Microsoft Windows Vista Support

Common computer problems and Easy fixes

2010-01-14T10:15:00.001-08:00

If you have computer, then you have probably face these computer problems before. Once you purchase a computer, you must accept that sooner or later it will eventually crash due to a virus or some other massive error. If someone told you that your computer will last more than a decade, don’t believe it because it is just a myth or another sales pitch. But of course, you should take care of it if you want it to last for its third year without any defects. However, there are many people that would prefer to buy a new computer than spend some time trying to fix or figure out the problem with their laptop or desktop.
Usually you will need some kind of maintenance because your computer will tend to lose its original speed and performance. Well, here are some if the common problems that a computer user usually experience. Most of the time the biggest problem that your computer has is YOU – the owner or the user. There are many people that neglect the first signs of computer problems. You shouldn’t neglect those simple maintenance tasks that can enhance or prolong the life of your computer.
1. Computer speed or performance has slowed. There are several reasons why this happens to your computer. Lack of maintenance, fragmented data, corrupted registry, spyware, and unnecessary loading of computer programs and services can surely affect your PC speed and performance. Managing your programs and cleaning your registry can easily boost your computer’s performance speed up to 30%.
2. Computer system freezes and blue screens of death. You need to do some serious diagnostic procedures to effectively know the problem with your computer. Computer virus or spyware are maybe some of the reasons to your computer. Update your anti-spyware removal immediately to avoid this kind of problem and thoroughly scan your computer to see if it has any viruses or spywares. If you find that your computer is free from spyware then updating your hardware drive is the next step. Hardware drives makes it easier for your computer to effectively communicate with other hardware components. Without an updated driver the CPU locks up and may cause problems when you are using your computer. If that doesn’t work try to increase your Computer RAM to help avoid computer freezes. By increasing the RAM you get more use out your computer's computing power.
3. The computer keeps on rebooting again and again. This kind of problem is usually associated with hardware issue. Faulty power supply is usually the cause of this problem. Dirty or defective cooling fan is another reason why your computer is rebooting spontaneously. When your computer is trying to cool itself when the fan is defective it automatically switches off. Dust that accumulated in your computer can trap the heat inside which makes it hotter. What you should do is to clean the fan and make sure that it is running properly. Do not forget to check your power supply.
4. Noises and vibrations. This one is almost certainly that you have hardware issue. High pitched noises can be caused by electronic components. Whatever the reason, you conduct a small investigation. Unplug your computer and remove the case and run the computer to discover the origin of noise. If a loose wire or faulty fan is not the one that is making the noise then it may be time to call a computer tech to help you with your problem.
5. Your browser home page changed itself. It is known as "high-jacking" which is also caused by a Spyware installed on your system. The spyware in your computer installed a java script into your web browser that tells your browser to change settings hence changing the default home page of your browser. What you can do is to run an anti-virus or spyware program to remove the spyware from your computer. All of the problems stated in this article can be avoided easily by simply maintaining your computer.

Are you looking antivirus support to remove spyware embedded in PC?

2010-01-12T13:41:00.000-08:00

Are you looking antivirus support to remove spyware embedded in PC? The typical computer purchase usually comes with some form of installed antivirus software, but it is worth noting that these programs cannot deal with a wide variety of threats such as adware and spyware simply because they cannot detect and destroy them.

Antivirus support program is capable of detecting them while they run. However, you may also want to take note that different programs have different ways of scanning, with some scanning the system memory that the applications use while others scan the files directly to try to detect malware.

Another way Spyware generally costs the user a lot of time not only by slowing down the PC but also displaying many pop up advertisements that distract the user. Also, people tend to spend a lot of time looking for solutions to spyware removal problems online. There are many programs online that can help you scan your computer system for malware and viruses, but not many can permanently get rid of all the detected malicious software.

Some people want to try removing spyware on their PCs manually but usually do not end up with very good results. Some even end up deleting the wrong entries and damaging their computer permanently.

