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Monday, April 21, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
HOW TO Organize the Thousand E-mails you get a Week
Do you get hundreds, if not thousands of e-mails a week? Most people do nowadays and the whole task of organizing e-mail actually has become such a burden for most people that they don’t even do it anymore. Does spending hours organizing just for organization’s sake increase productivity? I tend to believe it doesn’t. And following the guidelines of Productivity Gurus such as Sally McGhee is virtually impossible if you get thousands of e-mails a week like I do (see: http://www.microsoft.com/atwork/manageinfo/email.mspx). I agree with her that everyone should schedule some uninterrupted time to perform this task, but it should never be more than half an hour a week. Try using Sally’s approach if you have 1000 e-mails. That would take hours!
To address this issue I created an Inbox categorization macro a while ago, which helps me reduce my e-mail clutter by categorizing e-mails so that I can easily move them into folders.
Just to be clear: You might ask why I didn’t use Outlook rules to achieve the same results. The total amount of space available for rules on each folder is 32KB (see: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/147298/). One rule consumes about 600 bytes, which means that you can set up about 40-50 rules per Inbox, hardly enough to create all of the rules required to manage the thousand e-mails you get every week! I hit the 32KB limit a long time ago and that is what prompted me to write this script in the first place.
This limit has been increased to 256KB in Exchange 2007 (see: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb125040(EXCHG.80).aspx), but the flexibility you can achieve by using scripting to categorize your e-mail is still worth using this macro.
Here is how it works:
'Outlook Inbox Categorization Macro
'Author: Peter Schwarz, Syndeo Technologies
'Created: Sometime in the past
'Last modified: 02/17/08
Sub movemail()
On Error Resume Next
Dim objFolder As Outlook.MAPIFolder, objInbox As Outlook.MAPIFolder
Dim objNS As Outlook.NameSpace, objItem As Outlook.MailItem
Set objNS = Application.GetNamespace("MAPI")
Set objInbox = objNS.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderInbox)
NumItems = objInbox.Items.Count
Set EmailItems = objInbox.Items
Set objContacts = objNS.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderContacts)
strWhere = "[Email1Address] <> vbNullString "
Set colItems = objContacts.Items.Restrict(strWhere)
NumContacts = colItems.Count
'Assume this is a mail folder
For I = 1 To NumItems
'Loop through Inbox
Set CurItem = EmailItems(I)
FromEmail = LCase(CurItem.SenderEmailAddress)
If Len(FromEmail) > 0 Then
ToEmail = LCase(CurItem.To)
EmailCat = ""
FromEmailDomain = Right(FromEmail, Len(FromEmail) - InStr(1, FromEmail, "@"))
'Some hardcoded categorizations
If ToEmail = "alerts" Then
EmailCat = "XXX"
ElseIf ToEmail = "reports" Then
EmailCat = "Reports"
ElseIf ToEmail = "backups" Or ToEmail = "backup" Then
EmailCat = "Backup"
ElseIf Left(FromEmailDomain, 13) = "/o=syndeotech" Then
EmailCat = "SYN"
ElseIf FromEmail = "noreply-support@syndeotech.com" Then
EmailCat = "Support"
Else
'Loop through Contacts and Categorize
For J = 1 To NumContacts
If TypeName(colItems(J)) = "ContactItem" Then
If FromEmail = LCase(colItems(J).Email1Address) Or FromEmail = LCase(colItems(J).Email2Address) Or FromEmail = LCase(colItems(J).Email3Address) Then
EmailCat = colItems(J).Categories
End If
End If
Next
End If
CurItem.Categories = EmailCat
CurItem.Save
End If
Next
Set objItem = Nothing
Set objFolder = Nothing
Set objInbox = Nothing
Set objNS = Nothing
End Sub
==========MACRO============
To address this issue I created an Inbox categorization macro a while ago, which helps me reduce my e-mail clutter by categorizing e-mails so that I can easily move them into folders.
