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Of interest: NetworkWorld with 5 Reasons Macs Can’t Claim They’re Better than Windows 7: the debates will continue

j0438655 As I noted on Twitter today, writer Mitchell Ashley says that he didn’t realize he’d ruffle so many Mac user feathers with his article 5 Reasons Macs Can’t Claim They’re Better than Windows 7 (also available via http://bit.ly/BeSTp)…

I regularly use both Windows and Mac PCs, so any comments that I’ve never used a Mac are bunk. I’ve been using Windows 7 since before its public beta release at the first of this year. I use my Mac for video editing, iPhone development, etc. I love all of my computers equally — my Windows PC, my Mac and my Linux servers. They all do what I ask them to do very well, and I have things about each that I like and things I don’t.

But frankly, the differences in the Windows 7 and Mac OS X platforms from a usability standpoint are pretty much nil. Windows 7 has simplified much of the complexity introduced in Vista and made Windows a very clean and easy-to-use OS. I would even go so far as to predict that the days of Apple trampling all over Windows in the "I’m a Mac" commercials are pretty much over. Not to say Apple won’t go after Windows 7 as soon as Windows 7 has some vulnerability or issue Apple can exploit in a TV commercial. I’ll grant, too, that Apple still has its "cool" factor and Windows isn’t like to encroach on that. But Windows 7 is not only a "good enough" operating system, it is so much better an OS and user experience that Apple will have to think hard before using the same advertising tactics that worked so well on Vista.

He notes a few key points, namely the clean and simple user experience in Windows 7, frequency of Mac crashes, the flexibility and lower cost of PCs overall, PC performance and considerations on computer security.

Coming out with such views, he’s likely set himself up for a few swipes.

I’ll add the rich ecosystem of devices from which to choose – whether you’re looking for a new home desktop PC, a small notebook or a versatile kitchen model or high-end gaming rig with powerful graphics – you can choose the PC that best fits your need. I found that it’s beneficial to consider what Mitchell looks at as a whole. As note here, I use Macs and PCs at home, and Windows 7 is my most often used OS at home and (obviously 😉 at work.

Click thru here to read his five reasons Apple fears Windows 7.

Also, see my previous post which includes a look at the Mac vs. Windows PC debate:

You’ve no doubt seen the latest Microsoft Windows commercials. Well, BusinessWeek’s Arik Hesseldahl has a bone to pick with the math in his article, Mac vs. PC: What You Don’t Get for $699 – BusinessWeek (Byte of the Apple April 15, 2009: "A 17-in. PC may cost a lot less than a 17-in. Mac. But you get less, too, including security, multimedia tools, and, some say, satisfaction."

"Now Microsoft is fighting back with its own advertising campaign. I’ve enjoyed some of its elements. The Seinfeld spots were weird. I was intrigued by some of the "I’m a PC" spots that aired last fall, depicting PC users engaged in a variety of jobs—teaching law, protecting endangered species, blogging for Barack Obama. The message: You can use a Windows PC and still do cool and interesting things. Not bad. Then came the adorable little girls: Kylie, age 4, and Alexa, age 7, e-mailing pictures of fish and stitching together pictures of a fort into one. Microsoft, it seemed, had finally found its advertising voice.

"Yes, $699 beats the $2,800 you’d pay for a Mac with a 17-in. screen. But when it comes to PCs, there’s still a great deal more to buy.

"Add it all up and it’s not hard to imagine Lauren’s $699 computer costing something closer to $1,500."

I’m sure that you’ll see plenty of analysis on his analysis and opinions in the nearly 60 pages of comments, as John Byrne Editor-in-Chief of BusinessWeek.com, noted in his Tweet: "A raging Mac vs. PC debate at BW.com today. Perspectives from readers take up 56 pages on our site for a 2-page story. http://is.gd/sJTP"

I’m reminded of Harry McCracken’s earlier post Microsoft’s New Windows Ads: They’re a Trap! Bwahahahahahahah! (April 5, 2009) in which he muses…

"Can we all agree that it’s always a bad idea to mistake advertising for rational discourse? Axe deodorant won’t cause armies of gorgeous women to throw themselves at your feet. I know of no evidence that cows who live in California are any happier than those in other states, nor that their mood impacts the quality of their milk. Cigarette companies would still be claiming that their products were good for your throat if they could get away with it. After thirty years, I’m still unclear about the benefits of being a Pepper. That’s all fine. (Okay, not the part about the cigarette ads.)

