Windows SIG

This group explores the various Windows platforms, features, annoyances, tips, tools, and applications. Meets third Thurdsay of the month. Contact Rob Limbaugh for more information: Rob.Limbaugh@limbytes.com

News and Notes

February's meeting was left very open-ended. One of our members happened to bring in their new laptop that has Windows Vista installed. Much of the meeting was spent answering general questions, such as how to make the 'power off' icon from the Windows Vista Start menu actually power off the machine instead of going into the default 'sleep' state.

An area on which we spent much discussion was in regard to configuring automatic updates. The laptop happened to have an ATI video adapter for which Vista listed a Windows Update for. A couple of us had problems with different ATI cards on different machines when we installed the Windows suggested driver updates. The significant suggestions given were:

• Set automatic updates to prompt for notification of new updates and prompt for installation.
• Don't just rush to install updates on 'Patch Tuesday', which is the second Tuesday of the month when Microsoft releases new patches and updates. The consensus was to wait a few days but not much more than a week and then apply the updates. The reason for this is that sometimes updates don't work right and this allows Microsoft to respond and reissue the update(s) if anyone complains of a problem the patch created.
• Always go through the list of updates so you know what is being installed. If the update description is too vague, take the time to look it up.
• Updates marked 'High Priority' or 'Critical' most likely fix bugs and/or security issues. These should certainly be applied as soon as possible.
• Hardware updates may cause more problems then they solve. It was suggested that if the driver is for an important device such as a network card, hard drive, or video card, then it is best to install them one at a time. Check the manufacturer site to see if they prefer you install an update from them rather than Microsoft.
• Software updates marked 'Optional' or 'Recommended' may not be needed at all. Read the information carefully and evaluate if it applies to you or if it is something you want or need.

Lastly, we made cursory mention of the 'Open Source Alternatives' website, http://www.osalt.com. This site lists various commercial applications and their 'Open Source' counterparts. Be aware that 'Open Source' means the code for an application is freely published and distributed but that DOES NOT mean the software itself is free. This site lists applications for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

All skill levels are welcome to join us for our April 17 meeting.