Problematic KB971033 update for Windows7

I recommend that you strongly consider rejecting the manual installation of the Windows Activation Technologies update KB971033, and do not permit Windows Update to install it (this will require that you not have your PC configured in update automatic installation mode, which has other ramifications -- so you may wish to consult a knowledgeable associate if you're not familiar with Windows Update configuration issues).

And if at some point in the future you find that the update has been installed and your PC is still running normally, remove the update as soon as possible.

http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000681.html

Microsoft Office formats are insecure

http://blogs.computerworld.com/insecure_by_design_ms_office_formats

Windows7 UAC whitelist: code-injection vulnerability (and more)

And when I thought the RC for Windows 7 is going to be a hit, it turns out that while running an administrative account, most of original Windows 7 .exe's auto-eleviate their rights by default, without asking user for a permission. Given that many people are accustomed to run on administrative accounts, this poses a security hole.

More: http://www.pretentiousname.com/misc/win7_uac_whitelist2.html

Logout Vista button required 43 people

I read this once but I lost the URL, and now I've found it! It's an old one, but a good one:

http://moishelettvin.blogspot.com/2006/11/windows-shutdown-crapfest.html

And the moral of this story? Weekly meetings, multiple layers of management and the end result which people still don't like much. Shame on you, Microsoft. :-(

Boycott Novell - Champion of freedom or den of paranoia?

Observations about Boycott Novell:

http://www.linux.com/feature/151215

Microsoft works against mankind?

Analysis of why an open source Windows is inevitable contains such quote:

Well, let's just say that, while Microsoft's success was due in large part for being at the right place at the right time, it now finds itself in the way of progress and the betterment of mankind.

While I find it humorous, there is some sad truth in this...

From:
http://temporaryland.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/the-inevitability-of-open-source-windows/

How Microsoft lost the office file format battle

http://www.linuxworld.com.au/index.php/id;535961040;fp;2;fpid;3

There are two main ways to fail at the standards game: You can create software that handles documents in formats for which no true standards exist, or you can create a standard that exists only on paper and in committee, with no reference software implementation. Amazingly, for all its hype and bluster, with OOXML Microsoft has managed to do both.

I couldn't describe it better. OXML seems to be a dead standard at this point! Even if it it's no longer "MS OOXML" and is managed by ISO. In short: OOXML is defective by design

Fractured YEARFRAC and Discounted DISC

It is obvious that Excel OOXML has currently many small, but serious flaws:

http://www.robweir.com/blog/2008/05/fractured-yearfrac-and-discounted-disc.html

In fact the problems described makes me think about throwing away the whole MS Office 2007 forever! Boy, am I glad I have never installed it. :-)

Ballmer: We'll outsmart open source

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-959112.html

"Linux is a serious competitor," said Ballmer. "We have to compete with free software, on value, but in a smart way. We cannot price at zero, so we need to justify our posture and pricing. Linux isn't going to go away--our job is to provide a better product in the marketplace."

And Thomas Lee said about "most valued professionals" on Microsoft platform:

The [MVP] title is highly regarded. "You are recognized by your peers, not by an exam that you can cheat in." Linux and its community have a symbiotic relationship, he said: "You don't have that same thing at Microsoft, but there are people who are passionate and technical who are committed to doing a great job."

In FOSS, such people are called Hackers, or the White Hats (compare with Black Hat).

Groklaw - Microsoft emails Blender

This should be remembered!

http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20080511115151164

And I have a solution!

Shame for Creative...

I have been a happy user of Creative Sound Blaster Live! Value card for a long while. I bought it in the Windows Me era, and it worked great there. In Windows 2000 the Creative software did not provide the full experience I had on Windows 98/Me. In Windows XP the card just goes with the drivers and no additional software is fully installed. So, I really experienced the gradual removal of features for an older product. And now for Vista, the current Creative drivers are really bad. So bashing a person for taking incentive in his own hands is even more bad from the PR point of view. Looks like the Creative will never learn how to live in the open source world... Since in that case the code would be already accessible, modifiable and redistributable. And the overall word for the Creative products would be even better. But they don't really want to do that.

In short: no more Creative sound cards for me for a good while. That's sure :(

http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs/board/message?board.id=soundblaster&thread.id=116332&view=by_date_ascending&page=1

http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/174096756/m/896004731931/p/1

Real men don't attack straw men

For the historical record:

https://www.mail-archive.com/misc@openbsd.org/msg53996.html


In short: Richard Stallman, the GNU creator, says in his own particular idiom on the openbsd-misc mailing list that he "doesn't recommend OpenBSD". Because of his style of writing and resulting understatements people tend to treat his opinions literally, and attack him. During the following storm-o'words (aka flamewar) interesting things are being said.

In the end I've lost a great deal of respect for the original poster. This is one of the moments after which I realize that I've grown up a little more.


If/when I find time to read the story again I'm going to add quotes along with the links. Here's one for start:

The GNU Project campaigns to give software users these four essential freedoms:

Freedom 0: the freedom to run the program as you wish.
Freedom 1: the freedom to study the source code and change it so it does what you wish.
Freedom 2: the freedom to distribute exact copies to others when you wish.
Freedom 3: the freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others when you wish.

https://www.mail-archive.com/misc@openbsd.org/msg54011.html

Also worth reading:
http://blue-gnu.biz/content/dealing_contentious_kernel_blobs#comment-248
http://blue-gnu.biz/content/dealing_contentious_kernel_blobs#comment-249

EDIT: Fixed two of four broken links.
http://www.sigmasoft.com/~openbsd/archives/html/openbsd-misc/2007-12/msg00681.html
http://www.sigmasoft.com/~openbsd/archives/html/openbsd-misc/2007-12/msg01543.html