Results tagged “microsoft” from Birmingham Mail - Technobabble

The latest windows XP update has been discovered to cause thousands of users to be cut off from the internet.

This is because it somehow causes a conflict with the third party firewall ZoneAlarm.

I myself carried out the update last night, and haven't since logged on - so when I get home tonight who knows if I'll be able to go online?

Anyway there is a solution posted by ZoneAlarm on their website so here you go!

It has to be said that it is not unreasonable to assume Microsoft might check their new security patch with one of the most widely used pieces of software on the web.

Edit: Yep it didn't work. I had to turn the slider down to 'medium' on the level of security to be allowed onto the internet so I could tackle it.

Incredible really - and how many people must have been left completely flummoxed by this? And how many who are non computer literate spent hours on the phone getting through to their internet provider trying to solve it?

Microsoft deserve a rocket for this one.

I see environmental do-gooders Greenpeace are complaining that games console manufacturers aren't green enough.

That's an interesting one guys - I could understand moaning about the world's oil companies not paying enough lip service to your perfectly reasonable goal to save the plant.

Zeina Al-Hajj, Greenpeace's International Toxic Campaign co-ordinator lashed out at famous oil-slick causer and tree molester Nintendo saying: "Nintendo doesn't have any environmental policies."

Like what? I reckon they should create a special box which looks, to all intents and purposes, like a Wii.

But in reality it's made out of recycled cardboard, with a fake on switch so as to not use any power.

That would be much more preferable to the current version, which is made out of a combination of Dolphin fins, whale blubber and cfcs.

On the BBC story, it says: "The report found that the PS3 and 360 both contained "very high" levels of chemicals, called phthalates, which are used to "soften" flexible materials like wires and cable coatings.

"They are not permitted in toys sold in Europe but under EU regulations games consoles are not classed as toys. Ms Al-Hajj said: "We see a gap there. For us this is still a toy.""

Ah - but Ms Al-Hajj, the reason they're not allowed in toys is because children put them in their mouths and chew them, poisoning themselves. Wiis aren't actually for that.

No-one from Microsoft was available for comment on the findings of the Greenpeace report as they were designing whale finding radar for Japanese factory ships (I made the last bit up).

GO into a store like PC World and you'll see hosts of computers loaded up with Windows Vista, plastered with stickers saying they're capable of running Microsoft's latest operating system.

In fact a colleague of mine recently, unwisely, without doing any research or even asking your correspondent for advice lashed out on such a computer.

Somewhat shamefaced, he has as yet been unable to provide a full list of the specifications which were allegedly 'Vista Capable' - but has admitted that it runs like a slug stuck in glue.

Now it has emerged that flagging up computers too slow to run the full operating system as being 'Vista Capable' was actually a Microsoft policy.

Internal documents were released as a result of a class action lawsuit in the USA which revealed how the software giant set deliberately low 'recommended' specifications to avoid putting computer users off buying Vista.

So how is your Vista machine running? I, for one, am sticking with XP Pro for the present.