Microsoft: May 2009

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT, HKEX: 4338) is an American-based multinational computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices. Headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA, its most profitable products are the Microsoft Windows operating system and the Microsoft Office suite of productivity software.

Originally founded to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800, Microsoft rose to dominate the home computer operating system market with MS-DOS in the mid-1980s, followed by the Windows line of operating systems. Its products have all achieved near-ubiquity in the desktop computer market. One commentator notes that Microsoft's original mission was "a computer on every desk and in every home, running Microsoft software."Microsoft possesses footholds in other markets, with assets such as the MSNBC cable television network, the MSN Internet portal, and the Microsoft Encarta multimedia encyclopedia. The company also markets both computer hardware products such as the Microsoft mouse as well as home entertainment products such as the Xbox, Xbox 360, Zune and MSN TV.[8] The company's initial public stock offering (IPO) was in 1986; the ensuing rise of the company's stock price has made four billionaires and an estimated 12,000 millionaires from Microsoft employees.

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Microsoft Window

Microsoft Windows is a series of software operating systems and graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces (GUIs).[1] Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal computer market, overtaking Mac OS, which had been introduced previously. At the 2004 IDC Directions conference, it was stated that Windows had approximately 90% of the client operating system market.[2] The most recent client version of Windows is Windows Vista; the most recent server version is Windows Server 2008. Vista's successor, Windows 7 (currently in public beta) is slated to be released between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010.

Windows 3.0 (1990) and Windows 3.1 (1992) improved the design, mostly because of virtual memory and loadable virtual device drivers (VxDs) which allowed them to share arbitrary devices between multitasked DOS windows.[citation needed] Also, Windows applications could now run in protected mode (when Windows was running in Standard or 386 Enhanced Mode), which gave them access to several megabytes of memory and removed the obligation to participate in the software virtual memory scheme. They still ran inside the same address space, where the segmented memory provided a degree of protection, and multi-tasked cooperatively. For Windows 3.0, Microsoft also rewrote critical operations from C into assembly, making this release faster and less memory-hungry than its predecessors.[citation needed] With the introduction of the Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Windows was able to bypass DOS for file management operations using 32-bit file access.

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Windows XP

Windows XP is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, notebook computers, and media centers. The name "XP" is short for "experience". Windows XP is the successor to both Windows 2000 Professional and Windows Me, and is the first consumer-oriented operating system produced by Microsoft to be built on the Windows NT kernel and architecture. Windows XP was first released on 25 October 2001, and over 400 million copies were in use in January 2006, according to an estimate in that month by an IDC analyst. It was succeeded by Windows Vista, which was released to volume license customers on 8 November 2006, and worldwide to the general public on 30 January 2007. Direct OEM and retail sales of Windows XP ceased on 30 June 2008, although it is still possible to obtain Windows XP from System Builders (smaller OEMs who sell assembled computers) until 31 July 2009 or by purchasing Windows Vista Ultimate or Business and then downgrading to Windows XP.

The most common editions of the operating system are Windows XP Home Edition, which is targeted at home users, and Windows XP Professional, which offers additional features such as support for Windows Server domains and two physical processors, and is targeted at power users, business and enterprise clients. Windows XP Media Center Edition has additional multimedia features enhancing the ability to record and watch TV shows, view

DVD movies, and listen to music. Windows XP Tablet PC Edition is designed to run stylus applications built using the Tablet PC platform. Windows XP was eventually released for two additional architectures, Windows XP 64-bit Edition for IA-64 (Itanium) processors and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition for x86-64. There is also Windows XP Embedded, a componentized version of the Windows XP Professional, and editions for specific markets such as Windows XP Starter Edition.

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Microsoft WORD

Microsoft Word is Microsoft's word processing software. It was first released in 1983 under the name Multi-Tool Word for Xenix systems. ersions were later written for several other platforms including IBM PCs running DOS (1983), the Apple Macintosh (1984), SCO UNIX, OS/2 and Microsoft Windows (1989). It is a component of the Microsoft Office system; however, it is also sold as a standalone product and included in Microsoft Works Suite. Beginning with the 2003 version, the branding was revised to emphasize Word's identity as a component within the Office suite; Microsoft began calling it Microsoft Office Word instead of merely Microsoft Word. The latest releases are Word 2007 for Windows and Word 2008 for Mac OS X.

Like other Microsoft Office documents, Word files can include advanced macros and even embedded programs. The language was originally WordBasic, but changed to Visual Basic for Applications as of Word 97.

This extensive functionality can also be used to run and propagate viruses in documents. The tendency for people to exchange Word documents via email, USB key, and floppy makes this an especially attractive vector. A prominent example is the Melissa worm, but countless others have existed in the wild. Some anti-virus software can detect and clean common macro viruses, and firewalls may prevent worms from transmitting themselves to other systems.

