When Microsoft first released Windows Vista, there was talk of fading out XP.  As word got out about the problems with Vista, some people decided to stay with XP for a little while longer.  Microsoft heard such and uproar about fading out XP that they decided to push back the end-of-sales date.  Well, that day has finally come.

On June 30th, 2008, Microsoft will stop selling Windows XP.  This means that you will no longer be able to buy XP as a stand-alone product at a store or from major PC manufacturers like Dell and HP.

Of course it will take months for places like Dell and HP to sell all the copies of XP in their inventory.

If you refuse to upgrade to Windows Vista and want to get your hands on a copy of XP, you might be in luck.  Local PC makers known as “system builders” will continue to sell computers with XP pre-installed until January 2009.  Also, ultra-low cost PCs (ULCPC) will still be allowed to carry Windows XP Home Edition until June 2010.

If you are worried about Windows XP support, you still have some time before it runs out.  Microsoft will stop supporting XP in April 2009.  If you have pay for Microsoft “Extended” support, you will be covered through 2014.

For more information:
The Future of Windows XP
Microsoft Support Cycle

Do you wish Microsoft would have delayed the end-of-sales for XP just one more time??? Let us know in the comments.

One of my biggest pet peeves about Vista is that it asks you for permission to do just about everything.  I don’t really need to be notified that I’m about to execute a file and ask if it’s OK to continue.  Of course it’s OK to continue, I’m the one that told it to in the first place!!!

I understand that this is a security issue if you don’t have permission to run certain things, however, does it have to be so annoying?  Why couldn’t there be a ‘if  you don’t want to be notified again, click here’ option that only admins can access???

Anyway, if you are just as annoyed by the ‘User Account Control’ (thats what causes all the security confirmations) as I am, you are in luck, here’s how to disable it.

Method 1:

Click on the ‘Vista’ icon in the bottom left corner of the screen.  When the start menu pops up, click Control Panel.

Once the control panel opens, click the User Accounts button.

When the User Accounts window appears, click on User Accounts (yes again!, thanks Vista).

Now that you are finally in the User Accounts menu, click Turn User Account Control on or off located at the bottom of the page.

At this point you will be prompted with a confirmation dialog (imagine that!). Make sure to uncheck the check box to turn off the User Account Control.  Then, click OK

You will need to restart for the changes to take effect.

Method 2:

Start by clicking on the ‘Vista’ icon in the lower left corner.  Now, search for ‘msconfig’ and then click on the program at the top of the start menu.

Once the System Configuration window is open, click the Tools tab and then scroll down until you see ‘Disable UAC‘.  Make sure to click on this line as shown in the picture.  Then, click Launch to execute the command.

Once the command is finished you will see a command prompt pop up and tell you the operation was completed successfully. At this point you can close the command prompt and then click OK to close the System Configuration window.

You will need to restart for the changes to take effect.

If you are a Windows user and know someone who owns a Mac, you have probably heard the phrase ‘anything your computer can do, my Mac can do better’ . Obviously your friend is going to be partial to Mac since he owns one, but have you ever thought about which operating system is better for you? Everyone has different wants, needs, and uses when it comes to their operating system. Some people want an operating system that they are already accustomed to and familiar with because they are afraid to learn something new. Others want one that just works. They don’t want to worry about the blue screen of death, or viruses or any of that nonsense.

Below are some good and bad aspects of each operating system. Use these along with the links at the bottom of the post to decide what is right for you.

Windows:
Discover Windows Vista.

• Pros

1. Most popular operating system- software and hardware is geared towards computers running Windows. This means that almost all hardware will have drivers and support for Windows.
2. Games – Most games are written to run on Windows. If you are a gamer this is probably the operating system for you.

• Cons

1. Viruses/Spy-ware – numbers released in 2005 stated there were approximately 103,000 viruses that could potentially infect your computer; and you don’t want that.
2. Doesn’t run well on older hardware – I realize that as time goes on hardware will need to be upgraded. However, a good computer which currently runs Windows XP might not meet the minimum hardware requirements much less the recommended requirements to run Windows Vista.
3. Pricey – No matter which version of Windows you decide to buy, it is expensive (compared to Linux)!

Mac OS X:
Reasons to run Mac OS X.

