Windows Client UPDATE--April 15, 2004

This Issue Sponsored By

Windows Scripting Solutions

http://www.winscriptingsolutions.com/rd.cfm?code=fsep264xup

Implementing Client Security on Windows 2000/XP

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032248077&Culture=en-US

===============

1. Commentary: Enhance Notebook Displays with ClearType
2. News & Views: Microsoft Preps 2004 Ad Blitz for Windows XP
3. Resources
- Tip: Retain Windows Update Settings in Windows XP
- Featured Thread: Disable the Windows XP Start Menu
4. New and Improved: Create Multiple Windows Desktops on a PC==== Sponsor: Windows Scripting Solutions ====Try a Sample Issue of Windows Scripting Solutions Windows Scripting Solutions is the monthly newsletter from Windows & .NET Magazine that shows you how to automate time-consuming, administrative tasks by using our simple downloadable code and scripting techniques. Sign up for a sample issue right now, and find out how you can save both time and money. Click here! http://www.winscriptingsolutions.com/rd.cfm?code=fsep264xup

==========

==== 1. Commentary: Enhance Notebook Displays with ClearType ==== by David Chernicoff, [email protected] I configured several users' notebook PCs recently, the users complained that their screens weren't all that readable and asked me whether they could change the screen resolution. Given how bad my 40-something eyes are and because I could easily read the computer screens from more than five feet away, I was a little confused by the users' problem.My confusion stemmed partly from the fact that I'd enabled Microsoft ClearType on the computers. I've found that ClearType makes fonts much more readable on notebook PCs at all screen resolutions. I sat down with one of the complaining users and enabled and then disabled ClearType, to show her how her screen appeared at lower resolutions (most of the notebooks' displays were set at 1024 x 768, although a few were 1280 x 1024 or 1600 x 1050). She agreed that the ClearType display looked better to her, but none of my changes made the screen easier for her to read.As an experiment, I showed her the Microsoft ClearType Tuner Web site, at http://www.microsoft.com/typography/cleartype/tuner/1.htm . ClearType Tuner is an online tool that lets you select the way ClearType appears on your computer. (You must enable ClearType on your computer before you can use the tuner.) The tuner downloads a small ActiveX control and walks the user through several selection screens to tune ClearType so that it looks best to the user.While walking through the tuner selection screens, I discovered that I never picked the same screens that the other person did; I was always at least one screen away from what the user thought looked best. When we finished using the tuner, the user was much more satisfied with her screen's appearance. It looked a little blurry to me, but the whole point of tuning the display appearance is to make it work for the person who spends the day in front of it.To enable ClearType on your computer, perform the following steps:Right-click the desktop.Click Properties.Click the Appearance tab.Click the Effects button.In the "Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts" drop-down box, select ClearType. Click OK.Click Apply, and click OK.In general, ClearType works best on LCD panels (notebooks and flat-panel monitors). However, the tuning tool makes ClearType usable on some high-resolution tube displays, too. For more information about ClearType, check out http://www.microsoft.com/typography/ClearTypeInfo.mspx .