These Macro viruses are the only known cross-platform threats between Windows and Macintosh computers and they were the only infection vectors to affect any Mac OS X system up until the advent of video codec trojans in 2007. Microsoft's released patches for Word X and Word 2004 effectively eliminated the Macro problem on the Mac by 2006.

Word's macro security setting, which regulates when macros may execute, can be adjusted by the user, but in the most recent versions of Word, is set to HIGH by default, generally reducing the risk from macro-based viruses, which have become uncommon.

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Microsoft Anti-Virus

Microsoft Anti-Virus (MSAV) was an antivirus program introduced by Microsoft for its MS-DOS operating system. The program first appeared in MS-DOS version 6.0 and last appeared in version 6.22. The first version of the antivirus program was quite rudimentary, had no update facility (though a single update became available), and could only scan for about 1,000 viruses. Microsoft Anti-Virus for Windows (MWAV), included as part of the package, could be run under Windows 3.x.

Both the MS-DOS and Windows versions of the latest product had common features; the "Detect and Clean" strategy of Microsoft Anti-Virus could scan for and detect 1,234 distinct viruses. Other features included the detection of boot sector and trojan horse-type viruses which was the typical virus problem at the time.

The program also had an anti-stealth and checksum feature that could be used to detect any changes in normal files. This technology was intended to make up for the unavailability of regular update packages. Only one virus update was introduced since the original releases bringing the total protection to 2,371 viruses in 1996.

Microsoft Server 2008

Windows Server 2008 is the most recent release of Microsoft Windows' server line of operating systems. Released to manufacturing on 4 February 2008 and officially released on 27 February 2008, it is the successor to Windows Server 2003, released nearly five years earlier. Like Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 is built on the Windows NT 6.0 kernel. A second release, named Windows Server 2008 R2, is currently under development and has been released in a Release Candidate version.

Originally known as Windows Server Codename "Longhorn", Microsoft chairman Bill Gates announced its official title (Windows Server 2008) during his keynote address at WinHEC 16 May 2007.[1]

Beta 1 was released on 27 July 2005, Beta 2 was announced and released on 23 May 2006 at WinHEC 2006 and Beta 3 was released publicly on 25 April 2007.[2] Release Candidate 0 was released to the general public on 24 September 2007[3] and Release Candidate 1 was released to the general public on 5 December 2007. Windows Server 2008 was released to manufacturing on 4 February 2008 and officially launched on 27 February 2008.

Microsoft's Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft, and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles.

A prominent feature of the Xbox 360 is its integrated Xbox Live service that allows players to compete online and download content such as arcade games, game demos, trailers, TV shows, and movies. Major features of the console include its Windows Media Center multimedia capabilities, mandatory support of high definition in all games, movie rentals and game downloads from its online marketplace and the ability to watch HD DVD movies with an add-on drive.

The Xbox 360 was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detailed launch and game information divulged later that month at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). The console sold out completely upon release in all regions except in Japan, and, as of January 5, 2009, 28 million units have been sold worldwide, according to Microsoft.[1] The Xbox 360 is currently available in three configurations: the "Arcade," the "Pro," and the "Elite" console, each with its own selection of accessories.

Special editions

On a few occasions, Microsoft has produced special editions of the console, usually to coincide with the release of a major product. These special editions are typically custom-colored Xbox 360 models, and are produced in limited numbers.

At the E3 2007 press conference, Microsoft announced the Halo 3 Special Edition console, released September 16, 2007. It sports a Halo 3 theme on the console, wired headset, wireless controller, and play and charge kit. Other than the unique "Spartan green and gold" color scheme, exclusive dashboard theme and downloads, and an HDMI port, its features were identical to those of the Xbox 360 system at the time. It is priced at US$399.99 and £279.99 (the original price of the Xbox 360).

To promote The Simpsons Movie, Microsoft created a specially designed, yellow Xbox 360 console.The configuration was based on the Xbox 360 package of the time, the only difference being the color scheme of the Xbox 360 console and wireless controller. The consoles were to be given out to winners of drawings taking place between July 18, 2007 and July 27, 2007, in which a name was randomly drawn each day in the "10 Days and 10 Chances to Win" sweepstakes.Ten consoles were produced in total.^[35]

A Resident Evil 5 bundle containing a red Xbox 360 Elite console was released on March 13, 2009.The bundle also contains a red, wireless controller and a black, wired headset.

Holiday bundles

As with the original Xbox, Microsoft has continued bundling two video game titles in console retail packaging during the holiday season. In Holiday 2007, Xbox 360 and Xbox 360 Elite packages were bundled with Forza Motorsport 2 and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. Forza 2 was bundled with Viva Pinata in the UK.Holiday 2008 Xbox 360 and Xbox 360 Elite packages are bundled with Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures and Kung Fu Panda, while Arcade consoles are bundled with Sega Superstars Tennis.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 8

Windows Internet Explorer 8 (abbreviated IE8) is the latest web browser developed by Microsoft in the long running Internet Explorer browser series. The browser was released on March 19, 2009 for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. Both 32-bit and 64-bit builds are available. It is the successor to Internet Explorer 7, released in 2006, and is the default browser for the upcoming Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems.

