The Paperless Push

What Will Your Version of Windows 8 Be?

Posted on May 16, 2012 by admin

Microsoft always releases operating systems in different versions for different types of users. Windows 8 will be no different than any of their other releases. As is typical, there will be versions designed for business users and home users, but Microsoft is also releasing a version for very technically advanced users, which may make for an interesting twist on the usual software release.

Available Editions

Windows 8 editions include four products. They are:

• Windows 8
• Windows 8 Enterprise
• Windows 8 Pro
• Windows RT

User Categories

Standard users: Windows 8 will be the basic version of the operating system and will be suitable for the vast majority of users. This version of the operating system will be the right choice for those who just want to boot up their computer, have everything work, and get to enjoying the experience.

Large businesses/corporations: Windows 8 Enterprise is obvious in terms of its target audience . This version is the one that large businesses and corporations will roll out on their computers.

Advanced users: For those who want a bit more control, there is Windows Pro. It’s designed for business users who may need more customization options for their computers. Unlike Windows Enterprise and Windows RT, however, this version will also be available to consumers.

Equipment manufacturers: Windows RT is only available for equipment manufacturers. It’s the version of Windows 8 designed for ARM-based tablets, and you cannot buy this version for one computer. You have to buy it in volume, and it will not be available in stores.

Microsoft Built It, Now Who Will Come?

The rate of adoption of Windows 8 remains to be seen. In the past, Windows has had some versions that have received rather widespread and fast adoption in business settings—XP, for example—but has also seen some versions flounder, such as Vista. The preview version of Windows 8 can give you insight into what this operating system has to offer. If you’re not ready to commit to the trial, however, remember that more and more information is being released as the hype around the new operating system grows…and we’ll be doing our best to make sure you can find that information here!

Windows 8′s Backdoor Into the Corporate World

Posted on May 14, 2012 by admin

Computer technology used to be so expensive that only businesses or the very rich could afford to purchase computers or mobile devices. Those days are long behind us, with more and more consumers buying into the latest in technology. In fact, for many workers, their personal devices are also their business devices. They get work email on their mobile phones, access company resources on their own tablets, and perform other tasks every day that involve blending their technology with software available to both users and businesses…such as Windows 8. This, perhaps, provides a way for Windows 8 to get into the business — and tablet — market.

Where mobile devices are concerned, most of the world seems dominated by Apple and Android. Microsoft’s efforts to get in on the mobile and tablet computer world have been feeble, at best. The new Microsoft Windows 8 operating system, however, just may change all of this. With its cross-device compatibility, it offers something that none of the other competitors, even Apple, have been able to manage yet. Users will be able to download an App on their desktop, create a file, and open that same file on their tablet through the same App. No more desktop version versus tablet version. No more tablet version versus mobile device version.

Just Windows 8.

Couple cross-compatibility with Microsoft’s already popular Office suite, and you’ve got one killer combination.

Though Windows 8 on tablets will not run all the software that users are accustomed to using on their desktop PCs (primarily legacy software), it will have versions of Office software that can be downloaded from the Windows Store. One download, and an employee’s Outlook profile can be ported to their tablet without any issues. The same can be said for any Microsoft product and Windows 8 tablets.

If Windows 8 takes off enough among personal users, they’re likely to take it to work with them, and that means that there is real potential to displace the iPad and other mobile devices that dominate the market at present. Microsoft has, for a very long time, not been a very significant presence in the mobile computing world, but we have a feeling that all of that is about to change.

Windows 8 Aims for Corporate Acceptance

Posted on May 11, 2012 by admin

When you have a large corporation and you’re responsible for its Information Technology (IT) assets, it’s important to make sure that any upgrades actually offer the company something and don’t end up costing time and money. Windows 8 will be on the market in late 2012, and Microsoft is already making overtures to businesses. Here are some of the benefits that the company is touting.

1: Better Security

Windows 8, according to Microsoft, will be a safer alternative for businesses that have personnel who bring their own devices to work. This is because apps purchased for mobile devices must go through the Windows Store (similar to how Apple is able to regulate apps by forcing device owners to purchase them through their App Store). Additional security enhancements include SmartScreen technology and Windows Defender. SmartScreen technology, which detects potentially malicious sites, will be included with the Operating System (OS) and will automatically scan files as they are downloaded. Microsoft has also made improvements to Windows Defender so that users who fail to renew trial antivirus subscriptions will still have basic protection.

