Tech News Stop - Sharing by Wasim Akhtar

Poor Google… Gmail can’t compete in corporate America, so we should all change our expectations?

http://www.liveside.net/main/archive/2010/08/13/microsoft-ready-to-land-big-ca-email-contract-google-cries-foul.aspx Apparently the state of California's email contract is up and Google didn't even submit a bid. Why? Because their product doesn't come close to meeting the requirements listed by the state. Google's response? Change the requirements. "In a series of written requests to the state, Google asked that 142 of the states contract requirements be changed or removed. Many of those conditions involved functions that Googles e-mail program isnt designed to perform." Wow… The arrogance is astounding. I have never once heard of a company demanding a client change their requirements so that their product will be applicable. Then, when the client doesn't do it, they do a huge PR campaign against them? This is a new low, even for Google. I've been watching them flounder as they claim high adoption in corporate America (when in reality their adoption, especially with GMail has been going down as corporations have gone back to Exchange and Notes.) I especially love that they haven't even been able to come through yet on their LAPD account and are now throwing this hissy fit. Google, I realize you are in bed with the current Federal Administration and think everyone should just bow to your whim but thankfully even California isn't going to play your game. It's called a free market Google. How about you try COMPETING instead of expecting everyone to change for you, just as Microsoft has done with Bing. Even if you hate Microsoft you have to give them props for continuing to try try again at Search until they got it right, rather than running to the government and saying "make them lower themselves to our standard." The free market is a beautiful thing, at least what's left of it. <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=TechBiz&partnerID=167&key=segment" /> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29715.rss.TechBiz.9425,cat.TechBiz.rss" /> Google - Microsoft - California - Bing - Search
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WindowsConnected/~3/WRPF3R8S-v0/click.phdo

By Rss to Blog (Computer Tech)
Click Here
http://sbwasim.co.cc/
Contact Me :wasimakhtar@sbwasim.co.cc
<----if you want to earn by Home just call Toll free No.02653090621 and give my userid DS630156 just try it its totaly free----->

Internet Explorer 9 Beta Launch Event Tomorrow (Sep 15, 2010)

Along with a few other bloggers from around the intertubes I will be attending the IE9 launch event tomorrow in San Francisco. I wasn't chosen for my witty insight or deep technical knowledge into the inner working of IE. Nope, mine was more my general proximity to the event, since I live in the bay area. I don't mind though. To be honest it has been far too long since I have written anything here and this should be a good way for me to get back into the practice of sharing my ramblings. Not that anyones listening…. (is this thing even on? Is blogging dead? Should I only use twitter to convey things 140 characters at a time? ) Like the rest of you, the ones actually reading a tech blog, I am excited to see what Microsoft has on tap for us with IE9. I am glad to see them pushing to greater standards adoption with IE 9. The performance gains have been excellent with what little I have played with the preview. Which frankly is kind of a pain in the butt with no address bar. I am hoping they push the envelop even father in isolating internet based malware threats. Tune in tomorrow for as many incriminating photos of fellow bloggers and Microsoft personnel that I can get. Oh yeah and that IE9 Beta thing. <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=TechBiz&partnerID=167&key=segment" /> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29715.rss.TechBiz.9425,cat.TechBiz.rss" /> Microsoft - Internet Explorer - San Francisco - Address bar - Malware
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WindowsConnected/~3/bJcF4Cu3Jk8/click.phdo

By Rss to Blog (Computer Tech)
Click Here
http://sbwasim.co.cc/
Contact Me :wasimakhtar@sbwasim.co.cc
<----if you want to earn by Home just call Toll free No.02653090621 and give my userid DS630156 just try it its totaly free----->

Google "SREs" have full access to all data

This is very disturbing on so many levels. If you still (for some reason) trust Google with your data, you really need to read this; http://gawker.com/5637234/gcreep-google-engineer-stalked-teens-spied-on-chats?skyline=true&s=i <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=TechBiz&partnerID=167&key=segment" /> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29715.rss.TechBiz.9425,cat.TechBiz.rss" /> Google - Search Engines - Searching - Companies - Tools
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WindowsConnected/~3/f0TLTl0sd1E/click.phdo

