Posted by Rich Rodgers on Sun, Aug 22, 2010
(Part of the CED Solutions Quick tricks series)
Overview
Have you ever been in a situation in which you needed to show someone how to do something in Windows, yet you didn’t have a quick easy way of doing it? There are many different ways to demonstrate something in the Windows world, especially Windows 7. Here’s a few examples of ways screen clicks could be shown:
- Manually take screenshots by hitting the “Print Screen(Prt Sc) key on your keyboard and paste it into a picture using a program such as MS Paint.
- Use a program like Snag-It to take screen shots of your clicks.
- Use remote control type programs such as Remote Assistnce, VNC, GoToMyPC, or LogMeIn to connect to someone or have someone connect to you to share your screen. This is widely one of the most popular methods but sometimes the most difficult to set up and depending on if you’re using it for personal use or business, it might cost you.
- The good old fashioned “Lets’ get on the phone, click things and tell me what you see method”. Probably the most archaic and the worst night mare for the “Computer Guys/Gals” of the family. I once had a Network+ student that told me his step father was a Doctor. At family reunions they would place bets as to who would get the most questions regarding their expertise, him being the “Computer Guy” or his step father, being the “Medical Doctor”.
A Simple, Easy, Efficient, and FREE Way To Record Your ClicksWith the release of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, Microsoft introduced us to the Problems Steps Recorder, also known as PSR. One of the best things about the PSR is its simplicity. You can open the program and within three seconds be capturing screenshots. This could be an invaluable tool to any MCSE or MCITP administrator out there, I’d even venture to say you desktop support people would probably love your users to use this as well!How to use it? (only supported by Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2)
- Click Start
- Click Search
- Type “psr.exe”, then hit enter
- Click “Start Record”
- Perform the steps you want to record
- Click “Stop Record”
- Save the .zip to your desktop or wherever you wish, and that's it!
Visual Example:
You can also listen to a quick audio discussion of this tool on the
Windows Fast IT Tips podcast!The nice thing about PSR is that if you can operate a VCR you can operate it! Okay, back up, this is 2010, if you can operate a DVD player, you can operate the PSR! Sadly the “12 o’clock flashers” out there may still need some assistance.Once you’ve got your .zip file you can send it through email or whatever transport method you’d like and can opened by whoever on the other end. The .zip file contains a file with a .mht extension that when executed, will allow people to view the screen shots of every click you’ve made.Are you certified yet? Learn Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 at the world’s leader of computer training and certification, CED Solutions. Check out our extremely high exam pass success rate in all certifications such as MCITP(Microsoft Certified IT Professional, MCSE(Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer), and MCTS(Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist)For more information visit our website at www.cedsolutions.com or call 1-800-611-1840Discount Training Coupon:
CEDPSRReceive a
$100 off any course at
CED Solutions with that coupon code
.For more information contact CED Solutions at http://www.cedsolutions.com or call 1 (800) 611-1840
Posted by Rich Rodgers on Mon, Aug 09, 2010
By following a few simple guidelines, you can maintain your computer and keep it running smoothly. This article discusses how to use the tools available in Windows 7, Vista, and XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) to more efficiently maintain your computer and safeguard your privacy when you're online.
1. Free up disk space
The Disk Cleanup tool helps you free up space on your hard disk to improve the performance of your computer. The tool identifies files that you can safely delete, and then enables you to choose whether you want to delete some or all of the identified files.
Use Disk Cleanup to:
-
Remove temporary Internet files.
-
Remove downloaded program files (such as Microsoft ActiveX controls and Java applets).
-
Empty the Recycle Bin.
-
Remove Windows temporary files such as error reports.
-
Remove optional Windows components that you don't use.
-
Remove installed programs that you no longer use.
-
Remove unused restore points and shadow copies from System Restore.
Tip: Typically, temporary Internet files take the most amount of space because the browser caches each page you visit for faster access later.
To use Disk Cleanup
Window 7 users
-
Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, then click Disk Cleanup. If several drives are available, you might be prompted to specify which drive you want to clean.
-
When Disk Cleanup has calculated how much space you can free, in the Disk Cleanup for dialog box, scroll through the content of the Files to delete list.
Disk Cleanup dialog box
-
Clear the check boxes for files that you don't want to delete, and then click OK.
-
For more options, such as cleaning up System Restore and Shadow copy files, under Description, click Clean up system files, then click the More Options tab.
