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Vol. 10, #32 - Aug 17, 2010 - Issue #442  Technology and Taboo Topics     Technology and Taboo Topics Follow-up: The Circle of (Computing) Life Quotes of the Week Tools We Think You Shouldn't Be Without XP SP2 can be patched, but ... Xbox 360 outsells the Wii Microsoft Research: LCD based keyboard prototype How to find out which services are running on your XP computer How can I get rid of the "suggested sites?" File security issues after converting FAT32 to NTFS Screensaver timeout value is not restored after using Remote Desktop This Week's Links We Like. Tips, Hints And Fun Stuff ClipMate 7 - Copy and Paste like a Pro with ClipMate! Editor's Corner Cool Tools News, Hints, Tips and Tricks How To: Using XP Features XP Question Corner XP Configuration and Troubleshooting Fav Links Product of the Week NEW! VIPRE® Antivirus Premium 4.0 VIPRE is the only antivirus software that does not slow down your PC, and now it comes with integrated firewall! VIPRE Antivirus Premium 4.0 Does not slow down your PC New antivirus + antispyware engine with firewall Advanced anti-rootkit technology Cutting-edge Proactive Protection Full email protection: Outlook and Windows Mail Ideal for Netbooks that need malware protection No automatic credit card charge each year! Try VIPRE Antivirus Premium now for 30-days FREE! http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100727-VIPRE-Antivirus  Editor's Corner   Technology and Taboo Topics Once upon a time, people didn't talk about certain subjects in "polite company." The big three taboo topics were sex, religion and politics. You just didn't bring those things up in conversation with work colleagues, casual friends and acquaintances. I worked with people for years and never had a clue about their sex lives, their faith (or lack thereof) or how they voted. And It wasn't just individuals who observed the custom. For example, many companies gave donations to political parties and causes, but they usually didn't publicize that fact - in large part because they didn't want to alienate those members of their customer base who were on the other side. Today, it seems as if nobody has any secrets anymore and no topic is taboo. Television was probably the biggest factor in opening the door to that trend. Sitcoms, dramas and talk shows all revolve around who's sleeping with whom. From Atheism to Zoroastrianism, religion has turned into a matter of contention. And politics - oh, my. It seems to permeate every other topic of discussion, including sex and religion. Modern communications technologies have undoubtedly contributed to the current culture where everyone talks to everyone about everything. For many of us, the vast majority of our interactions these days take place across miles (or hundreds or thousands of miles). We may or may not be able to see the person(s) with whom we're interacting. Our words may be spoke (telephone, VoIP) or typed (IM, email). Either way, distance acts a bit like alcohol in that it removes normal inhibitions we might have when conversing with others "up close." And then if you add alcohol (or other drugs) to that equation (e.g., the Facebook "friend" who's updating his status on his laptop while sitting in his recliner having a beer or six), you have a recipe for a very spirited - in several senses of the word - discussion. Some are bound to say that the breaking down of these barriers is a good thing. They'll say that hiding any aspect of your personality from anyone else is dishonest and that you should never have to censor yourself online. They'll say completely open communication is healthy and it's better for all of our relationships if we get to know all these things about one another. I'm not so sure about that. Most of my social networking friends are not part of my intimate circle of confidants. Most of them are not people with whom I have a lifetime of shared memories that form a foundation on which we can amiably argue about our core belief systems and still love one another. Many of them are industry colleagues, people I work with. Many of them are people with whom I share a passion for one of my many hobbies. We have great relationships within the confines of those mutual interests. Why mess those relationships up by venturing into dangerous conversational territory? But that's exactly what we do when one of us posts a status update that takes a hard stance on a topic like sex, religion or politics. Oh, sometimes you get a pleasant surprise. An acquaintance posts a link to a political web site that's one of your favorites and you feel closer to him/her. Or you discover that one of your work colleagues shares your religious views and it leads to a new avenue for your friendship. But more often, it seems to work the other way. That's why, back last September, I wrote a blog post titled Please Keep Your Politics Out of my Face(book). http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Facebook-Politics Since then, the invasion of politics into my social network has only gotten worse. I really did not need to know that a work colleague I really respect "likes" a particular politician for whom I have zero respect. Nor did I need to read a diatribe against one of my favorite causes from someone with whom I had built a great friendship based on our mutual love of photography, or the put-down of my religious beliefs by one of my fellow writers. And I could really do without one young "friend's" occasional posts about his sexual conquests. Offended? No, that's not it. It's just TMI - Too Much Information. Information that doesn't serve a positive purpose, and that may subtly impact how I feel about those friends. I admit that I've occasionally posted on a political subject about which I feel strongly, but more and more often now, I forego that urge. On social networks, I usually express my politic views in a different way, by "liking" friends' political posts with which I agree, or responding in their comment threads. When a friend posts something political with which I disagree, I just say nothing. If a friends posts a lot of those, I may end up "hiding" that friend's posts so I won't be tempted to respond. And I try to keep politics out of my own status updates (although I don't always succeed). Likewise, I understand that many people feel it's their duty to shout their religious beliefs from the rooftops and that not doing so somehow means they're ashamed of their faith. I don't know. To me, faith is a personal thing and something that one comes to on one's own. I've never comfortable with door-to-door salespeople, including those who were "selling" their churches or brand of belief. Am I suggesting that people not be allowed to post on these topics? Not at all! I'm just saying we need to be aware of our audience when we post on these sensitive topics and understand that we may do damage to an online "friendship" if we choose to make our views known. Too many people assume that everyone they know feels exactly the way they do about important issues. Young people, especially, are often astonished that someone who is a nice person could possibly hold views from the opposite side of the political aisle or hold religious beliefs that are different from their own. Depending on how we use it, the technology can bring us closer together, or it can divide us more sharply than ever. My husband offered a quote this morning that I like: "Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing that a tomato doesn't belong in a fruit salad." Knowledge may be power, but there are some things we're happier not knowing - especially things about each other. Maybe wisdom is knowing how much to reveal, when, and to whom. Tell me what you think. Am I completely off the wall on this? Do you love reading your friends' posts about sex, religion and politics? Do you want to know everything about everybody? Or do you wish your friends would keep their politics (and sex and religion) out of your face(book)? We invite you to discuss this topic in our forum at http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Forum-Discussion Follow-up: The Circle of (Computing) Life In last year's editorial, I took a look beyond the coming cloud to predict that one day we'll see a second PC revolution. Readers joined in, with many of them echoing my observations that though resistance