They're here! Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office system

The wait is over: The new Windows Vista operating system and 2007 Microsoft Office release are officially here. To help you prepare to upgrade and get started using the new features, we're devoting this whole issue of At Home and At Work to Windows Vista and Microsoft Office.

Introducing Windows Vista
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/default.mspx
Introducing the 2007 Microsoft Office system
http://office.microsoft.com/
Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office system: Better together
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/features/experiences/productivity/great.mspx

Windows Vista: What you need to know
Which edition of Windows Vista is right for you?   http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6144452
Choose the edition of Windows Vista that's right for you--whether you use your PC primarily for home entertainment or business productivity.

Plan for an upgrade to Windows Vista    http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6144453
Whether you're buying a new PC or upgrading your current one, know and understand your options for moving to Windows Vista.

4 ways to use Windows Vista at home    http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6144454
Learn four ways to take advantage of Windows Vista at home from Sally Slack, co-author of Breakthrough Windows Vista: Find Your 

Favorite Features and Discover the Possibilities.   Online training
 · Installing Windows Vista on a new PC   http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6144458
 · Upgrading to Windows Vista http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6144459
 · Working with Windows Vista http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6144460
 

2007 Microsoft Office system: What you need to know
See the 2007 Microsoft Office system in action http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6144461
Discover what's new in the 2007 release. Watch this video to see how the new user interface helps you work quicker and deliver better results.

Get started with the 2007 Microsoft Office system    http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6144462
This series of online training guides will help you quickly learn how to take advantage of the new program features.

Crabby's favorite Outlook 2007 features    http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6144463
The Crabby Office Lady talks about some of her favorite changes in the new version of Outlook--a lot of them based on customer feedback.

Using the 2007 Microsoft Office system   Online training
 · Learn 2007 Microsoft Office with self-paced training courses and more   http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6144468
 · Introduction to the new Microsoft Office user interface   http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6144469
 · What's new in Microsoft Office Word 2007   http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6144470
 · Other online training courses on 2007 Microsoft Office programs   http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6144471

Slipped disk
01/30/07

1967 IBM asks David Noble to develop a simple and inexpensive storage system to replace tapes. The project, code-named 'Minnow', results in the 8in floppy disk.

1976 An Wang, of Wang Laboratories, looks for an alternative to the 8in disk, which is too large for the desktop word processing machines. At a meeting in a bar in Boston, he is asked what size the disk should be. "About that size," he is reported to have said, pointing at a napkin. The 5.25in disk is born.
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1981 Sony develops the 3.5in disk. Within five years it is outselling the 5.25in disk.

1998 The iMac is launched - the first mainstream computer not to have a floppy disk drive as standard.

2003 Dell no longer includes floppy disk drives on its best-selling Dell Dimension range as standard.
 

Q: What is Windows Vista?
A: Windows Vista is Microsoft's next generation operating system, formerly known by its code name of "Longhorn." Originally announced in 2001 and officially unveiled at Microsoft's 2003 developers' conference, Vista faced numerous delays, with Microsoft scaling back some of its features, in order to help get it out the door within the stated target of 2006.

Windows Vista was released to business customers on November 30, 2006 and to everyone else today, January 30, 2007.

Q: What's with the name?
A: Microsoft had a list of names to choose from. While they will not say what the other choices were, they included everything from using simple numbers (Windows 2007) to letters (like Windows XP) and even more inventive names. Using a process of elimination, they finally decided to go with Vista. Microsoft's slogan for Windows Vista is "Bringing clarity to your world."

Q: So, what about security?
A: Windows Vista will deliver many new and improved security features. Some of these are:

User Account Control: (UAC, previously called both User Account Protection or UAP and Limited User Account to LUA). This gives users only the privileges they need to perform their tasks.

Windows Service Hardening: This monitors critical Windows services for abnormal activity in the file system, registry and network that could be used to allow malware to persist on a machine or propagate to other machines.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 7: This new Web browser in Windows Vista includes many features to help protect against malicious Web sites and malware and it includes protection against phishing and spoofing attacks.

Network Access Protection: Windows Vista has Network Access Protection to help prevent security compromised computers from connecting to a user's internal network until security criteria (such as the latest updates, security configuration settings or virus signatures downloaded) are met.

Firewall: Windows Vista provides outgoing, as well as, incoming filtering, which can be centrally managed via the Group Policy. This lets administrators control which applications are allowed to communicate or are blocked from communicating on the network.

