The View from Here : Windows 7

Live Mesh

andrewdr — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:32:45 GMT

Live Mesh is a way to link data across several devices using a virtual desktop hosted on the web.

So, if you have a laptop, a PC at home and another one in the office, you can share data, through a Desktop, across all the machines. In addition, your ‘mesh’ will be able to include a Windows Mobile device and a Mac.

As well as data, you can even access a machine on your ‘mesh’ in much the same way as using Remote Desktop.

In this view I have used the internet to connect to a machine in the office. This view can be maximised to take full advantage of the resolution of the target machine.

In part, this particular scenario was made possible by DirectAccess which allowed me to seamlessly connect to the office network without having to establish a VPN. More on that another time.

Windows 7

andrewdr — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:11:42 GMT

It’s been interesting to see the reaction of the public and the IT community to Windows 7. Users love it and say how fast it is and how pretty it looks. IT Pros like it because it’s more reliable and more secure. However, they all seem united in their dislike of Vista which is a shame as, without Vista, there wouldn’t be Windows 7.

Take Bitlocker for instance. In Vista we had the opportunity to protect data on laptops (for instance) by encrypting the whole disk. Admittedly it could be a bit fiddly but this is now a lot easier in ‘7’. In addition, we can now protect USB sticks and the like with Bitlocker by simply right-clicking in the Explorer window – this is known as BitlockerToGo and you supply the passphrase when you read the USB stick on anything from XP SP3 on up.

I watched click at the weekend and they reviewed it very favourably. An IT journalist couldn’t resist comparing it to Linux and Mac but even he had nothing bad to say about it. The fact is Windows 7 is fast, easy to use and makes using your PC fun again.

More soon and be sure to check out the Technet Virtual Conference on June 19th to hear more about Windows 7, Server 2008 R2 and other great technologies.

Technet Virtual Conference-June 19 2009

andrewdr — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:13:52 GMT

We’re pleased to announce the launch of the very first TechNet Virtual Conference taking place on 19 June 2009.
You told us that time and budget pressures make attending in person events difficult – so to help both you and the environment we decided to take the TechNet Conference virtual. Now you and your colleagues can join us to get a flavour of some key Microsoft technologies from the comfort of your own desks.
The Technology sessions, selected by the readers of the UK TechNet Flash, feature key products including:

•	Windows 7 – Deployment and Management
•	Windows Server 2008 R2 - 10 things to make life easier for IT Pros
•	An overview of Office Communications Server R2 and voice capabilities
•	The trials and tribulations of SharePoint implementation

We are also really pleased to announce an exclusive Keynote featuring Mark Russinovich, Microsoft Technical Fellow specialising in the Windows platform.
And that’s not the only difference this year. In addition to Microsoft technology news and product overviews from the experts, the TechNet Virtual Conference will also feature a second auditorium focused on IT Management, including:

•	How IT will change over the next 10 years and why you should care - an exclusive session delivered at TechEd EMEA
•	Growing the Business and Managing Costs at Microsoft – An Insider’s View, presented by Asif Jinnah, IT Manager, Microsoft UK

Be sure to get the most out of your day by getting involved and asking our speakers questions via live chat. But if you can’t make it on the day, all the content will be available after June 19th for you to watch on demand.

The conference goes live on Friday June 19th. You can view the full agenda and register here www.microsoft.com/uk/technet/govirtual

Competition – Enter the free prize draw to win one of 500 goody bags, which is a snazzy laptop bag with some great event swag, terms and conditions apply.

I will be available on the day to answer your questions on Windows 7 so I look forward to seeing you there.