The (near-term) future of computer technology – Microsoft versus Google

/in , , , /by

The crystal ball is still foggy, but here are my thoughts on Microsoft versus Google and (what I believe is) the battle for world domination.  (Microsoft sales are around $77B, primarily from Windows software (25%), business software (32%), and server software (25%); Google is about $55B with approximately 87% of its revenue from advertising.)

Notice, I did not include Apple:  The big play is between Microsoft and Google and it is occurring across multiple lines:

  • Google (search) versus Bing
  • Microsoft Office versus Google Apps
  • Google Android versus Microsoft Windows

Google (search) versus Bing

In the search-engine market, there is no comparison with Google (#1) capturing an average of 67% of monthly queries in the US while Bing (#2) captures only 17%.  In search, queries equate to advertising revenue, the heart of Google’s success.  (Search is currently not a significant part of Microsoft’s sales.)

Google’s familiar, plain-white background seems functional, but also trendy with the occasional changes to the GOOGLE moniker.  Bing’s full-screen, image-based background usually displays beautiful vistas or current events; the scrollable “Popular Now” bar across the bottom adds an items-of-interest aspect.

Bing (aka Microsoft) suggests comparing the two.

Winner (by a wide margin) is Google; Bing is interesting, but it will take some major work to break Google’s dominance in this area.

Microsoft Office versus Google Apps

When it comes to productivity applications; Microsoft Office 2013 owns the market at 92% while the newer Office 365, Microsoft’s Cloud-based answer to Google Apps, exceeds $1B per year.  (For details, please see the April 19, 2013Forbes article athttp://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2013/04/19/microsoft-shakes-off-pc-slump-as-office-and-servers-sales-swell/.)

Microsoft continues to focus on Office 365; pricing now starts at $96 per year, new features have been added, and partners can sell this service directly to users.

Although Microsoft productivity applications dominate on the desktop, Google Apps is a serious contender to Office 2013 and Office 365 with an estimated 33% to 50% share of Cloud-based productivity apps.  The primary difference: Google Apps was Cloud-based from the start; it doesn’t have all of the features of Microsoft Office, but is relevant on more platforms, is free to consumers, and costs just $50 per

year for users of Google Apps for Business.

So, Google Apps plays well in a heterogeneous, consumer/small-business world.  Also, Google has moved its popular Postini anti-spam service into Google Apps, a move that has angered and confused many of its (former) Postini clients, but one that makes sense from the perspective of beefing up Google Apps for Business to battle against Office 365.

For details, please see the 4/23/2013 article by Kurt Mackie of Redmond Magazineat http://redmondmag.com/articles/2013/04/23/gains-for-google-in-cloud-office.aspx?sc_lang=en.  To compare Office 365 to Google Apps, please visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBtYFM6Zy0o

Winner (by a strong, but potentially diminishing margin) is Microsoft; Microsoft dominates the desktop, but mobile users are changing the landscape.

Google Android versus Microsoft Windows

In terms of projected sales of mobile devices, Google’s Android (DROID) owns the market at 79% while Microsoft Windows is at just 3.3%.  However, if you include desktop computers, a declining market, Windows is still prevalent across organizations throughout the world.

Google introduced Android in 2007; it is a Linux-based, open-source operating system designed for touchscreen devices.  Its strength is its robustness and ease-of-use, which led to a brisk rate of adoption by users and application developers.

Windows 8 was introduced in October of 2012.  It was designed to be compatible with its predecessors (Windows XP and Windows 7) while introducing a touch-enabled, tile-based, user interface that has been more frustrating than enabling.  To date, it has failed to meet even modest expectations.  (Windows 8.1, a free, significant upgrade to Windows 8, will release on October 17th with the hope of changing this trend.)

Currently a draw if you include both mobile devices and desktop computers:  Microsoft owns the desktop while Google owns mobile devices; Windows 8.1 provides hope, but might be too little too late to penetrate the mobility market.

If nothing else, expect prices to decrease as the competition heats up.

Jim Livingstone’s Retirement Party

/in /by

Recently,  after 22 years of outstanding service, Jim Livingstone decided to retire from Bryley Systems, so we decided to throw him a surprise party.    We had such a good time that we wanted to share some of the footage from the party with all of you.