Windows Vista Capable PC:
- A modern processor (at least 800MHz)
- 512 MB of system memory
- A graphics processor that is DirectX 9 capable
- Windows Vista Premium Ready PC
- 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
- 1 GB of system memory
- Support for DirectX 9 graphics with a WDDM driver, 128 MB of graphics memory (minimum), Pixel Shader 2.0 and 32 bits per pixel
- 40 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free space
- DVD ROM Drive
- Audio output capability
- Internet access capability

Q: Will Windows Vista be a 32-bit or 64-bit operating system?
A: Windows Vista will be available in both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) versions.

Q: Is there going to be a server version?
A: Yes. It is not yet known under which name this product will be released though. Right now, "Windows Server 2008" is a top runner in the speculation charts. Microsoft is targeting a 2007 release date for the server product, which is currently known by its code name of "Longhorn Server."

Q: What is WinFS?
A: WinFS (Windows Future Storage) is a database based storage engine, based on the SQL Server 2005. This new file system has some capabilities designed to improve searches for certain files on ever increasing storage media.

In late August 2004, Microsoft announced it would not include the WinFS data storage engine in Windows Vista, but would ship that technology in a beta form by the time Windows Vista will ship. It is still unclear if WinFS will actually show up any time soon though.

Q: Is Windows Vista more secure than Windows XP?
A: Yes. Not only does Windows Vista build on the security improvements made in Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, but it has also added a number of fundamental changes to the security that should make Windows Vista as secure as can reasonably be expected. Like any other operating system, there probably will be security threads and the system will require security patches, but overall, Windows Vista should do a better job of protecting you and your computer's data.

If you're buying a new PC, do you want Windows Vista? 
Of course you do. When you purchase a new PC, the price for Windows Vista is essentially the same as the equivalent XP edition, but you get a more robust, attractive, usable, and secure operating system with some very compelling extras. About the only reason to deliberately avoid Vista is if you use a critical software program or a hardware device that isn't supported.

So where are the killer features?
If you go through the mainstream media and read reviews of Windows Vista, the absence of a "killer feature" is the criticism you'll find the most often. Fair enough. Most of the features in Vista are improvements, not completely new. I'm not sure exactly what would qualify as a killer feature for a computer operating system in 2007, but if I had to pick three features to highlight these would be at the top of the list:

    * Windows Photo Gallery. Ho-hum, right? Just another lightweight program to import photos from a digital camera? What most reviewers miss is Photo Gallery's support for the Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP), developed by Adobe and used in a variety of professional-strength photo-editing applications. When you tag a JPEG or TIFF photo with keywords in Windows Vista, those tags are stored directly in the file as metadata, which you can use to search, sort, and filter images in Photo Gallery. That's a great leap forward from Apple's iPhoto and Google's Picasa, both of which store metadata in sidecar files rather than in the image itself.
    * Windows Speech Recognition. You probably haven't heard much about speech recognition in Windows Vista. If you did, it was probably thanks to a demo that went awry last summer and was widely reported. That's a shame, because the built-in speech-to -text conversion software in the final release works exceptionally well for controlling the Windows interface and dictating text.
    * Windows Desktop Search. Yes, you have lots of third-party desktop search options for Windows XP. I've tried them all and never found one that was reliable enough for daily use. What makes Vista's search so useful is the fact that it's integrated directly into the operating system, so you can search in the Start menu, in Control Panel, in Explorer windows, and in common dialog boxes. I miss this capability most when I sit down at a Windows XP machine and try to find a specific Control Panel option. It also just works. I haven't had to rebuild indexes or mess with search settings on any Vista PCs in my office.

What all these features have in common is that they're legitimately part of the operating system. Metadata and search are tied directly into the file system, which is a core feature of an operating system, and speech is just another form of input replacing or augmenting the keyboard and mouse. 
There is a ton more in the blog:  http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=190&tag=nl.e539
 
 

Yes, I know I promised a couple days ago that I would tell you about Office 2007 (also called Office Online) and well, I plum forgot to do it yesterday. I do apologize, but hopefully today's explanation will make up for the wait you've had to endure.

Okay, so for those of you who haven't heard yet, along with the release of the new Windows Vista operating system on January 30, 2007, Microsoft also put a new MS Office Suite out on the market. Office 2007 was unfortunately covered up a little by Vista, but believe me, it is still worthy of getting a spot in our newsletter. Here we go!

