History of Computer Operating Systems - Unix

Unix like Operating Systems
We are all aware of the fact that Unix is an open source operating system. By open source, we mean that its source code is kept free for changes. No doubt, for a full version Linux, you will need to have the license key from the vendor from whom you are getting the operating system. There are various vendors like Red Hat, Fedora, etc. who design Linux operating system.

History of Computer Operating Systems - Unix
Unix operating system is designed by many vendors today. However, the success of UNIX can be many attributed to the AT&T's Bell Laboratories from where it was desiged and released in 1970's. By the end of the 1970's most people who had done pioneering work in the success of this operating system were holding important positions in the computer world. They insisted on using UNIX. Educational institutions, Government bodies and electronic companies, all continued to use Unix. This led to various vendors entering into this market and producing their own versions of Unix. In 1980, 'The Open Group' or X/Open Company Ltd. was formed by a group of vendors to limit the encroachment by larger companies who wanted to control the system interface. Open Systems had to meed specific standards and Unix system was chosen as the platform for the open systems. In 1993, AT&T sold its Unix System Laboratories to Novell and in 1995, SCO bought the same from Novell. In 1995 X/Open introduced the Unix 95 brand for computer systems. It was meant to guarantee the Single Unix specification.
Find Windows 7 Guide.

Windows 7 backup

Create copies of data files and system image which includes system settings, programs and files with Windows Backup. Choose custom location in Windows 7 for data backup. You can check for this option under System and Security in your Control Panel and can also access it through Action Center.

Some vital functionality was missing in Windows Vista which Microsoft has tried to cover up in Windows 7. Windows 7 has build on the new features in Windows Vista Backup. Windows 7 provides you with in-built tool to back up your data. Microsoft has introduced consolidated Backup and restore Center in Windows Vista but Windows 7 has in-built backup center. It’s in-built “Shadow Copy” feature restores the previous versions of files and folders and makes repetitious backups when required, if certain part of the file has been changed then it only transfer that part and copy it over.

Backup and Restore Center will show you the backup device you have selected, the space left on it, the space occupied by windows Backup and how far you are into the process if you are currently running a backup. Windows 7 backup facilitates you by providing access to your previous system image files for deletion, it also displays how much space is being used by each of its backup components.

Try the following steps to create backup:

1 Start the process of creating a backup from the Backup and restore center in the Control Panel.

2 Choose the location where you want to create your backup.

3 Network location can be selected to create backup. Add your network path by clicking Add New Location.

4 Choose what to backup, once you have chosen the location.

5 You can choose your own files as well as Windows chosen file.

6 Start backup process. the Backup and Restore center notifies that backup is in progress.

7 Restore the files once backup process is over.


But it is far more easier to backup your files over the network, if you are using Professional or Ultimate edition of Windows 7 then you need not keep the drives as you also have the option of backing up your files to a network.

You can set up your network to save the copies of critical files. It will surely proved to be a worthwhile investment as a Home Network backup can easily maintain the copies of the electronic data files thus securing the data in case of theft, disaster and computer failures. You have the option to choose from online service or Home Network backup. There are different methods using which you can set your data on Home Computer Network such as backups to CD-ROM or DVD-ROM discs, network backups to a local server and online backups to a remote hosting service.

In network backup to a local server you don’t require to burn several disks considering setting up a backup server on your home network. A backup server has a large hard disk drive and network to receive other home network files. In Network backup to a Remote Hosting Service many Internet sites offer backup hosting services which results in automatic network backups.

All these features help the user to have the full control over the flies which are backed up and you can have automatic backup capability with suitable software in Local Servers Backup. In Remote Hosted Backup your data is saved with lower risk from theft.

Multilingual User Interface for Windows 7

Based on your company's current geographic and IT infrastructure, you need to determine your language and country/region requirements, as well as your hardware requirements and limitations to deploy the appropriate language configurations of Windows 7 and configure country/region support.

You will also need to:

* Determine the roaming user needs in your organization.
* Evaluate the hardware requirements for multilingual support.
* Determine whether your organization will need to deploy a single global image or specific country/region builds for different offices in your organization.

Assessing hardware requirements for multilingual support
Supporting multiple languages can impact your hardware requirements in two areas:
Hard disk space: Some languages require more hard-disk storage space than others. The more languages installed on a computer, the more hard-disk space consumed.
Specialized hardware devices: Some languages or users require special keyboards, IMEs, or alternative input devices.

Determining the requirement of language and country/region
If you have polyglot office environments or you do business in multiple languages then you need to know which languages or bids your organization requires. Also you need to know that whether these languages require input devices or input method editors (IMEs).

You must determine whether currency, time zone, or calendar formats vary between the different countries/regions if you do business on international level. Additionally, you must determine which line-of-business applications you have that must accommodate such country/region differences.