Bryley Basics: Getting you informed in 100 words or less

/in , /by

Tips on email attachments

Most folk send attachments with their emails; it is a quick, easy way to share a file with the email recipient.  However, attachments can have a negative impact on your computer-network infrastructure:

  • Emails saved with attachments consume storage.
  • Large attachments slow performance and may be rejected by the provider.
  • Attachments copied to a distribution list (a group of email users) are copied multiple times, once for each user, which can impact network bandwidth.

In addition, emails received with attachments should be treated cautiously, since attachments may become sources of infection.  Basic suggestions when receiving:

  • Do not open if the sender is unknown or suspect.
  • Limit total attachments to under one Gb; zip files greater than one Gb.

 

 

Security concern with popular, home-based, Internet routers

/in , , , /by

Independent Security Evaluators, a Baltimore-based security firm, stated that 13 Internet routers sold for home use were vulnerable to attack if the hacker had network access and could obtain the username and password of the router.  These routers include:

  • Linksys WRT310v2
  • Netgear’s WNDR4700
  • TP-Link’s WR1043N
  • Verizon’s FiOS Actiontec MI424WR-GEN3I
  • D-Link’s DIR865L
  • Belkin’s N300, N900 and F5D8236-4 v2 models

Basic suggestions:

  • Check to see if your home-based Internet modem/router is named above.  If so, check with the manufacturer to ensure that all security updates have been applied.
  • Change the login credentials using a complex password.  (Please review the article “Simple passwords = disaster” in our January 2013 Bryley Tips and Information.)

 

ComputerWorld.com — Popular Home Routers Contain Critical Security Vulnerabilities has the full story by Jeremy Kirk at ComputerWorld.

Bryley Basics: Getting you informed in 100 words or less

/in /by

WARNING:  Exchange 2003 is not compatible with Microsoft Office 2013

Exchange 2003 was a very popular version of Microsoft’s email server; it was available separately and bundled within Small Business Server 2003.  It’s End-of-Life was in April 2009, but extended support will carry it to April 2014.

Microsoft Office 2013, which includes Outlook 2013, does not work with Exchange Server 2003.

Options include:

  • Upgrade Exchange 2003 to the current Exchange 2013 or Exchange 2010
  • Downgrade Office 2013 to Office 2010*

*Note: This option is not available with the OEM version of Microsoft Office 2013; it is available with the Open License versions of Office 2013.

How to protect yourself against cyber threats on an ongoing basis

/in /by

In part five of his interview with The Cleaning Crew, Bryley Systems President, Gavin Livingstone, discusses how to ensure that you remain protected against cyber threats.

 

How a small business can protect their online identity

/in /by

In part four of his interview with The Cleaning Crew, Bryley Systems Inc. President, Gavin Livingstone, explains some of the steps a small business can take to protect their online identity.

What are the threats associated with cyber security?

/in /by

In part three of his interview with The Cleaning Crew, Bryley Systems President, Gavin Livingstone, answers the question “what are some of the threats associated with cyber security?”

 

Assabet Valley Chamber After-5 — Event a huge success!

/in /by

AVCC After-5

I estimate about 50-60 attendees who arrived early (about 4:45pm) and left late (last one out the door at 8pm).

Everyone seemed engaged; there were conversations in every nook and corner with people sitting in the comfortable chairs, moving from one area to another, and, generally, having a good time.

Thank you to Telly and Garin who stuck around past 6pm and met folks; Roy, Beverley, Mike M., and Terry also made appearances.

Special thanks to Cathy L., who prepared the food and drink and made everything wonderful.  Kudos to Anna and JoAnne with an excellent gift basket, which was won by Nancy Z. of Certified Bank Trainer.

Gavin

AVCC After-5a

Bryley Employees in Worcester Business Journal

/in /by

There have been some changes recently at Bryley, and the Worcester Business Journal has commented:

“MICHELLE DENIO has been promoted and JAMES WHEELERand TELLY CASTERNOPOULOS hired at Information technology service provider Bryley Systems of Hudson. Denio was promoted to administrative support technician. She joined Bryley Systems in 2008 and is a resident of Clinton. Wheeler has been hired as an Internet marketing associate. He is the assistant clerk for the town of Berlin. Wheeler has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Maine in Orono. Casternopoulos joins Bryley as service desk technician. He served with the U.S. Army for five years at the rank of sergeant. He was an air traffic control maintenance technician and served in the Information Management Office while stationed in Iraq.”

Read the full article here.