Ray of Hope!
Hi reader 
, it’s my first time I have to write a blog about my personal life, but due to importance of the issue, I had to do this today…
Hmm… I’m not sure from where to start, but anyways I’ll start with my day I had. I woke at 6:30 AM “for the 5th time” despite I usually to wake up late. I dunno why?! But that what happened despite I have a section in college at 11:30 AM. Well, I decided to pass by bank I have my account in because I’ve received a statement for the ISIC “International Student ID Card” Credit Card because I’ve register for it since August and I never received it. I found out the disaster; “Your application was cancelled”. Damn it! I’ve paid much for this card only not like other ones I got. I need the card! I’m going to Seattle, WA, USA next July for a big conference and meeting with world most famous person as part of a big event I’ll contribute! Anyways, the problem finally solved, I’ll receive the ISIC with new number within 10-14 business days.
I took a ride to the college. It’s too early, near 10 AM. Oh my god! I have so plenty of free time, I have no friend where I can waste my time with at all. Yes, don’t get astonished. I’ve been at college of Engineering for 4 yrs and I have NO friend! It’s extremely hard feeling where you have no friends, set alone lonely most times, and rarely to find those mates I had to know around the 4 yrs (actually I don’t want anyone of them a friend of mine. I never find those specifications I want in a friend). Oh yes! I had one and only one chance to have a very nice friend, but no longer had we spent 2 months, she moved to her city’s university. I hope she’s ok. Heh! That was 2 years ago.
What about now?
Don’t be curious like that? I’m gonna tell you…
Last year I moved to 1st year Department of Electrical Engineering, I was so glad to join it because it was one of my steps on the right path. Still no friends! “How?”, You wonder. Ok, because I was one of those doublermen at 1st year of college, curriculum has changed at the year I was doubling those subjects I dropped of. I had many many troubles I’m not gonna remind myself of and I wish I won’t face such days never ever again. Due to change of curriculum, I was forced to be related to it until my graduation!! So each grade I move to, I should be related to it. So, I was with just 30 students in my case. I was so bored disappointed. I don’t like that at all! I was at very bad mood. I had a ray of hope might help me get myself out of the mood, the final class of freshmen is in common with us in some subjects. I’ve knew some girl there, she’s not so cute, but she’s ok. I won’t go through the story, all I got from her 4 different rude back offs. OMG! Even this!! What have I did to her?! 1st time I passed her my own sheet by mistake where my info where on, she torn my info paper in the 2nd day! Another time I wrote a poem for her (Yes! True English romantic poem)! She left me alone without replying me and so on.
That caused me extremely sad; I cried much and much of days. College routine troubles, study is hard, no friends, nothing made me happy at all.
Thanks God! I’ve passed 1st year electrical. This year I joined Department of Computers and Automatic Control, my old dream. But what a nightmare!! Like last year, I still with no one. I keep staying in between of lectures and sections ALONE! Ah, I won’t stand anymore, routine, problems, hard exams, unwanted mates. I started to hate the place where no such one I can move to due to my special case (the Curriculum).
2nd semester started 3 weeks ago. It’s still not ok. Today- my rest day- instead of Saturday I lost because of a professor working in major position at Secretary of Higher Education. I wished someone to tell me that I’m his/her friend. Oh my health that started going bad.
6 days ago, I was messing with the yahoo messenger. I’ve finished moderating and answering on the TechNet forums. I added topics to my blogs here. I used the Yahoo! Members Directory to search for an online buddy with keywords of College name and city. I’ve got a result; I tried my luck which became jinx with this university. Before 3 days finally I was added and replied by the contact. Oh my god! She’s some girl in my age. She’s at my actual grade I should be but civil engineer. While I was identifying myself as engineer (like shown in right about me), she started arguing with me I’m student and titled engineer, I replied that Engineer means that who’s clever with some job or task as we studied, she argued with me with gentle reply from some subject, I commented surprisingly: “Dr. X!” where X is a famous professor all college knows him. She told me you’re at TN University!! I was so surprised too by this. It’s my first time ever I’ve used the internet to speak with someone from my university. Wow! One by one I’ve known her story in brief. I’m not going to tell it because there is things I prefer to keep for me.