I'm going to start out with all of the new features that Office 2007 has to offer. First is the new design. Microsoft has gone all out this time. The brand new design is easier to navigate through and it also offers up a richer content level, so you will be able to "get more done in less time." (That's their slogan!)

The interface has also changed a lot. For this, Microsoft was going for a "less is more" type of thing and they definitely pulled it off. The new layout is a lot less "busy" with fewer links, which allows you to focus more on the essentials of what you're working on. There are also brand new demos, training courses and extra help articles. The content you use the most is now front and center on the main page of Office 2007, so you will be able to go straight where you want to go without any other interruptions.

Now, for the navigation features. Office 2007 is pretty much run by tabs. There is a new line of tabs that cover the most popular content, which makes it so easy to find what you're looking for. There is also a new search box and update links throughout. Each tab also has its own page filled with all of the relevant information you would need to know. You no longer have to worry about scrolling through everything, because it's all right there in front of you.

Office 2007 also has a lot of new content included. For example, audience pages. With this, you are able to identify yourself as either a business executive, an IT professional, a developer or architect, a small business owner, a partner or just someone who is trying to work at home or at work. When you choose your identity, you will be able to use the products, templates and articles that best pertain to you. Another new item is called Microsoft Office Live and this is basically where the online part of the name comes in. This will help you take your work online with a free domain name, free Web site hosting and a free e-mail account.

The new Office suite also comes with a better search area, which will help you find anything you need to know while you're working. There are also enhanced graphics, new templates and more clip art choices. Sounds like everything is pretty much covered, doesn't it?!

Now, there are several different versions of this suite available. To find out which one will best suit you, click here. All of the choices are lined up to let you know what all comes with each version, so you won't have to second guess what you're getting. If you're not sure what you want, you can also download a free trial that will help you decide. Or, if you'd like to take an "online test drive," you can do that as well. Microsoft wants to make sure you are comfortable and happy with what you choose.

You can also, of course, buy Office 2007 online if you'd like. All of the prices with their versions are explained right here. Depending on what you get, the prices range from $149 to $679. I know I've given you a couple links already, but this next one is the one you'll really want to pay attention to. It's the homepage for Office 2007 and it includes everything you'll need to learn about the products, to check out the new features and so on. Click here for it.

Okay, I have one more thing for you and then I'll leave you be to explore. Along with everything else, Microsoft wants your feedback. Some of the things they did with Office 2007 came from user comments and they want that to continue. They would like you to give Office 2007 a try and then let them know your thoughts. You can go to their Feedback Page and fill out the form. Just let them know what product you tried, type in your comments and click Submit to send it.

Alright, I think I've covered just about everything and if I happened to miss something, you can learn about it on the Web site. Hope you enjoy the new Office 2007 and all its glory!

Trend Micro has quietly released a rootkit scanning/cleaning utility, belatedly joining the list of anti-vendors pushing out free standalone tools to nab the stealthy computer threats.

Trend Micro's new RootkitBuster offers the ability to scan for hidden files, registry entries, processes, drivers and hooked system service. It also includes a cleaning capability for hidden files and registry entries.

The anti-virus company never announced the release of the tool, but a quick scan of the usual rootkit discussion forums provides hints that it has been available for a few months.

Simple as it is, RootkitBuster actually doesn't do a bad job. The program runs as-is (no installation needed) and scans five areas: file system, Registry, running processes, drivers, and any operating system-level service hooks. The results are automatically exported to a log file, and if anything's detected you can opt to have it deleted (with a forced reboot afterward to insure deletion).

The release of standalone rootkit-cleanup tools from anti-virus vendor is a direct result of Mark Russinovich's expose of Sony's use of rootkit functionalities in its controversial DRM scheme.

At the time, anti-virus vendors were largely clueless about the extent of rootkit infections. In the minds of many, the Sony rootkit episode was an indictment of the incompetence of a computer security sector that stood idly by while dangerous rootkits were being hidden on millions of machines.

Since then, with an exception or two, there has been a mad scramble to add rootkit detection to existing products and roll out free standalone tools but, as recent survey (PDF) by Roger Thompson shows, most are not very good.

As the security vendors struggle to keep pace, researchers are plowing ahead with advanced forms of offensive rootkits. The new Unreal.A is a perfect example. The demo rootkit uses a series of tricks to bypass all modern anti-rootkit tools,  including the highly rated RootkitRevealer from Microsoft's Sysinternals unit, and illustrates clearly just how much catching up is left to do.

