The Windows Portal (Updated)

In November of last year Microsoft released their Live.com site, with a few basic services. Since then they really expanded their offering with several new web applications and services (for example: domain name and web site hosting). The site also offers really nice downloadable applications as well (see the list below).

I really like the consistent interface across most of the applications, and how some of them are integrated together. I hope to continue to see more of this in the future as they release new services.

If you're curious about the difference between Live.com and MSN.com. From my understanding, Live.com will host all the web applications and services, and MSN will continue to be the content, news and information provider.

Below is a brief summary of all the Live.com applications and services:

• Live.com: Create a customized home page, and add content you want to see (such as your message in your inbox, RSS feeds, and more).
• Windows Live Search: Search the Web, news articles, images, local business (maps) and more.
• Windows Live Expo: Place an ad, find something you want to buy, or post information for an event.
• Windows Live Mail: Has a new drop and drag interface, spam blocker, virus scanning, and 2GB of storage.
• Microsoft Office Live: Get a web site, 50 e-mail accounts, web traffic reports, and more
• Windows Live Gallery: Get add-ins and gadgets for your toolbar, Messenger Live, Live.com home page, and more.
• Windows Live Favorites: Get instant access to your Web favorites anywhere.
• Windows Live Custom Domains: Free web based e-mail for your Internet domain.
• Windows Live Spaces: Add photos, network, find new friends, create a blog. Has a lot more features then Blogger.
• Windows Live Shopping: Find clothes, computers, electronics, furniture and more.
• Windows Live Product Search: Search and compare products from several merchants across the Web.
• Windows Live Academic: Search articles from thousands of academic and research journals.
• Windows Live Local: Find businesses, get driving directions, and view satellite photos of where you're going to go.
• Windows Live Safety Center: Check your computer for viruses, tune-up your PC, and get rid of junk.

Downloadable Applications

The software listed below are applications that you download and install on your local computer.

• Windows Live Writer: This program was just released today, its WYSIWYG blog authoring tool that allows you to compose blog entries for Windows Live Spaces, Blogger, LiveJournal, TypePad, WordPress (and many others).
• Windows Live Messenger: Microsoft's next generation instant messaging client. Now includes VoIP and video conferencing.
• Windows Live Toolbar: Search the web, protect yourself against fraud, find files on your local computer.
• Windows Live OneCare: Microsoft's new anti-malware (virus, spyware, and more.), firewall, tune-up, and more.

Coming Soon to Live.com
Below is a list of applications that Microsoft is getting ready to release.

• Windows Live Book Search: Microsoft's online books searching service
• Windows Live QnA: Ask any question and get an answer.
• Windows Live Mail Desktop: Check and manage your online mail, including AOL, and GMail.
• Windows Live Search - Mobile: Search for a business, see maps and driving directions all from your mobile device

For the latest information, on new or updated applications and services check out the Windows Live Ideas page. This is where they post all the latest updates to the site.

Article: The Best Free Software

PC Magazine reports: "Most software is expensive and bloated. Yet free software typically does one task and does it with precision and elegance. Among the thousands of free apps available on the Web, how do you find the best, most reliable ones for your needs? ...
To produce this story, we asked PC Magazine staffers to share their best-loved free software and were inundated with responses. Our recommendations are the apps that real people use everyday, at work and at home, for all kinds of tasks—photo editing and DVD burning, database work and intrusion detection, VoIP calling and stargazing. They're tried and tested, the best tools you can get—and they're all free."

Are you looking for free software for your computer? This article has a lot of good suggestions, although some of them are better then others. Check it out and see if you find anything you like.

Security: Microsoft Patch Tuesday (Feburary)

It's the second Tuesday of the month again, which means that Microsoft just published another round of security fixes for Windows and it's applications. This date is meant to be a predictable date so that companies only have to patch their computers and servers once a month. This month there are three patches that are marked critical, and four patches that are marked important.

For the average user, if you have Automatic Updates enabled your computer will download these updates for you in the background. Then when you shutdown these patches will be applied to your system. If you leave your computer on overnight they will automatically be installed and your system rebooted if necessary.

Warning: Before you leave your computer at night make sure you save all your work or it will be lost if your system has to be rebooted.

Enabling Automatic Update
If you don't have 'Automatic Updates' turned enable I would suggest that you turn it on as soon as possible. If you don't want to enable Automatic Updates, you can always update your computer by visiting the Windows Update site and downloading and installing the patches manually.

To enable Automatic Updates:

• From the Start menu, select the Control Panel folder.
• Double-click the System applet in the control panel folder.
• Click the 'Automatic Updates' tab.
• Check the 'Automatic (recommended)' option. (optional: if you don't like this feature, you can set it to: 'download but not install the update', 'just notify you', or 'disable this feature altogether' [not recommended])
• Press the OK button when done.

Note: For the latest Microsoft Security Bulletins, check out this site.

Windows Vista: Problem Reports and Solutions Control Panel

When a problem is found with your hardware or software, Windows Vista automatically collects information about it. This information can then be sent to Microsoft anonymously to be analyzed to find out if there's an available solution that can fix the problem.

The 'Problem Reports and Solutions' control panel displays details about the problems that your computer had and possible solutions to correct the problem. To access this utility, open the 'Control Panel' from the Start menu, select 'System and Maintenance', and click 'Problem Reports and Solutions'.

From the Task pane on the right you can:

• Check for new solutions
• See problems you had
• View your problem history
• Change applications setting
• Clean the solutions and problem history.

Windows Vista: Memory Diagnostic Utility

Windows Vista includes several new and updated diagnostic utilities. Vista now includes a built-in a memory diagnostic utility, in previous versions of the OS you had to download this utility separately and create a boot disk or CD.

If Vista detects a problem with your computer's RAM, it will automatically display a notification asking if you want Vista to try to detect if there is a problem. You can also manually run this utility anytime by running "MDSCHED.EXE" (which is located in the %SystemRoot%\System32\ directory) from the command prompt, or from the Search bar under the Start menu.

Note: You will have to reboot your computer to utilize this utility.

Windows XP: Vista Transformation Pack

Want to make Windows XP look like Windows Vista, then you should check out the 'Vista Transformation Pack'. Below is a list of some of the Vista Transformation Pack includes:

• Boot screen
• Welcome Screen
• Logon Screen
• New visual styles
• New desktop and file icons
• And more...

Article: New Vista firewall fails on outbound security

ComputerWorld reports: "Microsoft Corp. has touted Windows Vista as providing significant security improvements over Windows XP, and it offers the Windows Firewall, with its new two-way filtering feature, as one example of that better security. ... But as shipped, the Windows Firewall offers little outbound protection, and it's not clear how outbound protection can be configured to protect against spyware, Trojan horses and bots."

The Windows Vista firewall is improved over Windows XP firewall, but comes up short when compared to other commercial firewalls. Although, the firewall that comes as part of OneCare is actually better then the one that comes with Vista.