Are you looking for Spyware Remove?

Find Spyware & Adware Removal support on the market now at http://www.iyogi.ca/virus-removal-support/ first!

Computer install to get the desirous software

2010-01-05T23:24:00.000-08:00

In today’s computer world no software is the ultimate one. As developer are working deliberately to give the best to the users. Hence, computer install is an essential part, both for beginner and the experts.
For critical software install user can take the help of reputed organization who are offering remote support for installation purpose. But, you must be aware of some general installation procedure so that you don’t have to frequently call them up.
Let’s get acquittal with installation of some important software program on your computer.
Installation for Security software and web browsers
Users can make use of CD/DVD of the latest security software like Windows Defender, Spyware Doctor, No adware and so on. For browser you have plenty of options, you can go for Firefox, Opera, IE 8. If you have the internet connectivity you may go for online download from authentic sites. General steps can be followed as:
STEP 1. Download and save the startup program to a desired location.
STEP 2. Run the setup file and proceed on following the prompts.
STEP 3. Accept the agreement and enter the suitable key words.
STEP 4. Click on “Finish.” Restart your system.
Communication has been revised well with the latest email clients. Programs like email client can be installed internally from the web browser.IE 8 have been designed to automatically launch your default email client.
However, if you have the ambition to install a different email client on your computer, you can change your default client in the browser's Internet Options menu. Proceed as follow:
STEP 1. Explore the Internet Explorer.
STEP 2. Navigate on to the "Tools" menu and select "Internet Options."
STEP 3. Select the "Programs" tab.
STEP 4. Click the button "Set Programs." Select "Set Your Default Programs" from the window that appears.
STEP 5. Select your email client from the list of programs on the left side of the screen. Next, click "Choose defaults for this program."
STEP 6. Check the box next to "Mailto" and click "Save."
Hence, you have got your preferred email client installed on your computer. Hope, that the above computer install article would be useful for you.

IYogi Press Release: iYogi Acquires Clean Machine Inc.

2009-05-13T05:33:00.001-07:00

New York, NY, May 11th, 2009 : iYogi, a global direct to consumer and small business remote technical support provider, today announced it’s acquisition of Clean Machine Inc, a provider of remotely administered PC security and performance management services. Clean Machine will operate as a separate brand under the iYogi services umbrella along with the recently lunched Support Dock (www.supportdock.com) and its comprehensive range of 24/7 technical support services for computers, printers, MP3 players, digital camera, routers, servers and more than 100 software applications. Larry Gordon, Founder of Clean Machine is appointed as the President of Global Channel Sales for iYogi.

iYogi will integrate technology and innovation that Clean Machine Inc. has developed for delivering an enhanced service experience by proactively managing the health and security for PC's and Apple Computers. This acquisition also broadens iYogi's access to key markets through Clean Machine's existing partnerships. Larry Gordon's past experience and successful track record will accelerate iYogi's expansion through his focus on global alliances.

Commenting on the acquisition of Clean Machine Inc., Uday Challu, CEO & Co-founder of iYogi, said,

"This acquisition will help iYogi to enhance our customer experience and extend our market reach to the millions of consumers that are challenged by the increasingly complex technology environment. Clean Machine's proactive maintenance and management of PCs in home and small business environment will be our launch platform for building the next generation of managed services for consumers."

"We are delighted to have Larry spearheading partnerships and global alliances for iYogi. His incredible experience in marketing, sales and building global alliances will help forge partnerships with retailers, multiple service operators, software publishers, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and other such companies that are at the frontlines for managing tech support issues for consumers and small businesses",

added Challu.

With more than 20 years of experience, Larry Gordon has played a variety of strategic roles in marketing, sales and building alliances. Larry was the Executive Vice President at Capgemini and Kanbay. He was also VP of Global Marketing for Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH), a leader in global IT services and Director of Marketing for New York based Information Builders.