-
When prompted to confirm that you want to delete the specified files, click Yes.
After a few minutes, the process completes and the Disk Cleanup dialog box closes, leaving your computer cleaner and performing better.
For Windows XP users
-
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Cleanup. If several drives are available, you might be prompted to specify which drive you want to clean.
-
In the Disk Cleanup for dialog box, scroll through the content of the Files to delete list.
Choose the files that you want to delete.
-
Clear the check boxes for files that you don't want to delete, and then click OK.
-
When prompted to confirm that you want to delete the specified files, click Yes.
After a few minutes, the process completes and the Disk Cleanup dialog box closes, leaving your computer cleaner and performing better.
2. Speed up access to data
Disk fragmentation slows the overall performance of your system. When files are fragmented, the computer must search the hard disk when the file is opened to piece it back together. The response time can be significantly longer.
Disk Defragmenter is a Windows utility that consolidates fragmented files and folders on your computer's hard disk so that each occupies a single space on the disk. With your files stored neatly end-to-end, without fragmentation, reading and writing to the disk speeds up.
When to run Disk Defragmenter
In addition to running Disk Defragmenter at regular intervals—monthly is optimal—there are other times you should run it too, such as when:
-
You add a large number of files.
-
Your free disk space totals 15 percent or less.
-
You install new programs or a new version of Windows.
To use Disk Defragmenter:
Windows 7 users
-
Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.
Click Analyze disk to start the Disk Defragmenter.
-
In the Disk Defragmenter dialog box, click the drives that you want to defragment, and then click the Analyze button. After the disk is analyzed, a dialog box appears, letting you know whether you should defragment the analyzed drives.
Tip: You should analyze a volume before defragmenting it to get an estimate of how long the defragmentation process will take.
-
To defragment the selected drive or drives, click the Defragment disk button. In the Current status area, under the Progress column, you can monitor the process as it happens. After the defragmentation is complete, Disk Defragmenter displays the results.
-
To display detailed information about the defragmented disk or partition, click View Report.
-
To close the View Report dialog box, click Close.
-
You can also schedule the Disk Defragmenter to run automatically, and your computer might be set up this way by default. Under Schedule, it reads Scheduled defragmentation is turned on, then displays the time of day and frequency of defragmentation. If you want to turn off automatic defragmentation or change the time or frequency, click the Configure schedule (or Turn on Schedule, if it is not currently configured to run automatically). Then change the settings, then click OK.
-
To close the Disk Defragmenter utility, click the Close button on the title bar of the window.
To use Disk Defragmenter:
-
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.
Click Analyze disk to start the Disk Defragmenter.
-
In the Disk Defragmenter dialog box, click the drives that you want to defragment, and then click the Analyze button. After the disk is analyzed, a dialog box appears, letting you know whether you should defragment the analyzed drives.
Tip: You should analyze a volume before defragmenting it to get an estimate of how long the defragmentation process will take.
-
To defragment the selected drive or drives, click the Defragment button. Note: In Windows Vista, there is no graphical user interface to demonstrate the progress—but your hard drive is still being defragmented.
After the defragmentation is complete, Disk Defragmenter displays the results.
-
To display detailed information about the defragmented disk or partition, click View Report.
-
To close the View Report dialog box, click Close.
-
To close the Disk Defragmenter utility, click the Close button on the title bar of the window.
3. Detect and repair disk errors
In addition to running Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter to optimize the performance of your computer, you can check the integrity of the files stored on your hard disk by running the Error Checking utility.
As you use your hard drive, it can develop bad sectors. Bad sectors slow down hard disk performance and sometimes make data writing (such as file saving) difficult, or even impossible. The Error Checking utility scans the hard drive for bad sectors, and scans for file system errors to see whether certain files or folders are misplaced.
If you use your computer daily, you should run this utility once a week to help prevent data loss.
Run the Error Checking utility:
-
Close all open files.
-
Click Start, and then click My Computer.
-
In the My Computer window, right-click the hard disk you want to search for bad sectors, and then click Properties.
-
In the Properties dialog box, click the Tools tab.
-
Click the Check Now button.
-
In the Check Disk dialog box (called Error-checking in Windows 7), select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box, and then click Start.
Example of Check Disk Local Disk dialog box
-
If bad sectors are found, choose to fix them.
Tip: Only select the "Automatically fix file system errors" check box if you think that your disk contains bad sectors.
