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Samer Chidiac's Technology Blog is his Space for Sharing News, Thoughts, Ideas, Articles & Links related to Technology.
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Hey Everyone, Today is Day 20 and the Last day of the Windows 7 | 20 4 7, it has been a long month… But an Exciting One indeed!! every weekday i was writing a Post on a feature of Windows 7 and i was also featured on the Morning Show on Radio One with Gavin Ford, 
All the innovations in Windows 7 won’t matter if the operating system doesn’t deliver on the basics. You need your PC to be reliable, responsive and safe. You want your laptop’s battery to last longer, and you need the applications and devices you depend on to work well with your PC. In other words, you want everything to “just work”—and to work how you want it to. 
Performance. Windows 7 has made significant performance improvements in how your computer starts up, shuts down and resumes from standby compared to earlier versions of Windows. Search and indexing are faster, and you can better take advantage of external USB flash memory drives to improve performance. Reliability. Reliability improvements in Windows 7 include troubleshooters to improve reliability. The end result is that your Windows 7-based PC is more resilient, so you’ll experience fewer hangs and crashes. Application Compatibility. A key engineering goal for Microsoft is software that runs on Windows Vista will run as well or better on Windows 7. And for untested or in-house developed applications, Windows 7 includes a number of in-box compatibility aids. Device Compatibility. As with software, Microsoft set an engineering goal that devices that work with Windows Vista will also work with Windows 7—and has greatly expanded the list of devices and peripherals that are being tested for compatibility. Security. Windows 7 builds upon the strong security lineage of Windows Vista and retains all of the development processes and technologies that have made Windows Vista the most secure version of the Windows client to date. From the solid security foundation of Windows Vista, Windows 7 makes significant enhancements to the core security technologies of event auditing, User Account Control, security enhanced storage devices, and improved authentication experiences. Improved Battery Life. Improvements to power management in Windows 7 will help extend the battery life of your mobile PC. For a Quick Refresher on the main features, you can watch my Remixed Overview & remember with Windows Easy Transfer, Migrating to Windows 7 is easier than Ever! 
Also Putting the Web @ Your Service with Internet Explorer 8 (IE8); IE8 is the latest web browser from Microsoft and is included in Windows 7 and is also available as a separate Download for earlier versions of windows; its main features includes search suggestions, Accelerators, Web Slices an inPrivate Browsing 
and at the end, always ask for your GENUINE COPY of Windows!! 
Enjoy Windows 7 & Cheers! SC
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Many homes now have more than one PC / Laptop. In fact, a growing % of the households in Lebanon have two or more PCs/Laptop. Very few of these households have set up a home network because it’s too complicated, so in Windows 7, it’s simpler with some improvements in connecting to a network and a new feature called HomeGroup. You know in Lebanon not so long ago, the concept of NETWORKING and NETWORK was not very common outside of the IT people, and even imagining the collaboration between different computers to share documents and connect was something very (relatively) complicated; but after a while with the spread of WI-FI in public places and also with the evolution of “Network Cafe” where friends can go and play a game Together, each from his own PC… the idea was more and amore acceptable and the request for an Easy way to Setup an Wireless network at Home and connect to a Wireless network at an airport or any WI-FI available; Improved Wireless Networking - Connecting to a wireless network is easier than ever
With Windows 7 it’s so easy to join a wireless network, I don’t need to use a wizard or even open a window. I simply click the network icon in the system tray to see a list of available networks. I then pick the network I want and click Connect. I’m ready to begin surfing the web.
The first time I connect to a new network, Windows 7 asks me if I’m at Home, Work or out in Public. Windows 7 uses this information to adjust the firewall and other security settings to suit where I’m at.
|  | | | | before going into HomeGroup, i want to share with you my Favorite feature in Windows 7 related to the Networking thing.. it’s called, Location Aware Printing :o) so you can now go to different locations and you will be able to Print to the Right Printer 
HomeGroup - Makes it easy to share media, documents and printers across multiple PCs with Simple security control If I tell Windows 7 that I’m connecting to a Home network, I’m asked if I want to join a HomeGroup. 
HomeGroup helps you set up a home network in just 3 steps, so you can share documents, pictures, videos, music, and even printers with other computers and devices. 
That’s it… Very Easy :o)… Cheers, SC
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Windows 7 also makes New things possible: There are several new features in Windows 7 that will have niche appeal - for tech or media enthusiasts and one of them is called Windows Touch.