2: Volume Licensing

A software assurance agreement is the only way that any corporation can get their hands on Windows 8 Enterprise. The benefits, however, include some significant savings – the volume licensing price is nearly 30% less than the regular price.

3: Cloud Management

According to tech blogs, cloud management tools will be used for ARM-based devices to provide some of the services that are currently handled by Active Directory in Windows Server. This may or may not win favor among corporate clients. The changeover offers a lot in terms of new features and flexibly, but it also may put some network admins off about parting with the very popular Active Directory feature.

4: To Go

There is a mobile version of Windows 8 that users can boot from a USB drive. This allows company employees to take their corporate Windows 8 desktop with them and to load it up whenever they wish. It also allows IT administrators to set up that version so that the network is kept as safe as possible.

5: Faster Boot-Up

According to an article by ITBusinessEdge, Windows 8 can boot up in as little as 8 seconds. This will save businesses a lot of time in the long run, particularly when employees must shut down their systems because of new software installations or updates.

There are plenty of other developments on the way from Microsoft with their Windows 8 OS. When the debut does come around, it should be a busy day in IT departments around the world.

Will the Windows Store Take the App Scene By Storm?

Posted on May 9, 2012 by admin

The Android Market. The iPhone App Store. By now, nearly everyone has heard of one or both of these virtual shopping centers for mobile apps. With the arrival of Windows 8, another will be added to that list – the Windows Store. It will be at the heart of Windows 8 and will make it possible for people to download or purchase the new “apps” that go along with the new operating system (OS).

Apps and Downloads

Like app stores for other platforms, the Windows Store will allow users to download applications compatible with their OS, be they mobile or desktop apps. It will allow them to get everything from very expensive, business applications like Microsoft Office to inexpensive or free, third-party applications that enhance the Windows 8 experience.

Microsoft will be allowing independent developers to build apps, but they will only be able to distribute those apps through the Windows Store.  This way, Microsoft can check the apps that developers upload to make sure that they’re safe for users. This element of control in the online store will function to protect users and the OS itself.

Limits on Apps

There are some limitations on what kind of apps can be uploaded to the Windows Store. The following are banned:

• Adult content
• Content that glamorizes illegal activity
• Obscenity and defamatory software
• Apps that facilitate illegal activity

The guidelines are not surprising and are pretty much in line with Microsoft’s image as a business-friendly platform. The restrictions should not prevent any legitimate developers from getting their work featured in the Windows Store.

Will it Last?

The Windows Store will be a particularly big draw for those who own tablets, as those will not support all applications that run on Windows 8 and will require software specifically from the Windows Store. Whether the Windows Store will be as popular as its rivals, however, will probably depend more on the customer’s preference for devices and whether they run a Windows OS than the actual usefulness of the store. Only time will tell.

Location Data Collection & Windows 8: Friend or Foe?

Posted on May 2, 2012 by admin

For some people, the fact that mobile applications gather location data and use it to provide services is an intolerable violation of their privacy. For others, it doesn’t really matter as long as their mobile device can direct them to a nearby Starbucks. So what will change in regards to location data with Windows 8?

Windows Location Provider

In Windows 7, the Default Location Provider supplied location data via user input in the Control Panel. This was the only built-in location provider; any others had to be installed.

The Windows Location Provider will replace the Default Location Provider in Windows 8 and will operate in an entirely different manner. Windows 8 will use Wi-Fi access points and your IP address to determine where you are and give that information to some applications. There are some cases where this may be beneficial to you:

• When you need GPS service
• When you need local information
• When you need weather information
• When you need to find nearby stores

Some of the applications that get this information, no doubt, will be ones that users install themselves and that provide a service based on having information about their present location.

The way that Windows 8 gathers location information is really quite interesting, no matter what people may think about how that data is used. The operating system can reach out to nearby Wi-Fi networks and get latitude and longitude information. This is accurate to approximately 350 meters in urban areas, according to Microsoft. The OS can also use your IP address, which gives a location that is accurate to approximately 15 miles.

So where’s the off switch?