may be futile, there are many companies and individuals who will continue to resist "cloudification" for as long as they possibly can. While some agreed with me that the pendulum will swing back, others believe the momentum will eventually be lost and that pendulum will come to a rest somewhere in the middle, with most of us using a blend of cloud and local computing. I agree that this is a likely eventual scenario. As Kenneth F. pointed out, ultimately the customer will decide - and those vendors who invest too heavily in the cloud may end up disappointed if it's not what the customer wants. He came up with a good analogy: "Back in the 1950's, a lot of observers hailed the newly-invented automatic transmission in cars and predicted that all cars would go automatic, that the clutch pedal would disappear. It didn't happen, although most passenger car drivers prefer automatics. It didn't become a swinging pendulum, either; it hit an equilibrium. That's the way it'll go for the 'cloud,' too, but the proportion is yet to become known." Too many people seem to have had experiences similar to that of bprevett, who said, "I know from experience that relying on the Internet is not a good way to run a business. We have our HR data on an ASP. Probably one of the worst decisions that we have ever made...because if our proxy at head office goes down, we don't have access to that data." That's why so many folks just don't trust the cloud. And Bgaston noted that performance is a big and overlooked issue in cloud computing: "I presently have a 20 down x 2 up connection, and it is slow, compared to working with on my PC. I am not sure people will accept spending large amounts of money on a[n] extremely fast computer, only to be throttled back by their internet speeds." I don't understand responses like this one: "I don't belive [sic] that the Cloud is a great idea because some hacker will find a way into it if was developed by MicroSoft. [sic] They have been patching their O/S since the first release back when it was only on a Floppy Disk with 1 drive." Some folks seem to turn every topic into an opportunity to bash Microsoft. Every other operating system vendor (at least every responsible one) patches their OS, too. Linux vendors such as Red Hat regularly release patches. Secunia recently reported that from 2005 to 2010, Apple has had more security vulnerabilities than Microsoft except for a single year (2006). Then I got this interesting response: "Your insistence that the cloud will happen seems bizarre. I wish that instead you would please tell your sponsor that it is a stupid idea and that except for a few home and mobile device users, it simply will not work ... Please stop preaching this garbage, it bothers me and the stupidity of it is too distracting." Anyone who's read my previous discussions about cloud computing know that I'm hardly an advocate - but to deny that the cloud not only will happen, but is already happening, is what seems bizarre to me. And this newsletter's sponsor (Sunbelt/GFI Software) is not a cloud provider. And yet another reader emailed this: "Ya gotta stop with the bs cloud as the next big thing assertion. Do you get paid by Google to spew such lies. No one in his right mind will trust a cloud with important data, nor will anyone who thinks for more than a second ever trust a cloud with supplying important manipulation/creation software. Do you not know anything about computers. Given Google's latest abusive proposal I'd think you'd have the sense to be quite about the inevitability of cloud computing." Well, at least now instead of being accused of being a Microsoft shill, I'm being accused of being a Google shill. Variety is the spice - and I get some pretty spicy reader responses from time to time. Spicy or not, thanks to all of those who participated in this week's discussion! 'Til next week, Deb Shinder, Editor feedback@wxpnews.com PS: Did you know this newsletter has a sister publication called Win7News? You can subscribe here, and tell your friends: http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100518-Win7News And for IT pros, there's our "big sister," WServer News, at http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100518-WserverNews Look up the WXPnews Fan Page and join us on Facebook! Quotes of the Week "Always write angry letters to your enemies. Never mail them." - James Fallows "Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you'll ever regret." - Ambrose Bierce "Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught." - Oscar Wilde NEW! VIPRE® Antivirus Premium 4.0 VIPRE is the only antivirus software that does not slow down your PC, and now it comes with integrated firewall! VIPRE Antivirus Premium 4.0 Does not slow down your PC New antivirus + antispyware engine with firewall Advanced anti-rootkit technology Cutting-edge Proactive Protection Full email protection: Outlook and Windows Mail Ideal for Netbooks that need malware protection No automatic credit card charge each year! Try VIPRE Antivirus Premium now for 30-days FREE! http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100727-VIPRE-Antivirus  Cool Tools   Tools We Think You Shouldn't Be Without ADVERTISEMENT Still using Window's native clipboard version 1.o?? ClipMate 7 - Copy and Paste like a Pro with ClipMate! Try it free: http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-ClipMate WinZip® is the original and world's most popular file compression software for Windows. 40% off for Win7news readers!! http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-WinZip Spellchecker is NOT ENOUGH! Improve your English writing skills with WhiteSmoke a smarter solution for high quality writing. Try it: http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-WhiteSmoke Get your speed back! Advanced Vista Optimizer will tweak Vista for Max performance. Easy to use: http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Vista-Optimizer Do you have programs you just can't seem to get rid of? Uninstaller! 2010 "ALL New" Version Just Released: http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Uninstaller I love my Roboform. Automatically fills out address forms and Logins for the sites I frequent regularly. Not a little toolbar utility. Huge time-saver! http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Roboform Moving to Windows 7 is Easy! PCMover moves programs, files, and settings from your old PC to your new PC http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-PCMover Search for a driver and you get a ton of Driver Software offers instead. But how do you know which one is good? Try Driver Genius 9.0. Free scan. http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Driver-Genius Why back up when you can sync? Simply replicate every piece of new data to another drive in real-time. Set it and forget it. http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-GoodSync  News, Hints, Tips and Tricks   XP SP2 can be patched, but ... We all know that Microsoft has discontinued support for Windows XP Service Pack 2 and urges XP users to update to SP3 as soon as possible. Although SP3 is generally stable, there are some folks who just don't want to install it. A security adviser with F-Secure (an antivirus company in Finland) recently published a blog post that contains instructions on how to edit the registry to trick an SP2 computer into thinking it has SP3, thus allowing it to continue to get security updates, and it's been all over the news. We don't recommend this method; just biting the bullet and applying SP3 makes a lot more sense for most users. But if you're adamant about not doing that, this is one alternative. Just remember that you enter at your own risk. Read more here: http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Registry-Hack And read about some of the problems that might result from using this tweak here: http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-LNK-Patching Xbox 360 outsells the Wii The video game market is a highly competitive one, with Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony battling it out to come out on top. Last month's sales figures show Microsoft pulling ahead, with Nintendo DS in second place, the Wii in third and PlayStation 3 in fourth (but with a big gain in market share over this time last year). Find out more here: http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Xbox-360 