Starting to deal with different Email Clients like I did today always ends up in feeling not really satisfied with even one of them. Personally I more like the easier one which do not offer all these stars and glitter some of the highend versions do. I want do write and receive emails, quickly and easy … and not creating art or something like this.

So I for years I remained with Outlook Express as my central email store. Not because I liked it that much though. It was most for the reason that it was absolutely easy to synchronize between different computers by just plainly copying the files.

Unfortunately Microsoft decided to discontinue it in actual Windows Versions and even I neglected that decision for a while I guess it’s now about time to move on looking for something new.

So today I gave all the major and well email clients a go …. just to see that all of them have issues. If it wouldn’t be such a stupid  waste of server space, I generally would go and remain with embedded IMAP folders in future. But on my own server the space is too valuable and handing my personal emails over to some services like Gmail or MobilMe is a real big NoGo for me.

After all kind of idea and the remaining feeling about I have just wasted time, I ended up this evening with having all emails now in Windows Mail. My point is that with an easy copy all settings, accounts and messages are copied at once and with it importing and transfering my emails and settings was just the easiest way to go. But I do already know about that wasn’t the last word spoken about!

Living in Germany Helloween never ever was a topic for me. Besides knowing it out of a  few movies occasionally  showing dressed up kids walking around and asking for candy and a few oversea contacts mentioning it, it always remains a funny but strange behavior for me.

Now since a few years the shops here have started to sell Helloween stuff as well  ….

Me always wondering about who really would need that to buy that, last year I was very surprised seeing two little ghosts and a bit of a pumpkin decoration at home.

Also our German kids seems to like it and once again it looks the Americans have archived to export some of their good stuff (like Hamburgers, Windows, root beer, Dr. Pepper Coke and KFC …. ) to us.

Nevertheless receiving some Helloween greetings today was fun indeed. It is still not like I would care about this Helloween. But seeing someone making effort, even sending greetings to people living in oversea is great. And specially in this case when exchange isn’t really that much though it values double!!

Perhaps I should now mark down this Oct, 31 for sending greetings myself next year?!!

Now 64bit Operating System versions aren’t a really new thing at all. It was during the late nineties when I first worked on 64bit Hardware and everything was settled fine. Today then years or so later when I really came over the point installing my PC system new to get a new and clean installation I’ve decided for a 64bit Windows version to be finally able to gain all benefits of my modern hardware ….. someone should think!

Isn’t it curious that all big computer manufactorer still use 32bit XP or Vista on their brand new boxes?

Now I finally know about the reason. Take a fine running Windows 32bit and try to install it with a 64bit version and you will see half of the hardware is not ready installed afterward. And hunting down all those 64bit device drivers to complete the installation seems to work out into some real challenge - if not finally impossible at the end! 

Now it got finally unveiled! The name of the new announce Vista successor is….. tatataaaaahhh Windows 7 - How impressive!!

I really do not like to know how many marketing guys, consultants and even high paid Microsoft folks were sitting about this decisions calling the new Operating System of Microsoft just and plainly Windows 7.

Back to the roots? Giving up all those tries to sell something mainly unsellable by giving it some fancy new name?

Hey!! My system is now running on sexy new Microsoft Vista SP1! And I really like it! It has this rather sexy and neat option scrolling through open windows and another million new features I can’t remember to find and I might never explore again, as for I’m only using it for searching the net, answering my emails, some chatting and really rarely burning some music CDs (for sure a backup copy of my prior bought original soundtrack) for the car…….

How many "Operation System" do we really need? Another 98 new features no one will ever use in daily business?

At a time companies are refusing to upgrade and the actual OS is just able to get sold bundled with some new hardware the question might be allowed. Do we need it? Do we need to upgrade? Why should we upgrade?

Just to figure out the OS does now need more resources and our System (bought last year) does urgently need a memory upgrade to be able to deal again with all those new animations and gimmicks clever Microsoft Developers have invented for us?

Ok, I’m just naming Microsoft here, which is unfair for sure as for other companies do the same …. It’s their job to write and invent new things and exactly the stuff they are making their money with. But thinking about that all, I really ask myself how to think about their actual approach calling their new Windows version just and simply Windows 7.

Perhaps being just honest and naming it purely by what it is? Just another new upgrade of this worldwide, well know and stable settled Microsoft OS for Personal Computer based on X86 architecture?

Will this give more trust to the customer? Will this now making them more wishing to upgrade to it?

Sooner or later we will see …. And I can’t prevent offering that I’m very interested in getting some feedback soon, on how the market will react on that.

Being familiar with VMWare Virtualization Software since years, switching over to a Mac as my preferred  laptop was also looking for new stuff and finally brought me to Parallels Desktop. It isn’t that expensive and I’m anyway and always looking for new and fancy stuff.

Installing and working with it was easy and I first gave it a test ride with Windows XP … flawless and easy and especially the coherency mode did attract me much.

Principally being lazy but always seeking for and looking into technical challenges I thought about the XP as boring and started digging into it’s’ options and possibilities a bit deeper. A Parallels Transporter?! Now that sounds interesting!!

Reading it and using it was once and … sad but true … absolutely easy to use. I’ve started it, connected it to my Laptop with Vista on it and right a hours lates I was able to start up my Vista System as a Paralles Workstation on my MAC. It just … worked …. too easy! …. and what about FUN and CHALLENGES?!