Having the option to turn off this data gathering, of course, would be the only requirement for the users who do not want it to be part of their Windows experience. Fortunately, both users and administrators will have the ability to enable or disable location settings through the Settings charm in the control panel. Users can also opt in or out on a per-app basis.

While the ability of Windows 8 to determine your approximate location might make some nervous, Microsoft is clear that they will not use location data improperly (click here for their privacy statement). As indicated above, the power is in your hands!

The Fate of Legacy Software on Windows 8

Posted on April 30, 2012 by admin

Changing operating system (OS) versions always involves some risk in the business world, especially if employees have trouble adjusting to a new user interface (UI). Also, if an old version of a much-used program needs to be updated, the expense can be considerable for businesses. But what about in the case of the upcoming Windows 8 everyone is talking about?

Compatibility Issues

Windows consumers expect, when an OS is upgraded, that their previously purchased software will continue to be compatible with the new OS. For the desktop version of Windows 8, this will hold true. When it comes to the increasingly popular world of tablets, however, the situation gets a bit murky.

With the release of Windows 8, Microsoft will also start issuing two different types of mobile devices – Windows on ARM (WOA) and Windows x86/64 (Intel-based). Legacy Microsoft software will be compatible with Windows x86/64, and users will also have access to the new UI offered by Windows 8, as well as many of the applications in the Windows Store.

WOA, however, is a different ballpark. It will only run applications for the Metro system, so choices will be somewhat limited compared to the desktop version and the Intel tablet version. Office 15 will be available for the system, however, and there will be a great many different apps for Metro in the Windows Store.

Changes

There are plenty of changes in store for business and personal users once the Windows 8 OS hits the market. This OS is designed with the type of aesthetic that you’ll be used to seeing in mobile applications. Even if your old programs work with the OS, you’ll be using them in an entirely different way.

If you have a tablet device, you cannot purchase Windows 8 RT for that device separately. The manufacturer will have installed Windows 8 RT on the device for you. If you want to get more out of your Windows experience, running your old software will be an option on your desktop but not on mobile ARM devices. The Windows Store will become vital for these Windows 8 users. In many ways, acquiring, downloading, and using software is likely to be more akin to doing so on a mobile device than it is to the experience that people will be accustomed to having on desktop computers.

Why ARM over Intel? How to tell the difference?

If you don’t already use a ton of Windows-based software or don’t mind switching to a newer version of Office, it obviously won’t matter which option you choose, and ARM tablets are supposedly geared towards increased mobility (via longer battery life). If you are currently running expensive, Windows-based software, however, you should probably avoid the ARM tablets. This especially holds true for businesses as opposed to consumers; for most businesses, buying brand new, compatible software for all employees could get pricey.

As for determining the difference so you don’t accidentally end up with the wrong tablet – according to an article by Brooke Crothers with CNET, Microsoft’s Steve Sinofsky wrote, “We do want to assure you that, when a consumer buys a WOA (Windows on ARM) PC, it will be clearly labeled and branded so as to avoid potential confusion with Windows 8 on x86/64.”

What do you think? Will this new model for mobile devices hurt or help Windows 8? Will consumers and businesses get confused by the array of options available? Do you plan to buy an ARM device or an Intel-based one?

Enter Windows 8, Exit Active Directory

Posted on April 25, 2012 by admin

If you ask most network administrators what their most important tools are, Active Directory is likely to be included in the list. This networking tool is used for so many different tasks that it’s hard to imagine the networking world without it; however, that is exactly what network admins are going to have to do in the near future. According to ZDNet and other sources, Active Directory will be no more once Windows 8 enters the market (this applies only to Windows on ARM [WOA], not Windows on Intel).

What is Active Directory?
Active Directory is an exceptionally powerful tool. It’s what network administrators use to set the security for networks, to add and remove users, to bring in users from remote locations, and more. Permissions and groups are at the heart of security and, because of that, losing this feature is a very big deal for network administrators who are accustomed to controlling their networks through Active Directory.

What is the Alternative?
Windows 8 is going to require some big changes for network administrators. According to ZDNet, the solution for Active Directory tasks will be Intune, a cloud-based program that will cost $11 per user per month. This means that administrators will have to take their user management into the cloud, something about which not all of them will likely be pleased. The operating system (OS) is also going to require that administrators learn to manage RT, the Windows 8 version for tablet devices. This will entail some effort, and (according to sources quoted in the ZDNet article) not all network administrators are impressed with what Windows 8 has to offer versus more well known options, such as iPad tablets.

