Mind if I brag a bit? First, I'll brag about me. After writing a cover story about disreputable IT folks, I decided to look at the other side: cases where IT pros help the world. Turned out to be a pretty good idea.
But I'm going to spend a lot more time bragging about you, the Redmond Report reader. All I had to do what ask you what you do and I was flooded with good deeds. If you haven't read what your fellow Redmond Report readers are up to, check the story out here.
Posted by Doug Barney on 07/20/2009 at 1:16 PM1 comments
On Monday, I talked about my Windows 7 glitches, and on Wednesday it was IE 8 foibles. Today, I'm talking about getting used to Office 2007.
I was nervous about Office 2007. I remember meeting an Office 2007 product manager at a winery near Seattle. I said I was getting a lot of feedback from my newsletter readers: "In fact, I have a bunch of messages on my BlackBerry about the ribbon interface I haven't even read. Would you like to see 'em?"
He was excited, expecting great praise. Instead has was subjected to ridicule, objections and condemnation.
I mostly use Word (I haven't yet cranked up PowerPoint or Excel), and have figured out most things. But like Word 2003, Word 2007 seems to have a mind of its own. It wants to format the way it wants to format. With 2003, I just used "undo format." I'll have to search a bit to find it on 2007. The same is true with Track Changes and "accept all changes." I'm halfway through making sense of all that.
Another oddity: "recent documents" has been replaced by "recent places," which for me is far less useful. Thank goodness for keyboard shortcuts, which still largely work.
What do you love or hate about Office 2007? Let me know at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 07/17/2009 at 1:16 PM8 comments
IT pros always struggle with Microsoft volume licensing. I did two major stories on the topic, "SA Exposed" and "7 Steps to a Better Bargain." I read everything I could from Microsoft and experts, and relied heavily on Microsoft licensing and negotiation ace Scott Braden, who wrote a regular column on the topic for me.
After all this effort, I still felt like an amateur. Microsoft licensing is just that complicated. On a regular basis, Microsoft tweaks its program all with the aim of simplicity. To me, it's like trying to simplify the U.S. Federal Tax Code by giving it a larger font; it's still utterly befuddling.
So let's run through Microsoft's latest changes. First, there are now more options, such as a bundle of SharePoint, SQL Server, Visual Studio, Dynamics xRM and BizTalk. Another bundle ties together Windows Server, Forefront security and management. (I guess not having to negotiate separately is a step forward.) Microsoft is also putting together virtualization bundles, hopefully making it easier to buy suites of virtual products.
Do you have any Microsoft negotiation tips? Forward them directly to [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 07/17/2009 at 1:17 PM0 comments
Like Doug said, he's been having some Windows 7 issues, from printer problems to the occasional (OK, daily) crash. A couple of you wrote in to commiserate and offer some suggestions:
Windows 7 is only on my desktop, which I never allow to sleep; I still have x64 Vista on my laptop. (Well, I did 'til this morning when the roof in my office leaked water all over it and now it doesn't turn on.) Neither Firefox 3.5, Safari 4 nor Opera (even 10, the latest version) work in Windows 7 with Flash -- and I have no clue why. Maybe it's a ploy to increase IE 8 usage. My 'Net connection is fine; no idea why you are having problems. Fresh install? I had problems only when doing upgrades. No VPN issues, either.
But HP LaserJet 1505n doesn't work for me either; I put a mild amount of effort into it but gave up when I am able to print to my HP 2600n and my Brother 685CW.
-Chad
I've got Flash working on my Windows 7 install. I had trouble at first but ended up installing Flash Player 10 ActiveX first, then the Flash Player 10 plug-in.
By the way, I've been using Office 2007 for a good while now and for the past year with it running on top of Vista. You'd have to pay me a bunch to go back to Office 2003.
-Bruce
I have been using Windows 7 since the betas started coming out for it. As for your network connection shutting down, check in the Device Manager of the adapter for any power settings. These devices usually have a setting under Power Management that you can uncheck that allows the computer to turn it off when it goes to sleep. That is one of the first things I turn off when I build a new computer.
As for Windows crashing, I have not had a single crash on Windows 7 or Vista yet. I have Vista running on my main desktop, backup desktop and a new HP laptop. I am running Windows 7 RC on a 4-year-old laptop without a problem. I would check into any application or hardware updates to try to alleviate the crashes.
-Matt
And finally, despite Doug's (and others') IE 8 problems, Joe thinks it's a solid browser:
I firmly believe that IE 8 is extremely well-crafted and nothing to be afraid of. Perhaps it's simply a case of too many people not wanting to learn how to use it, much like they didn't with Vista, an extremely stable system (and with Windows 7, which I'm using at present and is even more stable).