By Rss to Blog (Computer Tech)
Click Here
http://sbwasim.co.cc/
Contact Me :wasimakhtar@sbwasim.co.cc
<----if you want to earn by Home just call Toll free No.02653090621 and give my userid DS630156 just try it its totaly free----->

The tech press’s bigotry rears it’s ugly head once again…

Does anyone remember the days when 'journalists' were supposed to simply report an occurrence and let their audience come up with their own opinions? Rather than tell the audience what their opinion should be and use evidence from the occurrence to back it up? It reminds me of doing the science fair as a kid. Create a hypothesis, then find a way to try and prove it. This is exactly what happened with Windows Vista and this is exactly what is happening now with Windows Phone 7. Tech Press Hypothesis – Windows Phone 7 will suck. (How DARE Microsoft challenge our beloved Apple and 'do no evil' Google masters?) So how have they gone about their little task of destroying Windows Phone 7 before anyone even has a chance to use it? Just like any good 'journalist' that has an agenda you only point out the facts that support your argument and ignore the ones that would contend or dis-prove it. So let's start with 'InforWorld's Galen Gruman and his article 'Windows Phone 7: Don't bother with this disaster.' (Wow, this sounds completely un-biased already!) According to InfoWorld's 'Blogger Bio' Galen Gruman is an executive editor. So essentially as high up the food chain there a writer can get it would seem. Based on everything I read in this article (posted July 15th 2010) he has not been hands on with a Windows Phone 7 device (at least at the time he hadn't.) All of his opinions and assumptions are derived from a developer conference using a prototype device with beta software. (Windows Phone 7 reached RTM September 1st 2010.) Now, while you can get a general idea if a UI or concept are bad in beta software, rule #1 is 'do not judge performance until you hit a released product.' Massive UI changes even happen between beta and release products. (Am I saying that has happened? I honestly don't know but it's always a distinct possibility and you shouldn't stick your neck out with an early assumption because you just might be sticking it into a guillotine.) So let's take a look at some of his opinions; This comment is from the second paragraph. Seriously. "Windows Phone 7 is a waste of time and money. Its a platform that no carrier, device maker, developer, or user should bother with. Microsoft should kill it before it ships and admit that its out of the mobile game for good. It is supposed to ship around Christmas 2010, but anyone who gets one will prefer a lump of coal. I really mean that." Now we see how his opinion of Microsoft doesn't influence his point of view at all; "Visions of Vistas litter of control panel dialog boxes, Microsoft Bob, the Office ribbon, Clippy, and Windows 3 flew through my head -- not that Windows Phone 7 looks like any of these; it just shares the same flaw of being obtuse." Now does he has some legitimate and fact based complaints about Windows Phone 7? He absolutely does and it is good to report on them, but getting to the level of throwing a hissy fit and asking obviously stupid questions ruins his 'fact' based section. The interface is 'clunky'. Now, I can't say for a fact that it isn't, since I haven't (nor had he) actually played with a device yet. Also, once again might I point out that this was beta software on a prototype phone? I think you should save these observations for the real product. Now, you might say "at this point the interface seems clunky." The IE7 complaint. Yes, IE 7 is old. As he notes they added in some IE 8 functionality, but it does not yet support HTML5 as the other mobile platforms do. His complaint? Why doesn't Windows Phone 7 run IE9. Hmmm probably for the same reason most Windows machines don't run IE9 yet. IT'S STILL BETA. In fact a very recently released beta. (Post July 15th.) So, he is complaining that a browser that hadn't even been released to beta yet should