Archive for September, 2008
Tips for running older applications in Vista
Some older applications have problems running in Windows Vista but Vista comes with some ways to run applications in an environment simulating older versions of Windows. This article discusses the various compatibility modes.
Introduction to 64-bit computing
It won’t be everybody’s cup of tea but, for the more technically minded, there is an article at Ars Technica with an informative little primer on 64-bit computing. Someday before too long, we will all be deciding whether to change from a 32-bit to a 64-bit operating system and it’s worth understanding what the possible [...]
More netbook links
As readers may have gathered, I think the rapid growth in usage of the small portable PCs called netbooks may be a very important trend. And judging by the number of posts that I see around the Web, others agree with this conclusion. Here’s some more links on the subject for your weekend reading:
4 new [...]
Free Stanford University engineering courses online
More and more universities are offering free courses online and Stanford University is now offering some free engineering courses. Although most readers are probably not interested in learning about Fourier transforms or convex optimization, this is a great offering from one of the world’s best engineering schools.
Via AppScout.
On Wall Street it’s GIGO all over again
As I watched our financial system crumble away and saw giant investment firms collapse one after the other, I was deeply puzzled, not to say concerned, at how this could happen to so many supposed financial whizzes. I could see that the regulatory agencies, the SEC, the Federal Reserve, the rating agencies, and Congress were [...]
Does Windows still matter?
That’s the intriguing title of an article in the New York Times by Joe Nocera. He writes:
But it seems to me that even without the browser-as-platform, Windows is already dying a death by a thousand cuts. Yes, Microsoft still makes billions by selling pre-installed Windows via computer manufacturers. But ever-so-gradually, the Internet is upending its [...]
Has Symantec finally gotten it right?
I have often written about how intrusive and heavy-handed Symantec’s Norton security software was. For example, I have seen too many systems that were slowed to a crawl by Norton anti-virus. For several years there have been promises that Symantec was going to improve things but opinions have been very mixed about how successful [...]
Trying to shine up Windows Vista
Microsoft is trying to do something about Vista’s somewhat tarnished reputation with a new advertising campaign. Personally, I would rather that Steve Ballmer put the $400 $300 million that is supposedly being spent on this campaign into making Windows better. But Ballmer began his career in advertising so we are getting TV commercials with the [...]
Microsoft information on phishing
Microsoft has updated its site giving information about phishing. For example, the page discusses how to recognize phishing scams. It’s basic stuff but it wouldn’t hurt to look at the site.
When tool tips are hidden behind the Taskbar
Tool tips are the little information windows that pop up when you place the mouse pointer over icons in the Taskbar. For example, place the mouse pointer on the time and a little window will also show the date. For whatever reason, Windows occasionally decides to place the information window behind the Taskbar where you [...]
Windows XP SP3 problems
By now many will have already installed Windows XP service pack 3 but if you haven’t, here’s a reminder that some systems have had problems. I’ve mentioned this before and Scott Dunn has a summary of the different issues that have been encountered. I have not personally had any problems with SP3 but certain kinds [...]
