If you run IE, you might want to run the browser in "protected mode," a security setting that locks down the browser by restricting privileges, to protect against a new IE bug.
Newer versions of IE have protected mode on by default. Older versions of IE, such as 5 and 6, also have the mode on by default if they run on Vista or Windows.That leaves older versions of IE running on X,P plus newer IEs with protected mode turned off, vulnerable to attack.
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Posted by Doug Barney on 02/08/20101 comments
Jonathan Schwartz, the CEO of Sun with the Jesse Ventura ponytail, is no longer CEO of Sun. In fact, Sun is really no longer Sun now that Oracle has officially bought the former Java/SunRay/Solaris/SPARC powerhouse.
When high-powered execs resign, usually there is a carefully crafted press release talking about "other opportunities," "amicable partings" and "pride in the work done." But Schwartz is no average exec -- he quit through a tweet!
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Posted by Doug Barney on 02/05/20104 comments
Some software upgrades are a piece of cake, some are so complex they're not worth it. Exchange 2010, for some, fits in that latter category. The good news and bad news is that Exchange 2010 is far different architecturally from its predecessors, particularly in how it stores files. That's how we make progress. One example is the new "database availability groups," which could take time and money to adapt to, according to a report from Forrester.
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Posted by Doug Barney on 02/05/20101 comments
The biggest issue surrounding the iPad is its use of an iPhone-based OS, rather than a full-fledged computer operating system. While there are clear technical sacrifices, the stripped-down OS should offer greater usability. The market will decide if features or elegance is more important.
The PC set has an opposite approach. Vendors such as HP plan Windows 7-based tablets, which means these machines are true desktop/laptop/netbook equivalents. You can actually get work done on these things.
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Posted by Doug Barney on 02/05/20104 comments
Steve Jobs recently had some pretty scathing things to say about Google for entering the smartphone market (and challenging the iPhone). Readers react with some strong words of their own:
Jobs is scared and whining like a little baby. Competition is always good for the public. No, it may not be good for Apple, but I don't care about Apple. The consumer who doesn't drink the Kool-Aid is concerned about themselves, not Apple.
-Ross
So it's OK if Apple goes into the phone market but not Google? Apple is just afraid it will no longer be able to gouge the public. Let the best balance between cost vs. features win! Game on!
-Pete
To be fair, it sounds like he was talking to Apple corporate, not the public. He's rallying the troops, pointing out that Google is going after Apple's market share.
-Dan
Jobs is not only irritated, but he is scared. Those comments are a clear sign of panic. Microsoft should feel that way, too, but it has not shown it as much.
-Melvin
Motorola could have said the same to Jobs about the cell phone business a couple of years ago. Open markets make everyone better, including Apple. Apps, search, integrated devices are the begining of the story not the end.
-John
I think the issue is that Google has stated its "Do no evil" policy, whereas other companies have not. Google is just another big company that does the same evil as others.
-Anonymous
Where does Steve Jobs get any moral authority? He creates closed, proprietary systems, nice as they may be. He is only interested in money, and if anyone else makes money or competes with him, then they are evil (see: Microsoft, Google). Great design and marketing are not moral attributes, and it is quite strange to me that anyone would suggest that they are.
-Daniel
You said, "His [Jobs'] products are almost always closed and expensive." Not at all like Microsoft, then...
-John
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Posted by Doug Barney on 02/05/20100 comments
ScriptLogic's Nick Cavalancia shared some other company news: Longtime CEO Jason Judge has left the company. For this to make sense, you have to have read the previous item.
As you recall, Quest bought ScriptLogic two-and-a-half years ago. Quest made good on its pledge to maintain ScriptLogic's independence by keeping Jason on as CEO (my guess is Judge remaining was part of the contract). I've seen this happen before, such as when Quest bought Aelita Software. The founder and head of Aelita, Ratmir Timashev, stayed on during the transition, but left afterward to start virtualization vendor Veeam, itself a very cool company.
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Posted by Doug Barney on 02/03/20100 comments
I talked to my old pal Nick Cavalancia, vice president of Windows management for ScriptLogic, about a new direction for the company. This is a little complicated so bear with me.
Quest Software last year bought a company called PacketTrap, which does network monitoring. Now, years earlier, Quest had bought ScriptLogic, though many don't know this because ScriptLogic is run pretty much as an independent company with its own brand, salesforce, product line, executive staff and development team. This is a smart move as ScriptLogic is known by thousands upon thousands of IT managers and admins.