I didn’t know what she looks like actually; there was no picture for her. I just knew her first name and her actual grade. I was curious who she is who’s she… I got an idea! I accessed the university database from backdoor link just to know her, I got her full name, yes, and she’s true. Well why I’ve assured and I was suspicious? Simply because it’s the Internet, 1st rule, be careful and trust no one until you’re sure. I’ve faced many of stupid people who tried to social engineer on me, but I could survive of traps.
She saw my pics, my sites and all my staff. She told me that she didn’t see me before and might see me before.
I asked her to meet today. But due to my suspect about she’s true (Please if you’re reading it, forgive me, as you seen I wasn’t in need of cheats and kidding this time), she asked me not to talk to her anymore. I got that today morning while I was checking my personal and business e-mails. I sent offline messages back asking her to forgive me. I turned off computer worry.
Actually I was searching for the honey eyes all the day along in college. Zillions and zillions of girls everywhere, I’m unable to check eyes, my stupid nature is that I feel shy and confused a lot. I
stayed alone today, moving from place to another to break my boring. Searching and searching, hoping she’ll come towards me and says: “Hi, that’s me!”, but in vain. I was really disappointed. I wondered why many of students to look towards me, I was that sexy symbol? I’m not sure, maybe some tears came out of my eyes because of fatigue and disappoint. I stayed at many places, 2nd floor, 1st floor, between buildings, behind the main building. What I noticed was a cute girl I see long time ago is looking towards me in strange way. I’ve never ever was careful for someone before. When I go a place, she’s tracing me, but far away a bit. What’s going on? Before its 3 PM, I’ve found by chance some mates I know from school but they’re not at pre final grade at Department of Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering. My thoughts got out with my voice, I told my mate: “I wonder why this girl with red clothes to look at me right that way. I think she’s tracing me for some reason!”. I said.
I asked my mate to ask her relative at this grade I was searching the girl for. Once I entered lectures place, I found hundreds of girls! Who’s she?! I turned back with disappointment; I was surprised with the red clothing girl going there.
Me: Hi
The girl: Hi
Me: That’s grade n?
The girl: Yes! Are you searching for something?
Me: Actually, yup, I’m searching for a girl called “Z”, do you know her?
The girl: It’s me.
OH MY GOD!!! Until the moment I can’t believe myself! Yes! I can’t describe my feeling but it’s like the flash got of a camera where I felt my body is restarted like a computer.
After small period of time (about 2 seconds) which passed like an era, I’ve quickly concentrated on her! Yes! I know her; I’ve seen that cute face before many times. Yes! She’s really with a charming honey eyes. My memory went back like lightening, on that Thursday at 4:25 PM of some day I remember it well at 1st semester. I was setting lonely waiting the professor of math to come. I saw her coming out of the building; she sat next to me in between of us about 65 ft. She’s was alone too, For full 3 minutes I was starring at her, and she did too (maybe I’m not sure if she was thinking but towards mine looking in nothing or not), I really wished to talk to her, but I was worry of back offs I don’t expect. Soon all was gone like formatting me but not just formatting, but getting your tongue out and tell me: “You’re always jinxed here forever until you’re graduated or dead”, soon some guy went by her. I looked under where my foot in and got sad and went inside to wait the professor. I thought she’s older than me too.
I know her, I saw her several times, and she’s cute, and calm, not talkative and looks well brought on good ethics and manners most of them lost these days.
Hey! I’m not in love with her! Don’t think like that!! She said she’s my age, so she might be older than me with days or months or I’m who’s older, but I’m not gonna love some girl at my age, at least 2 yrs difference.
I was sure she have lectures until 7 PM where I didn’t realize that until I assured the schedule today of her grade. I apologized to her for being suspicious when I was talking to her yesterday. I told her any time feel free to ask me anything, I’m to help you and I’ll do my best for this and shake handed with her and said bye and told her I’ll be there tomorrow at 10 AM. I wish I see her tomorrow!
I’m so happy to finally find some good person to speak to, to spend my free time with, and to contribute events and talking in life. I wish she’d accept the idea. Maybe I’m really as I got the impression about mine… jinxed forever!
Ray of Hope!
