J SEINFELD gonna be the face of Microsoft in some new commercials
...hmmm.

Just say No! HEY it is starting with a growing number of MAC and some linux [such as Ubuntu] converts are pushing back against VISTA, WGA and the same ol same ol from MS. MS is looking for new $$ sources of revenue to plumb from the net where they did not succeed at a buy of Yahoo. It is well enough into the 21st century but the flagship OS is still Windows! VISTA quirks on my new [JULY 2007] Gateway machine would be enough for me to DUMP it if I had no budget concerns! Will Win 7 iro out the continuing rough spots of Vista? Should I go for it when it goes retail upgrade? Home Basic/Home Premium/ 7 Pro or? For my lil Eee netbook, why would I even want to change from very satisfactory XP it came with, to Win 7 "Starter"? But the "industry" forcing us onto the upgrade - replacement cycle with a vengeance unseen since when Win 95 was new. I replaced, but upgrades of all but the most recent machines to Vista is fraught with problems. A full Win Vista Home Premium or above install requires a Gig of RAM but two is better [-some new machines come with 3 and the maxed out 4GB!], a late model CPU, hard drives of 200-320 GB for a starters and particularly a graphics card with VISTA drivers!

VISTA Home Premium is a bother to an average user who has had good eXPeriences with XP; my most serious issues are failed auto installs of most all Vista updates and problems with MS Win applets like Media Center [the mouse indicator/cursoe has become invisible with it] other such things and quirks of the interface carried over from even Win95 but with even more new dumbed down things added! Another serious underlying issue is the close integration of embedded IDs and DRM -Digital Rights Management- into Vista, and see it as MS strategy to stroke/placate the huge media companies even as MS prepares to swallow up what they can of them! It is as significant today to when MS nearly killed off independent web browsers from its introduction of IE then its integration into Windows in Win 95. WIN XP is available on some DELL models, but then so is Ubunto 7.04 Linux! The cut off-date was supposed to be JAN 31 2008 though MS was further pressured by the market to let OEMS to sell preloaded XP until JUNE 30 2008. Some makers even started end of summer 2007, VISTA- Business and Ultimate ed. DOWNGRADE to XP for companies po's at MS! Microsoft saw the business market demanded XP because of drivers and cost issue of deploying Vista. so they re-upped XP Pro to be able with more activation keys and XP was allowed to be installed ongoing in new mini pc class "netbooks" and by corporate bulk licensees. Vista quirks were ironed out and more drivers are available but wider adoption by upgrades is still after the Vista service pack since the user experience is not changed much for the better.

DO NOT use VISTA upgrade as a download offered direct from MS! If the install f__ up, Microsoft will *NOT* send you the NECESSARY DVD[!] for re-installation and the "repair" option [-see 'The Vista Paradox" Ulanoff, PC Mag APR 24 2007] PC World online survey found VISTAs major hardware problems so far are "..,.graphics card problems, followed by sound card and Webcam glitches" and that security software for the 64-bit version won't be available until end of 2007. Most of your old software will run, note there is NO "Win32S" in Vista so the ol Window "Help" files cannot open from your ol apps; this more than a minor annoyance so use the MS site to download a simple patch to install it! Support for new Vista install purchases are for 90 days, then $59 per call. On the eve of the release of VISTA [nee "Longhorn"] C Net Security newsletter, Sr. Editor R. Vamosi wrote "[M]ost of the security enhancements touted in Windows Vista don't appear in the Home Premium and Basic editions, and what's there--what's not already available within Windows XP--could have fit into a free Windows XP service pack instead of requiring a $200 upgrade." For the full treatment, for what is worth you gotta get top-price "Ultimate Edition" or be in on the deal for bulk-licensed Enterprise Edition Vista. As LONGHORN, it was supposed to consolidate various versions of Windows as started in Xp but dumped plans to make its biggest change in the Windows file system since Windows NT - WinFS [Windows Future Storage] presents virtual folders to you [huh?]. So interface changes and improved search function may be the biggest changes over XP. The file system was supposed to be based on the next version of SQL Server, code-named Yukon, and will replace the old FAT and NTFS of previous versions. It was [Mar 2003] only in ALPHA. Some techies then said not to be impressed. In CNet User Comments this looks like more expen$ive MS bloatware coming and its too early for pre-reviews. "Microsoft again wishes it was UNIX" wrote one.

