Windows 7 launch party pack: unboxing

Today  Windows 7 house party kit is arrived to my home.

Here's what it includes:

• One poster with the Windows 7 desktop design
• One deck of playing cards with Windows 7 desktop design
• One puzzle with Windows 7 desktop design
• One table top centerpiece
• One package of Windows 7 napkins
• Ten tote bags with Windows 7 desktop design

And the most important thing: two DVDs, one with 32-bit Windows 7 Ultimate Signature Edition and one with 64-bit Windows 7 Ultimate Signature Edition.

And now some photo:

and a video:

bye

Read more...

Windows 7 Release Candidate: how and when download it!!

By now is official Windows 7 will be released between last week of April and second week of May!!

Many sites (http://www.engadget.com, http://www.hwupgrade.it/, http://blogs.msdn.com,…) report these weeks, but for now there isn’t a fixed day because Microsoft doesn’t want repeat the errors of first public beta and it is preparing a more efficient download system.

How will it can download? Microsoft didn’t decided if RC version will be downloadable for all, but for now it’s sure that tester which submitted a number minimum of feedback will can download new version.

Windows 7 RC will stop to work 1 September, only one month after first beta. The reason of this choice is that Microsoft received good feedback and thinks that RC fixed bug of first beta. It might be thought that Microsoft wants anticipate Windows 7 launch at January 2009.

The some changes between Beta and RC are reported on this page: Some Changes Since Beta for the RC.

Bye.

Read more...

Windows 7 and Antivirus: what is the best?

After two months from Windows 7 beta release, also some important Antivirus software house update their products.

Actually, the antivirus that run on Windows 7 are:

• Kaspersky Antivirus 8 beta

• Norton Symantec 360 v3 beta

• AVG anti-virus professional 

• McAfee Total Protection

• Avast

• Antivir

Kaspersky Lab was first software house to update its product. Kaspersky Antivirus is release as beta, but is stable and full compatible with Windows 7. This beta is free and includes a firewall, a anti-spam filter and other features of KAV 2009.

Symantec, recently, updated Norton Antivirus. This is a free Beta, but I don’t like it because is very unpleasant to use.

AVG updated their software but only professional versions and you have to pay to use.

McAfee is updating their antivirus, but the actual beta has many problems.

Avast and Antivir are, probably, most used free antivirus and fortunately they work without problems on Windows 7.

Personally, I recommend to use KAV until is free and then switch to Avast.

On How to Geek you can find tests of some of these antivirus.

If you want recommend other antivirus write a comment with your motivations.

Bye.

Read more...

One month of Windows 7 test

It’s already passed a month from when I installed Windows 7  on my EeePc 1000H, today I want summarize my experience. Before I want remember other posts wrote from me about this argument:

• Install Windows 7 by USB pen driver
• Mount ISO image on Windows 7
• How print to pdf on Windows 7
• Why love new Windows 7: taskbar (SuperBar)
• Emule/Adunanza/uTorrent problem: firewall configuration
• Windows 7:battery management

Other interesting posts are wrote by Sirus, tctd and wisher:

• Windows 7 and apples boot camp drivers
• Taskbar versus Dock are they really the same thing!?
• Windows 7 natively installed on my Mac
• Is Linux better than Windows 7?
• First Windows 7 impressions

Well, now I can start my summarize.

Windows 7 is a good surprise, first of all, because also if now is only a beta it is very stable and, second, the differences with Vista apparently are not many,  but in really performances and user experience are very increase.

The network management is easer and faster of Vista, also user experience is better because the new very useful taskbar. The likeness with Vista help all Vista user to switch without problem. New battery management increases the work-time and the advance users will value new firewall that can define some interesting rules.

Very good new auto-setup driver device: I tried to connect a old HP printer and Windows searched and found all necessary drivers. I tried also to connect my Nokia N95 and after some minutes Windows found drivers and asked to me if I wanted install also Nokia Pc Suite.

The beta that I’m trying is Ultimate version and it have many interesting tools, but probably they there aren’t in other version. Some of these tools are: PowerShell 2.0,  Snipping Tools, Sticky Notes.

