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Is Microsoft really in a position to pressure users into an upgrade? Vista and Windows 8 were both less than “improvements”.

Microsoft may still command the desktop but the dominant driver in the digital world is mobile. That battle is between Android and Apple. You would think Microsoft would focus on getting a stable desktop release rather than trying to force users into another disaster.

I subscribe to Windows Secrets to get information on Microsoft Windows, not how to install and use other operating systems. I am not partisan and use other operating systems apart from Windows, but I find it objectionable that Windows Secrets is being used to proselytize other operating systems.

If I wanted to get info on Ubuntu or Linux, then I’d subscribe to the appropriate newsletter and forums. There are plenty of them out there.

If you continue in this vein I’ll simply cancel my subscription and walk away.

It has been “The Year of Linux” for nearly two decades. Linux probably is wonderful and I agree both Android and Apple used it as the basis for parts (if not most) of their O/S. That said, the Linux community is insufferably arrogant and brutal to newbies. There are a many apps to choose from. So many, in fact, the community is guilty of a first month salesperson’s mistake of overwhelming the prospect with options. Whenever that happens, the safe selection is ‘none of the above’.

Wrap Linux in a pretty package, select and perfect a series of apps that mimic the productivity of Apple, Android, and Windows. Decide which two or three Linux distros the community will support and encourage and allow the user a clean choice. Until that day, Linux is obfuscation personified.

Yes. I know… Linux is all about choices. So many most choose not to make a mistake.

There are many areas where digital devices may still be improved. Unfortunately, this is hardly one of them.

The mantra of “There’s an app for that” is amusing although it reveals a glut of vanity code. The Pizza ordering application is of little practical use for anyone who doesn’t live on a diet of pizza. If they do live on Pizza Hut pizza, they’ll be in need of a ER app soon enough. Because a vendor creates an app is not a reason to rejoice. You may also want to consider the political ramifications of supporting an organization (like all the national pizza chains) that prefer to oppress staff’s wages while serving chemical sludge to their patrons.

Removing the Start button may be indicative of Redmond research being wrong and self-serving simultaneously. Some may remember “Microsoft BOB”. It was a radical interface redesign that was quickly reassigned to the trash bin as a result of customer contempt. Windows 8 may be Bob rides again.

I understand the do or die mentality of Microsoft in the face of the mobile momentum. Moreover, I hope the Surface actually is a viable product. On the other hand, Ballmer is long past his sell by date and will never be confused with either Bill Gates or Steve Jobs.

My associates and I developed a Windows software program to secure medical records. The application and database exceed all HIPAA and RedFlag requirements, permits multi users to all have their own password and can be made to automatically update the password every n days. It supports OpenOffice as well as MS Office, images, PDFs, etc. While there are many features for medical – just switch them off and use the app as a secure document management system. BTW, it also sends data across the Internet with military spec encryption. Message me: langhorne19047 at gmail.com if you’re interested in a trial version.

I tend to pay attention to Bruce Schneier’s perspective given his renowned knowledge on the topic of security. Last year at the EWI Cybersecurity Summit, Bruce delivered a compelling message of insight all would do well to watch: http://youtu.be/I6ZkU2fUM5w This is not to say Woody Leonhard is mistaken in specific but rather that there is a much larger issue many have not considered.

There is a disconnect here. While I understand the premise that we all benefit from moving forward, 60% of the world is still using XP. There may be a reason for the reticence to march lockstep like lemmings off the Microsoft cliff of poor code. Contrary to the hype, Vista was a disaster and no amount of Redmond sycophancy will put lipstick on that pig. Most of us won’t forget that fact anytime soon and now are seriously skeptical of alleged “progress”. Vista with bug fixes = Windows 7. IE: essentially eye candy with redesigned basic functions claiming better security when in fact Windows remains a sieve for any bored script kiddie.

Similarly, Internet Explorer has been in decline for years. Microsoft has repeatably attempted to impose their “standards” on the browser world. Both Firefox and now Chrome have surpassed Explorer yet Microsoft insists users must install and run their buggy code. As is seen by multiple posts, Explorer 9 fails in many rudimentary tasks. Rather than calling Microsoft out on these flaws, you encourage users to drink the Kool Aid. Really, how many decades does it require for people to learn Microsoft rarely gets it right the first time and sometimes never succeeds; instead simply abandoning the failed project and users who were dumb enough to swallow the Redmond line?

Explorer 9 exhibits all the worst traits of Vista and anyone who refuses to admit or report it is doing a disservice to computers users world wide.

The illusion a person is not at risk because they have “nothing to hide” is naive. Such a premise ignores a profound ruling by the Supreme Court. “Miranda Rights” protect the innocent from themselves. Police and governments can and will manipulate people into making statements which are incriminating. Such a reality is why any intelligent attorney advises their client to say NOTHING. Period.

