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Windows Vista RC2, English 32-Bit Edition
Windows Vista RC2, English 64-Bit Edition
Archive Page 3
Windows Vista RC2 Available for Public Download
Published by October 8th, 2006 in Windows Vista, Windows and Microsoft. 0 Comments
Microsoft Acquires DesktopStandard
Published by October 4th, 2006 in Windows and Microsoft. 0 CommentsThis week it was announced that Microsoft has acquired the better part of DesktopStandard. You can read the press release about this here.
If you manage Group policies in an enterprise environment then you know how MAJOR this announcement is. Using Group Policies without a proper GPO management tool is a little like baking cookies without a pair of oven mitts, everything may seem to be going great but you are going to get burned, it’s certain it’s just a question of when.
With the tools from DesktopStandard, (formally know as AutoProf) Microsoft add best-in-breed (with the possible exception of the Quest tools) GPO management. Tools like GPOVault, ProfileMaker and PolicyMaker fill essential gaps in the group policy capabilities and lifecycle management.
As the FAQ points out, the DesktopStandard tools already integrate seamlessly into Microsoft’s GPO management consoles and tools.
It will be interesting to see the future of these products and how Microsoft offers them within it’s own product lineup. Anyway you slice it this is good news for Microsoft customers that rely on group policy management.
I have been invited to contribute to Windows Connected so look for postings on my blog over there as well.
It’s an opportunity to be part of a larger community and a bigger conversation so I looking forward to it.
I will be still posting frequent post to this site as well.
Lenovo is getting in on the smokin’ battery recall-a-thon:
IBM, Lenovo announce recall of 526,000 laptop batteries
Lenovo Recall information page:
Microsoft Releases New Vista Build 5728
Published by September 23rd, 2006 in Windows Vista, Windows and Microsoft. 0 CommentsMicrosoft has made and updated RC1 build available to the public. You can download build 5728 here:
Is Paul Thurrott right this time?
Published by September 22nd, 2006 in Windows Vista, Windows, Blogs and Microsoft. 0 CommentsI have just read Paul Thurrott’s article The Dark Side of Windows Vista RC1 and, although I don’t always agree with Paul’s assessments, I have to agree with him on many of the items that he raises here. I hope that some of these can be resolved by the release of Vista.
For balance, here’s Paul’s article on Five Great Features in Windows Vista RC1.
As usual, Paul’s comments are mostly focused on the consumer use of Windows, and not at business or enterprise concerns, which is kind-of ironic seeing as he is writing for a WindowsITPro site.
Not sure how long this has been up there, but I just discovered the really un-Microsoft community style site that the Windows Shell team has put up:
Very nice!
Watchen’ the Watcher: Mary Jo Foley leaves MicrosoftWatch
Published by September 21st, 2006 in Blogs and Microsoft. 0 CommentsWell known Microsoft columnist Mary Jo Foley has left Ziff Davis publication MicrosoftWatch for ZDNet. Longhorn Blogs has the exclusive interview
Visit Mary Jo’s new column, All about Microsoft here. Best of luck Mary Jo!
Microsoft has launched it’s new channel9 style on10 site. Check it out here:
ThinkPads have always set the standard for notebook computer design in the PC arena. All of the ThinkPads that I have worked with have been great machines with design that shows innovation and attention to 
detail (except for that missing Windows key).
I was amazed again when I cam across this post that showed that current ThinkPad models have been designed with a drain to drain away accidental spills.
If you have a new ThinkPad you can recognize the drain by the following symbol on the bottom:
I hope that Lenovo will continue to innovate in the ThinkPad line. There are too few innovators in the PC market.
Read the original post on the Lenovo Design matters blog here.