"I am excited to join a company that shares a common mission to Clean Machine in creating a global brand for delivering the best technical support to consumers and small businesses. We also share a common approach of utilizing highly skilled talent with leading edge tools, thereby delivering services at incredible price-points, with high margins for our partners",

said Larry Gordon, the newly appointed President of Global Channel Sales at iYogi.

ABOUT IYOGI

Headquartered in Gurgaon, India with offices in New York, USA, iYogi provides personalized computer support for consumers and small businesses in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. IYogi's 24/7 phone and remote technical assistance, spans across a comprehensive range of technologies we use every day from a wide range of vendors. Utilizing its proprietary technology iMantra , and highly qualified technicians, iYogi delivers amongst the highest benchmarks for resolution and customer satisfaction. iYogi is privately held and funded by SAP Ventures, Canaan Partners, and SVB India Capital Partners. iYogi was recently awarded the Red Herring Global 100 Award, recognizing it as one of the 100 most innovative private companies driving the future of technology. For more information on iYogi and a detailed list of technologies supported, visit: www.iyogi.ca.

ABOUT CLEAN MACHINE

Clean Machine Inc. is a NJ-based and incorporated company that helps consumers and small business owners easily manage and protect their computing environments safely and cost effectively. The company is has a unique, powerful and inexpensive PC concierge service. Specifically, each customer is assigned a highly-trained tech concierge who remotely examines their computer system on a scheduled and very secure basis. The PC concierge will immediately fix software-based problems and prevent new threats to the customer's computing environment including offensive pop-ups, browser redirects and slow performance, and then provides a detailed report. Clean Machine's proprietary Radar(TM) technology (Remote Access Detection Audit and Repair) allows its expert technicians to remotely resolve any problems, eliminating the need for customers to go through the frustrating process of speaking with a tech support expert, and still having to do the work themselves. In other words, the Clean Machine PC concierges do it all. For more information on Clean Machine please visit www.pccleanmachine.com.

CONTACT:

iYogi Contact
Vishal Dhar
President Marketing
iYogi Inc.
Phone: 212 229 0901
Email: vishal@iyogi.net

The Press Release is available at its source: iYogi acquires Clean Machine Inc.

The Windows.old folder

2008-11-26T01:33:00.000-08:00

Hi, Now i am going to describe Windows.old folder. When you install Windows Vista, the Windows.old folder is created. The Windows Vista installation program creates this folder to store the files from the Windows XP installation. To locate the Windows.old folder in Windows Vista, click Start Collapse this image Expand this Start button

type drive:\windows.old in the Start Search box, and then click Windows.old in the Programs list.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or click Continue.
The Windows.old folder contains the following folders from the Windows XP installation:

1. drive:\Windows.old\Windows
2. drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings
3. drive:\Windows.old\Program Files

The "Documents and Settings" folder Most programs store a user's personal files in the Documents and Settings" folder.

Generally, you do not find personal files in the Windows folder or in the Program Files folder.

The "Documents and Settings" folder contains one folder for each user who logged on to the computer in Windows XP. For example, the following folders appear in the "drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings" folder:

* drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\Administrator

If you did not use the Administrator account to log on to Windows XP, this folder may not contain any personal files.
* drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\All Users

If you used the Shared Files feature in Windows XP, the shared files are located in the All Users folder. For example, this folder contains recorded television shows on computers that are running Windows Media Center Edition 2005. Open the folders in the All Users folder to locate any files you may want to preserve. Then, copy these files to a new location that is outside the Windows.old folder structure.
* drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName

Most personal files are located in folders that are labeled for each user who logged on to the computer in Windows XP.

User folders
Most personal files are located in the following location:
drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName
This folder contains the following three folders:

* drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName\Cookies
* drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName\Start Menu
* drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName\UserData

Typically, these three folders do not contain important user data. The following three folders are also located in the "drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName" folder:

* drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName\Desktop
* drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName\Favorites
* drive:\Windows.old\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents

Typically, these three folders contain most of the important personal files from the Windows XP installation.