SO far, the MS lawyers are fighting this like cold bitches from the GATES of hell! SO, ..Anyone see anything in mainstream media the ongoing class action lawsuit against MS and their claims now shown to be B.S. on the "VISTA capable" PCs of a while back?? Turns out to be a cold calculated market-share preserving measure for WinXP [especially to hold off MAC switchers!] because they put it mostly on machines only capable of running the stripped down Win VISTA basic! *Gizmodo.com DEC 2007 Microsoft Year End Report Card [gives XBox 360 A- and Windows Home Server: A- and MS OVERALL "B-", BTW] both WinMobile and Vista "D".

Windows Present Genuine Disadvantage

BEWARE of McAfee Security Suite QuickClean which WILL remove obscure but necessary files that are part of the fingerprint for your machine and then running WGA will indicate you have a counterfeit copy of Windows- note a patch was posted AUG 30 2006 for this. [Jun2006]-I just read a new post on CNet that [WGA] Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications Microsoft's antipiracy tool "phones home daily" though set up originally in 2004, since NOV 2005 they are enforcing this so not all of us had encountered it until more recently. It requires validation of you WIN installation before you can download additional Microsoft software, such as Windows Media Player and Windows Defender. Validation is not required for security fixes. Before, we just had to deal with spam, viruses, worms and govt spying on us though MS day this WGA is NOT spyware beacause you have to consent to it [yeah or else..] and if you do NOT pass validation you will give a choice to buy a licensed copy if you CANNOT send them! your WinCD to check it. Microsoft does not acknowledge that "false positive" invalid WIN errors might be caused by problems with digital signatures, with third-party software, or with a failed WGA Notification installation.

Microsofts world [& so ours] was shaken with the unprecedented MS blaster and SoBig.F outbreaks and SEPT 18 2003 E week online reports on NEW worm "Swen arrives in an e-mail message with a subject line of "Microsoft Critical Patch" and an executable attachment with a random file name. The message body itself is a somewhat realistic looking HTML message that includes faked Microsoft logo and links to the company's Web site. The body instructs the user to install the included attachment, which is described as the "February 2003, Cumulative Patch" for Outlook, Outlook Express and Internet Explorer." MS acted to change the default installation in new XP product to be with its built-in firewall activated. Attacks by SoBig particularly was a new devious in ways of connecting thru its own SMTP mailer exploiting various ports attempts to create its own backdoor.

May 2004-Lots of failures in the system, but even with Energy Dept report April 2003, definitive cause of system failure in Aug 15 2003 blackout not pinpointed. Some power plant control computers *have been* linked to their business systems - IT Director.com theorized possible link between MS Blaster worm and the BLACKOUT by infection of "..SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system at the power plant master terminal, or more likely at several of the remote terminal units (RTUs)...SCADA runs under Win2000 / XP and the telemetry to the RTU is accessible via the Internet." Just coming to any public attention after it was noted on Aug 20 2003 in SecurityFocus.com the Slammer worm shut down the control system of the *INACTIVE* [phew!] plant for 5 hours nuke plant Davis-Besse near Toledo Ohio in JAN 2003 had no firewall between its corporate computers [linked to the net] and computerized control systems, at that time. [NYTimes, Business, 9-7-03]

Too Much Information...

Windows update, since late 2002 uploads to MS product ID with a list of your PCs hardware note on WinXP 25 character string called product ID [what about OEM copies?] right click My computer -properties] middle 10 digits, plus product key make a digital signature sent to MS and win function "GetSystemSpec" sends a list of your hardware components including vendor, make and model of plug and play devices. Your software list is not sent yet [!] but "..the routime already contains a section that can extract the Registry's software subkeys." Brian Livingston, in InfoWorld 3-4-03, ponders whether this be used by MS in factoring whether or not to permit upgrades installation of various MS software??

