Tag: Your Questions

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Your questions: has Vista lived up to the expectations for end users?

“Do you feel Vista lived up to the expectations for Windows users? What key benefits do you think, if any, were in support of the “wow” factor Microsoft promised its clients?”


(For more on Vista, see http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/default.mspx)


In a word, yes. But individual needs and benefits vary. And I’ll note that Vista has just released, so there is room to add to the positive customer experience, and continue to fulfill customer expectations. (See also my related post on Dell’s announcement to offers Windows XP and Vista to customers.)


First, I’d steer you to the Windows Vista new features list site to take a look at what’s what. For deploying and supporting Vista from an IT Professional perspective, I’ll point you to the Technet Windows Vista site.


Personally, I like the new user interface and experience in Vista, esecially the addition of the Vista Sidebar and Gadgets, with small thumbnail looks at windows open on the desktop (from the taskbar), and the slick folder icons that also offer a quick preview into the folder before you open it. The new improvements to Windows Movie Maker, the new Windows Photo Gallery and security improvements have been noted broadly (some even in Apple’s parodies), as has improved hardware and peripheral support. For me, this provided some of the “wow.”


I’ve recently ordered more memory for my notebook, given I’m running Windows Vista and Office 2007 in addition to other new applications that will benefit from the added legroom.


Rob Pegoraro of the Washington Post has a god article in his article “Vista, for Better and Worse” that offers a good initial look, particularly noting the need to first evaluate your current machine if you are considering an upgrade:



“Nobody should think of buying Vista without first running Microsoft’s free Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor ( http://microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready) to see if his hardware and software measures up.” 


Also see the reviews in PC Magazine on Vista and Paul Thurrott’s initial review on his winsupersite (http://www.winsupersite.com/) — I agree with most of his Good and Bad points.


There are caveats, as I have noted on my blog, particularly related to machines that simply aren’t worth the move to Vista right now (primarily our machine in the kid’s playroom, and the computer I use with Digidesign’s ProTools system, both on Windows XP SP2). 


Also see my posts on Should I upgrade to Windows Vista? and 10 Things You Need to Know about Deploying Windows Vista.


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Your questions: on Apple vs. Microsoft, Google’s impact… and Zune

Another couple of questions… this time with a look at a few other companies in the market…



“What are your thoughts on the Apple vs. Microsoft debate that are persistently flooding the airwaves and invading our precious commercial time? Why has Microsoft not shot back at the discouraging remarks Mac-ercials present about Windows operating system software?”


Well, I enjoy the Mac commercials, so I’m probably the wrong person to ask such a leading question such as this one (around the term “invading our precious commercial time.”) It goes to show that Apple has a good agency: the commercial are memorable, maintains a similar theme, and pokes fun at computers in general. Owning computers that run the Windows OS (both XP and now Vista) as well as Apple’s OS, I should also say that I have may share of issues across with Apple’s products as well as our own.


As for competitors, I look for major hardware OEMs, like Dell, HP, Lenovo, Sony and Toshiba to prop up the ads…Dell had the memorable Dell-guy (busted), HP has the new “Get Personal” campaign (I like the Mark Burnett and Jay-Z ads, which are on-line), and Toshiba’s Tablet PC on-line campaign is slick.


But I don’t think that a rebuttal campaign works. (Here’s a humourous look at the “I’m a Mac, and I’m a PC” ads, courtesy of engadget.) Perhaps we’ll see more thoughtful campaigns in the future in the vein of the ones back in 1994 that asked “where do you want to go today?”


And this question on Google…



‘It has been said that Google has driven many employees from Microsoft recently due to various reasons. How strict are the non-compete restrictions that you are made to pledge upon employment verification?”


Hmmm… Not sure that the implied statement in the question is true, as I don’t think that any one company has driven employees from Microsoft. (And I’m not sure who has said this publicly.)


I can’t represent all employees at Microsoft, but there are reasons that people may decide to join or leave a company at any time. More money, more time, greater responsibilities, better title… there are many reasons.


When I lived and worked in Silicon Valley, I found that the rule generally is that employees are employed “at-will” (read more on the wiki entry on the topic). People are tied to companies for different reasons: comp models, passion for a sector, tie to a new product launch, venerable stock option vesting periods… you name it. I know people who left their firms in SiValley and joined Google (disclaimer: a number of old friends are employees at Google), as well as any number of other start-ups, established companies or even out of the tech job market overall.


People are generally free to go where they want to go and work where they wish to work, at least until it often appears one enters the executive ranks: then you often find details of comp packages and ‘golden handcuffs’ documented in various SEC filings. In some cases, there may be more at stake. You might also see this miniMSFT’s post on when Vic Gundotra left MSFT for Google, and was “taking a year off as part of his non-compete.”


At many companies, people come and go every day, for an assortment of reasons. I suggest that you take a look at the various blogs of many employees and check on their reasons for leaving their last company.


Last, this question on Zune… in brief…



“What are your feelings on the Zune launch?” [My note: And I’ll add: what about the continued pressure from the competition, like the iPod?]


IMHO, I think that the Zune launch was generally successful for a new $249 consumer electronic, especially in a highly competitve market segment. People who were eager to get one of the first ones available spoke highly of the device. And I dedicated a few posts to the Zune.


