Mac users that must run an older version of Windows will either have to keep Boot Camp 3 if they wish to upgrade to Lion or use a third-party virtualization solution from VMWare or Parallels.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Boot Camp in Lion requires Windows 7
Mac users that must run an older version of Windows will either have to keep Boot Camp 3 if they wish to upgrade to Lion or use a third-party virtualization solution from VMWare or Parallels.
Announcing Windows Azure Storage Analytics
We are excited to announce the release of Windows Azure Storage Analytics. This feature offers developers and operations the ability to track, analyze, and debug usage of Windows Azure Storage (Blobs, Tables and Queues). You can use this data to analyze storage usage to improve the design of your applications and their access patterns to Windows Azure Storage. Analytics data consists of:
This feature provides a trace of all executed requests for your storage accounts as block blobs in a special container called $logs. Each log entry in the blob corresponds to a request made to the service and contains information like request id, request URL, http status of the request, requestor account name, owner account name, server side latency, E2E latency, source IP address for the request etc.
This data now empowers you to analyze your requests much more closely. It allows you to run the following types of analysis:
Provide summary of key statistics for Blobs, Tables and Queues for a storage account. The statistics can be categorized as:
- Logs
- Provide trace of executed requests for Blobs, Tables and Queues
- Metrics
- Provide summary of key capacity and request statistics for Blobs, Tables and Queues
This feature provides a trace of all executed requests for your storage accounts as block blobs in a special container called $logs. Each log entry in the blob corresponds to a request made to the service and contains information like request id, request URL, http status of the request, requestor account name, owner account name, server side latency, E2E latency, source IP address for the request etc.
This data now empowers you to analyze your requests much more closely. It allows you to run the following types of analysis:
- How many anonymous requests is my application seeing from a given range of IP address?
- Which containers are being accessed the most?
- How many times is a particular SAS URL being accessed and how?
- Who issued the request to delete a container?
- For a slow request –where is the time being consumed?
- I got a network error, did the request reach the server?
Provide summary of key statistics for Blobs, Tables and Queues for a storage account. The statistics can be categorized as:
- Request information: Provides hourly aggregates of number of requests, average server side latency, average E2E latency, average bandwidth, total successful requests and total number of failures and more. These request aggregates are provided at a service level and per API level for APIs requested in that hour. This is available for Blob, Table and Queue service.
- Capacity information: Provides daily statistics for the space consumed by the service, number of containers and number of objects that are stored in the service. Note, this is currently only provided for the Windows Azure Blob service.
Windows Firewall Notifier
Microsoft has improved the Windows Firewall ever since it was included in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. The majority of usability and security issues have been dealt with. Outbound Packet Filtering was for instance introduced under Windows Vista. There are still some issues left that Microsoft has not yet addressed. Especially the firewall’s configuration interface and notifications need improvement.
Windows Firewall Notifier is a third party program for Windows 7 and Vista that improves the handling of the firewall in this regard. When you first start the firewall notifier it performs a series of actions.
The program enables the Windows Firewall if it is not enabled on the system. Once enabled, it will block all inbound and outbound connections for which no firewall rules exist. It then enables Windows firewall inbound connection notifications and outbound connections logging if disabled.
A task is then created in the Windows Task Scheduler that is linked to Windows firewall event log entries. This will basically launch Windows Firewall Notifier whenever an inbound or outbound connection for which no rule exist is blocked.
Configuring the program to run as a task means that it will not run in the background all the time. The Task Scheduler will launch the firewall notifier whenever the system tries to make a connection that is not listed under allowed or blocked connections. The following dialog is then displayed on the screen giving the Windows user options to allow or block the connection.
The notification lists the application’s name, system path and target IP or hostname. Buttons are available to allow or block the connection once, or to allow or block it always.
The program will make the selected changes to the firewall configuration before it closes down again. Users who want to uninstall the firewall software again need to run it again. A dialog to disable it is then presented on screen.
Windows Firewall Notifier is a handy program for Windows Vista and Windows 7 users who make use of the built-in firewall. The program, compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit editions of supported Windows operating systems, is available for download at the developer website.
Windows Firewall Notifier is a third party program for Windows 7 and Vista that improves the handling of the firewall in this regard. When you first start the firewall notifier it performs a series of actions.
The program enables the Windows Firewall if it is not enabled on the system. Once enabled, it will block all inbound and outbound connections for which no firewall rules exist. It then enables Windows firewall inbound connection notifications and outbound connections logging if disabled.
