In our last (or is that first?) issue Brent and Jesse gave us their impressions of Office 2007. It seems to hold great promise but there are definitely hurdles to implementing it in your organization. It appears that many of the same issues hold true for Vista.

Measuring the ROI of an OS is always a challenge because it’s typically easier to measure the value of the applications that run under it. So for Vista I thought I would focus on the impact to the IT staff and ease of use for the user base. As Monty Python used to say, “And now for something completely different!”

My experience is somewhat limited. I just received my new Dell with a Dual-Core Pentium and 2GB of RAM – a pretty quick system. We were not converting any old applications and I am currently running the full suite of Office 07 along with a few other support programs, so it’s a fairly clean installation.

One problem is drivers. Yep, this one got me, but it wasn’t too bad. It started with the Microsoft wireless mouse, then the USB driver for the docking station, and then the sound port on the docking station. (Gotta have my music.) Time spent researching drivers equals negative ROI. However, Vista did a good job analyzing the problem and automatically returned the site URL for getting an updated driver. It’s a process they call self healing, which yields a positive ROI. I see this as a mixed message for the support staff and users. As time goes on, the driver issue will become less of a problem but in the interim, plan on spending more time here than you initially anticipated (or have become used to with XP).

There are some other Vista features that seem worthwhile:

• Meeting Space – a nice little collaboration tool for networked PCs to share screens and commentary. Seemed easier to use than some of the other tools like NetMeeting.
• Refined Search Bar – shows up in the lower left corner and gives you access to search for just about anything on your system.
• Built in calendar – more readily available than Outlook’s.
• ReadyBoost – this one’s just kind of cool. It can actually use a compatible USB thumb drive as an extension of system memory. I haven’t tried it yet but this could definitely help with some applications.
• Gadgets – I’m sure you’ve heard about these. They are little applets that run in the background and appear in a special window on your desktop. Currently I run a weather gadget (I could look out the window for this same information), and a CPU clock. They are fun but I think their real value is in demonstrating the true potential of Vista as a vastly improved OS for software development.

My biggest complaint – Vista does not boot any faster than XP. However, it does appear to have more reliable Sleep and Hibernate modes, that when used properly, will reduce the need for a full start. Another big plus for the IT group is the fact that the tablet OS is now part of Vista. This will reduce the requirement to support a separate operating system in mixed environments.

I have to admit that Vista has been running pretty reliably. I have only had it hang once so far. There are also new security features that allow the IT staff more flexibility in locking down workstations to prevent unwanted software from being loaded. In the long run this could be a tremendous asset to your staff as they likely end up having everyone set up with administrator rights. Otherwise, they get a call every 5 minutes because one program or another won’t run, but then they also get to deal with the viruses of other rogue applications that come along.

Bottom line – not bad. It’s taken a few weeks to figure out where some of my menu selects are hidden but overall I find things work pretty well. There is definitely a long term payoff to Vista in terms of “potentially” reduced support efforts as well OS and networking reliability. However Vista is still new and you will find yourself challenged by drivers, older system compatibility and other issues. But as we all know Microsoft progress is inevitable and you can pay them now or pay them later.

Additional Resources

Features list

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/features/details/accessibility.mspx

Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise and MDOP

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/default.mspx

Microsoft System Center

http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/default.mspx

Microsoft’s Infrastructure Optimization Model

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/infrastructure/default

Filed under: Business Articles on May 31st, 2007 | No Comments »

With much anticipation, Windows Vista was released January 30th. This is the software giant’s first personal OS release since Windows XP in October, 2001. A bit over five years is a good chunk of time. There are more users, an ever-expanding digital era, new and improved viruses, and more Apple commercials. We must ask, “Has Vista addressed all these issues and more?” Let’s take a quick glance at the technical aspects of Windows Vista, including, which version to get, computer compatibility, hardware specs, and ease of installation. These are my experiences with Vista Business, at work and home.

First, lets discuss which version best fits your needs. Unlike XP, which has Home and Professional, and later the Media Center, Vista has six platforms to consider (there are actually nine, though the users in the United States will choose between six of them).

