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Windows 7 for XP ProfessionalsUpdating Support Skills from XP to Windows 7by Bink.nu's Raymond Comvalius
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I’ve been puzzling over transcripts of a couple of recent speeches by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates where he discussed his vision for the end of phone numbers. But it wasn’t until today, when I learned more about Microsoft’s “Echoes” services platform for telcos that I began piecing together how Gates & Co. thinks Microsoft can do this.
This is from one transcript of an early May speech Gates gave in Japan:
“Right now the mobile phone, the desktop phone, the e-mail that you have on the PC, or instant messaging, these are all very different things, and the issues about how much of your information or your schedule, your current activity you share with people who communicate with you is not well designed…. By bringing together all of these kinds of communication, we can greatly simplify them. We can get rid of phone numbers, have it so when you say you want to contact someone, based on who you are and where that person is, they can decide whether to take the call or take a message about that, and so a great efficiency improvement that can be made there.” (emphasis mine)
So how does Microsoft propose getting rid of phone numbers? Here’s an overview, from the same source who originally tipped me on Echoes:
Starting with Echoes Wave 1 — the first iteration of Microsoft’s services platform for telco providers that is due out this summer — Microsoft plans to synchronize contacts. In other words, Live Messenger contacts will appear in a mobile user’s address book (if the carrier is using Echoes). The contacts will be synced via Windows Live Messenger, so duplicates are eliminated.
Messenger contacts will automatically appear in users’ phone address book, so that even if they don’t know one of their Live Messenger contact’s phone number, they still will be able to call it. Numbers will be able to ring simultaneously on multiple devices/systems. On the flip side, Echoes will help insure instant-messaging-to-SMS continuity. A user can send an IM to any mobile contact, and the contact can respond via a text message.
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In case you're on the MAP tool beta before for the version 3.0, you should already have received a notification to join the Private Beta for MAP 3.1 slated to release in June 2008. This MAP 3.1 beta will include the much anticipated Hyper-V modeling and assessment for server virtualization.
Due to massive demand, we are soon going to reach the capacity limit of this Private Beta.
If you have not joined yet, please follow the 5-step process here to apply.
The wait is over! The public PDC2008 site just went live, and you can now register for the conference (and save $200 if you register early). We've published a preliminary set of topics that represents only a fraction of the over 160 sessions you'll see at the event. Topics include software + services, Windows 7, a deep dive on Silverlight graphics pipelines, Windows Mobile, extensible BitmapEffects and Pixel Shaders in WPF, how we use Team Foundation Server for our huge Microsoft projects, a new technology that makes it easy to build business applications in Silverlight, how to develop for Live Mesh, and more. It's brain busting content at its best.
For $400 more, I'd encourage you to show up a day early and attend one of our pre-conference sessions. These are all-day-long, deep-dives on today's technology delivered by both Microsoft and recognized third-party experts. For example, Advanced Windows Debugging will be presented by Mario Hewardt and Daniel Pravat, the guys who wrote the excellent book by the same name. Some of my other favorites are Concurrent, Multi-core Programming on Windows and .NET, Performance by design using the .NET Framework, and who could resist the urge to go under the covers with Charles Petzold for WPF Code and Concepts.
The beta of Sysinternals Live was announced today. A service that enables you to execute Sysinternals tools directly from the Web without hunting for and manually downloading them. Simply enter a tool's Sysinternals Live path into Windows Explorer or a command prompt as \\live.sysinternals.com\tools\<toolname> or view the entire Sysinternals Live tools directory in a browser at http://live.sysinternals.com.................Continue At Source
For years Microsoft has been investing in many forms of natural input in order to simplify the way people interact with their PC's and devices. The advent of the original Windows graphical user interface forever changed the way people used their PC's. Today, advances in pen and handwriting technology in Windows Vista offers students a natural and intuitive way to capture searchable notes and diagrams in the classroom. Others are using this technology to quietly capture pen based notes during meetings. Speech recognition, something which was once considered science fiction, is enabling many Windows Vista users to see, hear, and use their computers for the very first time.
Last year, at the Wall Street Journal's D: All Things Digital conference, Bill Gates introduced a groundbreaking new computing experience called Surface. Surface harnesses touch and multi-touch capabilities to provide users with a natural way to interact directly with computing devices. Expect to see the table-like Surface devices in hotels, retail establishments, restaurants and public entertainment venues.
Touch is quickly becoming a common way of directly interacting with software and devices. Touch-enabled surfaces are popping up everywhere including laptop touch pads, cell phones, remote controls, GPS devices, and more. What becomes even more compelling is when this experience is delivered to the PC -on a wide variety of Windows notebooks, in all-in-one PC's, as well as in external monitors. In working with our broad ecosystem of hardware and software manufactures, we're excited to be showing some of the great work and investments we are working on in Windows 7.
Tonight, at this year's D:All Things Digital conference, Julie Larson-Green showed Walt Mossberg how a few of the multi-touch innovations first previewed in Surface will ultimately enhance the next version of Windows. A transcript of the demo can be found here: http://d6.allthingsd.com/20080527/gates_ballmer/.
Aaron of Windows Live Team has posted this on 'Inside Windows Live Messenger Blog' :
"We here at Windows Live love to create software that makes keeping in touch with your personal community fun and exciting. If you love to chat on Windows Live Messenger, use Windows Live Writer to post to your Windows Live Spaces page and post photos from Windows Live Photo Gallery then we have just the community for you.
We are looking for people to share their stories, tips or tricks, or product reviews of Windows Live with others. We’ll show the world what amazing things you can do with Windows Live........