==========

==== Sponsor: Implementing Client Security on Windows 2000/XP ====Learn the requirements for securing client computers in environments where Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, and Windows NT 4.0 servers are present. You will also learn how to implement best practices for clients in extreme high-security environments. The session will discuss the use of Group Policy and Administrative Templates to secure Windows 2000 and Windows XP installations and provide guidance on software restriction policies, antivirus strategies, and distributed firewall technologies. This session also covers configuring Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer to help achieve a secure client environment. Register now!http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032248077&Culture=en-US==== 2. News & Views ==== by Paul Thurrott, [email protected] Preps 2004 Ad Blitz for Windows XP
Hundreds of millions of customers run the Windows XP client today, but enterprise adoption and retail sales have lagged. Microsoft's solution to that problem is a multipronged advertising blitz centered on the XP updates the company has released since the OS's debut 3 years ago. Microsoft wants you to know that if you haven't looked at XP lately, you might be surprised by how much the product has improved.The ad blitz will begin in June with the release of XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), one of the largest and most important updates Microsoft has ever created for any of its products. Once seen as a simple collection of bug and security fixes, XP SP2 took on new importance last summer after various high-profile virus and worm attacks. In response to those attacks, Microsoft moved the product into its main build lab and grafted to XP a slew of security-oriented updates that were originally envisioned for Longhorn, the next major Windows release.Since October 2001, Microsoft has also been busy with other XP updates. The company has released two low-priced Microsoft Plus! packs, one designed for digital media; one major Windows Media Player (WMP) release, with a second to follow this summer; a major new release of Windows Movie Maker; three Fun Packs that extend XP's digital-media experience with new capabilities, animations, graphics, and sounds; new applications such as Microsoft Windows Journal Viewer; and various Microsoft PowerToys, screensavers, and other add-ons.The company has also shipped several major new XP editions since 2001, including XP Media Center Edition (XP MCE) in two versions, with a third due in late 2004; XP Tablet PC Edition, with a second version due in June; and XP 64-bit Edition for Itanium systems, in two versions. Later this year, Microsoft will ship XP 64-Bit Edition for 64-Bit Extended Systems, which is designed for AMD Athlon and Opteron systems and Intel x86 64-bit systems.Unlike the Macintosh OS updates from Apple Computer, Microsoft's sole remaining commercial competitor in the desktop space, most of the XP updates have been free or inexpensive. Most of the software listed above is free or ships with new PCs, except for the Plus! packs, which cost roughly $20 each.Microsoft has planned more updates for late 2004, and after XP SP2 is in the can, the company will begin a marketing campaign that's designed to educate end users and IT administrators about the importance of installing XP SP2. An update to the Windows patch-management infrastructure will make it easier for customers to install security updates. Starting with XP SP2, for example, Windows Update will automatically aggregate critical updates to make them easier to download, and the system will push Automatic Updates more aggressively, advising users to not only let XP download those updates automatically but install them as well.Microsoft representatives I've spoken with have been reluctant to discuss details of the XP advertising blitz. But the campaign is expected to include refreshed XP retail boxes that will include the slogan "Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies;" retail point-of-sale, print, TV, and Web advertising; and, by late 2004, a second round of promotions based on the XP Reloaded theme. XP Reloaded, which was once to have included an interim XP version codenamed Oasis, will now concentrate on the many consumer-related updates Microsoft plans to ship in the second half of 2004, I'm told, although those plans are constantly being evaluated. The XP Reloaded promotions will coincide with the releases of XP MCE 2005 (code-named Symphony), Media Center Extender devices, Portable Media Center devices, and the next WMP version.==== Announcements ==== (from Windows & .NET Magazine and its partners)Get 2 Free Sample Issues of SQL Server Magazine! SQL Server Magazine is a must-read resource loaded with relevant information covering database modeling and design, performance tuning, security, ADO.NET, ASP.NET, XML, and the latest topics that SQL Server developers, administrators, and business-intelligence architects need to know. Try two (no-risk) sample issues today, and discover the timesaving, helpful content the magazine has to offer. Click here: http://secure.pentontech.com/nt/sql/index.cfm?promocode=fsep2144fcFree "Group Policy Catalog" When You Attend "Group Policy--Why Management Matters in Your Enterprise" While Active Directory Group Policy plays a crucial role in helping you comply with industry regulations and reduce the total cost of managing end users and desktops, you must also find a managed way to distribute