Just to be clear: You might ask why I didn’t use Outlook rules to achieve the same results. The total amount of space available for rules on each folder is 32KB (see: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/147298/). One rule consumes about 600 bytes, which means that you can set up about 40-50 rules per Inbox, hardly enough to create all of the rules required to manage the thousand e-mails you get every week! I hit the 32KB limit a long time ago and that is what prompted me to write this script in the first place.
This limit has been increased to 256KB in Exchange 2007 (see: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb125040(EXCHG.80).aspx), but the flexibility you can achieve by using scripting to categorize your e-mail is still worth using this macro.
Here is how it works:
- Create a Category in Outlook for each folder you use to save your e-mail. For example: Clients, Business, Personal, Quotes, Syndeo, Support. Note: There is a special “XXX” category for e-mails that are not sorted, but can be deleted.
- Assign each of your Contacts to a Category you created in Step 1. Above.
- Run the macro.
- This is still a manual process: Sort the Inbox by Category and then drag all the e-mails for each Category into the appropriate folder (Maybe in a future version I will automate this).
- There will be some uncategorized e-mails left over after you have completed the above process. You can either manually move them into folders or you can create a new Contact entry for the Sender of the uncategorized e-mail and re-run the macro. The easiest way to create a new Contact: Just drag the e-mail to your Contacts folder.
- Open Outlook
- Select Tools->Macro->Macros…
- Enter a new macro name: movemail and click on the Create Button
- Copy and paste lines below into the Macro Editor and Save it.
'Outlook Inbox Categorization Macro
'Author: Peter Schwarz, Syndeo Technologies
'Created: Sometime in the past
'Last modified: 02/17/08
Sub movemail()
On Error Resume Next
Dim objFolder As Outlook.MAPIFolder, objInbox As Outlook.MAPIFolder
Dim objNS As Outlook.NameSpace, objItem As Outlook.MailItem
Set objNS = Application.GetNamespace("MAPI")
Set objInbox = objNS.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderInbox)
NumItems = objInbox.Items.Count
Set EmailItems = objInbox.Items
Set objContacts = objNS.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderContacts)
strWhere = "[Email1Address] <> vbNullString "
Set colItems = objContacts.Items.Restrict(strWhere)
NumContacts = colItems.Count
'Assume this is a mail folder
For I = 1 To NumItems
'Loop through Inbox
Set CurItem = EmailItems(I)
FromEmail = LCase(CurItem.SenderEmailAddress)
If Len(FromEmail) > 0 Then
ToEmail = LCase(CurItem.To)
EmailCat = ""
FromEmailDomain = Right(FromEmail, Len(FromEmail) - InStr(1, FromEmail, "@"))
'Some hardcoded categorizations
If ToEmail = "alerts" Then
EmailCat = "XXX"
ElseIf ToEmail = "reports" Then
EmailCat = "Reports"
ElseIf ToEmail = "backups" Or ToEmail = "backup" Then
EmailCat = "Backup"
ElseIf Left(FromEmailDomain, 13) = "/o=syndeotech" Then
EmailCat = "SYN"
ElseIf FromEmail = "noreply-support@syndeotech.com" Then
EmailCat = "Support"
Else
'Loop through Contacts and Categorize
For J = 1 To NumContacts
If TypeName(colItems(J)) = "ContactItem" Then
If FromEmail = LCase(colItems(J).Email1Address) Or FromEmail = LCase(colItems(J).Email2Address) Or FromEmail = LCase(colItems(J).Email3Address) Then
EmailCat = colItems(J).Categories
End If
End If
Next
End If
CurItem.Categories = EmailCat
CurItem.Save
End If
Next
Set objItem = Nothing
Set objFolder = Nothing
Set objInbox = Nothing
Set objNS = Nothing
End Sub
==========MACRO============
Monday, July 16, 2007
The iPhone - First Impressions
I was browsing around at the CambridgeSide Galleria Mall last Saturday and as usual whenever I am there I dropped by the Apple Store to marvel at all of the technology that I can't have (because I am a Windows guy).
I have been scoffing at the iPhone for a while now, mainly because of it's lack of support for the Corporate world. I could not live without a phone that supports Exchange Activesync and that is sorely missing from the iPhone (rumor has it, though, that Apple is negotiating with Microsoft).
