• Download the Microsoft Web Platform Installer 2.0 beta

    Posted over 5 years ago
    by Irser}

     

    The Microsoft Web Platform Installer 2.0 (Web PI) is a free tool that makes it simple to download, install and keep up-to-date with the latest components of the Microsoft Web Platform, including Internet Information Services (IIS), SQL Server Express, .NET Framework and Visual Web Developer. In addition, you can install popular open source ASP.NET and PHP Web applications with the Web PI. Download the Web PI 2.0 beta.

    Also, see how you can get free hosting on the Microsoft Web Platform.

     

     

    More to come,

    Mitch

     

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  • Enterprise coolness: DirectAccess and other Windows 7 benefits

    Posted over 5 years ago
    by Irser}

     

    With so many talked about new features in Windows 7, I have to point out a feature for enterprises that is near and dear to my heart: Direct Access. Anyone who has spent much time accessing their corporate network via a VPN will appreciate this. Direct Access maintains constant direct access between a Windows 7 client and the Internet by using IPv6-over-IPsec to encrypt communications. The new IP-HTTPS protocol for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 allows hosts behind a proxy server or firewall to establish connectivity by tunneling IPv6 packets inside an IPv4-based HTTPS session.

     

    For more on DirectAccess and many of the other benefits for enterprises, check out the new “Learning Snack” video Introducing Windows 7.

     

    More to come,

    Mitch

     

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  • Microsoft kicks off Skills Week

    Posted over 5 years ago
    by Irser}

    Microsoft kicks off Skills Week

     

    Today marked the launch of more than 175 partner-led events in North America designed to help IT professionals and developers develop and validate their skills, network with industry leaders and achieve Microsoft Certified Professional status. Microsoft Skills Week will run March 9-13, followed by a series of events culminating at Tech•Ed in May. The Skills Week events will showcase more than 100 Microsoft Certified Partners for Learning Solutions and draw upon each partner’s expertise and provide access to Microsoft technical specialists and reduced rates on training resources.

     

    The offerings include access to Career Assist, which gives individuals who register for Second Shot by June 30 the opportunity to purchase a Microsoft E-Learning Collection for $35 (U.S.) — a 90 percent price discount in most cases. It also includes quick study sessions to prepare individuals for Microsoft Certification exams, Live Meeting sessions with Microsoft technical specialists and Certified Trainers, and exam discounts providing certified on-site at events while saving up to 40 percent on exam fees.

    More to come,

    Mitch

     

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  • Windows Vista SP2 RC and Windows Server 2008 SP2 RC now available

    Posted over 5 years ago
    by Irser}

     

     Another milestone was reached yesterday on the timeline for the Windows Vista Service Pack 2 and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 release. The release candidate (RC) was made available to the general public as part of the Customer Preview Program (CPP). So without further ado, you can download the Windows Vista SP2 RC and Windows Server 2008 SP2 RC here.  

    A couple things to note: You must have a genuine copy of Windows Server 2008 with SP1 or Windows Vista with SP1 installed on the computer prior to installing SP2. If your scratching your head over whether or not you have Windows Server 2008 SP1, it was released with the Service Pack 1 code included, so SP2 is the first post-release Service Pack for Windows Server 2008. If you have a prior beta version of SP2 installed, it must be un-installed prior to installing RC. and just in case this is your first time testing an RC, this is time-limited software. In this case it will operate until June 1, 2010.

    More to come,

    Mitch

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  • Internet Explorer 8 tops NSS Labs’ Socially Engineered Malware test

    Posted over 5 years ago
    by Irser}

     

    In its first comprehensive test of web browser protection against socially engineered malware, NSS Labs found that Internet Explorer 8 (RC1) was best among the six browsers tested. More than 154,000 individual tests were run during 12 days of 24x7 testing against Apple Safari v3, Google Chrome 1.0.154, Microsoft Internet Explorer v8 (RC1), Microsoft Internet Explorer v7, Mozilla Firefox v3.07 and Opera 9.64. IE8’s catch rate was 69%, well ahead of the nearest browser in the test, which scored a 30% catch rate.

     

    See the Microsoft security bulletin summary for March 2009.

     

    More to come,

    Mitch

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