So, maybe some of you have heard that MS said they would be putting out a Windows Update that would check Windows 7 Installs for known Activator exploits and alert you the user if your copy wasn't legit.  Top that off, they also said that they wouldn't force this update down our throats (not yet anyway) and we could even un-install the update if we got it on our system accidently.  So far they are living up to their word.

Windows Update KB971033 went live last night and true to their word, you can choose not to install it if you are one of those that just doesn't have Windows set to auto download everything and install.

So, if you are worried about this update giving a false positive and bugging the snot out of you, avoid or uninstall update KB971033.  Word on the street however, is that you can expect this updates and an addon to kill the activator exploits to be contained withing the upcoming ServicePack 1 for Win7.  So enjoy it while you can.

Saw lots of talk about this this morning on some various forums an Geek sites.  Seems that just the 30gb Zune players bricked themselves at 12am Dec 30th.  So far, no official word from Microsoft about what the hell is going on, though currently, it's common thought that the data/time bug might be related to it having been a leap year.

The good news is that many are unbricking by pulling the battery and reconnecting.  This sets the clock back to default and it's suggested that you leave it there untill M$ comes out with an official fix.  For more information, search for "Z2K" and "Zunicide" over at Zune.net

So everyone and their mother pretty much knows by now that someone leaked a copy of the Beta for Windows 7 to the internet right? "So what?" you say?

Well, this isn't the first beta/pre-beta that been leaked, but so far this once really seems to work.  If you're really interested in it, I'm sure you won't have too much difficulty finding it on your favorite torrent site.  The best part is, M$ so far doesn't really seem to be pissed.  They are planning on releaseing an official beta in Jan anyway.  Also, the both the leaked version and the official version beta's seem to have a July 09' death date.  So M$ isn't sweating this one too much.

However, I'd just like to take a peak under the hood and see what it's got.  So, I'm sure I'll be downloading this when I get home and taking a little spin.  It will give me something else to play with since I also just started playing with a hackintosh.  Maybe once I get it up and running I'll take a few screen shots and post them up here.  Of Windows 7, not the Hackintosh, who hasn't seen OSX a million times already?

I have hated mac's forever and a day. Don't ask me why...maybe it because they used t be the domain of touchie feelly humanities faculty while us science people used PC's. Whatever...Now Mac's are trendy and the whole iPod, iPhone, iLife BS just makes me hate the trendyness of it all even more.  Go anywhere in a college town and all the "cool" non-conformist people have Mac's. It's a stus symbol now...like Mac isn't about the money.

Anyway, I saw this and thought it would be a great use for a Mac:

Of course it's probably just another iLife thing!

Cal would appreciatte it.

There definitly seems to be a trend on the rise again.  Letting people have a free whack at your software before they can buy it.  Microsoft seem to be jumping back on by handing out free trials of Exchange Server 2007.

It seemed like for a good while companies stopped doing this but I think they have found that there is no better QC then letting the real world have a stab at the software.  Afterall, actual users with various environments make the best beta testers.  Engineer's just can't think of all the different senario's that users in the wild can come up with.  So, if you are an Exchange admin, go get a copy and tinker.

So you're an early adopter with a slightly underpowered machine or you just want things to go even faster on your uber rig.  Vista is new and intimidating and some things arn't in their normal places and you just arn't sure what some of these other things are.  Have no fear.

The nice folks over at ExtremeTech have toiled over Vista and found several ways to trim the fat and boost performance. Some are old ways turned new and some are new stuff you didn't know you had. If you're itching to start trimming, just take this link.

Seems like everyone is taking their shots at MS these days.  Though lately it's been the EU thats been kicking MS's ass down the street. Sure I take my pot-shots, but hey, don't we all?

 However, this time it seems that MS pulled an old trick, the ole' Bait & Switch.  We've all been seeing PC's since late last year taughting Vista compatibility.  An we've all been seeing what Vista Ultimate can do with it's Aero interfact and multimedia application bonanza.  Problem is, many of those "Vista Compatible" PC's being sold before Vista's full release will only work with the stripped down version of Vista called Vista Home Basic.  V.H.B does not containe the Aero interface or all those lovely multimedia applications.  It's basicly Windows XP home with the ultra annoying security system added.  For a few more details, check out the article over at Slashdot.

I'm actually a tad torn on this.  By this day and age, everyone should know that "compatible" no longer means it will do everything you see on the commecial.  The courts have cleared companies and private sellers a few times.  Personally, I think it's crap.  So it should be interesting to see what happens as per the Slashdot article, there is now a suit being filed for deceptive practices by MS.  Whats your take?  Should MS take it in the rear for using a vauge term to their advantage, or should consumers take some of the responcibility and done more research?  Is the latter even really possible with so much hype and confusion over the 4 different versions of Vista?  Tell us what you think.

No it wasn't an April Fools Joke.  Sunday, MS actually let it be known that there was a security hole in the code for the mouse cursor in it's Windows line of OS's.  Today, they are releasing the patch for it.  Sounds pretty quick right?  Wrong.  MS knew about the exploit at least as far back as December 06' but didn't do anything untill the flaw started being exploited on grand scale last week.

Want to know more?  Check out this article or this one. Both are located over at Ars.

Windows Vista is no longer a spec on the horizon, as of today it is now in the wild. 

However, like past OS releases and even more so today, Game Console releases, there was no mad rush of early adopters lined up at the stores waiting for Vista to start being sold.  Rather, there were some small lines in some places and a few trickles of folks in other places.  Could this possibly be that the masses are showing just how uncertain they are in Microsofts current offering?  Could it be that they just don't feel like staning out in the cold weather?  Maybe they are still too tired from waiting in line for their PS3 or Wii.

I expect to hear much more on the Pro's and Con's of the new OS now that it's in the hands of John Q. Public.  While the Beta program certainly got it out in the wild a bit, it mostly found it's way into the hands of those that have a much better understanding of how to setup new OS's, keep their systems in top running order, and also understand what the rather cryptic errors that are generated mean.  The average user just doesn't have those advantages and therefore can truely test the product and the base level.

So, in keeping with the theme, I've created a poll to see if any of you are adopting early, happy with what you have, think that Billy boy should take a dirt nap, don't have a clue what I'm talking about or best of all, think that  BloodSpite OS (due in 2020) is worth waiting for.