● 01.04.10

●● Deceptive Vista 7 Advertising, Neglect, Bugs, and More Security Problems

Posted in Apple, Deception, Free/Libre Software, GNU/Linux, Microsoft, Security, Vista 7, Vista 8, Windows at 5:13 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Summary: Latest signs that Vista 7 stinks, despite dishonest “placements” from the Seattle press and other pro-Microsoft circles

THE VERSION of Windows that the public needs to think about does not even exist. The boosters of Microsoft (SoftPedia in this case) insist that the vapourware known as “Windows 8″ will fix everything, as usual. They promise that it will not be just another Vista.

SoftPedia also wrote about video ads, correctly pointing out that no level of hype can ever match the disaster known as Vista.

By any standards, Microsoft’s marketing campaign for Windows 7 is much more modest compared to that of Windows Vista. The difference in financial resources allocated to each platform can be explained by a shift in focus as far as the message accompanying each operating system goes.

“Microsoft’s advertising misfires” is the title of this new article from PC Pro (UK) and in Jordan there are Vista 7 ads masquerading as articles. Microsoft PR employees are of course enjoying free adverts from their Seattle press and in the Seattle P-I we find details about the “Slog” against competitors like GNU/Linux.

The posting says Microsoft is looking for someone to, in part, “build and manage the activities of a v-team of 13 district Linux & OpenOffice Compete Leads, and develop a broad set of marketing skills.”

It’s not about “marketing” or “Compete”. We wrote about this a few days ago [1, 2]. Microsoft Nick does not point out EDGI, but he does publish this Vista 7 ad (as an article), leading to comments such as: “wow, another unpaid advertisement for M$” (there are other new examples).

Amongst other comments we have “Will in Seattle” saying: “We save millions not having Windows.”

Another person adds: “Wow, it only cost me 4 hours to find out it will not work on my machine, despite with MS said. Now we are having discussions with my credit company since MS policy is no refunds. What is my ROI??”

Finally, there’s this:

Cost Savings mileage varies widely.How were the results calculated?Who defined the metrics and how were they measured?Did a credible 3rd party, Gartner or IDC, conduct the research?Did Microsoft fund third party “research” to reverse engineer results to fit their product value propositions and messaging?Ask your rep to provide you with customers to contact directly and make sure Microsoft is not on the call.

The Gartner Group and the likes of it are corrupt. It’s the nature of their business because they are paid by the very same companies that they cover. Here is a timely new example from Michael Gartenberg, a former Microsoft shill on the company’s payroll, who is now pretending to be an analyst [1, 2, 3]. It’s like people in costumes. He praises Vista 7 of course, despite the fact that not many users of Vista 7 even exist.

In fact, Vista 7 seems so irrelevant that Apple too is ignoring Vista 7 users. From the news:

• Apple delays Windows 7 support

• Apple-imposed Boot Camp deadline for Windows 7 is set be missed

• Windows 7 Boot Camp AWOL

• Apple misses Boot Camp update deadline

• Apple likely to delay rollout of Windows 7 support

Apple is likely to miss a self-imposed deadline for delivering support for Microsoft’s latest operating system to Mac users running its Boot Camp dual booting software.

Apple would have made its self-imposed deadline had Vista 7 been a significant business factor (but it’s not).

Our reader Ryan, a former Microsoft MVP, wrote last night: “Vista + SP2 + Platform Update gives you pretty much all of Windows 7 that means anything. I actually have a Vista Business license I thought about replacing Windows 7 Home Premium with. I found a lot of things in Windows 7 I hate worse than Vista, especially the interface. 7 is also buggier. Vista never shut down Aero with no warning then it comes back later… still haven’t figured that out… happens on Nvidia and ATI.”

In other news, it turns out that Vista 7 has more security problems it did not talk about:

• Windows 7 might get fixed

• Long-time Windows vulnerability might be fixed soon

• Russinovich: A possible cure for exploitable heap corruption in Windows 7

The key to a huge plurality, if not a majority, of exploits that have plagued Microsoft Windows over the past two decades has been tricking the system into executing data as though it were code. A malicious process can place data into its own heap — the pile of memory reserved for its use — that bears the pattern of executable instructions. Then once that process intentionally crashes, it can leave behind a state where the data in that heap is pointed to and then executed, usually without privilege attached.

There have been many other security issues in Vista 7. Some posts about it can be found below. █

Cybercrime Rises and Vista 7 is Already Open to HijackersVista 7: Broken Apart Before ArrivalDepartment of Homeland Security ‘Poisoned’ by Microsoft; Vista 7 is Open to Hijackers AgainVista 7 Security “Cannot be Fixed. It’s a Design Problem.”Why Vista 7 Could be the Least Secure Operating System EverJournalists Suggest Banning Windows, Maybe Suing Microsoft Over DDoS AttacksVista 7 Vulnerable to Latest “Critical” FlawsVista 7 Seemingly Affected by Several More “Critical” Flaws This MonthReason #1 to Avoid Vista 7: InsecurityVista 7 Left Hijackable Again (Almost a Monthly Recurrence)Trend Micro: Vista 7 Less Secure Than Vista

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