Windows 7 and VISTA
Win Vista Ultimate Say NO to Vista	Windows super - site "DRM - Trash VISTA, not your computer"
Win Support Ctr	Microsoft watch
Windows XP
Win XP home ver WIN anti-spyware download the Elder Geek on WinXP annoyances.org all Win versions XP PC won't power off	SP 2 -software incompatibilities Joe Wilcox's pc weblog WinXP Resource CD-RW recording patch 1-22-02 XP Service Pack 2

XP

Upgrading a new or recent PC with the the original XP release? [AUG 2004]-Service Pack 3 for XP was going to be released winter [late JAN?]2008! People who still used dial-up when Service Pack 1 was released needed to contact MS to mail a CDROM. Hope they got broadband since. SP2's somewhat touted firewall blocks ONE WAY incoming only - any spyware present can still send out, and there are many software incompatibilities [check link below], so beware. They should have make Microsoft distribute service packs FREE on CD at retailers where we've bought our PCs to begin with. The gov't should have forgotten about fighting over IE and trying to break up MS and found some way to do right for the consumer...give users a manual. Give home users night and weekend support!! Media Center Edition 2005 aimed to usurp the need for hot external devices such as TiVo and all other online music vendors with newest version of Media Player's ties to Win online music service [though newest Media Player run with any PC with XP] The 'average' range of PC users is still getting hosed by Microsoft..perhaps those who have OEM versions installed on new PCs get the least from MS. Beware...Forget about connecting to most office and college networks with Xp Home edition. It lacks the ability to join a Windows NT domain [not to mention Netware based network. Also only found in the more expensive [why,?] XP Pro is dual processor support and hyperthreading, remote desktop for remote control, SNMP for network management, and for real power users with latest 64 bit workstations there is XP 64-bit edition for Intel Itanium or Itanium II. The retail versions of the software both also have various networking and other protocols extra on them, such as on the XP PRo retail CD is Win NT 4.0 Internet Authentication Service and phone book administrator, XP Home retail adds NetBEUI for those who may need it, and other features.

Cut out cute puppy dogs and dumb menu needed to initiate using 'Search' [turn off puppy in Change Preferences]. Problematic Add/remove Windows Components dialogue box. Since Win 95 until XP, there was "To add or remove (Windows components)..check box" [!] Be careful using this stupidity. Error reporting to Microsoft ..not a bad way to send info. which they may use to improve the lil bugger..but it requires an immediate send and being online. There is no way to get any clue from them on what has gone wrong. There are still no plain language error messages. Win XP still freezes up. Why doe MS increasingly design Win as though everyone is always online w-high-speed connection?

XP was designed to "successfully" run on machines that were up to about 2 years old previously, over 300 MHz and 128 Mb or more of RAM. MS licensed a lite version of Roxio EasyCD Creator, there is enhanced wireless LAN and internet connection sharing and other alternatives -but dumbed down versions of- what was available FIRST as OEM and retail software including file and setting migration-transfer software, web cookie controller, digital camera and video hookup, system file restoration [a la GoBack] and more. Remote desktop connection [a potential security hole] is included in the PRO version. As before, the desire to make MS software a total experience by taking YOU to its commercial partners let executable programs [which includes worms and viruses] have their way with Windows in your machine thru gateways in incoming files in [OUTLOOK especially] e-mail and thru Internet Explorer browser. Now that NETSCAPE 7.1 is available, I have it and just about switched with more new of serious security flaws in IE - see about "BHO" vulnerability. Spring 2004.

There's stricter registration requirements -[more further down...] and the fact that new features for your convenience and 'folder' organization ['My Music', My Pictures', whatever] are links to MSN pages [for music, shopping + others] or to companies MS is partnered with. XP, and much software, from the new Netscape to simple games, are set up to be registered on the web and then connect periodically in the background for updates - my new HP laptop, much of the new software was like this, some of it truly shovelware like the games which were only activated through registering for a trial period then purchase required, and it gives them access to your PC thru background updates and sales pitches. The other good software was 'lite' versions so you register online and they try to sell you the better full product. Don't call, but you can still the web site. "Effective July 11, 2006, Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Me (and their related components) will transition to a non-supported status."-officially from Microsoft site. No security updates or paid-incident support either-BYE! Win 2000 users [rel. FEB. 17 2000] must upgrade to XP PRO version or higher. Win NT certification expired at the end of 2001. No more support of NT 4 after the end of 2002. No upgrade available from Win 95!! WP 5.1 and old DOS software will not work with XP.

