Windows 7 upgrade ...?

[Audiofn]

Yup. Once more people take the plunge it is going to put a hurting on Apple. We are putting in the new Sony touch screen computer and I got to say it is SICK. Basically just a screen with a keyboard, Blu Ray in the side.

[rbhudelson]

Yup. Once more people take the plunge it is going to put a hurting on Apple.

funny.

[Audiofn]

You figure out all those things that I-tunes can not do yet?

[MacGyver]

Itunes = bloatware

The only software I know that reinstalls the entire program for every simple update

[rbhudelson]

Once more people take the plunge it is going to put a hurting on Apple.

funny.

You figure out all those things that I-tunes can not do yet?

Nope. ITunes isn't designed to do what you are wanting to do and the way you want to do it. Doesn't make it good or bad; it just means it won't work for you.

But that isn't what the funny thing is about. The funny thing is that 3 years ago you wouldn't have made your statement because Apple was such a non player in your mind. So the fact that you would even acknowledge such a thing means that Apple has come a long way.

I seriously doubt Apple's momentum is going to be slowed by anything Microsoft is doing, and certainly not with Windows 7. Windows 7 is by far the best work MS has ever produced. I believe you can thank Apple for that. Had people not moved en masse to OS X, I doubt MS would have invested the resources in making Windows 7 that good. But at the end of the day they just put more make up and lipstick on a pig. The underlying issues are still there.

Again, just one guys opinion and there is room for opposing views

[MarylandMark]

Good post Rbhudelson. I'm a PC guy but both my Apple products- few iPods and an iPhone 3G- were great. I was pissed after buying my iPhone because it didn't have MMS or a better/video camera but hearing most of those issues were solved with the 3GS. I know- I should have researched it; but it was 2008, even my Razr had that options 5 years prior.

I'm a PC guy because that's what I learned in school and what I use at work, easier to just stick with what I know.

[MacGyver]

I'm a PC guy too, just because I like to build my own systems. Can't do that with a Mac.

[VtSteve]

I'm a PC guy as well, but only at work. Now, I use my Macbook to connect to the Windows network at work. Far easier than connecting via the PC, go figure. Life's to short to use crap everyday.

[Audiofn]

Nope. ITunes isn't designed to do what you are wanting to do and the way you want to do it. Doesn't make it good or bad; it just means it won't work for you.

But that isn't what the funny thing is about. The funny thing is that 3 years ago you wouldn't have made your statement because Apple was such a non player in your mind. So the fact that you would even acknowledge such a thing means that Apple has come a long way.

I seriously doubt Apple's momentum is going to be slowed by anything Microsoft is doing, and certainly not with Windows 7. Windows 7 is by far the best work MS has ever produced. I believe you can thank Apple for that. Had people not moved en masse to OS X, I doubt MS would have invested the resources in making Windows 7 that good. But at the end of the day they just put more make up and lipstick on a pig. The underlying issues are still there.

Again, just one guys opinion and there is room for opposing views

You are correct, I-tunes will not do what most integrators want it to do. The problem that I have with I-tunes is that they want to make it so that you can only use I-tunes and other Apple product. This has worked IMO short term because people are buying the Apple products to work with I-tunes. The problem long term is that other sites will come out and are coming out. Guess what they DON'T work with Apple products well. Apple is trying to create a almost monopoly at their end by not trying to work with other companies. If I am on a windows based system I can make my own server or buy one from Dell, EMC..... If my Mac goes down I have to send it back to Apple if my pc goes down there are about 10 stores local that I can go and get parts for.

Apple is still less then 10% of market share. The computers are not what has put Apple back on the map, the Iphone and Ipod are. I just purchased a computer the other day and this is what I found. I went over to give Apple a chance, I tried to have an open mind about it. This is what I found. I could get an Apple loaded up and it was going to cost me $3500.00, or I could go over to the Sony store and purchase a Sony with all the same features plus the addition of a better screeen (Apple does not even have a 1080 screen yet, better graphics card, Blu Ray DVD burner, the ability to drop my camera on the computer and transfer photos with out hooking up a wire, Quad Core i7 processor (Apple only offers this in ONE of their towers). All this for $1500 bucks!. It was a no brainer for me.

