MS Delays Flaw Patch...

[Tazinator]

As usual, MS found a problem with a planned patch for this Tuesday and its been delayed.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/advance.mspx

You would think for a company with as many developers and QA people they probably have, these types of issues wouldnt come about. Like the old Windows NT 4.0 SP4 fiasco which caused the need for SP5 which was also problematic and caused the need for SP6 and then, oops, SP6a.

I think that incident gives them the lead in the most service packs released in any time period for any other company. I think it was a timeline of less than 6 months and they released and re-released SP4, 5 and 6.

[Metgod]

I think one of their biggest problems is the original code base.

It was never done right, and well, it'd take them ages to do it right now, so they just add more layers of patches and new features. They really need to rethink their strategy:

- fix the base
- don't add new features until they have a solid base

Of course, that means more time, because it'd take a long while, and time = money. Sadly... so I don't see this happening any time soon.

Unless Bullhorn (or something like that.. their new OS they're working on) is doing this, I don't think they'll ever do it. Meanwhile they're just making it more difficult.. talk about a bloated OS...

[wilnix]

The best path for windows is the latest FreeBSD CD. Here's how to use it:

Put FreeBSD CD in CDROM
reboot
Choose to boot from CD
install FreeBSD 'patch'
configure FreeBSD to users needs.
setup cronjob to update ports

Wilnix

[benthehutt]

Longhorn actually looks quite promising.  I've read rave releases on it and it sounds like they're really working hard on a solid program installations/uninstallations tool (add/remove programs sucks), updated cmd, multitasking made easier (apple's Xpose is so far the best), and the coolest vector-based (as in 3d-windows) GUI ever developed.  That's beside the whole kernel redevelopment (which sounds promising).

They're saying it'll be to XP what XP was to 98.  (Which was very different)

But I don't know, it is MS.

[Metgod]

Longhorn, that was it. Thanks; was too tired (lazy ? :)) to look it up.

It does sound promising, yes. Guess we have to wait and see if they're doing everything they're saying (and doing it well enough).

Can only hope.

[benthehutt]

I hope they really beef up cmd.  I know it'll never reach the level of *nix shells, but CMD came a long way from command.com.  We can only hope it'll make another great jump.

[Metgod]

Well if I remember right.. command.com was based on Xenix, which was a MS unix based OS.

The fdisk command they took from unix as well..

Who knows what else they took.. not that command names really matter.

I just hope Longhorn is a drastic improvement... I've seen pictures of it and it does look neat so far.

[benthehutt]

Recent Longhorn releases:

The new OS is dumping a crapload of legacy crap! (*yay*)  For example:

DirectX 10 will no longer feature directPlay, directInput, and direct something else.  They're all being completely redeveloped from the ground up.  It means that you prolly won't be able to play Doom I over a serial connection, though.  They're also redeveloping (from the ground up) what's it called....I can't remember the formal name, but the thing that draws the GUI.  All the ones up to XP were all based on technologies and code from windows 3.0.  It meant that they basically just said, "the CPU can take a hit so legacy crap will work."  Or else they were just lazy.  Either way, they're dumping that and developing LDDM (Longhorn Display sumthing sumthing...).

Apparently the previous GUI's were drawn by the CPU plotting every pixel by a (x,y) coordinate given it.  LDDM will draw based on fancy equations that should make everything infinitely scalable.  That means no more screwy, hard to read text, or icons that look like crap.  A thumbnail will be the actual image of the picture with the same a mount of imformation--just smaller.  That means no more temporary thumbnail indexs (which was a dumb way to do it) and wasted CPU cycles.  LDDM will also be vector based--so a 3D GUI should be less CPU hungry than the old 2D legacy compliant crap and much prettier.

Also, IE7 beta was already put out and (strangely and maybe a bit sadly) looks better than firefox.  It's tabbed, obviously, but more than that it was completely redeveloped--not just another face on an old IE.  Time will tell, I suppose....

They're also reworking user accounts and permissions.  They, hopefully, will finally figure out IP.  I think they're really getting serious about IE.  Firefox is hurting them already, and so is google.

Anyway, that's all the info I have, I suppose we just have to wait and see what MS's final product will be.