Windows 2000
Win2KWorld WinPortal.com Paul Thurrott'sSupersite ActiveWindows WIN 2000 Pro home about.com WIN 2000 pages	MS Win 2000 misc. compat. updates NT4.0 Service Packs Win 2000 servicepack 2 NT compatible WIN 2000 compatibility site IE 5.01-SP 1 security patch 2-11-02

"Product activation" at proper registration is standard for new MS Products. MS says the registration process is separate from the activation and that no personal info. is transmitted by the activation process. Trust them. But, people encountering this process are taking the whole thing as an invasion of privacy. New Microsoft Office XP has a 50 starts in 30 days before it stops functioning if it is unregistered. Home users with OEM installation of WIN XP "..will encounter the watchdog code only if they modify the system's hardware sufficiently to trigger reactivation." -PC World AUG. 2001 TOP of the NEWS Readers to Microsoft: Copy Controls? No way! If you cannot get online to activate the product, you must call and give an operator a 50-digit ID code and receive a long code number back for activation. Handing reinstall if needed will be a clumsy affair. MS is also moving towards a subscription-based software program and has introduced it to consumers with OFFICE in Australia. Some misdirected subscriptions compliance warnings were seen in the US by purchasers or Office. For businesses MS Software Assurance has brought leasing to run and upgrade Office instead of the past ordinary licensing, which more costly.

*Office XP* released in May 2001 is the 6th version of Office and is promoted to contain many new 'smart' features, is it worthwhile to immediately to spend the upgrade dollar$?. Microsoft's Internet Explorer 5.01, was replaced with IE 6 but download from MS the "28 March 2002 Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer" update eliminates all previously addressed security vulnerabilities affecting Internet Explorer 6, as well as two new vulnerabilities, and is discussed in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS02-015". Microsofts' deal with Apple made IE the browser bundled for Mac. The AOL deal is over, MS and AOL at odds over putting the AOL icon on the Win XP desktop..AOL past purchase of Netscape put a lot power into AOL as it get access to more users, the Netscape portal etc. Firefox 1, released NOV 2004, Netscape 8 current, and other alternates to IE are available.

[BOTTOM]

WIN 98

Win 98 was not completely Y2K compliant, a patch was available now for download, or buy Win 98 second edition...Patches are available for Office 97. SR1, SR2. DELL owners must go to Dell's web site to find if they can upgrade before they go for the Win 98 retail version. Update your Norton Utilities so "[r]unning NU's System Doctor under Win 98 can disable your floppy drive or prevent you from shutting down Windows." Use Live Update feature to install a fix. including Live Update 6, and patch - NSDBUG.ZIP Version Control Manger - under Programs-Accessories-System Tools-System Information-Tools may save your butt. Win 98, without notifying you, is set to replace any "[o]ld, outdated, or nonstandard." drivers in you system. If it disables your peripherals anyway, you need to use this feature to return the original driver.--from Jim Seymour Nov. 17, 1998 in PC Magazine. May as well check for printer drivers [-HP VISTA drivers coming JULY 2007], and others for devices such as Iomega's various drives. Win 95 utilities such as Norton Utilities 3.0 and Quarterdeck Cleansweep 4.0 both have to be patched to use with WIN 98. Patch OUTLOOK Express - upgrade to IE 4.01 with service pack 1 then got to 4. mb!

Windows 98 + ME
SE shutdown patch Win 98 Service Pack 1 laptop power management(free) VPN update	Pogues' WIN ME manual Official Win ME site Windows Magazine PC Computing is Smart Business Mag.

Windows 98 will probably be nothing more than another hastily and badly prepared product. Witness your comments, "MS developers claim to have fixed 'more than 3,000 bugs..3,000 bugs? Give me a break! Windows 95 is the most unstable OS I've encountered, and keeping it crash free is a challenge. Is Windows 98 just another fix for a lame OS, with so-called "enhancements" gleaned from other products already on the market? Mr. Gates owes the consumer a stable free of charge. And please, don't direct me to Microsoft's Web site to download files - been there, done that." - Mark L. Nichols , letter to PC Magazine of Sept. 1, 1998