I will give you that a lot of the features that we are seing now on PC's we owe to Apple. The problem for Apple is that if they continue to try and be the bully on the block with their 10% market share they are going to loose. If they open up the platform some so that their stuff will work with Palm, PC based hand helds and so on then they could do much better.

What underlying issues are you talking about because I have been using 7 for over 6 months now and my brother for over a year and we have had ZERO issues. No computer slow downs like we used to see with XP and earlier platforms, no memory hogging like we saw with Vista. Even huge fortune 50 companies are swapping over to 7 when they refused to go to XP and Vista.

[Ratickle]

What underlying issues are you talking about because I have been using 7 for over 6 months now and my brother for over a year and we have had ZERO issues. No computer slow downs like we used to see with XP and earlier platforms, no memory hogging like we saw with Vista. Even huge fortune 50 companies are swapping over to 7 when they refused to go to XP and Vista.

Even vs XP Pro and 64 bit XP you think it's better?

If I decide to switch from those, would I have to do a complete reinstall vs an upgrade? In one system I run dual xeons with dual 15,000 scsi's and the other is running dual opterons with dual 7200's. (Checking AMD differences vs Xeon's).

[VtSteve]

7 "seems" to be quicker than XP Pro, and more robust on multi core processors. Some of the speed differences relate to the dirty little secret that XP Pro systems could only utilize 3.5 GB of Ramm, regardless of what your system had installed. W7 64 bit has eliminated that barrier. There are some weird things going on with the 64 bit OS, but I think it's primarily due to 32-bit software. At any rate, certainly not the degree of PITA issues like like of drivers in Vista.

I think the issue for home users is one of older software. The Enterprise, Ultimate and Professional versions of 64 bit Windows 7 also support a 32 bit Windows XP virtual machine, which is available as optional download. Your PC must support hardware level virtualisation to use this facility. This will be the first time companies can really move forward with redesign of older software from the ground up in many years. Problems abound, but it's time to advance.

Finally, life moves forward. Home users typically don;t have much software anyway, but for those that do, they'll find out that they need to plan more than in the past. But at least Vista is gone, thank goodness. One of the interesting things that happened, is that most Mac users have an advantage over XP users in W7. It's the most Mac-like OS that MS has ever splashed

I don't really much care about the OS, as long as it doesn't crash, and stays the heck out of my face so I can get something done.

[Audiofn]

Even vs XP Pro and 64 bit XP you think it's better?

If I decide to switch from those, would I have to do a complete reinstall vs an upgrade? In one system I run dual xeons with dual 15,000 scsi's and the other is running dual opterons with dual 7200's. (Checking AMD differences vs Xeon's).

I am the last guy that should suggest the best way to "upgrade". I will ask my brother he has done a ton of them. Yes it is MUCH better then XP and XP Pro. You can also run more then 4 gig. Things are in different locations and the first week it is a little bit frustrating but once you get rolling with if you will be fine. Windows Media on 7 is fantastic. No more need for a cable box. I run everything though my computer. I have one place to store my recorded tv/DVR, photos, blu ray movies, DVD's and downloaded content. This gives me the same basic user interface from source to source.

[Audiofn]

Even vs XP Pro and 64 bit XP you think it's better?

If I decide to switch from those, would I have to do a complete reinstall vs an upgrade? In one system I run dual xeons with dual 15,000 scsi's and the other is running dual opterons with dual 7200's. (Checking AMD differences vs Xeon's).

Ratickle: I just talked to my brother. If you go from a 32 bit to 64 bit you will have to do a clean install. He recommends it anyhow. Just do a quick back up and then reinstall it on the new machine.

[Ratickle]

Ratickle: I just talked to my brother. If you go from a 32 bit to 64 bit you will have to do a clean install. He recommends it anyhow. Just do a quick back up and then reinstall it on the new machine.

Thanks, appreciate it......

[rbhudelson]

What underlying issues are you talking about because I have been using 7 for over 6 months now and my brother for over a year and we have had ZERO issues. No computer slow downs like we used to see with XP and earlier platforms, no memory hogging like we saw with Vista. Even huge fortune 50 companies are swapping over to 7 when they refused to go to XP and Vista.