Why I Didn't Skip Microsoft Vista: Security

2008-11-21T04:53:00.000-08:00

After bad reports for microsoft windows vista , there is positive results are coming than vista is more good than xp , users are giving positive feed back , so little hope has come in microsoft for microsoft windows vista.

Microsoft's recent Security Intelligence Report shows that microsoft Windows Vista canada was more resistant to exploits than Windows XP in the first half of 2008.

In addition, veteran Microsoft blogger Ed Bott recently ran some numbers and concluded that Vista has a security edge over Windows XP.

Another security report, from last month, by Jeff Jones, Security Strategy Director in the Microsoft Security Technology Unit, cites that Windows Vista was affected by 50 percent fewer vulnerabilities than other desktop operating systems in the first half of 2008 and had 19 percent fewer vulnerabilities than Windows XP SP2 in the same time period.

Security reports from Microsoft touting its own operating system have been met with endless debate over the metrics used to crown Vista the most secure operating system.

Nevertheless, some IT professionals contacted for this article who have upgraded or are upgrading to Vista point to the OS's security as a major plus as compared to Windows XP.

(For the IT viewpoint from the other side, see our recent article "Why I'm Skipping Vista").

Vista Offers Better Search, Better Security

"The two features of Vista that are significantly better than Windows XP are security and search," says Scott Noles, Director of Technology and Education at Kinex Medical Center, a post-operation rehabilitation facility in Waukesha, Wis.

Kinex, an early adopter of Windows Vista, currently has it installed on 90 desktops, 22 laptops and is in the process of installing Vista on 170 tablet PCs.

Noles says the security features built into Vista's Windows Security Center, including the notorious UAC (User Account Control), have proved effective in protecting his users' desktops. "With Vista we can keep unwanted software and configurations out of our environment without needing third-party tools and with less effort than in previous versions of Windows."

A big part of Noles' job at Kinex Medical Center is making it easier to track and find patient data, and the search capabilities in Vista are more user-friendly and faster than those in XP, he says.

"Vista's ability to find files, applications and pieces of data whether it is in e-mail, network shares or on the local computers has allowed our employees to be more efficient."

Farther south, Jim Osteen, Assistant Director of IT for the City of Miami, is in the process of upgrading to Windows Vista. Currently, Osteen has Vista installed on 100 workstations, with a goal of 900 workstation installations by September, 2009.

Osteen agrees that Vista's search and security features exceed XP's, adding that he believes Microsoft's response times to new security threats in Vista are the best in the industry.

The City of Miami's switch to Vista coincides with its move from a mainframe environment to a Windows Server environment and also a move to a centralized storage infrastructure, he says. Vista's data backup features can do automatic incremental data replication much better than XP, Osteen says. "The replication model of XP was causing bottlenecks," he added.

Osteen expects to save $80,000 in power savings through the use of Vista's GPOs (group policy objects), which enable quick transitions between a computer's active and sleeping states. "Windows Vista has improved sleep mode; with XP, we were always turning computers on, wasting energy and money," he says.

Vista Not Perfect, But We Can't Wait Two Years

Noles and Osteen are not immune to the negative perceptions about Windows Vista. But both attribute most of the negativity to lack of education and testing by users.

With any operating system, Noles says, there are good items and bad items, and the key for businesses is to do complete testing to see if an OS is a good match.

"When we participated in the Vista beta program we tested the operating system in all areas of our business," Noles says. "We were not listening to the press, but testing to make up our own minds whether we wanted to move forward with it. From testing we determined that Vista would be effective in our environment."

Not that Vista has been perfect for either Noles or Osteen. Both have had driver compatibility problems and are disappointed in how long it has taken third-party vendors to release software and hardware that works effectively with Vista.

But Osteen notes that he has seen reliability and compatibility improvements since the release of Vista Service Pack 1 last February.