There are a number of important links in the original article: 
http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=14&tag=nl.r25282
Download the .zip file: 
http://www.trendmicro.com/download/rbuster.asp

The flaw is actively being exposed by attackers who are feverishly attempting to infect as many PCs as possible by sending out spam e-mails that contain infected Word documents. If this specially crafted Word document is opened by a user, it will introduce a Trojan called Trojan.Mdropper.W to the system. It will then install silently in the background, allowing remote control of the infected system.

The attacks are not limited to e-mail attachments either. A user can also be infected by visiting a Web site that opens one of these infected Word documents, resulting in the same remote code execution.

I guess the one good thing that you could say about this particular vulnerability is the fact that this particular vulnerability only affects Word 2000. Also, the attacks are actually easy to stop. Since the virus takes advantage of a bug in MS Word, all you have to do is stop opening Word documents from unknown sources or unexpectedly from known sources. You can’t be infected if you don’t open the document. And that's all I have for you today. 

SAN FRANCISCO--Online criminals are turning away from threatening companies with massive cyberattacks in favor of encrypting a victim's data and then demanding money to decrypt it, an antivirus expert has claimed.

Eugene Kaspersky, head of antivirus research at Russia's Kaspersky Labs, told the RSA Conference here Tuesday that the use of so-called "ransomware Trojans" is a key trend for 2007.

This malicious software infects a PC, encrypts some data and then displays an alert telling the victim to send money to get the decryption key needed to access their data again. Such malicious software isn't new. Early examples include Cryzip, discovered in March 2006, and GPCode, discovered in May 2005.

Cryzip and GPCode didn't cause massive damage, but Kaspersky believes cybercriminals will refine their use of ransomware Trojans this year. The final version of GPCode used a 660-bit encryption key, which should have taken a single powerful PC around 30 years to crack but was actually broken quickly by Kaspersky Labs, he said.

"We cracked it in 10 minutes," Kaspersky explained, "because this guy did not read the cryptographic book until the end. But if he does get to the end, antivirus vendors will not be able to decrypt and recover your data without help."

He also told the conference that distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks--where a company's servers are bombarded with data in an attempt to drive it offline--are declining. This is partly because better filtering technologies have been developed that can strip out DDoS traffic before it reaches a corporate server. Another factor is the arrest of several people accused of extorting money from companies by launching a DDoS attack and demanding payment in exchange for stopping the attack.

"This is a dangerous kind of criminal activity, because the attack takes place before the money is transferred," Kaspersky said, explaining that victims of DDoS attacks have the opportunity to get the police involved before paying a ransom. One audience member pointed out that someone who falls victim to a ransomware Trojan could also get the police involved. However, Kaspersky said the police might not be very interested, as the ransom might be only $20 or $30.

Several U.K. online betting companies, including Betfair, were targeted with DDoS attacks in the summer of 2004. Later that year, nine Russian citizens were arrested over their alleged involvement in the crimes, and three were later sentenced to eight years imprisonment. However, the two suspected ringleaders are still at large.

Kaspersky said he is concerned that law enforcement is struggling to catch Internet criminals. "In 2004, there were around 100 arrests of suspected cybercriminals. In 2005, there were around 400. But last year, there were just 100. It seems that the stupid guys are being jailed, but the clever ones are still operating," he said.

Graeme Wearden reported for ZDNet UK in London.

Trend Micro, more commonly referred to as Housecall, offers free virus scans and in most cases can fix damage down by a virus or worm that your computer may have contacted.  The program works well.  The first time one uses the free program it is necessary to download a small program. Trend Micro walks you through the process.   Then the virus scans are quite simple for each return.  Go to http://housecall.antivirus.com/  then choose the link   "Scan without registering".  Follow the directions.

You should disable any anti virus program that you have running.  If you do not have a virus program I recommend that you use one of the programs offered above first and then download and install one of the free programs listed below or install any anti virus program you have purchased.
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Trend Micro Ships FREE ‘Rootkit Buster’ Trend Micro has quietly released a rootkit scanning/cleaning utility, belatedly joining the list of anti-vendors pushing out free standalone tools to nab the stealthy computer threats. Trend Micro's new RootkitBuster offers the ability to scan for hidden files, registry entries, processes, drivers and hooked system service. It also includes a cleaning capability for hidden files and registry entries. Read more: Download the .zip file:  http://www.trendmicro.com/download/rbuster.asp

Free Anti Virus programs for download. 
Quite a few KCnet members use these programs and like them.
Be careful if you download a virus program and you already have one installed on your computer.  You need to at least disable the program already installed.