The interesting thing to see will be how the response continues, given the established competition from the iPod with several years in the market and 100 million sold thus far. I’m eager to see how the Zune team responds to the various flavours of iPods (from low cost and tiny flash-based to larger hard disc based devices), an ecommerce site with a good user experience (in iTunes) and rich ecosystem of third party partners that has sprung up around the iPod, selling everything from headphones to docks to cases and much more.


(Similarly, I look at how Sandisk responds with their media player lines, particularly with their new Sansa Connect featuring Zing technology. Disclosure again… I have a few good friends at ZING and wish them great success with their new technology and services.)


Folio Kickstand Case for Zune™I’m hopeful that we’ll see similar support available for the Zune: already, I’ve seen a large number of accessories available on the zune accessories site (and the zune top ten list). Generally, it seems that the beachhead that the iPod has established made it easier for vendors of some iPod accessories to also move quickly in support of the Zune.


My favourite after the zune home a/v pack and dock is the belkin folio kickstand case (at right): very slick and perfect for travel as the case holds the Zune at a great angle for landscape viewing.

 

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Your questions: “what type of camcorder should I buy?”

As I have a hobby of using camcorders in dangerous situations (for office satire and home movies 😉 I was asked last night…



“What type of camcorder should I buy?”


Richard Baguley, PC World has an article on selecting the camcorder formats that is best for you, given that there are so many different types. It’s a good quick overview on the camera types available, from miniDV tape to the latest high definition hard-disk based models.



“Comedian Buddy Hackett once declared: “As a child, my family’s menu only consisted of two choices: Take it or leave it.” If the Hacketts were choosing a camcorder today, they would be overwhelmed by the choices available to the modern home moviemaker. Peruse the camcorder section of your local electronics store, and you’ll be confronted with an incredible selection of models, from MiniDV and DVD camcorders to hard-drive and flash memory models, plus a few oddballs that fit into more than one category. Here is my guide to the different types, and the pros and cons of each.”


Update: And apologies: here’s the link in long form as the embedded link didnt take the first time around (thanks for the heads-up, Blake): http://tech.msn.com/products/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4187173

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Your questions: “What’s the corporate culture like at Microsoft?”

Stephen asks a few questions (including what I do at Microsoft)…



“What are your personal opinions on the corporate culture at Microsoft? What about the work environment: are you pleased with and what do you think could be improved? I read in an interview with fellow Microsoft employee, Chris Pratley, that the attitude at work is very results-oriented. Is there validity to this claim?”


(BTW, a disclaimer: I enjoy Chris Pratley’s blog.)


There’s a lot to be said about the corporate culture at Microsoft. IMO, the culture is in transition, noting that with more than 70,000 employees you’re going to have some bureaucracy: a challenge is to keep the culture from becoming too bureaucratic. So far, I have seen a good balance as the management at our company makes a concerted effort to help people focus on their jobs without their enthusiasm and energy being curbed by a thousand and one processes and reports. Not to say there aren’t improvements to be made. 😉


What I like: the diverse culture offers a great mix of ideas, perspectives and people. Yes, like all large companies we have levels of management hierarchy and organization, but senior management is accessible and solicits feedback and opinion: one such example is how Lisa Brummel listens to employees and takes in feedback on everything from employee compensation and reviews to towels in the locker rooms. 


I agree that the attitude at work is very results-oriented. Through our annual Commitment-setting process, we set annual goals that are tracked and measures; we’re in the first year of using the new on-line Commitment tool (which is certainly 1.0, but a step in the right direction) that allows employees to publish their goals for the year and track progress against the goals. That makes each individual and group’s work and targets more transparent. And certainly there is a competitive undercurrent, a result of having many Type A personalities at the company. 😉


Many employees are vocal and have been instrumental in moving the company culture forward: it’s not something you can implement as a policy and expect it to take hold. IMHO, employees at every level can have a direct hand in changing and shaping our corporate culture.

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.ani exploit via e-mail: you’d think hackers would know how to spell ‘Britney Spears’

As I noted yesterday in my blog, there is a new patch that addresses the animated cursor vulnerability as noted in Security Bulletin MS07-017. This patch is prevents remote code execution (so an attacker can not take over your PC remotely) delivered via a malicious Web site or viewed via a bogus e-mail.


I was asked today, how will people try to take advantage of this vulnerability? I have an answer via eWeek in their article on how malevolent  hackers may try to hook users via email promising “hot pictures of britiney Speers.” 


<Ahem> that’s Britney Spears, thank you. (Not that I’m a fan.)



“…Spam promising “Hot Pictures of Britiney Speers [sic]” is linking to sites hosting the Windows ANI exploit, Websense discovered today. The e-mail, coming from “Nude BritineySpeers.com,” is written in HTML and contains text that allows it to skirt anti-spam rules in the HTML comments.


“The come-on is from a server hosted in Russia that Websense says is the same one used previously by groups to install rootkits, password-stealing Trojans and other malware. Users who fall for the Britney bait and click on links in the spam are redirected to one of several sites containing hidden JavaScript. The JavaScript sends users to a site hosting Windows animated cursor exploit code.


“Without user interaction, a file is then downloaded and installed. The file, called 200.exe, looks like a new variant of a file infector with operating system hooks and spamming capabilities, Websense said in an alert.


So, what to do if you get an email offering such photos of public figures?


Delete it.


And if you haven’t, ensure that you’ve turned on Automatic Updates. For more, see my past note on how there’s no immunity from security vulnerabilities.


More info:



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