You paid more than 4 times what that guy paid for the same seats and now you feel ripped off.

Well, that’s how everyone should feel that’s ever paid the $500 “Mac tax” to purchase a product that’s exactly the same as a PC or in most cases, not even as good.

The Ad & Proving Its Validity

Take a look at the new ad from Microsoft that illustrates the point above:

Whether you’re an Apple or a Microsoft fan, you have to admit, the ad is effective.

The fact is that PCs are cheaper and guess what — they use the same parts that you find in most Macs. Both Windows PCs and Macs use processors, memory, hard drives and graphics cards from the same suppliers.

I recently did some shopping online for a Mac, just to see what I could get for the money. I put together a MacBook for $1598.00 (before tax).

That already seems fairly expensive but it’s definitely expensive when you compare it to the Dell Notebook I put together for $1188.

The Dell actually has a better processor, a larger display with much better resolution, a better battery, the Operating System (Windows Vista Home Premium 64) and Microsoft Office. It got to the point that I was just adding things I didn’t need just to see if I could make the price comparable, but I couldn’t.

In this case the “Mac tax” is $410, and that’s for an inferior product (again, examine the components).

Let Me Cut You Off Right There Mac Fanbois …

I want to address a couple things that I know I’m going to hear from the, I guess you could call them “passionate” Mac Fanbois.

First, take a look at the components to both systems, they are identical. That means built by the same people, exact same parts; except for the components in the Dell that are actually better.

Also, before you lay the trip on me that “with a PC you’ll be paying for antivirus software and tech support”, I want to cut you off right there. I have owned at least one PC since around 1992 and I have never once called anyone to get tech support.

I think I’m a little bit more technically inclined than the average user but I’ve never had a problem with a PC I’ve owned that couldn’t be fixed by the average user. That includes PCs I’ve put together out of spare parts, which you can’t do with a Mac.

Oh and one other thing, some of the best antivirus software is free, so I won’t be paying for that either.

Do You Get What You Pay For?

So since the Mac has a slower processor, a smaller display with a worse resolution, and other comparable parts, what am I paying the extra $410 for?

Sorry Mac lovers but the new Microsoft ad just illustrates what nearly 90% of the market has known for a long time — you pay a premium for a Mac that is no different than (except maybe a little bit inferior) a PC.

This Microsoft campaign will work because consumers vote with and purchase with what’s in their wallets, and in today’s economy most people don’t have as much in their wallets. Whether you like it or not, Microsoft has hit a home run with this spot.

OK, Mac users, let the firestorm of comments begin.

 

It is always important to make sure your system is as secure as you can make it. From the novice user to the system admin, computer security should be a top priority.

Think of it this way — is there any way you can guarantee that you won’t get sick? I guess if you lived in a plastic bubble you’d have a pretty good chance of staying away from viruses and other causes of illness. But if you did that then you’d miss out on a lot of experiences that take place outside the bubble. So you do your best to stay healthy while at the same time experiencing everything life has to offer; at the risk of possibly getting sick.

This same theory holds true when it comes to computer security. If you kept it off a network and never allowed it to connect, by keeping it in the proverbial plastic bubble, your system would remain nearly 100% secure (as long as no one picked it up and walked off with it). But, you’d be missing out on all of the experiences, such as the internet (thanks Al Gore), that your PC has to offer.

Quick side note: If you see me mention Al Gore in any of my articles it’s because he was the inventor of the Internet and Global Warming…and the Environment, and probably many other things. Look it up; it’s on the internet.

Anyway, there are measures that we all can take to ensure that our system is as secure as possible while still taking advantage of the benefits that our systems offer us.

Strong P@s$w0rd$

Most of you will think that basic security like passwords, security suites, and updates are a given but you’d be surprised how many people still do not properly implement these fundamental security strategies. I’ll start with what I and many others simply call strong passwords. A strong password consists of a few basic features:

1. A minimum of Six characters long; preferably more
2. A mix of Letters, Numbers, and even Symbols
3. A mix of Capital Letters and Lower Case Letters
4. Is not your name, a pets name, your birthday, ect…Nothing familiar that the average person could easily figure out
5. Try to avoid words you can find in the dictionary…If you are using an actual word, put in some symbols

A strong password should look something like this: 35p@S$WorD35

Common Sense Disclaimer: Using the above password may be easier than making copies of your Social Security Card and Credit Cards and canvasing your neighborhood with them like restaurant menus, but either method will give you the same result. Please come up with your own password that hasn’t been viewed by thousands of people like this one.