Also, I was skeptical of the "virtual keyboard". Every keyboardless device I have worked with in the past such as the Tablet PC were impossible to use, especially for someone like me who has to "Type Tech" all day. I challenge anyone to enter a command like this one on a "virtual keyboard":
robocopy /E /COPYALL /R:+ D:\Sales\North\2005 file://serverb/Archive /MOV /L:E:\logs\SalesArchive_PS071607.log
Goood luck!
Maybe some day an innovative person will come up with a virtual keyboard for Tech Typers, but for now it is painful.
The Apple Store had moved the iPod displays to the back of the store to make room for the iPhone. Wow! Just a few months ago the iPod was the center of everyone's attention and now it has been banned to the back of the store. Does this mean that Apple will no longer be wowing us with iPod stuff? I hope not.
I had to wait a few minutes before I could test it out because there were a lot of people eager to get their hands on one just like me.
Well, I finally got my turn to pick it up and, what should I say, I immediately fell in love. I was afraid it was going to be bulky and flimsy. Quite the contrary, the iPhone is very light and sleek but at the same time sturdy. All that power in such a small package! And the keyboard works better than any virtual keyboard I have used in the past (well not for techie stuff, but that was expected). And even though there were a number of people who put their grubby hands on the device before I got to it, the special surface was surprisingly clean. You could probably eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich while talking on the iPhone without having to worry that people will know what you ate for lunch for the rest of the day by looking at your phone.
And the user interface is quite intuitive. Within minutes I was writing e-mails, checking voicemail, surfing the Internet, etc. Not like my Treo 700p, that I am still struggling with after half a year with the device.
All in all the iPhone gets my "two thumbs up". Now all Apple has to do is solve that small problem with Exchange Activesync integration and I will run out and buy one, that is if I can afford it.
I have been scoffing at the iPhone for a while now, mainly because of it's lack of support for the Corporate world. I could not live without a phone that supports Exchange Activesync and that is sorely missing from the iPhone (rumor has it, though, that Apple is negotiating with Microsoft).
Also, I was skeptical of the "virtual keyboard". Every keyboardless device I have worked with in the past such as the Tablet PC were impossible to use, especially for someone like me who has to "Type Tech" all day. I challenge anyone to enter a command like this one on a "virtual keyboard":
robocopy /E /COPYALL /R:+ D:\Sales\North\2005 file://serverb/Archive /MOV /L:E:\logs\SalesArchive_PS071607.log
Goood luck!
Maybe some day an innovative person will come up with a virtual keyboard for Tech Typers, but for now it is painful.
The Apple Store had moved the iPod displays to the back of the store to make room for the iPhone. Wow! Just a few months ago the iPod was the center of everyone's attention and now it has been banned to the back of the store. Does this mean that Apple will no longer be wowing us with iPod stuff? I hope not.
I had to wait a few minutes before I could test it out because there were a lot of people eager to get their hands on one just like me.
Well, I finally got my turn to pick it up and, what should I say, I immediately fell in love. I was afraid it was going to be bulky and flimsy. Quite the contrary, the iPhone is very light and sleek but at the same time sturdy. All that power in such a small package! And the keyboard works better than any virtual keyboard I have used in the past (well not for techie stuff, but that was expected). And even though there were a number of people who put their grubby hands on the device before I got to it, the special surface was surprisingly clean. You could probably eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich while talking on the iPhone without having to worry that people will know what you ate for lunch for the rest of the day by looking at your phone.
And the user interface is quite intuitive. Within minutes I was writing e-mails, checking voicemail, surfing the Internet, etc. Not like my Treo 700p, that I am still struggling with after half a year with the device.
All in all the iPhone gets my "two thumbs up". Now all Apple has to do is solve that small problem with Exchange Activesync integration and I will run out and buy one, that is if I can afford it.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
The Paperless Home
We have all heard of the "Paperless Office", the idea of eliminating paper from an office environment and going purely digital. But what about the "paperless home"? Would that be possible? Just think how many trees we would save. And those heavy boxes that break your back when you move apartments? Gone forever!