4. Protect your computer against spyware
Spyware collects personal information without letting you know and without asking for permission. From the Web sites you visit to usernames and passwords, spyware can put you and your confidential information at risk. In addition to privacy concerns, spyware can hamper your computer's performance. To combat spyware, you might want to consider using the PC safety scan from Windows Live OneCare. This scan is a free service and will help check for and remove viruses.
5. Learn all about ReadyBoost
If you're using Windows 7 or Windows Vista, you can use ReadyBoost to speed up your system. A new concept in adding memory to a system, it allows you to use non-volatile flash memory—like a USB flash drive or a memory card—to improve performance without having to add additional memory.
http://www.microsoft.com/atwork/maintenance/speed.aspx
CED Solutions is #1 in Microsoft certifications in North America.
www.cedsolutions.com, info@cedsolutions.com, (800) 611-1840
For more information contact CED Solutions at http://www.cedsolutions.com or call 1 (800) 611-1840
Posted by Rich Rodgers on Wed, Aug 04, 2010
Canada-based
Research In Motion unveiled the BlackBerry Torch smartphone on Tuesday, along with the revamped mobile operating system BlackBerry 6 at its core. Torch hits stores Aug. 12, for $199 with a two-year AT&T contract. After a launch event in New York, RIM co-CEO
Mike Lazaridis sat down with USA TODAY tech columnist Edward C. Baig to talk Torch, tablets and more. Edited excerpts:
Q: What's the appeal of Torch?
A: First of all, BlackBerry 6. It's a complete update of the system, apps, user interface. (And) the combination touch-screen, track-pad navigation and keyboard. It's evolutionary in the sense if you're a BlackBerry user, you already know how to use it.
Q: You've lost ground in North America. Can you lure users?
A: The smartphone market continues to grow. Some people are talking how there are 70% or more still using (regular) feature phones. This is an ongoing opportunity.
Q: Where does the business customer fit in?
A: This gives the enterprise customer a device that has the best of all worlds in security, activation, IT wireless policy and management. You don't have to change your servers, upgrade anything. All the third-party applications you paid for work.
Q: What about games and consumer apps?
A: You'll find a lot of games for BlackBerry. As more of our devices have accelerometers and touch-screens and track-pad navigation, we'll see more and more. Carrier billing technology is going to drive game usage. You can try before you buy. You can upgrade to new levels. And you can do that on your bill, where it's both trusted and convenient. Your Torch app purchase will be on your AT&T bill. Another choice is PayPal, which has been there from the beginning. Or your credit card.
Q: BlackBerry App World has just over 9,000 apps. Apple and Google have a lot more.
A: The advent of the latest Web browser technology means developers can build apps really quickly. The second thing that's really important is we never factor in the thousands, if not tens of thousands, of enterprise applications written for the BlackBerry. Those are not available in App World. Those are internal corporate apps bought and provisioned through the corporation. This is huge. And the app community itself is growing.
Q: Are you developing a tablet?
A: We're looking at a whole bunch of spaces. All we do is BlackBerry and mobile wireless technology. So it shouldn't surprise anybody that we continue to innovate in this space. BlackBerry 6 is a versatile platform.
Q: How important are Tuesday's announcements to RIM?
A: It really hasn't changed the desirability of BlackBerry around the world. In fact, it's gone up around the world. When we launch a product, they're all really important to us. This is important to us because it's the culmination of a lot of work. And it's the culmination of a new platform. This is one of the most important product launches we have ever had.
Q: What do you have to say about the United Arab Emirates' crackdown on BlackBerry?
A: This isn't about BlackBerry. It's all about what we call strong encryption. If you ban strong encryption in your country, you're going to cut yourself off from all e-commerce, all banking, all corporate use, all satellite global organizations.
You can ban BlackBerry, but then you have to ban all virtual private networks, all e-commerce, everything that is the lifeblood of commerce.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2010-08-04-blackberry04_ST_N.htm?csp=hf
CED Solutions provides training to IT solutions throughout the United States and Canada.