-Joe
Tell us what you think! Leave a comment below or send an e-mail to [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 07/15/2009 at 1:16 PM0 comments
On Monday, I had a whole bunch of questions about Windows 7, which many of you answered clearly and succinctly. (If anyone thought I was complaining about Win 7, I really like it so far -- I just have a few glitches.)
Now I have a few IE 8 comments and questions. Overall, I like it. In fact, I had to ditch Firefox because it doesn't support Flash on Win 7. IE 8 brought in my 'Fox bookmarks with no problem, Flash works and the tabs are a lot like they are in 'Fox. All in all, an easy fix for 'Fox.
But one thing that's strange is Firefox is still my default browser, so it opens when you click on links in messages and so forth. I'll have to search for a way to make IE the default.
Plus, when scrolling through the page, the arrow keys don't work. I have to use the scroll bar unless I left-click first. And this works for some pages but not others. A little odd.
Tabs are also a bit odd. Often, clicking a link launches a new tab and just as often a new window, whereas with Firefox, it was almost always a new tab. You can take the extra step of right-clicking and choosing a tab, but who wants to do this every time you click?
I cut and paste a lot of links writing this newsletter. With IE 8, I have to highlight the URL, then use a keyboard shortcut to copy it. The copy function on the menu doesn't work. Again, a bit odd.
Got any IE 8 head-scratchers of your own? Solutions to these issues I mentioned? Send them to [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 07/15/2009 at 1:16 PM8 comments
If you're a developer or true IT buff, good news: Azure is free for now. Of course, it's only in beta so that's pretty normal. Once it emerges into a full commercial set of tools this fall, it's going to cost you.
Unlike most packaged software, Azure is more like a service where you "pay as you go." Existing customers can earn discounts, and those building apps can get the stuff even cheaper.
Azure, aimed now at high-end service providers and ultra-demanding Web users, comes in at 15 cents a gigabyte for storage per month, and 12 cents an hour for computing. Microsoft will also charge for every gigabyte that moves in or out of its server farms.
Posted by Doug Barney on 07/15/2009 at 1:16 PM0 comments
Some months, Microsoft releases patches and IT has an easy time installing 'em. This month didn't seem like a big deal with only six fixes, but some of these repairs are time-consuming and also raise substantial issues.
In particular, DirectX is now a major vector of attack. Now IT has to take a hard look at locking down ActiveX and DirectX. How do you handle these systems? Do you leave it up to Microsoft to patch or take bolder measures? Advice welcome at [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 07/15/2009 at 1:16 PM0 comments
Microsoft plans to release Windows 7 to PC manufacturers some time this month. The company mentioned that detail while announcing the promotion of Steven Sinofsky as president of the Windows Division.
Windows 7 is set for general release on Oct. 22. Details on the volume licensing of Windows 7 will be available on Sept. 1, according to Bill Veghte, Microsoft's senior vice president for the Windows Business, speaking at WPC on Monday.
Veghte also told the Microsoft partner crowd that there will be a limited-time promotion in which Microsoft will offer a 15 to 35 percent discount on Windows 7 to customers. Veghte also said that Microsoft plans to double the internal use rights for Windows 7 customers.
Analyst firm IDC predicts that there will be 177 million Windows 7 shipments by the end of 2010.
Posted by Kurt Mackie on 07/14/2009 at 1:17 PM1 comments
Microsoft boosted its Dynamics CRM application by adding three "accelerators" or customization options.
The platform has mutated from its original sales database function and now gets used for other organizational needs. Microsoft is referring to this flexibility as "XRM," where the "X" means anything.
Sales may be down around the planet with the current global economic depression, but Microsoft is touting success with Dynamics CRM. There are now more than 1 million users of the application, according to Steven Elop, president of Microsoft's Business Division. Microsoft is also revamping its Microsoft Dynamics specializations, according to reporting from the WPC floor in New Orleans by RCP's Scott Bekker.
Is your IT shop using Dynamics CRM for some other purpose than sales? Tell Doug Barney about it at [email protected].
Posted by Kurt Mackie on 07/14/2009 at 1:16 PM0 comments
Microsoft rolled out a test version of its Office 2010 productivity suite on Monday, which includes "Office Web applications."
At last, Microsoft has taken its familiar Office user interface and made it into a lightweight application that runs in a Web browser. It should make waves among Software as a Service (SaaS) providers, but do IT shops care? The idea of moving to hosted application services maybe isn't so easy.
For instance, a survey conducted by Gartner in December found some difficulty with SaaS-delivered software passing muster. Survey respondents who were dissatisfied with SaaS cited its high cost (42 percent). In addition, there were integration problems (38 percent), along with difficulty meeting the IT shop's technical requirements (33 percent).
Those findings seem surprising. They also seem to strongly favor Microsoft as it revs up its Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) of hosted software and Windows Azure cloud computing operations. Microsoft has long profited from having interoperable products within its own software stack, even while other software companies have sued over a lack of such integration.