Security Suites

Recently I came across an impressive little “browser hijacker” that took control of, you guessed it, my internet browser. I downloaded a password recovery tool and I was in a hurry to do it, wasn’t very diligent and ended up with a hijacked browser. The interesting thing about a browser hijacker is that you may not notice it right at first. It took me a couple hours to realize what was going on but I slowly started noticing that any site I went to that had advertising in the side bar was displaying the same advertisement. It just didn’t make sense to me that CNet.com would have penis enlargement advertisements (sadly when I was on the Chicago Cubs website no alarms went off in my head).

So I set about trying to remove this little pest by using Windows Defender. The impressive thing is that it would actually lock up Windows Defender and then lock up my entire computer, so I couldn’t get rid of it. I ended up purchasing Norton and making a few tweaks to my registry and System folder to get my system back to normal (we’ll talk about that in a different article). My point in all of this is that a virus or the like can descend on the best of us, so you need to make sure you have a security suite. Now, the next question is, “Well what security suite is right for me?” I’ll tell you right off the bat that Norton has always been my first choice. I’ve always used Norton and it’s something I’m comfortable with. However, I’m sure I won’t be the first to tell you that security wise, most of the security suites out there protect your computer the same way and you really can’t tell much of a difference between them.

Noting the similarities in security suites many people ask, “Which security system is going to protect my computer but also allow me to maintain my system performance?” This is an excellent question and something that I suggest you pay attention to. Click on the chart below, from pcmag.com to get an idea of how each security suite will effect your system performance.

Before we continue on just know that I didn’t overlook the fact that Microsoft has announced a free security suite offering called “Morro“, which they plan to roll out in the second half of 2009. That’s another topic for another day as well, but you can take a look at the press release to get a better idea of what “Morro” is.

Automatic Updates are Your Friend

Don’t be afraid to turn on automatic updates. You’re not giving anything away by doing it and it doesn’t allow Microsoft to somehow get into your system. Automatic Updates really only installs security patches from Microsoft that make sure your computer is as secure as possible; as the security landscape is constantly changing to keep up with the constantly changing threats. Take a look at the steps below to setup Automatic Updates on XP or Vista.

 
Automatic Updates on Windows XP

1. Go to Start and click Control Panel

2. Click on Performance and Maintenance

3. If your Control Panel does not look like the picture above you can click Switch to Category View

4. In the Performance and Maintenance menu click on System

5. Click the Automatic Updates tab

6. Select Automatic

7. If you want to you can also change when Automatic Updates downloads and installs your updates

8. Click OK to apply your changes

 
Automatic Updates on Windows Vista

1. Go to Start

2. Click All Programs

3. Click Windows Update

4. Click Change Settings

5. Click Install Updates Automatically

6. Click OK to apply the changes

Lock the “Door” to Your PC

Making sure your computer is as secure as possible is something that anyone can do. If you follow the security tips I’ve outlined here you will be one step closer to making sure your computer is properly protected. You wouldn’t leave your door unlocked when you’re not home; so make sure you lock the “door” to your computer.

In the second edition of The Future of Computing I want to discuss the direction of the personal computer and what that means for you.

I think there is one key word that hardware and software companies are focusing on and that word is: Integration.

The personal computer is slowly infiltrating its way into our televisions, kitchens, living rooms and our entire homes. At least, that’s what many companies are planning on.

The HP TouchSmart PC

Has anyone besides me worked as a waiter or a waitress (obviously I’m a dude so I didn’t work as a waitress) for a restaurant chain? If you have, you may not be all that impressed with the HP TouchSmart PC because you’ve used a touch screen monitor to enter in orders.

The good thing is that the TouchSmart is going to perform quite a bit better than the typical restaurant touch screen with the Squirrel order entry system.

The TouchSmart boasts a 22 inch hi-def widescreen and an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor all in an "integrated design" (there’s that word again). This means that the 22 inch monitor is pretty much all there is to this PC. It has a little stand on the back so you can stand it up on your desk but it can just as easily be used as a Tablet PC.

HP boasts that all you need to do is "plug in the power cord and you’re ready to go". It also comes with a built in webcam, wireless keyboard and mouse, and a remote for all of you TV/Movie watchers.