Meanwhile, new Xbox console with Kinect gesture-controlled technology is set to launch in November, not so coincidentally just in time for the holiday shopping season: http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-xBox-Kinect Microsoft Research: LCD based keyboard prototype We've all seen touchscreen keyboards on smart phones and the iPad, but how about a touchscreen that is a keyboard? This Microsoft Research project is a prototype keyboard that's a large touch screen. The idea is that it can easily adapt to different programs so that the keys can represent different inputs depending on what you're doing. It's an interesting idea, and who knows? This might be the future of the keyboard: http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-LCD-Based-Keyboard That is, if the keyboard has a future at all. Microsoft is also hard at work on improving speech recognition, specifically for Windows Phone 7. But the cloud-based speech rec technology created by Tellme (a Microsoft acquisition), if it works well, could also be used as an alternative input method for desktop and laptop computers. Someday we might just talk to our computers instead of typing: http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Speech-Recognition  How To: Using XP Features   How to find out which services are running on your XP computer There are several ways to determine which services are started and running on your XP computer, but one of the easiest is to use the command line. Just do the following: Click Start | Run and type cmd.exe or click Start | All Programs | Accessories | Command Prompt In the command window, type net start View the list of Windows services that are started.  XP Question Corner   How can I get rid of the "suggested sites?" QUESTION: I upgraded to Internet Explorer 8 on my XP SP3 computer and generally I like it. But I don't like the "suggested sites" feature. I don't need IE to suggest sites for me, and I don't like that it seems to use my browsing history to do this. How do I know they aren't storing my browsing history somewhere? I made the mistake of accepting this feature when I was asked during the installation but now I want to get rid of it. Can you help? Thanks! - Ricky D. ANSWER: I don't use the Suggested Sites feature, either. It's simple enough to turn it off. Just do the following: In IE 8, click Tools | Internet Options. Click the Advanced tab. In the Settings section, under the Browsing header, uncheck the box that says "Enable Suggested Sites." Click OK. This turns off the feature but doesn't remove the Suggested Sites button from the IE Favorites toolbar. To remove it, just right click it and click Delete, then Yes to confirm that you really want to delete it.  XP Configuration and Troubleshooting   File security issues after converting FAT32 to NTFS You can use the convert.exe utility built into Windows XP (Pro or Home) to convert FAT32 partitions to NTFS. You get many benefits with NTFS, such as better security, compression, file level encryption and more. However, after you run the utility, you might find that your All Users folder and all its subfolders give the Everyone group full control. You can use the Cacls.exe utility to correct these incorrect security settings. Find out more about the problem and a link to another article on using Xcacls.exe in KB article 810142 here: http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-FAT32 Screensaver timeout value is not restored after using Remote Desktop If you use Remote Desktop to log onto your Windows XP Professional computer, you might find that the screensaver timeout that you previously configured won't be used when you log back on locally. Instead, it defaults to 10 minutes. This happens when you used a different user account to log on with Remote Desktop. You'll find a workaround (which involves editing the registry) in KB article 811329 at http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Time-Out-Value  Fav Links   This Week's Links We Like. Tips, Hints And Fun Stuff Disclaimer: WXPNews does not assume and cannot be responsible for any liability related to you clicking any of these linked Web sites. This is just weird http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Weird Lava eruptions http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Lava Dancing squirrel http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Squirrel Close encounter of the scary kind http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Shark What your cat is trying to tell you with its ears http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Body-Language Vintage Tokyo subway posters http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Posters Covering one third of the roads with solar panels would produce enough power for the whole country. Let's do it! http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Solar-Highways Top Gear sets out on a perilous voyage across town in a 3 wheel car. This is one is seriously funny. I was in stitches most of the time: http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Car-Review Jackie Evancho's performance on "America's Got Talent" brought down the house, reverberated through TV land and made her the most-searched person on Google the next day. Unbelievable, such a voice out of a 10-year old: http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-Jackie-Evancho  Product of the Week   ClipMate 7 - Copy and Paste like a Pro with ClipMate! The native clipboard in Windows is great for cutting and pasting a single item at a time, but if you want to move a series of items, or save items for later use, then you need ClipMate! Rather than working with one piece of clipboard data at a time, ClipMate enhances the native clipboard functionality by remembering all items (both text and graphic) that are copied to the clipboard and storing them in "collections" for later pasting. With ClipMate as a Windows companion, users will never accidentally lose a piece of clipboard data again. http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100817-ClipMate  About WXPnews   What Our Lawyers Make Us Say These documents are provided for informational purposes only. The information contained in this document represents the current view of Sunbelt Software on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Sunbelt must respond to changes in market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Sunbelt and Sunbelt cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication. INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND FREEDOM FROM INFRINGEMENT. This newsletter and website and may contain links to other websites with whom we have a business relationship. Sunbelt Software does not review or screen these sites, and we are not responsible or liable for their privacy or data security practices, or the content of these sites. Additionally, if you register with any of these sites, any information that you provide in the process of registration, such as your email address, credit card number or other personally identifiable information, will be transferred to these sites. For these reasons, you should be careful to review any privacy and data security policies posted on any of these sites before providing information to them. The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document. This document may be copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1) All text must be copied without modification and all pages must be included; 2) All copies must contain Sunbelt's copyright notice and any other notices provided therein; and 3) This document may not be distributed for profit. All trademarks acknowledged. Copyright Sunbelt Software, Inc. 1996-2010. WXPnews Archives Looking for a past issue? Missing an issue? Accidently deleted an issue? Trying to find that article that pointed you to that cool site? All our newsletters are archived and are searchable: http://www.wxpnews.com/archives.cfm About Your Subscription to WXPnews This is a posting from WXPnews. You are subscribed as arkainedrk@hotmail.com. To manage your profile, please visit our site by clicking on the following link: http://www.wxpnews.com/profile.cfm?wxp=4CHNK9 If you have feedback or wish to write to the editor, write to us at feedback@wxpnews.com Sunbelt Software 33 North Garden Avenue Clearwater, Florida USA 33755