According to Microsoft, security, ease of use, and improvements in RSS, Cascading Style Sheets, and Ajax support were its priorities for Internet Explorer 8.

This feature is described by Microsoft as a tool to suggest websites, which is done by the browser sending information to Microsoft over a secure connection, which keeps the information and a per-session, uniquely-generated identifier for a short time. The Suggested Sites feature is turned off by default, and is disabled when the user is browsing with InPrivate enabled or visiting SSL-secured, intranet, IP address, or IDN address sites. Potentially personally-identifiable information such as the user's IP address and browser information is sent to Microsoft as an artifact of the HTTPS protocol. Microsoft has stated that they do not store this information.

The functionality was defended by Microsoft after itworld.com's Gregg Keizer described it as a "phone home" feature.

Microsoft extends XP Home 2 years? for budget laptops only

Windows XP Home Edition has been given a two-year reprieve by Microsoft. Previously scheduled to be pulled from shelves less than three months from now, XP Home will be available to OEMs building what Microsoft calls ultra-low-cost PCs at least through June 2010, and possibly later. XP may remain available for a full year after the next version of Windows is released.

Microsoft says that the decision to change XP's expiration date is due to "incredibly strong demand" on devices such as the Asus Eee PC, Intel Classmate PC, and the OLPC. The company has also posted design guidelines for manufacturers looking to build low-cost laptops capable of running Windows XP.

Original story
What do you do if your flagship operating system isn't designed to run well on a popular new class of hardware? It's a problem currently faced by Microsoft. Budget laptops like the Asus Eee PC with minimal amounts of RAM, relatively slow CPUs, and solid state storage have proven popular, and Vista wasn't designed to operate well within such hardware confines. In response, Microsoft is reportedly planning to extend the availability of Windows XP for the budget laptop category.

Originally, XP was scheduled to shuffle off this mortal coil this past January 30, but Microsoft relented last fall due to pressure from customers and resellers. Windows XP is now facing a June 30 end, which is the day Microsoft will stop selling the OS to most manufacturers and system builders. Small resellers who build PCs to order will still be able to obtain copies of XP through January 2009, which is just a few months before XP exits the mainstream support phase. Windows XP Started Edition will be available through June 2010.

According to a report from InfoWorld, Microsoft is expected to make XP's stay of execution for budget laptops official later this week. A version of the Asus Eee PC with Windows XP is due to hit the market later this month, and early indications are that it will run XP just fine.

There has been a lot of resistance to Windows XP's imminent demise, with InfoWorld circulating a petition in an attempt to convince Microsoft to relent. XP is by far the OS with the largest installed base in the world; users and administrators alike are comfortable with it and some would love to continue using it indefinitely.

Microsoft has declined to comment on the story, telling Ars that it "does not comment on rumors." That said, the success of the Asus Eee PC and widespread interest in other

low-cost laptops like the OLPC and Intel's Classmate PC really leaves the software giant with little choice if it wants to play in that space. Vista is just too resource-hungry for laptops with limited storage space, relatively minute amounts of RAM, and slow CPUs. Extending the availability of Windows XP for the budget laptop category is currently the company's best alternative to ceding this market to Linux.

How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack

To install Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), either Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a) or Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) must already be installed.

If you have to install Windows XP Service Pack 1a or Windows XP Service Pack 2, go to the "Windows XP Service Pack 1a" section or the "Windows XP Service Pack 2" section in this article.

Important These service packs apply only to 32-bit versions of Windows XP. For more information about service packs for Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

889100 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/889100/ ) How to obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003

To determine which service pack is currently installed on your computer, follow these steps:

Click Start, and then click Run.
Copy and paste, or type the following command and then click OK:
winver
A dialog box displays the version of Windows and the service pack that is currently installed on your computer.
Note If you still are not sure which service pack that you have, you might want to ask someone for help, or you might want to contact Support http://support.microsoft.com/ (http://support.microsoft.com/) .

How to obtain Windows Service Pack 3

There are three ways to obtain the latest service pack:

You can turn on Automatic Updates so that your computer downloads the latest service pack automatically.
You can download the service pack manually online.
You can order the service pack on a CD.

Turn on Automatic Updates

The best way to obtain Windows XP SP3 is to turn on the Automatic Updates feature in Windows XP. To turn on the Automatic Updates feature, follow these steps:

Click Start, and then click Run.
Copy and paste, or type the following command, and then press ENTER:
sysdm.cpl
Click the Automatic Updates tab, and then click to select one of the three options. We recommend that you select the Automatic (recommended) option, and then choose the time that you want under Automatically download recommended updates for my computer and install them.
Click OK.

