Windows Vista Service Pack 1

It won’t be long now until Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) will become completely obsolete.
In less than one month, Vista SP1 will reach the end of support mark, and although the operating system will continue to run, it’s an extremely bad idea for customers to keep using this particular version of the platform.

Vista SP1 Service Pack Support End Date is July 12, 2011 according to information from the Microsoft Support Lifecycle website.

Customers still using Vista SP1 need to upgrade as soon as possible. The obvious choice is Service Pack 2, which as all upgrades go, is available free of charge.

End of support means that Microsoft will no longer provide updates for Vista SP1. While end users might learn to do without bug fixes, the software giant will also no longer patch vulnerabilities in Vista SP1 after July 12, 2011.

With no security updates, customers will have their copies of Vista completely opened to attacks leveraging new vulnerabilities discovered.

Moving onward, the Redmond company will focus exclusively on Vista SP2. At this point in time there’s no Support End Date for Vista SP2, and in the absence of another service pack, Microsoft will continue to support SP2 until the end of life of Vista itself.

At the same time, customers should also consider that Mainstream Support End Date for Windows Vista is April 10, 2012, with some editions benefiting from Extended Support until no later than April 11, 2017.

With Windows 8 over one year away, it might be a good idea for those users planning a hardware upgrade sooner, to also make the jump to Windows 7.

Microsoft has yet to announce a general availability deadline for Windows 8, but most likely the release will happen sometime in the second half of 2012.

Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 - Five Language Standalone DVD ISO (KB948465) is available for download here.

Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 - Five Language Standalone (KB948465) is available for download here.

Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 - Five Language Standalone for x64-based systems (KB948465) is available for download here.

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) RTM Build 7601.17514.101119-1850 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) RTM are available for download here.

Windows 7 RTM Enterprise 90-Day Evaluation is available for download here.

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Firefox 6.0a2 Aurora / 5.0b5 Beta / 4.0.1 / 3.6.17

The browser provides virus, popup and spyware protection in a simple, easy to use tabbed interface

The Firefox project (formerly Firebird, which was formerly Phoenix) is a redesign of Mozilla's browser component, written using the XUL user interface language and designed to be cross-platform.

Firefox is a small, fast and very easy to use browser that offers many advantages over other web browsers, such as the ability to block pop-up windows and the tabbed browsing.
Here are some key features of "Firefox":

· Comprehensive popup controls to keep unwanted advertising off your desktop;
· A tab browsing mode that lets you open several pages in a single window, allowing you to load links in the background without leaving the page you're on;
· Integrated search (powered by Google);
· Industry leading accessibility with Find As You Type - find links and page text by simply typing;
· Simplified privacy controls that let you cover your tracks more effectively;
· A streamlined browser window that lets you see more of the page than any other browser while at the same time being more configurable;
· A large variety of free downloadable extensions and themes that add specific functionality and visual changes to the browser.

Requirements:

· Pentium 233 MHz (Recommended: Pentium 500MHz or greater)
· 64 MB RAM (Recommended: 128 MB RAM or greater)
· 52 MB hard drive space

What's New in This Release: [ read full changelog ]

· Data Management Window is an experimental feature that provides control over the the access that specific websites have to your browsing data, including cookies, passwords and location information. To start testing this feature type “about:permissions” in the Awesome Bar (URL Bar).
· Add-ons Manager with Plugin Check quickly verifies the compatibility of installed plugins directly from the Add-Ons Manager.
· Panorama Groups on Demand improves browser startup time and overall experience by allowing power Panorama users to load saved tab groups only when using Panorama.
· The Scratchpad lets developers quickly build and test JavaScript snippets in the browser.
· Web Console adds the ability to move the console to other parts of the window or break out into a separate window.
· Web Developer Menu provides access to developer tools from the Firefox Aurora Menu Button
· Firefox Aurora has additional support for HTML5, DOM level 3, server-sent events, networking technologies and other tools that...

click for Downloads

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Download NVIDIA 275.33 WHQL Graphics Driver

It appears that NVIDIA has finished its latest installment of the consumer graphics driver, complete with WHQL certification and performance enhancements in several games, among other things.

NVIDIA and Advanced Micro Devices release graphics drivers once a month, as well as when they happen to unleash a new video board.

In this case, it is the former company that has presented its newest package, one that has passed all WHQL certification tests.

The main thing it does is add support for the GeForce GTX 560 graphics card which was more or less recently unveiled.

Another accomplishment is the fix to the previous driver's problem (v275.27) that caused large performance drops when playing The Witcher 2.

What's more, all 400 series and 500 series adapters should now see better frame rates during some games, like Crysis 2, Portal 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum (with PhysX High), Civilization V (with SLI) and Bulletstorm (with Antialiasing enabled).

