Windows 7: Most Modular Windows Ever?
Microsoft got in a whole heap of trouble with the U.S. Justice Department (which died down during the last administration) and the European Union. The beef was over the bundling of IE and other tools with Windows.
Microsoft's counter was that the integration was critical and that IE was so intertwined, it couldn't be extracted from the OS. We've looked at the issue and concluded that pulling IE from XP is possible, but it takes quite a bit of effort.
Microsoft apparently figured it all out and Windows 7 users can remove IE 8, Media Player and Media Center, Windows Search, and fax from the operating system. There are likely two motivations behind this. For one, users like the ability lean out the OS by removing bits they don't use. A bigger reason? The EU is still all over Microsoft for bundling.
Tuesday's Triple Threat
Tomorrow, Microsoft will release a meager three patches. Two address spoofing attacks and the third goes after remote code execution.
While it seems like a like minor Patch Tuesday, remember it only takes one unfixed hole to swallow your network.
A Virtual Majority
Forrester Research now claims that the majority of large and SME shops now use or plan to use some form of server virtualization. Of those that already virtualize, a bit over half use VMware. Hyper-V comes in between 18 and 22 percent. Not bad for a nearly new product.
This is just the beginning. As the economy tightens and power costs soar, virtualization and even cloud services will take hold. The good news is these virtual tools are getting better all the time and putting important apps on them is less risky.
Do you use virtualization to save energy? Have you pushed any other green initiatives? Are there ways to use Microsoft software more efficiently, and has Microsoft told you about them? Help me spread the word by writing [email protected].
Your Turn: IT Gone Good
Two-and-a-half years ago, I wrote a story about IT abusing its power -- blackmailing executives, spying, stealing and sexually harassing.
I'd love to do the opposite, to show where IT uses its power for good. Do you volunteer to use your skills for good? Does your organization itself do good and have IT systems to support those efforts? If so, tell me your tale at [email protected].
About the Author
Doug Barney is editor in chief of Redmond magazine and the VP, editorial director of Redmond Media Group.