|
|
|||||||||||||
**** NewsBytes **** NewsBytes **** NewsBytes ****
Who can go lowest?
Microsoft is hitting back at what it sees as the misconception that the rival Linux operating system offers a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) than its own, with its Get The Facts advertising campaign, backed by IDC reports and a case study from fashion designer Paul Smith.
Moi, j'aime Línûx!
French public sector spending could be heading for overstepping the 3% government of GDP EU limit for the third year in a row, so the French government is to considering moving to the Linux Open Source operating system in a bid to break the cycle, Reuters reports. Both Microsoft and Sun are also moving in to scoop the business with their own offerings.
Meanwhile on home turf, the Wimbledon season sees its Intranet system and Internet Web caching systems being run on Linux by IBM, broadcasting live web coverage and providing wireless access at the courts.
Smartphone, daft virus
The first worm aimed at infecting smartphones needs user permission to install itself. Targeted at phones based on the Symbian operating system, analysts say that the so-called Cabir worm is typical of a "concept virus" designed to show that the worm could spread, even though it may not spread far in practice.
Neighbourhood watch
This offshoot of the Office for National Statistics is a real draw for stats groupies based on 2001 Census info. With East Enders type fascination, you can drill down into People Statistics (split by age, marital status, ethnic orgin, religion, economic activity % of students), Housing and Households (no of people per household by %, property types, what sort of transport they have), Area Statistics (basically crime). All you do is type in a post code and up comes a map with the summary and links for detailed figures. http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/
Due process
Processor giants AMD and Intel have been slugging out an antitrust lawsuit the courtrooms since 2000. Now, the US Supreme Court is to allow the European Commission continue its to anti-competition investigation by requesting documents from Intel, a ruling which may well reveal documents relating to alleged antitrust offences and of great interest to AMD.
Well connected
BT aims to have 99.6 of exchanges all connected up to broadband by Summer 2005, with the 2600 currently-enabled exchanges representing 90% of those available for conversion. Translating into 2.5 million broadband-enabled households, the rest of us are 'going-a-broad-ho' at a rate of 45,000 a week.
Linux, jawohl!
Microsoft will continue to extend its existing open-source projects, using an IBM-style licence called CPL (common public license), as a counter to market competition from the open-source Linux operating system. Although such projects failed to sway the city of Munich from switching its 14,000 PCs from Windows to Linux, Microsoft Open Source spokesmen are making light of the lost custom. More at LinuxInsider.
Crisis? What crisis?
"Does my bum look big on this?"
Some doubt is being cast on the statistics from Western obesity studies when it was found recently that results were being monitored on poorly adjusted plasma wide screens.
**** end of NewsBytes ****
| ^ Back to contents ^ | |||
|
1. Going spare
When the chips are down, one of the fastest problem fixers is also one of the simplest. And the beauty of this strategy is that it's DIY. | |||
| More help at hand. All the back issues just a click away |
Bring on the substitutesWhen the chips are literally down and out of service, there's not much that beats having a "hot spare" - a computer that is ready to run (even if when it's an older one) and that you can just substitute until the cavalry arrives - we hope that's us!
The Hot Spares conceptWhile a whole PC can be an expensive, though life-saving, stand-in, the Hot Spares idea can be extended to other less-costly links in the IT chain.Here is a run-down of the most easily accessible solutions.
The Hot Spares strategy - Going equippedLook for single points of weakness.Which failing linch pins would throw the whole IT infrastructure into disarray?
It's about keeping the show running, so seeking out common but susceptible areas that are likely to be unique is the key. Switching in spare services as well as equipment adds versatility here.
Related articles
-IB-
|
Good read? Rate this article | |
| I | B | ||
| ^ Back to contents ^ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
2. Key Word
Mouse-free typing shortcuts in Microsoft Word. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| More help at hand. All the back issues just a click away |
How often do you find you that pull down a menu item in Word to effect a very simple function like changing the spacing of format of a piece of text? Up to a dozen times or so and you can put up with all the mouse-twiddling that this menu manipulation requires, but more than that and it becomes wearing. Gaining ControlThat indispensable Control key (CTRL) is the one here that will deliver most of these shortcuts. No doubt we are all familiar with everyday shortcuts like:
But why not add some of the more esoteric tips to your repertoire of keyboard shortcuts?
For more info in Word, pull down Help and Search for "Keyboard shortcuts".
For menu diehards, all these and more can be accessed from :
For menu diehards, all these and more can be accessed from : And finally ...If this list hasn't exhausted your capability to recall keystroke combinations and fiddle with formatting, then pressing ALT+U gets you straight into Lines, shapes and other drawing tools.DIY shortcutsDon't like the shortcut keys provided for you in Word?Well you can change all that!
Related articlesStill doing Cut, Copy and Paste from the menu?Try these shortcuts.
