Vista Gets Googled

Ahh, the good ol' antitrust word is back beckoning at Bill Gates' door. Microsoft caved to Department of Justice muscle Tuesday and agreed to let Google in it's Windows Vista desktop search feature. Presently, Vista only allows Microsoft's own search engine to power desktop search. The Department of Justice gave their ruling saying Microsoft must modify Vista so other search engine options are available to end-users. Though not a perfect solution by any means, apparently both parties agreed to its terms.

Advance Notice for Patch Tuesday

6 security bulletins are due out on Patch Tuesday, June 12, 2007. 4 are considered critical dealing with fixing remote code vulnerabilities. A preview of the details of the upcoming bulletin can be seen here.

And on that note, beware of fake email notices claiming to be from Microsoft. As with everything Microsoft, scammers are sending out the notices in an effort to install malicious software on unsuspecting victims. Of course, this is not a new technique, but apparently it works, so it's still around. If you receive a suspicious email, always remember to check the Microsoft security bulletin website before clicking on that link in your email.

It's Official

Microsoft has finally acknowledged the existence of Service Pack 1 (SP1) currently in Beta. They even have a planned release date, the latter half of 2007. (I know that narrows it down for you, as you patiently wait to update your system.) As previously discussed here, Microsoft had been keeping quiet about any future updates. But now it's official, even if it is still in beta.

Are you ready for Vista?

Not sure if you and your computer are ready for the Vista experience? Well, check out Microsoft Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor. This utility will examine your system and deliver a report of your system and any compatibility issues. It can even recommend which version of Vista would be best for your system. Happy Upgrading!

Bill Finally Graduates

Thirty two years after Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard to run his little software startup (you may have heard of it, Microsoft), he finally graduates from Harvard. Bill recieved his honorary doctrate Thursday.