Hi reader , it’s my first time I have to write a blog about my personal life, but due to importance of the issue, I had to do this today…
Hmm… I’m not sure from where to start, but anyways I’ll start with my day I had. I woke at 6:30 AM “for the 5th time” despite I usually to wake up late. I dunno why?! But that what happened despite I have a section in college at 11:30 AM. Well, I decided to pass by bank I have my account in because I’ve received a statement for the ISIC “International Student ID Card” Credit Card because I’ve register for it since August and I never received it. I found out the disaster; “Your application was cancelled”. Damn it! I’ve paid much for this card only not like other ones I got. I need the card! I’m going to Seattle, WA, USA next July for a big conference and meeting with world most famous person as part of a big event I’ll contribute! Anyways, the problem finally solved, I’ll receive the ISIC with new number within 10-14 business days.
I took a ride to the college. It’s too early, near 10 AM. Oh my god! I have so plenty of free time, I have no friend where I can waste my time with at all. Yes, don’t get astonished. I’ve been at college of Engineering for 4 yrs and I have NO friend! It’s extremely hard feeling where you have no friends, set alone lonely most times, and rarely to find those mates I had to know around the 4 yrs (actually I don’t want anyone of them a friend of mine. I never find those specifications I want in a friend). Oh yes! I had one and only one chance to have a very nice friend, but no longer had we spent 2 months, she moved to her city’s university. I hope she’s ok. Heh! That was 2 years ago.
What about now?
Don’t be curious like that? I’m gonna tell you…
Last year I moved to 1st year Department of Electrical Engineering, I was so glad to join it because it was one of my steps on the right path. Still no friends! “How?”, You wonder. Ok, because I was one of those doublermen at 1st year of college, curriculum has changed at the year I was doubling those subjects I dropped of. I had many many troubles I’m not gonna remind myself of and I wish I won’t face such days never ever again. Due to change of curriculum, I was forced to be related to it until my graduation!! So each grade I move to, I should be related to it. So, I was with just 30 students in my case. I was so bored disappointed. I don’t like that at all! I was at very bad mood. I had a ray of hope might help me get myself out of the mood, the final class of freshmen is in common with us in some subjects. I’ve knew some girl there, she’s not so cute, but she’s ok. I won’t go through the story, all I got from her 4 different rude back offs. OMG! Even this!! What have I did to her?! 1st time I passed her my own sheet by mistake where my info where on, she torn my info paper in the 2nd day! Another time I wrote a poem for her (Yes! True English romantic poem)! She left me alone without replying me and so on.
That caused me extremely sad; I cried much and much of days. College routine troubles, study is hard, no friends, nothing made me happy at all.
Thanks God! I’ve passed 1st year electrical. This year I joined Department of Computers and Automatic Control, my old dream. But what a nightmare!! Like last year, I still with no one. I keep staying in between of lectures and sections ALONE! Ah, I won’t stand anymore, routine, problems, hard exams, unwanted mates. I started to hate the place where no such one I can move to due to my special case (the Curriculum).
2nd semester started 3 weeks ago. It’s still not ok. Today- my rest day- instead of Saturday I lost because of a professor working in major position at Secretary of Higher Education. I wished someone to tell me that I’m his/her friend. Oh my health that started going bad.
6 days ago, I was messing with the yahoo messenger. I’ve finished moderating and answering on the TechNet forums. I added topics to my blogs here. I used the Yahoo! Members Directory to search for an online buddy with keywords of College name and city. I’ve got a result; I tried my luck which became jinx with this university. Before 3 days finally I was added and replied by the contact. Oh my god! She’s some girl in my age. She’s at my actual grade I should be but civil engineer. While I was identifying myself as engineer (like shown in right about me), she started arguing with me I’m student and titled engineer, I replied that Engineer means that who’s clever with some job or task as we studied, she argued with me with gentle reply from some subject, I commented surprisingly: “Dr. X!” where X is a famous professor all college knows him. She told me you’re at TN University!! I was so surprised too by this. It’s my first time ever I’ve used the internet to speak with someone from my university. Wow! One by one I’ve known her story in brief. I’m not going to tell it because there is things I prefer to keep for me.
