One of features in Windows that I could not live with out is the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). It is one of the best tools out there for remote viewing of your desktop. I use it at work to keep track of my Windows servers as well as log in to my desktop at home to do programming or check personal e-mail. Remote Desktop is fast, flexible, and doesn’t have the problem of having to do a full screen refresh to see what has changed on your desktop. So in a sense it is smart because it only updates the part of the screen that have refreshed. You don’t even loose screen refresh performance when you login to a machine through RDP and then launch another instance of RDP to remote in to another machine from your already remote machine, I find that very impressive.

I have always been using VNC to monitor my Linux servers from my Windows desktop, I have also always wished there was a way login to my Linux servers the way I login to my Windows servers. Today I found the answer and it is 2X Terminal Server. You can read more about this at the digg link below.

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This morning I wrote about the problems I had installing the newly released iTunes for Windows Vista Ultimate x64. I just recently found a solution to the problem error that iTunes was giving me when I tried to install it this morning. The error was:

iTunes could not be installed because Visual Basic Script (VBScript) is not installed or has been disabled. Make sure VBScript is installed, turn off script blocking in anti-virus and personal firewall software, re-register VBScript, and then install iTunes.

And the solution is to simple register the vbscript.dll. To do this you just need to follow the next 3 steps:

1. Open up the Command Prompt as an Administrator (Go to All Programs > Accessories and Right Click on Command Prompt and then choose Run as administrator)
2. Type cd C:\Windows\SysWOW64
3. Type regsvr32 vbscript.dll (This registers VB Script with your computer.)
4. Now install iTunes as you normally would by double clicking on the install program and wait for iTunes to finish installing.
5. Type regsvr32 /u vbscript.dll (This unregisters VB Script with your computer.)

If the above didn’t work for you, you may be using a 32-bit version of Windows. Please check out the Apple Support #304405, which will walk you through the process to enabled VBScript on Windows 32-bit.

Please read more if you would like to hear my rant against Apple and the security vulnerability this opens up in the Windows Operating System. On a side note Apple should be congratulated, I guess, for fixing a bug I documented almost 3 months ago when trying to install iTunes on Vista x64.
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Well its offical Apple iTunes 7.1 was just recently released. This is the quote from the Apple Site on the release:

About iTunes 7.1 for Windows
iTunes is the world’s best way to organize and enjoy your personal digital music and video collection with your Mac. iTunes is also the easiest way to sync music, videos, and more with your iPod.With iTunes, easily create a digital music and video collection by importing your personal music CDs or downloading your favorite songs and videos from the iTunes Store. Create your own playlists, perfect for any mood or occasion. Burn playlists to CDs and play them on your home stereo, or sync iPod with iTunes and enjoy your collection in your car or on the go.

What’s New in this Version
Using iTunes 7.1, you can now enjoy your favorite iTunes movies, TV shows, music, and more from the comfort of your living room with Apple TV. iTunes 7.1 also supports a new full screen Cover Flow and improved sorting options to let you decide how iTunes should sort your favorite artists, albums, and songs.

You may remember my previous article talking about how to install iTunes 7.0.x on Windows Vista x64. Well I am getting ready to install iTunes 7.1 on my machine and will provide an update on the progress. Hopefully Apple has done a good job at getting iTunes to work with Windows Vista x64.

Update: (8:00 am) I have tried installing Apple iTunes 7.1 on my Windows Vista Ultimate x64 and it failed dismally. Gave me some error that said Apple iTunes installer could not run VBScript for the installer. I don’t really understand why iTunes is using VBScript, because this is moving backwards from every other MSI installer, and this is actually the first program that I have had problems installing since upgrading to Windows Vista back at the end of November 2006. I really have a feeling this has to do with Apple programmers not understand Windows MSI Installer. Why can’t Apple hire Windows Application developers like Microsoft hires Mac Application developers for its Office Suite. I will post another update as soon as I find a solution.

Update: (2:01 pm) Apparently Apple requires you to enabled VB Script which was disabled by Microsoft by default because of potential use by internet worms and trojan viruses. I have created a step-by-step guide to walk users through the process of enabled VB Script and then disabling it after the iTunes install is done. Apparently Apple is not the only vendor having problems with the disabling of the scripting languages in Vista, I have seen reports that Adobe Photoshop CS3 is having trouble installing because JScript is disabled. I am willing to put up with this for now, because it was a good move on Microsoft’s part because of the harm the scripting languages have caused in the past.