Vol. 10, #31 - Aug 10, 2010 - Issue #441
	The Circle of (Computing) Life and the Second PC Revolution

 

Follow-up: Internet Security Training Quotes of the Week Tools We Think You Shouldn't Be Without Why does XP still rule the desktop? Gamers, behold: a newer, slimmer Xbox Dual boot netbook with XP and Android XP credited with "protecting" phones from mobile malware? How to change the default wallpaper folder This Patch Tuesday sets a record Where's the XP installation disc? "Security log on this system is full" message Extending a file fails with "Disk Full" error This Week's Links We Like. Tips, Hints And Fun Stuff ecoPrint2 Standard: Ink and Toner Saver- Saving Money And The Environment One Page At A Time. Editor's Corner Cool Tools News, Hints, Tips and Tricks How To: Using XP Features XP Security News XP Question Corner XP Configuration and Troubleshooting Fav Links Product of the Week

NEW! VIPRE® Antivirus Premium 4.0 VIPRE is the only antivirus software that does not slow down your PC, and now it comes with integrated firewall! VIPRE Antivirus Premium 4.0 Does not slow down your PC New antivirus + antispyware engine with firewall Advanced anti-rootkit technology Cutting-edge Proactive Protection Full email protection: Outlook and Windows Mail Ideal for Netbooks that need malware protection No automatic credit card charge each year! Try VIPRE Antivirus Premium now for 30-days FREE! http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100727-VIPRE-Antivirus  Editor's Corner   The Circle of (Computing) Life and the Second PC Revolution Once upon a time, computing was centralized in gigantic mainframe multi-user systems. End users accessed the computing resources through "dumb terminals" and had little control over installing or configuring applications. Data was stored on the mainframe. In the earliest days of computing, the huge machines were so costly that most organizations couldn't afford to buy one of their own, so they rented time on a mainframe that physically resided in another location. The problem with this was that the companies had no control over those machines, on which they depended for critical business functions. Then along came minicomputers, which were smaller and more affordable. Unlike the big mainframes, which filled entire rooms, their cabinets could be as small as a large refrigerator. And whereas the mainframes cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, a mini could be had for $15,000 to $20,000 (on the low end). They were still multi-user systems. Now companies that weren't huge corporations were able to own their own machines, which resided on their premises. This was considered a major step forward. However, these systems still didn't offer the kind of flexibility and individual control that users wanted and needed to be more productive. So the next development in the evolution of computing was the microcomputer, which came to be called the "personal computer" or PC when IBM chose that name to market their single user systems. Early microcomputers were also sold by Apple and Radio Shack. These desktop computers allowed users to have more control over their machines and be less dependent on the data center. Today, we seem to have come full circle and computers have gotten about as small and personal as they can functionally get. Smart phones are full fledged computers that are orders of magnitude more powerful than the first mainframes and can be held in the palm of your hand. But as they always say, change is inevitable (except from vending machines). Computing has slowly become more centralized again, with network-based storage, companies deploying server-based applications, delivery of virtualized operating systems to thin clients, and so forth. And now we're rushing headlong back to the off-premises computing situation from whence we came - only now we're calling it "the cloud." And make no mistake about it, the cloud is the next big thing, whether we like it or not (and responses to my surveys indicate that most users and many IT pros don't like it at all). Microsoft has made the public commitment that they are "all in." Google is hard at work on a cloud-based operating system. IBM, Amazon, Cisco, Citrix, Novell, Oracle, VMware, Red Hat, Sun - all the "big names" in the business have their heads in the cloud to one degree or another. And a plethora of smaller, lesser known players are hoping to make their fortunes there. http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100810-Cloud-Computing-Players But how does the cloud really differ from the old mainframe time-sharing system? Certainly, the technology itself is far more powerful and far more advanced, and the networks are faster and more reliable. And the hardware on which the cloud infrastructure is based is arguably less expensive, thus (in theory, at least) reducing the cost to the client companies. And it's difficult to deny that having every user in complete control of his/her computing assets causes problems. When users can install their own programs, they can introduce viruses and malware, or just do it incorrectly and mess up the system. When users store their data on their own machines, they can accidentally delete it or leave sensitive files unencrypted. Total user control makes for a security risk and a tech support nightmare. Is it any wonder that IT departments have pulled back from that model? But with the momentum now moving in the other direction, will we go too far? It makes perfect sense to use some cloud services but current thinking is that eventually all of our apps and data will be "out there." Will it happen? With all the big money folks behind it, I'd say yes - but I don't think it's going to happen quite as quickly as those with a vested interest in it are hoping. There's still a lot of resistance in the business world as well as among consumers. Nonetheless, eventually we'll all