Download the latest Windows XP service pack from the Microsoft Download Center

If you have problems obtaining the service pack from Windows Update, you can download the stand-alone update package from the Download Center. This page will say that this installation package is intended for IT professionals and developers. However, you can safely download this file. The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:
Collapse this imageExpand this image

Download the Windows XP Service Pack 3 package now. (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=5B33B5A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4)

For more information about how to download Microsoft support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/119591/ ) How to obtain Microsoft support files from online services

Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

Order Windows XP Service Pack 3 on a CD

To order Windows XP SP3 on a CD, visit one of the following Microsoft Web sites, as appropriate for your region:

Asia

https://om2.one.microsoft.com/opa/start.om?StoreID=D7A098F4-4034-4CCB-A785-9E890E6B4F5B&LocaleCode=en-us&NewTrans=1 (https://om2.one.microsoft.com/opa/start.om?StoreID=D7A098F4-4034-4CCB-A785-9E890E6B4F5B&LocaleCode=en-us&NewTrans=1)

Europe and Africa

https://om2.one.microsoft.com/opa/start.om?StoreID=7B7AA929-BD0A-487A-BC7E-DF7631FEE660&LocaleCode=en-us&NewTrans=1 (https://om2.one.microsoft.com/opa/start.om?StoreID=7B7AA929-BD0A-487A-BC7E-DF7631FEE660&LocaleCode=en-us&NewTrans=1)

North America

https://om2.one.microsoft.com/opa/start.om?StoreID=CE6E3AFC-6B25-4F99-8913-3E3453AD966D&LocaleCode=en-us&NewTrans=1 (https://om2.one.microsoft.com/opa/start.om?StoreID=CE6E3AFC-6B25-4F99-8913-3E3453AD966D&LocaleCode=en-us&NewTrans=1)

South America

https://om2.one.microsoft.com/opa/start.om?StoreID=2CE39C54-6B20-417F-B9C0-9F513FA18153&LocaleCode=en-us&NewTrans=1

Additional resources

For more information about what is fixed in Windows XP Service Pack 3, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

946480 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946480/ ) List of fixes that are included in Windows XP Service Pack 3

For more information about issues with Windows XP Service Pack 3, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

936929 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936929/ ) Information about Windows XP Service Pack 3

For information that can help you successfully download and install Windows XP SP3 on a single computer, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/bb794714.aspx

Microsoft Word information sources

August 2007 note: This page is out of date, and I no longer use Microsoft Word; last year I switched entirely to OpenOffice.org.

I’ve used Microsoft Word for years, going back to Word 3 or 4 on DOS, but up until about 1997, I had no idea that I needed to get patches and upgrades (and certainly not how or where to get them), or where to get help (other than phoning Microsoft’s help desk, often an excercise in frustration). Then I discovered some of the resources listed below. If you’re not already aware of them, I hope this list will help you too. If you have a great Word resource to add to this list, please let me know!

Word for Windows

MVP Word site includes tutorials and an FAQ by people associated with Microsoft’s Most Valuable Professional program. Very good explanations of complicated topics like templates, list numbering, and more. http://www.mvps.org/word/

Woody’s Office Watch, a free weekly e-mailed newsletter from Woody Leonhard. I find it valuable mainly for the notices of patches that can be downloaded or ordered from Microsoft (and descriptions of why I need them), plus instructions on how to get them. He also has a lot of discussion about how to use various features of Word (or how to get around them). To subscribe, send a message to wow@woodyswatch.com or check this web page http://www.woodyswatch.com/office/index.asp.

Woody’s Office for Mere Mortals is more oriented towards beginner and intermediate users of Word. http://www.woodyswatch.com/wowmm/index.asp.

Woody’s Lounge is a great place to ask questions or just read the messages to learn a lot about using Word. Look for the link to the Lounge from http://www.woodyswatch.com/.

WordTips, another free weekly e-mailed newsletter. See http://wordtips.vitalnews.com/.

Editorium Update http://www.editorium.com/.

To subscribe, send a blank e-mail to: editorium-subscribe@topica.com.

Word-PC discussion list. Send a blank e-mail to word-pc-subscribe-request@liverpool.ac.uk. Archives are at http://listserv.liv.ac.uk/archives/word-pc.html.