(Now, before all of you Mac fanboys jump all over me and say, "But Apple has had integrated products with built-in webcams and things like that for years", I just want to let you know that I’m aware of that, and Apple has made some good products over the years.)

How is Microsoft Getting in on This?

Microsoft is always willing to jump into the fray when it comes to technology upgrades. The touch screen PC is a good idea but what’s the difference between moving objects around on the screen with your finger and moving objects around on the screen with a stylus. Not much.

But wouldn’t it be great if you could move multiple objects around the screen at the same time using both hands? Of course that would be nice and Windows Vista actually supports multipoint touch.

OK so maybe Vista is not quite the answer you were looking for but the problem hurdle when it comes to multipoint touch is actually the TouchSmart, which doesn’t support it. Here is just another example of how hardware manufacturers have not updated to accommodate Vista’s technology (I can’t wait to see what everyone has to say about that comment).

There are plans to release touch screen PCs in the future with multipoint capabilities, however.

In the near future Microsoft will release a new operating system, as early as 2009 (by the way, just remember that any release date issued by Microsoft has to be calculated in dog years to get the actual release date), that is simply being referred to as Windows 7.

I’ll talk about Windows 7 in a future article but the one feature I want to focus on right now is the multipoint touch compatibility Windows 7 will continue to offer. Now all you ambidextrous users can change the music that’s playing with your left hand while you scroll down the page on Train Signal Training (shameless plug!) with your right hand.

The reason I mention Windows 7 is because by the time the multipoint technology is becoming a standard feature of touch screen PCs I’m willing to bet that Windows 7 will have replaced Vista. And no, I’m not contradicting any previous statements about Vista, it’s just a fact that many people are not fans of Vista and will except Windows 7 with open arms when it’s available (provided it is a little less robust than Vista).

The Tip of the Iceberg

The HP TouchSmart PC is just the beginning when it comes to "Integration". What HP and other companies are planning on is to make the personal computer more a part of your life than ever before.

What if you had 3 or 4 TouchSmarts at home that were integrated with the various appliances and electronics in the different parts of your house?

Think about it; you’d really like a plate of pizza rolls but it seems like a lot of effort to get up off of the couch and walk all the way over to the oven to preheat it. No problem, just set the preheat temperature from your TouchSmart in your living room.

Maybe you just climbed into bed and you realized you never turned the heat up on a cold winter night. Just roll over and set the thermostat using your TouchSmart. Cycle through recorded TV shows or movies from your TouchSmart and play them on your TV without ever leaving your recliner.

These are just simple examples but this is the future that tech companies are envisioning. Microsoft will even take it several steps farther with their demo of the "Home of the Future", which I will talk about in a future article.

The Present/Near Future

For the near future and really for the present the TouchSmart PC is being marketed to those of you that would like more control over your music, movies, and photos.

It really is a fairly simple way to watch movies on your TV or listen to music through your stereo system. However, why not eliminate the middle man?

For years Sony has been producing PC/TV All-In-One computers. The idea is to be able to use it as a personal computer, a television, a DVR to record TV shows, and a multimedia device to play and record music.

The line between PC and television is rapidly being blurred. PCs are becoming more integrated, more portable, and more a part of our lives. Eventually one day your entire home may be run by computers.

The TouchSmart PC is just one aspect of technology that is the springboard for more integrated technology in the future.

Think about how easy finding information has become thanks to the Internet. Not many average consumers envisioned what the Internet would do to the world.

One thing is for sure, companies are going to continue to innovate and produce more powerful and more convenient technologies. Perhaps the touch screen PC will help spark the revolution of a more technology integrated home; at least HP is hoping so.

It seems there is always someone out there trying to outdo what someone else has done, but, that’s how capitalism works.

The end result is that the consumer reaps the technology benefits, the companies reap the financial benefits, and the capitalistic merry-go-round spins on.

One interesting trend I and others have noticed is that hardware and software companies are focusing less on the personal computing experience and more on personal computer technology as a jumping off point for everyday, life changing technologies.

I’m talking about HP’s TouchSmart PC, Microsoft’s Home of the Future, Organic Light-emitting Diodes (OLEDs), and software such as Windows Home Server.

How will these technologies work together and what does it mean for the future of personal computing? I’m going to discuss these topics and what I like and dislike about these technologies in a series of articles entitled "The Future of Computing".

I definitely want to hear what you think so read on about OLEDS, post a comment and stay tuned for more related articles that build on each other and will tie everything together.