Vista Versions

1. Vista Home Basic
2. Vista Home Premium
3. Vista Ultimate
4. Vista Small Business Edition
5. Vista Business
6. Vista Enterprise
7. Windows Starter 2007 – For emerging markets
8. Vista Home Basic N – Only in Europe
9. Vista Business N – Only in Europe

Three are for use in the Home, three are for business. There are similarities among all versions. Home Basic and Home Premium compare similarly to XP Home and XP Professional. Ultimate is for the person that wants it all. Small Business Edition is for businesses that don’t have access to an IT staff. Business and Enterprise are for larger organizations.

Once you finish “Windows Shopping,” you MUST ask yourself, “Does my current PC have enough power to run Vista?” The short answer is probably, but it may run slow.

Microsoft’s Minimum Requirements:

• 800 MHz processor and 512 MB of system memory
• 20 GB hard drive with at least 15 GB of available space
• Support for Super VGA graphics
• CD-ROM drive

Microsoft’s Recommended List:

• 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
• 1 GB of system memory
• 40 GB hard drive with at least 15 GB of available space
• DVD-ROM drive
• Audio Output
• Internet access (fees may apply)
• Support for DirectX 9 graphics with:
  • WDDM Driver
  • 128 MB of graphics memory (minimum)
  • Pixel Shader 2.0 in hardware
  • 32 bits per pixel

My Recommendation:

• Duo Core 2.2GHz processor
• 2 GB of memory
• 100 GB hard drive with 15 free
• DVD-ROM/DVD +-RW
• High-speed internet access
• 256 MB of graphics memory, with Support for DirectX 9

Vista uses a lot of memory, which is why I suggest having 2 GBs. The memory will come in handy for Windows Sidebar, Aero, as well as running multiple programs at simultaneously. Since no one likes to “watch Windows,” a Duo Core processor will help make you happier. Vista can use a whopping 10 GBs of hard drive space (XP was around 2 GB). There is no such thing as too much hard drive space, which is why I suggest at least 100 GB. Also, getting an upscale video card is the way to go if you wish to get the most out of your Vista experience.

Installation Process for Vista

For those of you who have installed XP, Vista will be a walk in the park. Right when you pull up the first installation screen, you know this is a new product. It’s a similar process to XP, with an appealing screen to track the progress. Instead of a Blue Screen with white letters, like Windows 2000 and XP, Vista has a colorful background with a futuristic feel.

It begins by asking your preferred language, time zone and keyboard type, followed by the ‘Install Now’ button and the dreaded product key. Once you make it past this, you are asked if you want to Upgrade your current version of Windows, or install a clean copy. If you don’t want to back up your files right away, upgrading is the way to go. Vista will actually take the old Windows files and create a Windows.old folder for you. All of your data will be here, which is handy if you in a rush and cant create a backup. Next comes disk partitioning. Depending on what Vista disk you have (Upgrade or Full Version) you may not have access to this. With an upgrade disk, you can install a ‘fresh’ OS, but you cannot change the partitions.

Once you know where you want to install Windows, it takes off and you don’t do anything until Vista asks you about personal settings. On my 3.0 GHz Duo Core processor, it took me 40 minutes to do a clean install. I have witnessed a co-worker do an upgrade with a Single Processor that took closer to 2-and-a-half hours.

After the installation, Vista will configure some personal settings, such as, usernames, pictures, wallpaper, windows updates and time and date verification. And, that’s it. You are ready to play around with the new interface.

Installation snapshots can be found here: http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=352

Is Vista Affordable?

Cost is a big consideration. Not only do you have the hardware upgrades, which could become fairly expensive, but you will have purchase Vista, itself. It’s definitely something to think about.

General Vista Pricing:

• Windows Vista Home Basic: US$99.95 (upgrade), US$199 (full version)
• Windows Vista Home Premium: US$159 (upgrade), US$239 (full version)
• Windows Vista Business: US$199 (upgrade), US$299 (full version)
• Windows Vista Ultimate: US$259 (upgrade), US$399 (full version)

Decision

All in all, I had a great experience with Vista. My PC was compatible, though I did purchase additional memory for performance reasons. The question now is, “Should you go with Vista?” Personally, I would hold off for another 6 months and see what problems arise. But, if you like to be ahead of the curve, go for it. It has been stable for me and I appreciate the new features that make everyday tasks more pleasant. I believe that Microsoft has a winner here. We’ll see what the future holds.