be dragged kicking and screaming into the cloud. My real question, though, is how long will it last? Just as inevitable as the cloud is the second PC revolution, when companies and individuals rebel against having someone else control their data and user experiences and technology companies see that the next big opportunity is to market a "new" concept: decentralized computing. Just as the fashion world moves from short skirts to long, wide ties to narrow, the computing world will move again from the cloud back to the datacenter and to the desktop. The likely answer is that this trend will emerge after the first two or three cloud disasters. When a major company has its confidential data exposed or lost, when a bunch of big organizations are brought to a standstill for hours or days because of a connectivity outage that keeps them from connecting to their resources in the cloud, when there's a big loss of money (or even lives, if an organization impacted by the cloud's limitations deals in healthcare or critical infrastructure) - that's when we'll see the second PC revolution begin. What do you think? Am I wrong about the inevitability of cloud computing? Or am I wrong about the corresponding inevitability of a second PC revolution? If I'm right about both, how long will it take for each to happen? Will we be fully "cloudified" in five years? Ten? Will we be sick of the cloud in another five? Or will the cloud providers find a way to overcome the seeming limitations and keep us in the cloud for the foreseeable future? If ubiquitous 50Mbps Internet connectivity becomes a reality, would that change the game and make the cloud a "keeper?" Will that level of connectivity be widely available, at a reasonable cost, anytime soon? Where will this leave all those rural users who are still struggling with their 56Kbps modems today? We invite you to discuss these topics in our forum at http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100810-Forum-Discussion Follow-up: Internet Security Training In last week's editorial, I broached the question: should Internet security training be mandated - either by the government or by company policy? And how about training and licensing for IT pros? Some readers spoke up in favor of testing for IT pros, but didn't make it clear whether they were talking about a government testing/licensing program or what companies should do before hiring people for IT positions. There's also a big difference between saying what companies should and saying they must do it. Doug1947 brought up a good point when he said: "A good way to lose control is to attempt to impose control" and noted that regulations on other industries have driven those industries overseas. And Piolenc pointed out another angle: "Instant, total surveillance and control of online activity! No more anonymous speech - if you say anything that those in power don't like, you are identified as the speaker and your credentials are revoked. Licensing would simply end Internet freedom, probably forever." Joe A., in email, took this approach: "I seem to recall an argument being made in past issues to treat Internet connections as a utility, much like cable, phone, power, etc. Should we also be licensed to use these services?" I guess the better analogy would be to the public roadways, because you don't generally pose a risk to other people by your use of cable, phone and power. However, your Internet use does have ramifications for others, as does your use of your car on the road. Note that I'm not arguing in favor of licensing Internet users, just pointing out what that argument would be. Another email, from Mike C., said, "When you said 'But it would be much easier for the government to enact laws requiring employers to provide training for Internet users', I had to reread to make certain I was understanding your statement. I am all for government control when it involves something that is beyond the means or understanding of a business/people....but this is something that, to me, comes down to a personal choice as to whether to do or not to do. To have yet another law/policy that basically takes away the responsibility from those who should have the right to choose what they deem necessary for their business also takes away the rights to do as one wants insofar as being able to decide how their business is operated." Hey, Mike, I agree with you! Just because I think it would be easier doesn't mean I think it would be the right thing to do. Thanks to all of those who participated in this week's discussion! 'Til next week, Deb Shinder, Editor   PS: Did you know this newsletter has a sister publication called Win7News? You can subscribe here, and tell your friends: http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100518-Win7News And for IT pros, there's our "big sister," WServer News, at http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100518-WserverNews Look up the WXPnews Fan Page and join us on Facebook! Quotes of the Week "The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false face for the urge to rule it." - H. L. Mencken "Advice to children crossing the street: Damn the lights. Watch the cars. The lights ain't never killed nobody." - Moms Mabley "The knack of flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss." - Douglas Adams NEW! VIPRE® Antivirus Premium 4.0 VIPRE is the only antivirus software that does not slow down your PC, and now it comes with integrated firewall! VIPRE Antivirus Premium 4.0 Does not slow down your PC New antivirus + antispyware engine with firewall Advanced anti-rootkit technology Cutting-edge Proactive Protection Full email protection: Outlook and Windows Mail Ideal for Netbooks that need malware protection No automatic credit card charge each year! Try VIPRE Antivirus Premium now for 30-days FREE! http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100727-VIPRE-Antivirus