Win ME is a completely non-supported version 7-11-2006. It had been extended for a fee -all original agreements are long expired even with an extension. Win ME was on retail sale Sept. 15 2000. It takes up a lot of extra space -default of over 650 mb! upgrade. Users needed for then speedy machines with lots of free space - it could NOT be installed on less than a 150 MHz Pentium, so prob. a 300/330 MHz PII min. prob. best. It featured new applets such as Scanner and Camera Wizard [for new cameras using MS WIA interface only], Win Movie Maker, System Restore utility, smart hibernation, SFP system file protection , and new Home Networking Wizard. The latest Media Player and IE version [5.5] were built in. Some of these features are aimed, as MS always has done, at appropriating ideas [ie- GoBack utility] found in other's products that are just becoming 'hot'. Win 98 ME will move away from MS -DOS some more, with NO MS-DOS mode available, but DOS command prompt box will be available. A patch is available for AOL + Win ME users as the connection is likely to be cut off after a short period online because of a "Windows modem driver" issue.

Win '95

August 1995 was the much hyped [and late] release of Win 4.0 or Chicago...it was an advance, though derivative, buggy, and for some, a frustrating upgrade. There was only one version of Win 95 sold retail, [just as Win 3.1 original version was in one version retail, despite downloadable fixes available, and a Service Pack, and several minor upgrades Win 95B itself available to OEMs but Win 95B, more stable, with FAT 32, and limited USB support, seems to be a good OS to hold onto until Win 98 SE and Win 'Millennium Edition' - last release of Win 98 and other upgrades followed. To check if you have WIN 95 OSR2 installed on your new system, right clicking on the My Computer, Properties, General Windows 4.00.950B. This is supposed to indicate the latest OEM SR2..[Anyway for Win 95 - note Windows Magazine of July 97 p37, by Fred Langa, shows that "You can't trust My Computer /Properties to show you the correct version of Windows"...this only "..reports the SubVersionNumber in the Registry's _LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion key which you can edit! Check their new page which will identify ANY version at Windows Magazine].

Windows 95
Win 95 Anoyances Win 95/98/NT reference links Service Pack 1 Win '95 UPDATE page Barry '95	Win 95 and USB AMD-K6-2 350+ incompatibility DUN password corruption patch DialUp Networking 1.3 update MS-Win 95 Home

Oh no, Mr. Bill!

Office 2000 has an issue with it becoming "invalid" won't open after installing Service Pak1 or 1a if it was orig installed from a CD key that being with GC6J3; obtain a new key from MS or reinstall Office 2000 without an update. [from PC Advisor mag UK] Dec 2003. Just about every MS product has 'issues'. Security holes have consistently been reported after each release of Internet Explorer, and some in Office. For marketing purposes, whatever, Win 95 on had means of reporting, as you may or may not have been aware of, to report your system configuration as part of your registration process if you did not opt out. Word 97 has file version compatibility issues and has a feature to imbed a unique ID no. in your documents, which could be traced- [fix is available] . Good ol Win 3.1 shipped with bugs in the 'clock' and 'calculator' applets, by the way. Of course, various hardware and software compatibility issues have been a constant, an OS can't be all things to all peripherals but we are forced on an premature upgrade path.