-IB- Paul Craig |
Good read? Rate this article | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I | B | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ^ Back to contents ^ | ||
|
3. Portable PCs: the Mini-Note versus the Tablet
| ||
| More help at hand. All the back issues just a click away |
These days more and more of us are "walking the job". That may mean wandering around an office ensuring your team contains a bunch of happy bunnies just nibbling away contentedly on their carrots (while avoiding the sticks!), but increasingly the "walking" part of the job means taking work information away with you ... on a laptop.
This desk ain't big enough for the both of us!So the next question that raises its head is whether to invest in an additional portable PC or somehow find an all-purpose machine that serves the role or both portable and desktop.We look here at a couple of options, both with their own advantages. Option 1 - Seeing Double
This double-hander involves basically keeping the existing desktop PC and adding a portable PC - but one that you can really use - known as a mini-note.
This paperback-sized marvel is ideal for travelling, and yet sports a relatively high-specification with a wireless-ready (802.11b) Intel® Pentium® III-M processor, up to 384MB of memory and 30GB hard drive capacity and is supplied with Microsoft® Windows XP Professional, all on a 8.9-inch flat screen.
You'd think there was no room to connect anything else to such a tiny box, but somehow JVC have managed to pack in a VGA port (to connect an external large display), a phone line socket (for dial-up modems), 2 fast USB ports (for a host of external devices like drives and memory sticks), a Mac-style FireWire port, a 10/100 Ethernet socket (for hooking up to a Local Area Network), mic and stereo headphone jacks and a standard credit-card size PC card slot to add wireless Bluetooth connectivity. Option 2 - Drug User
The slightly more radical alternative - an all-in-one solution - is a Tablet PC.
You can type on it like a normal notebook or fold and rotate the screen to write on it with a stylus, that employs handwriting recognition, (like small PDAs and smartphones) in an A4 portrait format for taking notes. Bundling similar wireless-ready and networking options to the mini-note, the Acer Tablets however include more performance (upwards of 1.4GHz Pentium M processor, 512MB memory and 40GB drive) and a compact DVD-CDRW combo drive, with Bluetooth as a built-in feature, all overlaid with a dedicated operating system, namely Microsoft® Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition. The larger form factor mean that 14.1" flat display can be accommodated but the bulkier size thus also puts the carrying weight up to around 2.7Kg or 6lbs. There is also a smaller, reduced-spec version - the Acer Travelmate C110 - with a 10.4" screen and lighter at 1.5Kg - a mite closer in size to the JVC above. Although Acer are pushing hard to become the Tablet PC manufacturer of choice, other manufacturers like Hewlett-Packard produce them too. Expect to pay £1200-1500 for this range of sizes, though sub-£1000 models may soon be on the way. Comparing the Options - how do they stack up?Here we look at the benefits of the single machine Tablet PC (option 2) as weighed against the dual PC package that includes the JVC mini-note from the perspective of everyday use rather than sheer macho specification.Benefits
Drawbacks
The bigger pictureWith both of the these options (one machine or two), you can plug them into a larger monitor once back in the office or home. The larger screen makes viewing clearer and you may opt for a traditional mouse with a scroller button rather than the touchpad or pointing stick of portable machines.Both options feature wired- and wireless-networking so linking up at the office is no longer an add-on. Bluetooth connectivity makes transferring contacts, photos and emails to and from a mobile phone a no-hassle job. For those on the move, even when it's occasional, the bottom line is always "How important is portability?", both in terms of usability and price. It's a bigger draw than you think: really portable stuff really does get packed up and used. Larger notebooks are dismissed all too easily and subconsciously with the "maybe next time" or "I'll make do with the handheld" attitude, because they are simply too heavy or too big for this trip. ContactsLearn more about Tablet PCs.-IB-
|
Good read? Rate this article |
| I | B | |
| ^ Back to contents ^ | ||
|
4. Ordering: on the phone beats online
| ||
| More help at hand. All the back issues just a click away |
Overrated feature of the century?
When you know exactly what you want and the company supplies exactly the right product and their online ordering forms really are straightforward, then it can be an efficient, possibly even pleasant, experience. But any experienced online shopaholic will tell you there are huge numbers of exceptions to this rule. Customisable shoppingAt a stroke, a single factor gives online web ordering sites their head and plunges would-be buyers into a maelstrom of decision-making: that old 80s bandwagon - CHOICE!It's in this arena that any purchase involving selection from a vast range of similar items - or the adding-on or taking away of extra 'bits' and the like - instantly transforms what first appeared as a simple acquisition into a major project.
Think of digital cameras, printers, switches, wireless networks and worst of all - those versatile everyday workhorses - PCs and servers. Been to a web site that sells PCs lately?