For more information contact CED Solutions at http://www.cedsolutions.com or call 1 (800) 611-1840
Posted by Rich Rodgers on Wed, Aug 04, 2010
While protecting a railroad survey party in Montana, Custer and his 7th Cavalry clash for the first time with the Sioux Indians, who will defeat them three years later at Little Big Horn. During the previous two years, Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer and his 7th Cavalry had not fought a single battle against the hostile Indians of the western Plains. Hungry for action, Custer was pleased when the 7th Cavalry was ordered to help protect a party of surveyors laying out the route for the proposed Northern Pacific Railroad. The new transcontinental railroad (the third in the United States) was to pass through territory controlled by hostile Sioux Indians. Custer was optimistic that the assignment would give him a chance to improve his reputation as an Indian fighter. Initially, the military escort saw little action. The hostile Indians seemed to be avoiding or ignoring the survey party. For Custer, the mission turned into something of a lark. He spent much of his time shooting buffalo, antelope, elk, and other animals. To find good hunting, he often led the 7th Cavalry far away from the survey party and the main body of the military escort. On this day in 1873, Custer was far ahead of the rest of the force, camping along the Tongue River in southeastern Montana. Suddenly, a large band of Sioux warriors appeared on the horizon and attacked. The Indians were led by Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, but the young braves seemed to have attacked impetuously and with little planning. Custer, who had been taking an afternoon nap, reacted quickly and mounted an effective defense. After a brief skirmish, the Indians withdrew. Since only one soldier and one Indian were killed in the skirmish, Custer's short battle along the Tongue River seemed relatively insignificant at the time. However, Custer's easy escape in his first encounter with Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse may have given him a dangerously scornful view of their fighting abilities. It helped to confirm his belief that the Plains warriors tended to flee rather than fight. As a result, when Custer again encountered Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse at the Little Big Horn River three years later, his greatest fear was that they would withdraw before he could attack, and he rushed in without proper reconnaissance. That time, though, the Indians stood and fought, leaving Custer and more than 200 of his men dead.
http://tdiumh.blogspot.com/2005/08/august-4.html
CED Solutions provides training on the MCSE Certification program providing skills and proof of current knowledge to work on the most installed server operating system.
www.cedsolutions.com, info@cedsolutions.com, (800) 611-1840
For more information contact CED Solutions at http://www.cedsolutions.com or call 1 (800) 611-1840
Posted by Rich Rodgers on Fri, Jul 30, 2010
The Shoshone chief Pocatello signs the Treaty of Box Elder, bringing peace to the emigrant trails of southern Idaho and northern Utah. Pocatello was a Bannock Shoshone, one of the two major Shoshone tribes that dominated modern-day southern Idaho. Once a large and very powerful people, the Shoshone lost thousands to a smallpox epidemic in 1781. The fierce Blackfoot Indians took further advantage of the badly weakened Shoshone to push them off the plains and into the mountains. The first representatives of a people who would soon prove even more dangerous than the Blackfoot arrived in August 1805: The expedition of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Anxious to establish good relations with the Americans in hopes of someday obtaining guns to fight the dreaded Blackfoot, the Shoshone welcomed Lewis and Clark and gave them the horses they needed to cross the Rocky Mountains. However, by the time Pocatello had become a chief 50 years later, the Shoshone realized the white people were more of a threat than the Blackfoot. By 1857, Pocatello was a young chief who controlled an extensive territory around present-day Pocatello, Idaho. Pocatello was greatly alarmed by the growing number of Mormons who were traveling north from Salt Lake City and settling in Shoshone territory. The Indians and Mormons increasingly clashed, with both sides committing brutal and unjustified murders. Pocatello was determined to resist the white settlement. He led several attacks on the Mormons, killing or wounding several of them and stealing their horses. In 1863, the U.S. government sent Colonel Patrick Connor and a company of soldiers into the region to protect American telegraph lines and, secondarily, the Mormon settlers. That May, Connor set out to track down Pocatello and his followers, but the Shoshone chief managed to evade the soldiers. On his own initiative, Pocatello then proposed a peace agreement. If the Mormons provided the Shoshone with compensation for lost game and land, Pocatello promised to cease his attacks. The Mormons accepted his terms. On this day in 1863, Pocatello signed his "X" on the Treaty of Box Elder and the overt hostilities ended. As the Anglo settlers in the region grew more numerous and gained the support of the U.S. government, the Shoshone were confined to a reservation within their traditional territory. Pocatello died on the reservation in 1884. The nearby Idaho city of Pocatello was named for him.
http://tdiumh.blogspot.com/2005/07/july-30.html
CED Solutions is the #1 provider of Microsoft Certifications in North America (2009).