Other MS - apps
MS "Press Pass"
Opera browser	Mozilla + Firefox browser
Netscape 8	APPLE safari 1.2
MS Technet Direct X *8* Product Support Centers Microsoft troubleshooter> WordPerfect vs Word MS developers network WindowsCE pages Office 97 no more GUID# patch Office 97 ID removal tool Office 97 Serv. pack 1	Outlook Express long name file crash patch Outlook 98 long name file crash patch Outlook 98 Archive patch Money 99 win mem. eror msg. patch Excel 97/2000 ODB sec. hole patch Office 2000 Active X hole patch [149k] OFFICE 2000 sr1a WordPerfect 2000 SP3 [76 mb!]patch Eudora 4.3.2 upgrade for security reasons Bug Watch/Bug Fix Woody's Office Portal
The Coming U.S. Tech Meltdown
The collective decisions of the US tech industry [among others] is causing its destruction. Each seeking max profits, yet cutting off their own b__s! all their lobbying and payoffs to Congess smoothing the way! Use link in above row. Microsoft Vice -President and Microsoft Asia Research Director Ya-Qin Zhang noted on occasion of Mayor Bloomberg visit with US Secy of Commerce to China at part of week-long China-US Innovation Conference in Beijing that China is the largest investment market for Microsoft after the U.S. [MS] spends $100mil on R&D that will increase "We have established innovative collaboration with more than a dozen universities in China and formed close partnerships with several Chinese IT companies, such as as Digital China and Inspur." [computer solutions] [-Wang Ying, CHINA DAILY DEC 11 2007 "Innovative technology co-op to be stepped up"] ->SO now in 2007 US has only 3 PC companies..and only 2 of them are now in top three. ACER [Taiwan+ China] is no. 2 bought up Gateway-eMachines].. BUT anyway..mostly every PC + electronic device sold in the US is assembled in CHINA from all Asian mostly Chinese components. If China gets its MARKETING act together as it can clean the clocks of the rest of the US industry and sell direct who knows even with a windows alternative- As of now the US is increasingly BEHIND places such as S Korea and vaious Asian and Euro countries in broadband speed, access and cost. Not to mention traditional infrastructure. ============================================ I should have a list of what Microsoft has purchased-or..umm-- it would be a huge list just starting it: 1975: Microsoft BASIC 1981: bought a version of CP/M and create MS DOS 1987: bought company that created PowerPoint 1994 - purchase of Intuit [Quicken] called off after Justice Dept. sues to block deal 1996 MSNBC cable + web channel partnership 1997: bought Hotmail WebTV -nearly half a billion dollars spent 1995 - The Internet Gamiong Zone bought out. 1997- billion dollars investment in COMCAST (cable TV) 1-99- $500 million investment in NTL - one of Britain's largest cable TV operators 6-99 --10% of Wink Communications - to "..integrate its interactive TV technologies with upcoming versions of [Microsoft's] WebTV." [PC Mag. Aug. 99 1-99 - $300 million for a 7 to 8 per cent stake of United Pan-Europe Communications (Netherlands) the largest Dutch cable TV co. to push high-spped Internet access, digital video and Internet-based telephone services in Europe 8-99 bought a minority stake in mortgage data provider TUTTLE DECISION SYSTEMS, Inc. "It's system willbe integrated into Microsoft's Home Advisor Web site..." 9-99 Microsoft and 3 other partners ea. $175 million and purchase of $200 million in communications capacity over 3 years in "Asia Global Crossing" communications web linking Japan to Malaysia, and eventually the whole of this East Asia area maybe as far west as India. Initially it will link with older cable "Pacific Crossing I" thru Japan 9-99 in move to compete with ( pressure priceline.com to sell out?) Price matcher service to book hotel rooms introduced on Microsoft's EXPEDIA web travel site. 9-99 Microsoft in joint deal with Liberty Media Group (Englewood CO.) to buy a stake in Europe's no. 2 cable Co. - almost 2.46 million shares of 'UPC' on top of the 8 percent of the comapany it already owns. 9-99 VISIO bought for $1.3 billion stock deal (diagramming and technical dwg. software) Visio was founded in 1990. 2-16-2000 $50 million invested in 26% stake in Israeli company Gilat Satellite Networks to offer high-speed two-way satellite broadband access in the US through Gilat's McClean Va. based opertions. 3-2000 T1 msn portal site "A Latin Regional Web Portal"-Joint venture.." Spanish-speaking subscribers to Prodigy, the Internet service of Telefonos de Mexico, or Telemex, and to Microsoft's msn.com are automatically channeled to the new portal."NY TIMES Business 3-22 Internet Explorer on PCs sold in all "Latin" Countries will have this set as Home.- Mr. Carlos Slim Helu of Tel. de Mexico also owns the controlling share of CompUSA since Jan. 2000. besides Prodigy Services Corp. Mar. 01- Bill Gates personal investment firm reports holding 7.8 percent of Liberty Satellite and Technology Inc. afiliate of Liberty Media, te "cable television arm of AT&T Corp." APR 2001 Worldwide Services formed of reorganized units to make MS a prime contractor for setting up and operating servers. May 2001- Agreement announced between MSN division and Handspring so MSN become default page for "Blazer" - new Handspring browser. -also an agreement with MSN and United Airlines in marketing to UAL fliers. OCOTBER 2001-Agreement with SAMSUNG of Korea to develop and produce and sell devices [Samsung makes the wide range of consumer products that MS won't and MS will provide the software] that would hook into MS networked interconnected vision of a "digital home" AND MS designs on being software gatekeeper for our home banking is being test enableb by another "alliance" with a Korean bank.- - - KOREA is most broadbanded country in the WORLD- 40% of homes and offices cited in NY TIMES Business 10-23-01 "Microsoft and Samsun Strike a Deal" Feb. 2002 XBox introduced in Japan April 2002 Mexi-soft: e-Mexico Project- provideing free or discounted Windows and Office and related training and support for set up of hundreds of e-Mexico public computer centers, but MS will make up money in fees 2002 Sept 19 10 new home networking products announced 2003 some lawsuits settled incl with California Claims for $16 for ea copy of Win and $29 for each copy of Office can be filed 60 days until 1-8-05. Oh Boy. www.microsoftcalsettlement.com for purchases 1995-2001 2003 JAN8 Bill Gates spoke at CES Las Vegas. The Microsoft watch unveiled which will be sold late 2003, so far licensed to Fossil, Citizen, Suunto required subscription to receive wireless data service...also Media2Go [wirelessly linked] audio video player software for new devices to be made, so far, Samsung, iRiver, Sanyo, ViewSonic. OCt 14 2003 MS free changed eliminated in 28 countries and restricted in US. Jan 2004 Microsoft to give $1 billion software and cash to the UN "as part of a job-training program for the developing world." Thinly veiled effort against UN prticipation in setting internationals standards for web services ebXML instead of Microsft-IBM propietary B.C.F. UGH, way too over my head but I know its important. "Microsofter: Tech firms making nice with rivals" [4-13-04 NYPost] incl settlements APR 13 2004 w/Interrtrust Tech, APR 2 2004 SUN Microsystems for $1.6Bil, May 29 2003 with Time Warner. June 2004 Settlement of overcharges antitrust lawsuit in MASS with $34 million in software vouchers, half going to schools half to consmumer who CLAIM them. But in Arizona they paid $104.6 mil. NOV 2004 $536 mil settlement w NOVELL after 10yrs DEC 2004 Slate online mag sold to Washington Post Company. MAR 2005 Microsoft to acquire Grove Networks May 2006: $400 mil acquisition of "Massive Inc." video game advertising start up __ 2007: aQuantive $6bil MS largest purchase ever, ScreenTonic DEC 2007 Multimap of US
*APPLE Safari 3.1 Mar 18 2008- and for WINDOWS.. I just got it, if you have iTunes or QuickTime on PC, a pop up will appear to start the download.* SUN introduced latest StarOffice 7.0 winter 2004 list price $79.95.

