Blogger posts Windows Vista SP1 fixes on Web site

[honvetops]

 April 02, 2007  (IDG News Service) -- The owner of a blog dedicated to software patches has posted online more than 100 fixes he said are expected to be included in Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1), Microsoft Corp.'s first major update to its latest Windows client OS.

Ethan Allen, owner of the The Hotfix blog and Web site, has posted a preview and information center for SP1, a site that includes many of the software patches Microsoft will include in the package, he said.

Allen works as a software quality assurance manager at a company in Bellevue, Washington, and said he received the fixes from someone close to Microsoft who has access to the technology.

Sources close to Microsoft confirmed Monday that it is currently testing SP1. However, the company itself officially has yet to announce a definite date for the software pack's release other than saying it will be out in the second half of 2007 close to the next release of Windows Server, code-named Longhorn. Microsoft also has been mum about specific details on what fixes will be included in update.

According to Allen, SP1 will include device driver and software compatibility technology that many users had hoped would be available in the OS from the start. Among them will be support for third-party USB and Firewire devices such as digital cameras, in particular products from Sony Corp. that have been having compatibility problems with Vista, Allen said.

Hotfix.com owner says he's got the inside line on 100+ patches

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9015398

[Calum]

Says on the site you linked to that he expects the SP1 release to be the second half of 07.
Isn't that quite early in Vista's lifespan, only a few months after release?
Sure suggests something to me.

[patio]

If i remember correctly SP1 for XP was approximately the same timeline....SP2 took much longer.

p.s. I've already seen 3 dozen threads on wiping clean and re-installing Vista here and the other Forums i participate in...kinda sad for an OSthat is less than 90 days old.

[Calum]

I wouldn't know, having not been interested in computers until the SP2 crisis (everyone saying it broke things) was just over.
Just seemed a bit soon to me.
And yes, that is a bit sad.

[Doug Vitale]

I am really getting sick of Microsoft's Windows shenanighans. I hate the product activation nonsense, I hate the whole existence of DRM, and from what I have heard about Vista, I can't believe that this OS is the best that Microsoft could do after 5 years of development that started after XP's 2001 release. Eventually I will learn Vista for professional reasons but I won't think of installing it until SP1 is released.

I have been using Fedora Linux for two months and I plan on installing Ubuntu soon. If it's as good as everyone says it is, hopefully there won't be any incentive to keep using Windows.

[Calum]

There are many reasons to go with any OS.
For me, I stick with Windows because I am a gamer - forgive me if I'm wrong, but AFAIK most games do not run on Linux.

[patio]

You will enjoy Ubuntu...if you travel to their site and sign on they will send you up to 10 copies and you can mix and match platforms.
The CD set includes a live CD (very handy !) and a full install CD.

So far i've given away all my CD's except for 2.

[Dilbert]

Calum (wow, Zylstra's at 2121, you're 2525 posts), you are correct about Linux. It is possible for Linux to run some games, but not many, and most of them will have piss-poor performance. Google for ndiswrapper for more details on making Windows software run on Linux.

Go2doug, I don't mind the Activation (after all, I did buy a legal copy of Windows). I'll tolerate the DRM for the same reason. But the "security" features, compatibility issues, and a *censored* of a lot more are the reasons I'll wait and take a look at Windows Vienna, which is already in production. (MS refuses to corroborate this anymore, but too late -- they already told us.) Of course, I may not get it even then.

My PC is a XP SP2/Kubuntu Linux Dual-boot, and I intend to keep it that way.

[Dead_reckon]

to attempt to explain why Vista is so random, for those of you who know something about programming.


before vista, windows used Parallel coding, which means it dumps the data onto the ram in a straight line, which meant windows, or any program, knew exactly where the data was. however, vista uses random coding, which just throws it anywhere on the RAM, which means the computer has to FIND the data before it can use it.

[Calum]

Calum (wow, Zylstra's at 2121, you're 2525 posts)

How odd.
Haha.