OLEDs, LEPs, and OLEs

The alphabet soup in the above title is referring to Organic Light-emitting Diodes, Light-emitting Polymers, and Organic Electric Luminescence.

What are these? The basic definition of an LED is a semiconductor diode that emits light when an electrical current is applied in the forward direction of the device. So, OLEDs, LEPs, and OLEs are any light-emitting diode whose emissive electroluminescent layer is composed of a film of organic compounds.

What?

I looked these definitions up to make sure I had a succinct description of what these were and it seriously said, "The basic definition …" I’d hate to see the technical definition.

The easiest way to put it is that OLEDs are the future and (in the case of some cell phones and GPS devices) the present of monitors, televisions, cell phone screens, GPS device screens, and any other type of portable display.

What makes these types of displays different from the already fairly decent Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs)?

Why Will LCDs be Obsolete?

First of all, OLEDs can be printed from an Inkjet printer or even a screen printer onto pretty much any substrate (material on which images are printed) available. This makes manufacturing OLEDs an incredibly speedy and efficient process and in theory would be much cheaper than the manufacturing of an LCD screen or a plasma screen.

The cool thing about being able to print OLEDs on anything is the advent of rollup displays. Can you imagine a TV screen you could roll up like a poster?

That’s just one of the innovations on the horizon. I think one of my favorite ideas is OLEDs printed out on a t-shirt. I’m just imagining my Mr. T t-shirt that says "Yo Sucka" in a million-to-one contrast.

Second of all, OLEDs emit their own light. The way an LCD screen works is it has a backlight that shows the colors, which because of this is unable to show true black. Because OLEDs emit their own light, they are able to show a wider range of colors and better brightness.

Another advantage of OLEDs emitting their own light is that there is a better viewing angle of the display. When you get off to either side of an LCD screen the picture gets distorted and the colors become inconsistent.

I remember attending a packed Super Bowl party, sitting off to the side of an LCD TV for Super Bowl XXXVIII (38) in 2004. I couldn’t tell if Tom Brady had a wardrobe malfunction during the halftime show or if Janet Jackson scored a touchdown. If this was an OLED TV I would have been able to see everything clearly even though I was sitting at a nearly 90 degree angle from the TV.

Another interesting improvement over LCD is that OLEDs refresh at a rate nearly 1000 times faster than LCDs. This type of refresh rate could allow devices using an OLED display to change information at near real time speed. This will allow video images to be constantly updated and breaking news could be up on your PDA as it’s happening.

LCD screens also use quite a bit of power in comparison to OLED screens. OLEDs actually power themselves using an electric charge so that power consumption is minimal.

In fact, when an OLED screen is shut off it uses no power at all. Also, LCD screens have to use polarizers that filter out about nearly half of the light the backlight emits and wastes quite a bit of energy.

This all sounds pretty cool, so what’s stopping you from tossing out your LCD screen and going OLED?

Don’t Get Rid of That LCD Screen Just Yet

As with anything, there are limitations when it comes to OLEDs, so you better hang onto to your LCD screens for a little bit longer.

There’s a reason you’ve only seen OLEDs used in small screens on cell phones and GPS devices. Right now the stuff is just too expensive to manufacture.

Do you remember when computers that had about as much functionality as a Game Boy cost about 5 large? Well, that’s the same type of thing we’re looking at with OLED screens.

Sony put an OLED TV into production in 2007 and released it to consumers in Japan only.

For a paltry 200,000 Yen (that’s about $1700 US) you can purchase the Sony 11-inch XEL-1 OLED TV.

I think the last time I looked at a screen that small was on my cell phone (that’s not true by the way; an 11-inch cell phone screen is just ridiculous, but the TV is small, I think is what I’m getting at here).

One other big problem with OLEDs is that blue organics (they’re split up into red, green and blue) have a life span of about 14,000 hours.

Let me do some quick math for you here.

If you use your OLED TV or computer monitor on average 8 hours a day it will be fully functional for less than 5 years (4.79 years to be exact) before the blue organics kick the bucket.

I don’t know about you but if I’m dropping $1700 on a TV that could fit in my pocket I definitely want it to last more than 5 years. The lifetime of a typical LCD screen is around 60,000 hours, which with the same use would last about 20 years 6 months.