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Not only is Microsoft talking about Windows 7, apparently Bill Gates and Steve Balmer will be taking the stage tonight at All Things Digital conference talking about Windows 7! Gates and Balmer will not only talk about Windows 7, but they will even demo the all-new user interface for Windows 7. Of course we’ll have to wait and see it they will really unveil the latest pride tonight however the AllthingsD.com website is confirming the coverage:
So those rumors about Microsoft Windows 7 making an early debut at D6?They’re true. During tonight’s interview with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Chairman Bill Gates, Microsoft (MSFT) will demonstrate Windows 7’s all-new user interface.Check back here this evening for exclusive all-access coverage of the announcement.
It’s looking very promising indeed and we’ll of course report when more information or videos are available.
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Last Friday, Steve Riley - security architect at Microsoft did an excellent session about various security subjects in Amsterdam. One of the subjects was a technology that I only knew of as highly secret within Microsoft and probably one of the biggest changes in network security to come.
Imagine that corporate end users are able to take their corporate mobile systems to any Internet connected place and work with corporate resources without a VPN or gateway. This enables the users to connect to Active Directory, have their clients managed while at home or traveling. At the same time users get full access to the corporate network without the hassle of extra client software or gateways.
Direct Connect uses IPv6 with IPSec to create save direct connectivity to servers on corporate networks for trusted clients. This is quite a revolutionary approach, as it enables clients from the Internet to bypass the DMZ. The concept relies on IPSec authentication and encryption. Microsoft's new IPSec implementation in Windows Vista and Server 2008 allow IPSec connections to be based on both computer and user credentials, combined with Network Access Protection for system health enforcement. The only thing an edge router has to do, is filter incoming traffic to allow only IPSec initiation requests and subsequent IPSec traffic over IPv6. Any standard router can do just that.
Steve Riley pointed out that you can build a Direct Connect infrastructure with standard products currently available from Microsoft and that Microsoft will provide more information in the near future.
Microsoft is currently running a (secret) pilot with Direct Connect that enables participants to use their corporate laptops to directly work with systems on the corporate network from the Internet.
I told Steve I can't wait for the white paper "How to build a Direct Connect infrastructure" and get instant access to my home systems from any place in the world.
Microsoft support engineer Yuri Diogenes really digs into the Threat Management Gateway (TMG) beta. TMG is the next version of ISA server that will be released with Stirling:
There are many things that you will notice and see that it is different from ISA Server 2006. As far as installation is concern there are some things that you need to remember: · IIS will be installed: that’s correct; IIS now will be installed by TMG. You might be thinking: “I remember that we have issues with IIS and ISA in the same box…”. You are right for ISA Server, but for TMG we need IIS because TMG needs SQL Reporting Services 2005 and SQL Reporting Services 2005 needs IIS. It is important to emphasize that IIS is not removed if you uninstall TMG. · 64 bits System: although the final version of TMG requires a 64-bit processor and Windows Server 2008 64-bit, this beta version can be installed in a 32-bit system with Windows Server 2008. · WEBS: the TMG beta version that we have available for download it will be part of the Windows Essential Business Server. TMG will be available through WEBS Standard and Premium Edition. Continue At Source
There are many things that you will notice and see that it is different from ISA Server 2006. As far as installation is concern there are some things that you need to remember:
· IIS will be installed: that’s correct; IIS now will be installed by TMG. You might be thinking: “I remember that we have issues with IIS and ISA in the same box…”. You are right for ISA Server, but for TMG we need IIS because TMG needs SQL Reporting Services 2005 and SQL Reporting Services 2005 needs IIS. It is important to emphasize that IIS is not removed if you uninstall TMG.
· 64 bits System: although the final version of TMG requires a 64-bit processor and Windows Server 2008 64-bit, this beta version can be installed in a 32-bit system with Windows Server 2008.
· WEBS: the TMG beta version that we have available for download it will be part of the Windows Essential Business Server. TMG will be available through WEBS Standard and Premium Edition.
Starting May 26th, users of phones from NTT DoCoMo will be able to use the "DoCoMo Keitai Harai" (DoCoMo Mobile Payment) service to pay for Xbox Live Gold Membership subscriptions and to load up on Microsoft Points.
Charges from using the service are added to users' phone bills.
Microsoft® Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2006 Service Pack (SP) 1 will be available for your installation pleasure this summer!
This Service Pack introduces new features and improved functionality for ISA Server 2006 Enterprise and Standard Editions. The new features focus primarily on enhanced troubleshooting mechanisms designed to help you identify and resolve ISA Server configuration issues. Also included in this package are the updates we’ve promised for so long, such as SAN certificate support.
ISA Server 2006 SP1 includes the following new features:
· Configuration Change Tracking — logs all configuration changes applied to ISA Server configuration to help you backtrack through your change history.
· Web Publishing Rule Test Button — helps you verify that the rule configuration agrees with what is set at the published web server and provides specific suggestions when they disagree.
· Traffic Simulator — simulates network traffic as it would be seen by the ISA rules engine and gives you specific information about traffic processing along the way.
· Diagnostic Logging Query — an extension to the Diagnostic Logging feature provided in the Supportability Pack, this feature makes it much easier to see only the data that is relevant to the current troubleshooting effort.
ISA Server 2006 SP1 also includes such feature improvements as:
· Support for Network Load Balancing (NLB) multicast and multicast with IGMP operations (KB 938550)
· Support for certificates with multiple Subject Alternative Name (SAN) entries in published web servers
· Kerberos Constrained Delegation (KCD) authentication supports trusted-domain user accounts (KB 942637 )
For additional feature improvements, see "Improvements to existing features" later in this document.