Zen of IT

A great article in Computing Magazine (15th April) about how Linknet and Computer Aid have created a portable interent cafe, in a shipping container. Powered by solar power, internet via satalite and thin clients by Ncomputing. Well done guys a great effort!

 This is a little off topic, so let me start by saying Windows 7 has some very good power saving settings. Automatic screen dim after a few mins and very fast recovery time from sleeping, makes it easy and almost enjoyable to save power.
But the main thing I want to write about is how user friendly and easy it is to use. When Vista came out - I tried it but hated it, slow to use and hard to find all the tools and tricks I was used to. As a techie I found it infuriating to have all the technical stuff hidden behind "fluffyness", just getting to network card settings seemed to take days. I firmly stayed on XP, while the rest of the office upgraded to Vista and continually moaned about it.
However due to a required rebuild of my laptop, I took the plunge and went to Windows 7 and I've never been happier. It just works. It's intuitive. After never learning Vista I thought it would take me months to get used to it - but one day in and I love it. Everything is just where it should be. You don't have to search for anything, you don't have to have secret insider information to find specific tools or settings, it's just there. Where you need it. When you need it. Bravo Microsoft

Microsoft has stated they will continue to support XP till 2014 but if you are an individual, move as soon as you can. You will not regret it. For corporates, a desktop roll out is always a major problem and full of pain. So why not try VDI? Windows 7 seems to be the perfect reason to use VDI and VDI seems to be the perfect reason to use Windows 7. I see many people running pilots this way. Think about it. Users have a new Windows 7 desktop provided by VDI andd their original unchanged desktop. They can run both systems in parallel. Move their own files and favorites between the two until they are totally happy. This will be the first desktop replacement where it will be easy, and affordable to run both systems at once - hence removing a lot of the heartache for the IT department

Zen 101: Everytime you take a step, and your foot connects with the ground, you are connected to everyone else on the planet. Can you feel them? The real World Wide Web

It's 2010 - dear me, how did that happen? Remember the millennium bug? Doesn't it seem just like yesterday?
Well - the good news is the Q4 rush is over and I'll be able to devote more time to working with http://www.e-learningfoundation.com/ to make some serious head ways into Scotland. Watch this space!

Seric Systems have a new storage offering bundle, consisting of hardware, software and services at a very attractive price - thanks to their "Buy 2, get 1 Free" offer on 1TB disks.
Aimed at small to mid market, the bundle is an IBM iSCSI DS3300 controller with SATA disks (idea to replace and consolidate your local storage, or as a place to store backups) and installation and training services. MD of Seric Systems, Stuart Macdonald, comments, "we know some new technologies and products can be scary, so we want to make sure our clients get the most out of their purchase. That's why we set it up but also give training and advice so that a clients in house team are left with the skills to use the technology effectively"
For more info, click here

I hope you noticed that we have a new BIG Idea on the ideas page. This idea was presented to the BCS and the feedback as been good. There is an organisation that currently does something similar http://www.e-learningfoundation.com/  so I'll be contacting them to see if I can help them and also the BCS will be looking at home they can support the e-learning foundation - so great news!

Everyone knows someone who is hard to buy for, so get them something them something special - there very own certified Super Power! Yes, that's right, you can make someone a super hero! www.IveGotSuperPowers.com

I actually like the Microsoft Surface computer. I was lucky enough to see it a few years ago, but I love this "advert" more. Pure class http://www.hi-techscotland.com/multimedia/?video=CZrr7AZ9nCY