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Practical
IT E-Mail / Online Newsletter
June/July 2008
Information Technology and Environmental Issues
In this article I intend to give a brief
overview of some of the environmental issues that are associated with
the use of Information technology equipment in a business environment
and some of the things that can be done to reduce your carbon footprint.
Custom Solutions: Mobile Data Collection using a Personal Digital Assistant
(November 2005)
In this article I give
an overview of Mobile Data Collection using a PDA and the role a custom PDA
application can have in this process.
Read more...
Custom Software solutions - Overview of Benefits, Design, Development
and Deployment
(June 2005)
This
basic guide to custom software solutions provides an introduction to custom
software solutions and the design, development and deployment methodology
used by Portsoft Developments in creating a custom software solution.
(Acrobat PDF Format 220K Approx) Read more...
The true benefits and costs of Information
Technology (Feb 2005)
The use of
information technology (IT) within a particular enterprise has both
positive and negative aspects to it. In this article I plan to look
at both aspects and how to address the negative aspects so that
overall Information Technology makes a positive contribution to the
enterprise in which it is being used.
Read more...
An Introduction to Custom Software
Solution Development (Part 3 of 3) (Dec 2004)
In this
final installment I will outline the final steps necessary
to successfully implement a Custom Software Application.
This involves converting the functional specification
document into a physically usable product, testing the
product, installing the product on user machines, carrying
out user training and conducting a post project completion
review with all applicable stakeholders.Read more...
An
Introduction to Custom Software Solution Development (Part 2 of 3) (Oct
2004)
In the
last instalment we covered the basic processes in developing
a vision document that identified the business problem to be
resolved and outlined a technical solution that could be
developed to resolve this problem. Potential features were
considered as was a draft budget and project schedule
developed. Providing the Vision document has the approval of
all applicable stakeholders then the project can proceed to
the detailed planning and design phase.Read more...
An Introduction to Custom Software Solution Development
(Part 1 of 3) (Aug 2004)
The first thing to define is what is meant by a Custom Software
Solution. A Custom Software Solution is the delivery of a set of
individual elements including software, documentation, training and
support that successfully address a unique customer’s business
problem while operating within an approved budget and scheduling
framework.
Read
more...
Custom Software
Development Process – What Portsoft Developments can provide (Aug 2004)
A key factor in the success or otherwise of a
software development project is effective project management
ensuring the team remains focused on the delivery of the software
application in question.
Read more...
What is a Custom Software Solution and Could You Benefit
From One? (Dec 2003)
A basic introduction to custom software solutions that
also highlights some of the benefits a small enterprise could gain by
implementing such a solution - including not-for-profit organizations.
Read more...
Office Software
A
quick overview of Microsoft Office 2007 Suites (Mar 2007)
This article provides a table that details what
Microsoft Application is included in what Microsoft Office 2007 Suite.
Read More...
Microsoft Windows
Vista and Office 2007 FAQ (December 2006)
New Versions of
Microsoft Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 are about to be
released. Here are some answers to some common questions.
Read More...
Improve productivity, and
decision making with MS OneNote 2003 (Apr 2005)
Most people take notes in meetings and gather
information from a wide variety of sources within an organization and
externally, such as the web, as part of their normal working day. The
problem with effective management of all this information is that it is in a
variety of formats, some electronic, some paper based that range in size
from post-IT notes upwards. This makes it difficult to obtain the full value
of the information resources available to the individual or organization
during decision making processes. Microsoft Office OneNote 2003, part of the
Microsoft Office System, provides one place for people to take, organize,
find, use and share their notes and research more effectively on desktop
computers, laptops or Tablet PCs.
Read more...
Get more out of Microsoft Outlook by
using a Personal Digital Assistant (Feb 2004)
PDAs are small pocket sized
devices that allow you to store, as well as add and delete personal
data wherever you happen to be. This data can then be transferred to
a desktop PC at a later date using a synchronisation process via a
cable or other connection method.
Read more...
A brief overview of the new Microsoft
Office System 2003 (Feb 2004)
Microsoft have moved
the design focus away from producing “a box of desktop applications” to
producing an integrated system of applications, servers and services for
developing business solutions. Is it worth the upgrade? Read more...
Operating Systems
Microsoft
Windows Vista 12+ Months on
In this article I intend to give a brief
overview of my current thoughts on Microsoft Windows Vista looking at
such things as:- • Online Reputation. • Reality based on personal experience. • The introduction of service pack 1. • Recommendations for deployment. • The future. • Price Reductions.
Microsoft Windows Vista: User Account Control (UAC), what is it
and what is it for? (Apr 2007)
By now I am sure most of you will
have seen the Apple Macintosh advertisement on TV where a third
person has joined the “PC man” and “Macintosh Man”. This third
person represents Vista’s new User Account Control and seems to
suggest that virtually everything that occurs on the PC now requires
an extra step be performed that the PC user has to “cancel or
allow.”
This does not represent an entirely
accurate picture of what UAC is about and its application in a
practical sense. (They are trying to sell Macintosh computers after
all…)
In this article I intend to give a
brief overview of what UAC is and what it’s for. There is some
debate in the IT community as to what its true role is and how much
of a benefit or hindrance it truly is.
Read More...
A quick overview of
Microsoft Windows Vista Versions (Mar 2007)
This article provides a
quick overview
of Microsoft Windows Vista Versions along with some
options with regards to installation and software application
compatibility.