The Consumerization of IT

Last week, I wrote about one of the topics that was debated at TechRepublic's annual conference in Louisville at the end of June (software evangelism and the long-time operating system wars). This week, I'm going to be talking about another topic that came up there - this one the subject of a formal presentation by TR editor Bill Detwiler. This has been a hot topic in the IT industry recently: how the corporate network is becoming more and more "consumerized." Bill did a great job of summing it up in a short thirty minutes. Here's a quick summary of the main points he made:
http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100713-Tech-Conference

The words "consumerization" and "consumerized" aren't in Microsoft Word's dictionary; they're marked as misspellings with no suggested corrections as I type this. The folks at Microsoft, however, are well aware of what the terms mean and they have been discussing the implications of the trend for a while:
http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100713-Industry-Trends

As Bill graphically illustrated in his presentation, once upon a time the business world was the driving force behind computer technology. New technologies started out at work and then "trickled down" to the home. That included computers themselves, local area networking, wide area networking (WAN) communications, sophisticated software applications, mass storage, backup solutions, flat screen monitors, scanners, faxes, video conferencing, ergonomics, and many more. As these technologies became common in the workplace, their prices dropped and they became available and affordable for home users, as well.

What we're seeing today is a reversal of this flow. Technologies that are developed initially for the consumer market are making their ways "up" into the corporate networks. We see this with products such as netbooks, the iPhone and iPad, and high end video cards that were first adopted by gamers and later for workplace use, and with web applications such as web mail and social networking.

Most of the analysts who study this phenomenon agree that it's being driven by the entry into the workplace of young people who have grown up with computers. Some call them "Millennials" and some call them "Generation Y" but whatever you call them, those who were born between 1980 and 2000 comprise the first generation of people who were exposed to computers and electronic devices of all kinds from their earliest years.
http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100713-Generations

My son is (barely) a member of that generation. Born in 1983, he grew up playing with my Commodore, TRS-80 and IBM PC computers. To me, it was still little short of miraculous that I could own a real computer; I grew up in a time when computers were huge things that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. To him, having a computer in the house was just as normal as having a telephone or washing machine in the house had been to me as a child, although I'm sure those devices seemed like minor miracles to my grandmother when she first got them.

Those who grew up in the computer age have a different attitude toward the machines. Their expectations are different. Older workers see the machines they use at work more as tools owned and controlled by the company. Younger workers see the computers they work with - regardless of who owns them - more as extensions of themselves. Kids are used to going to any websites they want, installing any apps they want, and using their systems as personal communications devices at home. When they come into the workplace, they expect to be able to use the computers there in the same way.

This, of course, often results in a gigantic clash with management and IT administration. The company is concerned about security and control. They see the young folks' way of working as anarchy and it scares them. Of course, many of their concerns are valid. Young people are often careless about their own safety - in the physical world and online. They suffer more than their older colleagues from the "It won't happen to me" syndrome, and many of them will wander recklessly onto malicious web sites where they could inadvertently download viruses and other malware, endangering the company systems and network.

On the other hand, company managers need to recognize that these young people are likely going to need more freedom than older workers in order to be happy and productive. They work differently; they're better at multi-tasking, and although they can be made to understand and comply with necessary security precautions and reasonable rules, they rebel at being micromanaged and controlled just for the sake of control. If you hold the reins too tightly, the most talented among them will either leave to work elsewhere or see it as a challenge to circumvent the controls. That's why companies are finding that policies totally banning all social networking sites or prohibiting employees from bringing in their own smart phones or laptops work with older workers but are not working so well with younger ones.