Windows Touch With the goal of continuing to innovate on the windows platform to make everyday things easier for customers, and enable developers to create more intuitive applications, Windows 7 Touch provides customers with yet another choice in how they interact with their PC. The addition of touch computing makes interaction with the PC faster and more intuitive. Not meant to replace the mouse and keyboard, the addition of touch computing merely makes interaction with your PC and the web faster and easier. And if you want to see a Nice Demo of a Real Time Application you can check the AutoDesk demo (creators of Autocad) and how they were demoing 3d Design leveraging Multi-Touch or Windows Touch Cheers, SC
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One of the Design Goals of Windows 7 is to Enhance Security and Control. Now CONTROL is something as super important in an Enterprise world as Security… imagine how difficult the management of 100s of Computers in an enterprise or School when you don’t have any control over them and where the user can do whatever they want and install whatever application he desires on his machine… You’ve heard of different privileges & Roles like the Administrator role, the Power user etc… and also IT Administrators uses all types of methods to make sure they are in control of the IT infrastructure in their company… Now with Windows 7 & Windows Server 2008 R2 … they can even control which Version of an APP a user can run :o) using AppLocker! Windows 7 builds on the security foundation of Windows Vista and delivers increased flexibility for IT professionals responsible for securing PCs and data. AppLocker™ Windows 7 reenergizes application control policies with AppLocker: a flexible, easy to administer mechanism that allows IT professionals to specify what is allowed to run in the desktop infrastructure, and gives users the ability to run applications, installation programs and scripts that they require to be productive. As a result, IT professionals can enforce application standardization within their organization while providing improved security, as well as operational and compliance benefits. Just like you buy a car… you want to be in FULL Control of it… you would want to manage an IT Infrastructure where YOU are in CONTROL… Cheers, SC
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Well IE 8 has lots of Features and the most common new Features are the InPrivate Mode, Accelerators and WebSlices; Check out this Remixed Overview i’ve done over the Weekend; it’s just IE Scratched! Cheers, SC
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Hello There! You know Windows Internet Explorer 8 or IE8 has lots of Features and one of the most useful are the ones related to Security! Maybe The first thing you will notice when you start using IE8 is the Domain name Highlighting in the address bar, so let’s say you clicked a link that was supposed to send you to a certain website, but instead that this link sent you to a different website, with the Address Highlighting you will Notice it first :o) 
InPrivate Browsing - more privacy options when browsing IE’s Delete Browsing History can help protect your privacy after the fact – if you remember to use the feature. But what if you know you want to browse privately in advance? Let’s say I’m trying to buy a bicycle for someone special. When I activate InPrivate Browsing, Internet Explorer 8 starts a new browser window. With InPrivate Browsing I can research, compare prices, and even order the gift. My browsing history, cookies and any cached files are forgotten once I close the window. I don’t have to worry about my browsing history ruining the surprise. Now Starting an inprivate browsing session is very easy, you just click on Safety and then Inprivate Browsing 
and you will notice that the address bar will have “InPrivate” next to it 
And what happen in the InPrivate Mode… Stays in the InPrivate Mode And by the way, if you’re a parent, Parental Controls trumps this setting so you can still view history. It’s all about putting you in control. 
And one Final Thing, with Internet Explorer 8 SmartScreen Filtering you can now be notified if there’s a security threat when you are downloading a file or accessing a “Fishy” website 
Cheers, SC
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Hello There! Well for many of us who have been using computers for the past years, we don’t need a Genius in Technology to explain the evolution in personal data storage; When i was still in School my first home PC used to have a hard disk of 420 MB of space and i was like the COOLest guy in School (among the Geeks who didn’t get dates :P) and that was even less than 1 CD ROM… So now with the Evolution of Storage we talk in GIGABYTES (1000s of Megabytes) of storage or even TERABYTES (1000s of Gigabytes) of information! and relatively the external devices that can store Gigabytes of information can be very very small… so they are easy to LOSE! SO… having said that, now you can store a whole load of excel sheets, documents and files from your company on a USB Key and if you lost it and it falls into the wrong hands.. it can be seriously BAD… so you need to learn more about how Windows 7 can help you in that! BitLocker drive encryption functionality in Windows 7 delivers an improved experience for IT professionals and end users, including the ability to right-click on a drive to enable BitLocker protection, automatic creation of the required hidden boot partition, and improved key management. Windows 7 also introduces BitLocker To Go, which provides data protection for removable storage devices such as USB flash drives. BitLocker To Go gives IT professionals better control over how removable storage devices can be used. For example, IT Professionals can require data protection for writing to any removable storage device while allowing unprotected storage devices to be used in a read-only mode. Cheers, SC
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Hey there and it’s the day of the Launch! Now, with Device Stage in Windows 7, when you plug in a device it automatically identifies the device, even your specific device (color and model), and gives you specific calls to action for that particular device. It can act the source for the device documentation – reducing the need for printed paper documents and making the information consistently available in one place. Device Stage is especially powerful for multifunction devices as people can discover all the possibilities of what they can do with their device. 
