jemjabella

Optimising Windows 7 for the AA1

I finally reached the end of my tether with Linpus on my netbook last week. Although it has the potential to be a nifty, quick operating system, it's so restrictive that it makes the iPhone look good ;) Despite there being guides detailing how to unlock certain parts, remove unnecessary bloat etc, any power user soon gets itchy fingers trying to have things their way.

So, I considered my options... and decided to go with Windows 7. Ubuntu do a nice netbook remix but I've seen Win7 on Karl's netbook and have been fairly impressed. Not wishing to just fangirl over another Windows OS without even trying it I got him to flatten Linpus and put it on a few days ago. Colour me impressed. Bearing in mind that the default spec of the AA1 is a single core 1.6GHz Intel Atom with 512MB RAM, it fairly nips along with the whole Aero kit and kaboodle turned on — transparency, special effects and everything.

With that said, a few small optimisations later and this thing is flying. I'd even say (without benchmarking, you must understand) that it's faster than Linpus. So, what have I tweaked and what should you do?

• Turn off Aero — it looks good but with only 512MB RAM you do notice the difference between having it on and off. No need to go back to Windows 95 effects though, the Win7 Basic theme is fast and still looks shiny. You can take this further by telling windows to Adjust for Best Performance in the control panel, but I like to customise each option.
• Install Chrome — Chrome is a much faster browser than the rest on offer. It's not my first choice normally but I ran Firefox under Linpus and it crippled the netbook.
• Turn off the browser cache — as I have a relatively speedy connection, it's faster to fetch images/etc from the server each time than wait for them to be written to the SSD. HOWEVER, this is not ideal for long term browsing because it kicks the arse out of web servers, and bandwidth limits. Karl has an alternate solution that makes use of portable Firefox and relocating your cache folder, I'll get him to write it up.
• Disable services — don't do this if you don't know what you're doing (insert proper disclaimer here). I personally disable the Firewall (our router has one built in), Windows Search, Windows Updates, etc. You'll find help with which services do what job elsewhere on the 'net.
• Use ReadyBoost — I've an 8GB SD card which I was using for extra space on Linpus, although I didn't necessarily need it (I only use it for IRC and coding when Izz is asleep on my lap or on the boob anyway) so I have dedicated 2GB of it to ReadyBoost. I can't tell yet if this has made any positive difference, but it can't hurt, right?

With all that said, Windows 7 is definitely netbook friendly. Considering the trend of OSes and programs getting more bloated with each version, it's odd to be running something so new and actually noticing a positive speed difference. I'm considering buying the cheapo XP upgrade version and popping it on the Dell, too.

Common Myths About Microsoft Windows

As a web developer and general computer geek, I frequently find myself involved in discussions with other devs, designers and power-users over what operating system they're using. I find myself in a minority, being a Microsft Windows user by choice. This isn't inherently bad, especially given that the choice of one's OS can be an incredibly personal one. It becomes frustrating, however, because of the tendency for some non-MS users to focus on common myths surrounding Windows as justification for their choice (simply liking another OS is apparently not enough...)

Despite lengthy searching, it appears that there are very few articles debunking these Windows myths, or in fact any attempt to share positive (albeit anecdotal) experiences relating to Microsoft's offering of operating systems. So, it is with over 10 years experience managing and running Windows of varied versions that I share my thoughts, with hope that non-Windows users can find a way to justify their choice of operating system without resorting to inaccurate attacks.

Important note: I use the term "Windows computer" several times below. This is merely a convenience term; in fact, a standard PC can generally run any operating system (including Mac OS, commonly referred to as a "hackintosh").

Myth #1: Windows BSODs/crashes all the time

Windows doesn't just crash for the fun of it. Unfortunately, a multitude of dodgy 3rd party software, conflicting drivers or problematic hardware is normally the cause. These faults are easy to troubleshoot, but the average user prefers to blame the operating system. Given the huge array of hardware and software available to run (and running) on Windows it is no surprise this crops up quite frequently.