AVG Free
AVG Free Edition is the well-known anti-virus protection tool. AVG Free is available free-of-charge to home users for the life of the product! Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high-level of detection capability that millions of users around the world trust to protect their computers. AVG Free is easy-to-use and will not slow your system down (low system resource requirements).
http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/lng/us/tpl/v5

Avast
Avast has been "anti virusing" for quite awhile.  The following info comes from their download page:   Avast! Home is now free of charge for HOME users for NON-COMMERCIAL use. You can find more info here.
http://www.avast.com/eng/down_home.html
Note: This product is free for home non-commercial use after registration!
HINTS:   Click on the English Version Link and download the installation file.  Then click on the installation file and follow the directions.  You will need to return to the download page and click on the link to get the registration key.   It will be sent to you in an email after you provide some registration information.  This will give you 14 months of coverage including any updates which can be set to auto download.  You can reregister for additional free coverage at the end of the 14 months.
You will want to browse around and choose from the many options available for operation.  This process will take some time and digging.

Another good free program is:
http://www.free-av.com/
This one installs a bit easier than Avast.

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Free Spybot and Adware programs for download.

Get ewido anti-spyware Free
ewido anti-spyware Free is a free anti-spyware protection tool developed by GRISOFT for home use. We invite you to join the millions of satisfied customers worldwide who have downloaded the software and now enjoy the benefits of ewido anti-spyware Free.
What you get with ewido anti-spyware Free
Easy to use
Daily database updates
Heuristics to detect unknown threats
Automatic Cleaning Engine
And most of all ... great customer satisfaction!
http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/20/lng/us/tpl/v5

Windows Defender (Beta 2) is a free program that helps protect your computer against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware and other unwanted software. It features Real-Time Protection, a monitoring system that recommends actions against spyware when it's detected, and a new streamlined interface that minimizes interruptions and helps you stay productive.
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.4 - product description
Application to scan for spyware, adware, hijackers and other malicious software.
Choose one of the sites to download from.
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html

Ad-Aware Personal provides advanced protection from known data-mining, aggressive advertising, Trojans, dialers, malware, browser hijackers, and tracking components. This software is downloadable free of charge.
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
 

Here are a few sites of many that can help you determine if an email is a hoax or real.

http://www.snopes.com/
http://vil.nai.com/VIL/hoaxes.asp
http://kumite.com/myths/
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html
http://www.scambusters.org/VirusHoaxes.html
http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/hoaxes/
http://www.truthorfiction.com/
http://www.quatloos.com/

From the 1935 launch of Britain's Penguin until 1960 – the year in which dollar sales from paperback books first surpassed those of hardcovers – the paperback revolutionized the readership, marketing, distribution, circulation, and reception of books and reading in the United States, Canada, and many other nations. This website begins an investigation into this history with the dual aim of inspiring further interest and research into both paperback history in general and in our local repository, The Edmonton Collection.

Experience the Revolution
'Bare Trap' by Frank Kane Between 1935 and 1960, the paperback revolution created a new industry overnight, permanently changed our understanding of "the book," helped to democratize reading by increasing readership and eroding the lines between "high" and "low" literature, and created its own, unique genres and forms of expression. Our animated timeline traces some of the companies and personalities which shaped the birth and growth of the paperback industry.

A large part of this site's artwork and research is drawn from the Edmonton Collection, an archive of approximately a hundred "revolution-era" paperbacks located in Edmonton, Canada. Some of these books can be browsed using the virtual paperback rack in our gallery section.

Much has been written on the subject of the Paperback Revolution. To continue your investigation with a variety of other resources, visit our links section.
http://www.crcstudio.arts.ualberta.ca/paperbacks/

THIS IS A COOL GAME! YOU JUST CLICK ON EACH SQUARE , ONE AT A TIME OF COURSE, THEN YOU HAVE TO CORRECTLY ANSWER THE MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION.

THE QUESTIONS CHANGE FROM GAME TO GAME
http://www.animaxinteractive.com/banana/Games/tictactoe.html

Rot goes the tomato
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_8VDUheI2o

Coast to coast through the windshield
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A-unBigvoY

The Northern Aurora Lights dance and sway
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIXs6Sh0DKs