Now, this is a problem that is definitely being worked on. Scientists have created experimental Polymer Light-emitting Diodes, which give blue a lifetime of somewhere around 62,000 hours. I haven’t mentioned the other colors here because they last significantly longer whether they are Organic or Polymers.

Another problem that developers have encountered is that water basically destroys the organics. Coming up with a proper sealant is key to being able to mass produce OLED screens.

Think about if you accidently spritzed water on your LCD computer monitor right now. Wipe it off with a paper towel and it’s no worse for wear. However, if you spritzed water on an OLED screen, you will have basically ruined it.

We need a way to seal the organics without compromising the amazing detail they provide, and we’re definitely a ways off from accomplishing that.

As with everything, eventually the cost to produce OLEDs will go down and products that use this technology will be more available to the consumer at a reasonable price.

Samsung has recently developed a 40 inch OLED TV prototype. Also, the Japanese government is backing several electronics manufacturers including Sony and Samsung to put into production a 40 inch OLED TV by 2015.

Personally, I think we may see something sooner than that but until that time nears you should definitely hang on to your LCD screen and don’t be afraid to purchase LCD screens because they are still going to be viable for quite some time.

Other OLED Uses

The good thing is that OLEDs can be utilized in a variety of ways beyond their application in TV screens, computer monitors, cell phones and other displays.

One application that is being developed is an OLED keyboard. These would be great for notebooks and rollout models could be produced for desktops as well.

Imagine a keyboard that could change the way it looked based on the game you were playing. The Optimus Maximus keyboard does just that.

If you’re not a gamer then this would be particularly useful for certain types of software applications that require you to use certain keyboard shortcuts and configurations, such as Photoshop.

The international applications for this type of keyboard is tantalizing because you could change the keys between different languages as needed. Each key is its own individual display, which allows you to completely customize every individual key.

You can order it here for only $1877.43. Wait, you think that’s a bit too expensive for a keyboard? Well you already bought your $1700 11-inch TV, so what’s another $1800 on a keyboard?

Think about it, how many people can say they own the most expensive computer keyboard in the history of the world? My guess is: not too many.

A Bit Down the Road …

Another interesting application for this technology is wallpaper and posters.

Imagine your wallpaper depicting a sunset on the beach scene and changing to a field of grass scene at the touch of a button. This is on the horizon and I will delve deeper into this idea in a coming article.

What I think would be cool is to be able to buy maybe four OLED posters that could cycle through five different pictures each. You could have twenty different posters hanging on your walls that you could change as you saw fit. This type of technology will be implemented for signs and billboards as well.

Here’s one use that I find particularly interesting. You could purchase one OLED newspaper and it could update throughout the day in real time. Since it’s OLED you’ll be able to fold it up and stick it in your brief case or even in your back pocket.

Also, you wouldn’t be confined to one newspaper, you could choose which paper you’d like to read and switch from one to the other as you’d like. The thing that makes this viable is that it’s more portable than a notebook computer because it can be folded.

I’m pretty sure this was something that was used in the futuristic world in the movie "Minority Report". Anyone remember that movie? Me neither.

One thing is for sure; we will see OLEDs playing a bigger part in our everyday lives in the near future.

Be sure to leave me some questions or comments on this topic. Also, make sure you check out the next newsletter to see the follow up to this article that will discuss the new HP SmartTouch PC.

However, for those of you that have just worked your way into the IT field or are considering entering the IT field, you know that the A+ certification is the stepping stone to further success with certifications and success in the field.

For most of you this will be the first certification exam you will have to take and you’re probably unsure about how you should study for it and what you’ll need to know.

I was lucky enough to be working at a company that specializes in IT training so I was able to use our training materials and draw on the knowledge of the incredible staff at Train Signal to help me succeed when it came to obtaining my A+ IT Technician certification.

What I want to do today is detail my experience for you and provide you with techniques that helped me obtain my CompTIA A+ certification in hopes that you will be able to do the same.

How Did I Get Here?

If you read my bio on Train Signal Training you can see that I obtained a Computer Information Systems degree from a four year university. After college I had spent some time in and out of the IT field, most recently out of the IT field at an insurance company.

I started at Train Signal at the end of March 2008 and jumped back into the IT field after that two year layoff. I was a bit rusty when I returned to the IT field, as you can probably imagine, but I always made sure I maintained a certain level of interest in IT topics while I was working outside of the field. This allowed me to transition into my role here as a Technical Support Specialist fairly smoothly.

