Tag: windows

Windows Live Writer Review

Microsoft released a fresh and shiny WYSIWYG blogging tool today. It’s called Windows Live Writer. Microsoft needs to hire some new people to choose names for these new products. The name alone makes me not want to use it.

Now, the stupid name aside, the tool actually looks like it could be very useful. Paul Stamatiou has a very lengthy review, from installation to actually publishing a blog post.

Windows Live Writer is still in beta, so expect some issues if you’re going to be using it. Apparently it’ll play nicely with pretty much any blogging platform. Rather than me writing more, just go read Paul’s review.

Want more reviews? Head over to to Elliot Back’s blog or Pro Blogger.

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The PC De-Crapifier

This has got to be one of the most useful tools ever. It’s called the PC De-Crapifier. The tool was formerly called the Dell De-Crapifier, but recently had a name change.

So, what’s the PC De-Crapifier do?

The PC De-Crapifier is designed to remove a specific list unwanted software in an unattended fashion. Before running, the user may select exactly what software should be removed. Currently, it is targeted for use on most Dell machines; however it will theoretically run on anything that has the software listed below.


That’s just too awesome. Every time we get a new Dell machine here at work, I spend about an hour cleaning all the crap trial software out. This tool should greatly reduce the time needed to remove all the crapware.

[Via Chris Pirillo]

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Windows Kill Switch Coming?

Windows Genuine Advantage is Microsofts way of making sure you’re running a legal version of Windows. WGA is pretty easy to break, as demonstrated in this post at My Digital Life. WGA is currently optional but may be required in the coming months.

There are reports of Microsoft introducing a kill switch to WGA. The “kill switch” functions exactly as you would expect: if you don’t have WGA or your WGA authentication fails, Windows will stop functioning, totally.

He told me that “in the fall, having the latest WGA will become mandatory and if its not installed, Windows will give a 30 day warning and when the 30 days is up and WGA isn’t installed, Windows will stop working, so you might as well install WGA now.”

That’s pretty shitty of Microsoft to do. I think a whole lot of people are gonna be upset about this. Been contemplating switching to Linux? Now’s probably a great time to do that.

Really though, none of this matters, thanks to release groups like eth0 who release cracked versions of WGA hours after their official releases are out. The crackers will always be one up on Microsoft.

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No Windows Vista Rewrite

Some news place in Australia claimed an inside source at Microsoft told them 60% of the existing Windows Vista code would have to be rewritten. This news had the techie bloggers pretty excited today.

Up to 60% of the code in the new consumer version of Microsoft new Vista operating system is set to be rewritten as the Company “scrambles” to fix internal problems a Microsoft insider has confirmed to SHN.

Alec Saunders brings the obvious to light in his post. The “obvious” of course being the logistics of such a project.

What utter crap! 60% of Windows is millions and millions of lines of code. You can’t rewrite that much code, and ship in January. Maybe January 2009 if a 60% rewrite is needed, but not January 2007. Perhaps Microsoft is in denial, and Vista will never ship, or perhaps reporter Dave Richards is a tad too quick to jump on “the sky is falling” bandwagon.

There’s absolutely no way in hell they could ship Vista by Jan 2007 if they had to do 60% of the code again. They probably should do it though, just base it off Linux or BSD and they’d be good. heh.

Microsofts Robert Scoble says the 60% code rewrite claims are bogus. Thank you Robert, my mind is at ease.

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