Source:http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/154250/why_i_didnt_skip_microsoft_vista_security.html#

Microsoft windows vista bizspark

2008-11-13T02:42:00.000-08:00

With an initiative called BizSpark, software giant Microsoft is making a new pitch for startups to run their business on Microsoft’s tools.

Microsoft is starting a new free new software package in which all things are included software support , maintaince and all othter things you have to give only $100 when you exit from the program. some experts are saying that microsoft is following the same path which google has adopted that is giving services for free , it may be that in future micrsoft my provide its windows software for free.

“Microsoft BizSpark helps software developers to to develop softwares because it removes many barriers in software development tools.

Microsoft has set some criteria for companies if companies meet those criteria , companies will get a free three-year license to Microsoft windows vista canada software and servers including Visual Studio, Windows Server and Microsoft SQL server, companies will also get technical support for all these softwares , actually microsoft is looking for venture companies.

Microsoft is providing support to startups can choose to build on many competing platforms, and as more and more startups are moving towards a cloud computing model, where Microsoft is playing catch up to companies like Amazon, Google and Rackspace.

Source: http://localtechwire.com/business/local_tech_wire/venture/story/3900821/

What does Microsoft have against Windows Vista

2008-11-03T02:17:00.000-08:00

Microsoft is going to release windows 7 the new operating system from software giant , it gave the name windows 7 , because it is the 7 operating system release from Microsoft.

In the meantime, the company has spent considerable time releasing ads to discuss Windows and PCs, but hasn't done enough to talk about the benefits of owning Vista. But every chance it gets, Microsoft tells the world why we should all wait and see what will happen with Windows 7.

"It's not minor because it's a lot more work than a minor release. It's a major release," Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said recently. "Windows 7 will be Vista, but a lot better."

Wow. Now I understand that microsoft windows vista canada has a vested interest in seeing Windows 7 become a success, but doesn't it want to see Windows Vista become a success too? Sure, Microsoft would say that Vista is already a success and it doesn't need to prove it to anyone. But let's face it: major PC vendors like Dell and HP realize their customers still want XP and have yet to adhere to Microsoft's call for every company to give up on XP. And the way I see it, none of the major vendors will do that.

So what does Microsoft really have against Vista? It may not be the kind of quality operating system it has in XP, but it's not that bad, right?

Microsoft is running from Vista and, to be quite honest, I just don't know why. Sure, it's a troublesome product that has annoyed more people than most previous iterations of Windows, but we can't forget that as soon as Microsoft released Service Pack 1, the OS was significantly improved.

But I think Microsoft is running from Vista for another reason: businesses and vendors aren't happy about it.

It's easy as consumers to say that we're the only people who matter in business decisions, but that's simply not true. Microsoft has a slew of stakeholders that it needs to make happy and that includes businesses and its hardware vendors like HP and Dell. In previous years, making Dell and HP happy was relatively easy: release a new OS and they will fall in line. But now that consumer demand for Vista isn't nearly as high as vendors would like and businesses are loath to deploy the operating systems in their operation, two of Microsoft's staunchest allies are turning their backs.

With that in mind, Ballmer and company are forced to run. Microsoft can only put so much pressure on vendors before it fails to have anymore pull. And as Dell and others continue to downgrade Vista to XP, it's becoming abundantly clear that the control Microsoft once had over its stakeholders is dwindling.

Microsoft has finally realized that it upset some people with Vista. And now, in an attempt to return to its former days of prominence, Microsoft is running as fast as it can to Windows 7.

It may make some sense from the standpoint of wanting to return to former glory, but I simply don't think Vista is so bad that it requires shunning. Call me crazy, but wasn't Vista once heralded as the next big thing in operating systems?

If Microsoft still believes that, it better start acting like it or the enterprise and vendors will wonder if it will act the same way with Windows 7

Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10079251-17.html

Hey, Microsoft: Keep Windows 7 simple

2008-10-16T03:29:00.000-07:00

When Microsoft announced that it will keep the Windows 7 moniker for Vista's follow-up, I was happy to hear it. After years of trying to be clever with names like XP or Vista (not to mention Longhorn), Microsoft has finally realized that keeping it simple is the best idea in the operating-system market.