Active Directory security. Join us for this Web seminar with Jeremy Moskowitz and Indy Chakrabarti for an in-depth discussion about Group Policy and why to use it. Register now!http://www.winnetmag.com/seminars/grouppolicy/index.cfm?code=emailanncAttend Microsoft Tech Ed 2004 Tech Ed 2004 -- May 23-28, 2004 in San Diego, CA -- the definitive Microsoft conference for building, deploying, securing and managing connected solutions. You'll find specific IT tracks on Architecture, Security, Operations, and more. Plus, meet tech gurus, preview products, and network with experts and peers. Register Now. http://clk.atdmt.com/DDB/go/wndwiit400100057ddb/direct/01==== 3. Resources ====Tip: Retain Windows Update Settings in Windows XP (contributed by David Chernicoff, [email protected])Every now and then I hear from someone whose Windows XP system seems to have lost the ability to retain the personalizations that the user has set for the Microsoft Windows Update service. Although not fatal, the behavior is certainly annoying. You can usually fix the problem by performing the following steps:In Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), click Tools, Internet Options.Click the Security tab.Click Internet (if it isn't already selected).Click Custom Level.Scroll down to Userdata persistence (two entries above Scripting) and select the Enable radio button. Click OK.Click OK, and click OK again.Close and restart IE.Featured Thread: Disable the Windows XP Start Menu Forum participant "Cuda" wants to know how to lock down the Start menu on a Windows XP system. If you can help, join the discussion at the following URL:http://www.winnetmag.com/Forums/messageview.cfm?catid=36&threadid=119600==== Events Central ==== (A complete Web and live events directory brought to you by Windows & .NET Magazine: http://www.winnetmag.com/events )New Web Seminar--Preemptive Email Security: How Enterprise Rent-A-Car Eliminates Spam Get the inside scoop on how Enterprise Rent-A-Car eliminated spam and viruses, improved its email security, and increased productivity. Don't miss this opportunity to educate yourself and become a smarter customer when it comes to choosing an antispam solution that best fits your organization's needs. Sign up for this free Web seminar today!http://www.winnetmag.com/seminars/emailsecurity/index.cfm?code=emailannc==== 4. New and Improved ==== by Anne Grubb, [email protected] Multiple Windows Desktops on a PC
Gamers Tower has released Multi Desktop 2003 for Windows 1.6, a desktop management program for Windows 2003/XP/2000/NT that lets you create an unlimited number of independent desktops on a PC. Each desktop can use a different display resolution, store different icons and files, and be assigned to one or more users. You can also assign common tasks to each desktop. Users can quickly switch between desktops through hot keys or an icon in the system tray. You can use Multi Desktop 2003's capabilities to let multiple users easily share one system and have individualized desktops or create a variety of custom desktops for different purposes. Multi Desktop 2003 is priced starting at $24.95. For more information, contact Gamers Tower at [email protected] . http://www.gamerstower.comTell Us About a Hot Product and Get a T-Shirt! Have you used a product that changed your IT experience by saving you time or easing your daily burden? Tell us about the product, and we'll send you a Windows & .NET Magazine T-shirt if we write about the product in a future Windows & .NET Magazine What's Hot column. Send your product suggestions with information about how the product has helped you to [email protected]. ==== Sponsored Links ====- Argent
Comparison Paper: The Argent Guardian Easily Beats Out MOMhttp://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;6480843;8214395;q?http://www.argent.com/products/download_whitepaper.cgi?product=mom&&Source=WNTTextLink - Microsoft(R) TechNet
Microsoft(R) TechNet Webcasts: essential guidance, industry expertshttp://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;7759917;8214395;c?http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/webcasts/default.mspx- Microsoft Security
Knowledge Improves Security. Visit www.securitywhitepaper.com .http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;7836244;8214395;r?http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;7812558;9026172;o?http://www.securitywhitepaper.com

==========

==== Contact Us ====
About the newsletter -- [email protected]
About technical questions -- http://www.winnetmag.com/forums
About product news -- [email protected]
About your subscription -- [email protected]
About sponsoring UPDATE -- [email protected]

===============

This email newsletter is brought to you by Windows & .NET Magazine, the leading publication for IT professionals deploying Windows and related technologies. Subscribe today.

http://www.winnetmag.com/sub.cfm?code=wswi201x1z

Manage Your Account
You are subscribed as #EmailAddr#.

You received this email message because you requested to receive additional information about products and services from the Windows & .NET magazine Network. To unsubscribe, send an email message to mailto:[email protected]. Thank you!

View the Windows & .NET Magazine Privacy policy at

http://www.winnetmag.com/AboutUs/Index.cfm?action=privacy

Windows & .NET Magazine is a division of Penton Media Inc.
221 East 29th Street, Loveland CO 80538
Attention: Customer Service Department

Copyright 2004, Penton Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.