Hearing the news that Google is taking another stab at social media with a new group-chatting app dubbed “Spaces” may feel like deja vu for anyone paying attention to the tech giant’s previous, mostly unsuccessful efforts to gain traction in the social media world with Google+. But Google isn’t the only big name in the tech world that’s tried and failed to popularize a new tech product, not by a long shot. [More]
vista
Court Dismisses Vista Downgrade Suit Against Microsoft
By 3.1.10
Upstart software company Microsoft managed to eke out a rare legal victory, as a U.S. District Court has thrown out a lawsuit alleging that Microsoft was forcing computer manufacturers to ship computers with their Vista operating system, compelling owners who want to use the earlier XP operating system to pay for the downgrade. [More]
5 Legal Ways To Get Windows 7 For Under $120
By 10.21.09
Windows 7, Microsoft’s big bucket of bugfixes, hits stores tomorrow. If you had enough foresight to take advantage of Microsoft’s public beta and pre-order discounts earlier this year, you may already have a cheap version of the new OS. If not, here are a few ways to pick up Windows 7 now, without having to hand over $120, the lowest official price for an upgrade.
Dell Support Tech Accidentally Gives Away Free Advice
By 8.25.09
Our reader humphrmi recently managed to avoid shelling out unnecessary bucks for paid technical support from Dell. His secret? Listening very carefully to the support rep, who inadvertently gave away the info he was trying to get humphrmi to pay for. Which is good, since that information was only one sentence long.
Windows 7 May Be Worth The Upgrade
By 8.20.09
If, like every other frustrated Windows customer in the past couple of years, you’ve been clinging desperately to your works-just-fine copy of XP while Vista scratches at the window like a ‘Salem’s Lot kid, you may be able to finally unclench this fall. That’s when Windows 7 comes out, and Wired offers
Kaplan GRE Test Prep Software Fails Windows Vista Exam
By 7.21.09
If I were still preparing to take the GRE, I would start by purchasing study guides from a company that seems to have a grasp of basic logic. That company would not be Kaplan. See, Kaplan assumes that none of their customers are using Windows Vista. You know, the latest commercial release of the world’s dominant home computer operating system. At least, that would explain why their practice test software doesn’t work on computers running Vista, and their tech support staff don’t seem terribly concerned.
Google To Launch Free PC Operating System Next Year
By 7.8.09
Tired of Windows, don’t like fine-tuning Ubuntu, can’t afford buying into the Apple ecosystem? Google has just announced they’re releasing an open source computer operating system called Chrome OS next year.
By 6.26.09
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Wondering about Windows 7? PC World has put together a FAQ that will bring you up to speed on all the pre-order deals, upgrade policies, and everything else you need to start plotting your escape from Vista. [PC World]
Texas Bans Vista For State Gov
By 4.1.09
The malignment of Windows Vista has reached a new height: A Texas lawmaker added a provision to the state budget that would effectively ban Vista from being purchased by any state government agency.
Microsoft "Vista Capable" Lawsuit Won't Be Class Action
By 2.23.09
Last week, a U.S. federal court judge denied class action status to the Microsoft “Vista Capable” lawsuit, on the grounds that “the plaintiffs could not demonstrate that their claims were common to the entire class of consumers who bought computers marked with the ‘Windows Vista Capable’ but without the ‘Premium Ready’ label.”
By 6.24.08
../..//2008/06/24/lifehacker-has-instructions-on-how/
You will need:
- An Xbox 360
- Windows Vista with Vista Media Center (it’s included by default in Vista Home Premium and Ultimate)
- A Netflix subscription
- The freeware vmcNetflix plug-in
Microsoft And The $1,632 Copy Of Vista
By 5.24.08
Microsoft charged Bill $1,632 for a single Windows Vista Ultimate upgrade license. Each time Bill, an IT Manager, tried to his enter his payment details through Windows Live Marketplace he was told that Microsoft could not be contacted, and to “please try again later.” What Microsoft really meant was, “Ha! Got your money! How ’bout some more?!”
Creative Backs Down, Reinstates Spurned Developer
By 4.5.08
Creative Labs heard your chest-beating across the internet and decided to reinstate spurned developer Daniel_K less than a week after booting him from their forums. Unlike Creative, Daniel_K issued drivers that allowed Creative sound cards to work properly under Vista, and even enabled previously crippled features. The drivers were downloaded over 100,000 times. The company thanked the developer by accusing him of “enabling our technology and IP to run on sound cards for which it was not originally offered or intended, [in] effect, stealing our goods.” Even though he has been reinstated, Daniel_K is still pissed.
Creative Sparks Customer Revolt When It Tries To Silence Third-Party Programmer
By 3.31.08
Creative’s executive team will be coming in to quite a mess Monday morning, thanks to its VP of Screw Ups, Phil O’Shaughnessy. Friday morning, he posted a warning on the Creative customer forums that told programmer Daniel_K to stop writing his own drivers for their X-Fi sound cards. The cards still won’t work on Vista over a year after the OS was released, because Creative hasn’t released drivers for them—but by Mr. O’Shaughnessy’s account, Daniel_K is “stealing” from Creative by making the cards work. Then the weekend happened.
Walmart Hated "Vista Home Basic" And Thought It Should Not Exist
By 3.5.08
Computerworld has posted some excerpts from internal Microsoft emails that seem to imply that Walmart was not happy with “Vista Home Basic.”
Even Microsoft Execs Hated On "Vista Capable" Labeling
By 2.11.08
Microsoft’s “Vista Capable” program was so misleading that even Microsoft executives complained about it according to emails revealed last week in court. The emails were read aloud at a hearing to determine class-action status for a related lawsuit against the company. One corporate vice president wrote, “”I PERSONALLY got burnt. … Are we seeing this from a lot of customers? … I now have a $2,100 e-mail machine.” The co-president of another division wrote, “We really botched this. … You guys have to do a better job with our customers.”