Change and Resistance
There is always a lot of resistance to changing over from one OS to another, especially when that new OS involves changes that take away administrative tools that network experts are accustomed to and that they’ve come to understand very well. For many network administrators, using Active Directory to add and remove users, change security, and address other issues could be done almost on pure reflex; as such, this will be a big loss.

Windows NT, however, came and went, and so did many other products and interfaces before it. Windows 8 will likely redefine how a lot of tasks get done in the business world, and network administrators will not be exempt from the changes.

Windows 8: Revolution or Mere Evolution?

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Jennifer Porterfield

I grew up in a family of computer geeks. During most of my childhood, my dad worked for Philips/Magnavox (anyone remember the CD-I? No?), and I fondly recall the days of running computer programs like Arkanoid and Pac Man from MS-DOS.

Well, not so fondly. I won’t lie – once Windows came into existence, I never looked back. With each new iteration (excepting, from what I understand, Vista), the operating system only seems to improve. But will Windows 8 really bring about a PC revolution as some are predicting?

AnandTech gave a very thorough review of the new Microsoft operating system, and below, I’ve added some of my thoughts regarding just a few of the new features.

Touch-enabled “Metro” UI
Just looking at those neatly arranged colored squares and rectangles gets me all tingly inside. It’s almost like looking at my iPhone…except with straight squares instead of rounded ones. What makes this new UI unique is that it will work on both your PC and on touch-enabled devices, like tablets.

Don’t fancy the new UI? According to PC World, underneath the touch-enabled Start screen is the good ol’ standard Windows task bar, and while apps developed prior to Windows 8 won’t be touch-enabled, you can still run them.

Uninstall programs from the home screen
When you left-click on an app in the home screen, it opens (nothing new, right?), but when you right-click, a bar pops up with additional options…including one to uninstall the app, without having to go to the control panel. I know this might seem minor, but I hate going to Control Panel–>Add or Remove Programs. It takes forever for my list of programs to load in order for me to uninstall the ones I no longer need, and I am not a patient person.

“Metro Snap”
In Windows 8, you can “snap” an app to either edge of the screen and have it only take up about a fifth of the space. I know there are reasons why this could be useful (monitoring Twitter or IM-type programs, for one), but I think it just sounds like fun. I can already see myself spending entirely too much time snapping app after app while I laugh maniacally at my own childish actions…Unfortunately, this feature requires monitors that are 1366×768 or higher, and my laptop’s is not.

Mouse “Hotspots”
The Anandtech Consumer Review mentions that several “hotspots” exist in Windows 8 for mouse users.

They are:

1. Top left: toggles between your open Metro apps and the desktop
2. Middle left: hovering over this area will open an “app drawer” that shows all of your open apps
3. Bottom left: brings up the start screen
4. Right: opens the Windows 8 “Charms” menu
5. Top to left or right: Metro Snap

Downside to these hotspots? You probably wouldn’t have known they were there if you hadn’t just read about them…unless you stumbled upon them by accident, which is apparently another issue entirely.  If you use more than one monitor, these hotspots will only work on the primary monitor. So if you slide your mouse to the other monitor, guess what will happen?

Overall, I must admit that Windows 8 looks very promising, especially for Mac users sitting on the fence about switching over to a PC.  Public opinion, however, seems to vary (as is typical when a new piece of software gets release). In some ways, it’s very different from the Windows PC users know and love, but if the old Windows interface is still accessible, can we really call the Metro interface revolutionary?

The best way to decide whether or not you like it is to get in there and try it for yourself. Click here to go to Microsoft’s website and download the Windows 8 Consumer Preview. We’d love your feedback on some of these new features!

Content Management Systems: How to Help Them Help You

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Jennifer Porterfield

It goes without saying that content management systems (CMS for short; Microsoft Sharepoint is a very popular one) are a step in the right direction towards the goal of a paperless office. Unfortunately, just as a disorganized filing cabinet can make your life a living place of fire and brimstone, if you don’t organize your virtual storehouse properly, you could face problems. Big problems.

