It seems that there is a hole in the Virtual DOS Machine that is used to run 16-bit applications in all version of Windows from 3.1 up to and including Windows 7 (SP1 too). The hole basically allows a user with restricted access to execute code at system privilege level. The fix is easy (if you don't run 16 bit apps), its simply a registry change. According to the article though Microsoft have known about the issue since mid 2009 which is kinda scary. You can read more at http://www.taranfx.com/windows-hacking. Why couldn't an exploit as serious as this be found for all IE6 versions!

Please update your bookmarks and feeds for my site.

I now have a Mango Blog at:

http://www.andyjarrett.com/blog

Feed URL: http://feeds.feedburner.com/andyjarrett

You might of seen this already, but Mac World is reporting on a post from the official Parallels Blog about the EULA's for Vista Home Basic and Home Premium Editions not letting your run the software via virtualizations software.

For Vista Home Basic and Home Premium Editions: "USE WITH VIRTUALIZATION TECHNOLOGIES. You may not use the software installed on the licensed device within a virtual (or otherwise emulated) hardware system."

For Vista Enterprise and Ultimate Editions: "USE WITH VIRTUALIZATION TECHNOLOGIES. You may use the software installed on the licensed device within a virtual (or otherwise emulated) hardware system on the licensed device. If you do so, you may not play or access content or use applications protected by any Microsoft digital, information or enterprise rights management technology or other Microsoft rights management services or use BitLocker. We advise against playing or accessing content or using applications protected by other digital, information or enterprise rights management technology or other rights management services or using full volume disk drive encryption."

To me this strikes me as an odd move. Basically to run Vista you will need to shell out over £239($299 in the US) for one of the other editions. I gotta agree with the Parallels post here, MS had a chance to do a good things but seemed to of gotten mis-guided along the way. To be honest it makes me happier to have gone down the Mac route with the single version and no one putting heavy restrictions on its use - and before the Linux crowd jumps up I know I could move again and have NO restrictions :o). But the Mac does give me no need to worry about "which edition" is best suited to my needs. On the good side the story did remind me of this recent cartoon

To anyone who hasn't actually looked into all the different editions just check out Amazon, the selection is truly amazing

It looks like any more patches for the old creeking Window OS's has now been dropped. Though being 8 years old they reckon about 2/3% of PC's behind a corporate firewall are still running one of the unsupported OS's for one reason or another. If you are one of these people then you are suggested to upgrade. Though it makes me think who is running it out there and is it really because you have a program which can't be replaced.

Via [Internet News]

Host files used in windows to describe many-to-one mapping of device names to IP addresses. Using this file is helpful when developing locally as it allows you to assign the URL of the site to a local IP.

First, find you host file:
Windows NT/2000/XP Pro c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
Windows XP Home c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

The HOST file doesn't have an extention and can be opened with notepad.

[More]

I have finally got my Xbox 360 after sticking my name on several list over the last couple of weeks. Getting the old games working wasnt as straight forward as i thought it was going to be. I checked out the Compatible list of xbox games but then found out you need to run an update first.

I've picked up American Wasteland but still looking for other games - what does everyone else recommend (or stay away from)??

Opps i mean MSN Sandbox

This is where Live.com started out. Though named Start, but what makes this more interesting is that it supports and works with Firefox???

Does no one think that is idiotic?

It looks like the Redmond camp have hit it on with some new ideas called Live.com. Including Live mail with 2gb storage and no need for page reloads to view your emails. Also Live.com is a customisable home page, "your page, the way you want it".

Sorry though, no FF support yet, but it is coming.

Also included is

• Windows Live Safety Center beta Learn more
• Windows Live Favorites beta Learn more

1. Windows Vista Starter Edition
2. Windows Vista Home Basic Edition
3. Windows Vista Home Premium Edition
4. Windows Vista Professional Edition
5. Windows Vista Small Business Edition
6. Windows Vista Enterprise Edition
7. Windows Vista Ultimate Edition

More info at Paul Thurrott's WinInfo site. This is one of the reason i would like Mac - no fussing around with different version of the same prodcut. Though the one button mouse is still a freaky idea to me :o) Via

News.com is reporting Longhorn to be renamed Windows Vista.

The new name was apparently released at the Microsoft Global Sales Briefing (MGB), though the only real proof lies in MS's registration of domain names, but there is suppose to be an announcement made today (Friday).