The concept is not new. A quick Google search for "The Paperless Home" retrieves 123 results. One site even promotes a book on the subject. Actually it is an e-Book, which makes perfect sense for the topic. Most of the ideas focus around scanning in documents and archiving them on your home PC. But if you have ever scanned documents before on a scanner designed for domestic use you will know how tedious this can be.
So why not address the problem in a different way?
If you want to eliminate paper in your house, then don't even allow it through the front door.
This would involve taking a number of steps that if you think about it, are not that radical in this day and age:
- Cancel your newspaper and magazine subscriptions. Who reads a newspaper any more anyway? I will never forget the day I stopped newspaper delivery. It took me a while to cancel my subscriptions, I was afraid I would miss spending Sunday mornings in bed reading the paper. But now I get all my news online. And periodicals are switching to web only delivery anyway because that is where the advertising money is.
- Get a Tablet PC with Microsoft OneNote and use it to take notes, scribble and write your blog. I am using one right now. For years I ran around with small paper notebooks, which I had specially imported from Austria. I used them for all of my note taking in meetings, brainstorming sessions, etc. But I finally eliminated the need by switching to OneNote. It takes getting used to, but once you get the hang of it you never look back.
- Subscribe to e-billing if you can.
- Use online banking to pay invoices.
- Don't print anything. I have observed over the years how much paper is wasted when people print out every single e-mail message they get. It is just not necessary.
- Do all of your correspondence through e-mail. I think everyone does this anyway nowadays.
So after you have done all of that you will still have some paper left over: Receipts. Those pesky slips of paper you carry around in your wallet and dump out once a week. I collect about a shoebox full of them every year. I cannot think of an easy way to eliminate receipts, so if you are a "paperless purist" you would have to scan them in and file them, probably not worth the effort, though.
And if you want to be a Radical Paperless Activist:
Take a screwdriver or saw and dismantle your mailbox. In its place put up a sign that informs the mailman that mail will not be accepted in your household. I don't think it is illegal not to have a mailbox. After all, homeless normally do not have mailboxes. We could even come up with an internationally recognized sign that you could hang in place of your mailbox. A huge proportion of mail is junk anyway. But here is an interesting idea that may actually work: Remote Control Mail
But there is some paper I cannot get rid of:
- My subscription to Alpinist. The pictures are just too beautiful to skip.
- Books. Maybe someday publishers will figure out the e-Book thing but for the moment reading a book cannot be done paperlessly.
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Help! Microsoft Won't Let Me Use My Computer!
Ok, this is starting to get out of hand.
Ever since I installed Vista a few days ago it seems as if I am denied access to everything I want to do on my computer. And, before I am allowed to use a program or view a document I have to click on umpteen "Allow" buttons before I am granted the appropriate permissions. I think Microsoft has officially taken the position of "All Humans are stupid, We have to protect them from themselves".
Granted, I do feel that the new Vista security features are a long overdue improvement to the Windows Family of Operating Systems, in fact the Eternal Optimist in me finally sees the day coming where I will no longer have to deal with the tedious and mundane chore of removing yet again another virus or spyware from a client's computer. But these enhanced security features on my own machine make life for the IT Professional miserable. An Operating System needs a root or superuser, an account which is basically allowed to do anything on the machine with no restrictions. The Windows administrator does not seem to qualify for this. Even as an administrator it seems as if I am not allowed to do the things I want to.
Case in point: I just installed the Vista version of Omnipass (the version that was running on XP hosed my system, but that's another story) as local administrator. So I click on setup.exe. I get this:
So I click Run. Then my screen goes dark (spooky!) and I am prompted that "A program needs your permission to continue". This is the infamous UAC or User Account Control that we willl all have to get used to.
Well, yeah, I just said I wanted to Run the file (Side note: I wanted to take a screen shot of this screen to put it in this article, but I am not allowed to do that!).