Young people see more than a touch of hypocrisy in a work environment where they're told they can't take a short break to IM a spouse or check in on their Facebook friends, while they see other workers spending half the day hanging out at the water cooler discussing last night's TV shows or visiting one another's cubicles to gab about their grandkids' exploits. They have a different way of socializing and they feel discriminated against - especially if they feel they're getting more work done than those whose older style of socialization is condoned.

And that brings us to an important concept that companies will need to grapple with as they employ more and more young workers. Is the company's measure of a "good worker" time clock based or productivity based? What matters most: that a worker is spending all of the time between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. plodding away at a spreadsheet or company document, or how many of those spreadsheets or docs are actually produced (and the quality of the work)? The challenge for managers is to find a balance that will take advantages of Gen Y workers' ability to work quickly and shift between projects and personal interactions while maintaining a high level of security and productivity.

Management and IT first reacted to workers bringing their own computing devices in with abject horror. Now many companies are embracing the idea, seeing it as a cost-saving measure. If workers bring their own cell phones or laptops, that's something the company doesn't have to buy for them. It also allows for workers to use the devices that work best for them, instead of the one model of company- issued phone or portable computer. But it also opens up a big can of worms. Does the company now become liable for what the employee does with those devices? Can the company policies prohibit things like downloading illegal music or watching porn videos on the devices if the employee paid for them? Is it "unprofessional" for company reps to have games and entertainment apps on the phones they use for business?

There is much to be worked out as the business IT world becomes more consumerized and has to adapt to a cultural shift brought about by a changing workforce. Tell us what you think. Should businesses "just say no" and stick with the strict policies that have worked well for years? Or have those policies really worked well, after all? Are kids today just undisciplined and self-centered and out of control? Or do they have a point when they say the world is changing and businesses need to change to better accommodate their working styles? Does your company allow employees to bring in their own devices? If so, what restrictions (if any) do they place on the use of those devices? Do you agree or disagree with their policies? We invite you to discuss this topic on our forum at
http://www.wxpnews.com/4CHNK9/100713-Forum-Discussion

I just saw a news report of the auto makers wanting help. Seems to me, I can't afford a new car. The last car I had...I didn't get any help in buying. They have been...well to put it in a nice way...screwing us since day one... Let them sell some of thier property to pay thier own way out of this mess they got themselves into.

"There were protesters on the train platform handing out pamphlets on the evils of America. I politely declined to take one. An elderly woman was behind me getting off the escalator and a young (20ish) female protester offered her a pamphlet, which she politely declined. The young protester put her hand on the old woman's shoulder as a gesture of friendship and in a very soft voice said, "Ma'am, don't you care about the children of Iraq?" The old woman looked up at her and said, "Honey, my first husband died in France during World War II, my second husband died in Korea, one of my sons died in Vietnam, a Grandson died in Desert Storm, all so you could have the right to stand here and bad mouth our country. If you touch me again. I'll stick this umbrella up your butt and open it."

Lets see who is brave enough.....IF We Had Sex Game... Now don't be scared.... you never know who really wants to do you! Here are the rules to the game.. REPLY SO ONLY I SEE IT AND REPOST SO OTHERS CAN FILL OUT! (thought it would be a riot to see what happens... HUMMMMM >>>) 1. Would you be in control? 2. Would you pull my hair? 3. Would you whisper in my ear? 4. Would you talk dirty to me? 5. Would you kiss me with a little tongue or a lot of tongue? 6. Would you say my name? 7. Would you go down on me? Nah, screw that, would you let me go down on you?!? 8. Would you let me give you a hickie? 9. How many rounds would we go? 10. What would you wanna do afterwards? 11. Would you take off all your clothes then take mine off slowly? 12. Would you lick and bite me all over? 13. Would you like to play or get straight to the point? 14. Would you want me to take my time? 15. How freaky are you, 1 - 10? 16. Would you want fast or slow? 17. Where would you wanna "do it"? 18. Would you be loud or quiet? 19. Would you want me to be loud or quiet? 20. Would you mind if i liked you? 21. Do you like me? 22. Would you call me the next day? 23. Would you scratch me? 24. Would you let me scratch you? 25. Would you have to be drunk? 26. Would you date me? 27. Would you do it today? 28. Would you do it tomorrow? 29. Do you think that we would go any further then just sex? relationship? dating? 30. Are you going to re-post these so I can answer them for you