be the production browser for the phone? Not following the logic here buddy. Windows Phone 7 does not support multi-tasking 3rd party apps. Ok, while true I personally don't see the big problem here. Personally I don't see how that would be necessary, other than possibly a real time communication or Facebook app. None of the other 1st generation platforms did their either. Is that an excuse? Not really, more of an explanation. Microsoft, just as Google was under a time crunch to get this device out to compete. Some features had to go. Multi-tasking isn't a technology limitation per se. It was a decision of 'we don't have enough time to test and get proper restraints in place to prevent 3rd party apps from ruining the experience (chewing up too many resources or causing stability issues) for the user and thus reflecting poorly on the device so we just won't allow it until we do.' Apple never wanted to allow 3rd party multi-tasking for this exact same reason and it's a legitimate one. Why let some sucky dev's app give people a bad impression of your OS? Do you want an even better example? Virtually all 'BSD's or 'blue screens of death' in Windows are caused by 3rd party apps and drivers, yet who gets blamed for them? Microsoft learned this lesson and they didn't want their launch getting tainted by it. I consider this a very wise decision. It doesn't support copy and paste. (Neither did the iPhone at launch.) Honestly, this one confuses me and is a fully legitimate complaint. All Windows Mobile OS's have supported that for quite a long time. No idea why this got cut. My best guess? They thought (like Apple and so many other companies) they could 'do better' than copy and paste and replace the need for it. It's a bit like social engineering. Our consumer is too stupid to know what they want, so we'll force them to learn our new way. Yeah… That didn't work out so well for Linux or Gmail, or the iPhone even or anyone else MS. Don't forget you play in a free market guys, give the consumer what they want, don't tell them what they want. Unlike other 'fan bases' we aren't zombies that will forgive everything you do out of devotion. Your primary base is the business consumer, don't forget that. So how does he summarize this article? "Microsoft needs to kill Windows Phone 7 and avoid further embarrassing itself by shipping this throwback. Its not a question of whether Windows Phone 7 will fail -- it will -- but how long it will take Microsoft to admit the failure." This is a lot of hatred and animosity for a platform that hasn't even been released and he hadn't even touched yet. This isn't even my only example of this blatant hatred and hope for failure for Windows Phone 7 in the tech press. In fact, it is vastly one sided coverage of the imminent failure of Windows Phone 7. This is eerily similar to the pre-Vista launch coverage and soured many people against not only a very good OS but a necessary one. Vista finally forced developers to play by the rules and write their apps in the proper manner. So guess what? Apps broke, and who got blamed? Vista. Old printers didn't work anymore because manufacturers refused to write new drivers so they can sell new printers. Who got blamed? Vista. So here's my point. Don't listen to these blowhards who have obvious bias's and agendas while trying to portray it as 'journalism.' Keep an open mind, wait until you have the actual real product in hand and let your free market power decide if Windows Phone 7 is a winner or a loser. Just don't let losers pick the winners for you. (If you would like a list of other examples, let me know in the comments, or if you would like to point out examples yourselves, please feel free to do so!) <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=TechBiz&partnerID=167&key=segment" /> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29715.rss.TechBiz.9425,cat.TechBiz.rss" /> Windows Phone 7 - Microsoft - iPhone - Apple - Windows Vista
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WindowsConnected/~3/LWsv9haJLPk/click.phdo