A four-column planning table can help you determine your language and country/region needs. You can organize the table as follows:

* In column one, list your offices or divisions.

* In column two, list the languages or dialects used in those offices or divisions.

* In column three, note the corresponding Windows 7 language collection and locales that support those languages or dialects. For tables listing Windows 7 language packs and settings, see Supported Language Packs and Default Settings.

* In column four, note special standards and format settings, input language support, or default languages for non-Unicode programs required for your offices or divisions.

So, as release date of Windows 7 is close, we find ourselves with revolutionary and new Microsoft OS: Windows 7. Windows 7 seems poised to succeed where Vista couldn’t as it is built on the latest technologies introduced with Vista, but with a renewed focus on performance and compatibility. We’ve finally received a final build of Windows 7 and have run it through the wringer in both the Lab and in the real-world. Here’s what we found.

Questions To Be Consider When Going for Windows 7 upgrade

Whether you’re keen to upgrade to Windows 7 or you just wish to know what to expect if and when you do, there are lots of things to keep in mind.

Can I upgrade directly from XP?
Many users who are still running Windows XP want to know whether they can upgrade to Windows 7 without losing all their data and settings. The answer is, well, sort of. Microsoft doesn’t provide a direct upgrade path from Windows XP to Windows 7. An in-place upgrade is available only if you’re running Vista SP1 or later. If you have Windows XP, even if your hardware is compatible, you’ll have to perform a clean installation of Windows 7. However, you can use the Microsoft Deployment Tool, which includes the User State Migration Tool, to transfer your user settings for the desktop and applications to the new Windows 7 installation.

Can I do a Vista in-place upgrade?
If you have Windows Vista, remember that you must install SP1 or SP2 before you can perform an in-place upgrade to Windows 7. If you try to upgrade a Vista computer that doesn’t have a service pack installed, you will get a message informing you that to upgrade to Windows 7, the computer needs to be running Vista with Service Pack 1.

Will there be driver compatibility issues?
A big problem in Windows Vista was driver incompatibility. Too many users upgraded their Windows from XP to Vista only to find that a favorite peripheral, such as a printer or scanner, would no longer work. Vista also introduced a new display driver model, WDDM, which required video card vendors to write completely different display and video miniport drivers. And security enhancements in Vista affected how the OS handles drivers. Even though Vista was in development for few years, many hardware vendors did not have Vista drivers ready for all of their products when the OS was released.

Now that Vista has been out for more than two years, most hardware vendors have updated their drivers to work with it. Because Windows 7 uses the same driver models as Vista, the vast majority of hardware devices that work with Vista will work with Windows 7. For Vista drivers that won’t install on Windows 7, you can usually solve the problem by installing in Compatibility Mode. To do this, right-click the driver’s setup file, select Properties, click the Compatibility tab, enable compatibility mode, and select the appropriate operating system from the drop-down box.

Which Windows 7 version shall I choose?
Windows 7 is also comes both Home Basic and Home Premium editions. There is also a Starter edition, which comes with low-powered netbooks.

What if I have applications that won’t run on Windows 7, even in Compatibility Mode?
There may be some XP programs that you can’t get to run on Windows 7, even using Compatibility Mode. However, you may still be able to enjoy all the benefits of Windows 7 without giving up your favorite applications, thanks to a new compatibility tool called XP Mode. XPM is a host-based virtualization solution that will reportedly be made available at no cost to users of Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions.

Windows 7 Guide- Changes To Security in Windows 7

Microsoft launched Windows 7 with few enhancements such as HomeGroup, Aero, etc. However, there are several of new and enhanced security features as well. Here’s a rundown of key changes you must know about.

Everyone’s talking about the interface changes, the new taskbar, omission of the sidebar, a new look for Windows Explorer. Under the hood, there are few more changes, including latest and enhanced security features. Let’s look at some security features that have been changed or added in Windows 7.
Action Center- In Vista, security configurations can be access from the Security Center in Control Panel. In Windows 7, you won’t find a Security Center. That’s because it’s been replaced by a new Action Center. The Action Center offers security configurations as well as options for other administrative tasks, such as Backup, Troubleshooting And Diagnostics, and Windows Update.

Windows 7 UAC- User Account Control (UAC) was introduced with Vista, made to provide better protection from malware. It makes all user accounts run as standard users, even administrator accounts. If you need to perform something that requires administrative rights, it asks for permission. And asks. And asks. This in-your-face aspect of UAC has caused numerous complaints and has led some users to turn it off completely, thus exposing themselves to threats.
In Windows 7, UAC is still there, but now you can set up how vocal it will be. There are four settings you configure from the UAC settings in the Action Center. You can set UAC to:
• Always notify you when you install software or make any changes to Windows settings (as Vista does now).

• Notify you when programs make changes but not if you make changes to Windows settings (default Setting).