I didn’t have security problem, but if you want install a Antivirus, I recommend Kavspersky Antivirus (KAV). Also it is a beta of new version, old version isn’t Windows 7 compatibility, but is very secure and stable(This is link to download). This beta don’t have time limit.

However, Windows 7 is a BETA and as any others beta it has some problem. Many time these problems are caused by drivers or programs wrote for Vista, but not completely compatibility with Windows 7. Some times, old programs that not work in user space, but in kernel space, generate crashes (BSoD) or usability problems.

Also some drivers can generate problems. For example, original Asus VGA driver has problems with slow resolution and HP driver (auto installed when I connected my printer :) ), has problem, some time, with booklet layout. The first time that I used the printer it print until finish paper.

For now, only one part of expectations are respected from Windows 7: a better tools integration (ex. Virtual driver and PdfPrinter) could have be useful.

I’ll continue to try Windows 7 until August and maybe also then time bomb : ).

Read more...

Windows 7: battery management

Many people, and also I, attended Windows 7 because Microsoft promised very good usability also with netbook. In my opinion, a lot of user expectations are realized by last public beta of Windows 7, but THIS IS ONLY A BETA VERSION and many work will do before the final version.

I’m trying Windows 7 on my EeePc 1000H and a good surprise of new OS is the battery management. Before of Windows 7 I used Windows Xp on my netbook and the best work-time was 5h and 5 min. With the new OS,  it increases to 6h and 51 min.

These times (on Xp and on Windows 7) are obtained by this setting:

• Minimal brightness
• Wireless off
• Bluetooth off
• 10 minutes after start
• Windows setting: power saver

The power saver setting disables Aero, if you enable it the time is not very different: 5h and 50 min.

Naturally this times decrease with a intensive work, however, they are very interesting: in fact the normal activity on this kind of pc is read or write a text file. One supplementary battery’s hour is very useful specially on travel when is not possible recharge the battery.

Read  also other posts that talk about Windows 7.

Bye.

Read more...

Emule/Adunanza Problem: firewall configuration on Windows7

Hi, many people in this days are trying Windows 7 and many have some problem with Emule (Adunanza) or others file-sharing programs.

This problem, actually, is only a wrong firewall configuration. In fact, when Windows creates automatically the settings, it creates only outbound rules.

I recommend to create manual rules follow this method:

1. start –> write “firewall” in search bar –> open first program in list
2. Click on “Inbound Rules”(on left) and then on “New Rule…”(on right)
3. Select “Port” –> next
4. Select “TCP” and insert TCP port of Emule –> next. Default port is 4662, but I recommend to use different port, for example 4668.
5. Select “Allow the connection” –> next
6. Select “Domain”, “Private”, “Public” –> next
7. Insert the name of new rule (ex. Emule TCP in) –> click finish                            
8. Repeat operations 2. and 3.
9. Select UDP and insert UDP port of Emule –> next. Default port is 4672, but I recommend to use different port, for example 4678.
10. Repeat operations 5. 6. 7.
11. Click on “Outbound Rules”(on left) and then on “New Rule…”(on right)
12. Repeat operation from 2. to 10.

Now Windows firewall is set and now you can use Emule, but first I recommend to check the connection setting of emule:

1. Open Emule
2. Options –> Connection
3. Insert TCP port and UDP port used on the rules
4. Ok

This method can be used also with other file sharing program like uTorrent, WinMX, DC++, Kazaa. If you want help or if you want give a piece of advice, give a comment.

Bye.

Read more...

Taskbar versus Dock, are they really the same thing?!

Today I won’t write anything about my experience using Windows 7 Beta 1 on my MacBook cause it goes to well and there are no problems to report.

Today I’m posting a link to a wonderful article I read in which the author talk about Windows’s taskbar, Windows 7’s “superbar” and Mac OS X’s dock. I couldn’t be that much clear to expose the exact same idea and to prove that the brand new Windows 7’s “superbar” isn’t a copy of Mac OS X’s dock.