Additional Resources

Hardware Planning Guide
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/aa905075.aspx

Encyclopedia of Windows XP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_XP 

Encyclopedia of Windows Vista
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Vista

Article explaining number of versions
http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10877_11-6042337.html

Microsoft explanation
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/systemrequirements.mspx

Installation process of Vista
http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=352

Hardware Planning Guide
http://www.itnews.com.au/newsstory.aspx?CIaNID=36397

Vista information from Microsoft’s website
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/default.mspx

CNET Review
http://www.cnet.com/4520-13111_1-6687520-1.html

Filed under: Technical Articles on May 31st, 2007 | No Comments »

Today, I’ll try to address some of the technical questions about Office 07 regarding matters such as, system requirements, ease of installation and noticeable features relating to the post-release of this software.

System Requirements

Prior to installing anything new on your computers, it is critical to assess whether or not your current system has the necessary capabilities to handle the new addition.  Definitely do not upgrade if your system can’t handle it.  Here are some system recommendations for Microsoft Office 2007.

1. I would make sure that I had at least a Pentium 4 CPU 2.93Mhz processor.  If you like speed, this will be necessary.
2. 512MB of memory, minimum!  If I were you though, I’d probably make sure I had 1GB of memory.  Why?  Why have a new system that you can’t get the maximum performance from.
3. Microsoft recommends that you have 2GB of disk space before doing an install.  Wow, that’s a lot of disk space.
4. And of course, you’ll need at least Windows XP SP2 or Windows Server 2003 SP1.

The full list of requirements can be viewed on the Microsoft Office Website.
Installation
I really have to commend Microsoft for the ease of this installation.  I only had to click three buttons during the install.  (That is, if you clicked on the install button instead of the customize button option.)   Just to let you know though, there was a previous Office Professional 2003 install that I uninstalled before beginning the installation.
Side note:  I didn’t lose any of my Outlook exchange settings.

The screen shots below are what you’ll see during a normal install.  A piece of cake, eh?

Features

There are several noticeable features on Microsoft Office 2007 that I really appreciate.

• The Ribbon 

• The Microsoft Office Button

Key Features: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/HA101679411033.aspx

Compatibility

Just one issue that I’ve recognized thus far.  If you have friends that are still using Office 2003 or earlier, you’ll need to save your work in the .doc format, specifically for users of Office 97 – 03.  Now, Microsoft has released an Office Compatibility Pack, but as of this date, I haven’t tried it out.  You can check it out for yourself at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displaylang=en.

Recommended

For many office users this new release of Office is a big plus, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t require a small learning curve.  Some of the new features help to make work easier (and if I dare say, a little bit of fun).  As for the system requirements, I think most users won’t have a problem with them (I hope most of you already have at least a P4).  You won’t be running XP with less than 256MB of memory, so you shouldn’t have any issues with the memory or OS requirement.  For the compatibility issue that I brought up, it’s really just a small thing anyways, so why not just do the upgrade.�
Have a great week!

Resources

It’s a new day.  It’s a new office
 http://www.microsoft.com/office/newday/default.mspx
Microsoft System Requirements
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/ha101668651033.aspx#8
Key Featureshttp://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/HA101679411033.aspx

Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displaylang=en

Filed under: Technical Articles on May 18th, 2007 | No Comments »

Should your business upgrade to the new version of Microsoft Office 2007?  Of course it has a new look and some new features but is it really a good move with tight budgets and other expenses pulling you in different directions?  You need to weigh the value of moving to this new suite vs. the actual cost of the software, training, roll-out, and potential loss of time familiarizing users with the new interface.  I’ll try to point you in the right direction, potentially helping to make the choice a bit easier for your company.  Hopefully, our experience at Awecomm and the experiences and resources included as reference will help you make the right decision.

