SuperSite Blog

Paul your out of bandwidth on box.net. Any chance you will upload the theme packs to other source? The seem nice. Thanx.

Dang, you're right. Out if bandwidth. I was trying to get the coffee theme. I'm sure Paul put it there for me:)

Box said:

"NO SOUP FOR YOU"

Out of Bandwidth..

;-)

D/C

Your right I was going for the coffee pic's as well..

YAWNNNNNNN!!!!!!

Dooughhhnuuuuttzzzzzzz...

;-)

Is it the bizarro world and the band continuing to play on the Titanic? Microsoft has massive layoffs and Paul had coverage of 4 new "theme packs" for an unreleased version of WIndows.

Wow. Talk about denial.

www.computerworld.com/.../article.do

@chuckb84 - You are aware that Paul also writes here - windowsitpro.com/windowspaulthurrott - right? He covered both Microsoft's layoffs and Apple's successful quarter there. Go there to *** about this. Same username and password are accepted.

--tayme

Chuckb84... This site is dedicated to the future of Windows. Oh, and don't be surprised to discover there are already a million people using the Windows 7 Beta, btw.  The only one in denial here is you, apparently. Please give it a rest.

Everyone else... Am uploading the themes to SkyDrive. Didn't realize bandwidth would be an issue on box.net. Sorry about that,

Paul

@Paul - Just curious...are you limiting your Apple related posts to WinInfo, now? You might want to be specific, as the Apple trolls are sure to call you on it later. Not that it will matter, though...they'll dog you anyway.

--tayme

Nice themes. I particularly like the London one. The only thing further that I have to add to the discussion on themes at this time is that the themepacks are re-extensioned .cab files, rather than .zip.  This distinction doesn't really mean much  (most unarchivers can extract cabs [and windows 7 can even view their contents all by itself, albeit without folder organization]) except that it is much harder to make them without the use of the "save as themepack" tool (but why would you want to do that anyway?).

Paul,

"This site is dedicated to the future of Windows". Oh, yes, of course:

The Plot to Kill Google

Rotten Reporting about Apple

The Apple iTunes Tax

Onion spoofs Apple: The Macbook Wheel

Apple Tax 2.0

Apple: Our advertising is clearly bull@#$%. Clearly.

Apple forced to drop iPhone ad in the UK

$500 million in advertising??? Did I use the Jump the Shark joke already?

Why Opera Didn't Make It on the iPhone

Apple is evil, part 227

Oh, yah, "the future of Windows". Sure it is.

It's your blog, but don't pretend that it's something it isn't. The "future of Windows"

Man....

@chuckb84 - You could always, oh..I don't know...not read it if you don't like it.

It's your time to waste, but don't pretend that you aren't doing something that you are - Trolling.

Man....

--tayme

Why is it that this comment section always manages to become a Microsoft-Apple (or sometimes Microsoft-Google, but far less often) fanboy battleground within the first 10 posts?  Isn't it supposed to be a discussion of the blog posts below which the comments appear?  Don't these types of arguments belong on a forum somewhere?  (I for one would throw my lot in with Microsoft [i]which is why I'm reading a blog on a site called "SuperSite for Windows"[/i])

"Is it the bizarro world and the band continuing to play on the Titanic?"

chuckb84, would you please stop behaving like robertsjoe!

Talking about Titanic, Paul doesn't have a post about Slumdog Millionaire's Oscar nominations either. What's the deal with that?

Paul,

Thanks for the themes.  Nice stuff on Windows Weekly.  

@Chuckb84,

Its uncool when any company has to layoff anyone.  While I may disagree with Paul here and there when he rips on Apple.

I sure don't want to read more than I have to about  Microsoft having to lay people off anymore that I want to read about Mr. Jobs private health issues.  Both are uncool and just brings people down.  

Yawn!

Very nice job!!

@chuckb84 me and thousands of other people visit Paul's blog each day to find out information on the latest version of Windows.

So what if Paul talks about apple, its his blog, his community and his thoughts. I know if you wrote comments like that my blog I would be calling you all the names under the sun, but because its not and I understand how to RESPECT another peoples site and im sure i speak for many when I say I shut up.

"This site is dedicated to the future of Windows."

"me and thousands of other people visit Paul's blog each day to find out information on the latest version of Windows."