Paradigms lost: The Windows 7 Taskbar versus the OS X Dock

See you!

Read more...

Windows 7 and Apple’s Boot Camp drivers

In my last post I talked about my experience natively installing the brand new Windows 7 Beta 1 32-bit on my MacBook and I promised I’d talk about Apple’s Boot Camp drivers installation in a later post.

So, here we are. Few minutes ago I inserted my Mac OS X 10.5 DVD into the DVD-RW drive and started the installation. The installation lasted only few minutes (less than it usually lasts on Windows Vista I think) and after the reboot the operating system works perfectly. The installation of these drivers allow me to change the screen brightness, audio volume (audio which now works correctly) using function keys and enable the full functionalities of the touchpad. 

Apple Software Update also retrieved some updates and then asked me to install QuickTime, iTunes and Bonjour (I know wisher is going to hate me since I answered yes to that question). I’m impressed from the speed of installation of QuickTime and iTunes, in the past they were a pain.

My MacBook with Windows 7 Beta 1 32-bit works now perfectly and I’m pretty happy about the actual operating system. I’ll make some other posts if I encounter problems or particular situations.

See you!

Read more...

Windows 7 natively installed on my Mac

Since the first day Microsoft publicly released Windows 7 Beta 1 I've started playing with the new operating system.

Although I was convinced to try the 64-bit version I downloaded both Windows 7 Beta 1 32-bit and 64-bit. First of all I created a virtual machine hosted by VMware Fusion (which is my favorite virtualizer for Mac OS X) with two 2.0 GHz virtual cores, 1 GB of main memory and 64 GB of hard drive.

I was truly amazed due to performances which were better than what I experienced with the same virtual machine equipped with Windows Vista SP1 32-bit. After the installation of VMware Tools the configuration was completed. Unfortunately the use of a virtual machine prevents me to try some useful improvements to Aero (my Intel GMA 950 isn't sufficient in a virtual environment) and to completely try some interesting new feature such as HomeGroup.

I had come to the decision to uninstall the useless native Windows XP SP3 installation (sorry tciddaniw we can't play GP4 together any more) and to substitute it with a native Windows 7 Beta 1 installation. Following Apple's guidelines I erased and created a free partition with Boot Camp Assistant and after the insertion of Windows 7 Beta 1 64-bit DVD my Mac restarted. And here we are with the first problem... this isn't the first version of Windows 64-bit I tried to install on my Mac, I tried Windows Vista 64-bit too and it works well (although my Mac doesn't support Windows 64-bit according to Apple). So, which is the problem? The problem is none other then EFI. Windows Vista SP1 64-bit and consequently Windows 7 Beta 1 64-bit introduces full support to UEFI (un update of EFI 1.1 used by Macs) so my Mac stoped asking me which boot method I prefer, UEFI or BIOS (which capabilities are emulated by EFI on Macs); as expected the keyboard wasn't working (this is a problem I already encountered few times) so the installation couldn't precede.

I didn't have the time to play around and to find a solution to this problem so I inserted Windows 7 Beta 32-bit DVD (which doesn't support UEFI) and stated a new installation that worked fine. Windows 7 Beta 1 32-bit was installed in 23 minutes. During the first configuration before making the login my WiFi network was found and both standard sharing and HomeGroup sharing were configured in an instant. Few seconds after the first login Windows Update informed me that 2 new updates were available and in addition 1 updated driver was found (the wired-network card device driver).

The configuration of the operating system is as always simple (I think I know Windows very well) but the Control Panel is always that much "big", only Windows Search permits me to find what I want in an instant; I think it needs a deep revision (I like Mac OS X's System Preferences pane). Talking about new features, I liked playing with the brand new taskbar, which is indeed similar to the dock - I have to admit it - but it introduces an interesting method to switch between applications and windows (surelly applications need to be modified in other to take advantage of this new way to operate - for example, Internet Explorer 8 Beta permits to switch between tabs even from the taskbar, Firefox 3.1 Beta doesn't). Moreover I found useful both Aero Peek and the gestures to manage windows' dimensions and pinning (I love them). I downloaded the Live Suite to try the integration between Live Messenger and jump lists; it's already good but a found a glitch with Flip3D integration, my Live Messenger pictures is shown in Flip3D even if Live Messenger window is closed, that's a bug that needs to be corrected (why can I switch to an window that doesn't exist?). The renewed management of widgets, ops... gadgets, is interesting; no more sidebar (I'm happy) and an invisible grid to ping gadgets, I miss it on my Dashboard on Mac OS X.