A task is then created in the Windows Task Scheduler that is linked to Windows firewall event log entries. This will basically launch Windows Firewall Notifier whenever an inbound or outbound connection for which no rule exist is blocked.
Configuring the program to run as a task means that it will not run in the background all the time. The Task Scheduler will launch the firewall notifier whenever the system tries to make a connection that is not listed under allowed or blocked connections. The following dialog is then displayed on the screen giving the Windows user options to allow or block the connection.
The notification lists the application’s name, system path and target IP or hostname. Buttons are available to allow or block the connection once, or to allow or block it always.
The program will make the selected changes to the firewall configuration before it closes down again. Users who want to uninstall the firewall software again need to run it again. A dialog to disable it is then presented on screen.
Windows Firewall Notifier is a handy program for Windows Vista and Windows 7 users who make use of the built-in firewall. The program, compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit editions of supported Windows operating systems, is available for download at the developer website.
Microsoft's future: Windows everywhere or Windows nowhere?
Two very different rumors have been making the rounds in the wake of a recent speech at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC 2011). One rumor has Microsoft putting Windows code on every device possible, from smartphones to tablets, PCs, TVs, and beyond. Another has Microsoft biting the bullet and giving up the Windows name entirely. Which is more likely to happen?
The speculation was set off when Microsoft Windows Phone President Andy Lees gaver a speech and said that Microsoft planned to have a "unified ecosystem" for all devices. Here's what Lees said:
But a blogger at the thisismynext site has heard rumors that say Microsoft will eventually abandon the Windows name:
The speculation was set off when Microsoft Windows Phone President Andy Lees gaver a speech and said that Microsoft planned to have a "unified ecosystem" for all devices. Here's what Lees said:
One of the key important things here, though, is the change that's yet to happen, but it's about to happen, and that is the bringing together of these devices into a unified ecosystem, because at the core of the device itself it's possible to be common across phones, PCs, and TVs, and even other things, because the price drops dramatically. Then it will be a single ecosystem. We won't have an ecosystem for PCs, and an ecosystem for phones, one for tablets. They'll all come together. And just look at the opportunity here.The key question is what"unified ecosystem" means. It's a nebulous, vague phrase that means many different things to many different people. Mary Jo Foley reports that rumors have been circulating for quite some time that Microsoft hoped that it would soon make its "Windows Everywhere" mantra a reality. Lees' statement backed up those who thought it would be coming soon.
But a blogger at the thisismynext site has heard rumors that say Microsoft will eventually abandon the Windows name:
Our sources also tell us that Microsoft is seriously considering ditching the "Windows" brand name...The idea is to rebrand this new super-OS with something that better fits with Redmond's vision of the future.I'd bet that Microsoft will never give up Windows, and the company is more likely to actually put a variant of Windows code on every device, rather than abandoning Windows' name or Windows code. After all, at WPC 2011, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer had this to say in his keynote:
Windows is the backbone product of Microsoft. Windows PCs, Windows Phones, Windows slates. Windows Windows Windows Windows Windows.Don't expect Microsoft to abandon Windows soon -- or ever. It's the horse the company rode to success, and even though the horse may be getting tired, Microsoft plans to keep riding it.
Windows Phone revenue "abysmal", still better than Android
The Seattle PI has done some sleuthing in Microsoft’s annual report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and found out that by subtracting a few figures, you get a rough $600 million dollars in revenue for fiscal year 2011 for Windows Mobile and Windows Phone.
The math comes from taking the $8.103 billion in Xbox sales away from the $8.716 billion from the whole Entertainment and Devices Division, resulting in $613 million in Windows Mobile, Windows Phone, Zune, Mediaroom, Surface and hardware sales. That means of course that actual revenue is lower than $600 million for just Windows Mobile/Phone.
Nick Eaton of the Seattle PI calls this "abysmal" and depending on how you look at it, perhaps. Compared to Xbox, sure. Compared to Android? Not so much. After all, Google makes $0 from Android sales, though they do take in some money through the limited advertising on the phone. In that sense, making money off of the OS is not Google's goal, but market saturation is. The same is the same for Microsoft at this point. While they do charge for licenses, it's not exactly an area of revenue for them, nor are they banking on it (pun alert). However, neither was Xbox which took 5 years to turn a profit (and after losing billions).
