Microsoft Outlook 2010 Basic Training

Sometimes some sensational videos actually end up on YouTube.

Here's one I stumbled across recently that I wish I knew existed so I could have sent it to every friend and family member who asked me to help them get started with using the latest version of Microsoft Outlook.

This 15 minute video provides all the basics you need to know to get started with Outlook 2010.

So, if you have just upgraded to Office 2010 and you want to familiarise yourself with the world's #1 email client, Outlook, then watch below...

How to? Howcast!

HowCast

 

Have you ever wanted to find a video that could show you how to do something?

Let me introduce Howcast. Think of it like YouTube but with only helpful stuff (no idiots performing dangerous stunts or singing badly here).

So how does it work? Just like YouTube you can search and find information in a wide range of categories including topics such as:

  • Food
  • Style
  • Tech
  • Recreation
  • Fitness
  • Health
  • Home
  • .... and more

So how useful is the information. Well let's have a look at some tech topics for example:

  • How to find out how much memory your computer has (see below)
  • How to use computer software
  • How to use a USB port
  • How to troubleshoot a computer
  • How to setup internet
  • How to network computers
  • .... and more

I have found it so useful I am recommending it to customers and my engineers to use it as a repository for basic steps to help familiarise yourself with a new application, service or process.

So here's a Howcast video to get you started...

Love it. Saves me trawling through youtube to find the educational videos... not easy..

AARNET Traceroute tricks

AARNET, Australia's Research and Education network has some really handy tools available online to help you check just how far you are from the network and how well your links are performing.

Did you know you can run a traceroute from any AARNET external node to any host?

Try these:

You can also let them automatically choose the nearest node using their On Net/Off Net and Looking Glass Tool

So what is AARNET? The AARNET3 network links all major capital cities with a backbone extending from Brisbane through to Perth and additional links running both to Hobart and Darwin, via Alice Springs.These run a 10GBps network which connects into overseas Tier 1 links.

In other words, these guys are very well connected.

Sonic PDF Creator GiveAway

Looking for a PDF creation AND editing tool that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? What about if they decided to make it free on Facebook?

Sonic PDF Creator


This is Sonic PDF Creator. This program has every PDF editing and creation feature you'll actually ever use....(if you are like me)

  • Create PDFs
  • Create Secure PDFs
  • Print to PDF
  • Split and Merge PDFs
  • Add pages, text and images to PDFs
  • Rotate Pages
  • Add Bookmarks
  • Create Booklets, Handouts and Powerpoints from PDFs
  • Attach Documents

Ok, so it doesn't have every feature of Adobe Acrobat X, but do you really use them all?
Marketing department, look away... nothing to see here..
If you are like me and all you need to do is merge some documents, add or remove a page here or there and maybe insert a logo or some text then this is perfect for you.
All the stuff you actually use without all the extra features and thingamyjigs that you never know what they actually do.

I have used it for a bit and can't really fault it. Probably not enough time for a good review, but times are tight, $50 is $50 and when that $50 is free on facebook then you have $50 more to spend on saturday night. So for free software this is awesome.

I tried it out (hence the review) but I always worry about offers on facebook, personal data blah blah. All you have to do to claim the offer is 'like' their page to get a code for a software download. 
This means they can only see the public side of my facebook page (not even a friend), so they will probably get my email address but very little else.
Since then I haven't yet had to enter any personal information at any stage.

By now I was already starting to like the software then I found something cool... They also have online PDF convertors on facebook enabling you to convert both to and from PDF to Word, Excel and Powerpoint. Cool huh? Although, are you allowed to use facebook on company time? Why don't you ask your manager for Adobe Acrobat X Pro and when they baulk at the price, tell them if they gave you facebook access you could get free software. You might almost be the most popular person in the office for the time it takes to download and install.

Visit the Investintech Facebook page to claim your free copy of Sonic PDF Creator.

Or check out all of the Investintech products on their website.

Windows 8 and OS X Lion - Part 1

Now that I have my OS X lion 10.7.2 and my Windows 8 developer preview fired up let's find out what is going to be worth a buy late this year.

So let's get started.

Both operating systems were easy to install. These days most is wizard based the the windows machines often come with some vendor assisted wizards as well. Apple definitely have one of the easiest and cleanest install procedures without this and a wide range of inbuilt applications make this even easier.

I was very concerned that Apple still have an 'automatic logon' as a default setting and it took some hunting around for me to figure out how to turn this off. A secure password I see as a must on any business or personal computing device. Joining the OS X machine to our corporate domain was just as easy as the Windows machine.

I also discovered a neat feature. By default when logging on to OS X on a corporate network your network account is used. This is an online account and will not work out of the office effectively keeping your computer secure and making it more of a thin client device. When you first login you are prompted with the option to create a mobile account. This is an offline version of your account so you can login to your computer and continue working when outside of the office. You should answer yes on any laptops when you set them up.

Microsoft Office installed easily on both and I found myself in familiar territory. I have to admit that the Microsoft Document Connection on OS X is fantastic for Sharepoint and I want it on my PC.

So what did I think of Windows 8? Like Windows 7 was to Vista, Windows 8 is a great refresh of the product designed to improve performance, memory usage and provide a better interface for running on a wide range of devices. There are lots of great improvements to Windows Explorer and I like the look of the Metro Start interface... but ...

I NEED A TOUCHSCREEN!