And then, just as the company tried to lay the groundwork for simplicity, it blew up in its convoluted justification for naming Windows 7.

It starts out simple enough: the first Windows was Windows 1.0, the second, 2.0, and so on. But then Microsoft revealed that Windows 95 was Windows 4.0 and "Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, and Windows Millennium each shipped as 4.0.1998, 4.10.2222, and 4.90.3000, respectively."

Oh, and don't forget that Windows XP, although a major release, was actually Windows 5.1, since Windows 2000 was Windows 5.0. And thanks to Vista being dubbed Windows 6.0, we arrive at Windows 7.

Yuck!

Is it even possible for Microsoft to make sense anymore? Why couldn't the company have just said, "uh, we named it Windows 7 because, well, we wanted to"? Wouldn't that have been much simpler?

See, when Microsoft first told us that it wouldn't change Windows 7's name, I was happy. I figured that the company had finally seen the light, and for once, it would try to take complexity out of the equation and start bringing a culture of simplicity to Windows.

I'm starting to think that I was wrong.

The problems with Windows Vista canada go far beyond incompatibility. The real problems with Vista revolve around the complexity and downright absurdity of the operating system's bloated code. Some say Microsoft is a victim of its own success and that it has no other options, but I think that's ludicrous. There's no reason why Microsoft can't simplify the code and create a more robust operating system.

Granted, many of Vista's issues were fixed after SP1, but a slew of issues still remain. User Account Control is annoying (to say the least) and it's obvious every step of the way that Microsoft tried to do too much and address too many problems when it only really needs to do two things: eliminate the bloat, and develop a front end that doesn't try to copy Mac OS X but rather stays true to Windows.

What do I mean by that? Microsoft needs to stop believing that the operating-system business is a beauty pageant and start realizing that what most users want is a simple system that gives them access to what they want as quickly as possible, without exposing them to all the security issues currently plaguing Windows. Granted, many of those security issues are created by the users, but it doesn't matter; Microsoft can do more to protect them.

Maybe it's only a name, but Microsoft's decision to keep it simple made me hope for something more out of Windows 7. I thought that Microsoft was finally drawing a line in the sand by saying it won't simply put a fresh coat of paint on the same problems, but rather finally gut the operating system and make it far more appealing to users by making it easier to use.

When I use Mac OS X, I can't help but think that Apple did something right with Leopard. It didn't try to do too much, but it made all the applications I use readily available, and in the process, it reduced the number of headaches I experience when using Windows.

There's no secret formula to making a fantastic operating system, but I think there is a way to make one that's almost perfect. That operating system would be lightweight and secure. It would offer high usability and deliver an experience that isn't nearly as concerned about beauty as it is quality.

And if we look at Vista, Microsoft didn't do anything of the sort. Instead, it created an operating system that was too resource-intensive, had low usability, thanks to an odd menu structure and annoying pop-ups, and it coveted design over security.

source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10066739-17.html

Windows OS gets another reprieve

2008-10-13T02:35:00.000-07:00

Microsoft Corp. has thrown another lifeline to Windows XP users, extending by six months its cutoff date for stopping shipments of the seven-year-old operating system to PC vendors.

Hardware makers that offer "downgrades" from Windows Vista support or Vista Ultimate will now be able to get copies of XP Professional through the end of next July, Microsoft said. Previously, it had planned to halt XP shipments Jan. 31.

Microsoft stopped retail sales and regular licensing of XP on June 30. But it maintained the downgrade option, which lets PC vendors install XP Professional and give users copies of Vista for possible future use.