The frame rate boosts range from 4% to 15% and are supplemented by yet another gaming performance increase (of up to 12%) on certain dual-core CPUs (in CPU-limited areas).

Meanwhile, 3D Vision game profiles are added for certain titles, while water reflection problems and better 3D vision compatibility has been provided for Portal 2 and The Witcher 2, respectively.

All in all, while all components of the driver will be updated to the newest and best versions, the new package definitely should be bale to brag more about visible gaming performance advantages.

NVIDIA has added the 275.33 WHQL Graphics Driver to its website but end-users that own a 6, 7, 8, 9, 100, 200, 300, 400, or 500-series GeForce card (or the ION GPU) can downlaod the appropriate version from one of the links below.

Nvidia GeForce Display Driver 275.33 for XP

Nvidia GeForce Display Driver 275.33 for XP64

Nvidia GeForce Display Driver 275.33 for Vista, Win7

Nvidia GeForce Display Driver 275.33 for Vista64, Win7 x64

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Office 365 Can Be Ordered by Microsoft's Volume License / Enterprise Customers

Microsoft has yet to announce the official general availability deadline for Office 365, but the company is sure getting ready to sell subscriptions.
As of today, June 1st, 2011, some of the Redmond company’s customers can start ordering the software giant’s upcoming Cloud-based productivity suite.

Microsoft’s Sjonia Harper revealed that Office 365 has been added to Microsoft's price list for customers with Volume License or Enterprise license agreements.

“Today is June 1, 2011 which means volume licensing customers can start ordering Office 365 - the next release of our hosted solutions for SharePoint, Exchange, Lync, and Office. The official launch date hasn't been announced yet, but it's very soon,” Harper revealed.

“We have offerings for Small Business and Enterprise. The beta is still open for those of you who want to try before you buy. If your organinzation has 250 seats or more, please contact your Microsoft account manager or call 1-800-426-9400 for smaller companies, you can order directly from the Office 365 Portal when it becomes available.”

Of course, volume and enterprise customers with valid agreements can work with Microsoft in order to also include Office 365 among the technologies covered by their license.

Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer revealed last week that the Redmond company is right on track to release Office 365 by the end of June 2011.

The Beta of Office 365 continues to be available for download even at this point in time, so customers interested in seeing what the Cloud productivity suite will bring to the table can take it out for a spin, so to speak.

It’s important to note that Office 365 is not a variant of the office desktop solution for the Cloud. Instead, Office 365 is a collection of services which includes: Office, Lync Online, SharePoint Online and Exchange Online.

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Windows BUILD Developer Conference – Registration Now Open

Microsoft has given green light to the registration process for its Windows BUILD developer conference which is scheduled to take place in the fall of 2011.
Some devs might be familiar with another of the company’s events reserved for them, the Professional Developers Conference, or PDC for short.

Well, they need to think of BUILD as PDC vNext. The conference is scheduled to take place between September 13 - 16 in Anaheim, California, the software giant confirmed.

“BUILD is the event for developers who want a front row seat at the industry’s first deep dive on Windows 8,” revealed S. Somasegar, Senior Vice President, Developer Division.

“It is where the full spectrum of developers - from startups and entrepreneurs to those who work for the world’s biggest enterprises – will come together to get a deeper understanding of Microsoft’s roadmap. At BUILD, Microsoft will show off the new app model that enables the creation of web-connected and services-powered apps that have access to the full power of the PC.”

Those devs that hurry up and register early will be able to benefit from a consistent discount. A Full Conference Pass costa just $1,595 if purchased prior to August 1, or $2,095 after that.

A Microsoft representative confirmed for Softpedia that BUILD will act as the stage for the industry’s first deep dive on Windows 8.

But the conference will not be focused entirely on Windows 8, with other technologies also coming into the spotlight, including Windows Azure, HTML5 support, Windows Phone, etc.

“The conference name, BUILD, reflects a call to action for the more than one hundred million developers driving the pace of technology: build experiences with the next version of Windows that will transform the computing experience for billions of people across the globe,” Somasegar added.

“Today, everyone can be a developer; the most tech-savvy generation we’ve ever seen is fueling demand for new tools and technologies. Many of the developers building web sites and apps that make an impact have no formal education in computer science or engineering. BUILD will be a gateway to new opportunity for all developers.”

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Bing “Friends Don’t Let Friends Decide Alone” Twitter Giveaway Now Live

Microsoft is attempting to create some Twitter buzz about the new social networking features that have been introduced to Bing.
In this regard, the company announced the launch of the @Bing “Friends Don’t Let Friends Decide Alone” Twitter giveaway.