The reason I’m sharing this with you is because I want you to know that you will be able to obtain your A+ certification, even if you’ve been out of the IT field for quite a while or are considering entering the field for the first time.

Potential A+ Exam Challenges

One of the biggest issues I dealt with was misplaced confidence. I actually failed the CompTIA A+ Essentials exam the first time I took it.

Now, this was the first certification exam I had ever taken, but that really didn’t have much to do with why I didn’t pass. I have been working with computers all of my life so I kind of felt like I could walk in and knock out this exam no problem.

The reality was that there is a lot more to this than knowing how to put together and work on a computer, and I had to find this out the hard way.

So, on test day I click "Start" on the screen and begin the exam. I’m feeling good until about the fourth question, which starts something like, "Which IRQ is used by …" Hmmm, OK, well I’ll just come back to that one.

Question 5: "Which type of computer memory modules have "X" number of pins?" Alright, I know what memory is. Hmmm, OK, so I’ve seen SIMM and DIMM; SIPP and DIPP just sound made up … I’ll just go on to the next question. I wish I knew I was going to have to dissect a memory stick before the exam.

Oh well, Question 6: "Which SCSI standard supports the longest maximum cable length?" OK, I wonder when I can reschedule this exam. I think you get the idea.

Knowing how to take apart a computer and diagnose a problem is half the battle when it comes to the A+ certification. You have to know the origins of certain PC components, not only what they do but how they affect the system as a whole. What is the best hardware or software to use in a certain PC in a certain situation? You need to know the details of why one component is different than the other and what each one would be used for.

This can be challenging for somewhat self-taught IT folks because you have to tear down what you think you know and focus on what you need to know.

For some of you that are more experienced, you may be able to walk into the exams and pass with no problem, but for the majority of you, you’ll need to study the right way to make sure you have the knowledge necessary to succeed.

With this thought in mind, to me, it almost seems easier for someone with limited technical knowledge to start fresh with the A+ material because they don’t have any preconceived notions.

For those of you that would like to obtain your A+ certification but feel like you don’t have enough technical knowledge to get started; in this respect, you’re probably better off than some of the more tech savvy people that are trying to obtain the certification.

So don’t be discouraged to get started with this material because anyone can do it with a little bit of effort.

How I Righted the Ship

I realized that I needed to put more effort into studying so I started to devise a plan.

The first thing I did was to watch our CompTIA A+ Training video again. I had watched it before my first exam but looking back, I wasn’t "actively" watching the video.

This time, I watched the course and took notes on particular topics and keywords, and I watched certain parts of the video that I didn’t fully understand multiple times. Instead of just being presented the information, I was actually retaining the information.

The next thing I did was to take my notes home with me every night and just take twenty or thirty minutes to read over them, commit some of the information to memory, and apply some of my information by taking a look at and performing some tasks on my own computer and printer. This brings me to my next topic …

Get Your Hands Dirty

The Train Signal A+ course does a great job of actually showing you what you’ll need to know rather than just discussing it. The instructor shows you different components and discusses each of them. The visuals and commentary are exactly what you need to commit this information to memory.

However, there is no substitute for digging in and getting your hands dirty on your own. In the videos David Davis shows you exactly what you will need to know, but to have confidence to implement this knowledge in the real world you will have to have some experience working on systems yourself.

It’s good to have a computer and printer (or different types of printers) you can look at and just play with to get some hands on experience. This will definitely translate to a better exam score.

For me, it was great to be able to take a look at a topic presented to me in one of the videos and apply this knowledge to a computer I’m physically working on. When I was taking the exam I was able to think back to a CPU I had physically installed or an ATX Motherboard I had actually worked with, which made the exam that much easier.

Practice? We’re Talking About Practice

For all of you sports fans out there, the title of this section is taken from a classic Allen Iverson press conference that you can see here:

This can probably only be rivaled by "Playoffs? Playoffs?"

Alright, so getting back on track, another aspect to my studying for the A+ exam was practice tests. That’s right, I’m talking about practice.

Practice exams do a couple of things for you.

1. You get to see how the test questions are structured and the type of wording that you will see on the exam. This is important, especially for first time test takers; because it will help you get into a certain frame of mind that will allow you to fully understand the questions that you will see on the test.
2. It’s a great supplemental study tool that will allow you to gauge your knowledge in particular subject areas so you can decide which sections you may need to focus on more closely while studying.

