Computerworld UK Operating Systems

Microsoft expected to launch Windows 8 consumer preview this month

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Tony Bradley and Jason Cross) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:23:00 GMT

Microsoft may launch the consumer preview of Windows on February 29th. Members of the press recently received an invitation to a special Windows 8 customer preview event in Barcelona as part of the Mobile World Congress trade show.

Microsoft 'dropping Start button' from Windows 8

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Gregg Keizer) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:01:00 GMT

Microsoft will scratch the 17-year-old Start button from Windows 8, according to reports based on a purported leak of the latest beta build.

Microsoft fine-tuning Windows 8 Beta

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Tim Greene) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:55:00 GMT

Microsoft continues to tinker with Windows 8 even as it finalises its beta version, acting on suggestions it received from users who have experimented with the Windows 8 Developer Preview.

How to upgrade from Vista to Windows 7

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Lincoln Spector) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:02:00 GMT

If you are planning to upgrade you PC from Vista to Windows 7, you have two basic options: an Upgrade install, or a Custom one.

Office 365 app dev model to expand, says Microsoft partner

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Juan Carlos Perez) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMT

External developers will be able to build much more sophisticated applications and tools for Office 365 once Microsoft releases the next upgrade of that cloud-hosted communication and collaboration suite, according to a Microsoft partner.

Microsoft announces March launch event for SQL Server 2012

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Chris Kanaracus) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:30:00 GMT

Microsoft has announced a March 7 online event for the launch of SQL Server 2012, the next generation of its database product.

Vendors rushing to patch Linux privilege escalation vulnerability

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Lucian Constantin) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:02:00 GMT

Linux vendors are rushing to patch a privilege escalation vulnerability in the Linux kernel that can be exploited by local attackers to gain root access on the system.

Can Windows 8 really become the OS for everything?

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Tom Henderson) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:30:00 GMT

The first public beta for Windows 8 is expected to be released in February, but we've been testing pre-beta code in our lab. Our overall impression is that Windows 8 represents an aggressive effort by Microsoft to deliver a single OS that runs just about everywhere and takes on all of Microsoft's key rivals.

10 things we love and hate about Window 8 Client versions

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Tom Henderson) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:13:00 GMT

Oracle plan to speed up Android Google trial tossed out by judge

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Chris Kanaracus) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:09:00 GMT

A judge on Friday shot down Oracle's offer to put its Java patent-infringement claims against Google over the Android mobile OS on hold, in exchange for a speedier trial on its copyright claims.

No demand for Windows 8 tablets? Don't trust predictive surveys

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Rob Enderle) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:28:00 GMT

The surveys says... wait. You can't trust surveys, according to Rob Enderle. He offers some historical lessons on why you can't believe their predictions.

Windows 8 shown on prototype ARM tablets

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (James Niccolai) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:23:00 GMT

Microsoft's Windows 8 OS was shown on a handful of prototype ARM-based tablets at the Consumer Electronics Show last week, but almost no one was allowed to try it out.

10 available devices to test drive Windows 8

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Tim Greene) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:59:00 GMT

Tizen mobile OS releases source code

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (John Ribeiro) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:23:00 GMT

The Tizen project, which is developing an open source operating system for devices like smartphones and tablets, is offering a download of the alpha release of the source code of the operating system.

Microsoft sues Chinese retail chains over pirated Windows Office software

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Michael Kan) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:45:00 GMT

The software giant said it filed the lawsuits against Gome Electrical Appliances and Buynow last week in separate courts located in Beijing and Shanghai, the latest legal action Microsoft has taken to try and stop vendors in the country from selling pirated versions of its software.

Microsoft aims Windows 8 storage at enterprise data centres

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Tim Greene) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:45:00 GMT

Microsoft Windows 8 includes a storage scheme suitable for business deployment that can treat hundreds of disks as a single logical storage reservoir and ensures resiliency by backing up data on at least two physical disks.

Seven security patches for Patch Tuesday, says Microsoft

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Gregg Keizer) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:43:00 GMT

Microsoft today said it would deliver seven security updates next week - tying the record for January - to patch eight vulnerabilities in Windows and its developer tools.

Microsoft Windows 8 can scrub data from disk

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Tim Greene) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:15:00 GMT

Microsoft Windows 8 includes a reset function that restores the operating system to a clean state and scrubs data applications from the disk, but falls short of making that data unrecoverable, according to the vendor.

Windows 8 may prompt malware attacks on hardware, McAfee predicts

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Tim Greene) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:28:00 GMT

Security features in Windows 8 will discourage operating-system attacks and drive hackers to develop malware that compromises hardware directly, according to McAfee's security predictions for 2012.

Zero-day exploit in Windows 7 64-bit may allow remote code execution

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Lucian Constantin) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:41:00 GMT

Microsoft is currently investigating reports of a zero-day vulnerability in Windows 7 64-bit that leads to crashes and could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems.

Microsoft Answer Desk offers live, free and fee tech support

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Brennon Slattery) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:24:00 GMT

Microsoft has upped its tech support offerings with the debut of Answer Desk, a dedicated website for live technical support for Windows OS and Microsoft Office software, PC tune-ups, virus removal, and software training. It will offer support 24/7 and 365 days a year.

Eight reasons to hold off on Windows 8

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Aaron Suzuki) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:45:00 GMT

Windows 8 touts many new features, but there are a number of things such as cost, testing, compatibility and training that CIOs need to consider before racing to migrate.

Windows Phone 7 launch in China slips to next year

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Michael Kan) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:09:00 GMT

Microsoft expects its Windows Phone 7 mobile operating system to launch in China during the first half of 2012, rather than in late 2011 as originally planned, the company said Saturday.

Windows 8 tablet desire decreasing, according to analysts

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Agam Shah) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:20:00 GMT

Interest in tablets with Microsoft's Windows 8 is plummeting, Forrester Research said in a study released yesterday.

Why you should be using Linux Mint 12

cwukfeedback@idg.co.uk (Katherine Noyes) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:58:00 GMT

For any new release of a popular Linux distribution, there are typically numerous fans eagerly awaiting the software's final debut. For Linux Mint 12, however, that anticipation may well have broken all previous records, so anxious have Linux fans been to see the new release's answer to the controversial desktop environments increasingly appearing in other operating systems.