It is possible for Linux to run some games, but not many, and most of them will have piss-poor performance. Google for ndiswrapper for more details on making Windows software run on Linux.

Yeah, I've heard of that sort of thing, isn't there one called WINE or something too?
What I meant was that it's not possible to run most games just on Linux without anything like that, and even if you do use software to get Windows software to run on Linux, it will run a lot slower, which is not ideal for games.
Therefore, to me, you can't run games on Linux.

My PC is a XP SP2/Kubuntu Linux Dual-boot, and I intend to keep it that way.

That's about what I wanted, but Ubuntu hates my laptop.
Looks like it's Mandriva or nothing for me at this point.
Anyway, haven't got time to mess around with that, maybe one day I'll get round to it.

Dead_Reckon, that's interesting, I didn't know that.
Thanks for explaining, have some karma.

[GX1_Man]

ndiswrapper is for (wireless) NIC's, not gaming.

WINE and Cedega are for games.

[Dilbert]

to attempt to explain why Vista is so random, for those of you who know something about programming.


before vista, windows used Parallel coding, which means it dumps the data onto the ram in a straight line, which meant windows, or any program, knew exactly where the data was. however, vista uses random coding, which just throws it anywhere on the RAM, which means the computer has to FIND the data before it can use it.

WHAT?? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of!

[Calum]

ndiswrapper is for (wireless) NIC's, not gaming.

WINE and Cedega are for games.

Thanks for clarifying.
I know nothing about this so forgive my ignorance there.

[patio]

to attempt to explain why Vista is so random, for those of you who know something about programming.


before vista, windows used Parallel coding, which means it dumps the data onto the ram in a straight line, which meant windows, or any program, knew exactly where the data was. however, vista uses random coding, which just throws it anywhere on the RAM, which means the computer has to FIND the data before it can use it.

WHAT?? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of!

Source ? ?

[steelegbr]

to attempt to explain why Vista is so random, for those of you who know something about programming.


before vista, windows used Parallel coding, which means it dumps the data onto the ram in a straight line, which meant windows, or any program, knew exactly where the data was. however, vista uses random coding, which just throws it anywhere on the RAM, which means the computer has to FIND the data before it can use it.

WHAT?? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of!

Source ? ?

Now I have no source to quote, but I have heard this rumour before. The idea is that in Vista as the placement to data into RAM is random, it is harder for a malicious piece of code to find the Vista back end stuff and screw it up.  I'm sure (if this is true) there will be some system tracking the location of the different pieces of data (as the OS should anyway) so performance should not be affected much if at all.

As for Cedega/Wine, in my personal opinion, it is not worth trying to run Windows games or high-spec software (even my AllDay DJ program posed problems [e.g. it would not start], while having none running under Windows). Just make a Windows partition and use it as required. I currently run a Ubuntu/Vista dual boot, no compatibility problems between the two and I use the correct one for the correct job.

As for Vista being random (from a programmers point of view), I have a selection of software I have written that uses a DirectX based API for playing and recording sound. It works great in most versions of Windows, but in Vista the playback works fine but the recording fails miserably. Why, well after watching a 45min video by some guys at Microsoft, I find out the sound system in Vista has been completely re-written. I suppose it gives me something to work on though...

[GX1_Man]

Now I have no source to quote, but I have heard this rumour before. The idea is that in Vista as the placement to data into RAM is random, it is harder for a malicious piece of code to find the Vista back end stuff and screw it up.  I'm sure (if this is true) there will be some system tracking the location of the different pieces of data (as the OS should anyway) so performance should not be affected much if at all.

www.snopes.com to check out rumors.

[Dilbert]

Now I have no source to quote, but I have heard this rumour before. The idea is that in Vista as the placement to data into RAM is random, it is harder for a malicious piece of code to find the Vista back end stuff and screw it up.  I'm sure (if this is true) there will be some system tracking the location of the different pieces of data (as the OS should anyway) so performance should not be affected much if at all.

If it's being tracked, then malicious code will find the tracking and be able to modify any memory address it wants to, nullifying any security bonus.