Read
More...
Daylight
Saving Changes for 2006 impact on Microsoft Software (Dec 2005)
Read more...
Gain
Space after installing Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) (Dec 2005)
How to regain hard disk
space after the installation of Service Pack 2
Read more...
Keeping your version of Windows stable and secure
(Apr 2004)
A brief overview
of operating system patches and service packs. Read more...
Microsoft Service
Packs - Recent Releases (Oct 2004)
A quick summary of
recent service pack releases including Windows XP SP2
Read more...
Computer Security and Reliability
Computer Security Overview (Aug
/ Sept 2007)
In this overview of computer security requirements,
practices and products it is intended to outline the potential and very real
security risks that we all face on a day to day basis. Computer security
issues change and evolve on a daily basis so this document may not always be
completely up to date but should cover the key areas to consider when
devising your own security procedures. The first
thing to realise is that computer software is not perfect and contains a
range of vulnerabilities that virus writers and others set out to exploit.
Software manufacturers, once they become aware of a weakness, are usually
quick to issue a patch to the affected program to remove the vulnerability.
Read More...
Microsoft Windows Vista: User Account Control (UAC), what is it
and what is it for? (Apr 2007)
By now I am sure most of you will
have seen the Apple Macintosh advertisement on TV where a third
person has joined the “PC man” and “Macintosh Man”. This third
person represents Vista’s new User Account Control and seems to
suggest that virtually everything that occurs on the PC now requires
an extra step be performed that the PC user has to “cancel or
allow.”
This does not represent an entirely
accurate picture of what UAC is about and its application in a
practical sense. (They are trying to sell Macintosh computers after
all…)
In this article I intend to give a
brief overview of what UAC is and what it’s for. There is some
debate in the IT community as to what its true role is and how much
of a benefit or hindrance it truly is.
Read More...
Support: What to do when
problems strike (Oct 2005)
Computers and the software that run on them can be
great and be really useful when things are working as they should be, but
when things are not working they can be a complete pain. In this article I
give a basic overview of what to try when things are not working as they
should.
Read more...
Support: Keeping your computer
healthy (Sept 2005)
In this article I will
give a brief overview of a number of things that should form part of your
regular computer security and reliability practices.
Read more...
An overview of
computer security
(Apr 2004)
An overview of computer security
looking at Anti-virus, Firewall, Anti-Spam and Anti-Spyware
Software Read
more...
How well prepared are you for when a disaster strikes?
(June 2004)
In this
article I will give a brief overview of some of the things that need to
be considered when formulating a disaster plan for your organisation. I
will concentrate on those areas that involve Information technology
infrastructure but it should be pointed out that a well formulated
disaster plan involves more than just IT. It should consider such things
as alternate premises, communications facilities and a host of other
elements that would be needed to keep things running during the time it
takes to get things back to normal. Read
more...
General Support and Advice
Planning and Budgeting for IT Expenditure
(Feb 2006)
In
this article I intend to give an overview of two approaches to the financial
elements associated with Information Technology and associated services.
Read More...
Software Asset
Management (Aug 2005)
According to a recent report in
Australian Reseller News, July 11, 2005 “Software piracy is rife in
Australian organisations with IT managers oblivious to what activities
really take place on users' desktops. In this article I intend to
give a brief overview of Software Asset Management (SAM) and highlight
some potential long term benefits for organizations of all sizes who
have appropriate documented policies and processes in place.
Read more...
Using
Ghost 9.0 as part of your backup strategy (May 2005)
This
article provides a basic overview of Symantec’s Norton Ghost 9.0 as included
with Norton SystemWorks 2005 Premier. It provides an outline of the role
Ghost could play in your overall backup strategy. The information in this
article will be of relevance to people already using SystemWorks for other
purposes.Read more...
How well prepared are you for when disaster strikes
(June 2004)
In this article I will give a brief overview of some
of the things that need to be considered when formulating a disaster
plan for your organisation. I will
concentrate on those areas that involve Information technology
infrastructure but it should be pointed out that a well formulated
disaster plan involves more than just IT. It should consider such
things as alternate premises, communications facilities and a host
of other elements that would be needed to keep things running during
the time it takes to get things back to normal. Read
more...
Useful Third Party Downloads
Disclaimer - READ THIS
BEFORE DOWNLOADING
The downloads listed below are provided
by third parties and as such Portsoft Developments can not provide
technical assistance for any of these products. Installation is at
your own risk. Portsoft Developments has downloaded the product and
have got it working on one of our computer systems.
OneNote Image Writer
PowerToy for Microsoft Office OneNote 2003 (August 2005)
This third party add-on for MS OneNote is a virtual printer driver that enables the
import of document images into MS-OneNote 2003. Any program that is
capable of printing can send a document to OneNote via the Image Writer.
The printed document is converted into a document image that can be used
as a foreground or background image on a OneNote page.
Click here for more information or download
Download:
Web Browser Favourites Checker (Feb 2005)
If you have a number of
Favourites or Bookmarks in your browser and believe a number
may now be dead why not try this freeware utility to check
them out. It can also find duplicates. It works with
Internet Explorer, Netscape, Mozilla, Firefox and Opera
Browsers. Click Here to
download
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Realised
pathologies in management behaviours