Upcoming changes to major Microsoft products

/in , , /by

Microsoft Windows 8.1 released on October 18th

The second iteration of Microsoft Windows 8, 8.1, occurred on October 18th.  Significant changes to this operating system include:

  • Boot to Desktop – Yes, you can restore the Start button and bypass the tiles, but don’t expect the traditional Start menu to appear since pressing Start takes you to the live tiles of the current Start screen.  (You can, at least, shut-down from the Start button once again.)
  • Help + Tips – Helpful clues are sequenced to usage, permitting an easier start-up and shortening learning times.
  • Smart Search – Windows 8 Search charm on steroids; all search results, local and otherwise, pooled together in a comprehensive summary.
  • Snap – Open up-to four applications and display them simultaneously on a single screen.

An excellent review of Windows 8.1 by Brad Chapos of PC World is available at http://www.pcworld.com/article/2048508/windows-8-1-review-the-great-compromise.html.  He also provides the top-five reasons to upgrade to Windows 8.1 at http://www.pcworld.com/article/2043268/the-top-5-reasons-to-upgrade-to-windows-8-1.html.

Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 release date was October 18th

Release 2 (R2) of Microsoft Windows Server 2012 is now available. 

Per Microsoft:  “Windows Server 2012 R2 offers exciting new features and enhancements across virtualization, storage, networking, virtual desktop infrastructure, access and information protection, and more.”

Along with this revision, Microsoft increased pricing on Windows Server Data Center to $6,155 and on Remote Desktop Services (RDS) Client Access Licenses (CALs) to $118.

For details, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/windows-server/windows-server-2012-r2.aspx.

The end is near for Windows XP, Office 2003, Server 2003, and Exchange 2003

Microsoft is ending support of Windows XP, its most-popular, desktop-computer operating system, on April 8th, 2014.  In addition, Office 2003, Windows Server 2003, and Exchange Server 2003 will reach end-of-life (EOL) on this date.

Basically, Microsoft will discontinue patching and updating these products, which exposes them to security and compliance risks; it will likely also end support for third-party applications that work with these products.

Microsoft’s message:  Upgrade these products now or risk problems later.

Bryley Systems receives SBIEC’s Massachusetts Excellence Award

/in /by

Bryley Systems has been selected for the 2013 Massachusetts Excellence Award amongst all its peers and competitors by the Small Business Institute for Excellence in Commerce (SBIEC).

Bryley Systems has consistently demonstrated a high regard for upholding business ethics and company values which is a trait seldom found in its industry. This recognition by SBIEC marks a significant achievement as an emerging leader within various competitors and is setting benchmarks that the industry should follow.

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.

YouTube video

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.

 

YouTube video

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.

YouTube video

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?”

 

YouTube video