"So I haven’t taken Microsoft’s new ads with shoppers spurning Macs for HP laptops too seriously. Mostly I’ve mused about why they seem to ignore Microsoft’s own contribution to the PC and used them as a springboard for PC-Mac price comparisons of my own. (I’m happy to say that these posts have prompted dozens of comments by members of the Technologizer community cogently taking both pro-Windows and pro-Mac stances–they make for great reading.)

Tags: articles, what I read, twitter, blogs, reviews, Windows 7.

Clubhouse Tags: Clubhouse, reviews, Windows 7, Challenge-Windows 7

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Announcement: Microsoft Windows August 2009 Updates to Daylight Saving Time and Time Zones

Clip art from Office OnlineCheck out Microsoft KnowledgeBase Article 970653, "August 2009 cumulative time zone update for Microsoft Windows operating systems", which the Windows team just posted. 

A nod to the good folks across our company working on our effort to help manage time (particularly in daylight saving time and time zone changes) documented and followed at http://www.microsoft.com/time and over at the blog at http://blogs.technet.com/dst2007.  Lourdes is coordinating the efforts on our daylight saving time and time zone updates and releases for current products across the various product groups at Microsoft.  As noted, this is a tough job, to say the least. 

So, back to the latest semi-annual release…

The update that this article describes changes the time zone data to accommodate daylight saving time (DST) changes in several countries, as outlined in this article. This update also includes other DST-related changes, time zone-related changes, and settings-related changes. Some of these changes have occurred since the products that are listed in the "Applies to" section were originally released.

The following changes were made since the previous Windows cumulative time zone update. This update was described in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 951072:

  • W. Australia Standard Time: Fixes dynamic DST table for the W. Australia time zone.
  • SA Pacific Standard Time: Removes "Rio Branco" from the display name of this time zone.
  • SA Western Time: Changes the display name of this time zone from (GMT-04:00) La Paz to (GMT-04:00) Georgetown, La Paz, San Juan.
  • SA Eastern Standard Time: Changes the display name of this time zone from (GMT-03:00) Georgetown to (GMT-03:00) Cayenne.
  • Greenland Standard Time: Adjusts the dynamic DST table for the Greenland time zone.
  • Morocco Standard Time: Adjusts the DST start and end dates for the Morocco time zone for changes after the prior cumulative time zone update was created (December 2008).
  • Pakistan Standard Time: Adjusts the DST start and end dates for the Pakistan time zone for changes after the prior cumulative time zone update was created (December 2008).
  • Paraguay Standard Time: Introduces the new Paraguay Time Zone with DST start dates and end dates after the prior cumulative time zone update was created (December 2008).
  • Fiji Standard Time: Removes Kamchatka from the display name of this time zone.
  • Kamchatka Standard Time: Introduces the new Kamchatka Time Zone with DST start dates and end dates after the prior cumulative time zone update was created (December 2008).
  • Coordinated Universal Time: Introduces the new UTC Time Zone without DST after the prior cumulative time zone update was created (December 2008).
  • Montevideo Standard Time: Fixes the dynamic DST table for Montevideo time zone for Windows XP

