Re: What about those websites

OWA 2010 works fine for me in Chrome and Firefox with full functionality.

2003 only had the full experience in IE; never really used 2007 so can't comment on that.

Re: What about those websites

@Fuzz: I've got 2007 and I use it through Opera, I don't notice any reduced functionality over IE.

Re: What about those websites

My (work) web access says this:

"Use Outlook Web Access Light

The Light client provides fewer features and is sometimes faster. Use the Light client if you are on a slow connection or using a computer with unusually strict browser security settings. If you are using a browser other than Internet Explorer 6 or later, you can only use the Light client."

And it is always on unless I connect using IE.

Maybe not the latest/greatest exchange version running, the page says (c)2007

Re: Meh, They may be better off without it.

There is no "standard qwerty keyboard". There is also azerty, dvorak and probably others. Even on qwerty keyboards the numeric and other non-alpha characters can be in different places, though I doubt that would affect an on-screen keyboard.

Re: Meh, They may be better off @Craigness

Oh yeah. Dovrak keyboards, see 'em everywhere...not.

Of course there's a standard qwerty keyboard. Individual minor variations abound, nothing that most people can't cope with. But what they certainly don't like is unfamiliar variations for no tangible benefit. Which is what the OP was saying.

Re: Meh, They may be better off without it.

@Craigness:

You've missed something fairly fundamental about why the AZERTY and DVORAK keyboard layouts are known by those names, haven't you? ;)

(Yes, there are minor regional variations in the QWERTY layout for access to non-alphanumeric characters or in some cases to allow for the presence of additional alphabetic characters such as ñ, but 9 times out of 10 stick someone who knows the UK QWERTY layout in front of a US QWERTY layout keyboard and they'll be fine, barring the occasional 'Why am I getting @ when I want "?' sorts of issues, which are minor)

Re: Meh, They may be better off without it.

Yes, dvorak are rare. Downvote if you don't know the alphabet.

Underpants, you missed something so fundamental that your comment is without context. I suspect you underestimated.

Re: Meh, They may be better off without it.

I like how responses to this comment are all along the lines of "Wii is shit" and "Why won't you acknowledge keyboard layouts other than QWERTY?", missing the point that 1) Wiis are everywhere, 2) many people like to view YouTube, and 3) when using a Wii, the keyboard usually comes up with the expected QWERTY layout.

Are we overrun with Google shills, now?

Re: Confusing aspects of quotations in story

Nope, it's another Vulture journo too lazy to make it clear that's a direct quote from the blog post.

If anything that's actually worse because I'm not convinced it's just laziness that allowed that perceived bias into what's little more than a repost of the Microsoft propaganda PR release. No analysis, no critical thinking, no proper disclosure.

The actual blog post tells a simpler story.

1: Google won't give MS more access to metadata than they give anyone else. Good luck convincing anyone else that's a winning argument.

2: Google won't build a YouTube app for WP. I believe that's covered by the 'we won't build any apps till people start using it' and that statement is fully compatible with claiming someone higher up blocked YouTube support. Just doesn't sound so prejudicial put that way. Again, good luck forcing Google to waste resources supporting a minority platform with a far from essential service.

Re: What's that sound

MS was easy enough to avoid. just don't buy their products.

Google is more challenging. Google's ads appear all over the internet, so you have to take extra steps to avoid them. (ad block, no script, hosts file sending URLs to 127.0.0.1)

Re: What's that sound

Microsoft used one or two other sleazy tactics not widely publicy mentioned, of relentlessly blocking PC users access to alternative Operating System (OS) software - or end user applications - on the "user's" own, purchased and paid-for computers.

For example, Microsoft had refused to have Microsoft Office adhere to the Open (repeat Open, non-proprietary) Standards "document format" set by the European Union, many governments in Asia, South Africa and in South America. Why, when it would have required less than one day's configuation of 2 Microsoft engineers, for an International Document format that the company "contributed to in developing"?