I didn’t know what she looks like actually; there was no picture for her. I just knew her first name and her actual grade. I was curious who she is who’s she… I got an idea! I accessed the university database from backdoor link just to know her, I got her full name, yes, and she’s true. Well why I’ve assured and I was suspicious? Simply because it’s the Internet, 1st rule, be careful and trust no one until you’re sure. I’ve faced many of stupid people who tried to social engineer on me, but I could survive of traps.
She saw my pics, my sites and all my staff. She told me that she didn’t see me before and might see me before.
I asked her to meet today. But due to my suspect about she’s true (Please if you’re reading it, forgive me, as you seen I wasn’t in need of cheats and kidding this time), she asked me not to talk to her anymore. I got that today morning while I was checking my personal and business e-mails. I sent offline messages back asking her to forgive me. I turned off computer worry.
Actually I was searching for the honey eyes all the day along in college. Zillions and zillions of girls everywhere, I’m unable to check eyes, my stupid nature is that I feel shy and confused a lot. I
stayed alone today, moving from place to another to break my boring. Searching and searching, hoping she’ll come towards me and says: “Hi, that’s me!”, but in vain. I was really disappointed. I wondered why many of students to look towards me, I was that sexy symbol? I’m not sure, maybe some tears came out of my eyes because of fatigue and disappoint. I stayed at many places, 2nd floor, 1st floor, between buildings, behind the main building. What I noticed was a cute girl I see long time ago is looking towards me in strange way. I’ve never ever was careful for someone before. When I go a place, she’s tracing me, but far away a bit. What’s going on? Before its 3 PM, I’ve found by chance some mates I know from school but they’re not at pre final grade at Department of Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering. My thoughts got out with my voice, I told my mate: “I wonder why this girl with red clothes to look at me right that way. I think she’s tracing me for some reason!”. I said.
I asked my mate to ask her relative at this grade I was searching the girl for. Once I entered lectures place, I found hundreds of girls! Who’s she?! I turned back with disappointment; I was surprised with the red clothing girl going there.
Me: Hi
The girl: Hi
Me: That’s grade n?
The girl: Yes! Are you searching for something?
Me: Actually, yup, I’m searching for a girl called “Z”, do you know her?
The girl: It’s me.
OH MY GOD!!! Until the moment I can’t believe myself! Yes! I can’t describe my feeling but it’s like the flash got of a camera where I felt my body is restarted like a computer.
After small period of time (about 2 seconds) which passed like an era, I’ve quickly concentrated on her! Yes! I know her; I’ve seen that cute face before many times. Yes! She’s really with a charming honey eyes. My memory went back like lightening, on that Thursday at 4:25 PM of some day I remember it well at 1st semester. I was setting lonely waiting the professor of math to come. I saw her coming out of the building; she sat next to me in between of us about 65 ft. She’s was alone too, For full 3 minutes I was starring at her, and she did too (maybe I’m not sure if she was thinking but towards mine looking in nothing or not), I really wished to talk to her, but I was worry of back offs I don’t expect. Soon all was gone like formatting me but not just formatting, but getting your tongue out and tell me: “You’re always jinxed here forever until you’re graduated or dead”, soon some guy went by her. I looked under where my foot in and got sad and went inside to wait the professor. I thought she’s older than me too.
I know her, I saw her several times, and she’s cute, and calm, not talkative and looks well brought on good ethics and manners most of them lost these days.
Hey! I’m not in love with her! Don’t think like that!! She said she’s my age, so she might be older than me with days or months or I’m who’s older, but I’m not gonna love some girl at my age, at least 2 yrs difference.
I was sure she have lectures until 7 PM where I didn’t realize that until I assured the schedule today of her grade. I apologized to her for being suspicious when I was talking to her yesterday. I told her any time feel free to ask me anything, I’m to help you and I’ll do my best for this and shake handed with her and said bye and told her I’ll be there tomorrow at 10 AM. I wish I see her tomorrow!
I’m so happy to finally find some good person to speak to, to spend my free time with, and to contribute events and talking in life. I wish she’d accept the idea. Maybe I’m really as I got the impression about mine… jinxed forever!
Last year, when Microsoft announced a new anti-piracy infrastructure for Windows Vista, I was skeptical. Here's what I wrote at the time:
What's most distressing about the SPP announcement is Microsoft's continued insistence that its anti-piracy tools are nearly perfect and that innocent victims never suffer from errors in their code. … Microsoft insists that "most customers should never be affected by having a non-genuine installation." That reassurance would be a lot more comforting if there wasn't already a solid base of failures in its current WGA program. And now, only weeks after the retail launch of Windows Vista, early Vista adopters are experiencing a wave of validation and activation problems.