• windowsvista.co.uk
• windowsvista.us
• and a host of others, .org.uk, .com, .net

Google defines Vista as An enclosed view, usually long and narrow - not saying anything else on that one ;o)

Now and then paranoia sets and im sure big brother or some hacker is looking at my PC so now and then i check the Netstat command from the *Dos* prompt. Netstat (if you don't know) is a command tool to display active connections your PC currently has, both incoming and outgoing. But it does have its other users as well like i've just found out i've set Apache to listen of a couple of extra ports i forgot about. If you do want to run it you'll see the information restrictive so run the following

The gives you some extra info per connection

i.e.
-a Displays all connections and the listening ports
-b Displays the exec involved with the connection

Microsoft have released the there new product from the Creature House takeover in 2003. At the moment called Acrylic it has now gone to beta. Its a free download (about 80mb) to anyone who has a Passport Account.

From the site: Acrylic" is the codename for an innovative illustration, painting and graphics tool that provides exciting creative capabilities for designers working in print, web, video, and interactive media.

It looks like Microsoft Office has gone the way of Open Office for its next change of file formats. The new file ext will be .DOCX, .XLSX, .PPTX and basically they will be .zip files (so they should be able to be opened with something like winzip), and will contain a bunch of XML files that you can look at. Microfsoft will also make the shema's and everything else fully assessable - believing that its the software which adds the value - not the file(format).

There is a cracking metaphor blog post about Security in Windows and how basically there isnt any.

Im not here to argue ( a.k.a flame war) if the Mac has better security than Windows (which from what i know it does) but at the end of the day im a PC user, and have been for too long time. Plus the company i work for is total Windows as well - making the switch is never as easy as just buying a new computer.

How many PC users have made scary looking canyon jump to Mac and not regretted one day? on the other hand who has come the other way, either by choice or forced because of software etc?

You never know maybe one day i might venture out and buy a cheap Mac one day.

I havent used MSSQL in a couple of years now, and even when i did use it wasnt for long. Well i needed a quick guide to MSSQL and found one on Sitepoint.com.

Its about an hour long and skips all the junk like installing - so if you need to play catch up check out:- sitepoint.com/article/sql-server-2000-database

A friend of mine (Hi Jordi) passed on a link for CF Vs Visual Studio .net?. I love these sort of columns, especially which are even sponsored by Microsoft. In a nutshell if you're on Windows, sticking with Windows, and never gonna consider moving from Windows, then .NET is the only option. Because if you want to develop/use Coldfusion you will need

1. "Web server software" err, by owning Windows (or not paying for Linux/apache) this is not an issue
2. To pay out for "Database software" - have i missed something or is .NET a DB as well??

End small rant.

A friend has just sent me this link to download the beta of Microsoft Anti Spyware.

Neowin was the first to break this a couple of day ago. The application offers real-time updates, scans/protection, and other advanced tools. One feature of the real-time protection is that it comes with 3 agents checking the Internet, Systems, and Applications, plus you can also restored hijacked IE settings. Worth a look if you are on the MS platform - i mean (i know this will bite me back in the ass) who is better to clean windows than Microsoft themselves - no flames please :o)

You can find out more at MS at: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

Well after my Xbox purchase and walking around the shops looking at them for over a month or two deciding if i needed one i finally brought an iPod. I got the 20gb model which holds something like 5000 songs, and all i can say is COOL! I didnt think they were worth the hype, but they are!! If you havent got one yet and thinking i might just get a cheaper MP3 player, don't! the playlist, album, genre, artist, composer break down lists make it work it alone. Plus even iTunes simplicity is making me move away from Window Media player.

I still don't think i'll use iTunes to buy music as i like having the real thing, and i do still use those near outdated things called CD's

Well im back, i took a little time away from any coding and rebuilt my workstation with 2003 (XP's pro IIS isnt the best). This also gave me a chance to "reclaim my inbox" and finally dump Outlook to switch to Thunderbird, and i'm glad i've done that.

The install went well all except for my ATI graphics card. This was due to W2k3 basic setup with lack of Grahpics acceleration. Thats when i came across "Convert Windows Server 2003 to a Workstation. Not only did it solve a few grapic issues, but you can also find other information there about sound acceleration, themes, adv.configuration and the Shutdown Tracker!

On top of that - Happy New Year to all

-- Microsoft Corp. today released a new security patch for its Internet Explorer (IE) - find out more here