge on linux and OSX networking provide comparisons with the active directory integration you get in the windows world. – alphaxion

@victor cloud computing will never take 100% in the corporate world – they’ve been trying to push cloud computing for decades now, from IBM’s centralised servers and MS terminal servers with dumb clients to Suns "the network is the computer" tag line. Some companies will use it, the majority will be very reluctant to allow their precious data to be elsewhere and/or to allow net downtime to cripple their entire office staff. – alphaxion

@alphaxion of course it’ll never be 100%. There are lots of mainframes and servers out there that aren’t connected to the Internet, and maybe aren’t even connected to the corporate intranet because they deem the data to sensitive. But those systems probably aren’t even running Windows in any case, and as technology continues to advance, the dominant paradigm is certain to change – Victor Ganata

I don’t deny that some companies will go for it – just look at services such as message labs anti spam or mail serving and archiving companies. I just don’t think it’s going to be the massive sea change people are making it out to be. My job entails that I keep an eye on this just in case it turns out to be a better solution than in house development and services. We are looking at moving our phone system to the "cloud" so to speak. My experience suggests that it’ll be a few things rather than everything. – alphaxion

What do you think? Where is Windows – and Microsoft – headed?

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