I first heard about this a couple weeks ago, in a post that recounted one user's experience with a new game called 9Dragons:
I signup for the game and download the client, install without a hitch. I am playing the game when all of a sudden I get popped out of my game back to desktop with a message that my copy of Vista isn’t Genuine. I tried to revalidate my copy of Vista only to be told that it was still not genuine. When I uninstalled the game and tried guess what it worked. As it turns out, that was just the tip of the iceberg. A quick scan of Microsoft's Windows Vista Validation Issues forum turns up many similar examples, with users who paid for a retail key being told that their copy is "no longer genuine" and that the key is in use.
The underlying issues were quickly identified by Microsoft and publicly disclosed in this post on the Windows Vista Validation Issues forum:There are several threads in this forum that refer to Error 0xc004d401 causing non-genuine status or preventing activation. In those threads, we have discussed 3 applications that have been identified as conflicting with Vista software licensing technology (which causes the issue).
The offenders include PC Tools Spyware Doctor (updating to the most recent version fixes the issue), Trend Micro Internet Security and PC-Cillin Anti-Virus (the issue goes away if you install version 14.56 or later), and nProtect GameGuard.
Full story: ZD Net
Last year, when Microsoft announced a new anti-piracy infrastructure for Windows Vista, I was skeptical. Here's what I wrote at the time:
What's most distressing about the SPP announcement is Microsoft's continued insistence that its anti-piracy tools are nearly perfect and that innocent victims never suffer from errors in their code. … Microsoft insists that "most customers should never be affected by having a non-genuine installation." That reassurance would be a lot more comforting if there wasn't already a solid base of failures in its current WGA program. And now, only weeks after the retail launch of Windows Vista, early Vista adopters are experiencing a wave of validation and activation problems.
I first heard about this a couple weeks ago, in a post that recounted one user's experience with a new game called 9Dragons:
I signup for the game and download the client, install without a hitch. I am playing the game when all of a sudden I get popped out of my game back to desktop with a message that my copy of Vista isn’t Genuine. I tried to revalidate my copy of Vista only to be told that it was still not genuine. When I uninstalled the game and tried guess what it worked. As it turns out, that was just the tip of the iceberg. A quick scan of Microsoft's Windows Vista Validation Issues forum turns up many similar examples, with users who paid for a retail key being told that their copy is "no longer genuine" and that the key is in use.
The underlying issues were quickly identified by Microsoft and publicly disclosed in this post on the Windows Vista Validation Issues forum:There are several threads in this forum that refer to Error 0xc004d401 causing non-genuine status or preventing activation. In those threads, we have discussed 3 applications that have been identified as conflicting with Vista software licensing technology (which causes the issue).
The offenders include PC Tools Spyware Doctor (updating to the most recent version fixes the issue), Trend Micro Internet Security and PC-Cillin Anti-Virus (the issue goes away if you install version 14.56 or later), and nProtect GameGuard.
Full story: ZD Net
Microsoft Sued Over Office Live Brand
Office Live LLC, a Los Angeles-based provider of online professional services, is suing Microsoft for trademark infringement over Microsoft's Office Live suite of business applications, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
The suit, originally filed in December, is asking the court to order Microsoft to stop using the Office Live name. The legal mess could muddy Microsoft's efforts to launch a suite of Web-based productivity tools to fend off Google's Google Apps initiative. Last week, Google unveiled a version of the suite aimed at business customers. To date, products available under Microsoft's Office Live brand include Web design tools and Web hosting, e-mail and calendaring tools, online collaboration tools, and a contact manager.
However, a number of analysts and users say Microsoft has not done a good job articulating a clear strategy and roadmap for Office Live. "It appears to be a very piecemeal approach," says Jim Murphy, research director at AMR Research. A lengthy trademark battle would further hurt Microsoft's Office Live strategy, many believe. The need for companies to quickly resolve such issues was highlighted last week when Apple announced that it had reached a settlement with Cisco Systems over Cisco's claims that the Apple iPhone infringes on an identically named Cisco product. Many observers felt that Apple needed to settle the matter quickly or risk undermining one of its most high profile product launches in years.