Yet thousands of others get the picture. This site is dedicated to what Paul would like the future of Windows to be and thousands of people visit the blog to read preferably happy news about Windows platform, spiced with some Google/Apple/Linux/etc. bashing and fud. Thus no mention of the layoffs, return of DRM on MSN mobile or Conficker taking us all the way back to year 2000.

@mum: "Yet thousands of others get the picture. This site is dedicated to what Paul would like the future of Windows to be and thousands of people visit the blog to read preferably happy news about Windows platform, spiced with some Google/Apple/Linux/etc. bashing and fud."

And those "thousands" have been complaining for years now but never seem to stop reading.

Look, Paul writes about what he writes about. If you don't think he's fair, big deal, there's no reason for him to be fair here.

How many times do you want him to write about layoffs at Microsoft? If you can't get enough of the news of the layoffs, a lot of sites are talking about them. Go read those articles. And please take robertsjoe along!

One thing I wish Paul would do would be to clearly define which part talks about what.  Sometimes I see things here that make more sense on WIndowsITPro, and sometimes I see things there that I think make more sense here.

At the end of the day, it is Paul's blog, and it is quite easy to not read him anymore if you are unsatisfied with the coverage he provides or his opinions.

shark47  said:

Look, Paul writes about what he writes about. If you don't think he's fair, big deal, there's no reason for him to be fair here.'

********************************************

I have no problem with Paul not being fair. I do have a problem with the claim that it is fair when clearly its not.

"I have no problem with Paul not being fair. I do have a problem with the claim that it is fair when clearly its not. "

But fair is not some dictionary definable term.  What he thinks is fair is what some others think is fair, but not all will agree with his interpretation of fair.

To all those affected by this economic downturn, may you all find a speedy recovery to improve your lives and return the entire nation and world to prosperity and peace. In other words, live long and proper!

Doc

Paul,

Thanks for the themes.  Keep up the great coverage of Microsoft products and technologies.

"Paul doesn't have a post about Slumdog Millionaire's Oscar nominations either."

That's because if he did, the Benjamin Button Jihadists would be out in force pointing out that "their" movie garnered more nominations. "Slumdog" cabalists would point out that the titles for their movie were rendered using Windows software, while "Buttonites" would point to compositing of scenes using Apple's Shake*.

Paul would have to shut down comments for the post, and the whole thing would begin anew when he puts up a new post about how wonderful European coffee is.

The man just can't win.

* I made that sh1t up, so don't correct me if I'm wrong.

Woo boy. :)

So... Just intended this to be some nice photos for you guys to enjoy. For some reason it has devolved into a discussion of perceived bias in what I do and do not cover. So. Let me explain.

SuperSite for Windows. The main site is for software and hardware products reviews and articles, mostly. That's "the future of Windows": The stuff that is coming down the road. Sometimes I'll editorialize (problems with the Windows 7 taskbar, "Is Windows Broken," etc.) but, hey, it's a one man show. The opinion is in there. You can call it fair or unfair. I've been doing the SuperSite for over 10 years.

WinInfo: Daily news and information. That's where I cover the Microsoft layoffs, Apple news, etc. Since 1994.

SuperSite Blog: Information related to Windows/Microsoft that I find of interest but doesn't necessarily require a full-length formal article. A place to link to what others are writing about the relevant topics as well. You know, a blog. The blog is quick and dirty and not edited in any way. You know, like a blog. I've been blogging since 2001, first at the Nexus and more recently here.

Windows IT Pro. In the print magazine, I write a column called "Need to Know." This is usually 1-3 products, and is rarely reprinted on the SuperSite. I've been writing for the print magazine since early 2000.

Windows IT Pro UPDATE. A free weekly email newsletter that is IT-related. I often republish those commentaries on the SuperSite, because they are often relevant to this audience. (i.e. are related to Microsoft products.) I've been writing UPDATE since August 1999.

Those are my primary modes of work-based communication. I also post to Twitter, but that could be anything and is often more personal. One thing I have always done in my writing--dating back to 1994 or so--is include non-Microsoft news and information because I feel that while it's easy to put the blinders on and only focus on one company or technology (Microsoft/Windows), there's a big world out there. And what happens with Linux, Apple, Sun, Palm, Sony, whatever is relevant. Especially but not necessarily if they compete with Microsoft.