The Electric Editors have lots of useful resources on a variety of relevant topics, including a collection of macros for Microsoft Word and links to a huge selection of Word resources, and three mailing lists. http://www.electriceditors.net/

Word for Macintosh

Word-Mac discussion list. Send a one-line message to Listproc@scu.edu.au in this form:
subscribe word-mac Your First and Last Names

McEdit discussion list for editors who work on Macintosh to discuss matters relating to editing that are of limited interest to lists such as Copyediting-L because they are specific to the Mac. To subscribe, send a blank e-mail message to McEdit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

System Requirements For Microsft WORD

Microsoft Word 2000 System Requirements for Windows

- PC with a Pentium 75 megahertz (MHz) or higher processor
- Microsoft Windows® 95 or later operating system, or Microsoft Windows NT® Workstation operating system version 4.0 Service Pack 3 or later
- For Windows 95 or Windows 98:
16 megabytes (MB) of RAM for the operating system, plus an additional 4 MB of RAM for Word
- For Windows NT Workstation:
32 MB of RAM for the operating system, plus an additional 4 MB of RAM for Word
- 147 MB of available hard-disk space (Number indicates typical installation; your hard-disk usage will vary depending on configuration. Choices made during custom installation may require more or less hard-disk space.)
- CD-ROM drive
- VGA- or higher-resolution monitor; Super VGA recommended
- Microsoft Mouse, Microsoft IntelliMouse®, or compatible pointing device

Microsoft Office 2001 for Mac System Requirements

- Any PowerPC processor-based, Mac OS-compatible system (clock speed of at least 120 MHz recommended)
- 32MB of RAM with at least 1MB of Virtual Memory for systems prior to 9.0; 48MB of RAM with at least 1MB of Virtual Memory for systems 9.0 and later
- Approximately 160MB of hard-disk space for a Drag Install; 75MB for a minimum custom install
- CD-ROM drive (or connection to a Local Area Network if installing over network)
- Monitor or display supporting 256 grays or 256 colors, with 640x480 or higher resolution
- Apple Mac OS System 8.1 or later (System 8.5 or later recommended)

FAQs about Microsoft Word

Q: What is a Microsoft Word eBook?
A: An eBook in .doc format that can be read in Microsoft Word.

Q: What is the benefit of using a Microsoft Word eBook?
A: For many people who are unfamiliar with eBooks, our Microsoft Word eBooks provide e-reading in a familiar setting - Microsoft Word. As long as you have Microsoft Word installed on your computer, you'll need no additional software. You can change the font size just like you would in any other Word document, and you can also print your eBook just like you would any other Word document.

Q: Do all publishers offer their eBooks in Microsoft Word format?
A: No. Actually, most publishers do not offer their eBooks in Microsoft Word format because Microsoft Word eBooks are not "secure" eBooks, like Microsoft Reader or Adobe Reader. Customers are allowed to transfer their Microsoft Word eBooks to additional computers with no restrictions.

Q: Can I print Microsoft Word eBooks?
A: Yes.

Q: I can't get my Microsoft Word eBook to open. My computer is telling me that it's not a recognized file type.
A: You need to have the Microsoft Word software installed on your computer in order to read Microsoft Word eBooks. If you don't have Microsoft Word, you won't be able to open Microsoft Word files.

Q: How do I change the font size of all the text at once?
A: Go to Edit > Select All, or hold down Ctrl + A on your keyboard. While all the text is highlighted, click the down arrow next to the font size and select the size you'd like.

Q: I have Word Perfect, not Microsoft Word. Can I still read Microsoft Word eBooks?
A: No, you must have Microsoft Word installed in order to read Microsoft Word eBooks. You might want to consider purchasing our Plain Text eBooks instead, or any other format.

Q: I have an older version of Microsoft Word (Word 95, Word 97). Can I read your Microsoft Word eBooks?
A: Yes.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) Preview

Internet Explorer 8 has almost arrived, and just in time for the Microsoft Corporation which faces serious competition from the likes of Mozilla Firefox and the Opera browser. The software giant recently presented the first Internet Explorer 8 release candidate for public download, two years after Internet Explorer 7 hit the web and just in time for the upcoming Windows 7 operating system.

Since Internet Explorer 8 is still a release candidate, and not a final product, it hasn't yet been included on Windows Update. If you wish to try it out now, you must head over to Microsoft's Internet Explorer download page to grab the release candidate and install the 16.6MB executable. PCSTATS loaded up the IE8 browser on a fairly mainstream computer running Windows XP Professional, Service Pack 2.

Browsers aren't particularly hardware intensive, but in case you're wondering the test system had a Celeron 2.4GHz CPU and 1GB of RAM. The minimum requirements for Internet Explorer 8 are a 233MHz Pentium processor, at least 64MB of RAM and Windows XP (Service Pack 2) or higher. Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Internet Explorer 8 are available.

Installation went without a hitch, taking a few minutes to unpack and integrate the new browser into Windows XP. During the installation process Internet Explorer 8 will completely replace any previous versions of Internet Explorer installed on the computer, so it's not possible to run two different versions of the software at the same time.

It can be uninstalled afterwards by going to the Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs.