The sweepstakes are focused on Twitter, even though the social features that the company is referring to are actually from Facebook.

In mid-May 2011, the software giant catalyzed a social evolution for its search / decision engine, with the addition of Facebook Features to Bing.

“Recently, we launched a fresh batch of exciting new social features. Now you can receive personalized search results based on the opinions of your friends on Facebook. To celebrate the launch, we’re giving five lucky @bing followers $100 towards a night out with friends,” a member of the Bing team said.

Facebook enhancements for Bing are designed to allow users to tap insight from friends and family, as well as from additional Facebook users when searching.

The move is illustrative of the fact that Microsoft believes search to be more than just about algorithms, enabling Facebook data to influence the results returned to users, and allowing them to make better decisions based on the information they share with friends.

“Today (June 1st), we’re going to tweet a question from the @bing Twitter handle asking what decisions you make with your friends. All you have to do to be eligible to win is reply to the question and include the #decisions hashtag,” the Bing team representative added.

“Of the people who reply with an answer along with the #decisions hashtag, we’ll randomly select 5 lucky winners during the following time period: Noon – Midnight ET (9am – 9pm PT) on June 1st. Good luck and let the tweeting begin! Be sure to Retweet and tell all your friends so you can guilt them into spending that $100 with you if they win.”

Users should read the Official Rules and some are bound to be disappointed seeing as participation in the sweepstakes is limited to US citizens.

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Windows 8 Partner Preview at Computex

Microsoft will hold a Windows 8 Partner Preview event at the Computex technology conference in Taipei, Taiwan, according to sources familiar with the company’s plans.
In all fairness, I’ve told you since last month that the software giant was planning something juicy and possible Windows 8 related at Computex.

It appears that my source was right on the money with this one, however, I did not manage to get any additional details on Microsoft’s plans for Computex related to Windows 8.

All I know is that the software giant continues to keep mum on all details related to the next iteration of the Windows platform.

I also know that the event, which will be hosted by Steve Guggenheimer, Corporate Vice President, Original Equipment Manufacturer Division is quite exclusive, and access is permitted by invitation only.

Neither am I in the possession of such an invitation, nor at Computex, so I’ll not be attending. Had I attended the hardware and device event, I have a feeling that things would have been a tad different.

Also, there’s the possibility that details about Windows 8, which Microsoft insists on calling Windows vNext, will be unveiled a tad earlier than the Partner Preview event at the Computex.

Steven Sinofsky, President, Windows and Windows Live Division is scheduled to take the stage at the D9 conference later today, where he’ll be discussing the next version of Windows.

The event was confirmed officially, but there are no details of Sinofsky’s Windows 8 demo, except for some information from third-party sources, such as the fact that the demonstration would involve Windows vNext running on a Tablet PC powered by Nvidia Tegra.

As I’ve said before, I expect Microsoft to offer just a small taste of Windows vNext and nothing more beyond that, at least not for the time being.

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Download Google Chrome 13.0.782.1 Dev

The latest development release of Google Chrome brings some new enhancements to the table, however, they will most likely appeal more to developers and less to actual users.
After all, Chrome 13.0.782.1 is offered to early adopters for testing through the Dev Channel, so it only makes sense that the Build be focused on those that build web experiences.

Chrome 13.0.782.1 Dev is up for grabs for testers running Windows, Mac OS X or Linux and is the first release of Google’s open source browser in June 2011. According to the Mountain View-based search giant, Chrome Frame Dev is also up to version 13.0.782.1.

Testers that have already looked at previous Chrome 13 Dev releases will be able to notice some improvements related to print preview. According to Google, the tweaks are just minor updates more than anything else.

Developers will be able to get to IndexedDB and LevelDB by entering about:flags in the Chrome address bar and start testing the new additions to the browser.

“LevelDB is a library that implements a fast persistent key-value store,” reveals Google. The search giant notes that with LevelDB, it has aimed to introduce in Chrome “a fast and lightweight key/value database library.”

The company underlines that “this is not a SQL database. It does not have a relational data model, it does not support SQL queries, and it has no support for indexes.”

IndexedDB, or the Indexed Database API, is defined as an “APIs for a database of records holding simple values and hierarchical objects. Each record consists of a key and some value. Moreover, the database maintains indexes over records it stores. An application developer directly uses an API to locate records either by their key or by using an index. A query language can be layered on this API. An indexed database can be implemented using a persistent B-tree data structure,” according to the W3C.

Furthermore, Google has enabled Canvas 2D in Chrome 13.0.782.1 Dev, with support now on by default, devs will be able to better leverage the technology when building websites focused on HTML5 experiences.