For example: Let’s say Stupendously Awesome Technology Company (not pointing any fingers) has decided to use Alfresco (pictured below), an open source content management system, to store all of its proposals. It’s a small company, so understandably, no one has the time to think about trivialities like how to name a file or where to store it. They start it off right – a general “Proposals” folder with separate subfolders for each proposal name.

And that’s when it all goes wrong.

You open a folder for Proposal X, and there are 50 files named anything from proposal.pdf to N62335753-08R2t.doc (because of course you will know EXACTLY what’s in files with such descriptive names). Or, even more fun, you have multiple variations of the same document – proposal1.doc, newproposal.doc, revisedproposal.doc…And now you get to play eeny meeny miny moe with which one is the right proposal. Sounds like fun, right?

Here are just a few suggestions based on my experience with the CMS world:

1. Where applicable, try to come up with a naming convention that makes sense for how you want the information to be organized / searched. For example, I name our invoices YYYY-MM-DD_BillerName_InvNumber. This way, they show up in date order and can be searched by biller name and invoice number.
2. If there are going to be multiple versions of a document, it might be wise to create separate folders for each version (eg, draft, draft final, final). OR make sure to date / label the most current version so it can be easily picked out of a list.
3. Don’t be afraid to make folders within folders within folders. For example, we keep our “Proposal” folder within our “Marketing” folder. We further segment our proposals by type (federal, state, commercial, etc.). Then there are folders for the actual proposal names, and depending on the type of proposal we’re submitting, there might be additional folders within those folders. To lay it out in simpler, breadcrumb terms: Marketing>Bids and Proposals>Federal Proposals>Proposal X>Resumes.

If organization is not your thing or you just plain don’t have time for it, find someone who is OCD and loves to organize to upload all of your documents for you. Just remember – I charge by the hour (just kidding; I’m not for hire).

Why Permissions Matter (in Real Life and in Windows App Development)

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Rick Beckley

Several years ago, the owner and CEO of one of our partner companies was getting married in India.  Marriages in India are a big deal — sometimes week-long celebrations — and I was extremely excited for the opportunity to attend.  I traveled the 4 hours from Knoxville to Atlanta and boarded the plane for the 12-hour flight to Amsterdam, the first leg of the trip.  The seats are roomier, and you actually get more than peanuts or pretzels on international flights, but I was more than relieved to get off the plane.  I grabbed my bags and proceeded through immigration, where I handed over my passport and ticket.

The immigration officer gave me the once over and asked, “Visa?”

“Visa?” I repeated.  “What the heck?  I already paid for everything.” But I proceeded to grab my wallet from my back pocket and handed him my Visa credit card.

“Sir, your travel visa?”

That, I did not have.   So, I picked up a super expensive T-shirt from one of the airport’s gift shops before boarding my next plane — not for India, but for Atlanta once again. Yes, I went across the world, and all I got was a stupid T-shirt.

I couldn’t do a thing about making it to India.  I couldn’t beg, plead, or slip anyone a hundred bucks to make everything ok.  No one could change the fact that I didn’t have a visa in hand at that moment in time.   Permission denied!

Near real time changes do not exist in the land of immigration.  But you know where they do? In the hands of Adesso clients.  See how easily I transition from tragedy and humiliation to triumph?

A key feature in the deployment of an Adesso solution is the ability to control who has access to applications as well as the information contained in those applications.  Using the SyncAdmin portal, the administrator can control a user’s access down to the field level and update his/her permissions in near real time (take note Amsterdam Airport Schiphol).  This controls the access of those using the Adesso client or visiting an Adesso-based web portal.

I manage quite a few Adesso users.  Each one has a particular set of credentials and permissions based on usernames and passwords.  Adesso can manage an individual user’s permissions, or the individual users can be put into groups.  Those groups can then be assigned a particular set of permissions.  This process makes data management easier for a large group of people that are working on the same project.

As an example, one user at a large medical maintenance company contacted me while I was on my fun-filled trip to the Amsterdam Airport.  He wanted several updates to a particular table.  I made the requested changes and told him and the associated users to sync.  Since the Adesso client works on- and off-line, changes like that are pushed down from the server when the user syncs.  I made the requested edit, but he stated that he could not see any change on his end.  By taking a quick look at his permissions, I realized he had switched to another computer, which belonged to a previous user. By simply changing his credentials, I was able to fix the problem from across the world.

Permission granted!