For more information contact CED Solutions at http://www.cedsolutions.com or call 1 (800) 611-1840
Posted by Rich Rodgers on Thu, Jul 29, 2010
Obtain your Microsoft MCSE Certification before the exams expire. You work with the Operating System and you know it well, but you do not have the Certifications to back it up. Complete your certifications now before it is too late!
Microsoft Certified Professionals stand apart from other IT personnel. They've demonstrated undeniable expertise with Microsoft products and platforms to colleagues, employers, and—most importantly—to themselves.
Earning your MCSE certification provides objective validation of the ability to successfully perform critical IT functions. Embraced by industry professionals worldwide, Microsoft certification remains one of the most effective ways to reach long-term career goals.
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer
The MCSE credential is the premier certification for professionals who design and implement the infrastructure for business solutions based on the Microsoft Windows platform and Microsoft Windows Server System™.
The MCSA/MCSE: Security exams support the release of Windows Server™ 2003 by identifying systems engineers who can successfully plan and implement a network infrastructure, Active Directory® infrastructure, and client deployment on the Windows 2003 platform, and perform maintenance at a high level for a medium- to large-sized Windows 2003 environment.
The MCSA/MCSE: Security on Windows Server™ 2003 credential offers IT professionals a competitive edge in today's constantly changing business environment by validating the specific experience required by the network and systems administrator job role. The certification provides employers with a means to identify those qualified individuals who have the appropriate skills set to do the job successfully.
CED Solutions is #1 in Microsoft Certifications in North America (2009). CED Solutions has thousands of students attending training and certification each year.
www.cedsolutions.com, info@cedsolutions.com, (800) 611-1840
For more information contact CED Solutions at http://www.cedsolutions.com or call 1 (800) 611-1840
Posted by Rich Rodgers on Tue, Jul 27, 2010
Jailbreaking an Apple iPhone to add unauthorized apps or use an alternative cell provider is officially no longer a government offense.
The Library of Congress, as part of a regular review of copyright rules, has revised a 1998 position that banned phone owners from bypassing technical locks on the devices. The process, nicknamed jailbreaking, has been used by iPhone owners to buck AT&T Inc.'s exclusivity as the cell carrier for the device.
Apple Inc., which makes the iPhone, had urged that the rules be kept intact. But in a statement Monday on the rule changes, Librarian of Congress James Billington said phone owners who did a workaround on the device were among those who would "not be subject to the statutory prohibition against circumvention."
The new rules also negate any potential legal arguments from Motorola, Samsung or their companion carriers in response to attempts at prying open software on their phones. For example, the operating system on Motorola's Droid X cannot be altered, and Samsung's Captivate can install apps only from the Google and AT&T Marketplace.
Although cutting through manufacturers' security measures is now legal, such a move would still violate product warranties set by many companies. So if an iPhone locks down after it has been jailbroken — "bricking," as it's called — Apple doesn't have to repair it or provide technical support.
"Apple's goal has always been to ensure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone and we know that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience," Apple spokeswoman Natalie Harrison said in an e-mail. "As we've said before, the vast majority of customers do not jailbreak their iPhones, as this can violate the warranty and can cause the iPhone to become unstable and not work reliably."
About 4 million iPhone and iPod Touch units had been jailbroken as of last August, and were accessing apps from a sort of black-market storefront called Cydia, the marketplace's founder told Wired. The store is a haven for many developers that Apple, the gatekeeper to its App Store, has ignored or turned away.
Google Inc., which produces a competing smart-phone platform called Android, was one victim of Apple's sometimes ambiguous and much lambasted regulation over the App Store.
The Cupertino, Calif., iPhone maker had to respond to an inquiry from the Federal Communications Commission last year regarding why its store would not carry an app called Google Voice. The program lets users reroute phone calls and voicemail through Google's system for perks such as cheaper international call rates and voicemail transcription. A similar app, not made by Google, that interfaces with the Voice service is for sale through Cydia.
Apple Chief Steve Jobs' retort: 95% of the 15,000 apps submitted per week are approved within a week.
