Vista is due before the end of this year.

Vista is due to roll out before the end of this year. It's going to be so cool. Everyone is going to be scrambling to get up to speed wit the new features of the OS. I really like XP and Micrososft has done such a good job with it that I feel Vista is going to be a really fantastic product. Sure it's going to take a few service packs first. Since Vista needs at least a MB of RAM to run, memory sales are sure to climb. Invest in those chip manufactures. . .

Management Tool Monitors and Controls Multi-Vendor Devices From one Location

Tone Software Corporation Tonesoft

ToneSoft's ReliaTel application sounds like an incredible product for monitoring and managing telecommunication devices. The devices could be from multiple vendors too. This is an app that I would love to see in action. Enabling Technologies Corporation has selected TONE’s ReliaTel Remote Management solution to expand the Enabling Managed Services Monitoring business.

Powerful Telecommunications Management Tool Monitors and Controls Multi-Vendor Devices From one Location

"A single convenient application, ReliaTel gives authorized staff complete control of multi-vendor voice systems. The system enables authorized staff to control local and remote devices, enabling global monitoring from one location with a common interface. With no need to buy multiple management packages or depend on outside monitoring centers, maintenance and staff training costs drop dramatically."

Read the rest of the news article on Tone Software's site

Hummingbird to be acquired for $465 million

Source:ITWorld
May 26, 06

Enterprise software developer Hummingbird Ltd. said on Friday that it agreed to be purchased by holding company Symphony Technology Group in a deal valued at US$465 million.

The Toronto company develops enterprise content management (ECM) software that helps organizations manage documents, records, correspondence and contracts.
A third party, Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC, will invest $135 million to help finance the transaction.
Hummingbird said the deal will generate immediate cash that will allow the company to continue to focus on its mission of offering ECM and connectivity products.

Software for PC remote control on the web

PC Remote Control Software

Providing tech support in a quick effective manner is possible by using remote pc control software on the web. Ordinary software for pc remote control on a network sometimes falls short when it comes to remote controlling system's over the web. One Of the barriers that prevents traditional software from successfully accomplishing the task of accessing the remote pc is the need to establish an inbound network connection to the desktop. One of the features of remote support solutions is that they overcome the common barrier. These packages are specially designed to meet the needs of helpdesks and tech support departments that are trying to reach users anywhere beside their own network to provide remote desktop support. Desktop users need a simple method to trigger on-demand pc remote control software. If the steps requried are too may, confusing, include pop-ups or other decision requiring options, the system will not work as effectively. Microsoft's RDP is a good reliable protocol for desktop remote control. It however falls into the catagory of a LAN or private wan support product since if an attempt to use it over the internet was made without first reconfiguring the remote device, it would fail.

10 user complaints about IT support

Source:Tech Republic
Apr 25 12:21 PM

Being a support pro can entail a fairly high level of aggravation, some (maybe a lot) of which can be laid at the doorstep of the very customer you serve: the end user. But IT pro Becky Roberts advocates taking a step back occasionally and considering the situation from the user's perspective.

The issue of complaints and their resolution is a perennially hot topic in the virtual world of TechRepublic, with views expressed about the peeves of an IT manager and a support tech and complaints about CIOs. But nowhere in all these discussions have the most important people in our universe--our users--been given a voice.

In an attempt to redress this imbalance and put our own complaints in perspective, I took the liberty of asking my users to provide me with their complaints about us, the IT professionals. So here, in no particular order, are my users' grievances, together with a few thoughts about how they might be addressed and/or how they could have been avoided.

#1: Applications and hardware that don't work
#2: Inconsistency of WiFi configurations
#3: Slow computer/network
#4: Frequently required password changes
#5: Not being administrators of their machines
#6: Spam filtering
#7: Restricted Web access
#8: Not being allowed to use company computers for personal use
#9: Unresponsiveness of the IT department
#10: Arrogance of the IT department

RDP falls short for over the web pc remote control accses

PC Remote Control on the Web

supports system more effectively and efficiently can simply be achieved using pc remote control on the web. The end user and computer desktop could be located anywhere in the world and by simply access the computer with pc remote control software can give a support engineer quick access to resolve the problem saving lengthy traveling time or frustrating telephone calls trying to talk an average user though screens and command to diagnose. Although Microsoft's rdp is a valuable tool for computer remote control, it has it's limitations when used over the web.

PC Remote Control over the Web

RDP is a valuable tool for supporting computer systems and is best used on the lcoal area network or a closed corporate or enterprise wide area network. It's limitation over the web stems from the need to establish an inbount session to the remote desktop requires modifications to the router or firewall at the far end prior to attempting to connect. PC remote control over the web can be achieved without limitation by using support tools that download to the remote computer by the end users initiation then the software is configured, or obtains its configuration, to connect outbound from the remote network to the support technician.

Remote PC Control over the Web

Remote pc control on the web is prevelent in almost every company. There a various uses of remote pc control through the internet. One of the uses that are most prevelent is where a computer user is at another office or location and accesses their desktop system at the office to work as if they were sitting right in front of it. This allows for a mobile work force and in many cases a dispersed work force as this permits employees to work from home during inclement wheather of even as some employers do hire marketing, temp, or part-time eployees and rather than using valuable office space for them they just set them up with internet access and a pc to control remotely to work on. Another reason for or use of pc remote control over the web is for supporting users quickly. Remote control tools have always been in use by support people looking to assist users without having to go to the location the computer desktop user is residing or working from. Some of the most common software packages,like symantec pc anywhere or carbon copy, have been in use since before the internet and consisted of dial-up. With the emmergence of the internet as the largest netowrk in the world, the reach and speed of remote support sessions has surpassed all expectations that were previous ly thought. The dial-up barrier has been broken long aago and more tools are available for assisting remote computer users with speed and efficiency to match.