Registry subkey name

Display name

Daylight name

Standard name

DST start

DST end
W. Australia Standard Time (GMT+08:00) Perth W. Australia Daylight Time W. Australia Standard Time Last Sunday of October at 02:00:00.000 Last Sunday of March at 03:00:00.000
SA Pacific Standard Time (GMT-05:00) Bogota, Lima, Quito SA Pacific Daylight Time SA Pacific Standard Time No DST No DST
SA Western Standard Time (GMT-04:00) Georgetown, La Paz, San Juan SA Western Daylight Time SA Western Standard Time No DST No DST
SA Eastern Standard Time (GMT-03:00) Cayenne SA Eastern Daylight Time SA Eastern Standard Time No DST No DST
Greenland Standard Time (GMT-03:00) Greenland Greenland Daylight Time Greenland Standard Time Last Saturday of March at 22:00:00.000 4th Saturday of October at 23:00:00.000
Morocco Standard Time (GMT) Casablanca Morocco Daylight Time Morocco Standard Time Last Sunday of May at 23:59:59.999 3rd Thursday of August at 23:59:59.999
Pakistan Standard Time (GMT+05:00) Islamabad, Karachi Pakistan Daylight Time Pakistan Standard Time 2nd Tuesday of April at 23:59:59.999 Last Saturday of October at 23:59:59.999
Paraguay Standard Time (GMT-04:00) Asuncion Paraguay Daylight Time Paraguay Standard Time 3rd Saturday of October at 23:59:59.999 1st Saturday of March at 23:59:59.999
Kamchatka Standard Time (GMT+12:00) Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Kamchatka Daylight Time Kamchatka Standard Time Last Sunday of March at 02:00:00.000 Last Sunday of October at 03:00:00.000
Fiji Standard Time (GMT+12:00) Fiji, Marshall Is. Fiji Daylight Time Fiji Standard Time No DST No DST
Montevideo Standard Time (GMT-03:00) Montevideo Montevideo Daylight Time Montevideo Standard Time 1st Sunday of October at 02:00:00.000 2nd Sunday of March at 02:00:00.000
Coordinated Universal Time (GMT) Coordinated Universal Time Coordinated Universal Time Coordinated Universal Time No DST No DST

As noted in this article, Microsoft strongly recommends that DST and time zone updates be installed on all impacted systems, devices and applications to ensure consistency with current DST rules and time zone settings worldwide. Customers should review the product updates available and posted on this site and at http://support.microsoft.com/gp/dst_prodlist for the latest and updated information of Microsoft products affected by daylight saving time.

An important note for Consumers

For those customers (consumers, small businesses) wondering "Does this mean I have to install the updates manually?" 

No.  Generally, consumers should wait for the updates to be installed via Windows Update rather than download and install these from the DLC.  And for end users who have their PCs managed by a central administrator, your IT folks will handle the distribution and updating of your PCs over the network.  (When in doubt, ask. 😉

 

Additional information

Please note that where we have heard that changes may be coming to a territory but have yet to receive an official confirmation from a government, we indicate that the changes are "not yet confirmed."

As a reminder on our cadence (outlined here and in a prior post), our product teams are have moved to a semi-annual product update cadence (with provisions for out-of-band releases as needed).  Following the Windows regular cadence for publishing newly legislated DST rules and time zone updates, our "Cumulative DST and Time Zone Updates" will be released in November/ December (to the Download Centre and via Windows Update respectively) for the coming calendar year; we also provide semi-annual updates (like this one) in the July/August timeframe as needed. 

For each, the window closes for additional updates a few months (generally four to six) prior to the release date. 

As I originally posted here, most Windows applications (and some services) reference the underlying OS for DST and time zone information, but some do not. The product and service groups with offerings that have internal DST or TZ references have agreed to follow the regular schedule for cumulative Windows OS DST & TZ updates. The regular Windows release provide a regular schedule for other product groups to follow, as noted in the DST & TZ Product Update Cadence policy. We hope that this will provide a more predictable way for our customers to anticipate and plan for our cumulative updates

 

Tags: Windows, Microsoft, Daylight Saving Time, Daylight Savings Time, RSS, DST; 18,000,000 (up from 3M six months ago); 20,400,000 (up >3M)

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Surviving MGX Atlanta 2009: A few helpful hints

Going to MGX this year?  Here are a couple of resources for you – I will add to the page later as I have time.



Update 072009: In response to several requests, I’ve re-posted the original post referenced above here, along with the latest updates. Have something to add? LMK.


 


If you’re heading to the US for MGX (Microsoft Global eXchange – the Microsoft Sales & Services annual event), I’ve posted here a few hints along the lines of my notes from Surviving CES in Las Vegas.


Flight and Hotel: Given the event is invitation only, if you don’t already have either of these, good luck.  You’ll have a better chance of seeing a mid-day temperature under 85 degrees than finding either at this late date.  


Overall, stick to the plan: MGX is a well-run, professional event.  Remember to use the shuttle busses, go to the planned events and have fun.