Source: CRN
Microsoft Sued Over Office Live Brand
Office Live LLC, a Los Angeles-based provider of online professional services, is suing Microsoft for trademark infringement over Microsoft's Office Live suite of business applications, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
The suit, originally filed in December, is asking the court to order Microsoft to stop using the Office Live name. The legal mess could muddy Microsoft's efforts to launch a suite of Web-based productivity tools to fend off Google's Google Apps initiative. Last week, Google unveiled a version of the suite aimed at business customers. To date, products available under Microsoft's Office Live brand include Web design tools and Web hosting, e-mail and calendaring tools, online collaboration tools, and a contact manager.
However, a number of analysts and users say Microsoft has not done a good job articulating a clear strategy and roadmap for Office Live. "It appears to be a very piecemeal approach," says Jim Murphy, research director at AMR Research. A lengthy trademark battle would further hurt Microsoft's Office Live strategy, many believe. The need for companies to quickly resolve such issues was highlighted last week when Apple announced that it had reached a settlement with Cisco Systems over Cisco's claims that the Apple iPhone infringes on an identically named Cisco product. Many observers felt that Apple needed to settle the matter quickly or risk undermining one of its most high profile product launches in years.
Source: CRN
Windows Vista - Still Fresh After 19 Months?
"ZDNet blog Hardware 2.0 looks at the effect of having used Windows Vista for over 18 months. It Windows Vista the indispensable upgrade that Microsoft wants you to think it is? Writer Kingsley-Hughes says 'Having been using Vista for over 18 months I believe that it's a huge improvement over XP and even though I still use XP I find that I miss many of the features that Vista offers.
' Just the same, he goes on, 'I wouldn't call any of the changes earth-shattering. When I'm using XP systems I miss some of the features but not so much that they push me to upgrade any faster.' He then goes on to give a feature-by-feature breakdown of all of the improvements Vista has over XP, and what long-term use of these features can net." A possibly useful guide for gamers or administrators thinking about upgrading sometime soon.
Source: Slashdot
Windows Vista - Still Fresh After 19 Months?
"ZDNet blog Hardware 2.0 looks at the effect of having used Windows Vista for over 18 months. It Windows Vista the indispensable upgrade that Microsoft wants you to think it is? Writer Kingsley-Hughes says 'Having been using Vista for over 18 months I believe that it's a huge improvement over XP and even though I still use XP I find that I miss many of the features that Vista offers.
' Just the same, he goes on, 'I wouldn't call any of the changes earth-shattering. When I'm using XP systems I miss some of the features but not so much that they push me to upgrade any faster.' He then goes on to give a feature-by-feature breakdown of all of the improvements Vista has over XP, and what long-term use of these features can net." A possibly useful guide for gamers or administrators thinking about upgrading sometime soon.
Source: Slashdot
Microsoft Manager Says It Considered Banning Vista Virtualization
In a story for the Associated Press carried on many online news services this afternoon, one of the directors of Microsoft's Windows Client Product Planning team appears to make a curious and perhaps astounding statement. Scott Woodgate is quoted as saying that a Black Hat security conference demonstration last August, where virtualization functions were exploited to plant an active rootkit onto a beta of the Windows Vista kernel, scared Microsoft to the point where the company seriously considered removing virtualization capability from Vista entirely.
Ostensibly, the AP article was about Microsoft's decision to ban Home Basic and Home Premium editions of Vista from serving as guest operating systems in virtualization engines. This was a recent discovery for Macintosh users, though it was public knowledge for Vista users since last July, when Woodgate himself made the announcement. "We also announced the first of our licensing changes to internalize virtualization into Windows Vista," read an announcement on his personal blog. "Specifically customers who buy first software assurance and then deploy either Vista Enterprise or Ultimate can install 4 copies of the OS in a VM in addition to the copy on the physical machine for the cost of one license...Download VPC, create up to 4 VMs for various previously incompatible applications and get going."
By implication, only the business editions of Vista were engineered to include virtualization, and among Vista testers, this was generally understood. However, it became a new discovery to Mac OS X users who attempted to load home editions of Vista into Boot Camp and other virtual environments. The story was run by many services with the subheading, "The puzzling story of why Microsoft prevents some users from upgrading to Vista."