Oh, but wait, there is a Details button on this dialog! Maybe if I press that it will give me more information why I am prompted for a second time. So I click it, and, voila, I get the name of the file that I clicked on to start this installation in the first place: setup.exe. I think I am going to nominate this Details button for this Year's MUB Awards (Most Useless Button).
Being the Good Computer User I always am I click on the OK button. And then I get this: Another Security Warning!
I click Run AGAIN and then Omnipass is installed. Upon completion I am prompted to reboot (Note: Vista needs a LOT of reboots). But that is not the end of the story. As I mentioned in the beginning I decided to install Omnipass as local administrator so I used the handy "Switch User" feature to do this. So before I can reboot I have to switch back to my original user session, log in, close all of my open applications and now finally I can reboot.
I have come to the conclusion that Microsoft just doesn't get it. If I am a user who knows what I am doing (I think as an IT Professional I can make that statement for myself) then I do not want all of these prompts. It significantly impacts my productivity. And if I am just a casual user I am so overwhelmed by all of these questions I will not know what to do. I challenge any casual user who considers them self to have at least a standard level of intelligence to look at the screen shots above and try to make Heads or Tails out of what they are supposed to do and when and why they should click Run or OK.
Ever since I installed Vista a few days ago it seems as if I am denied access to everything I want to do on my computer. And, before I am allowed to use a program or view a document I have to click on umpteen "Allow" buttons before I am granted the appropriate permissions. I think Microsoft has officially taken the position of "All Humans are stupid, We have to protect them from themselves".
Granted, I do feel that the new Vista security features are a long overdue improvement to the Windows Family of Operating Systems, in fact the Eternal Optimist in me finally sees the day coming where I will no longer have to deal with the tedious and mundane chore of removing yet again another virus or spyware from a client's computer. But these enhanced security features on my own machine make life for the IT Professional miserable. An Operating System needs a root or superuser, an account which is basically allowed to do anything on the machine with no restrictions. The Windows administrator does not seem to qualify for this. Even as an administrator it seems as if I am not allowed to do the things I want to.
Case in point: I just installed the Vista version of Omnipass (the version that was running on XP hosed my system, but that's another story) as local administrator. So I click on setup.exe. I get this:
So I click Run. Then my screen goes dark (spooky!) and I am prompted that "A program needs your permission to continue". This is the infamous UAC or User Account Control that we willl all have to get used to.
Well, yeah, I just said I wanted to Run the file (Side note: I wanted to take a screen shot of this screen to put it in this article, but I am not allowed to do that!).
Oh, but wait, there is a Details button on this dialog! Maybe if I press that it will give me more information why I am prompted for a second time. So I click it, and, voila, I get the name of the file that I clicked on to start this installation in the first place: setup.exe. I think I am going to nominate this Details button for this Year's MUB Awards (Most Useless Button).
Being the Good Computer User I always am I click on the OK button. And then I get this: Another Security Warning!
I click Run AGAIN and then Omnipass is installed. Upon completion I am prompted to reboot (Note: Vista needs a LOT of reboots). But that is not the end of the story. As I mentioned in the beginning I decided to install Omnipass as local administrator so I used the handy "Switch User" feature to do this. So before I can reboot I have to switch back to my original user session, log in, close all of my open applications and now finally I can reboot.
I have come to the conclusion that Microsoft just doesn't get it. If I am a user who knows what I am doing (I think as an IT Professional I can make that statement for myself) then I do not want all of these prompts. It significantly impacts my productivity. And if I am just a casual user I am so overwhelmed by all of these questions I will not know what to do. I challenge any casual user who considers them self to have at least a standard level of intelligence to look at the screen shots above and try to make Heads or Tails out of what they are supposed to do and when and why they should click Run or OK.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Syndeo Technologies Monthly IT Newsletter
We published our first Syndeo Technologies IT Newsletter end of last week! Target audience is our client base and anyone else interested in what is going on at Syndeo Technologies. The first Newsletter focuses on upgrading to Vista. Details to follow.
