Microsoft

Microsoft is examining claims that a bug in Windows 7 could allow a hacker to remotely disable a computer. The news comes just as the firm urges users of previous editions of Windows to give priority to one particular patch in this month's security ... update. The Windows 7 bug, reported by a security researcher who's posted what he claims to be code for exploiting the bug, involves the Server Message Block. That's a section of Windows used in networks for features such as file and printer sharing. Bug Allows "Infinite Loop" Attack Laurent Gaffie says that the bug could make it possible for a ... (view more)

If you have yet to make the switch to Windows 7 , perhaps because of financial reasons, then you are wise. There are a number of ways to get your hands on the upgrade for a discounted price, proving once again that good things will come to those who ... wait. Here are some deals to help combat the "new release" sticker prices. 3-for-1 Windows Family Pack The first deal is the Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade Family Pack. Here, prospective buyers will receive up to 58 per cent off of the suggested retail price, if there are two or more PCs making the upgrade. The bundle consists of two ... (view more)

Microsoft has assured users that it will strive to give cloud computing customers the same privacy commitments given to those using desktop software. But it warns that this could be limited by government regulations, particularly where data is ... transferred across international borders. Cloud computing is a broad term, but generally refers to set-ups where data, an application, or even an operating system is stored on, and operative from, a remote server rather than a user's computer. As Microsoft notes, it's not a new idea: Hotmail is an example of a cloud-based service, with the emails and ... (view more)

According to Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer, sales of the company's Windows 7 operating system have been nothing less than "fantastic" since its launch back on October 22. However, industry experts are wondering exactly why that is, ... and if the good times will last for MS. Speaking at a press event in Tokyo on Thursday, Microsoft CEO Ballmer gushed about Windows 7. He has reason to, thus far. According to industry stat-tracker NPD Group, boxed copies of Windows 7 have sold at a rate 234 per cent higher than Windows Vista during the same early period (in U.S. stores). Sales of ... (view more)

Microsoft says that not only will they benefit from sales of its new Windows 7 operating system (OS), but the local economy could benefit from it too. Microsoft hired research firm IDC Corp to conduct a study on the ripple affect of Windows 7 which ... launched on October 22nd this year. Estimates from the IDC study found that American companies could hire 25,000 additional workers through the end of 2010. Sales of Win7 Products Estimated at $110B Microsoft's launch of Windows 7 can affect tech companies that depend on Microsoft's software. Some companies make computer hardware, others produce ... (view more)

One of the most visible changes in Windows 7 is that the User Account Control (UAC) system has been made less irritating than with Vista. However, a security firm says that less hassle comes with a price. The UAC system, which debuted in Vista, ... means that once installed, software is not automatically able to run without restraint. Instead, when it wants to perform an action which will change Windows itself, a pop-up box asks the user for permission. The user must be logged in under an administrator account to give this permission. Vista Users: UAC Most Annoying The idea was to put a block on ... (view more)

There's no doubt that plenty of excitement has built up around Microsoft with less than two weeks since the launch of Windows 7. However, as of yet that hasn't translated to better market share numbers for either its operating systems (OS) or its ... web browser, Internet Explorer. Research Concludes 1 Year Study According to a recent study by research firm Net Applications, Microsoft's share of the browser market continues to decline . Microsoft's piece of the pie got significantly smaller between October 2008 and October of this year, dropping from 73.64 per cent to just 64.64 per cent. Mozilla ... (view more)

Microsoft's share of the Internet browser market has fallen by almost a tenth in the space of one year. The lost share has been split between Firefox, Safari and Google's new Chrome browser. (Source: informationweek.com ) Monitoring firm Net ... Applications has just released its browser statistics for October. While some reports are concentrating on the changes since September, which saw Internet Explorer drop by just one percentage point, the trends are much more striking when comparing October 2009 to October 2008. Firefox Does Most Damage During that one year period the percentage of Internet ... (view more)

A large part of the reason Microsoft's Windows 7 promises to be successful is because it won't be all that long before support for the very popular Windows XP ends -- somewhere around 2-3 years from now. So, how good is support for Windows 7 today? ... Microsoft recently took the opportunity to announce some of the best features behind its Windows 7 troubleshooting apparatus. It starts with something called "Action Center," the Redmond-based firm's new technical support system. According to Microsoft general manager of product quality and online support Lori Bronwell, Action Center includes over ... (view more)

Many users are taking up the offer for Windows 7 "Upgrade," which requires the user to have a pre-existing, legitimate copy of Windows 2000, XP, or Vista already pre-installed on the user's machine. However, Microsoft has recently confirmed it is ... technically possible to install an upgrade-only edition of Windows 7 on a machine that doesn't already have another version of Windows pre-installed. That said, the firm has also pointed out that doing so is an illegal breach of licensing conditions. Several websites have printed what they describe as 'workarounds', which use an upgrade ... (view more)