Why this isn't obvious is unclear to me, but I guess sometimes you have to spell it out. Especially given that this conversation is occurring in a post about free photos and themes. Geesh.

"Why this isn't obvious is unclear to me, but I guess sometimes you have to spell it out. Especially given that this conversation is occurring in a post about free photos and themes. Geesh."

Ya, so don't go makin' a grown man cry, goshdarnit!

:P

(kidding)

Paul very thanks for the beatifull new Windows 7 theme packs

@Paul - That is how I have seen it since right after Windows 95 was released. I wasn't involved in IT professionally until about '98 (career change), but read your stuff  before that as a hobbyist. I have always gained a lot of insight into the industry from your stuff and consider you to be one of the reasons for my career change. Reading your stuff, both the good and bad, taught me to love IT and gadgets - much to the chagrin of my wife. I would like to personally and publicly thank you for that! I try to be a realist, and I understand the value of all of the players. I have made it pretty obvious lately that I think that blind devotion to a single OS is simple minded...even though at one point, I was among the strongest of Windows only supporters. I will make every attempt to tone down my rhetoric(hey, I spelled it right, Wae) on your site and get back to the discussion of gadgets, technology and the IT industry.

Thanks for providing all of the information over the years...and keep it up!!!

--tayme

That said...has anybody else had problems with corruption of the 32 bit W7 iso? I have downloaded and burned it to DVD multiple times on multiple computers - both Vista and OS X. Every time, it either stops partway through the download or I get it burned to disk and installation fails with various errors - all pointing to missing or corrupt files. The 64 bit downloaded fine on the first attempt and I am going to attempt to get it installed via bootcamp on my MBP this weekend.

--tayme

"That said...has anybody else had problems with corruption of the 32 bit W7 iso? I have downloaded and burned it to DVD multiple times on multiple computers - both Vista and OS X."

I never burned it to a DVD. I used SlySoft Virtual CloneDrive - Wae had recommended it some time ago.

"has anybody else had problems with corruption of the 32 bit W7 iso?"

No.  I downloaded mine from Connect, which uses the Microsoft FTM software ("file transfer manager"?).  It worked the first time, and every time after that (I did about 5 downloads in total).

"I used SlySoft Virtual CloneDrive"

Good call.  No daemon bungware with that one.

""I used SlySoft Virtual CloneDrive""

I remember that...and even downloaded it, but I haven't tried it that way yet. I'll give that a go. That should tell me if my download is corrupt or if I'm just getting bad burns...

--tayme

Have you checked the hash of the download to make sure it is correct?

My Win7 iso's failed during download as well, until I got them from Microsoft File Transfer Manager.  It worked correctly the first time using FTM.

"Have you checked the hash of the download to make sure it is correct?"

Yup...did that and burned the DVD on the slowest possible speed, too. Probably the cheap, crappy disks that I have...I'll try to mount the iso using SlySoft to see how it comes out.

--tayme

"Probably the cheap, crappy disks that I have..."

Verbatim discs have always proven to be the best quality and the most compatible for different drives.  You have to look for the Advanced AZO DVD+R models - they have the extra scratch coatings on both sides of the disc (even under the label which most others don't have) and have the better recording material than most others.  You'll often pay a premium for them though.

Memorex, Maxell, and even Fujifilm all seem to burn well in various burners too in my experience.

And +R's have advanced error-checking as part of the spec.  -R's don't.

Oh, and if you buy Verbatim CD's, do yourself a favour and splurge on the few extra pennies for the DataLifePlus ones, not just the plain ones.

I agree with Wae on Verbatim media. We've been using them for what seems like aeons because of their reliability.

Whenever we're forced to do a CD or DVD master to disk, rather than as an image, we always use them, and have never had a fault.

OT, but still relevant: David Pogue responded to accusations of being a Vista hater over at Ed Bott's blog:

www.edbott.com/weblog

I agree with Ed Bott's follow up comment, though.

For the ultimate in DVD reliability, I use Taiyo Yuden media

club.cdfreaks.com/.../taiyo-yuden-faq-178622.

"Whenever we're forced to do a CD or DVD master to disk, rather than as an image, we always use them, and have never had a fault."