When the browser is launched for the first time it will detect and import your bookmarks and favorites from the previous version of Internet Explorer. You will be asked a few questions during the installation step as it configures the handful of new, mostly privacy and security filtering features.

What's new in Internet Explorer 8?

Microsoft claims that Internet Explorer 8 has a faster rendering engine, better support and stability, and enhanced security. We'll be verifying some of those claims in just a minute, but first lets take a look at the three new things IE8 introduces; Accelerators, Web Slices and InPrivate Mode

Web Slices is a major feature of the new Internet Explorer 8 browser, and what this does is provide constant updates on selected web pages or other web-based information, similar to an RSS feed.

Web Search Tips for Internet Explorer 8

Internet Explorer 8 has many useful features that improve the way you search and browse the web. If you like to search from the address bar, you can now get suggestions from the default search engine if you prefix your query with "? ". IE8 also shows previously visited pages that match the text you typed, but it only searches titles and URLs.

One of my favorite features is that the new version of Internet Explorer knows when you're using a search engine directly, without typing the query in IE's search box. The browser detects the query and displays in the built-in search box so you can easily find results using a different search engine.

Another interesting integration lets you find the matches of your query in a search result. After clicking on the result, go to the browser's search box and click on "Find" to see the exact matches and navigate to them.

If you open search results in separate tabs, IE uses distinct colors to visually group the related tabs. Right-clicking on a tab you'll find the option to ungroup the tab and to close the entire group.

Some of the search provides that are available in IE's add-on gallery offer enhanced suggestions. For example, Wikipedia lets you navigate directly to one of its pages, Yahoo and Live Search show instant answers for weather, while Amazon includes product images.

All of the search engines are accessible from the contextual menu so you can search for a text you select. They're added to the list of accelerators, which can include any web service that provides useful information about the selected text or the web page you visit: mapping addresses, translating text or bookmarking the page.

Unlike other browsers, Internet Explorer 8 encourages users to use multiple search engines and makes it easy to switch between them. Sometimes you can even obtain instant answers while you type a query or when you select an accelerator that supports previews.

Information on Microsoft Anti-Virus Software

Antivirus software is software that is specifically designed to detect and prevent viruses. We recommend that you use antivirus software on your computer. This article contains a list of independent antivirus software vendors.

For additional antivirus resources and lists of antivirus products that are designed to work with various Microsoft products, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal

AhnLab, Inc.

V3
ACS

For more information about V3 and ACS, visit the following AhnLab, Inc. Web site:

http://global.ahnlab.com/ (http://global.ahnlab.com/)

Aladdin Knowledge Systems

eSafe

For more information about eSafe, visit the following Aladdin Knowledge Systems Web site:

http://www.aladdin.com/esafe/default.aspx

ALWIL Software

avast!

For more information about avast!, visit the following ALWIL Software Web site:

http://www.avast.com/ (http://www.avast.com/)

Authentium, Inc.

Command Antivirus(tm) for Windows

For more information about Command Antivirus(tm) for Windows, visit the following Authentium, Inc. Web site:

http://www.authentium.com/

Avira

Avira AntiVir

For more information about Avira AntiVir, visit the following Avira Web site:

http://www.avira.com/

Computer Associates International, Inc.

eTrust Antivirus

For more information about eTrust Antivirus, visit the following Computer Associates International, Inc. Web site:

http://www.ca-store.co.uk/virus/antivirus_plus.aspx?sc_lang=en-GB (http://www.ca-store.co.uk/virus/antivirus_plus.aspx?sc_lang=en-GB)

Doctor Web, Ltd.

Dr. Web

For more information about Dr. Web, visit the following Web site:

http://www.drweb.com/ (http://www.drweb.com/)

Eset

NOD32

For more information about NOD32, visit the following Eset Web site:

http://www.eset.com/index.php

FRISK Software International

F-Prot Antivirus

For more information about F-Prot Antivirus, visit the following FRISK Software International Web site:

http://www.f-prot.com/products/microsoft

F-Secure Corp.

F-Secure Anti-Virus

For more information about F-Secure Anti-Virus, visit the following F-Secure Corp. Web site:

http://www.f-secure.com/

GFI Software Ltd

GFI MailSecurity for Microsoft Exchange/SMTP
GFI WebMonitor for ISA Server

For more information, visit the following GFI Software Ltd Web site:

http://www.gfi.com/microsoft

McAfee, Inc.

For more information, visit the following McAfee, Inc. Web site:

http://www.mcafeeb2b.com/

Panda Software

Panda Titanium Antivirus

For more information about Panda Titanium Antivirus, visit the following Panda Software Web site:

http://www.pandasecurity.com/promotions/microsoft/

Sybari Software, Inc.

Antigen

For more information about Antigen, visit the following Sybari Software, Inc. Web site:

http://www.sybari.com/products

Trend Micro, Inc.