Full story: betanews
Microsoft Manager Says It Considered Banning Vista Virtualization
In a story for the Associated Press carried on many online news services this afternoon, one of the directors of Microsoft's Windows Client Product Planning team appears to make a curious and perhaps astounding statement. Scott Woodgate is quoted as saying that a Black Hat security conference demonstration last August, where virtualization functions were exploited to plant an active rootkit onto a beta of the Windows Vista kernel, scared Microsoft to the point where the company seriously considered removing virtualization capability from Vista entirely.
Ostensibly, the AP article was about Microsoft's decision to ban Home Basic and Home Premium editions of Vista from serving as guest operating systems in virtualization engines. This was a recent discovery for Macintosh users, though it was public knowledge for Vista users since last July, when Woodgate himself made the announcement. "We also announced the first of our licensing changes to internalize virtualization into Windows Vista," read an announcement on his personal blog. "Specifically customers who buy first software assurance and then deploy either Vista Enterprise or Ultimate can install 4 copies of the OS in a VM in addition to the copy on the physical machine for the cost of one license...Download VPC, create up to 4 VMs for various previously incompatible applications and get going."
By implication, only the business editions of Vista were engineered to include virtualization, and among Vista testers, this was generally understood. However, it became a new discovery to Mac OS X users who attempted to load home editions of Vista into Boot Camp and other virtual environments. The story was run by many services with the subheading, "The puzzling story of why Microsoft prevents some users from upgrading to Vista."
Full story: betanews
Flaw found in Office 2007
Researchers have discovered a "highly critical" security flaw in newly released Office 2007, despite Microsoft's efforts to deliver its most secure version yet of the productivity software.
The consumer version of Office 2007, which launched only four weeks ago, is designed to withstand higher scrutiny by malicious code writers, as Microsoft subjected the software to code auditors as part of its security development lifecycle. But researchers at eEye Digital Security found a file format vulnerability in Microsoft Office Publisher 2007, which could be exploited to let an outsider run code on a compromised PC. "We were surprised we could find a flaw so quickly (after Office 2007 launched) and one that was part of their core products," said Ross Brown, eEye's chief executive.
An attacker could create a malicious publisher file, he said. Once the recipient opens the file, he or she could find the system infected and susceptible to a remote attack. Researchers at eEye used a standard process of code auditing in discovering the vulnerabilities, Brown added. He noted that Microsoft either did not do a "good job" with its code auditing, or it may not have had enough people working on such a task. Microsoft, meanwhile, said it is investigating eEye's report of a possible vulnerability in Publisher 2007 and will provide users with additional guidance if necessary.
Full story: c|net
Flaw found in Office 2007
Researchers have discovered a "highly critical" security flaw in newly released Office 2007, despite Microsoft's efforts to deliver its most secure version yet of the productivity software.
The consumer version of Office 2007, which launched only four weeks ago, is designed to withstand higher scrutiny by malicious code writers, as Microsoft subjected the software to code auditors as part of its security development lifecycle. But researchers at eEye Digital Security found a file format vulnerability in Microsoft Office Publisher 2007, which could be exploited to let an outsider run code on a compromised PC. "We were surprised we could find a flaw so quickly (after Office 2007 launched) and one that was part of their core products," said Ross Brown, eEye's chief executive.
An attacker could create a malicious publisher file, he said. Once the recipient opens the file, he or she could find the system infected and susceptible to a remote attack. Researchers at eEye used a standard process of code auditing in discovering the vulnerabilities, Brown added. He noted that Microsoft either did not do a "good job" with its code auditing, or it may not have had enough people working on such a task. Microsoft, meanwhile, said it is investigating eEye's report of a possible vulnerability in Publisher 2007 and will provide users with additional guidance if necessary.
Full story: c|net
Second Security Rival Knocks Microsoft Antispyware App
Another Microsoft Corp. security rival posted results Wednesday of tests claiming that Windows Defender, Microsoft's antispyware software, blocked only a portion of the malware thrown at it. The trials, conducted by Enex TestLab but paid for by Australia-based vendor PC Tools, concluded that Defender was able to sniff out and block 46.6 percent of the sample spyware set when running its quick scan, and 53.4 percent using the more time-intensive full scan. Defender ships as part of Windows Vista but is also available as a free download for Windows XP. PC Tools' flagship product, Spyware Doctor, fared better, according to Enex, which said the software's quick scan blocked 83.3 percent of the spyware and its full scan stopped 88.7 percent.
