Editor's Note: 25 Years of Windows

Windows turns 25 this year, and we'll be celebrating the operating system's big birthday in Redmond and RCP, online and in print. We'd like to get your memories of the first Windows launch, stories about the early days of the OS or even thought on where Windows is going. Send your thoughts to [email protected]. As always, we won't publish anything in the magazines without notifying you first.

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Posted by Lee Pender on August 25, 20100 comments


HP, Dell Shoot for 3Par

Oh, if only Tiger Woods could have delayed the public outing of his indiscretions, we'd be able to make quite a few golf-related jokes here. But with Tiger as stale as a July 4 cake (you have one every year, don't you?), we'll just have to settle for writing about some company called 3Par without making any silly golf references.

After all, we don't know much about golf here at RCPU. We didn't know much about 3Par, either, until today, when news broke that HP and Dell were in a billion-dollar battle to buy the company. Apparently, HP has won the war with a $1.6 billion bid, meaning somebody at 3Par headquarters is swilling champagne right about now.

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Posted by Lee Pender on August 23, 20100 comments


HP Tablet Coming in 2011

Actually, there are two tablets coming: one running WebOS, and a likely more expensive (and enterprise-focused) version running Windows 7.

Posted by Lee Pender on August 23, 20100 comments


Microsoft Releases Azure Security Resources

This actually happened last week, but in case you hadn't heard about it...

Posted by Lee Pender on August 23, 20100 comments


Microsoft Office Still Rules

It's really pretty amazing that despite the presence of plenty of cheap (or free) alternatives, expensive and bloated Microsoft Office still rules the desktop -- but it does. There's a lot to be said for familiarity, we suppose.

Posted by Lee Pender on August 23, 20101 comments


Intel Snaps Up McAfee

Here's a quick back-to-school pop quiz. Choose the best answer.

Intel is: 
a) a chip maker
b) a software company
c) a security company
d) all of the above

As of this week, the best answer is d). Intel is buying McAfee for $7.68 billion. That's right; the 'tel in the famous Wintel partnership now has a massive security presence.

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Posted by Lee Pender on August 19, 20102 comments


Go Google Yourself

Do you like what you see? (Oh, and don't pretend that you don't Google, or at least Bing, yourself. We all do. It's only natural.)

Why on earth are we talking about this? Well, it's late August, and there's not much else to talk about. But, beyond that, The Wall Street Journal published an interview this week with Google CEO Eric Schmidt that had some interesting stuff in it.

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Posted by Lee Pender on August 19, 20101 comments


Password Crackers Thrive on GPUs

Here's a pretty interesting story that (once again) pounds home a theme: Come up with long, complex passwords. Of course, our password for everything is "RCPU." Just kidding. Or are we...?

Posted by Lee Pender on August 19, 20100 comments


Microsoft Releases Small Business Server Preview

This is that 'Aurora' thing you've been hearing so much about. Or if you haven't, check this out.

Posted by Lee Pender on August 19, 20100 comments


Wired Says the Web Is Dead

This isn't exactly right in RCPU's wheelhouse (whatever that is), but Wired magazine's assertion that the Web is dead -- having given way to apps -- still makes for pretty interesting reading. Plus, there's a cool chart. Will we look back on the browser someday with faint nostalgia? Do we already?

Posted by Lee Pender on August 18, 20100 comments


Microsoft Releases 'Vail' Preview

It's hard to think of a ski resort in the middle of summer, but Microsoft has nevertheless chosen to release a preview of Windows Home Server, code-named 'Vail' to test participants.

Posted by Lee Pender on August 18, 20100 comments


HP Makes Boring News with Fortify Acquisition

So, this morning, when your editor saw an e-mail from his colleague, Jeff Schwartz, with "HP" in the subject line, he naturally thought, "Yes! Another Mark Hurd story! Thank you, HP, for this gift that keeps on giving."

Alas, Jeff's story was "only" about HP buying a company called Fortify, a security-software company that... Oh, never mind. Our heart's not in it. Just when news in the dog days of summer was starting to dry up like the Red Sox' playoff chances, Hurd came along like a cool rain on yet another 90-plus-degree day.

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Posted by Lee Pender on August 18, 20100 comments