What a Connected World We Live In
You have to be careful what you say nowadays. A case in point revolves around a post I recently made on a blog that tracks the industry my company is in. I was commenting on the site about a particular business model we use and how it has simplified our billing, etc. Another poster asked me what software we used to track some specifics. I replied back with the name of the software, but added a caveat that we were in the middle of implementing a different solution.
Wow! You would think it was a presidential press release! Within 12 hours, I had 2 phone calls, and several emails from upper level vice presidents of the company we were dropping. And this company has over 20,000 users (I'm told).
There are a few interesting lessons to be learned here, I think. First, if you don't want anyone to know what you are doing, don't email or post anything regarding the information you are trying to keep from the public. While this particular information regarding our software change is by no means top secret, I really didn't need this particular interuption from our business of providing excellent customer service. Secondly, you never know where your comments will end up, no matter how benign they may seem. A few little comments started a firestorm from upper level management in a company much larger than mine.
So, the moral is, don't post anything you don't want known. ANYWHERE. Social networking performs at the speed of the Internet.
To your success,
Tim
Will Your Network Handle the Time Change?
This following is from one of the many technical blogs that we follow. It is worth reading in regards to Daylight Savings time. The change comes at a different time than normal again this year. Not all computers can cope with it.
To your Success,
Tim
Daylight Savings Time for 2008 will end this weekend on Sunday, November 2nd. This is a reminder to those who have not applied their DST patches to the SBS 2003 network to do so as soon as possible. Common issues that are fixed by these patches include:
1. Calendar items and appointments in Outlook are off by an hour
2. Timestamps in OWA are off by an hour
3. Time skews between patched and un-patched machines
4. Date and Time fields are off by an hour in Sharepoint
5. SQL Server notifications are delayed
For the full list of updates that are applicable to the SBS 2003 environment please visit:
http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/archive/2007/02/13/extended-daylight-saving-time-sbs-2003-and-you.aspx
There are several methods to check for these updates, including:
1. Use the official Microsoft Daylight Savings Time Help Center at http://support.microsoft.com/gp/cp_dst
2. Run the SBS 2003 Best Practices Analyzer from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=3874527A-DE19-49BB-800F-352F3B6F2922&displaylang=en
3. To check the OS only (client or server) run the "w32tm /tz" command.
If you have any further questions on DST and the DST changes please see: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/cp_dst
How to check the timezone setting using "w32tm /tz":
The output will look like this for the Central timezone on a patched machine:
Time zone: Current:TIME_ZONE_ID_DAYLIGHT Bias: 360min (UTC=LocalTime+Bias)
[Standard Name:"Central Standard Time" Bias:0min Date:(M:11 D:1 DoW:0)]
[Daylight Name:"Central Daylight Time" Bias:-60min Date:(M:3 D:2 DoW:0)]
What you want to look for is M:11, this translates to “Month 11: November” for start of Standard Time. (M:3 which is “Month 3: March” for start of Daylight Standard Time.)
An unpatched machine will show the following: Time zone:
Current:TIME_ZONE_ID_STANDARD Bias: 360min (UTC=LocalTime+Bias)
[Standard Name:"Central Standard Time" Bias:0min Date:(M:10 D:5 DoW:0)]
[Daylight Name:"Central Daylight Time" Bias:-60min Date:(M:4 D:1 DoW:0)]
A patched machine that does not have "Automatically adjust clock for daylight saving changes" set will show:
Time zone: Current:TIME_ZONE_ID_DAYLIGHT Bias: 360min (UTC=LocalTime+Bias)
[Standard Name:"Central Standard Time" Bias:0min Date:(M:11 D:1 DoW:0)]
[Daylight Name:"Central Standard Time" Bias:0min Date:(M:11 D:1 DoW:0)]
Can't Install Adobe Reader
Are you running Vista and can't get Adobe Reader to install? Well you aren't alone. It was recently listed as one of the top complaints regarding Vista. Fortunately, we have an answer to the issue. Actually, two answers!
First, unless you logged right into the administrator account, or you are a power user and have turned off User Access Control (UAC) you will need to turn it back on, then install Adobe. I would then recommend you leave UAC on for normal operations. To do this, go to Control Panel, click on User accounts, then click on the setting to turn UAC on. Restart your computer, then install Adobe.
If that doesn't work, or UAC was NOT turned off, then you can install Adobe in Windows XP compatibility mode. Browse to the folder where you placed the Adobe installer file. Right click it, and select the compatibility tab. Check "run this program in compatibility mode" then select Windows XP in the list. Adobe should then install.
To your success,
Tim
If Operating Systems were Airlines
Since I have strong ties to the airline industry (those who know me know why) I found this little bit of humor all too true. Enjoy!
To your success,
Tim
DOS AIR All the passengers go out onto the runway, grab hold of the plane, push it until it gets in the air, hop on, jump off when it hits the ground again. Then they grab the plane again, push it back into the air, hop on, etcetera.
WINDOWS '95 AIRLINES The terminal is very neat and clean, the attendants are all very attractive and the pilots very capable. The fleet is immense. After your plane arrives 6 months late, you begin to wonder why it has not arrived yet. Your jet takes off without a hitch, pushing above the clouds, and at 20,000 feet it crashes without warning.
MAC AIRWAYS The cashiers, flight attendants, and pilots all look the same, feel the same and act the same. When asked questions about the flight they reply that you don't want to know, don't need to know, and would you please return to your seat and watch the movie.
OS/2 SKYWAYS The terminal is almost empty, with only a few prospective passengers milling about. Airline personnel walk around, apologising profusely to customers in hushed voices, pointing from time to time to the sleek, powerful jets outside the terminal on the field. They tell each passenger how good the real flight will be on these new jets and how much safer it will be than Windows Airlines, but that they will have to wait a little longer for the technicians to finish the flight systems.
FLY WINDOWS NT All the passengers carry their seats out onto the tarmac, placing the chairs in the outline of a plane. They all sit down, flap their arms and make jet swooshing sounds as if they are flying.
WINGS of AS/400 The airline has bought ancient DC-3s, arguably the best and safest planes that ever flew and painted "747" on their tails to make them look as if they are fast. The flight attendants, of course, attend to your every need, though the drinks cost $15 a pop. Stupid questions cost $230 per hour, unless you have SupportLine, which requires a first class ticket and membership in the frequent flyer club.
VMS AIRLINES The passengers all gather in the hanger, watching hundreds of technicians check the flight systems on this immense, luxury aircraft. This plane has at least 10 engines and seats over 1,000 passengers. All the passengers scramble aboard, as do the necessary complement of 200 technicians. The pilot takes his place up in the glass cockpit. He guns the engines, only to realise that the plane is too big to get through the hangar doors!
UNIX EXPRESS Each passenger brings a piece of the airplane and a box of tools to the airport. They gather on the tarmac, arguing constantly about what kind of plane they want to build and how to put it together. Eventually, they build several different aircraft, but give them all the same name. Some passengers actually reach their destinations. All passengers believe they got there.
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