Windows Seven is Closer, But Not Yet Here

Since last time I talked about Windows 7, Microsoft has put up a preview page (or, at least, I can find it now).

Will it be better than Windows Vista? Sure. Will it solve all the security problems and viruses and bot-nets in the world? No. But, the fact is, you could do something about now, whether you're using Windows Vista, Windows XP, or something even older (though, unless it's Windows 2000, you really shouldn't be).

But, no matter what, you've still need virus protection. Thank goodness we happen to have a great Internet Security Suite, AVG 8.0 Internet Security (OEM) for only $15.55. As of this posting. Yay for us! And lucky for you, if you don't already have an Anti-Virus Suite.

It's historically been less bloated and more efficient than Symantec Nortion 2009 Internet Security (which we have for only $19.95, if you want that) and 10 bucks cheaper than Kaspersky 2009 AntiVirus 3 User Full Version OEM.

Google Is Laying Off People. Yikes!

Yikes! Google is laying people off. Since when does that happen? Well, apparently it is. Yikes.

For you luddites out there still reading dead tree newspapers, USA Today, you may have seen the USA Today article with the interesting headline, Russian Kaspersky Lab Offering Antivirus Protection in the US. Strange, given Kaspersky has been available for US PCs for about as long as there have been viruses.

Its light and efficient, well-supported, and you can get an OEM of Kaspersky 2009 AntiVirus single-user from Software Supply Group for only $19.95, as of this posting. Yay!

We also offer Trend Micro PC-Cillin Internet Security 2008 for only $11.84, as of this posting. You luck dog, you! We also offer anti-virus from Panda Security, like Panda 2009 Internet Security Full Version OEM for only $13.77.

We have lots of other software too, like System Management Software 2003 (10 Cal) and Adobe Ovation 1.0 for Windows.

The economy is shaky. If you need new software, I recommend you buy it at a substantial discount from Software Supply Group.

Microsoft Office 2007 for Only $79.94? Can it Be Possible?

Yes, it can be. As of this posting, on 11-20-08, you can get Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student OEM (part number 79G-00007-OEM) for only $79.94!


Not quite what you need? Well, we offer a fulle range of Microsoft Office Home, Academic, Professional and Small Business products in multiple configurations, and all at great prices.


Office 2007, or Office 2003, or Office XP 2002, or Office 2000, or Microsoft Works, or even Office 2008, we've got it all.

Planning on buying an Apple Mactinosh, or have you recently bought one? That sharp Macbook Air, for instance, or a new Macbook Pro? Or maybe you've gotten yourself a fancy new Mac Pro 8-core Superfast Multiprocessing Behemoths? Boy, I'd sure like one of those. Hint, hint. Would make a much more powerful server for work and getting things done and being productive and so on. Hint, hint.

Anyway, if you've done that, I'm sure you know you can run Windows on your Mac. All you need is the included Bootcamp or Parallels (which is just $79.99 from the maker, maybe cheaper if you shop around), and . . . a copy of the Windows operating system.

After spending $3000 bucks on that new Mac tower and $80 for parallels, now you gotta spend $300 on brand new copy of Windows, too? Well, not so fast, buckaroo.

We've got Windows Vista Business 32-bit OEM for just $139.95. But, even better, avoid any hassles you might associate with Windows Vista (it's not that bad, seriously, but I must confess I still run XP on my work machine, and still have a soft spot in my heart for the venerable Windows 2000, which we have for $89.95 OEM or $159.95 Pro full, BTW). But XP is a little lighter, largely bulletproof with all the service pack updates (though those service packs are important, let me tell you) and is compatible with almost any program you want to use Windows to run.

The best news? Get Windows XP Home Edition with SP3 (so you don't have to spend hours downloading all the XP service packs) for only $89.95. Then, run your favorite Windows apps in XP, right on your Mac. Pretty cool, huh?

Or, get Windows 95 for $17.49. And then buy Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Workstation. And why?

With Parallels, you could make virtual multiple machines on a single Mac and easily run Mac OS X, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Vista, and some other flavor of Windows or Windows Server on your Apple Desktop, and run critical custom software, play Windows-only games, or do whatever it is you need a particular version of Windows to do for you. And it's fast.

Gonna skip all that and wait for Windows Seven? Well, here is a Windows Seven demo real. Or there would be, if the video hadn't apparently been pulled since I read this article on multitouch in Windows 7. Ah, well.

Windows 7 Is On It's Way, And Windows Vista Will Vanish

Windows 7 will almost certainly replace Windows Vista before folks can stop buying Windows XP, or even getting official support of it. At that time, Windows Vista as a nomiker will completely vanish. It will, in many ways, be as if Vista never existed. They will push upgrade from "your old Windows" or "Windows XP" or "all previous version of Windows" but Windows 7 will be as distant from Windows Vista as possible.

And it's not because Windows Vista sucks. It doesn't. It's a pretty solid operating system, with problems no different than you might expect from an operating system that has to run in seriously heterogeneous environments, and was going to have to run on something like 100 million more desktops and laptops than when Windows XP shipped.

And if you think Vista has problems, do you remember when Windows XP first came out? Vista actually got a lot more right, right out of the box, than XP did. Or, for that matter, Windows 95, but Microsoft marketed the heck out of Windows 95, in a very positive, cool product launch sort of way. Given Microsoft's current too-little, too late marketing strategy, apparently those people must not work at Microsoft anymore.