Many millions of computer users would have and did opt for OpenOffice or LibreOffice and other Office suites that are fully - 99.995% compatible with MS Office (about same or more compatible than one version of MS Office to another) with all same features and at considerably lower costs - $0 - $10, for an application that was also more secure and reliable.

The second example of Microsoft sleaze is on-going saga of Microsoft not allowing Windows 8 machines to be able to install Linux or other OS without their express consent or receiving an exorbitant fee. This should be an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) issue alone, with Microsoft having no say in the matter. However the company have threatened HP, Dell and others into giving them authority on "users' purchased and owned, paid-for hardware.

Google could never be that draconian or low life.

Re: Google's Evil ?

Google is the lesser of three evils: Microsoft, Apple, and Google.

Re: Google's Evil ?

Bullshit. out of those three only Google is currently under investigation for monopoly abuse.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/9753580/EU-monopoly-regulator-still-seeking-Google-deal.html

http://betanews.com/2010/02/24/google-is-a-dangerous-monopoly-more-than-microsoft-ever-was/

Re: Google's Evil ?

only Google is currently under investigation for monopoly abuse.

.. and Google is the first company in the world ever to get investigated by 27 countries concurrently for breaches of privacy laws.

The Google response is going to be quite important - a lot of other complaints are backed up behind this letter because regulators first want to see Google's stance. If Google doesn't give a satisfying answer all hell is going to break loose for them in Europe, and deservedly so. It seems that as soon as a US company gets any sort of size, its management seems to think they only have to keep themselves to US law..

You could see that with Gates when MS was investigated in Europe, and Schmidt shows identical megalomaniacal traits when it comes to privacy.

Re: Google's Evil ?

They didn't.

They opensourced VP8 codec and Microsoft are free to use that for their YouTube app if they wish. However they are trying to bruteforce HTML5/H.264 which is ACTUALLY the evil part....

I would stop listening to things Microsoft say, it's rarely true, and usually a trick for their own good.

Re: Google's Evil ?

Yes I also hate their 'blending' every service together, in principle that is fine, but sometimes you like to keep things separate, and it does mean the user needs to be more pro-active in their privacy...

Now I see their under investigation, and that is a good thing, it will make them re-think their policies, get them right.

BUT and here is the BIG BUT..

have they actually ever done anything with my data that I would consider a breach of MY privacy?

And for me that means allowing public access to my data, selling my images or personal data (by personal data I mean name/address/dob/ private emails etc...

Re: Google's Evil ?

@David Simpson 1 - MS have been investigated, found guilty and punished for monopolistic behavior, they have "done their time" and changed their behavior. It is not right for a company to try to fight another company because they are monopolistic, while also abusing their monopoly to do so. I would contend that it's always wrong for a company to take the law into their own hands, particularly if it benefits them.

Re: Google's Evil ?

That you say "new bios" suggests that you don't really know that much about the subject, but here we go:

The following companies are members of the UEFI board:

AMD, American Megatrends Inc., Apple Inc., Dell, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Insyde, Intel, Lenovo, Microsoft, Phoenix Technologies

The UEFI organisation also has Red Hat and Canonical as members.

MS have mandated that a machine carrying the "Made for Windows 8" sticker must have the ability to disable secure boot, it must also have the ability for the user to add their own keys. In effect they have mandated that anyone's OS can be installed on the machine and with a little extra effort with a signed bootloader, when the user has added the key.

As well as this they have said that they will sign bootloaders for other companies who can't or won't sign their own. These are not the actions of a company trying to stamp out all competition.

Re: Google's Evil ?

In my opinion, this is a disingenuous attempt, presumably by a Microsoft PR company, to give the impression that secure boot is not an anti-competitive practice. Whereas I believe it will certainly hurt Ubuntu and similar, in that it will obstruct you from using Ubuntu to extending your PC life for another 5 years after MS Windows has started to run so slowly you think you otherwise would have had to buy a new PC.

I am reasonably technical, but I shudder to think how many hours I would have to spend on that "With a little extra effort with a signed bootloader, when the user has added the key."