Tablet PC, Smart Display, Xbox, Media2Go, MS Watch, and other Goodies[?]

Note Cnet.com-s top 10 worst products [Sept 2005] of past 10 years [Cnet 10th anniv!]included Microsoft BOB at no. 1 and Windows ME at no. 6. Media2Go and a MS Watch were unveiled at the Las Vega Int'l Consumer Electronics Show JAN 8 '03 by Bill Gates. "Microsoft-Based Timepieces: Watch Out!" $59 year service of MSN Direct to $179-$299 "smart watches" have "murky monochrome screens" and "unwieldy interfaces."[-PCWorld April 2004]. MS was to license technology for mfgrs. to sell in new wireless media[video-audio]player and watch-to be used with a subscription to a MS wireless network..prob. available for late fall 2003 at earliest- umm I do not know what happened, you can look it up.

MS software 'for Win XP' runs new "Tablet PC" starting early NOV. 2002 and 'Smart Display' [for XP Pro only] wireless devices ['cordless' displays!] In SmartDisplay, 'wi fi is *bottleneck* for datastream and screen image to be transmitted simultaneously, so stereo sound video and DVD watching is not feasible'[NY Times Circuits 1-2-03- [available 2003 from OEMs.] Its main competition, with greater functionality and for little more cost, is a complete notebook, just a little more effort needed to set up wifi small network! Tablet notebooks become a niche market, with added hand writing recognition software and specialized screen,screens that can be detached or swivel. These early models had 10"-12" screens PIIIm and used a magnetic stylus for screen writing. They have come a long way since, but are still a speicalty item. Otherwise, there was not a PEN-computer operation built into Windows since Win 3.1. Xbox 1-available retail 11-8-001 and new Xbox 360 regular and premium wireless HD versions. "XBox Live" MS network for gamers and MS profit and profitable links unveiled summer 2002 [..so viruses on your game system coming I'm sure.]