The great thing about Train Signal’s A+ course is that it comes with 150 practice exam questions. The best way to make these practice exam questions work for you is to answer some of the questions, take a look at the answers of the questions you missed, and research why the correct answer is correct and why the other answers are incorrect.

Taking a look at the other potential answers to a question is a great technique because when you have a similar question on the exam you may be able to narrow the answers down just by going through each one saying, "I know this answer isn’t correct because of this, and I know this one isn’t correct either because of this, etc."

Bring It All Together

Just to sum everything up, here is the rundown of the approach I took to passing the CompTIA A+ Essentials exam and the CompTIA A+ IT Technician exam.

1. Actively watch the Train Signal CompTIA A+ training course (or actively learn from other A+ training material, CBT or book)
2. Use the information retained from the training videos to do some hands on work with a computer and printer/s
3. Take some practice exams and research the answers to questions you’ve missed
4. Use the information you received from your practice exams to refocus your study on topics and areas that you may be struggling with.
5. Bring all of this information together by going back and watching portions of the video, studying your notes from the video, and studying your notes about the practice exams you’ve taken

The good thing about studying with the A+ videos is that they cover the A+ Essentials exam as well as each of the three Technician exams, from which you will choose one. This comes in handy if you’re not sure which Technician exam is right for you.

I would suggest watching out free CompTIA A+ training videos before you go out and buy the full course, just to make sure that you like this style of learning.

And if you prefer to learn from books there’s plenty to choose from. In either case, the materials are out there for you to be able to easily obtain your A+ certification.

Once I realized the way I needed to study to be successful it took me less than 2 months to pass both exams and obtain my first IT certification.

Don’t make the same mistake I initially made. Study in the way that works best for you; use my study techniques as a guideline, and you will be on your way to obtaining your A+ certification in no time!

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An important thing to remember when applying for a position is that your resume is usually first looked at by some sort of human resources rep or an administrative clerk. These individuals are looking for specific "buzz words" that show you may be qualified to get an interview.

Remember, they could go through hundreds of resumes in a day so you want to make sure you have the right information that will make them put yours in the hiring manager’s inbox.

I’m going to explore some techniques in this article that will get your resume noticed right off the bat.

Once you get pass human resources, you need to make sure your resume will pass the second test, which is the scrutiny of the hiring manager.

"Buzz words" won’t cut it when it comes to the hiring manager because this is the individual that is going to take a good long look at your resume.

Now, when I say long, I mean longer than human resources but not an excessive amount of time, because the hiring manager is probably just as pressed for time too.

So, you want to make sure you get the most relevant information and convey it in a way that makes the hiring manager say: "I need to get this person an interview."

The two things I want you to keep in mind when writing your resume are:

• what should I include in my resume to get it passed on to the hiring manager, and
• what should I include in my resume so that the hiring manager gives me an interview?

With that in mind, let’s examine my 10 best tips to make your IT resume sell.

1. Use an Eye Catching Resume Design

You have to get your resume looked at and the best way to do it is to have an eye catching design.

For most of the article I will be deferring to my own resume as I recently was looking for a job in the IT field, and obviously have attained one with Train Signal. The headings on my resume are listed in bold.

I’ve included a brief description of what should be covered under these headings.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain a full-time position in the area of information technology.

The objective section is short and to the point. Just make sure that it applies to whatever job you are trying to get. If you are applying for a tech support position your objective shouldn’t say “A position in sales or a related field.”

EDUCATION: Where and When I went to school and the degree I obtained

Now a lot of people don’t think that the education section is as important as other sections, but I feel that you want to let a potential employer know what your education level is.

Simply putting where and when you went to school and the degree you obtained is short and to the point. A hiring manager can glance at that and realize you have enough training or education to be considered for the job.

Even if you haven’t been in school for quite some time, it is still important to show your education level. It should look something like this:

Fake University, Rolling Meadows, Illinois (August 2004 – May 2008)
B.S. in Management Information Systems, May 2008

That’s just two lines but it gets your point across.

The information in the last three headings should all be bulleted and you should try to keep each bit of information to no more than two lines to maintain a consist format and to stay concise.

PROJECTS, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, SKILLS: Software expertise, projects I’ve worked on that would translate well to the position I’m applying for, any work related awards that accentuate my qualifications

LICENSES and CERTIFICATIONS: Certifications I’ve obtained that would be beneficial to the job I’m applying for

WORK EXPERIENCE: Company and position name. Brief description of the responsibilities of my position.