So in the meantime I upgraded my personal laptop to Vista Business and Office 2007. My advice: Be prepared! Make sure you have all of the updated drivers for your devices downloaded and ready to be installed. And also be prepared that some devices will not work on the new Operating System. In my case I had to sacrifice my Logitech Quickcam for Laptops Pro. I think the manufacturer decided I had the cam long enough and it was time to force me to get a new one because they are not making a Vista driver available for my particular model.
Also, my Omnipass password manager is not working because of some security issue. In fact, Vista User Account Control (UAC) is making my life pretty miserable at the moment. There is a good Apple Ad that sums up my feelings here. Click on "Security".
Anyway, here is my article for the first Syndeo Technologies IT Newsletter:
Recommendations for Upgrading to Windows Vista and Office 2007
Windows Vista is a new software product, and as a general rule we do not recommend rushing to install recently released software unless you need some of the new features (see: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=eb4z47bab.0.ttdyf6bab.c6pprybab.51&ts=S0235&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.microsoft.com%2Fwindows%2Fproducts%2Fwindowsvista%2Ffeatures%2Fdetails%2Fbackup.mspx). Although the product has gone through extensive testing there is a reasonable possibility that some of the software applications that you use in your organization will not run properly on Vista. Extensive testing is required. We recommend verifying with all of your software vendors that their products are certified to run on Vista. This includes any industry specific application software, antivirus software, printer drivers, VPN clients, networking and security tools.As a general rule of thumb it is a good idea to wait for feedback from the early adopters before you upgrade the computers in your network to the new platform. In the past that information is available 6 - 12 months following a new Windows operating system release, or around the time the first Service Pack is released by Microsoft. Also, it is very likely that your current antivirus software will not run on Vista, so you will have to purchase or upgrade to the latest version before you can deploy any computers using the new operating system.Special attention has to be given to Microsoft Office 2007, the installation of which often goes hand in hand with a Windows Vista upgrade. As is the case with Vista, Office 2007 represents a major upgrade and includes a wide array of new features (see: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=eb4z47bab.0.vtdyf6bab.c6pprybab.51&ts=S0235&p=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMicrosoft_Office_2007). Office 2007 will also use a new file format, Office OpenXML, as the default file format. This causes compatibility issues with previous releases of Office. Microsoft is aware of this and therefore has provided a number of tools which are available for download to address this problem. First, the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack allows you to load and save Open XML documents from within Office XP or 2003. It can be downloaded free of charge here: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=eb4z47bab.0.wtdyf6bab.c6pprybab.51&ts=S0235&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.microsoft.com%2Fdownloads%2Fdetails.aspx%3Ffamilyid%3D941B3470-3AE9-4AEE-8F43-C6BB74CD1466%26displaylang%3DenPrevious versions of Office, in particular Office 2000, do not support OpenXML and there is no Compatibility Pack available for this version. If you still have Office 2000 in your network please use the Office 2007 Compatibility Mode, which allows you to save your Office 2007 documents in the older Office document format.
Conclusion:
It is inevitable that Vista and Office 2007 will be introduced into your network over the course of the next 12 months. Microsoft and all Microsoft resellers are eager to push the new products as this represents a significant revenue opportunity for everyone. They want you to upgrade as soon as possible and will do almost anything to get you there. So be prepared. To do this we recommend introducing Vista and Office 2007 on a single PC in your office as soon as possible to test compatibility issues before you proceed with a general rollout. Consider appointing an "early adopter", who is willing to work with two systems (Windows XP and Vista) side-by-side for a few months, bearing in mind that initially the XP machine will be their primary platform until all applications have been tested.
So in the meantime I upgraded my personal laptop to Vista Business and Office 2007. My advice: Be prepared! Make sure you have all of the updated drivers for your devices downloaded and ready to be installed. And also be prepared that some devices will not work on the new Operating System. In my case I had to sacrifice my Logitech Quickcam for Laptops Pro. I think the manufacturer decided I had the cam long enough and it was time to force me to get a new one because they are not making a Vista driver available for my particular model.
Also, my Omnipass password manager is not working because of some security issue. In fact, Vista User Account Control (UAC) is making my life pretty miserable at the moment. There is a good Apple Ad that sums up my feelings here. Click on "Security".
