Next Baby at Microsoft

 

Windows 10

 

 



  

It’s a humbling and amazing thing to work on Windows, which is used by over 1.5 billion people in every country of the world. From kids playing with computers for the first time, to writers and journalists, to engineers, to gamers, to CEOs, at some point Windows has empowered all of us.

In the Windows team, we’re proud of this – but we also know that the world today is very different from the one in which Windows grew up. Today, devices outnumber people. Connectivity is like oxygen. The tension between the desire for agility versus stability poses a huge challenge for IT Pros. Experiences – no matter what device you’re on – just need to work. The only thing that hasn’t really changed is the situation for developers – still too much to do, and not enough time.

One way to look at it is that Windows is at a threshold :-). It’s time for a new Windows. This new Windows must be built from the ground-up for a mobile-first, cloud-first world. This new Windows must help our customers be productive in both their digital work and their digital life. This new Windows must empower people and organizations to do great things.

 

 That new Windows is Windows 10.

Windows 10 represents the first step of a whole new generation of Windows. Windows 10 unlocks new experiences for customers to work, play and connect. Windows 10 embodies what our customers (both consumers and enterprises) demand and what we will deliver.

Windows 10 will run across an incredibly broad set of devices – from the Internet of Things, to servers in enterprise datacenters worldwide. Some of these devices have 4 inch screens – some have 80 inch screens – and some don’t have screens at all. Some of these devices you hold in your hand, others are ten feet away. Some of these devices you primarily use touch/pen, others mouse/keyboard, others controller/gesture – and some devices can switch between input types.

We’re not talking about one UI to rule them all – we’re talking about one product family, with a tailored experience for each device.

And across this breadth of devices, we are delivering one application platform for our developers. Whether you’re building a game or a line of business application, there will be one way to write a universal app that targets the entire family. There will be one store, one way for applications to be discovered, purchased and updated across all of these devices.

Windows 10 will deliver the right experience on the right device at the right time. It will be our most comprehensive platform ever.

Now, during the design of a new Windows, we spend time with many diverse customers. One of the most important of these customers is the enterprise. In the past year I’ve talked to dozens of enterprise customers and listened to how they are using and deploying Windows, and what they need from us.

These customers are betting their businesses on Windows – in the first half of this year, shipments of enterprise PCs grew 14%. In that same time period, shipments of Windows enterprise tablets grew 33%.

These customers have a need to evaluate Windows early, so we are starting our dialog with them today. For more details about what Windows 10 will have for these customers, check out this blog post on the Windows for your Business blog.

Tomorrow, we are excited to announce the Windows Insider Program, where PC experts and IT Pros can get access to a technical preview of Windows 10 for desktops and laptops. Soon after, we’ll also be releasing technical previews of Windows Server and our management tools.

With the Insider program, we’re inviting our most enthusiastic Windows customers to shape Windows 10 with us. We know they’re a vocal bunch – and we’re looking forward to hearing from them.

The Windows Insider Program is intended for PC experts and IT pros who are comfortable using pre-release software with variable quality. Insiders will receive a steady stream of early builds from us with the latest features we’re experimenting with.

This week’s announcements are just the first chapter of our conversation with customers about Windows 10 – with a focus on enterprise features (because enterprises have a need to evaluate software early on) and the desktop/laptop experiences. Early in 2015 we’ll introduce the consumer chapter and talk much more about other device types and more consumer features. We’ll then continue the conversation with the developer chapter at our Build conference, and later in the year we’ll release Windows 10 and look forward to some amazing new devices.

Today was an important beginning for our customers and partners as we embark on the Windows 10 journey together. I encourage everyone reading this to sign up for the Windows Insider Program, download the technical preview, and let us know what you think. Check here tomorrow for specific details – but in the meantime, here’s a peek at some of the new features you can test drive once you become an Insider:

 

Start menu: The familiar Start menu is back, but it brings with it a new customizable space for your favorite apps and Live Tiles.

 

 

Everything runs in a window: Apps from the Windows Store now open in the same format that desktop apps do and can be resized and moved around, and have title bars at the top allowing for maximize, minimize, and close with a click.

 

 

Snap enhancements: You can now have four apps snapped on the same screen with a new quadrant layout. Windows will also show other apps and programs running for additional snapping and even make smart suggestions on filling available screen space with other open apps.

 

 

 

New task view button: There’s a new task-view button on the taskbar for quick switching between open files and quick access to any desktops you create.

 

Multiple desktops: Create desktops for different purposes and projects and switch between these desktops easily and pick up where you left off on each desktop.

Find files faster: File Explorer now displays your recent files and frequently visited folders making for finding files you’ve worked on is easier.

Watch the below video from Joe Belfiore to see many of these features in action. Immediately you’ll see how Windows 10 carries forward a sense of familiarity, while providing new capabilities to help you way the work you want to and be more productive.

 

 

 

 



What is a CMOS battery, and why does my computer need one?

All personal computers require a small battery on the system board that provides power to the Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) chip, even while the computer is turned off. This chip contains information about the system configuration (e.g., hard disk type, floppy drive types, date and time, and the order in which the computer will look for bootable disks). The CMOS battery allows the CMOS to preserve these settings.

The purpose of the CMOS battery most often today is simply to allow your computer to remember what time it is. If the battery dies or removed then when your computer boots it will have forgotten the current date and time.

Most CMOS batteries will last the lifetime of a motherboard but will sometimes need to be replaced. Incorrect or slow system date and time and loss of BIOS setting are major signs of a dead or dying CMOS battery. When we are trying to change the CMOS battery for that we first have to know what model of CMOS battery you are using.

What is the difference between .pst and .ost ?