Here Jon, this is the underlying issue I was referring to. You can't secure a windows machine - Not even windows 7.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...?mod=yhoofront

Broad New Hacking Attack Detected
Global Offensive Snagged Corporate, Personal Data at nearly 2,500 Companies; Operation Is Still Running

Hackers in Europe and China successfully broke into computers at nearly 2,500 companies and government agencies over the last 18 months in a coordinated global attack that exposed vast amounts of personal and corporate secrets to theft, according to a computer-security company that discovered the breach.


A global hacking offensive has broken into U.S. companies and government agencies. Cyber attacks could soon be seen as a national security threat, WSJ executive editor Jerry Seib tells the News Hub.


The damage from the latest cyberattack is still being assessed, and affected companies are still being notified. But data compiled by NetWitness, the closely held firm that discovered the breaches, showed that hackers gained access to a wide array of data at 2,411 companies, from credit-card transactions to intellectual property.

The hacking operation, the latest of several major hacks that have raised alarms for companies and government officials, is still running and it isn't clear to what extent it has been contained, NetWitness said. Also unclear is the full amount of data stolen and how it was used. Two companies that were infiltrated, pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. and Cardinal Health Inc., said they had isolated and contained the problem.


Starting in late 2008, hackers operating a command center in Germany got into corporate networks by enticing employees to click on contaminated Web sites, email attachments or ads purporting to clean up viruses, NetWitness found.

In more than 100 cases, the hackers gained access to corporate servers that store large quantities of business data, such as company files, databases and email.

They also broke into computers at 10 U.S. government agencies. In one case, they obtained the user name and password of a soldier's military email account, NetWitness found. A Pentagon spokesman said the military didn't comment on specific threats or intrusions.

At one company, the hackers gained access to a corporate server used for processing online credit-card payments. At others, stolen passwords provided access to computers used to store and swap proprietary corporate documents, presentations, contracts and even upcoming versions of software products, NetWitness said.

Data stolen from another U.S. company pointed to an employee's apparent involvement in criminal activities; authorities have been called in to investigate, NetWitness said. Criminal groups have used such information to extort sensitive information from employees in the past.

The spyware used in this attack allows hackers to control computers remotely, said Amit Yoran, chief executive of NetWitness. NetWitness engineer Alex Cox said he uncovered the scheme Jan. 26 while installing technology for a large corporation to hunt for cyberattacks.

That discovery points to the growing number of attacks in recent years that have drafted computers into cyber armies known as botnets—intrusions not blocked by standard antivirus software. Researchers estimate millions of computers are conscripted into these armies.

"It highlights the weaknesses in cyber security right now," said Adam Meyers, a senior engineer at government contractor SRA International Inc. who reviewed the NetWitness data. "If you're a Fortune 500 company or a government agency or a home DSL user, you could be successfully victimized."

Disclosure of the attack comes on the heels of Google Inc.'s allegation that it and more than 20 other companies were breached by Chinese hackers. This operation appears to be more far-reaching, infiltrating some 75,000 computers and touching 196 countries. The highest concentrations of infected computers are in Egypt, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the U.S.

NetWitness, based in Herndon, Va., said it was sharing information with the companies infected. Mr. Yoran declined to name them. The company provides computer security for U.S. government agencies and companies. Mr. Yoran is a former Air Force officer who also served as cyber security chief at the Department of Homeland Security.

Besides Merck and Cardinal Health, people familiar with the attack named several other companies infiltrated, including Paramount Pictures and software company Juniper Networks Inc.

Merck said in a statement that one computer had been infected. It said it had isolated the attack and that "no sensitive information was compromised."

Cardinal said it removed the infected computer from its network. Paramount declined to comment. Juniper's security chief, Barry Greene, wouldn't speak about any specific incidents but said the company worked aggressively to counter infections.


NetWitness, which does extensive work for the U.S. government and private-sector clients, said it was sharing its information with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI said it received numerous allegations about potential compromises of network systems and responded promptly, in coordination with law-enforcement partners.

