Windows & Microsoft

Might Windows 8 or 9 actually have Linux under the hood?

They shouldn't be popping the champagne corks at Microsoft over the news that Windows 7 sales are skyrocketing. A well-known management consultant says that Windows 7's success could be the worst thing to happen to Microsoft, and turn the company in the General Motors of software.

Windows 7 first-week sales figures were much better than Vista's, says market researcher The NPD Group. They point to good supply-chain execution and canny discounting as success factors. In IT Blogwatch, bloggers look at worrying trends behind the numbers. Not to mention the latest excellent cover from Jack and Nataly...
(MSFT)

Installing Java in Windows XP makes many unnecessary changes to the operating system. I cover how to un-do some of them to keep the system as clean as possible.

It's not only long-time Linux true believers who say that Linux will eventually wipe out Windows. An former Microsoft employee of 11 years says that "proprietary software is eventually going to be doomed," and believes that Microsoft's future lies in releasing its own version of Linux.

The rumors were true: Microsoft confirms more layoffs. A futher 800 employees have been told their jobs are redundant. In IT Blogwatch, bloggers wonder who, why, and where. Not to mention laughable comping...
(MSFT)

Portable Windows applications lend themselves to being backed up. Just one reason of prefer them over normally installed applications.

Has Apple decided that among its top potential customers for switching to a Mac are Windows 7 pirates? Based on ads that Apple is buying on Google that might be the case --- search for "download Windows 7" and you'll see an Apple ad urging PC users to switch to the Mac. But search for "buy Windows 7" and you'll see no such ad.

The newest desktop Linux vs. the newest Windows -- and the winner is ...

Microsoft may find the Family Guy too off-color or off-center for sponsorship, but the company seems to have something of a double standard --- it's spent more than $1 million on ads for South Park, and it pays for ads on shows that feature drug dealing, violence, plenty of sex, and bathroom humor.

The surge of Windows 7 market share in October certainly sounds like good news for Microsoft. But Microsoft shouldn't celebrate so quickly, because there's evidence much of that gain has been driven by widespread piracy in Eastern Europe.

Google, being investigated by the FCC for whether its blocking of phone calls on Google Voice violates the law, has essentially told the agency that it should be let off the hook because it's cut back on the calls it blocks. That's like saying you're only a little bit pregnant.

In today's podcast: Microsoft-Yahoo deal delayed; Google music search; and Twitter phishing.

Mark Shuttleworth, founder and CEO of Canonical, which makes Ubuntu, the popular version of Linux, recently said that he is "delighted" with the release of Windows 7, calling it an "excellent release." But don't expect that to stop many of the Linux faithful from badmouthing Windows.

Now that Windows 7 and Snow Leopard are both out and Ubuntu 9.10 is all but out, it's time to revisit which one is the easiest to upgrade.