The new federal exemptions also apply to video games, allowing players to break measures to investigate or fix security flaws. Additionally, educators can circumvent copy protection on DVDs for noncommercial purposes; computer owners may bypass security dongles when they break and cannot be replaced; and blind people may break digital locks on e-books to access read-aloud software.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-iphone-apps-20100727,0,4385067.story
CED Solutions is one of the largest providers of computer software training in North America.
www.cedsolutions.com, info@cedsolutions.com, (800) 611-1840
For more information contact CED Solutions at http://www.cedsolutions.com or call 1 (800) 611-1840
Posted by Rich Rodgers on Wed, Jun 30, 2010
Letter from John Adams to his daughter Abigail on July 5th about the previous day: "In the morning the Delaware frigate, several large gallies, and other continental armed vessels, the Pennsylvania ship and row gallies and guard boats, were all hawled off in the river, and several of them beautifully dressed in the colours of all nations, displayed about upon the masts, yards, and rigging.
At one o'clock the ships were all manned, that is, the men were all ordered aloft, and arranged upon the tops, yards, and shrowds, making a striking appearance-of companies of men drawn up in order, in the air.
Then I went on board the Delaware, with the President and several gentlemen of the Marine Committee, soon after which we were saluted with a discharge of thirteen guns, which was followed by thirteen others, from each other armed vessel in the river; then the gallies followed the fire, and after them the guard boats. Then the President and company returned in the barge to the shore, and were saluted with three cheers, from every ship, galley, and boat in the river. The wharves and shores, were lined with a vast concourse of people, all shouting and huzzaing, in a manner which gave great joy to every friend to this country, and the utmost terror and dismay to every lurking tory.
At three we went to dinner, and were very agreeably entertained with excellent company, good cheer, fine music from the band of Hessians taken at Trenton, and continual vollies between every toast, from a company of soldiers drawn up in Second-street before the city tavern, where we dined. The toasts were in honour of our country, and the heroes who have fallen in their pious efforts to defend her. After this, two troops of light-horse, raised in Maryland, accidentally here in their way to camp, were paraded through Second-street, after them a train of artillery, and then about a thousand infantry, now in this city on their march to camp, from North Carolina. All these marched into the common, where they went through their firings and manoeuvres; but I did not follow them. In the evening, I was walking about the streets for a little fresh air and exercise, and was surprised to find the whole city lighting up their candles at the windows. I walked most of the evening, and I think it was the most splendid illumination I ever saw; a few surly houses were dark; but the lights were very universal. Considering the lateness of the design and the suddenness of the execution, I was amazed at the universal joy and alacrity that was discovered, and at the brilliancy and splendour of every part of this joyful exhibition. I had forgot the ringing of bells all day and evening, and the bonfires in the streets, and the fireworks played off.
Had General Howe been here in disguise, or his master, this show would have given them the heart-ache. I am your affectionate father,
John Adams"
For more information contact CED Solutions at http://www.cedsolutions.com or call 1 (800) 611-1840
Posted by Rich Rodgers on Fri, Jun 25, 2010
10 Reasons Why Google Won't Beat Microsoft in Cloud Collaboration
by Clint Boulton
Microsoft Is Big, Getting Bigger
When was the last time you saw a study that said Microsoft's market share was declining? Microsoft has a $17 billion a year Office business and 500 million seats for that suite. Microsoft SharePoint is a $1 billion a year business. It isn't going anywhere.
Local Still Preferable?
Despite all of the hoopla surrounding cloud computing, that talk is reserved for cost-conscious enterprises. Forrester Research analyst JP Gownder noted that, at least for consumers, "local computing power is plentiful and cheap." There are still plenty of consumers using Office on their store-bought PCs. Google Apps is unlikely to peck away at Microsoft's user base there.
Microsoft Now Lives in the Cloud
For a couple years, Microsoft had no cloud computing offering and Google mopped the floor with the software giant from a PR and marketing standpoint. Microsoft is fully in the cloud now with Office 2010 and a few flavors of Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite, whose standard version (BPOS-S) costs $10 per user, per month.
Bang for the Buck Lies with Microsoft
It's true that $120 per user, per year for BPOS-S, seems a bit pricey compared to Google's $50 per user, per year for Google Apps suite. However, some customers would argue that because BPOS-S includes Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Office Live Meeting and Office Communications Online, they get more bang for their buck. Office 2010 with the lightweight Office Web Apps solidifies Microsoft's cloud ambitions for the casual cloud collaboration user.
Serena Said It and Did It
Serena left Microsoft Exchange for Google Apps in March 2009, but has come back to license BPOS-S, citing what it said was immature products and customer service. We don't know about that. Google Apps performs well for our casual use. But, when it comes to the enterprise, Serena IT Director Ron Brister tells another tale.