And whether what Microsoft "say" will be what Microsoft do:

"Microsoft have said that they will sign boot-loaders for other companies who can't"

Didn't Microsoft tell the EU they would abide by the browser ballot anti-competitive ruling? And then fail to do so?

Saying and doing can be different , can't they?

Re: Google's Evil ?

have they actually ever done anything with my data that I would consider a breach of MY privacy?

It's irrelevant what you would consider a breach - there are laws that define that. I have no problem with people driving 10km/h over the speed limit provided it can be done safely, but they will still get a speeding ticket.

Google is as far as I can tell actually breaking the law on a daily basis throughout the whole of Europe, and from what I hear from regulators, this is known already. They are merely waiting for Google's response to the privacy policy complaint to determine just how to fine them.

Re: Google's Evil ?

The browser ballot thing was a balls up, pretty much everyone agrees that this was the case.

Ubuntu already has signed bootloaders, should they be needed.

If you buy a motherboard or computer that doesn't say in the manual how to add a key, I would suggest you've got what you paid for. That is, if it's not covered in the help section of the UEFI config page in question.

As it happens, even RMS' FSF support secureboot, they just don't want it restricted to any one company, which is exactly what MS appear to be trying to do as well.

Re: Google's Evil ?

"Bullshit. out of those three only Google is currently under investigation for monopoly abuse."

Yeah... and only Microsoft has actually been convicted of it.

Re: I'd be happy to lobby Google for a youtube app for ms phones

'Just as soon as MS provide their complete office suit for Linux for the same price as they do for windows.'

I know you jest, but please! some of us remember the unholy abomination that was their Internet Explorer for Solaris, the many hours of fun and joy installing and supporting that POS ...oh shit, now I've triggered the flashbacks...the horrors of watching it kill all those poor defenceless innocent Sparc Classics if the users had the temerity to dare run it...considering my 'Desktop' machine at the time was an IPX fitted with a Wietek Power μP, It stood no chance.

<Nam>

you don't know man, you weren't there...

</Nam>

Somewhere deep under Redmond, there exists a vault. It requires two keys to open, one held by Ballmer, the other by his Holiness Gates himself. Inside this vault is the fabled Microsoft Doomsday device, the Office suite for Linux, only to be deployed in the eventuality that Linux overtakes Windows as the predominant computer OS. Rumour has that it is a most terrible, accursed weapon, designed to both cripple the best machines it runs on and drive the users insane. Crafted in secret by the worst C++ coders that Microsoft could safely free up from their other projects, rumour also has it that it is not written in C++, but allegedly written in Perl by C++ programmers, using the GTK toolkit, then run through their own infernal fork of perlcc..

Re: I'd be happy to lobby Google for a youtube app for ms phones

@El Zed - Oh thanks. That horror will haunt my dreams.

Re: I'd be happy to lobby Google for a youtube app for ms phones

That Redmond Microsoft Doomsday device most probably activates Energetic Perly Gates Python CodeXSSXXXX, El Zed. Real Game Changing Protocols.

The Worlds are a Canvas, Paint and Share the Dreams Travels and Travails into Temptation, would create quite a heavenly culture and super social hierarchical meritocracy in a challenged and failing society loded with austerity's toxic waste and zero politically correct and adept leaderships.

And now you know of just one of the Utilities which can be Microsoft Doomsday device Derived.

Re: I'd be happy to lobby Google for a youtube app for ms phones

Or functional software for ARM

The Wintel cartel really should look up hypocrisy before picking up turds to hurl at the competition.

Re: I'd be happy to lobby Google for a youtube app for ms phones

designed to both cripple the best machines it runs on and drive the users insane

Isn't that already on the market? Or are you not talking about Windows 8? :)

youtube metadata is no more not available via web browser?

No metadata access? What about a web browser? Can they use it to access all that? Usually, playing a video is an issue since it involves a resource hog called flashplayer. Google couldn't fight Adobe so they came up with a "youtube app". The main issue is to process the url and find the proper source of the video. MS might pay the youtube-dl developers or use their code (it's GPL'ed so make sure to use a proper license for theirs)