Vista Ultimate (RED) available today

If you don’t want to buy a new Dell PC to get the Windows Vista Ultimate (RED) edition, you can pre-order the standalone operating system over at Amazon for $219.95. If you’re a lucky college student like me, you can purchase the OS at a discount price of $64.95 at The Ultimate Steal.

This version of Vista Ultimate features (RED) wallpapers, gadgets, a screen saver and a DreamScene. Brands who participate in (RED) contribute part of their profits to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.

The deal from The Ultimate Steal is the cheapest way to get Vista that I can think of.

[via CrunchGear]

Vista SP1 Leaked To BitTorrents

Somehow, Windows Vista SP1 has made it to bittorrents everywhere, like the PirateBay, uTorrent, and other torrent trackers. And it's not just the SP1 upgrade that's set to be released next month, this appears to be a complete Vista install. Which means that anyone brave enough to take this on, better back up their system before they try it.

Or you can just wait until next month when it's a free upgrade with your system.

[PC World via Gizmodo]

Microsoft Releases Service Pack 1 RC For Vista

On top of the post that Windows XP SP3 RC story that Fred put together, Microsoft is following that up with the RC (release candidate) of SP1 for Vista. The release should fix many of the bugs that have plagued Vista, and improve performance (so says Microsoft). This RC should be close to the final SP1 that is due out early next year, and for all of you brave souls out there who would like to try it, hit the drop.

Photo courtesy of Jesus Diaz of Gizmodo

[Microsoft via Gizmodo]

Microsoft Ends "Kill Switch" On Pirated Vista Copies

One of the things that I'm not a big fan of is when I have to reinstall XP or Vista back on to my computers. It can be a lengthy process reloading all the stuff that I want back on the computer, and tweak it just the way I like it. But what burns me up is Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage program that you must download in order to get SP2 or to activate Vista. It is designed to verify that you have a legit copy of the OS, if you don't, you won't be downloading SP2 for Windows XP, and it will lock up your copy of Vista completely.

Well the problem started when Windows Genuine Advantage started locking up legitimate copies of Vista. So you would think that Microsoft would fix the tool right? Uh no. Starting with SP1 for Vista, the "kill switch" will go away, replaced with a nag switch that will remind you very often that you have a copied version of Vista. Check the quote from MS VP Mike Sievert about the pirated copies:

"They won't lose access to functionality or features, but it will be very clear to them that their copy of Window Vista is not genuine and they need to take action."

Why not just fix the tool Microsoft?

[BBC News via Gizmodo]

Vista RC1 To Come Sooner Than Expected!

Well, as someone who "wants to believe" that Vista can be a great product, I am excited to hear that any of us can get a release candidate the 2nd week of December. The other good new from ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley is that we aren't going to have to wait till mid 2008 for SP1; it's coming out early 1st quarter 2008. Well at least that's where Microsoft is aiming. Check it out.

Windows XP SP3 Running Faster Than Vista SP1?

In what seems to be a strange twist in the Microsoft world, it seems that Vista's main competitor may be Windows XP. ComputerWorld is reporting that testing of Windows XP SP3 is on going, and that Microsoft Office runs considerably faster (10%) than XP SP2.

The problem?

Well it looks like it also runs much faster than Windows Vista too. Which isn't a good thing considering that Microsoft has been trying to convince business users to migrate to Vista. And since the latest tests for Vista SP1 have been less than stellar, business users haven't had a reason to "upgrade" to Vista.

Microsoft needs to rethink Vista!!!
XP SP3 is due out sometime next year.

[slashdot.org]

Vista SP1 sets speed records

Shocked? Maybe you didn't think Microsoft could pull it off this many months after the release of the universally despised Vista. Maybe you thought they were just going to release a luke warm pile of crap for a service pack and expect us all to eat it with a spoon. Heh. Just kidding. (Computerworld)

From the article: The Vista RTM was not updated with any of the bug fixes, patches or performance packs that Microsoft has pushed through Windows Update since the operating system's debut.

"One gigabyte, 2GB [of memory], it didn't make a difference," said Barth. "SP1 was never more than 1% or 2% faster."

I've not tried Vista. I see no improvements in SP1 that are going to be worth my time. I'm experimenting with Ubuntu, Mandriva, and other Linux distributions as a way to kill time before OS X (10.5) or XI or whatever is available for the Intel platforms without toooo many bugs.

I'm currently wrestling with a firmware corruption that Mandriva gave me on my laptop's wireless device (Centrino)and that should just be a prison sentence for whomever wrote that code. But Linux works - most of the time - for doing what I want to do.

I just want an Operating System that doesn't take all day to load, and won't run like syrup poured on the hard drive when it's booted. I want an Operating System that doesn't make me configure stuff just to get it working - it should know how to configure itself to my hardware. Is that too much to ask?

Evidently.

Vista SP1: Looking Good So Far

Well good news for you early adopters of Windows Vista. PC Magazine has a preview of the SP1 beta that is out, and the returns are sounding pretty good. Neil Randall who is the reviewer states that Vista runs faster, and noted that there are lots more driver support than the launch version. He also states that application windows open faster and file copying is quicker.

It is due out in Q1 of 2008, along with SP3 for Windows XP.

[PC Magazine via Gizmodo]

Windows Vista SP1: comming soon!!!

Are you ready for some Vista Service Pack 1 hotness?

It does, in fact, exist, folks. So don’t think I’ve gone crazy. At the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference a PC was shown running the service pack, “Windows Build 6001 Service Pack 1, v113.”, and the crowd went absolutely buck wild. I think. In any case, the service pack has been spotted and now we wait for the official release date.

Don't believe me?

check out the pics above and below.