Over the past couple of weeks I have been teaching Social Networking Security to the US Military in Germany and training Windows Server 2008 R2 to Microsoft Partners in London and Coventry. After l my travels it’s great to be back teaching in the UK. My schedule is filling up for next year with bookings into June, including destinations as exotic as Seattle, Oslo, Copenhagen, Germany, Cyprus, Dubai, The Netherlands and Russia.

I almost forgot how busy London is. Last night I went into the very heart of the city to Leicester Square and witnessed the premiere of David Tenants latest movie St Tinian’s 2. Now that’s one movie where I am glad that I was on the outside rather than the watching the movie. After a rushed meal I went to see Michael Caine’s latest and in my opinion one of his greatest movies “Harry Brown”. Now surely he has to win some kind of award for the role of the OAP vigilante who isn’t goanna take anymore crap! Go and see the movie, it rocks!

Of course you can’t come to London and not ride the Tube! You know after travelling on many of the world’s metro systems I have come to the conclusion that London is by far the worst. It’s dirty, uncomfortable and packed. London can definitely take lesions from Copenhagen, Barcelona and Los Angeles who have the best. How you guys do this every day, I simply don’t know.

Next week I am back in London and Germany teaching Windows 7 to MS partners. You know it’s amazing that the internet is a buzz of requests for wish list features in Windows 8! Common guy’s 7 is just out. At Microsoft as you development never stops and below is a wish list for features in Windows 7 & Windows Server 8:

Windows Server 8 Wishlist

  • Recycle bin GUI
  • GUI for Granular Password Policies (think Specops Password Policy Basic)
  • Direct Access for SBS
  • Remote admin tools for Windows Mobile & Other mobile platforms.
  • GUI for dual boot into VHD
  • Encryption on by default
  • Simplify the addition & management of Roles & features
  • The ability to load the GUI from Server Core. Remember the WIN command in 3.1
  • The addition of an IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) Linked to Windows Defender. This should be a standard free feature for ALL users.
Windows 8 Wishlist
  • A Windows light edition where user sees the desktop but all apps / features are in the cloud! This would cut down on piracy. Like Google Chrome.
  • Simplify the interface. Combine options / features.
  • Fewer Versions.
  • Automatic Maintenance: Remove the need for user to patch OS
  • Integrate Media Centre & Media Player (consistent look & feel)
  • Improve Off-Line file user & and file synchronisation
  • Better integration with Live Services
  • Improve storage management to include cloud items, i.e. Sky Drive etc.
  • Improve Security to protect against malware threats.
  • Refresh some of the GUI’s, make them more interesting, i.e. regional settings, make this a map of the world (like Linux).
  • Introduce multiple desktops switching between physical and virtual machines,
  • Make the OS more open by giving users the ability to download add ons / apps like I Phone, Blackberry apps, but for the desktop.
  • Tighter integration of applications into the interface, i.e. remove the dependence on icons.

There you have it. That’s mine (so far), there will be many more…