It's assumed that SaaS now makes compelling business sense as IT budgets get cut or frozen in a down economy, although Gartner's study suggests otherwise. Has your IT shop considered making the move to SaaS? Let Doug Barney know your concerns or successes with SaaS-based applications at [email protected].
Posted by Kurt Mackie on 07/14/2009 at 1:16 PM2 comments
Readers share their thoughts on Java and Microsoft's recent decision to stop supporting Java Virtual Machine:
Perhaps it's not as simple as whether Java is a winner or not. The current long-term economic contraction coupled with the recession results in much lower IT budgets. Lower IT budgets encourage CIOs to be less willing to 'burger king' it, and to instead do with off-the-shelf products or postponed efforts. Net effect: less development overall, Java or not.
-Arlene
Java is a cool technology, but so is .NET and, above all, good ole C++. Java created this illusion that it was going to integrate the whole world -- coffee makers, microwaves and all our daily technology would become some Java application. Which insinuates that it would be connected to a remote server somewhere, making the world one big smart client/cloud computing paradigm.
However, the problem isn't the idea, but the hardware and the means by which we compute. The ideas behind our advanced 'beyond the Web browser' Java are really the ideas for nano-technology. And we wouldn't have the same computing means as what we have with Java. Perhaps we'd do some development using the same methodology as we do now, but the nano-technology would be the secret, not the language itself. All a language like Java is for is to provide a more fun and accessible abstract layer to C/C++. If those languages can't do what the paradigm suggests, then Java isn't going to be much help either.
-Anonymous
I cringe every time a business unit wants to deploy a solution that requires a Java client. Which JVM version does this vendor require/support? It seems that with each upgrade or new app deployed, we spend an inordinate amount of time testing different versions of JVM to find the one that causes the least number of problems across our (relatively small?) portfolio of Java apps.
-Anonymous
Which do you prefer: fully featured apps, or slimmed-down ones? Doug asked, and readers answered in favor of the latter:
I hate apps with zillions of features because you can never find what you really need. Less is more. I developed software, and there was always pressure from some customer for one more feature that no one else will ever use.
-Anonymous
Many of our users only need functionality that slightly exceeds the free Office Viewers (just add the ability to do basic editing). We would love to see slimmed-down, simplified and much less-expensive apps. The biggest thing preventing us from considering another solution? Almost all of our third-party solutions only provide integration support for MS Office.
-Anonymous
And finally, two more readers debate which will reign supreme in the future -- fat clients or thin clients:
In our shop, thin doesn't even include a browser on the client. We've been majority thin client for years using Wyse Blazer/ThinOS devices connecting to 100 percent Citrix XenApp desktops, and the percentage of thin to fat increases every year. If Wyse and Citrix get multimedia working well (especially Flash), the percentage of thin will jump even higher. In a few instances, we use "chubby"
XPE clients (mostly where someone has to have local Flash and multimedia capabilities) and we've recently started deploying XPE-based laptops for those with remote access/traveling needs. We're waiting for someone to provide XPE on a netbook with a simple docking station for keyboard, monitor and mouse when in the office -- that would be a really sweet solution for many of our execs, salespeople, etc.
From my perspective, the future is primarily thin for those who rarely leave the office, and probably "chubby" for most other mobile users and home users. Fat is reserved for servers and extreme power users (and those who require disconnected capabilities).
-Anonymous
Here are my two cents for the future (might be worth a bit, at least at the restaurant at the end of the universe). In 10 years, we'll have wildly faster CPUs, bigger hard drives, bigger flash drives and Internet connectivity that's fiber. But once we get fiber at the home, I doubt it will get faster by much. The Internet is big cash, and the providers will need to take a break and make some cash on the existing base. On-the-fly compression may help, but who knows? So, faster CPUs and new flash drives -- maybe even ones that replace hard drives.
That tells me: Big, fat clients that only use what connection they need. It still may be cloud, but do you really think Fortune 500 customers are going to want their information in the cloud? Maybe in 50 years. There will be cloud apps -- those that focus on minimal needs, like Twitter -- but AutoCAD? Not for a long time.
-Andrew
Tell us what you think! Leave a comment below or send an e-mail to [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 07/13/2009 at 1:16 PM0 comments
This week, I officially switched over to Windows 7 and Office 2007 -- all in one fell swoop! I know a lot of you are on Windows 7, so here are a few questions:
Why doesn't Firefox support Flash on Windows 7 yet? Why does my 'Net connection and VPN die every time the machine goes to sleep? Why does Windows 7 still crash once or twice a day? Why can't I install a printer driver for an HP LaserJet 1000?
Tech advice welcome at [email protected]. Once I solve my Win 7 glitches, I'll have plenty of Office 2007 and IE 8 questions!
Posted by Doug Barney on 07/13/2009 at 1:16 PM12 comments