Last month, Boulder, Colo.-based Webroot Software Inc. ran similar tests on Defender, using a spyware sample of its own creation, and claimed that the Microsoft title barred the door against just 16 percent of the sample malware. PC Tools took aim at Webroot as well as Microsoft. "While we agree with the overriding conclusion that Vista security is lacking, [Webroot's] approach fundamentally contradicts the laws of statistical analysis, and clearly creates a bias result," Simon Clausen, PC Tools' CEO, said in a statement. "By hand-picking the sample set, it is easy to return results showing whatever you want. It would even be possible to show Vista had 0 percent blocking ability." Clausen said that Enex Testlab, not PC Tools, choose the spyware and adware to throw against Defender and Spyware Doctor.
Source: PC World
Second Security Rival Knocks Microsoft Antispyware App
Another Microsoft Corp. security rival posted results Wednesday of tests claiming that Windows Defender, Microsoft's antispyware software, blocked only a portion of the malware thrown at it. The trials, conducted by Enex TestLab but paid for by Australia-based vendor PC Tools, concluded that Defender was able to sniff out and block 46.6 percent of the sample spyware set when running its quick scan, and 53.4 percent using the more time-intensive full scan. Defender ships as part of Windows Vista but is also available as a free download for Windows XP. PC Tools' flagship product, Spyware Doctor, fared better, according to Enex, which said the software's quick scan blocked 83.3 percent of the spyware and its full scan stopped 88.7 percent.
Last month, Boulder, Colo.-based Webroot Software Inc. ran similar tests on Defender, using a spyware sample of its own creation, and claimed that the Microsoft title barred the door against just 16 percent of the sample malware. PC Tools took aim at Webroot as well as Microsoft. "While we agree with the overriding conclusion that Vista security is lacking, [Webroot's] approach fundamentally contradicts the laws of statistical analysis, and clearly creates a bias result," Simon Clausen, PC Tools' CEO, said in a statement. "By hand-picking the sample set, it is easy to return results showing whatever you want. It would even be possible to show Vista had 0 percent blocking ability." Clausen said that Enex Testlab, not PC Tools, choose the spyware and adware to throw against Defender and Spyware Doctor.
Source: PC World
Microsoft faces Office Live lawsuit
A company called Office Live said Friday it has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Microsoft over the software giant's use of "Office Live" for its on-demand productivity tools.
Office Live, which runs sites such as Legalofficelive.com, Realtorsofficelive.com and Accountantsofficelive.com, offers free professional advice to consumers and offers customer leads to businesses. The company is seeking an injunction to prevent Microsoft from using the "Office Live" name. The lawsuit comes at a time when Microsoft is working to get its highly touted "Live" offerings established in the market.
In November, Microsoft's Internet-based business software, Office Live, became generally available in the U.S., with such features as customer management tools, e-mail accounts and Web site building and hosting. Office Live, based in the Los Angeles area, registered the "Office Live" trademark in 2002. It initially filed its lawsuit against Microsoft in December in U.S. District Court in California but agreed to withhold serving the suit to allow the companies to pursue settlement negotiations.
When those talks broke down, Office Live served the software giant with a lawsuit earlier this month. "It is shocking that Microsoft would have so little regard for another company's intellectual property rights that it would select a name belonging to another company," Lenny Targon, Office Live chief executive, said in a statement. "Online software may be the next big thing, but Microsoft has no right to use our trademark without permission." "We don't think Office Live LLC has a trademark, or that we are infringing any rights asserted by Office Live LLC," a Microsoft representative said. "Now that the complaint has been served, we will vigorously defend our legal position. We also will seek to invalidate Office Live LLC's claim to trademark the phrase "Office Live" in its common connotation." Microsoft said it views the word "Live" as a descriptor, such as in the case of "AOL Live" and "Vodaphone Live," and has indicated that stance to Office Live LLC in previous discussions.
Source: c|net