XP may be available long past next July if vendors stockpile it. "Downgrade rights do not expire," a Microsoft spokeswoman said.

source: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=327935

Two Free Tools for Optimizing Windows Vista

2008-09-29T22:41:00.000-07:00

While users and non-users alike do a fair amount of grumbling about Windows Vista, many of us use it. Those of us who do have also typically learned that customizing Vista is essential for everything from how the interface behaves to improving battery life on portable computers. In this post, I’ll cover a couple of free ways to exhaustively optimize Vista.

Tweakguides offers a couple of really exhaustive guides to optimizing both Vista and Windows XP. Dubbed Tweaking Companions, even if you’re already familiar with these guides, the Vista Tweaking Companion has been steadily updated since and is worth getting in its new version. There is also now a paid Deluxe Edition, which I haven’t yet tried, but the free version is very good.

The Vista Tweaking Companion walks you through categorized ways to optimize Vista. The tips include optimizing drivers, adding useful freeware to Windows Vista, shutting down unnecessary features, and more. In particular, Vista is a resource hog, and especially if you are using it on a portable computer with limited resources, getting rid of components you don’t need and use can give you much better performance and fewer headaches.

For a free software utility that allows you to choose Vista optimizations you want, look into Don’t let the name fool you. This is a very easy utility that lets you shut off parts of Vista that you don’t need and may be bogging you down, and more. You can use it to get rid of many of the more annoying scans and notifications that Vista does by default.

source: http://webworkerdaily.com/2008/09/29/two-free-tools-for-optimizing-windows-vista/

Truth in advertising: New Microsoft Windows ad about “nothing”

2008-09-09T04:31:00.000-07:00

Microsoft’s first commercial in a campaign intended to reinvigorate the public’s perception of its Windows operating system debuted Thursday night. In it comedian Jerry Seinfeld helps recently retired Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates pick out a pair of shoes at a discount shoe store in an ordinary mall.

Don’t you feel better about using Windows now?

Apparently a belated answer to Apple’s two-year “Get a Mac” campaign starring John Hodgman (PC) and Justin Long (Mac), the Seinfeld-Gates ad left many viewers scratching their heads.

Reaction from both the tech and ad worlds ranged from bewilderment to outright ridicule.

Unabashed, Microsoft claimed the campaign’s first ad achieved its goal. Bill Veghte, senior vice president of Microsoft's Windows and online services business, told the Wall Street Journal on Friday the ad is merely a "conversation starter, an ice breaker.”

Another Microsoft spokesman also spun the widespread negative reaction to the ad as part of the plan, telling the Journal its intent was to “drive buzz.”

Both promised more substantive ads in the future. No doubt future ads will be better; one almost couldn’t do any worse.

A press release even references the “classic Seinfeld sense of the word” nothing in describing the ad.

As a huge fan of Seinfeld’s TV show, I was shocked at how flat and unfunny Seinfeld was. And Gates, who has shown he can poke fun at himself successfully, looked too self-conscious.

There’s zero chemistry between the two men. That doesn’t bode well for subsequent installments.

Microsoft isn’t talking specifics about future ads in this campaign, but a press release it issued Thursday offered a mind-numbing overview:

“The new campaign will highlight how Windows has become an indispensible part of the lives of a billion people around the globe -- not only on PCs but also now online and via mobile devices. It will illustrate how Windows integrates consumer experiences across PCs, online and on mobile phones through Windows Vista, Windows Live and Windows Mobile. “

Did that whet your appetite for what future ads might bring? Try reading the entire release, which manages to inflate a few thin paragraphs of information into a three-page screed. It appears the operating system isn't the only thing at Microsoft that suffers from bloat. Must be company policy.

From the hints Microsoft is giving, future ads will give consumers few if any concrete reasons to prefer Windows. Each of Apple’s ads, on the other hand, portrays a specific reason why consumers should choose a Mac over a Windows PC. That’s why they’ve worked so well.

And that’s why Microsoft can’t get too specific. What sort of advantages could they talk about with Vista?

Despite six years of development, Vista brought few compelling new features. But its steep system requirements and early troubles with driver incompatibilities persuaded many Windows users to stick with XP.