Anyway, here is my article for the first Syndeo Technologies IT Newsletter:
Recommendations for Upgrading to Windows Vista and Office 2007
Windows Vista is a new software product, and as a general rule we do not recommend rushing to install recently released software unless you need some of the new features (see: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=eb4z47bab.0.ttdyf6bab.c6pprybab.51&ts=S0235&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.microsoft.com%2Fwindows%2Fproducts%2Fwindowsvista%2Ffeatures%2Fdetails%2Fbackup.mspx). Although the product has gone through extensive testing there is a reasonable possibility that some of the software applications that you use in your organization will not run properly on Vista. Extensive testing is required. We recommend verifying with all of your software vendors that their products are certified to run on Vista. This includes any industry specific application software, antivirus software, printer drivers, VPN clients, networking and security tools.As a general rule of thumb it is a good idea to wait for feedback from the early adopters before you upgrade the computers in your network to the new platform. In the past that information is available 6 - 12 months following a new Windows operating system release, or around the time the first Service Pack is released by Microsoft. Also, it is very likely that your current antivirus software will not run on Vista, so you will have to purchase or upgrade to the latest version before you can deploy any computers using the new operating system.Special attention has to be given to Microsoft Office 2007, the installation of which often goes hand in hand with a Windows Vista upgrade. As is the case with Vista, Office 2007 represents a major upgrade and includes a wide array of new features (see: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=eb4z47bab.0.vtdyf6bab.c6pprybab.51&ts=S0235&p=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMicrosoft_Office_2007). Office 2007 will also use a new file format, Office OpenXML, as the default file format. This causes compatibility issues with previous releases of Office. Microsoft is aware of this and therefore has provided a number of tools which are available for download to address this problem. First, the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack allows you to load and save Open XML documents from within Office XP or 2003. It can be downloaded free of charge here: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=eb4z47bab.0.wtdyf6bab.c6pprybab.51&ts=S0235&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.microsoft.com%2Fdownloads%2Fdetails.aspx%3Ffamilyid%3D941B3470-3AE9-4AEE-8F43-C6BB74CD1466%26displaylang%3DenPrevious versions of Office, in particular Office 2000, do not support OpenXML and there is no Compatibility Pack available for this version. If you still have Office 2000 in your network please use the Office 2007 Compatibility Mode, which allows you to save your Office 2007 documents in the older Office document format.
Conclusion:
It is inevitable that Vista and Office 2007 will be introduced into your network over the course of the next 12 months. Microsoft and all Microsoft resellers are eager to push the new products as this represents a significant revenue opportunity for everyone. They want you to upgrade as soon as possible and will do almost anything to get you there. So be prepared. To do this we recommend introducing Vista and Office 2007 on a single PC in your office as soon as possible to test compatibility issues before you proceed with a general rollout. Consider appointing an "early adopter", who is willing to work with two systems (Windows XP and Vista) side-by-side for a few months, bearing in mind that initially the XP machine will be their primary platform until all applications have been tested.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Filemaker Feature Requests
I just posted two feature requests here for "a future version" of Filemaker Pro, whenever that future version may become available and if they, Filemaker Inc., even take their client's feedback seriously. My Feature Requests:
But most importantly I wish they would do something about Filemaker scalability and dependance on the FMP client. Who needs client/server applications any more when everything is moving to the "No Software" model. Filemaker is just trying to make a quick buck off of selling a few extra client applications. How old fashioned and 20th Century!
If Filemaker Inc would only realize how close they are to building a development environment for web-based applications for the Rest of Us...
- Scheduled server side e-mail send and receive
- Native document upload
But most importantly I wish they would do something about Filemaker scalability and dependance on the FMP client. Who needs client/server applications any more when everything is moving to the "No Software" model. Filemaker is just trying to make a quick buck off of selling a few extra client applications. How old fashioned and 20th Century!
If Filemaker Inc would only realize how close they are to building a development environment for web-based applications for the Rest of Us...
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