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2nd Hand Desktop Computers For Sale

Published on 2008-09-02 14:39:30

We currently have 3 good condition 2nd hand computers for sale, they are all12-18 months old and good specification. They would be ideal home\business machines for tasks such as word processing, internet use, emails, picture editing etc. They are all roughly the same: Acer PC, Intel Pentium 4 3GHz, 512MB RAM, 80GB, CDRW&DVD-Rom, Windows XP, Keyboard & Mouse, 17" Acer TFT Monitor £180 ex vat per machine. More information available on request including pictures and they can be seen working before buying.

Microsoft Faces Second Lawsuit

Published on 2008-09-02 13:57:11

Microsoft is facing a second lawsuit over its Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) anti-piracy program. WGA checks that the Windows operating system running on a machine has a valid licence, but internet bulletin boards have been packed with criticism of the program, claiming it is full of bugs. Microsoft also recently downloaded the program onto users’ desktops after describing the software as an essential security update, which has angered some users. Users have also complained that WGA has activated pop-ups on their screens, claiming they are running illegal copies of Windows, when they are not. The latest WGA class-action suit filed in the US District Court of Seattle has Engineered Process Controls LLC and Univex Inc as its plaintiffs, along with individuals Edward Misfud, David DiDomizio and Martin Sifuentes. The individuals are listed as owners of licensed copies of Windows XP running WGA. The lawsuit alleges that WGA is a spyware program and that Microsoft misled users by labelling it as a critical security update. The plaintiffs also claim that Microsoft did not make users aware that WGA frequently contacted its central servers to relay information on users’ machines. If an operating system is found to be invalid by WGA, Microsoft blocks software upgrades to the machine’s OS. The lawsuit is demanding unspecified damages, and calls for the company to warn users of the risks from using WGA, as well as producing a tool to remove it from users’ machines. Microsoft has so far not responded to the lawsuits, but maintains that WGA is bug-free, and that the licence that comes with WGA makes clear what it is.

Internet Explorer 8 Causes Issues

Published on 2008-09-02 13:56:20

Microsoft is warning that some users will be unable to revert to an older version of its Internet Explorer browser if they upgrade to version 8. In a blog posting, Redmond said that users who were running Windows XP Service Pack 3 would be unable to remove the browser and install a previous version. The issue arises when a user installs the SP3 update if they have previously installed the first beta release of Internet Explorer 8. After installing the recently-released Beta 2 version of IE8, the user will be unable to revert to older versions of IE. The problem does not affect future upgrades. Although most users would not seek to revert to older versions of software, the issue could potentially affect the work of developers and beta testers of systems in businesses. To avoid the issue, Microsoft says XP users who have installed SP3 after the IE8 beta 1 release should manually uninstall the browser. Users of other operating systems are being advised to do the same, although there have been no reports of other operating systems being affected by the downgrade issue. The problem first came to light this May, with SP3 also preventing IE7 users reverting to IE6.

Touch Screen Version Of Windows

Published on 2008-09-02 13:55:26

Microsoft have demonstrated their next version of Windows, which includes a Multi-Touch interface. This method of control has appeared on many electronic devices recently, most notably on the Apple iPhone: "Scheduled for release in 2009 the new fingertip interface lets users enlarge and shrink photos, trace routes on maps, paint pictures or play the piano. Speaking at the All Things Digital conference in San Diego, the Microsoft Chairman said Windows 7 would incorporate new forms of communication and interaction. Chief executive Steve Ballmer described the limited demo of the multi touch screen at the conference as "a small snippet" of the next version of Windows after admitting he wants "to do better" than Vista. Even though Vista has suffered from a poor public image and a lukewarm welcome from many firms and users, Mr Ballmer said the company has shipped 150 million copies of the programme."

Windows XP SP3

Published on 2008-09-02 13:54:38

Microsoft has released service pack 3 for windows xp, this has several fixes included in it but also has caused some issues! S2 Computers current advice is not to upgrade to sp3 on business critical machines as it may well cause problems. It can be downloaded here http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=68c48dad-bc34-40be-8d85-6bb4f56f5110&displaylang=en.

Windows Vista SP1

Published on 2008-05-28 09:43:26

Microsoft has released service pack 1 for windows vista, this is a collection of updates which fixes alot of issues in the new operating system. Vista has taken alot of criticism, this new service pack does make it alot better but it does not fix all of its problems. When it was first released some accountants then had issues with their software not working. So its worth checking with any critical software is compatible with it before installing. I would still highly recommend it and it goes a long way to making windows vista a replacement for windows xp.

NEW Version Of AVG Free Antivirus

Published on 2008-05-28 09:38:33

Grisoft the company behind AVG antivirus have released a new free version. You may get messages popping up telling you to buy the new internet security suite that they offer. I would suggest downloading the new free version which works better and costs nothing. It can be obtained from here http://free.grisoft.com/ww.download?prd=afe Below is an independant review from vnunet which gives it 5 stars the highest rating! The word 'free' often equates to an inferior product but, in this case, there is no doubt that this is a professional product. Split into three sections and a Control Centre, AVG Anti-Virus protects against viruses in a number of key areas. The Resident Shield works in the background and checks all files and file types (including floppy disk, CD content etc.) for viruses, whilst the Email Scanner works with Microsoft Exchange and Outlook. AVG Free now comes with a link scanner. It checks search results from sites such as Google to make sure there are no malicious scripts and displays an icon to show the threat level. Active protection against malicious scripts is only available in the paid for version of AVG; the free version does no more than warn. The Boot-up Scanner operates at start-up, and checks the most important areas of a PC before you begin to use it. Every aspect of AVG's virus protection can be configured using the Control Centre, which allows you to modify a number of program settings and to schedule scans, among other things.