You can 'build' any virtual computer you like, before the thought of "Visa" or "Switch" even enters your head. At Co-Operative Systems, we go to great lengths - on site, on the phone, in customer presentations and in the pages of InfoBulletin - to educate and ease The Pain of The Purchase. There's no doubt a modicum of self-learning stands you in better stead next time around. But at the end of the day (preferably by the end of the morning), your organisation and co-workers just need to move forward: mailshots, press releases, campaign projects, fundraising bids all have to get out of the door, as well as completing a thousand other core admin tasks. Ordering by phone saves timeWe know what you want because we make the effort to understand the context and business part of your organisation.
We know what you meanOur hidden heroes - the sales team - beaver away find exactly what you want.Many are competent enough to do installations themselves if only they had time to leave the phone! Next time you reach for the mouse, reach for the phone - we know we can do it for you faster. How to make it happenCall us.ContactsLearn more about online shopping and security.-IB-
|
Good read? Rate this article |
| I | B | |
| ^ Back to contents ^ | ||||
|
5. Getting noticed: Registering your web site
The human touch still counts. | ||||
| More help at hand. All the back issues just a click away |
How many times have you seen articles and adverts beginning like that? Anyone even remotely connected with web site work has probably seen enough of those to find them a real turn off. And rightly so; their instincts are correct. Much of the advice that implies it's just a matter of giving your address to any search engine promoter and letting them get on with it, fails to take into account that search engines have to decide how to rank results and which ones get into the crucial top ten slot as seen by the average search punter.
In other words, as soon as a whole load of companies arrived on the scene offering to automate the process of web site submission, search engine companies (Google, Fast, Altavista, Dogpile, etc) immediately started discounting those entries as valid - a scenario completely familiar to those au fait with Lenz's Law. In the beginning was the word ...So how do you get round that? The short answer is: you don't. At this point, it pays to step back a little and perhaps put yourself in the shoes of search engine people and consider how they might go about generating a system that couldn't be abused by 'auto-submitters'. What they wanted was a system that rates recommendations, and they found that what worked admirably in the human world was word-of-mouth. So to emulate that organic approach, search engine programmers developed a system that examines your web site to see how 'highly commended' it is. In practical terms, they chose to do that by looking to see how many other sites link to yours. Referral sites that are also highly commended earn you even more ranking points - and we all know what points mean .... (OK, let's cut the music hall comedy right there, please). The human touchAnother 'incorruptible' ranking system is to create a directory of site listings, much like the old Yahoo hand-crafted directories. 
And the one to court favour with at the present time is "Dmoz" http://www.dmoz.org Dmoz is operated by a dedicated brigade volunteers - a group of folk most dear to the heart of the not-for-profit sector - who scrutinise submitted site entries, both technically and for content, by hand and by eyeball. However, for exactly the same reason that it is thorough, you should not expect your directory entry to appear in anything less than 6 months to a year from submission. This heroic band of volunteers has its work cut out! BenefitsGetting your site listed in a directory or a search engine listing will make easier for your current visitors and also your potential visitors to find you. Remember to keep things in perspective though; if the majority of all the visitors you are seeking already know of your site, then sit back a little - you've achieved your aim.It's about publicity, not egomania. How to make it happen
Contacts
-IB-
|
Good read? Rate this article | ||
| I | B | |||
| ^ Back to contents ^ | ||
|
6. Nets without frontiers, prints without tears
| ||
| More help at hand. All the back issues just a click away |
Where's the best place to put a printer? Where's the worst place to put a printer? You get the dilemma pretty quickly. 
Fortunately, a solution has arrived in the shape of wireless technology, but the benefits go beyond purely technical ones. With Belkin's wireless print server, printers can now be located in the middle of the room. What the Wireless Print Server does
What you need
Don't have a Wireless Access Point? This 802.11g Wireless Access Point provides a wireless, secure extension to your network as well as connecting to your wireless print server and being compatible with slower 802.11b devices. Around £47. Benefits
Still not convinced? And all for under £60. Related articlesGames without frontiers - war without tears lyrics.-IB-
|
Good read? Rate this article |
| I | B | |
| ^ Back to contents ^ | |||
|
Clicks of the Trade - The 10-second rule
--- Quick tips for happier clicks! --- | |||
| More help at hand. All the back issues just a click away |
-IB-
|
Good read? Rate this article | |
| I | B | ||
^ Back to contents ^Overview of InfoBulletin
E&OEViewing IB Implementation Privacy |
Subscriptions ^ Back to contents ^Contact details
|
|
|
Read recent and past issues of InfoBulletins on the Web at http://www.coopsys.net/ibindex.htm or search our archives and subject index.
We hope you found InfoBulletin useful! If you would like to comment on any of the articles or request particular subjects to be covered, mail us here.
| ||