From this we can take away what we already know: Windows Phone sales are not "hot" and this does not change things, making it perhaps a moot point. Microsoft's game plan is Mango, Nokia and Skype for the future. Their make or break moment will be first half of 2012 when all of their systems (PC, Xbox and Windows Phone) really start to converge into a cohesive ecosystem. 2010-11 was more of them warming up and laying the groundwork, which is quite impressive. Throw in the fact that Windows Phone scores higher than Android in user satisfaction, there's no real reason Windows Phone can't explode in market share during 2012. So lets revisit this next summer, shall we?
The math comes from taking the $8.103 billion in Xbox sales away from the $8.716 billion from the whole Entertainment and Devices Division, resulting in $613 million in Windows Mobile, Windows Phone, Zune, Mediaroom, Surface and hardware sales. That means of course that actual revenue is lower than $600 million for just Windows Mobile/Phone.
Nick Eaton of the Seattle PI calls this "abysmal" and depending on how you look at it, perhaps. Compared to Xbox, sure. Compared to Android? Not so much. After all, Google makes $0 from Android sales, though they do take in some money through the limited advertising on the phone. In that sense, making money off of the OS is not Google's goal, but market saturation is. The same is the same for Microsoft at this point. While they do charge for licenses, it's not exactly an area of revenue for them, nor are they banking on it (pun alert). However, neither was Xbox which took 5 years to turn a profit (and after losing billions).
From this we can take away what we already know: Windows Phone sales are not "hot" and this does not change things, making it perhaps a moot point. Microsoft's game plan is Mango, Nokia and Skype for the future. Their make or break moment will be first half of 2012 when all of their systems (PC, Xbox and Windows Phone) really start to converge into a cohesive ecosystem. 2010-11 was more of them warming up and laying the groundwork, which is quite impressive. Throw in the fact that Windows Phone scores higher than Android in user satisfaction, there's no real reason Windows Phone can't explode in market share during 2012. So lets revisit this next summer, shall we?
windows xp market share dips below 50 percent
After a healthy 10-year run, Windows XP may finally be losing its overwhelming grip on computer users.
Though it's still the most heavily used version of the Windows operating system, XP's market share among all operating systems finally dipped just below the 50 percent mark last month, according to stats out today from Net Applications.
The aging OS has gradually been shedding market share a bit each month over the past few years, touching 62 percent a year ago and 51 percent in June before its latest dip in July, according to Net Applications.
At the same time, Windows 7--the current version of the OS--has just under 28 percent share among all operating systems, including Apple's Mac OS X and iOS. But Windows 7 has steadily grabbed more customers since its official release in October 2009. Meanwhile, Vista's grip on the market has steadily fallen each month and now rests at just over 9 percent for July. Altogether, Windows controls about 87 percent of the overall OS market.
With Microsoft due to cut off extended support for Windows XP in another three years, the company has been pushing both individuals and businesses to make the leap to Windows 7. To further motivate customers, Microsoft has released studies that bolster Windows 7, such as one from May that highlighted Windows 7 as five times more secure than XP.
However, Redmond offers no direct migration path from Windows XP to Windows 7, so moving to the latest OS typically requires either a total reinstall or an upgrade to a new PC. Tools such as Microsoft's Windows Easy Transfer may help ease the pain, but the migration is still time-consuming, especially for larger companies.
A survey of IT professionals last November found that half of them were planning to continue to use XP even after the support tap is turned off in 2014.
Though it's still the most heavily used version of the Windows operating system, XP's market share among all operating systems finally dipped just below the 50 percent mark last month, according to stats out today from Net Applications.
At the same time, Windows 7--the current version of the OS--has just under 28 percent share among all operating systems, including Apple's Mac OS X and iOS. But Windows 7 has steadily grabbed more customers since its official release in October 2009. Meanwhile, Vista's grip on the market has steadily fallen each month and now rests at just over 9 percent for July. Altogether, Windows controls about 87 percent of the overall OS market.
With Microsoft due to cut off extended support for Windows XP in another three years, the company has been pushing both individuals and businesses to make the leap to Windows 7. To further motivate customers, Microsoft has released studies that bolster Windows 7, such as one from May that highlighted Windows 7 as five times more secure than XP.
However, Redmond offers no direct migration path from Windows XP to Windows 7, so moving to the latest OS typically requires either a total reinstall or an upgrade to a new PC. Tools such as Microsoft's Windows Easy Transfer may help ease the pain, but the migration is still time-consuming, especially for larger companies.