PC-cillin 2003

For more information about PC-cillin 2003, visit the following Trend Micro, Inc. Web site:

http://us.trendmicro.com/us/about/awards_recognition/product_serviceawards/ (http://us.trendmicro.com/us/about/awards_recognition/product_serviceawards/)

Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

For more information about how to prevent and recover from viruses and worms, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

129972 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/129972/ ) Computer viruses: description, prevention, and recovery

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

Details of Microsoft antivirus software leak out

A standalone antivirus product will be built from tools the company inherited through its 2003 acquisitions of GeCad and Pelican Software, according to a report published in CNET News.com's sister publication, ZDNet France, citing the technical head of Microsoft's security project in that country, Nicolas Mirail.

Microsoft representatives in the United States refused to comment on functional elements or a potential production time frame for the antivirus package.

However, Mirail said the Microsoft antivirus software will utilize two different means of detecting destructive files, the first of which will reference a regularly updated list of known viruses to check for potential infections. The second antivirus tool will analyze computer systems to assess whether they have been hit by a virus in the past and attempt to give end users an idea of how at risk their computers might be for future problems.

Mirail indicated that the antivirus package will not come with firewall security software but said a firewall would be built into the company's Windows XP operating system when Microsoft delivers its Service Pack 2 update. He said the product would work with both Windows XP and the Longhorn release of Windows.

Microsoft representatives denied that Mirail's comments released previously unknown details, but the company has offered little information publicly about its antivirus plans. Microsoft has been rumored to be seeking a high-profile acquisition in that arena, and security specialist Network Associates was said to be on the company's radar. Earlier this month, another European security executive at Microsoft said the company's antivirus plans remain in their early stages, including the integration of the products it has amassed via acquisition.

When Microsoft purchased GeCad, which is based in Bucharest, Romania, it positioned the acquisition as the next step in its Trustworthy Computing initiative, a move aimed at securing what Microsoft estimates are the nearly two-thirds of Windows users who don't have up-to-date antivirus software on their computers. The company said at that time that it might launch a paid-subscription service for Windows users.

The latest virus to wreak havoc on the Internet was MyDoom.M, a new variant of the prolific worm, which came to life Monday and quickly snarled Google and other search sites. Though the latest version of MyDoom did not target Microsoft products specifically, as many other viruses have, it hosted an ancillary, or "backdoor," infection programmed to launch a denial-of-service attack on the software maker's Web site.

Christophe Guillemin of ZDNet France reported from Paris. A product manager at Microsoft in France divulged on Wednesday some of the software maker's plans for its highly anticipated entry into the antivirus software market.
A standalone antivirus product will be built from tools the company inherited through its 2003 acquisitions of GeCad and Pelican Software, according to a report published in CNET News.com's sister publication, ZDNet France, citing the technical head of Microsoft's security project in that country, Nicolas Mirail.

Microsoft representatives in the United States refused to comment on functional elements or a potential production time frame for the antivirus package.

However, Mirail said the Microsoft antivirus software will utilize two different means of detecting destructive files, the first of which will reference a regularly updated list of known viruses to check for potential infections. The second antivirus tool will analyze computer systems to assess whether they have been hit by a virus in the past and attempt to give end users an idea of how at risk their computers might be for future problems.

Mirail indicated that the antivirus package will not come with firewall security software but said a firewall would be built into the company's Windows XP operating system when Microsoft delivers its Service Pack 2 update. He said the product would work with both Windows XP and the Longhorn release of Windows.

Microsoft representatives denied that Mirail's comments released previously unknown details, but the company has offered little information publicly about its antivirus plans. Microsoft has been rumored to be seeking a high-profile acquisition in that arena, and security specialist Network Associates was said to be on the company's radar. Earlier this month, another European security executive at Microsoft said the company's antivirus plans remain in their early stages, including the integration of the products it has amassed via acquisition.

When Microsoft purchased GeCad, which is based in Bucharest, Romania, it positioned the acquisition as the next step in its Trustworthy Computing initiative, a move aimed at securing what Microsoft estimates are the nearly two-thirds of Windows users who don't have up-to-date antivirus software on their computers. The company said at that time that it might launch a paid-subscription service for Windows users.

The latest virus to wreak havoc on the Internet was MyDoom.M, a new variant of the prolific worm, which came to life Monday and quickly snarled Google and other search sites. Though the latest version of MyDoom did not target Microsoft products specifically, as many other viruses have, it hosted an ancillary, or "backdoor," infection programmed to launch a denial-of-service attack on the software maker's Web site.

Windows Defender detects and removes spyware

Windows Defender is software that helps protect your computer against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware and other unwanted software by detecting and removing known spyware from your computer. Windows Defender features Real-Time Protection, a monitoring system that recommends actions against spyware when it's detected, minimizes interruptions, and helps you stay productive.