Pack light.  Keep in mind that it is hot in Atlanta this time of year (high 80s, and lends to the given the nickname, Hotlanta), and the weather will be in the high 60s/ low 70s at night, and humid as all get out (up into the 30s at mid-day, and about 18-20 degrees for my friends outside the States).  Check the weather report for Atlanta here.  Standard dress includes light khaki pants or shorts and comfortable shirts: think Hawaii. 


Bring sunglasses, a hat that doesn’t brand you a tourist, and wear great, comfortable shoes.  And don’t bring the stylish shoes, go for comfort as you will be standing and walking.  A lot.  My pick: anything from Ecco, Rockport or New Balance. And see also a few travel recommendations from Colin Cowie on packing.    


Getting from the airport to anywhere: Remember, if you need to get a taxi cab at the airport, look to the departures area where people are exiting the taxi.  (Just a suggestion, not an endorsement.)  You’ll receive a number of suggested modes of transportation, but always good to pair up (or three or four) with folks going to the same hotel and split the $30 taxi fare into town.


Getting around town: Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (or MARTA) is one of the easiest and inexpensive ways around Atlanta and the surrounding area.  Taxis are readily available from most major hotels, and likely there are a number of places to see within a short walking distance from your downtown hotel. 


Note: want a quick ride from the airport to downtown? Ride the MARTA from the airport to Peachtree. Very fast.


When in Buckhead, ride the Buc: The Buc Shuttle is a free shuttle bus service that connects MARTA’s Lenox and Buckhead stations to popular places in Buckhead, including hotels, restaurants, Phipps Plaza and Lenox Square. Important to note when visiting some of the clubs and restaurants noted below.)  According to the Buc info site, “the shuttle runs every 8-15 minutes between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Monday through Friday on a five-mile loop.” So, for heading home from a late evening, take a cab to MARTA or back to the hotel.


If you arrive into town with other folks on the same flight, consider renting a limo or get together an impromptu set of people going to roughly the same hotel: that way you’ll pay one limo fee.  Last, unless you plan on traveling out of town, don’t rent a car (take a cab) unless you enjoy paying daily hotel parking rates akin to what you would pay for a flat in SoHo.


Say hello your new best friend: the hotel concierge.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it here, too: the concierge is your connection when you don’t have connections in town.  When you arrive at the hotel with a concierge on staff, introduce yourself and hand them a business card.  That one move may come in hand later more than you know.  See ‘dinner’ and ‘getting to the airport’ for starters.  As Cowie notes, “ask your concierge to make some reservations for you now at top restaurants so you don’t find that you can’t get in when you arrive there in peak season. Tip the concierge the moment you arrive…”  See, you can learn helpful travel hints from a man that you thought only had great party design sense. 😉


Eating out: You’ll no doubt have some free time one or two nights, and Atlanta is a wonderful place.


Best breakfasts:


See these suggestions on sneakysunday.com and if you’re game, check out my favourites…


Alon’s, a great local bakery and breakfast joint, with brunch offered at their Dunwoody location on Saturday and Sundays. 1394 North Highland Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30306
Tel: (404) 872-6000


Java Jive, for the authentic Atlanta Southern breakfast, with homemade biscuits and traditional “big, American breakfasts” with eggs and bacon. It’s a very busy place but worth the trouble.  790 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308, Tel: (404) 876-6161


(Added 072009) There’s also the Highland Bakery where you can sit down at the counter and have a civilized breakfast or take it with you. Excellent fare, opening at 7AM weekdays, 8AM on the weekend. 655 Highland Avenue, #10, Atlanta, Georgia 30312, Tel: (404) 586-0772.


Lunch and Dinner:


Around town: Check out the MSN MSN City Guide for Atlanta here, as well as their restaurant guide.  Also, my favourite web spot for ratings and information is Zagat’s, with links to a few of my favourites. You can also get good customer reviews from OpenTable book many of these restaurants for free via OpenTable.com:



  • Bacchanalia – The food at Bacchanalia is still among the best in Atlanta. You can order a la carte or from a sampler menu (prix fixe), featuring local fare and excellent wine.  It’s expensive, so don’t pad the expense account… eat at the bar and get the same food as in the main restaurant.  1198 Howell Mill Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30318, (404) 365-0410

  • Aria – this is one of my favourite restaurants in Atlanta.  (http://www.aria-atl.com/) and on many top restaurant lists, serving a great fare ranging from local fish (I see that Mountain Trout with crab smashed potatoes, haricots vert
    and pecan brown butter is on the menu this week), chicken, duck, and meats.