They also have DVD-R's for authoring too.

@dip:

Yup, Taiyo Yuden have been branded as Verbatim before.

Apologises for my last comment, had a bad day, i may have said to much. Anyhow thanks for the themes Paul as a Brit im loving the London theme.

What do you mean they have DVD-Rs for authoring, Wae?

If we burn our own premasters to a disc, rather than sending an image file as a DDP, then we always use Verbatim.

The key point about discs is the quality of the recording surface (which means the material that they use), as well as the quality of the other materials that they sandwich together to make a whole disc.  Verbatims have the extra scratch guard layers, and the Azo recording surface is top notch.  Only Verbatim uses Azo.

"What do you mean they have DVD-Rs for authoring, Wae?"

They have a higher-quality recording surface than day-to-day usages require.  They use Metal Azo as do many of the other premium discs that they carry for archival music and movie jobs.  Standard discs use "Advanced Azo" instead.  They are also DVD-R only, because image data for DVD-ROM master duplication can only be burned on DVD-R discs (DVD-ROM's aren't burned, they're pressed, and DVD+R's aren't compatible with the majority of dupe machines).

www.verbatim.com/.../detail.cfm

"You have to look for the Advanced AZO DVD+R models..."

That's great if you're burning data, but you're better off with "-R" for video.

Here's a comprehensive overview:

en.kioskea.net/.../dvdrom.php3

"Generally speaking, the address method used by DVD+R (phase modulation) has a higher resistance to electromagnetic disturbances than the pre-pit method. When writing a disc, the write head must also read the pre-pits in order to position the data in the right place. Thus, the light emitted by the laser may cause disturbances.

"What's more, given the period which corresponds to the length of a pre-pit (T1), the pre-pits are much harder to detect when the disc is being read more quickly. So it's not surprising that the first 16x burner on the market was DVD+RW.

"This is why the DVD+R(W) format, for more recent technological specifications, offers better performance as well as additional features. On the other hand, DVD-R(W) has been ratified by the DVD Forum and was the first format used, so the majority of DVD drives (and especially DVD players) are compatible with it.

"Most DVD burners support both formats. In conclusion, given that it is more compatible with standalone DVD players, DVD-R(W) is preferred for creating Video DVDs, while DVD+R(W) is superior for creating data discs."

"This is why the DVD+R(W) format, for more recent technological specifications, offers better performance as well as additional features. On the other hand, DVD-R(W) has been ratified by the DVD Forum and was the first format used, so the majority of DVD drives (and especially DVD players) are compatible with it.

"Most DVD burners support both formats. In conclusion, given that it is more compatible with standalone DVD players, DVD-R(W) is preferred for creating Video DVDs, while DVD+R(W) is superior for creating data discs."

DVD players now all support + discs.  It's not an issue.  I would rather have video on a + disc because of the extra error checking that drives do with + discs.  Drives don't handle - discs the same way.  What that means is that minor surface scratches on a - disc can more easily throw off a player than it would on a + disc, which means the - disc can give you more frequent pausing or skipping in the video.

DVD+:  "the specifications provide for a check to run in the background, in order to check errors found on the disc while the reader is inactive. The user can still read the disc or eject it at any time; if this happens, the error check will continue where it left off as soon as the player is idle again."

That's why I recommend DVD+ over DVD- every time.  Compatibility would've been an issue 5-6 years ago, but it certainly isn't now.

The only time I would recommend a - is for authoring for dupe'ing to DVD-ROM.

"Compatibility would've been an issue 5-6 years ago, but it certainly isn't now."

You'd be surprised. I only use Verbatim "-R" discs for video; I've had way too many problems with "+R" discs being returned. YMMV, but I stand by what I said.

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Wae, you're telling me stuff I already know, and I think you're missing the point that our masters, and many other people's masters don't go on a DVD or CD at all until the manufacturing process.

It's not like we just make a DVD-R, pop it in the post and say, copy this please.

"I think you're missing the point that our masters, and many other people's masters don't go on a DVD or CD at all until the manufacturing process.  It's not like we just make a DVD-R, pop it in the post and say, copy this please."

Some do - that's what the Verbatim authoring discs are for.  Others can use them as cheap transport storage for the dupe files instead of DLT because of the quality of the burn surface.

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