• Notify you only when programs make changes but turn off Secure Desktop, which dims the desktop while the UAC prompt is displayed. ( Preferred setting.)

• Never notify you. ( Not recommended.)
BitLocker- Windows 7 comes through and allows you to encrypt removable storage drives. And it’s easy to do. Just open the BitLocker applet in Control Panel, choose the drive you want to encrypt, and click Turn On BitLocker.

Windows Filtering Platform- Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) is a set of APIs introduced in Vista. In Windows 7, developers can use it to iinclude some parts of the Windows Firewall into their own programs. This will allow a third-party program to turn off certain parts of the Windows Firewall selectively if need be.

DNSSec- Windows 7 supports for DNSSec (Domain Name System Security), which is a group of extensions to the DNS platform that improved security. With DNSSec, a DNS zone can take advantage of digital signature technology so that you can validate the authenticity of data that’s received.

Microsoft Windows Users and iYogi Predict a Surge in Tech Support for Windows 7 Upgrades

Survey Shows That Nearly Half of Consumers Think Upgrading to a New Operating System Will Require Technical Assistance

New York, NY September 16, 2009 -- iYogi, the on-demand tech services company with a unique global delivery model, announced today the results of a consumer poll regarding support concerns and predictions for the upcoming launch of the new Microsoft windows 7 operating system. Based on responses from more than 1,000 Windows XP and Windows Vista users, 52 percent think that moving to a new operating system and moving their data is a hassle, suggesting some real frustrations on the near horizon. Nearly half (47 percent) think upgrading to Microsoft Windows 7 may require a call to technical support - potentially causing a huge backlog of support needs, as up to 40 million copies of Windows 7 are expected to be sold in 2009, according to IDC.

"We predict that more than 40 percent of XP users will generate support calls and inquiries globally this year and even more in 2010 as mass adoption kicks in and people face the prospect of dealing with an entirely new interface," said Vishal Dhar, President Marketing & Co-founder of iYogi. "We estimate twice as many support calls for current windows XP users than Windows Vista users, since Microsoft Windows XP users will require a 'clean' install including migrating applications, settings and drivers--a potentially arduous, time-intensive task."

Additional survey findings reveal:

58 percent of users think they will or may upgrade to Windows 7, an encouraging number considering some of the backlash surrounding Vista

Only 39 percent of users are aware that Windows 7 is launching soon, suggesting an increased flurry of help questions in the coming months as more people become aware of the upgrade options

iYogi has more has more than 90,000 annual subscribers and provides thousands of single incident sessions every day on a 24/7 basis. Its Global Delivery Platform delivers on the highest customer satisfaction benchmarks in the industry and gets smarter with every customer interaction, building a powerful knowledge base that provides unique customer insights on predictive needs to tech support.

ABOUT IYOGI
iYogi is a global on-demand services company that provides personalized computer support for consumers and small businesses in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. iYogi's unique model, including proprietary technology iMantra and highly qualified technicians, is designed to eliminate computer-related stress and keep millions of digitally dependent consumers and small businesses always protected and productive. Only iYogi -- with its proven global expertise delivery model, intelligent customer insight systems, easy-to-use self-help tools and automated PC optimization and computer support services - offers users a simple yet comprehensive path to digital serenity. iYogi has perfected the remote technical support model to overcome the current limitations of in-store, on-site, or call center services to become the fastest growing provider of support in the industry. Major resellers and technology companies are increasingly turning to iYogi to improve customer satisfaction, reduce return rates, and deliver a compelling new-value added offering to customers. For more information on iYogi and a detailed list of technologies supported, visit: www.iyogi.net.

Windows 7 Software,

The parties are organized by a site called houseparty.com, which was a new one to me. Party hosts can choose from four different party themes: PhotoPalooza, Media Mania, Setting up with Ease, and Family Friendly Fun. Each party comes with a special kit that is sent to the host. There isn't a lot of detail about what a Windows 7 party kit contains, but from the description of other houseparty.com events it often seems to have coupons, keychains, t-shirt transfers, and other trinkets for the guests.

Is Windows 7 a product that lends itself to a party? Product-oriented parties have generally been the territory of plastic kitchenware, baby gear, and sexy underwear. I like Windows 7, but this is a different tech world than the one where users camped out all night to be the first to buy Windows 95. Still, it's hard to complain about an excuse to have a party for nerdy friends, with party favors provided by Microsoft.

If you're chosen to be a host for a Windows 7 party and are stumped about ideas for party activities, here are some of my suggestions:

Media Charades: Start Media Player, mute the sound, and choose a visualization. Play a song and see if anyone can guess it based only on the visualization.

Spin the Bottleneck: Call up a PC maker and ask them why that PC they sold you last month is incredibly slow with your new Windows 7 upgrade.

Pin the Blame on the Driver: Poke around in Device Manager using the Rollback Driver option until the system finally stops causing blue-screen crashes during games.