The bMighty Blog -- Windows

Wubi: The Easy Way To Test-Drive Linux On A Windows PC

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 06:23 AM ET | Jul 11, 2008

Linux has long made life easy for tire-kickers. The latest version of Ubuntu, however, makes it simpler than ever before to take Linux for a realistic test drive -- without risking a single byte of data on an existing Windows system.

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Hardware & Software | Linux | Open Source | Windows

Can You Keep A Secret?

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 07:58 PM ET | Jul 9, 2008

A typical laptop computer is a disaster waiting to happen. There is a quick, cheap, simple, totally effective way to fix the problem -- preferably, before it fixes you.

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Business & E-Business | Hardware & Software | Mobile | Open Source | Security | Windows

Microsoft Readies New Windows XP SP3 -- And Windows Small Business Server 2008

Posted by Fredric Paul 09:11 PM ET | Jul 7, 2008

Microsoft says it will distribute a new version of Service Pack 3 for Windows XP through its Automatic Update service "shortly," and launch Windows Small Business Server 2008 on November 12.

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Windows

Abiword: One Lean, Mean, Word Processing Machine

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 03:54 PM ET | Jun 26, 2008

OpenOffice.org gets a lot of attention these days as a practical, no-cost alternative to Microsoft Office. While OpenOffice.org does a fine job, however, there are times when a smaller, faster, feature-packed word processing program would be useful. There is another open-source application that fits the bill perfectly here -- and it deserves far more attention than it gets.

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Business & E-Business | Hardware & Software | Open Source | Windows

D-Day For Firefox 3 - Is Today!

Posted by Fredric Paul 10:01 AM ET | Jun 17, 2008

Download the Firefox 3 Web browser now. Right now. You'll be glad you did.

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Apple | Company Size: 1-49 | Hardware & Software | Internet/Web | Linux | Windows

When Desktop Disaster Strikes, Linux Rides To The Rescue

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 02:43 PM ET | Jun 13, 2008

A friend in need, the saying goes, is a friend indeed. And the next time your Windows PC goes belly-up at the worst possible time, your new best friend just might turn out to be a Linux rescue CD.

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Hardware & Software | IT | Linux | Open Source | Windows

New McAfee Product Aims To Keep Data Safe Even When Notebooks Aren't

Posted by Keith Ferrell 12:35 PM ET | Jun 12, 2008

A day that passes without news of a stolen notebook or laptop filled with confidential data is becoming the exception, rather than the rule. McAfee's just-announced file protection program is touted as keeping files private when a business computer unexpectedly goes "public."

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Business & E-Business | Hardware & Software | IT | Security | Storage | Windows

PKWare's Latest SecureZIP Simplifies Encryption

Posted by Keith Ferrell 11:02 AM ET | Jun 9, 2008

PKWare's latest evolution of its SecureZIP encryption and compression product adds digital certificates, simplifies key use, and provides easier integration with Microsoft Office, and does so at a price that should earn it a serious look from small and midsize businesses.

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Business & E-Business | Hardware & Software | IT | Messaging | Networking & Communications | Security | Storage | Windows

Workrave Puts The Hurt On Repetitive-Strain Injuries

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 06:55 AM ET | Jun 5, 2008

Repetitive strain injuries are a serious problem for millions of computer users -- and, of course, for the companies that employ them. If you're looking for a better way to avoid workplace-related RSI problems, this open-source application could be just what you're looking for.

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Hardware & Software | Healthcare | Linux | Open Source | Windows

Microsoft Toolkit Promises Error Pages That Don't Suck

Posted by Fredric Paul 01:15 PM ET | Jun 4, 2008

Everybody who surfs the Web occasionally encounters the ubiquitous 404 Error pages when you navigate to a Web page that doesn't exist. Most of those Web pages suck, and that's a problem if it's on your company's site. Microsoft thinks it has a solution.

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Internet/Web | Windows

Stretch Your Budget With Acrobat Alternatives

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 04:55 PM ET | May 23, 2008

If you're looking for a free, functional alternative to Adobe Acrobat, then I have bad news and good news. Here's the bad news: No single application can do everything that Acrobat does. Here's the good news: No single application tries to do everything that Acrobat does.

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Hardware & Software | Open Source | Professional/Creative Services | Windows

Open-Source VNC: Remote Access Made Easy (And Free!)

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 07:43 AM ET | May 16, 2008

There are a lot of great remote access tools available these days, and some of the very best happen to be open-source software. Read on if you would like to learn more about a couple of my personal favorites.

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Apple | Hardware & Software | IT | Linux | Mobile | Networking & Communications | Open Source | Windows

Firefox 3.0 Release Schedule Update

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 08:15 AM ET | May 13, 2008

In a previous post, I mentioned that we would probably see a Firefox 3.0 release candidate before the end of the month. Based on a senior Mozilla developer's recent remarks, that estimate looks to be right on track.