The benefits of installing Windows Defender include:

Spyware detection and removal

Windows Defender quickly and easily finds spyware and other unwanted programs that can slow down your computer, display annoying pop-up ads, change Internet settings, or use your private information without your consent.
Windows Defender eliminates detected spyware easily at your direction, and if you inadvertently remove programs that you actually want, it's easy to get them back.
Windows Defender allows you to schedule your scanning and removal times when it's convenient for you, whether it's on-demand or on a schedule that you set.

Improved Internet browsing safety

Windows Defender helps stop spyware before it infiltrates your computer. Windows Defender also offers a continuous safeguard designed to target all the ways that spyware can infiltrate your computer.
Windows Defender works without distracting you. It runs in the background and automatically handles spyware based on preferences that you set. You can use your computer with minimal interruption.

Protection against the latest threats

A dedicated team of Microsoft researchers continuously searches the Internet to discover new spyware and develop methods to counteract it.
A voluntary, worldwide network of Windows Defender users helps Microsoft determine which suspicious programs to classify as spyware. Participants help discover new threats quickly and notify Microsoft analysts, so that everyone is better protected. Anyone who uses Windows Defender can join this network and help report potential spyware to Microsoft.
To help protect your computer from the latest threats, you can choose to have updates that counteract new spyware automatically downloaded to your computer.

Windows Defender is included with all versions of Windows Vista and is available to download for genuine copies of Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later, or Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 or later.

Learn more about Windows Defender and other Microsoft anti-malware solutions, and to learn more using Windows Defender, watch this demo.

Important note about fake antivirus

Reports of rogue antivirus programs have become more prevalent lately. These are programs that generate misleading alerts and false detections of malcode in order to convince users to purchase the illegitimate security software. For example, programs such as Trojan:Win32/Antivirusxp and Program:Win32/FakeRednefed may display product names or logos in an apparent unlawful attempt to impersonate Microsoft products. These products may represent themselves as "Antivirus XP", "AntivirusXP 2008", "WinDefender 2008", "XP Antivirus", etc.

If you believe your machine is affected by malicious software or potentially unwanted software, you can use Windows Live safety scanner or another up-to-date scanning and removal tool to detect and remove malware or other potentially unwanted software from your computer. For more information on Microsoft security products, please visit our security products and services website. Additionally, you can get virus-related assistance at no additional charge from Microsoft in the United States and Canada via a toll-free support hot line, (866) PC-SAFETY (727-2338). For support outside the United States and Canada, please contact Microsoft Help and Support worldwide.

Toggle Link Underlining

By default, Internet Explorer 8 underlines links on web pages unless those pages were developed with code that removes these underlines. If you do not like the look of underlined links, you can disable them or only show underlines when the mouse pointer is hovering over a link.

1. Access the Internet Options dialog box. If the menu bar is visible, you can select "Tools" - "Internet Options". If the Command Bar is visible, click the "Tools" button and select "Internet Options". If neither are available, try typing Alt + T then O.


	Accessing Internet Explorer 8 options via the Command Bar

2. When the "Internet Options" dialog box appears, click the "Advanced" tab.

3. Underneath "Settings", scroll down underneath "Browsing" to "Underline links". Click on the "Always", "Hover", or "Never" radio button as desired.

4. Click "OK" to close the dialog box and store your settings.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Xbox Live

When the Xbox 360 was released, Microsoft's online gaming service Xbox Live was shut down for 24 hours and undergone a major upgrade, adding a basic non-subscription service, Silver, to its already established premium subscription-based service (which was renamed Gold). Xbox Live Silver is free of charge and is included with all SKUs of the console. It allows users to create a user profile, join on message boards, and access Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade and Marketplace and talk to other members. A Live Silver account does not generally support multiplayer gaming; however, some games that have rather limited online functions already, (such as Viva Pinata) or games that feature their own subscription service (eg. EA Sports games) can be played with a Silver account. Xbox Live also supports voice and video communication, the latter a feature possible with the Xbox Live Vision; an add-on USB web camera designed specifically for the Xbox 360. The Gamercard of a player with a Silver account has a silver trim, rather than gold.

Xbox Live Gold includes the same features as Silver and includes integrated online game playing capabilities outside of third-party subscriptions. Microsoft has allowed previous Xbox Live subscribers to maintain their profile information, friends list, and games history when they make the transition to Xbox Live Gold. To transfer an Xbox Live account to the new system, users need to link a Windows Live ID to their gamertag on Xbox.com. When users add

an Xbox Live enabled profile to their console, they are required to provide the console with their passport account information and the last four digits of their credit card number, which is used for verification purposes and billing. An Xbox Live Gold account has an annual cost of US$49.99, C$59.99, NZD 90.00, GB£39.99, or €59.99. As of May 14, 2008, Xbox Live has over 12 million subscribers.

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