This campaign shows Microsoft is looking over its shoulder, even though Apple’s share of the U.S. computer market is just in the 8 percent range. But that share grows every year, and shows no signs of slowing.

Microsoft’s history reveals it as the sort of company that takes all competition seriously, and hates to lose even a tiny portion of market share (remember its attacks on Linux a few years ago?)

Think about it: Even with Vista’s launch more than 18 months behind us, and the next version (tentatively Windows 7) at least two years away, Microsoft felt the need to blow $300 million on an ad campaign to shore up consumer confidence in an operating system that runs 95 percent of world’s PCs.

source: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/appleaday/blog/2008/09/truth_in_advertising_new_micro.html

The main problem with Windows Vista

2008-09-08T03:20:00.000-07:00

The New York Times published an article today about Windows Vista that included this: "The main problem with Vista, Microsoft said, was that given the delays, uncertainty and significant changes in the software, the rest of the industry was not ready when Vista finally arrived."

This is, of course, self-serving, companies rarely admit their mistakes. How convenient that the fault lies with the "rest of the industry".

In fact, Microsoft released Vista prematurely. One can only assume that there was pent-up pressure stemming from the delay in getting it out the door. But few Windows users care about the delay. What made an impression, to the non-techies of the world, were the initial problems people had using it.

In the quote above Microsoft was referring to the lack of hardware drivers. They have to shoulder some of the blame for this, both in terms of not working sufficiently with hardware vendors and for releasing Vista knowing full well that driver problems awaited early adopters. Then too, they signed off on calling under-powered computers "Vista capable".

On top of this, Vista wasn't fully baked when it was released. The huge number of articles that suggested waiting for the first service pack is a testament to that.

In fairness, the same can be said of Apple. Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) too, was far from fully baked when it was released. In this regard at least, Linux shines. There is no marketing department or sales department at Linux headquarters pushing the operating system out the door before the programmers say it's ready. In fact, there are no Linux headquarters at all.

Hassle Factor

The Times article goes on to say "By now, Microsoft insists that most of the frustrating technical problems with Vista .... have been resolved -- and many industry executives and analysts agree." Assuming, for arguments sake, that's true, the out-of-the-gate problems aren't the end of the story.

Vista has to be better than Windows XP. And the judgment of whether it's better or not varies with the audience. While techies may write blogs and articles, nerds are the minority, most Windows users are normal people with lives focused elsewhere. And for many normal people, Vista just ain't worth it.

For example, I can drive a car with an automatic transmission, but not a stick shift. Assuming, for arguments sake, that stick shifts offered an advantage (perhaps better mileage), I have to weigh the advantage against the cost and hassle of making the switch.

For many computer users Windows XP works just fine. It's familiar, it's what they know, it's not a problem waiting to be solved. Some can barely use Windows XP and may not have the ability to adapt to anything new. Technical change is fun and easy for techies, but the same change is hard and/or distracting for others. I deal with many non-techies with jobs in other fields who could care less about operating systems. Their computer is a tool to get their work done and any change is a nuisance. Perhaps one they don't have time for.

They keyboard on your computer uses a layout that was chosen for reasons that no longer apply. Yet, who knows how many better layouts have failed to take off because they couldn't overcome the hassle involved in changing. Once someone learns to type on an existing keyboard, the benefit has to be huge to switch to a new layout.

Against this background, Vista has to be better than Windows XP. Much better. Noticeably better.

I don't see it.

I don't see Vista offering sufficient benefit in the way of must-have features to make it worth the changeover hassle. On top of this, despite whatever strides Microsoft may cite, Windows XP will be more compatible with existing hardware and software for the immediate future. Thus, XP is still the right decision for many Windows users.

Businesses choose which version of Windows to use and most chose XP (see Intel and General Motors). Consumers, by and large, don't chose, they are force-fed Vista. That's a shame. In part it has led to the resurgent interest in Macs (along with the commercials of course) and may well lead to the rise of Linux on Netbook computers. We'll see.