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Posted by Doug Barney on 02/03/20100 comments
When Microsoft was under the antitrust gun, former government target IBM piled on. Now that Google is gaining dominance, it's only fair that Microsoft take a few shots.
And that's just what Microsoft general counsel Brad Smith did in a recent speech, arguing that Google's 90 percent share of the online advertising market should raise serious questions -- questions Google should be made to answer.
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Posted by Doug Barney on 02/03/20102 comments
Steve Jobs is a real American hero. It's tough to knock the guy, but I'll try anyway: His products are almost always closed and expensive, and he has a penchant for going after journalists for doing their job.
Despite these flaws, Jobs generally has the moral high ground, and that's why his recent Google comments sting so much. Google is famous for claiming to "do no evil." Jobs isn't buying it, saying it's all a load of...well, you fill in the blank.
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Posted by Doug Barney on 02/03/20109 comments
Readers gauge the iPad's chances, given its price and multitasking limitations:
How many netbooks have a touchscreen like the iPad? It's expensive as netbooks go and doesn't do a lot of things that normal netbooks can do, but then it has the cool touchscreen capabilities. If you're in the market for a netbook and you're willing to sacrifice functionality to be "cool," then the iPad is a viable option.
-Dan
I feel that many people who use a netbook-style laptop for just taking notes or browsing the Web will be able to use the iPad. In my opinion, this is a much better form factor for casual use cases. But it also has the power to watch video and play casual (and some not so casual) games. Time will tell.
-Greg
Both the iPhone and the iPad have the hardware capable of multitasking (running simultaneous apps). They're plenty powerful enough. I think the better question is, why not allow multiple apps to run simultaneously? What reasons would make sense that Apple would limit the functionality to just one app? One of the better ones is to limit the amount of bandwidth it can use. AT&T's networks are already straining under the current load. So Apple's reasoning is probably partly about the user experience -- the bandwidth just isn't there for a great user experience, trying to surf the Web while streaming Pandora. That's the "soft" side of the argument.
However, the "hard" side that's pure business is that AT&T's bandwith/capacity issues would multiply exponentially if users could run more than one bandwidth consuming app at one time, and it would almost certainly have to cost more than $30 per month for unlimited use. So, multitasking capability while on Wi-Fi might be a reasonabe alternative, but only if such a limitation couldn't be hacked to unlock it on 3G, too. My guess is that once AT&T addresses its current capacity issues, it'll come out with an "enhanced"
data plan that will cost more, and for that, users will be able to run multiple apps.
-Scott
I personally think Jobs is out of sync with this product. As you stated, this satisifies a niche market. Most of us either need a pocket device (a la PDA/smartphone) or a laptop with real power to run development apps and perform real work. I was thinking maybe it could compete with in-car GPS-dedicated devices, but no real GPS. And only one speaker for movies or stereo? My laptop already has nice stereo speakers.
I own an iPhone and love it. It does almost everything a pocket device should do. But I can't see a use for the iPad. And it is missing a camera.
-Mitch
If the iPad were priced higher or it was more capable, it would cut into Apple's MacBook line. As for me, I like the Apple iMac/iMac line. However, I see no need to purchase a Kindle on steroids. As you stated, for the same price you can purchase a well-sorted Windows-based laptop.
-Mike
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Posted by Doug Barney on 02/03/20100 comments
Microsoft has been busy lately with patches, in particular patching the famous hole that let Chinese hackers break into Gmail. Last week, Microsoft released four under-the-radar fixes -- not plugging holes per se, but correcting "idiosyncrasies."
Here's a quick rundown:
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Posted by Doug Barney on 02/01/20100 comments
I thought I could ignore the iPad, but as someone who might be asked to buy one (or three) as Christmas presents, I can't resist. First, given Steve Jobs' track record and knack for design, this will be a raging success. But I have to question why it's based on the single-tasking iPod/iPhone OS rather than the richer, multitasking, full version of the Mac OS.
Let's face it: Nearly all of us need a laptop. If the iPad were indeed a computer, it could act as a laptop replacement or companion, just like PC-based tablets and netbooks. But I can't see lugging around my cell phone, laptop and an iPad -- especially through airport security. A Mac OS-based tablet could do all the things the iPad does, but also word process, run all common Web apps and browse without limits.
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Posted by Doug Barney on 02/01/20107 comments