The problem is, Microsoft mismanaged and mis-marketed (i.e., did no real product launch marketing for Windows Vista), and it shows. Their current ads and the Mojave experiment really didn't do them any favors. Windows Vista has become synonymous with "buggy" and "insecure", even though that isn't fair.

Without Windows 7, expect them to barely mention Windows Vista again. And, if they're smart, they'll roll it out with a splashy product launch, lots of commercials (that don't acknowledge that the Macintosh exists, BTW) and celebrity endorsements and appearances on Jay Leno and David Letterman. Or they'll do something stupid and incomprehensible, and leave the hyper-critical blogosphere to define their new product. That would be really smart.
More Windows 7 News Here. And, Windows 7 is Going to Support MultiTouch. Now, that actualy makes that technology useful.

Also, just to remind you, we've got Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Full Version OEM for only $92.33, or $89.99 each if you purchase 25 or more. Handy if you want to stay compatible.

TR2N! And Panda Internet Security for only $13.77

Man, wasn't David Warner Perfect in TRON? I doubt there will be a role for him in TR2N--maybe a voice roll--which is too bad. He really rocked as Sark/Dillinger/MCP in the first movie.

I'm looking forward to TR2N with baited breath. While there seems to be long periods with no news, now there is. Steven Lisberger, director of the the original Tron, has apparently given TR2N his blessing and is a consultant on the production. TR2N will be released in 3D! Mr. Beaks at Ain't It Cool News talked about this with Joseph Kosinski, who is helming this 28 year later sequel. Jeff Bridges talks about the new TR2N (it'll be motion-capture).

Cool beans. Can't wait for 2010. Assuming the market hasn't totally crashed and I still have money to buy movie tickets.

In other news, we've got Panda Internet Security for only $13.77 as of this post. Avail yourself of it now or live forever with the regret. We also carry other Panda Software, so you've got other choices of Panda Internet Security isn't a perfect fit.

Oh, and in case I haven't mentioned it before, we've got Peachtree Complete Accounting 2008 for only $100. Try beating that with a stick! Or just buy it. It's a deal.

It's Google Chrome

Recently, Google released it's new web browser, Google Chrome. Unfortunately, Chrome isn't yet available for the Mac, despite being based on Apple's Webkit, which seems odd, but I know they are planning on getting around to it. Eventually.

There are concerns about Chrome. If you listen to Security Now with Steve Gibson, you'll know it's not a secure browser, and lacks features. And Steve Gibson reveals more Chrome security flaws in Episode 162 of Security Now.

That having been said, I like it. It's clean, simple, and handles huge web pages better than any other browser at there. It also has a fast Java Script parsing engine, the V8 Java Script engine.

But that's not nearly as handy as being able to open of huge files better than any other browser out there. Much better than Safari, better than Firefox, better than Opera, and even better than the best browser at handling large web pages before chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.

By the way, I should take this opportunity to mention, this week only (that is, as of the week of this posting), we are offering Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student OEM for only $79.97. Now, that's a great price for Microsoft Office.

What else was I saying? Oh, yes. Chrome opens up huge web pages better than any other browser. A hundred megabyte web page slows Explorer down to a crawl for me, but Chrome handles it. I can scroll up and down, select text within the browser, and operate JavaScript menus on that huge page--something that is almost impossible to due in Internet Explorer, and definitely impossible in anything else. 

I should say, I do a lot of in house development, so my scripts while processing database files can generate huge web pages, depending on what information I have the script display. The more I can display, the handier it is, and with Chrome I can display an awful lot. Occasionally, when opening up a web page with 200 mbs of images displayed, I've gotten an error, but I consider that minor. On the whole, it works great, and I'm glad for it. 

Unfortunately, it currently doesn't search the content of text boxes on a page when doing a find, which Internet Explorer does do. Sigh. One day, there will be an all-in-one browser. One day.

Have I mentioned Software Supply Group carries a variety of AC adapters from laptops and notebooks?

I know I've told you we carry quite a few Peachtree Accounting products from Sage Software.

I've also mentioned that we carry quite a bit of anti-virus and network security products from Panda. Which is cool.

And Kaspersky. With a name like Kaspersky (I keep wanting to type Kazpersky or Kazperski or Kazperzky or anything but the right thing), the internet security has to be good. 

And don't forget Symantec Endpoint Protection, Norton Internet Security 2008, and Norton Systemworks. More specifically, we've got Norton SystemWorks 2008 standard edition for just $32.77. Beat that with a brickbat!

No more news on TR2N! I'm waiting. I've got Google News set up to let me know. But nothing yet. One day.

Palo Alto's Business Plan Pro 11 and More

First, we've got Palo Alto Software's 2008 Business Plan Pro 11 for sale for only $49.95 as of this posting. I think I've mentioned Business Plan here before, but this is another opportunity for you to get Business Plan--and plan your business, see how that works?--for a great price from Software Supply Group.

As of this week (and for only this week, or close to it), we've got Microsoft Office 2003 Professional Pro (Full OEM, part number: 269-06738-OEM) for only $267.43. Pretty good price.

And we've still got plenty of Microsoft Server products, including Windows Server and Microsoft SQL Server and more. We offer a full range of Microsoft Office 2007 Products. Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows XP Pro, Windows 2000, Windows NT and more.

So, come on by. We'll keep the light on for ya.