Here’s where it gets slippery for life in general as well as in the cloud. A person being accused/arrested has zero knowledge of the actual reason(s) they’re being taken into custody nor do they have any clue what allegations may have been made against them. Most concerning, justice has nothing to do with reality. Accordingly, say nothing which might be used against you.

No one can know with certainty how a future algorithm might be coded to data mine nor what fragments of your information may be misconstrued. Ipso facto, the digital equivalent of Miranda is encryption. ‘Encrypt everything’ is equal to ‘say nothing which might incriminate you’.

That Dropbox may or may not have knowingly misled to gain customers is interesting. That the consumer remains deluded about actual security in the cloud is criminal. Any vendor who assures you a cloud repository for anything is safe is either stupid or a liar.

Predicated on a PC to leave on plus the profligate purchase of an iPad to control the abandoned PC… what’s wrong with this picture?

While this premise may be beneficial in some cases, I would suggest it will rarely prove efficient or cost effective. I recently read of just such an naive implementation in a medical office. I say naive because the real challenge has nothing to do with hardware and actually is further encumbered by the awkwardness of learning a new interface on top of trying to adjust to documenting everything in a manner that will satisfy the ever changing Medicare reimbursement requirements. Given the reality of out of control health care costs, how does adding a further expense improve the bottom line? Moreover, how does slowing down a physician advance patient care?

It may be that in another business, there are so many spare PCs available they can be used as tethered remote terminals for a wireless access via an iPad… but unless the IT department demonstrates more fiscal irresponsibility than common sense, I doubt the Apple fanboy fantasy will fly.

Sounds like it was a download site though…

Not for me but I can see how that would be a logical conclusion. In my case, I listen to audiobooks and just allow my eyes to wander. Sometimes the juxtapositions between words and images are interesting; other instances quite amusing as the words collide with the vista.

… social networking sites are the real pot of potential ill-gotten gains.

No doubt you are correct… however in this case, the name of the site is just that: a name. There is no social interaction.

I just found this referenceIt may be too late but perhaps it will help others.

Thank You — They recommend a variation on what I did.

The inference in the article that a user has to be technically naive to get infected by this one is both condescending and misleading. The reason I posted here was I executed all the right steps… never clicked anything except right mouse on the task bar to access TaskManger. I proceeded to kill everything and then rebooted. 99.9% of the time that approach is sufficient to thwart any attack as the “message” is a screen display until it tricks the user into inadvertently installing it. However, as I have since learned, this bit of code seems to hijack via java and the browser. Running the NoScripts add-on to Firefox seems to work although I am not about to visit Social Wallpaper (a heretofore benign website) to press my luck.

Unless the definition of porn has changed, desktop images of landscapes are not usually considered erotic. That said, I never got the full story on ‘the birds and the bees’ so perhaps mountains, sunsets, oceans and rivers are hardcore for some creatures.

And, even the red X or cancel button is not safe to click on since it may have been reprogrammed to mean yes in any case. Safest when prompted unexpectedly is to go into task manager and kill the browser (or whatever the vector is) there.

Unfortunately Task Manager doesn’t kill it either. While malicious, this is a carefully crafted bit of of code in that it convincingly mimics the look and feel of Windows’ warnings and circumvents the prudent steps a user employs to avoid infection.

I’m not lauding the programmer as s/he is despicable. They should earn an living using their talents more intelligently.

What version of java are you using. Would recommend the latest version which patches known problems with prior releases, which may preclude the possibly of a java script on a webpage from running and installing the software. You might want to uninstall older versions, also …. just to be safe. Normally, these programs are installed by the user because of a popup saying that their computer maybe compromised and no spyware/malware software has been detected – do you want to fix this? You click on the box and it installs. But, you say I clicked on the red x icon to close the popup or selected the box that said “exit” or “whatever”, well these can also be bogus (part of the overall image) and still install the software. The only possible safe way to exit the popup would be to close the browser session, or use the task manager to close it.
Another freebie program might try…. is Spywareblaster. Works mostly as a preventative program that restrict activex programs, certain dll’s from running in IE and firefox.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
Will have to manually download updates everyso often, and select the enable all protection buttons, then close the program and your done. Just repeat the process once or twice a month, or so.

I now have Java switched off just as a prophylactic measure. That was the first step after getting the system back up. Thanks for the confirmation Java may be a problem.

FYI: Closing the AV.EXE program via Task Manager doesn’t help. As soon as I saw the first sign of trouble I killed everything that truly wasn’t critical via Task Manager.

Are you using the NoScript plugin for Firefox? I have it installed and never allow scripts for any site unless I trust the site implicitly; and I trust very few sites.

Another things I have found helpful is DropMyRights:
http://download.cnet.com/DropMyRights/3000-2144_4-10722877.html

I set up my wife’s computer to run email and Firefox using DropMyRights and the reduced rights help a lot with preventing bad things from happening.

Thanks for the tip re Firefox “NoScript” plugin. I’ll give that a try. Much appreciated.