Other OS
Linux Linux home CNet linux center Lindows	Amiga - amiga OS laptop linux GNU Linux freeBSD
SUN Linux on a new LX 50 server Aug. 12 2002.

Settlements with MS by US are widely seen as "wimpy" NO changes in business practice, no stopping of bundling which distort and wreck the market for targeted competitors. 2004 suits accusing MS of overcharging for Win for past 15 years by LA, SF and 4 others California cities was dismissed too long a period for antitrust and could not duplicate consumer lawsuits of unfiar competition in various states were already settled. These cities can try and amended complaint. The European Commission ruled WIN was to be a modified version without its Media Player integrated. Microsoft was given a stay, as they fought various fines of 497milion Euros [about $603 million] and directives of a March 24 2004 ruling. The Euro Commission [July 12 2006] fined Microsoft AGAIN 280.5m euros ($357m; £194m) by the European Commission for failing to comply..with the full antitrust settlement released APR 22 2004 will face daily fines from July 31 2006 if they do not supply "complete and accurate" technical information to rival developers. In the 1998 case, the Commission had ordered MS to offer Windows without "Media Player" by late June and to open Windows Server as far as to give other software companies "interface documentation" to make their programs as compatible with it as the apps MS already produces. As far the earlier settlement in the US Justice Dept antitrust case is concerned Bill is pleased.."personally committed" to abide by the agreements... Microsoft, avoided any possibility of break-up. It was semi-victorious in Appeals Court ruling coming after a process that began with hearings 2-27-01. The case pitted various Congressmen against the lite-handling of MS by the BUSH administration. On Sept. 6 '01 the Justice Dept. dropped from the case action challenging the "tying" of Internet Explorer to Win95 and 98 to add focus to the remaining case. Even back in 1993, the Justice Dept. investigated Microsoft's business practices. - The brou-hahha over break-up order to Microsoft, began with a 1996 "Netscape White Paper" [written by Netscape lawyers], for Justice Dept. use. The information was passed around and it galvanized the software/hardware community to work with the Fed. gov't, have their grievances against MS heard and ultimately brought an anti-trust case, which has yet to be resolved. SUN, AOL, IBM, COMPAQ, Apple, and other presented papers to the Justice Dept. in the case which centered on the browser wars at first. In Nov. 5 1999- Federal Judge found Microsoft is a monopoly. After the decision was released 2000 Microsoft condemned the government's plan to split it in two. Microsoft's appeal got under way Nov. 27 2000. by attacking the judgment as being the result of "mistakes" and "error", "bias" and violations of judicial code of conduct. Oct 2003 5 more states settle class action, antitrust lawsuits leaving 5 + Wash DCs pending. May 8 2003 - Mass. and W. Virginia filed to appeals court for tougher sanctions because settlement w-17 other states was useless...arguments sched for NOV 2003. They did not participate in the settlement Feb 11 2003 additional anti-trust complaint against Microsoft in Brussels filed by tech companies, some of the biggest names from SUN to AOL Time Warner, Eastman Kodak etc. that MS is leveraging its dominant position in OSs to take similar positions in the markets that these other companies serve, incl. multimedia software that is being slowly swallowed by growing Microsoft Media Player, and that these abuses are particularly prevalent with applets bundled within WinXP.* *OCT 31 2002 Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly "conditionally approved" most of the antitrust settlement agreement which had originally been proposed and reached a year earlier, still leaving perhaps costly civil suits, AOL Time Warner and SUN Microsystems suits, and also nine dissatisfied states seeking tougher sanctions considering another attempt at an appeal. BILL GATES testified for the first time on APR. 22 2002, basically saying what the states propose to do to Windows is very bad for Windows, and what bad for Windows is bad for Microsoft and what's bad for Microsoft is bad for the US. Other paid experts for MS repeated the theme in testimony in following days of hearings. The court had found violation of Section 2 of the Sherman anti-trust act Jan. 11 2002 in the States' private class-action suit as proposed settlement has been tossed around since last fall 2001 with nine states rejected the MS. offer of supplying a huge billion dollar [...in retail value!] amount of hardware and software to schools et al. was rejected as adding ïndirect anticompetitive effect"- will aid Microsoft's monopoly in OS. APPLE esp. spoke up against this.