Regardless of whether your desktop computer operating system of choice has that Microsoft feel about it, or slants more towards an Apple inspired offering, it's probably fairly accurate to assume that there are things that you would like to change about the aesthetics. Mac OS X is currently enjoying its most successful spell to date with Apple reaping the benefits that come attached with the current surge in user adoption. However, Microsoft is also reporting a recent surge in profits that has a lot to do with the success of Windows 8 since launch.
As operating systems have evolved, their primary goal has always been to make computing easier for the end user, be it a tablet, a smartphone or a desktop computer. Thanks to hybrid operating systems like Windows 8, and the deep integration that Apple’s OS X and iOS enjoy, the difference between various hardware platforms is quickly diminishing, making room for a more streamlined, unified experience. However, good as the intention may be, in doing so, some of the convenience aspects beget a security risk, thereby exposing the system in question to security breaches and execution of undesired code. One such feature in Windows – the most widely used desktop operating system – is the AutoPlay (or AutoRun, as it was formerly known). In this article, we’ll tell you how to disable AutoPlay / AutoRun for good at a system-wide level.
With Windows 8, Microsoft made some different (if not difficult) choices, especially when it comes to licensing. You would already know that Windows is a closed-source operating system, and hence, when you purchase a copy of Microsoft Windows, you’re basically acquiring a ‘license to use’ for the operating system, and not the OS itself. When the company released Windows 8, one of the approaches that they took to making it even more popular (and combat piracy at the same time) was making it available for lower prices as compared to previous versions. This, at the same time, brought on some tough licensing choices, too. For instance, Microsoft had to do away with native DVD playback capability in Windows 8, because the patent holder for MPEG-2/4 (the video codec required to play said media) charges Microsoft $2 per copy of Windows 7 (the relative figure) sold. They had to cut back on such costs to achieve the pricing point that Windows 8 claims.
Microsoft confirmed today at the 11th annual J.P Morgan Tech Forum at CES that the company had sold 60 million copies of Windows 8 so far, including both OEM sales and upgrades on existing machines, putting it on a similar trajectory as Windows 7 three years ago. Undoubtedly, after all of the criticism, the new operating system is off to a good start since its launch this past October.
The problem with running on old software is, you're always likely to be left behind. In order to coerce consumers into updating or upgrading, the newest software is developed first, and anybody left behind is, well, simply left behind. While those on Windows 8 can already enjoy Internet Explorer 10, anybody still straggling on Windows 7 will still be waiting for the new version, and although it's not quite ready for end-user release, a preview version has now been dropped by Microsoft.
If you’re using a desktop computer and it is powered by Windows 7, then you and your computer are now, almost three years after its release in late 2009, part of the majority. Yes, according to the latest statistics, Windows 7 is the most popular desktop operating system today. Check out the details after the jump.
If you can bring yourself to look past the fact that you have just spent a whole heap of money on excellent Apple hardware to run OS X, then it actually makes sense to be able to install a version of Windows alongside the default operating system. This is especially true when we consider the new Retina MacBook Pro and those who want to use PC software or games in the full 2880 x 1800 resolution.
We have come across a new Windows to Android transformation pack today. Simply named the Android Jelly Bean Skin Pack for Windows 7, the transformation pack includes a bunch of different programs that, when used together, give Windows 7 an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean-like look.
In terms of Microsoft's market-leading Windows operating system, this year has rightly been dominated by Windows 8. The Metro-smothered interface of the upcoming OS has proved to be a huge hit among early samplers of the Consumer Preview released in February, and with Windows 8 tablets expected soon after the imminent launch, there's plenty to be excited about if you're a PC user.
By setting password protection on access to your Windows PC, the notion is that you're safe from intrusion, and although this is largely true in most cases, that doesn't mean there are not ways to circumvent the apparently strict security. You would presume - as should be the case - that the only way one could access a locked account is to have guessed the password, but thanks to a few tricks involving command prompts and sticky keys, anybody with a short amount of elevated access could easily start running executables right from the login screen.