I started by installing Office 2007 Professional  a few weeks ago , getting used to the new interface and discovering features that either didn’t exist in the last version, or that I didn’t know existed.  Honestly, I have been becoming more and more of a fan but translating that into a justifiable financial decision for upgrading has been a little difficult.  I decided to focus my attention on two areas, increased productivity and time saving enhancements.   Although I know in some cases an ROI structured on these factors can look good on paper, but can be hard to measure in actual use, I still feel they are important contributors to making a good business decision.  Because of that I only reviewed features that benefit most users, instead of focusing on a specific group of power users.  As well I only reviewed enhancements spread across the entire office suite.  I did not feel focusing in on an individual product would be fair to users who aren’t even using it.

The most dramatic change is the new navigation.  Microsoft has finally departed with the traditional command-based menu system for a results-oriented style.  This interface presents itself as a series of ribbons located at the top of the new Office applications, designed to help navigate features quickly.  Initial testing, according to Jacob Jaffe, (group project manager on the Office team) estimated a 60-65% reduction in mouse clicks and mouse movement in the new interface.  That could be a serious time-saver to employees that heavily rely upon Office applications in their daily tasks. Enhancements including document themes, and style galleries are not only helpful to build professional-looking documents, but  the new Live Preview feature helps save steps by showing changes instantaneously throughout the document without having to commit the change.  By simply hovering your mouse over a particular theme or style you can view the look and determine if it’s what you want. Either move the mouse away to cancel or click on the appropriate theme to accept.  This feature alone has saved me time in a number of projects.

New features including SmartArt diagrams and updated chart tools provide quick and easy ways to build professional-looking graphics.  With over 80 layouts for creating graphics, such as organizational charts and time lines, SmartArt tools reduce time spent fiddling with third-party applications previously needed to mimic the functionality.  Additionally, the new standardization of charting, used throughout the Office suite, makes creating data driven charts and moving them between documents faster and easier to accomplish.

There are some drawbacks, however.  Office 2007 has once again changed the file format because of a new XML-based file system.  Though there are positives to this, including smaller file size, this change creates extra work for early adopters.  Having to maintain two separate files for Office 2007-users and compatible versions for previous Office versions can become confusing and cumbersome, so I would recommend upgrading your advanced users first and later, rolling it out to the remainder of your staff. This should minimize the confusion and supplemental support needed for the change.

Overall, Office 2007 has a number of time-saving and productivity-enhancing features throughout all of the applications I tested.  There will definitely be a learning curve, but I found it to be minimal and easily compensated for by the advancement of the product. The upgrade cost seems more justifiable for the advanced user – based on complexity of document creation; and a little less advantageous for basic users, where upgrade costs may outweigh the benefits.

The price of the new system ranges from $399 (Upgrade: $249) for the standard edition to $679 (Upgrade: $539) for the Ultimate edition (version comparison chart).  This does not factor in the training costs associated with learning the new product, however.  From my own experience, the learning curve is fairly quick, but I still catch myself digging around for features here and there, which will probably be the case for most users.

My recommendation: Advanced users: yes. Basic users: no. Even if your advanced users only save a few minutes a day due to the enhancements, you can justify the upgrade in a under a year, therefore – if you have the means, make the move. On the other hand, your basic users would likely need a couple years to make the decision financially justifiable. Check out MS Office server technologies to see if there is ample reason to make the move based on other factors beyond time saving.

Resources:

MS Office 2007 Tips and Tricks
http://www.microsoft.com/office/greattips/default.mspx

MS Office 2007 Self-Paced Training
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/FX100565001033.aspx

MS Office version comparison chart
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/suites/FX101635841033.aspx

For an in-depth review of office 2007 check out:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9003994

Microsoft Office Site
 http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx

Another review of Office 2007 beta
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/office12_inside.asp

MS Office SharePoint Server Overview
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepointserver/HA101656531033.aspx

Ms Office SharePoint Services
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepointtechnology/FX100503841033.aspx

Advantages of office 2007 with MS Office SharePoint Server (MOSS 2007) http://blogs.msdn.com/brittog/archive/2007/02/16/wht-you-get-with-office-2007.aspx

Cool stuff in Office 2007 blog
http://www.computerworld.com/blogs/node/2592

Advantages to the new Office 2007 file format
http://www.devx.com/MicrosoftISV/Article/30907/2046

Filed under: Business Articles on May 16th, 2007 | No Comments »