So, I've come to a conclusion. I like Windows and I think about Windows Vista as an improvements over Windows XP so Windows 7 is indeed another step further. Windows 7 is faster, simpler and more beautiful than its predecessors, I think I'll it a lot and come back to Windows after using Mac OS X won't be a problem after all. Next step, installing Boot Camp driver to make keyboard and touchpad more usable and to enable BT (I like my new BT full-size mouse).

See you!

Read more...

How to: print to Pdf on Windows 7

Many time, print a document on pdf format is very useful. There are many program that convert document on pdf, but I prefer to use a PDFprinter.

A PDFprinter is a virtual printer that instead prints to paper, prints on a file in pdf format. A PDFprinter is very easy to use because it's like a normal printer: you click on file menu and than click on print, when you must select the printer select the PDFprinter. Another good motivation to use a PDFprinter (in my opinion the best benefit) is that you can use PDFprinter with all original formats and all programs.

In the years, I tried many PDFprinters and I chose CutePDF because is free, easy but with useful options. CutePDF works perfectly also on Windows 7, another good reason to use it. You must install only  those two file  (1, 2) and after few minutes you can save on PDF all files that you want. In the preference of printers (can you see from all programs), is possible set pdf quality and other normal options of a normal printer.

If you have same other PDFprinter with more options or other features write a comment and I’ll test it on Windows 7. 

Read more...

Is Linux really better than Windows 7?

Looking at the referrals to Mac vs. PC I found this post on why Linux (what version?!?!) is far superior to Windows 7.

I write this response just to show why what a Linux fan boy says is not to be trusted. I am not meaning that Linux is crappy or that it is not working, just that the reasons that the average Linux user will use to convince you are wrong, terribly wrong.

Power Shell vs. *nix shell: I don’t really think that shell is the real tool for an administrator, even if I have to admit that in some cases it is more powerful than a graphical tool. However this is not the point. Power shell is a object-oriented shell and this is enough to declare it the winner in the shell’s battle. I am sorry if you like do black magic to deal with strings but a character based shell is old, nothing else.

Windows setup vs. Linux package manager: the idea of the package manager is surely cleaner but when did you saw a Windows user become mad because of some wrong dependencies? In Windows setups takes care to provide the required things to do the job, so there is no real advantage using a package manager. And all the application you mentioned are available also on Windows without a very little effort. Can you say the same about professional applications?

Crash on a virtual machine: wow that’s cool. A crash of a beta operating system on a virtual machine (that in the past made mess with every OS had to run). It is definitely a reason to install Linux.

The aquarium: I am still thinking what is its use. Or is it simply useless? And My eyes saw both Vista and Seven run on a exec, is it too powerful?

WGA: it is a commercial product, don’t you want to be a pirate, right? If you don’t want to pay get free software, but not cry if WGA stops you using something you pirated.

UAC: are you running as root on you Linux-box or are you using something like su or sudo?

The register: you said you are cleaning your register, isn’t that doing more harm than the good things you would get?

Read more...

Windows 7 beta out at 12:00 PST

Hi everybody waiting for the Windows 7 beta release to non MSND or Technet subscribers. Last rumors are telling that the download will be available form the noon at Redmond.

That means that Windows 7 users form United States have to have a late lunch, users form Europe have to eat their dinner quickly and users form the east have to wake up if they want to be one of the 2.5 Millions testers.

What to do to get the key and the ISO?

Simply go to http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/ and follow the link that will appear.

To help you I am providing a useful time converter, to be sure to check at the right time.

