Microsoft Stands Firm On PatchGuard

As they should. TechWeb's Gregg Keizer reports:

Microsoft is still talking with partners who are complaining about how the Redmond, Wash. developer has set up Windows Vista's security, but it won't budge from its decision to lock down access to the kernel, a company security manager said Thursday.

"Vista is not completed yet, and we're sitting down with everyone," said Stephen Toulouse, senior product manager with Microsoft's security technology group. "We're still gathering feedback" about Vista's security, he added.

That might seem to leave open the door to changes in how Vista implements the security features that third-party vendors have questioned, including plans to bar access to the kernel in the 64-bit version of the upcoming OS as well as not allow competitors to turn off Vista's Security Center dashboard. Rivals Symantec and McAfee have gone public in the last month with criticisms of both features, and have charged that Microsoft's decisions will make Vista less secure, not safer.

Users should boycott McAfee and Symmantec products because of this. If these companies cared about users's security more than their own bloated profits, this wouldn't even be an issue.

Making Vista run legacy applications is easy

George Ou provides a nice write-up about Vista and legacy applications:

I'm going show you what it really takes to get legacy applications working and why Virtual PC is totally unnecessary for the purpose of running legacy applications.

Microsoft's "Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0" or ACT 5.0 is a tool for IT administrators, power users, or Software vendors to create an "Application Compatibility Fix" that allow legacy pre-Vista applications to run in a locked down and secure Vista environment.

Related: Using the Application Compatibility Toolkit 4.1 and the Standard User Analyzer to Create Application Fixes

Vista Features that didn't make the cut

The Vista Shell Blog has a funny post about features that didn't make the cut in Vista. Too bad it's no joke: Vista dropped several major features that turned Vista from a major upgrade into a minor upgrade. It's amazing how little you can accomplish in five years if you try hard enough.

Microsoft announces holiday Vista plans ... sort of

Well, the expected coupons haven't shown up (at least not yet). Here's what Microsoft has to say about the availability of Vista-compatible products this holiday season:

More than 250 hardware and software products from over 50 industry partners have received either the Certified for Windows Vista logo or the Works with Windows Vista logo created to help consumers more easily identify software and devices that are compatible with the new operating system. The Works with Windows Vista logo helps ensure compatibility, and the Certified for Windows Vista logo indicates that a particular software or device will help deliver a superior end-user experience when used with a PC running a Windows Vista operating system.

[The] NVIDIA GeForce® graphics cards; Logitech’s Cordless Desktop MX 3200 Laser®, MX Revolution Mouse®, ChillStream game pad® and QuickCam Ultra Vision®; and the InterVideo® WinDVD® and WinDVD Creator® ... represent a sampling of the many devices and applications Microsoft’s partners are releasing today and in the coming months that take advantage of new features like improved graphics, increased stability and enhanced security in Windows Vista.

Products from companies such as ATI Technologies Inc., Canon Inc., Logitech and NVIDIA Corp. have qualified for the Certified for Windows Vista logo, and many others have begun the process. Products from Attachmate Corp., Belkin Corp., Buffalo, Computer Associates Inc., Corel Corp., D-Link Systems Inc., Epson, Fujifilm, Hauppage Computer Works Inc., HP, Lexmark, Logitech, Microsoft Hardware, Microsoft Office, NetPro Computing Inc., Nero AG, Olympus, Riverdeep Interactive Learning Ltd., SanDisk Corp., Seagate Technology Inc., Symantec Corp., Trend Micro Inc., Viewsonic Corp., Workshare Inc., Yahoo! Inc. and other companies are expected to a Windows Vista logo within the Windows Vista launch time frame.

Microsoft is taking steps to ensure that consumers can buy PCs now that will be ready for the launch of Windows Vista. PCs capable of supporting Windows Vista bear the Windows Vista Capable logo. Consumers can feel confident in purchases they make today due to the broad availability of Windows Vista Capable PCs that are capable of running Windows Vista Home Premium Edition, identified as Premium Ready PCs.

Hey, that's nice. Where are the coupons?

Upcoming Microsoft product availability

Expect to see Internet Explorer 7 next week.

Windows Media Player 11 will be released to Web (RTW) on October 24.

Office 2007 will RTM October 25.

Windows Vista will RTM between October 25 and November 8.