I install hundreds of applications on my computer over the course of a year before it usually goes in for spring cleaning to return anew. I love Metro but scrolling through pages and pages of icons to find my program is not good. It used to be a couple of clicks in the old start menu. Scrolling is even difficult when using a mouse.

Before I despair, there is a registry hack to turn off Metro and bring back the Start Menu which at this stage I will recommend as a must for anyone planning on using Windows 8 without a touch enabled screen. I am looking forward to seeing whether Microsoft have a clever compromise to make it easy for power users to access a basic menu of applications while providing an intuitive interface for mobile devices and consumers.

By this time I had finally installed the printer drivers for my office printer on OS X and mapped the network drives (as my network login scripts won't work on a mac).

So let's call round 1 a draw. Let's see what happens when I begin to rely on them.
ps. I wrote this on my mac.

Under Review: Windows 8 and OS X Lion

2012 is going to be a big year in technology and I wanted to get an early start. Currently in my virtual lab I am testing Windows 8 and OS X Lion 10.7.2.

Hot off the presses is OS X Lion 10.7.2 that latest Apple operating system. Following the popularity of the iPod, iPhone and iPad we have seen a noticeable growth in market share of Apple computers. Predominantly led by users now familiar with Apple products taking the step from their PC to their first Mac.

While still a learning curve for home users the real challenges apply when these devices are beginning to be transferred into the enterprise usually into previously Windows only environments. Steve Jobs made no secret of his disregard for the enterprise and how his focus was on creating consumer products to inspire ingenuity. Without a doubt he succeeded in this with the development of all of these devices which consumers love, but where does this leave enterprise users and what happens when these devices and apple computers in general enter the enterprise?

Generally there are problems with integration, usability and higher support volumes, or mac users end up running in their own isolated silo away from the rest of the business isolated from the corporate environment. So why do we see problems? It is due to the inability to integrate the operating system into a traditionally windows environment? Is it due to a lack of understanding of the differences in the operating systems? Can you do everything you normally do on your Windows computer on the mac? Is it still secure?

To reopen the case in this high adoption period, the only solution was to make it happen, so with my virtualised OS X Lion 10.7.2 machine join me over the next few weeks as I enter the Lion's den and attempt to fully integrate into our corporate network and replace my daily Windows 7 machine with a Mac. Let the games begin...

....but wait, there's more...

Microsoft is not about to let Apple take over so easily, entering the ring in the far corner, we have the new kid on the block, Windows 8, ready for your home desktop this year.

So what's new? What's changed? What works? Join me as I take the Windows 8 developer preview for a test drive.

Watch this space.

Christian.

Appneta PathTest (Windows)

PathTest - The most accurate network capacity test tool available.

PathTest is a free capacity testing tool that will give you the most accurate results possible. It allows you to determine the maximum capacity between any two network end points using precision packet-flooding techniques to completely fill up the network path to its absolute maximum capacity.

PathTest can test using TCP, UDP or ICMP protocols for either layer 3 or layer 4 capacity testing and it support DSCP markings to adhere to your QoS policies.

PathTest also lets you specify several run-time options including total packets sent, packet size, maximum allowed bandwidth, one-way or bi-directional testing and more.

PathTest will push your network to its absolute limits using precision packet-flooding techniques to completely fill the network path for a user-defined duration (up to 10 secs maximum).

http://www.testmypath.com/

PRTG Traffic Monitoring (Windows/Android/iPhone/iPad)

PRTG: Easy to Use Monitoring of Bandwidth, Performance and Availability

Packet Sniffer

PRTG by Paessler provides reliable network monitoring for 10, 100 or 1000 nodes.

Easy to use, simple, at a glance network diagnostics derived from 115 types of sensors allowing you to understand the operation of your network.

Avoid performance bottlenecks and deliver a better level of service.

Reduce costs by minimizing downtime and maximising performance.

PRTG monitoring runs 24/7 to provide real time network activity. With iOS/Android support you can now monitor your network from anywhere.

As soon as outages occur the software will alert you by sending emails, SMS, pager messages, and other notifications. Request times and downtimes are constantly recorded in the database and you can compile performance, downtime, and SLA reports at any given time.

Highly recommended for any network administrator.

Try it free today from http://www.paessler.com/prtg

2x Virtual Desktops (Windows/Android/iPhone/iPad)

2x

Use a terminal server? Want to access applications without accessing your desktop?

Looking for a more affordable solution than Citrix?

2x provides cost effective virtual desktop solutions allowing you to turn a terminal server into an application server and provide quick and easy remote access to applications and services.

2x can operate as a thin client operating system, a virtual desktop layer, or as an application on mobile devices to provide virtual desktops & applications to any mobile & desktop device.

It supports all major hypervisors from Microsoft, VMware, Citrix and more and integrates powerful universal printing & scanning functionality.

Best of all it is free to try for up to 3 users.

Find out more at: http://www.2x.com/

UltraServe Cloud - Virtual Servers (Windows/Linux)

UltraServe Cloud Machines (formerly known as Rejila)

What is the fastest way to commission a new server? Virtually of course.

What about if you don't have a datacentre or ISP partner who can do this? Sign up to Rejila.

Rejila provides real time virtual servers, commissioned in minutes with software and services. The fastest way to get a server online.

http://www.rejila.com/

http://www.ultraserve.com.au/products/cloud-machines

Rejila servers are available from as little as 10c/hour.

No Contracts are required. Hosting is in Australia. Windows or Linux Systems available. Drag and Drop Deployment.

So if you need a server and you need it now. Try Rejila.