With your printer, this is one place to manage print, fax, scan, copy without having to install third party software. With your phone, you can manage ring tones, sync contacts and media, and even get to the user manual. In addition to Device Stage, we have grouped all devices – everything that attached to the PC – into one location called Devices & Printers. All in one place – everything that connects to the PC system unit will appear and allow common tasks easily all in one place All device functions now in one place (e.g. scanning & faxing – fixing the Multi Function Printer/Device issue). Cheers, SC
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I was lucky to capture an interview with Maral Topalian a Microsoft MVP from Lebanon in Management Infrastructure to talk about the New Features of Windows 7 for IT Pros before she did her presentation today in the Community Night held in the Microsoft Office in Beirut; Cheers, SC
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Today is Day 13, therefore i would like to be more creative in describing the below; Windows 7 has lots of Features, some are the GOOD Features… and some are the COOL Features… and trust me there’s a difference :).. A Good Feature is one of the BASICS that is similar to the Vegetable plate that is rich with Vitamins but not necessary the most attractive platter! 
One of the GOOD features in Windows 7 is the User Account Control that falls in the Security model User Account Control (UAC) is an important security feature (it existed first in Windows Vista) which helps prevent unauthorized changes to your computer. These changes can be initiated by applications, viruses or other users. UAC makes sure these changes are made only with approval from the administrator of the computer. If these changes are not approved by the administrator, they will never be executed and the system will remain unchanged. 
In Windows Vista and Windows 7, applications run by default without any administrative permissions. They have the same permission levels as a normal user would. They cannot make any changes to the system.
When an application wants to make system changes such as: modifications which affect other users, modifications of system files and folders, installation of new software, UAC prompts the user to ask for permission. An UAC prompt in Windows 7 looks similar to the one below. 
If the user clicks on No, the change won't be performed. If the user clicks on Yes, the application received administrative permissions and is able to make system changes. These permissions will be given until the application stops running or it is closed by the user. So UAC asks for your permission before it lets programs make changes to your PC. UAC in Windows 7 works so you don’t have to choose between security and “peace and quiet” so Fewer prompts & more control over settings; Action Center includes additional settings for UAC so you can pick what works for you. I've spoken on the UAC in the “notification day” read about it here Now with one off the COOL Features… 
Personalization - It’s easy to make Windows 7 look the way you want Well let’s be fair.. the word personalizing your computer can carry a load of things in it… because once YOU started using it then it became personalized :o)… However nowadays everyone have a different STYLE and now with Windows 7 you can show this style of yours with ease… you Right Click and then PERSONALIZE… 
Everyone’s Windows desktop looks different, and most likely, you’ve changed your desktop background to fit your style. With Windows 7 you can personalize your desktop by using new shades of glass, rich backgrounds, and unique sound schemes so your PC really reflects your style. A new feature called the Desktop Background Slideshow allows you to set entire albums of photos as a rotating desktop background. When you are done customizing your background creation you can even save it so can send it to friends and family. Cheers, SC
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Put the Web @ Your Service with Internet Explorer 8 (IE8); IE8 is the latest web browser from Microsoft and is included in Windows 7 and is also available as a separate Download for earlier versions of windows; its main features includes search suggestions, Accelerators, Web Slices an inPrivate Browsing Today is about Web Slices! 
Web Slices - keep up with changes to the websites you care about most If I want to track this eBay auction to make sure I get the best deal, I can just add a Web Slice. A Web Slice allows me to view up-to-date information within a page without having to come back to website over and over. or let me give you a Lebanese Example :) of where we can use that :P in Lebanon, you find that everyone is always involved in a way in politics and NEWS is quite VERY important for Most Lebanese… and not only that… COMPARING NEWS is MUCH more important.. as they have to compare different news source for the SAME INFORMATION… so instead of opening daily 4 – 5 different websites, to check the headlines etc.. you can make it as easy as clicking few buttons on the top :o)… so wait until the News Sites implements Web Slices and you’ll have more time to work now :P and another example i use sometimes to elaborate the need to attendees in some events i speak in, is the “La Tabkha” example… here it is: in Lebanon there’s one Famous Restaurant that serves Lebanese Home Cooked Food and deliver it to your home / office, and it’s called “La Tabkha” (which is a Combination of the French “La” ( the ) and Arabic “Tabkha” (home cooked meal)) and since i spend most of my time at the office, on the road or in the Air :P, most of my food is FAST Food… so lots of the time i try to benefit from eating a home cooked meal at the office… so i go and check their website like daily to know the specials… i only go there to see 4 x 4 CM :o) … so if they have it as a Webslice… i can visit it everyday without leaving my work screen :o) … anyways maybe they will someday :P Let’s See an example of how you can add a WebSlice Go to MSN.com and click on get the MSN.com SlideShow Webslice by simply adding it from the page or from the top menu on the right. Here’s the steps on how to do so: 1– go to msn.com 
2 - From the Top Right, you will notice a Green Button 
or just hover over the center of the page and you’ll notice the green icon next to the page 
3- Click! 4- There you go :o)! 
