Windows Vista was released by Microsoft early this year and is the latest in a long line of desktop operating systems, surprisingly Microsoft have already released a shipping date for its successor called “Windows 7” formally code named “Vienna”

At the annual Microsoft’s Global Exchange sales conference in Orlando last week, Microsoft gave preliminary information out about “Windows 7,” stating that a 32 and 64 bit version with consumer and bossiness editions is expected to be available in 2010, leaving about a three-year development period. My understanding is that Microsoft is also considering how to make “Windows 7” a subscription-based service as well as a standalone product

Whether this date is achieved is another matter as Windows Vista arrived several years behind schedule and is still considered by many including myself as unstable to deploy in a working environment.

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Further to my news article on 28 June 2007 about the proposed new Windows Server 2008 track. Microsoft are now inviting existing Windows Server 2003 MCSA and MCSE qualified individuals to participate in the beta test program for exams:

• 71-648: TS: Transitioning your MCSA on Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008 Technology Specialist

• 71-649: TS: Transitioning your MCSE on Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008 Technology Specialist.

The beta exam period runs until August 3 2007, the exams last 4 hours and are available at no charge. On passing the beta exam, credit will be added to your transcript and you will not need to take the exam in its released form.

For more information with registration details please Click Here

Trika Harms zum Spreckel from the Marketing Communications team of Microsoft Learning has stated in her blog that Microsoft are developing a new “lifecycle” policy for their new generation of certification exams which will take effect in around two years

As I understand it holders of the new Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) certification will have to take a refresh exam every three years to maintain their certification. This will bring Microsoft in line with other certification vendors such as Cisco Systems which have had this policy in place for some time

The Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certification will be retired when mainstream product support for the particular technology expires.

Existing MCP, MCSA and MCSE certificate holders on Windows NT4, 2000 and 2003 will retain these certifications

I have recently been asked about Fast User Switching by some of my students. This short article has been written for those who are beginners to Windows XP Professional and want to learn more about Fast User Switching.

What is Fast User Switching?

Fast User Switching is a feature that allows fast switching between different users on the same computer, without actually logging off the previous user and closing any running programs This feature is useful at home when you share the same computer with other family members but it is not normally enabled in a working environment

Where do I enable Fast User Switching?

The first step is to check if fast user switching is enabled to achieve this open the control panel (category view) and select the User Accounts icon

From the User Accounts Window click on User Accounts under “or pick a Control Panel Icon” shown in the following screen shot

The existing user accounts will be displayed to you. In this example there is a user called Karen with administrative rights and a user called Fred with limited access as shown in the following screen shot

Click on the option to “change the way users log on or off” this will display the following screen

Fast User Switching and the Windows Welcome screen are enabled. Options can be disabled by un-checking the relevant boxes

Using Fast User Switching

The following exercise has been written to show how Fast User Switching can be used

1. You should be logged on as the user with your name in this example - Karen.
2. Open some applications, e.g. Notepad, WordPad, Command Prompt, from the Start > All Programs > Accessories menu.
3. Now log on using another user account name, in this example - Fred, by selecting Start > Log off > Switch User. (You can also do this by pressing and holding down the Windows logo key and then the ‘L’ key.)
   
4. You should again see the two user accounts on the screen.
5. Log back on by clicking the icon against Fred’s name. You should be able to log on without providing a password.
6. Open some applications, and then log back on as Karen using Start > Log off > Switch User, and clicking on the icon by your own name. Note that on the Welcome screen, you will see how many applications each user has running.
7. You should now be logged back on as Karen, and you should see the original applications are still open.
8. You can also switch users by pressing CTRL + Alt + Del. This will open the Task Manager application and display the Users tab.
9. Highlight the ‘Active’ user and click Disconnect. (Note that the Logoff option will close all programs and log off the current user, rather than off user ‘switching’.)
10. Click Yes to confirm that you want to disconnect this user. The Welcome screen is now displayed.

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NOTE: if you had clicked Logoff and not Disconnect, the current active user will be logged off and all his/her applications would be closed.

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To those who asked I hope this answers your questions

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Microsoft have announced through the MCP Web site that from the 1 January 2008 test takers will have to register to take Microsoft certification and Dynamics exams worldwide through Thomson Prometric. Pearson Vue will only be able to offer these exams until 31 December 2007 with the last registration date of 31 August 2007

Microsoft has posted an FAQ that explains further details, including how Vue exam vouchers can be exchanged later on for Prometric vouchers.

From a personal perspective I am sorry that Microsoft have made this decision, I have taken exams both at Thomson Prometric and Pearson Vue but I have found that some centers are not located locally meaning longer travel times to take an exam, have limited facilities or are only available with limited opening times

Microsoft’s decision follows the recent announcement by Pearson VUE that from August 1 2007 Pearson VUE will be the primary vendor of Cisco certification exams worldwide. For more details Click Here

The “2008 Global Launch Wave” was announced by Kevin Turner at yesterdays Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in Denver.

What is this? well February 27 2008 will herald the release of a number of new Microsoft products at an event in Los Angeles. These will include:

• Windows Server 2008 - currently in beta 3 testing

• Visual Studio 2008 – code-named “Orcas” currently in beta 1

• SQL Server 2008. - code-named “Katmai”, currently at the Community Technology Preview (CTP) stage

Marking this date as one of the most important in Microsoft’s history Click Here for more information

Most companies understandably wait for the release of the first service pack before upgrading their computers to a new Operating System, this normally ensures that a number of bug fixes are available during deployment

Mary Jo Foley, who reports about Microsoft for ZDNet has predicted that the beta 1 version of Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows Vista should be released later next week (16 July 2007), with the final version available provisionally November 2007 to conincide with the RTM of Windows Server 2008, this is a relatively short timescale as previous Microsoft Windows service packs have been in beta for around a year.

For more information Click Here