Yesterday was what some refer to as Black Tuesday. The second Tuesday of the month is when Microsoft releases the operating system and application patches that weren't actually urgent enough to require immediate deployment. So when I booted up this morning I wasn't surprised to see the familiar message that there were updates awaiting download. But I was a bit surprised at how many there were.
Microsoft releases biggest patch on record
Microsoft Corp. issued its biggest software patch on record on Tuesday to fix a range of security issues in its programs, including the yet to be released Windows 7 operating system.
In a monthly update sent to users of its software, Microsoft released 13 security bulletins, or patches, to address 34 vulnerabilities it identified across its Windows, Internet Explorer, Silverlight, Office and other products.
It said six of the patches were high priority and should be deployed immediately.
Of particular interest is the fact that MS is already officially releasing security patches for an operating system that hasn't itself been officially released yet. They're really fast. I'll feel so much better about upgrading when if the time comes. (Note: I'm still running XP. I wouldn't let Vista in the house.)
I'm shocked by the number of updates MS issues, period. It'd be funny if it weren't so serious. I'm back to an MS operating system because I haven't been to an installfest to have Linux put on this machine, DH hasn't had time and it's not something I've yet learned enough about. One of these days, though...
And I've never let Vista in the house, either. I used to teach computer skills and I get calls from former students (mostly 55+) who ask me if I can teach them to use Vista and I tell them no, just get rid of it.
There were several CDs of MS7 handed out at recent computer events so there are some using it.
Oh, one more thing on the computer front. I learned about Animux, an open source animation operating system that is so small you can download onto your USB flash drive. Do that, reboot and voila! Amazing what a community can do, innit?!?
I had no choice but to let Vista in the house. I got it working to my satisfaction, after about a week or two. Still, I'd rather have XP.
so small you can download onto your USB flash drive
There are more standard Linux distros that can be run from a flash drive too though I haven't had a chance to play with one yet. (I dual boot on this machine. The second OS is Linux.)
I too had no choice with Vista. But I love it. And I still can't figure out why it is so hated.
I still can't figure out why it is so hated.
Firstly, I have a poor relationship with any operating system that presumes to know more about what I want I to do than I do.
Secondly, while it's possible that I've been exposed to it on underpowered systems (and they were all fairly high end laptops that came with it preinstalled) it seems to take about five times too long to do certain things.
And finally, there appear to be compatibility issues involving interaction with other Windows systems. It wouldn't be the first time that MS failed to maintain compatibility with itself. (Nor would MS be the first company to have that problem. One of the big selling points of Compaq's first offerings was that they were more compatible with IBM than IBM. And they were.)
> Antonia | October 14, 2009 4:40 PM
> I too had no choice with Vista. But I love it. And I still can't figure out why it is so hated.
If MS is going to break compatibility with older programs with each new rehash of Windows, then they might as well build and release an entirely new OS.
But that's hardly likely to ever happen until MS has no other choice.
It's a dinosaur in the era of mammals. In comparison with alternative Operating Systems, it's half as fast, and a quarter as innovative, and four times more expensive.
And it's getting to be too expensive to continually keep buying Windows 95 rehash every three to four years.