  • Bone’s Restaurant – When in Buckhead, one of the best place for steaks is Bone’s, a nice local alternative to Ruth’s Chris’ or Morton’s, with starters of excellent starters, steak and seafood. The restaurant has excellent service and a very good wine list.

In addition, there are a few tried and true spots in Atlanta, including these two high-end chains:



  • Capital Grille – Atlanta.  Technically, it’s in Buckhead, which has plenty of late-night fare and entertainment, and a classic steak house in the vein of The Palm, with plenty of lobster and seafood.  A very nice wine list, excellent service and a full menu in the bar if you are there for a simpler evening or can’t get a table. Tel: (404) 262-1162

  • Oceanaire Seafood Room.  Oceanaire is a great choice for fresh seafood from all over the world.  1100 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30309 – Tel: (404) 475-2277.

  • Craftbar. Again, if you’re making your way out to Buckhead for events, then check out Tom Colicchio’s (famed Top Chef judge and restauranteur) not only has a local fine-dining restaurant Craft (akin to the NYC experience) but also a more accessible Craftbar. (More info and reviews here at Yelp and OpenTable). 3376 Peachtree Road, Tel: 404-995-7580 (added 072009)

A note on booking tables… Consider booking your table through your hotel concierge as noted above: if you haven’t called them in advance, ask for their help in booking a table (tip, please) and get their business card with their phone number after you check in… and give them a tip if they offer a direct dial number.  A good concierge may be able to score a reservation to a hard-to-book place: I have found that your best bet is a well-connected hotel concierge if a direct call to the restaurant doesn’t pan out.  Also, look to your credit card company (many offer a concierge service) or try your hand (or mouse) booking a table at OpenTable.com. Many of the restaurants still show availability on OpenTable.com as of today, so book early.


Stuff to see: Always a good reference for the best restaurants, clubs and activities in Atlanta, see 10best.com, and visit MSN Travel Guide to Atlanta


(Added 072009) Thanks to Jeff for his suggestions on other cool sites in and around town (for any free time between events you may have…):



I’d also recommend that folks who have a few minutes to spare might enjoy the Georgia Aquarium and/or World Of Coca-Cola. If you have enough time, you can take a walk around Centennial Olympic Park (bonus points if you can find the nail imprints on the metal statue from the Olympic Park Bomb). News junkies may enjoy the CNN Tour.


Getting to the airport.  Finding a cab on the last day of MGX or any large event in the Peachtree capital is like finding a street in the City without a ‘peach’ in the title.  Arrange a car in advance through your concierge for more than one traveler.  Or that concierge you tipped earlier just may have arranged a shuttle for a small group that has an opening.


Added July 2009…


Ask your friends and followers on Twitter.  Follow the discussion about MGX on Twitter here via the #MGX hashtag: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23mgx


Have fun.


 


Tags: Microsoft, Atlanta, MGX, travel tips.


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The latest Microsoft “Laptop Hunters” commercial: all it’s missing is a puppy

New in heavy rotation is the latest Laptop Hunter "You find it, you keep it" Microsoft PC television commercial…

As Steve noted, this time Matt and Olivia are looking for a laptop under $700 and "Windows Photo Galley gets a high five in this ad and eventually they walk out with a HP dv7."

As they say, you can’t go wrong with happy families, babies and puppies in commercials, and this one is just a step away from that ultimate level of cuteness. The bumper at the end of the commercial: "We’re a PC, because we can share photos with this little guy."

Tags: articles, what I read, I’m a PC, Microsoft, Windows.

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Of interest: Windows Home Server for Home Office and Small Office

A quick note, as I have been way too busy prepping for a slew of work this month…

New on Microsoft.com: a new site dedicated to Windows Home Server for small businesses, " to organize and safeguard your work for up to 10 computers."

Windows Home Server 

Windows Home Server for Home Office and Small Office

Tags: announcements, Home Server.

Clubhouse Tags: clubhouse, Windows, Home Server

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