Now you can access MSN Slideshow from anywhere (below is me accessing the Webslice while I'm on my Facebook page) 
Cheers, SC
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i got lots of positive feedbacks on my First Remix, so i decided to do another one; and there it is :o) Cheers, SC
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Hey! You know, one of the Design goals in Windows 7 Enterprise is to Make Users Productive Anywhere. Windows 7 enables end users to be productive virtually anywhere they are or where the data they need resides. And one of the main tasks that is relevant to productivity is to have access to the information that you need … WHEN YOU NEED IT… And WHEREVER IT IS … Easily in One Location :o) so Search enhancements in Windows 7 make finding information easier! Enterprise users need to access data from a variety of sources in their daily tasks. With Windows Vista®, Microsoft® introduced advanced desktop search technology, enabling users to instantly find information on their computers. With Microsoft Office® SharePoint® Server 2007 and the Enterprise Search family of products, Microsoft delivered highly secure, manageable, server-based search. Windows® 7 brings these experiences together and provides users with an improved and seamless search experience across local and networked corporate data directly within Windows Explorer. More intuitive ways to find and organize information Advancements to the Windows 7 user interface (UI) make it easier for users to quickly find what they are looking for. Recommendations based on recent searches help you narrow results to the information that matters the most to you. Libraries are a new way of accessing documents, presentations, or any type of file that might be located in different folders, on different hard drives, or even on different computers—in a single view. Windows 7 creates several default Libraries for items such as Documents and Pictures, allowing you to store and browse files in an optimal way. You can also create custom Libraries. For example, Libraries can be created per project to provide one entry point under which you can organize, access and search files spread across multiple locations. 
Search a variety of locations from a unified interface with Search Federation Windows 7 enables users to search remote document repositories, SharePoint sites, and Web applications as easily as they search their desktops—through the familiar Windows interface. Windows 7 Search Federation uses an existing public standard named OpenSearch. This enables end users to search the corporate intranet almost as easily as they can search their local files—all from within the same familiar Windows interface. Users can select which sites are available for searching, or IT can populate the list by Group Policy. Federated search results are presented in Windows explorer much like local files, with rich views, file details, and previews. Flexible search scopes Making it easy to discover and search intranet sites can help organizations maximize their return on these investments. With Enterprise Search scopes in Windows 7, IT administrators can populate links on the Start menu or in Windows Explorer. These links simplify access to the most appropriate, complete, authoritative data sources on the network. This makes content on intranet portals more discoverable and accessible. IT administrators can deploy Enterprise Search scopes on users' machines using Group Policy. Cheers, SC
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Hey, it’s Friday today and i started blogging at 7:20 AM :o).. (Way to go for the Geek Right :P) Ok so One of the Design goals of Windows 7 Enterprise is to Make Users Productive Anywhere. Windows 7 enables end users to be productive virtually anywhere they are or where the data they need resides. I Live in Country called Lebanon, and we’re famous for so many things… But i wouldn’t say that one of them is that we have Fast & Cheap Connectivity… noooooo we don’t… and you know being a TECHY Someone who travels a lot, i can SPOT the difference from being even in an airport and not yet inside that other country :o)… For me having a Fast Connectivity can have a direct impact on productivity, and there’s nothing more Frustrating in a Company than to have the IT guy say “sorry folks we’re having Slowness in the Internet today…” which means that your life is going to be miserable for the next period and sometimes even the single small task that might take 10 minutes on a regular day can take 1 hour… And what causes this sometimes is that 1 person in the company is downloading a BIG File… so imagine that 30 others are doing the same… and more and more… :o) … That’s seriously a Nightmare!! So if you’re a Bank or a big corporation and have lots of branches around the world, and you need to send a Big Presentation or video to all of your branches and every employee would want to download it; let’s see with BranchCache, every branch will cache the first download and the rest of the employees inside the branch will enjoy downloading the same file, faster and without frustration and Killing the Productivity of others un-intentionally :P.. Windows 7 introduces BranchCache, which caches content from the remote file and Web servers in the local branch network so that additional users can more quickly access this information. BranchCache supports the same network protocols that are commonly used in enterprises—namely, HTTP(S) and SMB—so that any applications based on these protocols can benefit from the technology. BranchCache also supports network security protocols (such as SSL and IPSec), helping to ensure that only authorized clients can access requested data. Here’s a Demo! (Note: To take advantage of BranchCache, IT professionals need to deploy Windows Server 2008 R2.) Cheers, SC
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