• Pros

1. Great for media production – If you enjoy doing any kind of multimedia work (pictures, movies, podcasts, etc) this is probably the operating system for you. Not only does Mac have incredible programs like the iLife and iWork suites and Final Cut Pro, but it also has versions of Microsoft Office, and the Adobe suite designed to run on a Mac.
2. Can also run Windows – The new Mac computers have the ability to run Windows and Mac, as well as Linux. This gives you the most flexibility and the best of all three worlds. If you happen to have software that only runs in Windows, you can run Windows on your Mac.
3. Secure – While Mac OS X is not completely immune from viruses (yes there are a few), it is much more secure than Windows.
4. It just works! – If you are looking for an operating system that you don’t have to constantly fight with to get it to do what you want, keep Mac OS X in mind.

• Cons

1. Only designed for Apple hardware – Mac OS X is only designed to run on computers made by Apple, without having to do extensive hacking and breaking of copyright laws.
2. Not as many programs – Mac has less programs than Windows, including games. This is mostly because Windows is the most used OS.
3. Pricey – While each new version of Mac OS X is not that expensive, having to buy the new version every year can get expensive. Mac OS X is relatively inexpensive compared to Windows.

Linux:
Ubuntu Features

I realize there are a LOT of different distributions (flavors) of Linux, but I will focus on Ubuntu since it is one of the most popular distros. However, if you would like to see which distribution fits you best check out the following links:

Linux Distribution Chooser
What Linux distribution should you try?

• Pros

1. Open Source – This means that it is FREE and that the code is available for download. So if you are a developer, or just someone who wants to see what makes their OS tick, Linux is the way to go.
2. Secure – Linux is similar to Mac OS X in that there are a handful of viruses that can potentially inject a Linux computer, but this isn’t a drop in the bucket compared to Windows.
3. Customizable – There are an infinite number of plug-ins, programs, and widgets available for Linux. One of my favorites is Beryl which is now known as Compiz-Fusion. If you don’t believe me, just search Youtube
   for ‘beryl’ or ‘compiz-fusion.’
4. Runs on all platforms – Linux is designed to run on all kinds of computers. Both PC’s and Mac’s can run Linux. Using programs like Wine, you can run many Windows programs on Linux. There are also versions of Linux specially designed to run on old computers. For example, it is common to turn an old computer into a server (using Linux) where you store files.

• Cons

1. Can be difficult at times – Linux does require a little more knowhow than Windows or Mac. Whether or not Linux is difficult or not is dependent on which distribution you choose to install. The average computer user should have no problem using a distro like Ubuntu. Just because something is different, doesn’t mean that is it hard to use. Besides, who doesn’t want a challenge?
2. Few games – There are far fewer games that run on Linux than on Windows. However, look at the comment about Wine for running games in Linux.
3. Multiple monitor support – Using two monitors in Windows and Mac is usually pretty easy to setup. Some of the time it is more difficult in Linux. However, there are many tutorials on how to do this, and it is easy once you get the hang of it. Setting up multiple monitors is really dependent on what kind of video card you have (ie. if you have a cheap on board video card it will be harder to set up, if not impossible).

Here is a popular video that has aired on TV and is widely available on YouTube.

There isn’t an operating system that fits everyone. That being said, I would recommend doing a little research and playing around with each OS to find which works the best for you. And the best part is you don’t have to pick just one. You can always dual boot. In fact Mac can triple boot (Mac OS X, Windows, Linux). Look out for a later blog on how to dual boot the PC you already own!

Personally, I use Linux (Ubuntu) on my desktop and laptop. I have found that it is much more stable than Windows, and I like that I don’t have to worry about scanning for viruses, spy-ware, and other harmful files. It is nice to be able to enjoy using my computer. I still have Windows installed to play a few games (America’s Army, Trackmania, etc) and just in case there is something that I have to have Windows for (opening an MS Office 2008 file). Don’t just take my word for it, or anyone else’s for that matter. Do some research and find out which operating system suits you best.

Keep in mind that not all companies use Windows. In fact more and more are moving away from Windows, so familiarizing yourself with more than one operating system could only help you.

For more information, check out these links.

• What is the best operating system and why?
• A comparison of Linux and Windows
• Alternative to Microsoft Windows
• Why Linux is better