By Rss to Blog (Computer Tech)
Click Here
http://sbwasim.co.cc/
Contact Me :wasimakhtar@sbwasim.co.cc
<----if you want to earn by Home just call Toll free No.02653090621 and give my userid DS630156 just try it its totaly free----->

Gartner once again proving its irrelevance with idiotic Windows Phone 7 prediction

All you CEO's out there, do you want to know a great trick to see if your CIO/CTO is worth anything? Look for a copy of Gartner in their office and see if any of their recommendations have blindly come from Gartner. If so, fire them immediately. For the life of me I have spent a lot of cycles trying to figure out why anyone in their right mind considers Gartner the bible of technology in corporate America. Gartner has been wrong so many times over it's sickening. Let me tell you what Gartner is. Gartner is a bunch of elitist wannabe geeks with MBA's that look at technology from the dillusion prism of the technological equivalent of social justice, not free market principles. Free market principles dictate 'may the best product win' with the definition of 'best product' being determined by the best ROI (return on investment) for business and thus the largest sales. Gartner instead looks at technology in the work place with the mindset of 'we don't like this product, we much prefer this product so we're going to try to shape everyone's opinion to determine the outcome, the free market be damned.' Well guess what Gartner, the free market will always win. You might have some influence with the brain dead zombies who don't understand the departments they are over but eventually high costs and inefficiency always weed them out. Today Gartner is setting another great example of their irrelevance and will continue to degrade their credibility; http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/reviews/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=227700245 Here is a quote from the article; "Gartner predicts the release of Windows Phone 7 will help bump Microsofts share of the worldwide market from 4.7% in 2010 to 5.2% in 2011, but says the companys share will ultimately decline to just 3.9% by 2014. " While I agree that in 2011 Windows Phone 7's market share won't jump tremendously (they have a lot of negative press to overcome) they are absolutely smoking a 5 horse power bong and doing insane amounts of crack cocaine while injecting heroine into their eyes to come up with this absolutely stupid estimation that by 2014 MS market share in the mobile market will be 3.9%. Quite frankly this outright bigotry is insulting to the intelligence of anyone with an independent thought who knows anything about technology. So I'm calling you out Gartner. You're about as trustworthy as the National Enquirer with the half alien wolf baby on the cover. I'll make you a deal Gartner, if your prediction is true I'll stop blogging but if you're wrong you need to come clean to all the mindless zombies out there and stop leading them to career slaughter. This is just yet another example that I referred to in my previous post here. <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=TechBiz&partnerID=167&key=segment" /> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29715.rss.TechBiz.9425,cat.TechBiz.rss" />
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WindowsConnected/~3/nDvPHUHLawU/click.phdo

By Rss to Blog (Computer Tech)
Click Here
http://sbwasim.co.cc/
Contact Me :wasimakhtar@sbwasim.co.cc
<----if you want to earn by Home just call Toll free No.02653090621 and give my userid DS630156 just try it its totaly free----->

Lync 2010 Install on Server 2008 R2 SP1 Issue

So, if you are like me and just tried to install Lync 2010 on a Server 2008 R2 SP1 server, youll get an error setting up the front end server. Lync Server Installation Error: Prerequisite installation failed: Wmf2008R2 Thankfully I was able to find help here; http://y0av.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/lync-server-installation-error/ Note though, please dont use his work around, but use the below which came from a reply to his post from someone @ Microsoft on the Lync team; The problem is that the WMF package version has changed for Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1.The proper workaround is to run from an elevated cmd window (applicable to Front End server with Media workloads) %systemroot%\system32\dism.exe /online /add-package /packagepath:%windir%\servicing\Packages\Microsoft-Windows-Media-Format-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.1.7601.17514.mum /ignorecheck Reboot. The Lync setup check will detect that the a proper version is installed and will proceed Peter (Microsoft Lync Server team) <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=TechBiz&partnerID=167&key=segment" /> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29715.rss.TechBiz.9425,cat.TechBiz.rss" />
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WindowsConnected/~3/IdqMbb9QxdY/click.phdo

By Rss to Blog (Computer Tech)
Click Here
http://sbwasim.co.cc/
Contact Me :wasimakhtar@sbwasim.co.cc
<----if you want to earn by Home just call Toll free No.02653090621 and give my userid DS630156 just try it its totaly free----->

The silence....

Hi everyone, sorry that this site has been rather neglected over the last few months. Some of the contributors have gotten jobs (with MS and others) to where they are no longer allowed to blog on a site such as ours, and others such as myself have just been waaaay too busy. Hopefully in a few months that will change. We have a lot of exciting stuff on the horizon (both from a technology stand point as well as from our own company) that hopefully well be able to write about soon. So, please stay tuned as there will be much more to come. Thanks for visiting WindowsConnected.com and we appreciate your time and patience. <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://segment-pixel.invitemedia.com/pixel?code=TechBiz&partnerID=167&key=segment" /> <img alt="" height="0" width="0" border="0" style="display:none" src="http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-8bUhLiluj0fAw.gif?labels=pub.29715.rss.TechBiz.9425,cat.TechBiz.rss" />
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WindowsConnected/~3/crGUeiS10wM/click.phdo

By Rss to Blog (Computer Tech)
Click Here
http://sbwasim.co.cc/
Contact Me :wasimakhtar@sbwasim.co.cc
<----if you want to earn by Home just call Toll free No.02653090621 and give my userid DS630156 just try it its totaly free----->