Limited Browser
Brister complained about the inability for Google Apps to synch properly between offline and online data. Forrester's Gownder said that despite programming advances browser-based programs are still more limited than client software today. Google Docs has gotten a nice refresh. But Gownder and others wonder whether it will be enough to satisfy power users. That's Microsoft's sweet spot.
Customer Service
While Microsoft has rich, years-long relationships with thousands of enterprise customers, Google Apps is putting off some customers. Brister told eWEEK Google's customer service was non-existent, or worse, arrogant about correcting issues Serena had with Google Apps. And he was paying for 24-7 customer service, which at one point told him to disable offline access. This sort of negative attention will keep other customers away.
Enterprise?
Google doesn't have the cachet Microsoft does in the enterprise. Rumor has it that Microsoft gave Serena BPOS-S free for three years. If this is true, the open source adage about it being "tough to compete with free" can be applied here. Microsoft can afford to give its cloud computing software to customers it wants to win from Google. The question is: will Google forego enterprise sales to do the same?
Google Billboards?!
Microsoft Office sells itself by way of word of mouth and entrenched contract renewals. Google has been knocked in the past for failing to advertise Google Apps and other Google Web services. Google Apps went two-plus years without advertising until Google launched its Going Google ad campaign. Going Google isn't on TV, where ads matter. It's on highway, train and subway billboards! When was the last time you went on the Web to look for something advertised on a billboard?
Good Enough
People, from consumers to enterprises, have a longstanding relationship with Office. As Gownder notes: "Consumers have years' worth of digital assets designed in, and still most suited to, Office." Unfortunately, while there is a segment of companies pining for the newfangled approach of the cloud, Microsoft now has the cloud computing assets to move employees from its local Microsoft Office and SharePoint suites to Web-based versions. So customers who once would have left Microsoft for Google's cloud will likely stick with Microsoft. Save for business customers and individuals that flocked to Google because they detested the legacy Office and SharePoint hegemonies, the software giant hasn't given them enough reasons to switch.
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Cloud-Computing/10-Reasons-Why-Google-Wont-Beat-Microsoft-in-Cloud-Collaboration-823604/?kc=EWKNLEDP06232010A
CED Solutions is #1 in Microsoft Certifications in North America (2009).
www.cedsolutions.com, info@cedsolutions.com, (800) 611-1840
For more information contact CED Solutions at http://www.cedsolutions.com or call 1 (800) 611-1840
Posted by Rich Rodgers on Wed, Jun 23, 2010
The Soviet attack begins. There are four front-level commands engaged in the operation, under the STAVKA direction of Marshal Zhukov (the southern wing) and Marshal Vasilevsky (the northern wing). From left to right: 1st Belorussian Front (Rokossovsky); 2nd Belorussian Front (Zakharov); 3rd Belorussian Front (Cherniakhovsky); and, 1st Baltic Front (Bagramian). The Soviet combat forces directly engaged in the offensive amount to over 1,250,000 men (in 124 divisions), over 4000 tanks and self-propelled guns, over 24,000 artillery pieces and over 6300 aircraft. Soviet objectives include tactical encirclements at Vitebsk and Bobruisk while a deep encirclement would aim for Minsk. Soviet forces are then to drive west toward the Vistula River. The target of Operation Bagration is German Army Group Center (Busch) holding a salient centered on Minsk, and including most of Belorussia. Its forces, from right to left, include: 9th Army (Jordan), 4th Army (Tippelskirch); and, 3rd Panzer Army (Reinhardt). On the right flank of the army group is the German 2nd Army (Weiss) which is not targeted by the Soviet offensive. The German defenders amount to 800,000 men in 63 divisions with about 900 tanks and assault guns, 10,000 artillery pieces and 1300 planes. Advances of up 11 miles are recorded by Red Army troops of 2nd, 3rd Belorussian and 1st Baltic Fronts. The 1st Belorussian Front does not join in the assault during the day. Meanwhile in the far north, forces of the Soviet 7th Separate Army cross the Svir River.
http://tdiumh.blogspot.com/2005/06/june-23.html
CED Solutions is proud to provide computer software training and certification to thousands of active duty, reserve, national guard, and veterans of the armed forces.
www.cedsolutions.com, info@cedsolutions.com, (800) 611-1840
For more information contact CED Solutions at http://www.cedsolutions.com or call 1 (800) 611-1840