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Apple | Hardware & Software | Internet/Web | Linux | Open Source | Windows

XP Service Pack Delay: What Else Is New?

Posted by Keith Ferrell 01:26 PM ET | Apr 30, 2008

Microsoft's on-again/off-again extension of support for XP may or may not be on-again, but the latest delay of the latest long-awaited XP Service Pack delay may strike some of us as the last straw.

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Business & E-Business | Retail | Security | Windows

Ooops -- Microsoft Nags More Office Users Than It Meant To

Posted by Keith Ferrell 11:12 AM ET | Apr 21, 2008

Microsoft's latest attempt to track down illegitimate copies of its programs -- in this case Office -- went a bit (and way more than a bit) farther than the company intended last week when it released an Office piracy detector worldwide, instead of to the four countries the program targeted.

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Hardware & Software | International | Piracy | Security | Windows | bMighty

Hacker Contest: And The Loser Is... MacBook Air

Posted by Keith Ferrell 10:53 AM ET | Mar 28, 2008

The hacker contest at this year's CanSecWest Conference in Vancouver has produced a winner... er, a loser. The hack--ee? Pricey, trendy and oh so desirable MacBook Air.

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Apple | Hardware & Software | Linux | Security | Windows

"New" Word Vulnerability: What Did Microsoft Know And When Did They Know It?

Posted by Keith Ferrell 12:48 PM ET | Mar 26, 2008

It turns out that Microsoft engineers knew about a vulnerability that could expose Word users to attacks, and knew about it for awhile before letting the rest of us in on the problem. A long while.

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Hardware & Software | IT | Security | Windows

Wine 1.0 On The Menu For Desktop Linux Users

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 05:58 PM ET | Mar 20, 2008

It looks like Wine's time has finally come: Version 1.0 of the Windows emulation software is now slated for a June release. And Linux users almost certainly have Google -- or, at least, Google's money -- to thank for moving things along.

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Hardware & Software | Linux | Open Source | Windows

Hacker Contest Next Week: The Real March Madness

Posted by Keith Ferrell 11:37 AM ET | Mar 20, 2008

It's fierce comeptition time again, and not just for basketball fans. At next week's CanSecWest conference in Vancouver, the second annual hacker contest offers big bucks to the first person to hack a supposedly secure laptop.

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Business & E-Business | Hardware & Software | Linux | Networking & Communications | Security | Windows

Fight The FUD: Lies, Damned Lies, And Linux

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 08:50 PM ET | Mar 12, 2008

When it comes to IT security, Linux generally scores outstanding marks. There is, however, one notable exception to this rule: A threat that Linux, and many other open-source apps, just can't seem to shake.

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Business & E-Business | Hardware & Software | IT | Linux | Management | Open Source | Security | Windows

Ballmer's Remarks Inspire A TCO Trip Down Memory Lane

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 06:50 AM ET | Mar 7, 2008

Earlier this week, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer had a few things to say about the never-ending Windows vs. Linux total cost of ownership debate. It's an interesting interview -- but not quite as interesting as some internal Microsoft email on the same subject that turned up last year, as a result of the company's involvement in yet another antitrust lawsuit.

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Business & E-Business | Government | Hardware & Software | Linux | Open Source | Windows

Codeweavers, Google Brew Some Fine Wine For Desktop Linux Users

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 12:20 AM ET | Mar 4, 2008

Over the past few years, Linux-based desktop virtualization has improved by leaps and bounds. In some cases, however, it is already possible to run Windows software on Linux, while cutting Windows itself completely out of the picture -- and thanks to Google, some very high-profile Windows software is now bridging the Linux gap.

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Hardware & Software | IT | Linux | Open Source | Professional/Creative Services | Windows

Microsoft's New Mantra: Peace, Love, And Open Source?

Posted by Matthew McKenzie 04:16 PM ET | Feb 21, 2008

People who work with open-source software tend to study Microsoft the way Kremlinologists once studied the Soviet Union: from the outside, and often at a considerable distance. It's a process that requires years of experience, a keen eye for detail -- and above all, a talent for reading between the lines.

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IT | Linux | Open Source | Windows

25 Laptops Priced For Smaller Companies

Posted by Fredric Paul 06:59 PM ET | Feb 12, 2008

Don't worry too much if your company won't shell out $3098 to buy you a MacBook Air. It turns out you can get a useful, portable, powerful notebook computer for a lot less.

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Hardware & Software | IT | Mobile | Technology/Telecom | Windows

Vista is the Most Secure OS. At Least Microsoft Says So

Posted by Naomi Grossman 12:15 PM ET | Jan 25, 2008

Microsoft tells us that Vista is the most secure of all the desktop operating systems. And my mother thinks I'm the smartest person ever. While both may or may not be true, the real question is: Is that all that matters?

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Hardware & Software | IT | Open Source | Windows