The computers were infected with spyware called ZeuS, which is available free on the Internet in its basic form. It works with the FireFox browser, according to computer-security firm SecureWorks. This version included a $2,000 feature that works with FireFox, according to SecureWorks.

Evidence suggests an Eastern European criminal group is behind the operation, likely using some computers in China because it's easier to operate there without being caught, said NetWitness's Mr. Yoran.

There are some electronic fingerprints suggesting the same group was behind a recent effort to dupe government officials and others into downloading spyware via emails purporting to be from the National Security Agency and the U.S. military, NetWitness's Mr. Yoran said.

That attack was described in a Feb. 5 report from the Department of Homeland Security, which said it was issuing an alert to the government and other organizations to "prevent further compromises."

A DHS official said that ZeuS was among the top five reported tools for malware infections.

[MacGyver]

Starting in late 2008, hackers operating a command center in Germany got into corporate networks by enticing employees to click on contaminated Web sites, email attachments or ads purporting to clean up viruses, NetWitness found.

Thats not a bad Operating System, thats just stupid employees doing things they shouldn't be doing.

[rbhudelson]

Starting in late 2008, hackers operating a command center in Germany got into corporate networks by enticing employees to click on contaminated Web sites, email attachments or ads purporting to clean up viruses, NetWitness found.

Thats not a bad Operating System, thats just stupid employees doing things they shouldn't be doing.

Ok, then why does it only affect window's users then and not Mac users?

[VtSteve]

It was an exploit targeted at IE 6, which is pretty ancient, even though MS plugged the hole in IE versions 6, 7 and 8

[Audiofn]

Ok, then why does it only affect window's users then and not Mac users?

You will have to do better then that bro! Hackers are ego maniacs so they are not going to go after Mac owners that are home smoking dope making purty pictures. They will go after corporations. So how much of the business world is on Mac., VS PC and Lenox? Plus it has been a while since I have seen any of those comercials that Mac used to run claiming that they don't get virus's any more. Maybe because they poked the sleeping lion and it started to get them? I have only got one virus and that was going to a site that I probably should not have been on (Torrent site). Had I been working at one of my customers houses with a proper router it would never have happened. I installed a cheap program and it took care of my virus and never seen a problem since. Not to say it won't happen but like I said PC's are 90+ percent of the market, hackers are ego maniacs, hackers go after PC's more becuase there are more of them. You put Macs in Johnson and Johnson or a law firm with no firewall in your router they will be just as hackable. Theh point is, and you should know this, you just don't let them even get to the computers in the first place.

[rbhudelson]

It was an exploit targeted at IE 6, which is pretty ancient, even though MS plugged the hole in IE versions 6, 7 and 8

You might want to take another look.

You will have to do better then that bro! Hackers are ego maniacs so they are not going to go after Mac owners that are home smoking dope making purty pictures. They will go after corporations. So how much of the business world is on Mac., VS PC and Lenox? You put Macs in Johnson and Johnson or a law firm with no firewall in your router they will be just as hackable. The point is, and you should know this, you just don't let them even get to the computers in the first place.

Jon, the guy that runs J&J's desktops worked for me at Dell. Probably the brightest desktop guy on the planet. And, there are Macs in J&J. I'm not arguing market share. but there are lots of company's that only use macs. You know, Apple is probably one of them that uses mostly Macs. Yet there is not a single instance of this bot affecting the Mac. thats the point. But this bot affects all versions of windows, including 7.

The only way to secure a windows machine is to keep it off. Period.

But if you want something to play with I'll give you that. I have a mac mini server running in my house. All services up and running and not sitting behind a firewall. You can find it at Honeypot.dontexist.com . Come get all you want. It gets bombarded on a daily basis of people trying to hack it. Mostly from China.

My point about Windows is and has been, 99% of the windows user base do not have the skills to adequately secure or support their machines. Thats all. You can argue it all you want but the data is on my side. And those people are unknowingly at risk to exposing all kinds of things they don't want exposed. Not saying the Mac is impervious to these types of attacks but it is infinitely more secure for those 99% of non technical people.

And, you can poke fun all you want at sit at home dope smoking mac users but it only shows your ignorance of the robustness and history of the Unix operating system.

Again, no offense meant, i always enjoy the debate.