Myth #2: Windows computers always have more viruses

It is an undisputed fact that there are more viruses created for Microsoft operating systems than for any other (due to the popularity of the OS). This, however, does not mean that it is fact that you will automatically be affected by them (or, that non-Windows computers are immune!) Avoiding viruses is 99% common sense and 1% anti-virus. If a user finds it necessary to attach unknown media devices or download suspect files on to a Windows install running with full administrator privileges, it is almost inevitable that at some point they will bring a virus or piece of malware upon themselves.

Avoiding viruses isn't hard:

• Don't download files from unfamiliar sources
• Don't open attachments in e-mails from people you don't know or weren't expecting an attachment from
• Even better, open all e-mails as plain text to avoid malicious code attacks
• Don't plug in your mate's USB stick unless you can guarantee it's virus free
• Run a decent anti-virus program (and no, the shit that PC World get paid to sell you isn't decent; try Avast or AVG)
• Create a user that doesn't have administrator rights for day to day browsing and word processing

I personally ran Windows ME for several years with no anti-virus software. Safety isn't rocket science.

Myth #3: Windows computers don't last as long

The most annoying part about this misconception is that the age of a computer is absolutely irrelevant to the operating system running on it. Even so, there is no reason why a Windows computer can't run for many, many years. Case in point: Karl's Dell Inspiron 3800 was released in June 2000 and yet, with a hardware setup that can only be considered sub-standard by today's standards, it still manages to run two operating systems (inc. Windows XP SP2).

Myth #4: You will be less productive on Windows / Windows is slower

Productivity and speed are tied into using the best tools and the best hardware for the job at hand. You wouldn't give a racing driver a 20 year old Ford and expect it to perform at the same speed as a tuned up Formula 1 beast car. Likewise, comparing a 5 year old Windows computer to a brand new shiny Apple (or brand new PC running a Linux distribution) is always going to leave the computer running Windows looking like a poor runner-up. Identical spec machinery runs at identical speeds.

Myth #5: You have to format at least 2-3 times a year

Some Windows power-users choose to format their computer on a regular basis to free up hard drive space, and to give Windows a fresh slate to work from. I personally find that by not clogging up my computer with unnecessary applications (specifically "cleaner" apps that claim to make Windows run better/faster) and by occasionally removing software I no longer use, Windows retains the speed it has post-install.

It is, however, worth noting that a computer which has been infected by viruses or malware will very rarely run at its previous speed even after a full clean-up. I always recommend backing up your important files and doing a full format.

Myth #6: Windows will cost more in the long run due to software purchases

The number and variety of open source programs and utilities for Windows is absolutely huge. There is no reason to spend any money on software after purchasing Windows unless you specifically require programs that are only released commercially (and, in these circumstances, versions for an alternative OS cost just as much). For more information, check out my blog post on Free Software I Could Not Do Without.

Death Upon FrontPage

FrontPage = slow, bloated-code producing piece of shit. What kind of skills will I get from replicating my previous assignment in FrontPage you dumbass curriculum creators?

I hereby declare that I fucking HATE Microsoft FrontPage and wish death upon its creator.. or perhaps just FP. Yes. Death upon FrontPage.

IE Worm Warning

I was supposed to post this yesterday, and forgot...

There's a new worm floating about that targets iframes, exploiting bugs in MSIE and installing itself automatically. Apparently it only affects Windows 2000 and Windows XP service pack 1, so if you're running either of these then I suggest you switch to Mozilla if you haven't already to avoid being infected.

Some servers have been hacked into so this worm can be planted, so if you're using iframes, watch out.

(Thanks Alexine.)

PS. Look at this fab site: helical-library.net!

Microsoft Cocked Up

For all you Mozilla Firefox users on my friends list, you'll get a mega kick out of this article:
nrg.co.il/online/10/ART/825/507.html