HP wrapup, new Vista build (and travels with a gun)

Morning. It's IT Blogwatch, in which HP (mumble mumble snore) and Microsoft quietly releases another Vista build. Not to mention an unorthodox way to secure your checked baggage...

Fed up of reading about the HP board yet? Me too, so let's quickly wrap up the state of play:

It seems that HP moved deeper into damage-control mode over its probe of leaks ... as we hear CEO Mark Hurd will testify at a Congressional hearing about the tactics used ... and so perhaps the top executives could grab a stylebook and consider a change in occupation ... well Dunn resigned and who didn’t see this coming? ... but one could argue that when the corruption starts at the top, you have to clean house with a firehose ... although don't worry, 'cos Hurd is wearing his "Dad will make it all okay" glasses.

MEANWHILE, Microsoft has snuck out an interim Vista build, as Preston Gralla reports:

Microsoft said the new build speeds up the installation and upgrade procedures, so that when you install or upgrade, the process goes more quickly than it did in earlier builds. The release also includes bug fixes and other minor improvements to the "fit and finish" of the operating system, the company said.

The build, 5728, is the first public release of a new Vista version since the debut of Release Candidate 1 (RC1) on Sept. 1, which had a version number of 5600. Microsoft does not view this new build as a milestone or major revision and released it primarily to get feedback on the upgrade and installation experience. The new release also includes overall performance enhancements, improved stability and allows users to turn off the start-up music that normally plays when Windows Vista starts.

Ars's Ken Fisher points out that anyone can get it, but hurry:

The big caveat is this: the build is only available for a limited time, and will not be available via CD. Get it now if you want it, for it could be gone at any moment. While this build is more recent than RC1, Microsoft says that it has not been thoroughly tested, and may in fact be less stable on some systems. Furthermore, the new build will not necessarily be upgradeable to the final release of Windows Vista, and may not fully integrate with Windows Update in the interim. Full details, including the download link, can be found here ... As a so-called "fit and finish" release, it's looking good.

Julio Franco urges calm:

For those already running RC1 comfortably I wouldn't recommend upgrading until a more mature build is released. For the adventurous ones (like me I guess), you can expect fixes here and there plus some speed improvements, but like Microsoft said, this might not be the case for everyone.

Ryan was "Absolutely shocked":

I was pretty excited as you could imagine but I’m not sure if I want to go through the whole process of setting my computer up again after getting RC1 all perfect. Well, I say that now but I’m sure tomorrow you could contact me and I’ll be reformatting my computer! ... Even though Microsoft didn’t post a link to the 64-bit version they still placed it on the server. You can download it using this direct link.

Danny Kaey growls:

Sleep STILL doesn't work on my machine, even though it does so just fine on WinXP ... system boots up quicker now (compared to 5600) ... system shuts down a lot quicker now (compared to 5600) ... new icons are more visible ... change folder options STILL IN Win95 style ... overall inconsistencies w/ windows, bars, etc. still there, doubt they'll ever be fixed ... Vista just seems like such a half-assed project, it is absolutley astounding what blunder this is ... Vista could have been so much more.

Slashdotters discuss:

ergo98: Beta is the new Alpha and RC is the new Beta ... Wasn't there a time when "RC" literally meant release canadidate as in if this works we're burning this exact image on the retail CDs? Nowadays release candidates are really betas, and betas -- which are supposed to be feature complete, almost 100% apps that are only being tested for technical faults, are really alphas, with endless new feature additions and changes.

brassman: The explanation given is that they've frozen the API, and you are safe to develop against it. To the extent that is true, the "RC" designation would seem to be justified. (In other news, I have this bridge between Brooklyn and Manhattan, for sale cheap. Paypal accepted!)

tomhudson: Freezing the API does NOT mean its a release candidate in anyone's universe except Microsofts'. A release candidate should be what the term implies - something that is actually a candidate for release as the final product, not something that you throw over the wall and hope that it stinks a bit less than the previous attempts. That they're still beta testing should tell you something about how much their development culture continues to suck.

Buffer overflow:

Around the Net

• Richi Jennings: Now There Are Two Vendors of Identity-Based Encryption
• Rough Type: Concerns grow over online advertising
• Techdirt: Not Just Third World Nations Banning Skype; Universities Get On Board Too
• Geek News Central: Jason Calacanis says either fight or submit to Apple on Podcasting
• Ars: Online, ad-supported Microsoft Works may be coming

Around Computerworld

• Douglas Schweitzer: Getting flogged by logs
• Martin MC Brown: Power consumption worries
• Frank Hayes: Sorry, Mr. Hurd, but these weren't isolated instances
• Sound Off: Is HP going far enough in disciplining its own executives?
• David DeJean: Here's one IE bug you can neutralize with a little good old do-it-yourself
• Angela Gunn: ATM + Google = :-(
• Shark Tank: It's about time
• Martin McKeay: Use two-factor authentication, unless it's too hard
• Martin MC Brown: Patch management
• Douglas Schweitzer: Linux finally gaining ground... in Munich!

And finally... To secure your checked baggage, travel with a gun

Richi Jennings is an independent technology and marketing consultant, specializing in email, blogging, Linux, and computer security. A 20 year, cross-functional IT veteran, he is also an analyst at Ferris Research. Contact Richi at blogwatch@richi.co.uk.