.pst files are all the emails (and files attatched to those emails), calendar, contacts, tasks, etc. stored locallyon your machine .pst are created when using Outlook  to manage your email (Gmail, hotmail, yahoo, aol,etc.)  they can also be created within an Exchange environment, however, Microsoft doesn't recommend this due to the .pst being very unstable and if your PC were to crash you would loose all of your emails.  In an Exchange environment, using .pst removes the emails from the Exchange server and stores them locally.

.ost files are simply a copy of your mailbox that is stored on the Exchange server. Think of this as a type of email cache file.  This leaves the emails on the server, but also stores a copy of emails since your last sync on the local machine.

An error ocurred while attempting to change the state of virtual machine XXX.

Microsoft Hyper-V Server

How to solve this problem.. The solution seems very simple...

Why this solves the problem I do not know, but here are the steps (with some pictures) to walk you through the process:

What is Cloud Computing?

What is Cloud Computing? A General Overview about the Cloud Computing

Have you ever heard the phrase cloud computing? You must have heard this in one point, but you really aren't sure of what is cloud computing and what does it mean, right? Anyway, in this page, we will try to answer all of your questions about the said topic and hopefully educate people about the real meaning of cloud computing.

What can you expect from having a personal cloud computing?

•  All of your gadgets (PC, mobile, tablet, iPod etc) will be synchronized at all times.
•  You can access your stored information any time you like.
•  Organizing mine data online.
•  Sharing of data instantly regardless of type and size.

So with the given benefits of using cloud computing, you are probably thinking now that you could have been using it already, but you are just not aware. To give you an example, of what is cloud computing, have you ever used Gmail? If yes, then maybe you are aware of how they share files with their Google docs, right? With Google docs, you get to share information whether written document or spread sheet file. Anyone with permission to view and edit the file can do so. That is a classic meaning of cloud computing, we just don’t use the term for it more often.

Personal cloud computing

Personal cloud computing on the other hand is to make all of your personal information easily accessed by you or anyone you want to share it with. A classic example for personal cloud computing is by using your social networking site like Facebook wherein you enter your personal details like name, address, employment information, companies you have worked with, schools you have attended, personal pictures and of course your current insights about things through your wall posts. Anyone from your friend’s list will be able to get and see all these information of you because you want to share it with them. This is now what we call personal cloud computing. 

We might be expecting something like: our gadget knowing what we like and what we want to do even without our command. It may sound weird today, but the possibility of it happening in the near future is crystal clear.

Characteristics of cloud computing


The cloud computing shows the following characteristics: agility, API, cost efficiency, device independence, multitasking, reliability, scalability, consistent performance monitoring, secured, and easy maintenance. 

Today, cloud computing is getting all the rage. Cloud computing is still a very young technology and we still having more room for improvement. Although the meaning of cloud computing may be differ from one point of view of a person to another, it still all boils down to sharing one meaning which is delivering information over the internet. It is very similar to: autonomic computing, client server model, grid computing, mainframe computer, utility computing, peer to pee and service oriented computing.

What is Active Directory?

Active Directory is a database that keeps track of all the user accounts and passwords in your organization. It allows you to store your user accounts and passwords in one protected location, improving your organization's security.

Active Directory is subdivided into one or more domains. A domain is a security boundary. Each domain is hosted by a server computer called a domain controller (DC). A domain controller manages all of the user accounts and passwords for a domain.

Domains and the Domain Name System (DNS)!

Domains are named using the Domain Name System (DNS). If your company is called Microsoft Corporation your DNS name would be (for example) microsoft.com. This is the top-level domain name for your company. The security domain in Active Directory maps directly to the DNS domain name. For larger organizations you can subdivide Active Directory into child domains (based on on geography for example). If Microsoft Corporation has three divisions named West, Central, and East, the sub-domains can have the DNS nameswest.microsoft.com, central.microsoft.com, and east.microsoft.com. Each domain requires a server computer. In the above scenario you would need at least four servers to host Active Directory as follows:

microsoft.com
east.microsoft.com
central.microsoft.com
west.microsoft.com

Windows 8 Consumer Preview Apps

Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8
Consumer Preview will come packed with pre-installed apps and games..

The Windows 8 Consumer Preview, set to launch sometime within the next few weeks, will come packed with pre-installed Metro-style apps. These will reportedly include Camera, Messaging, Mail, Calendar, SkyDrive, People, Photos, Video and Music. There may also be additional pre-installed apps as well, all updated via the new Windows Store.

Microsoft is reportedly working on enabling SMS support for the Messaging app which is supposedly Windows Live Messenger in disguise, but without the Windows Live branding. Mail, Calendar and People will also be designed as core Windows communication apps, thus tossing out the Windows Live branding.

Sources clam that the Video and Music apps were built by the Xbox team and branded with Zune, but this may be changed to Xbox Live for Windows before the Consumer Preview goes live. Xbox Live for Windows will reportedly be the entertainment brand for Video, Music and Games.

On the gaming front, Pinball and Solitaire are currently slated to be pre-installed in the Windows 8 Consumer Preview. A Metro version of the Xbox Live Companion app, similar to the one currently available on Windows Phone, is also slated as a pre-installed app.

In addition to the pre-installed apps, the Windows Store will offer 11 games at launch. These include Angry Birds, Ms. Splosion Man, Toy Soldiers, Hydro Thunder, Reckless Racing, Ilomilo, Rocket Riot, Full House Poker, Tentacles, Crash Course, and Wordament.

Previous reports claimed that all apps available at the Windows Store launch would be free, and that retail paid apps will be sold once Windows 8 lands on store shelves this fall. Paid apps will cost between $1.49 and $999, with Microsoft initially taking 30-percent of the proceeds, then 20-percent once the app reaches $25,000 in sales. That said, there's a good chance the 11 launch games will be packed with ads, or will be limited demos.