While you are waiting for the download time why don’t you read our other posts?

Read more...

Dear Windows XP user, change your mind or stay stunned

This morning I found this Ed Bott post about the reason an XP user is not going to like Windows 7, as he is not liking Windows Vista.

He points out that the XP users are seeing user interface changes only in the sake of change. Of course they are not thinking to change their mind and I don’t think that such thing will be even possible knowing how closed is the mind of the Vista haters.

I’d like to see them try to use the system forgetting how they where working on Windows XP. I am sure it is not too difficult, I know it will produce a gain in the usability of the system. But they consider themselves power user, while actually they are only half-a-step away form a lamer in the ranking of the most useless people in technology. (Sorry, my dear lamer if I used you in this comparison but you are actually the right person for that)

I am not telling you that someone used to something at the beginning won’t be disappointed by a change of perspective, but why such people are using a PC when they once learned how to use a pencil and a piece of paper? Please go back using this old way of working, trust me, is better for everyone and nobody will hurt (And also the internet will be a better place).

However in his brilliant post Ed Bott has a clue also for who is still missing the old-fashioned, crappy and unfriendly way of working. They can degrade customize their system and get whatever they want, even if it doesn’t makes any sense.

The sad thing is that the only operating system a XP user can stand to use is Windows XP. No chance to change, they are used to it and trying to tell them to do thing in a different way (No matter if easier or more powerful) is something like killing them. Since XP users are proving such a closed mind I can’t tell them to get a Mac nor to become a Linux user. So bad news are not only for Microsoft, but also for the other software house and even for the open source community.

P.S.

Have a nice 2009

Read more...

Have a first look at Windows 7

Live form PDC, the embargo is over and first screenshots of Windows 7 are you. Check this sites:

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/

http://www.neowin.net/news/live/08/10/28/introducing-the-windows-7-ui

http://www.flickr.com/photos/longzheng

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=575

http://www.techflash.com/microsoft/Microsoft_taking_Office_to_the_browser.html

http://content.zdnet.com/2346-12354_22-244222-36.html

(More links coming as PDC goes on)

Read more...

Are you ready for PDC?

I hope you are knowing that next week Microsoft is presenting new things at PDC. The main thing that will be presented is Windows 7, and this is the real reason you should follow what will happen in Los Angeles.

To follow it live the right links are:

Ed Bott

Mary Jo Foley

Kip Kniskern

Rafael Rivera

Paul Thurrot

Tom Warren

Long Zheng

Check their sites out and you can discover what is the next big thing form Redmond.

Read more...

Spotlight on Windows 7

This week Microsoft unveiled multi-touch capability of Windows 7.

Looking at the video we can see a well-working multi-touch demo, but nothing on how that technology would be used in every-day works. So far looks like more an advanced mouse replacement than a brand-new way to use pc. I hope that other interface changes, that should enable users to enjoy multi-touch even when working and not only when looking at photos, are Top-Secret classified information and Microsoft choose to perform that demo just to show something to who is asking an early release of Windows 7.

In the last days Steven Sinofsky said that Windows 7 kernel would be an evolution of Vista's one. This is a bad news for the I-will-jump-to-Windows-7 boys that have to update their claim in I-will-jump-to-Windows-8 (or somewhere else). Vista users should be happy of this because of the total compatibility between the 2 OS drivers and software since nothing, especially the driver model, will change.

I was dreaming Windows 7 as a fully .Net based OS, with the old Win32 system virtualized just for old applications support so I feel a bit disappointed. On the other side Vista kernel is already a very good piece of software with the only problem that users aren't feeling this. Hopefully Windows 7 would allow the user have a better configuration on what system loads as already happens in Windows Server 2008, a OS that shares huge part of code with Vista, but surprisingly is not considered as bad. Maybe it's because Apple never choose a character for the server in their stupid advertisements.

The last thing I want to show you is this useful Mary-Jo Fooley post where she wrote what we know about Windows 7. But be careful, don't believe everything you're seeing about Windows 7.

p.s. In the title Spotlight meaning is this, not this.

Read more...