A survey of IT professionals last November found that half of them were planning to continue to use XP even after the support tap is turned off in 2014.
Microsoft Is Stuck On The Windows Treadmill
Yesterday, Microsoft’s Windows Phone president Andy Lees basically said that WinPho 7 (or any other version of Windows Phone) would not land on tablets any time soon. “We view the tablet as a PC,” he stated at a Worldwide Partners Conference. That’s kind of sad.
Windows is great on laptops and desktops but consistently, time and time and time again, Windows has failed on tablets. Take the HP Slate 500 for example: it was an impressive piece of hardware that, in the end, is just another Windows slate.
HP knew it, too, just as everyone else did when they started pumping out Android tablets. Clearly, HP bought WebOS to capitalize on the tablet craze without resorting to have to sell “enterprise” tabets like the Slate to consumers. That probably won’t work, but it shows the lengths to which manufacturers are going to grab a good OS for their current products.
Microsoft is taking the slow and steady approach. Windows 8 should be much more tablet friendly and much more usable for the general consumer. And then Microsoft will do what they’ve always done: lock manufacturers into Windows 8 “flights” i.e. forcing them to make at least one Win8 tablet to go alongside the desktops and laptops they are sure to churn out. They pulled a similar stunt with Windows 7. Ever wonder why almost every hardware manufacturer made a touchscreen all-in-one that no one wanted? Because Microsoft told them to. So you’re at least sure of five or six Windows 8 slates to roll through town, perhaps by next CES.
But in this post-PC world, people still want a good tablet. Heck, they may even, as Patrick Moorhead suggests go for “convertible PCs,” PCs that are merely a tablet propped up next to a keyboard and mouse a la the Atrix. While I find that a hard sell, it could happen.
If current market conditions have showed us anything it’s that hardware and software vendors have to ship. The longer people sit on product the worse it is. The life cycle for a product is wildly truncated these days and the build-up of excitement can work to a manufacturer’s detriment.
Microsoft is stuck on the Windows treadmill. They need to hop off and see if WinPho7 can actually exist on a larger device and, in the end, give people what they want instead of catering towards the needs of some mythical Microsoft’s Internal Enterprise Group For Enterprise Customers And The IT Buyer or whatever they call their IT business unit.
Enterprise is great, but enterprise is cost- and risk-averse. Consumers will pay a premium for a good Microsoft tablet but they don’t want to wait for Windows 8 to hop on board.
Windows is great on laptops and desktops but consistently, time and time and time again, Windows has failed on tablets. Take the HP Slate 500 for example: it was an impressive piece of hardware that, in the end, is just another Windows slate.
HP knew it, too, just as everyone else did when they started pumping out Android tablets. Clearly, HP bought WebOS to capitalize on the tablet craze without resorting to have to sell “enterprise” tabets like the Slate to consumers. That probably won’t work, but it shows the lengths to which manufacturers are going to grab a good OS for their current products.
Microsoft is taking the slow and steady approach. Windows 8 should be much more tablet friendly and much more usable for the general consumer. And then Microsoft will do what they’ve always done: lock manufacturers into Windows 8 “flights” i.e. forcing them to make at least one Win8 tablet to go alongside the desktops and laptops they are sure to churn out. They pulled a similar stunt with Windows 7. Ever wonder why almost every hardware manufacturer made a touchscreen all-in-one that no one wanted? Because Microsoft told them to. So you’re at least sure of five or six Windows 8 slates to roll through town, perhaps by next CES.
But in this post-PC world, people still want a good tablet. Heck, they may even, as Patrick Moorhead suggests go for “convertible PCs,” PCs that are merely a tablet propped up next to a keyboard and mouse a la the Atrix. While I find that a hard sell, it could happen.
If current market conditions have showed us anything it’s that hardware and software vendors have to ship. The longer people sit on product the worse it is. The life cycle for a product is wildly truncated these days and the build-up of excitement can work to a manufacturer’s detriment.
Microsoft is stuck on the Windows treadmill. They need to hop off and see if WinPho7 can actually exist on a larger device and, in the end, give people what they want instead of catering towards the needs of some mythical Microsoft’s Internal Enterprise Group For Enterprise Customers And The IT Buyer or whatever they call their IT business unit.
Enterprise is great, but enterprise is cost- and risk-averse. Consumers will pay a premium for a good Microsoft tablet but they don’t want to wait for Windows 8 to hop on board.
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