Google Chrome for Windows is available for download here.

Google Chrome for Linux is available for download here.

Google Chrome for Mac is available for download here.

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iMacros 7.36 Build 1445: Free Download

Auto-Form Filling, Data Extraction and Web Testing Internet Explorer PlugIn

iMacros will relieve the repetition of checking on the same webistes every day, remembering passwords and filling out web forms.

iMacros has many uses:
Form Filler on Steroids and Password Manager

iMacros relieves the repetition of checking on the same sites every day, remembering passwords, and filling out web forms. iMacros is the only form filler that can autofill web forms that stretch over several pages. All information is stored in human-readable, plain text files that can be easily edited. Passwords are stored securely with 256-Bit AES encryption.

iMacros is a good alternative Solution to Enterprise Single Sign-On (SSO). Users memorize only one master password. iMacros remembers all the rest, and provides true automated logins (a better Single Sign-On).

Web Automation

iMacros can also automate the download of pages (with or without images) and all kinds of images or files. In the other direction it can also automate the upload of data from a file to websites. You can use variables inside the macros, and import data from CSV files. It includes user agent switcher, PDF download and Flash, ad and image blocking functions.

The recorded macros can be combined and controlled with Javascript, so even very complex tasks can be scripted.

Data extraction/Web Scraping/Web mining/Enterprise Data Mash-ups

Just the opposite of form filling. With the EXTRACT command you can read data from a website and export it to CSV files. iMacros includes full Unicode support and works with every language, including multi-byte languages such as Chinese.

Web Testing

Web professionals use the iMacros add-on for functional, performace, and regression testing of web applications. With the built-in STOPWATCH command exact web page response times can be captured. iMacros also includes support for many AJAX elements.

Here are some key features of "iMacros":

User Interface - Supported Web Browsers:
· Automate Internet Explorer
· Automate Firefox
· iMacros Web Browser
· Redistributable iMacros Player and software component

Web Recording & Replay (Macros Recorder):
· Record & Replay web browsing
· Fill forms
· Download files & Save web pages
· Automate File uploads
· Print web pages
· Strong 256-bit password encryption
· Popup Manager
· Edit macro files
· 100% AJAX Support, including sliders and drag & drop elements.
· Automate Java, Flash, Flex and Silverlight-based websites
· Image Recognition PlugIn

Automation & Testing:
· Use variables
· Merge data with macros
· Schedule runs via Task Scheduler
· Command line interface
· Batch file support
· Run in Background (Tray)
· Website response time measurements
· Scripting Interface (ActiveX Component)
· Windows Scripting Host Support
· Microsoft Visual Basic / Visual C++ Support
· Microsoft .NET Support (VB.NET, C#, J#, ASP.NET)
· Use with any programming or scripting language
· Run via Windows Service

Data Input:
· Read data from text files
· Connect to database (e.g. Access)
· Read / Write XML files

Web Page Data Extraction:
· Extract web page data
· Save data as Excel compatible comma-separated (CSV) text file
· Return data to script for further processing

Requirements:

· Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, 7 or 8
· Mozilla Firefox Version 3.x (optional, only for iMacros Firefox Add-On)
· 256MB of RAM (512MB recommended)
· At least 10 MB of available hard-disk space

Limitations:

· 30 days trial period
· Cannot change the homepage for iMacros Browser

What's New in This Release: [ read full changelog ]

· Added: Support for Chrome profiles via -crUserDataDir switch
· Added: iimRunner support for scripting iMacros for Chrome
· Added: ONDOWNLOAD IE9 file download support (support for IE9 new download notification bar, in contrast to former download dialog)
· Changed: reduced thickness of recording and playback highlighting (green and blue boxes, respectively), for aesthetic reasons.
· Fixed: macro selection not being kept after refresh macro list
· Fixed: automatic refresh macro list not watching subfolders or mapped drives
· Fixed: macro list collapsing after playing a macro
· Fixed: menu item "Refresh Macro List" is now back to macro list context menu (right mouse button)
· Fixed: page script error causing crash in Windows XP
· Fixed: iMacros Browser sometimes crashing when "Disable script error notifications" is unchecked
· Fixed: Webpage dialogs being dismissed immediately (as error dialogs) in non-English systems
· Fixed: several issues related to recognizing dialogs (javascript di...

DOWNLOAD:

	External Mirror 1 [EXE]
	External Mirror 2 [ZIP] Screenshot 1 of iMacros Screenshot 2 of iMacros Screenshot 3 of iMacros  Screenshot 4 of iMacros Screenshot 5 of iMacros  Screenshot 6 of iMacros  Screenshot 1 of iMacros

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