Betty Jo passed away right sudden like, and Bubba, he called 911. The 911 operator told Bubba that she would send someone out right away. "Where do you live?" asked the operator. Bubba replied, "Down 'ere at the end o' Eucalyptus Drive." The operator asked, "Can you spell that for me?" There was a long pause and finally Bubba said, "How 'bout if I drag her on over to Oak Street and you pick her up there. . . " A little boy opened the big and old family Bible with fascination, and looked at the old pages as he turned them. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible, and he picked it up and looked at it closely. It was an old leaf from a tree that had been pressed in between the pages. "Momma, look what I found," the boy called out. "What have you got there, dear?" his mother asked. With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered: "I think it's Adam's suit! ------------------------------------------------- An inebriate says to the bartender (with a drunken slur), "Bartender, buy everyone in the house a drink, pour yourself one, and give me the bill." So, the bartender does just that and hands the man a bill for $37. The drunk says, "I haven't got it." The bartender slaps the guy around a few times then throws him out into the street. The very next day the same drunk walks into the bar and once again says (with a drunken slur), "Bartender, buy everyone in the house a drink, pour yourself one, and give me the bill." The bartender looks at the guy and figures to himself that he can't possibly be stupid enough to pull the same trick twice so he gives him the benefit of the doubt, pours a round of drinks for the house, has a drink himself and hands the drunk a bill for $37. The drunk says, "I haven't got it." The bartender can't believe it, so he picks the guy up, beats the living day lights out of him, and throws him out into the street. The next day the same drunk walks back into the same bar and says (with a drunken slur), "Bartender, buy every one in the house a drink, give me the bill." In disgust the bartender says, "What, no drink for me this time?' The drunk replies, "No, you get violent when you drink ------------------------------------------------- A woman was helping her husband set up his new computer, and at the appropriate time in the process, told him he would now need to enter a password. Something he would use to log-on. Her husband was in a rather amorous mood and figured he would try for the shock effect to bring this to his wife's attention. So, when the computer asked him to enter his password, he made it plainly obvious to his wife that he was keying in: P... E... N... I... S... His wife fell out of her chair laughing when the computer replied... ******PASSWORD INVALID NOT LONG ENOUGH****** ------------------------------------------------- kids in school think quick TEACHER : Maria, go to the map and find North America. MARIA : Here it is! TEACHER : Correct. Now class, who discovered America? CLASS : Maria! _________________________________________________ TEACHER : Why are you late, Frank? FRANK : Because of the sign. TEACHER : What sign? FRANK : The one that says, "School Ahead, Go Slow." _________________________________________________ TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor? JOHN : You told me to do it without using tables! _________________________________________________ TEACHER : Glenn, how do you spell "crocodile?" GLENN : K-R-O-K-O-D-A-I-L" TEACHER : No, that's wrong GLENN : Maybe it s wrong, but you asked me how I spell it! _________________________________________________ TEACHER : Donald, what is the chemical formula for water? DONALD : H I J K L M N O!! TEACHER : What are you talking about? DONALD : Yesterday you said it's H to O! _________________________________________________ TEACHER : Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago. WINNIE : Me! _________________________________________________ TEACHER : Goss, why do you always get so dirty? GOSS : Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are. _________________________________________________ TEACHER : Millie, give me a sentence starting with "I." MILLIE : I is... TEACHER : No, Millie..... Always say, "I am." MILLIE : All right... "I am the ninth letter of the alphabet." _________________________________________________ TEACHER : Can anybody give an example of COINCIDENCE? TINO: Sir, my Mother and Father got married on the same day, same time." _________________________________________________ TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted doing it. Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him?" LOUIS : Because George still had the ax in his hand. _________________________________________________ TEACHER : Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating? SIMON : No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook. _________________________________________________ TEACHER : Clyde, your composition on "My Dog" is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his? CLYDE : No, teacher, it's the same dog!; _________________________________________________ TEACHER : Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested? HAROLD : A teacher. ------------------------------------------------- To Be 6 Again A man was sitting on the edge of the bed, observing his wife turning back and forth, looking at herself in the mirror. Since her birthday was not far off he asked what she'd like to have for her Birthday. I'd like to be six again, she replied, still looking in the mirror. On the morning of her Birthday, he arose early, made her a nice big bowl of Lucky Charms, and then took her to Six Flags theme park. What a day ! He put her on every ride in the park; the Death Slide, the Wall of Fear, the Screaming Monster Roller Coaster, everything there was. Five hours later they staggered out of the theme park. Her head was reeling and her stomach felt upside down. He then took her to a McDonald's where he ordered her a Happy Meal with extra fries and a chocolate shake. Then it was off to a movie, popcorn, a soda pop, and her favorite candy, M&M's. What a fabulous adventure! Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into bed exhausted. He leaned over his wife with a big smile and lovingly asked, Well Dear, what was it like being six again?? Her eyes slowly opened and her _expression suddenly changed. I meant my dress size, you dumb ass! The moral of the story: Even when a man is listening, he is going to get it wrong. ------------------------------------------------- Ladies of days gone by: If a lady accidentally over-salts a dish while it's still cooking, she drops in a peeled potato and it absorbs the excess salt for an instant "fix-me-up." Women of today: If you over-salt a dish while you are cooking, that's too damn bad. Please recite with me, The Real Women's motto: "I made it and you will eat it and I don't care how bad it tastes." Ladies of days gone by: Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away. Women of today: Take a lime, mix it with tequila, chill and drink. You might still have the headache, but who cares? Ladies of days gone by: Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips. Women of today: Just suck the ice cream out of the bottom of the cone, for Pete's sake. You are probably lying on the couch, with your feet up, eating it anyway. Ladies of days gone by: To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes. Women of today: Buy boxed mashed potato mix and keep it in the pantry for up to a year. Ladies of days gone by: When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake. Women of today: Go to the bakery -- they'll even decorate it for you. Ladies of days gone by: Brush some beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish. Women of today: Sara Lee frozen pie directions do not include brushing egg whites over the crust, so I just don't do it. Ladies of days gone by: If you have a problem opening jars, try using latex dish washing gloves. They give a non slip grip that makes opening jars easy. Women of today: Go ask the very cute neighbor guy to do it. And finally the most important tip.... Ladies of days gone by: Don't throw out all that leftover wine. Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces. Women of today: Leftover wine?? -------------------------------------------------