Chris Bews Computers - Free Advice and Information

Thank you for visiting our site. We hope that we can be of assistance in some way, now or in the future. Although we hope, that at some stage, we can assist you professionally, this page contains free advice and information on a number of IT related issues that you may find useful whether you use our services or not.

Here you'll find some basic technical tips and information that may be of use to you. Don't forget, if you think that we can be of assistance, or if there's anything you'd like to see added, then please E-Mail us. (Some items on this page will change periodically - and if our Web Server's Security is right, then it'll be with our knowledge... J)

Windows 7

Coming Soon - Windows 7 - Microsoft's latest Operating System which launches in the UK on 22nd October. We've been running pre-release versions (Beta and Pre-Release Candidate) for several months on a number of machines so that we can hit the ground running to assist our customers from Day 1. In our opinion it's the best version of Windows yet in just about every respect. The User Interface is totally updated and far easier to use and there are a lot more features - take a look at the Windows 7 Homepage to find out more. From what we've seen we highly recommend it!

Unless specifically requested otherwise by the customer, all computers built by us will ship with Windows 7 from 22nd October.

Windows 7 and The European Union

BUT...There's a problem though (and it's not Microsoft's fault!). The European Community have decided in their wisdom to declare that by Microsoft offering Internet Explorer (the browser that you use to get on the Web) with Windows, they're breaching anti-competition regulations - so, they can't do that. In other words, Microsoft can't offer a Microsoft Product as part of a Microsoft Product Yes that's right - it's the same as telling the Ford Motor Company that they can't offer Ford engines with their cars. No such prohibition has been placed on Apple offering the Safari Browser with Macs - strange that. Could be something to do with about 90% of the world's computers being PC, not Mac.

Because of this, Microsoft are producing a specific version of Windows 7 for the European Market - Windows 7 E. It's the same as the rest of the world but without a browser.

This means that initially any Windows 7 PC in Europe will not be able to get onto the Internet. A browser will have to be installed separately to the Operating System.

DON'T PANIC! All Our Windows 7 computers and installations will be offered with a choice of browsers - Internet Explorer, Firefox or Google Chrome - or any other provided by the customer. We will also be offering prepared CDs with Internet Explorer on them

It's also open to the individual to obtain the browser of their choice and install it themselves. We believe that stand-alone versions of Internet Explorer will be offered by Microsoft for download, and quite probably other browsers will be available from their home sites as well.

Unfortunately, a side issue is that you won't be able to just update your current version of Windows - a full reinstall will have to be done - including backing up all your important files and restoring them after Windows 7 has been installed. We offer an Operating System Upgrade Service, so we can do it for you, and install the Browser of your choice at the same time.

Check out Microsoft's advice for Windows 7 E

OTHER STUFF...

Computer Terminology - some common Computer Terms explained

Bits and Bytes - what are they?

Data Protection Act - A breakdown of the basic points of the current Act. Useful to anyone who keeps data, or who has their data kept by others.

Record Streaming Audio from The Internet

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