Prerequisites

• Virtual PC 2007 (free download)
• A healthy amount of RAM (I have 1GB, it ran fine once I turned off some services like SqlServer and IIS. I also didn’t run any other applications…like Visual Studio…while running Virtual PC and Vista.)

New Virtual Machine

Open Virtual PC and click New…. Select Create a virtual machine, the location you would like to store the virtual machine file, select Windows Vista as the OS, and select Using the recommended RAM. Select a new virtual hard disk including the location for this disk, and then click Finish.

You now have a new virtual machine with no OS installed on it. Select the machine you just created and click Start. Since there is no OS, you will get a prompt asking you to insert boot media. Put your Windows Vista disk into the DVD drive and hit Enter.

We’re Just Getting Started

This is the first thing that happens. I actually had to start my virtual machine 6 or 7 times before it would finally start the next step. The first few times it just sat and spun on this step and eventually told me it couldn’t find the boot disk.

It’s starting up!

Choose your language, time format, and keyboard type.

Enter your product key.

“Read” and agree to the license terms and conditions.

Select installation type. I thought it was interesting that a clean install is classified as Custom (advanced).

Where do you want to install windows?

Installing. This step took about 25 minutes to complete.

Halfway there, but you’ve gotta restart.

Mysterious things are happening here. This took about 5 minutes to complete.

We’re back in business, it looks like we’re getting close!

Setup Windows

Vista is now installed! Before reaching this point it reboots again…now you are prompted to create a user account. I was disappointed in the selection of user account pictures. Being a man, I was hoping for something like a picture of a rocket or a rhinocerous.

Pick your wallpaper.

Choose protection settings.

Make sure Windows figured out your time zone and date/time settings correctly.

Windows Vista Setup thanks you. For what? I’m not sure.

You’re done, but Windows need to check your performance.

Time to login! (and change my user account picture to something less feminine)

Final Analysis

Although I couldn’t run all the cool Vista bling in the virtual environment, I still had fun trying out all the new features in Vista. I think the Finder erm…Explorer is easier to use that it’s XP predecessor. I also like the built in tagging, although this does not work on all document types. The new search functionality is pretty fast, and even finds stuff buried inside of documents. However, I didn’t like that the search from the Start Menu behaves differently than the search from the Explorer window. Being a person who does not bash MS, I’m looking forward to having Vista installed in a non-virtualized environment…someday.

I had never really considered you a hardcore Microsoft-basher, but reading your blog lately (and the sidebar links) have convinced me otherwise.

- Naive Stephen

I was taken aback at first, but after reviewing my recent publications and and a little soul searching, I decided there was some truth to Stephen’s accusation.

Way back in October of 2006 (that’s “way back”, right?) I volunteered to help Microsoft with their Community Launch event for Office, Vista, .NET 3.0, and Exchange Server 2007. My motivation for volunteering was the promise of access to all sorts of insider training and some freebies. Both were delivered as promised, although a little later than promised. So why am I upset?

I’m not really, not on the outside anyway. You may recall a big stink about Microsoft giving away a bunch of laptops to bloggers back in December. Needless to say, I was not the recipient of one of those laptops. Many of the bloggers who received the laptops could not have cared less about the newly (and freely) acquired hardware. Some even returned them or just gave them away. Do you see where I’m going with this? I’m slaving over more videos, demos, and presentation material than I really have time for in preparation for a grass roots promotional event for Microsoft…and I got a laptop skin (I don’t own a laptop, by the way). These other guys openly mock and chide Microsoft, and they got a free laptop. I don’t get it.

Ok, so I’m not really mad at Microsoft. The whole scenario just seemed unjust. And there’s another factor. Do you know that feeling when you want something, but don’t really need it? You’ve already got one that works fine; It’s not as shiny and fast as the new ones, but it gets the job done. Well, I’m there. My iMac is about 2 years old now. It gets the job done. It still runs the old Power PC architecture, not the new lightning Intel x86 architecture. It won’t run Vista, but Tiger runs great on it. I want both! Ok, enough selfish babbling.

Next Thursday Tuesday I will be presenting for the Microsoft Community Launch in Lubbock. I will be covering Windows Vista and the .NET 3.0 Framework. If you would like to attend, RSVP to info@ldnug.net by February 24th. There will be free pizza and door prizes (including a laptop skin).

Details:

Microsoft Community Launch Event and Lubbock .NET Users Group Meeting.
February 27th
7:00-9:00pm
Tyler Tech-INCODE
5808 4th Street
Lubbock, Texas

Apple

Headdress

Allows you to host multiple sites on your local machine. It’s basically a GUI Apache config file editor. It also plays nice with MAMP.

TextMate

My current text editor of choice for PHP, HTML, CSS, and Javascript. It also does a pretty good job of helping keep project files organized.

Disc Inventory X

This tool gives you a visual representation of how your disc space is being used.

iSquint

Convert almost any video format for iPod.

Handbreak

A DVD to MPEG-4 converter.

Unison

Usenet client

Transmit

FTP client

Adium

Chat client that allows simultaneous connections to AIM, MSN, Jabber (gtalk), Yahoo, and more.

Windows

Notepad++

A robust notepad replacement.

FastStone Screen Capture

Allows you to capture selected areas, magnify the screen, and has a built in color picker.

Fiddler

HTTP Debugging Proxy.

Royal TS

Allows you to organize multiple remote desktop connections, remembers passwords, and allows you to connect to console.

Roboform

Very robust password manager, form filler, and password generator. Works with Internet Explorer, Firefox, Netscape, and Mozilla.

I forgot one (updated 11/6/2006):

UltraMon

Extends the Windows toolbar when you have multiple monitors.

Cross Platform

VLC

Media player that supports a whole bunch of formats.

Firefox w/ the Web Developer Toolbar

A web developer’s dream come true! The “Swiss Army Knife” of developer tools.

Synergy

One of my favorite tools of all time. Allows you to use a single mouse and keyboard with multiple computers and displays. It’s kind of a software KVM switch. I use my Apple keyboard on three computers…one running Apple OS 10.4, another running Windows XP, and another running Ubuntu 6.06!

• Session 1: Take Control of the Database Development Lifecycle with Visual Studio Team Edition for Database Professionals
• Session 2: Windows Workflow Foundation Exposed
• Session 3: Create Cutting-Edge Web Designs with Expression Web

Also, notable: Rory Blyth is listed as a presenter. This is interesting due to the recent announcement that he has joined the Channel 9 team. Anyway, it’ll be Bill Steele, Ron Cundiff, and Russ Fustino at the Texas events.

There is also a coinciding Technet Event for those of you who can’t get enough Microsoft in one day!

Details:

• Session 1: Exploring the System.Net Namespace in the .NET Framework 2.0
• Session 2: Windows Communication Foundation Exposed
• Session 3: Building the Next Generation of Web Applications with ASP.NET “Atlas”

I am also going to attend the morning TechNet Event at the same location which will feature a Vista Technical Overview and Exchange Server 2007 Sneak Peak!

More info about switching