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- ZDNet Author Biography
Ed Bott is an award-winning technology writer with more than two decades' experience writing for mainstream media outlets and online publications. He's served as editor of the U.S. edition of PC Computing and managing editor of PC World; both publications had monthly paid circulation in excess of 1 million during...- more about Ed Bott »
ZDNet Resources
- Seven perfectly legal ways to get Windows 7 cheap (or even free)
- Only suckers pay retail. You don't have to pay full price for Windows 7. Most people have much better options available, if you just know where to look. I've researched deals in three separate categories: upgrade offers available to anyone, special deals just for students, and subscriptions intended for technical...
- Tags: Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-11-06
- What Microsoft won't tell you about Windows 7 licensing
- If you're not a lawyer, the subject of Windows licensing can be overwhelmingly confusing. Over many years of studying this stuff, I have learned that Microsoft has buried much of this information in long, dry license agreements and on sites that are available only to partners. Microsoft hasn't assembled this...
- Tags: Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-11-03
- Clean install with Windows 7 upgrade media? Get the facts!
- If you purchase a discounted upgrade edition of Windows 7, can you use it to perform a clean installation of the operating system on a PC that doesn't currently have Windows installed? The answer, it turns out, is really quite simple. I've broken down the license agreement and have specific...
- Tags: Clean Install, Media, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-11-02
- Internet TV goes live on Windows 7 Media Center
- One fascinating detail almost got lost in the shuffle of last week's Windows 7 launch. Microsoft flipped the switch on some partner deals that turned its ho-hum Internet TV feature into something worth watching. I've got the details and a gallery of images to show what you get.. by Ed...
- Tags: Media Center PC, Internet TV, Microsoft Windows 7, Media Center PCs, Microsoft Windows, TVs, Personal Technology, Home Entertainment, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-10-28
- Internet TV in Windows 7 Media Center
- When Microsoft launched Windows 7 on October 22, it also flipped the switch on a new Internet TV feature. Here's what you'll find. by Ed Bott
- Tags: Media Center PC, Internet TV, Microsoft Windows 7, Media Center PCs, Microsoft Windows, TVs, Personal Technology, Home Entertainment, Operating Systems, Software, Windows 7, Media Center, Ed Bott
- Image galleries 2009-10-28
- Dear Microsoft: What's the deal with Windows 7 upgrades?
- Did you just get a retail upgrade copy of Windows 7? Do you have questions about how it works? Sorry, I probably don't know the answers. And I can't point you to anyone who does know how this product works. Why is Microsoft refusing to publish or even discuss this...
- Tags: Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-10-27
- Finally, some answers to Windows 7 upgrade questions
- Every day for the past few months, I have received at least one question from readers wanting to know how the Windows 7 upgrade process will work. And in every case, my answer has been consistent: I didn't know. So when I got home from the Windows 7 launch event...
- Tags: Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-10-25
- Windows 7: An impressive upgrade
- Windows 7 is officially available to the public tomorrow, after nearly a year of testing. I've covered its features and capabilities in detail over the past few months. Today, on the eve of the official launch, I look at Microsoft's new operating system and answer the big question: Who should...
- Tags: Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-10-21
- Windows XP Mode Q and A
- In comments and private e-mails, I've received a surprising number of questions about Windows XP Mode, a new feature in Windows 7 that I demoed in today's screencast. How much does it cost? How do you install it? Does it require antivirus software? Get the answers to these questions and...
- Tags: Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows XP, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-10-20
- Windows 7 in action: a closer look at Windows XP Mode
- For any sort of upgrade, software or hardware, compatibility issues can be true deal-breakers. If a mission-critical program originally written for Windows XP won't run under Windows 7, you're stuck. And the economics can get ugly if an expensive or hard-to-replace peripheral doesn't have Windows 7 drivers. In this week's...
- Tags: Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows XP, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-10-19
- Windows 7 in the real world: 10 PCs under the microscope
- When the slow-motion launch of Windows 7 finally ends and it hits store shelves next week, will it erase the memory of Windows Vista? Over the past three months, I’ve been test-driving the final version of Windows 7 in my home and office on six desktops and four notebooks. Will...
- Tags: PC, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-10-14
- Windows 7 in action: smarter search
- If Windows 7 has a killer feature, this is it. As I demonstrate in my latest screencast, you can find search boxes throughout Windows 7. The indexed search is fast and accurate, and the indexing process itself is barely noticeable in terms of performance. The best change, though, is the...
- Tags: Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-10-13
- Windows 7 in the real world
- Take nine PCs and one Mac. Add Windows 7. Shake well for three months. What do you get? A well-seasoned sampler of how Windows 7 will fare when it reaches the consumer market next week. by Ed Bott
- Tags: Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Windows 7, performance, reliability, Ed Bott
- Image galleries 2009-10-12
- The single biggest reason why Windows 7 won't be another Vista
- You want to know why Windows 7 isn’t going to be another Vista? Here’s one big reason: drivers. Crappy, late drivers killed Vista. Hardware makers and system builders don't want to see that happen again. This time, they're keeping pace with the operating system. by Ed Bott
- Tags: Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-10-09
- Measuring Windows 7 performance
- For nearly three solid months, I've been running the final, RTM version of Windows 7 on six desktop PCs and four notebooks here, using them for a variety of roles. As part of my evaluation, I've recorded the built-in Windows test scores for each machine. Here's a quick comparison that...
- Tags: Performance, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-10-08
- Windows 7 in action: do more with the taskbar and Jump Lists
- In this week’s Windows 7 screencast, I offer a closer look at the new taskbar, which represents a striking departure in form and function from its predecessors. Its design is clearly intended to make it easier to manage large numbers of programs and open windows. I show how to "pin"...
- Tags: Window, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Construction, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-10-05
- Can you upgrade an old XP PC to Windows 7? Should you?
- My friend Lisa has a four-year-old Sony laptop running Windows XP. This machine, once a triumph of Sony hardware engineering, could easily be deemed ready to retire. But after careful consideration, I decided it was worth upgrading to Windows 7. I tried both a clean install and a new edition...
- Tags: Sony Corp., PC, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows XP, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-09-29
- Windows 7 in action: A smarter way to manage windows
- Over the past few months, I've snapped hundreds of screenshots of the Windows 7 interface, for use in galleries here at ZDNet and in an upcoming book. But static screenshots don’t do justice to some of the nuances of actually using a feature. So when ZDNet's crack staff of video...
- Tags: Window, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott
- Blog posts 2009-09-28
- Windows 7 demo: Windows XP Mode
- Is an incompatible program or device standing between you and a Windows 7 upgrade? If you're willing to pay for Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate edition, you might be able to use a clever solution to fool that old code into running in the new OS. Windows XP...
- Tags: Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows XP, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott, Windows XP Mode
- Videos 2009-09-28
- Windows 7 demo: Search tools
- A terabyte here, a terabyte there, and pretty soon you're talking about some pretty serious information overload. It doesn't matter how well organized you are, once your collection of data files and other digital stuff gets big enough, you're going to need some help finding things. ZDNet's Ed Bott takes...
- Tags: Search Tool, Terabyte, Tool, Microsoft Windows 7, Search, Microsoft Windows, Productivity, Operating Systems, Software, Ed Bott, Windows 7 demo, Search tools
- Videos 2009-09-28
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