Under your Work Experience heading you should start with your current position or your most recent job if you are not currently employed. Your first entry should look like this:

Subsequent entries should look the same way.

Notice that the headings are bold and in all capital letters. This helps anyone scanning the resume to quickly locate specific information. Also, the bullet points are a must to make your resume professional and easy to read.

You should also make sure your formatting is error free. Are you using consistent fonts? Does everything align correctly? Is there anything that looks odd? Every small detail must be taken care of.

2. Create a Quality Page Header

I definitely could have put this under the eye catching category, but I feel like this is such an important part of formatting your resume that I wanted it to be a category unto itself.

A header is easy to create and it is a great way to include all of your pertinent contact information without taking up much space.

To create your header in Microsoft Word 2007 you want to go to the Insert tab and select Header.

Once you are in the page header you can choose the style you want to use and type in your information. This tab has a lot of interesting options for you to use, but the only thing I’ll use it for is to edit the page header.

I just want to put certain information in here. Here is what my header looks like:

This only takes up a single line and shows how you can be contacted by mail, phone, and email. Again, this is just one more technique you can use to get your pertinent information in your resume in the most efficient way possible.

3. Detailed and Efficient Content

The biggest problem I’ve encountered when creating my resume is not compromising detail, while at the same time remaining as efficient as possible.

If you’ve read any of my articles (including this one) it’s pretty apparent that I’m incredibly long winded, so it’s difficult for me to condense everything I need to say. However, this is essential when it comes to building your IT resume.

Here is an example of a possible skill set you may have:

• I am able to create a database in Microsoft Access
• I can create and use Excel spreadsheets
• I can create documents using Microsoft Word
• I’ve used Microsoft Outlook quite a bit

You definitely want to represent the fact that you are able to use these applications but you need to be able to condense this information into one line. The best way to show this information is:

• Expert knowledge of Microsoft Access, Excel, Word, and Outlook

It’s important to note the wording I’ve used here. "Expert knowledge" is two words that completely convey that "I know how to use these programs as good as anybody".

This brings me to the next section …

4. Beef Up Your Verbiage

It’s important to make sure you say things in a way that conveys your information in the most attention grabbing way possible.

Here’s an example of a project you may have worked on:

• In charge of making an Oracle database

This is a great piece of information but it just isn’t conveyed in a way that jumps out at you. Here’s what I think stands out a little more:

• Spearheaded the creation of an Oracle database for business use

To me, this just sounds so much stronger than the previous line. You really took charge by "spearheading" the project and you give some insight into the project by showing it was for business use.

Again, it’s all about putting down the best information possible without taking up too much space.

Some other great descriptive words you can use include:

• Efficiently …
• Well acquainted …
• Proficient in …
• Actively worked to …

5. Prioritize Content

This is something that you have to do if you want your resume to make it past the human resources department.

Study everything you can about the job you are applying for, the company itself, and think about what the people doing the hiring will be looking for. Then tailor your resume to fit this profile by prioritizing your content.

If the job you are applying for is a Junior Administrator position with a company using Windows Server 2003, then make sure the first thing listed under the Skills section is the work you’ve done with Server 2003.

If you list this information at the bottom then it may not even be seen! Don’t lose out on a shot at an interview because the skills that would help you get the job are buried at the bottom of your resume.

You should constantly tweak your resume to make sure what you have at the top is the most relevant information to the job you are applying for.

6. Tell the Truth!

You’d think I wouldn’t need to put this in here, but it’s got to be said. You have to tell the truth!

Do not put that you spearheaded a project if you watched everyone else do the work and put your name on it. Do not say you are an expert with Windows 2003 Server if you’re not even sure what it is.

There is a difference between tweaking your resume to remain current and viable, and lying to get a job. Don’t even tell a little fib because it will eventually come back to haunt you.

7. No More than 1 Page (If Possible)

This is pretty self explanatory but I want to qualify what I mean.

Even if you are just entering the work force it is difficult to keep your resume condensed to one page. But, if you follow the above formatting steps you will have a much better chance of having a one page resume.

Hiring managers don’t have time to rifle through two or more pages and a lot of times you will get your resume tossed out without so much as a look if it is more than one page.

There is an exception to every rule and this rule is no exception (read that again, I’m pretty sure it makes sense).

If you’ve been in the work force for, say, 20 years, you’re going to be hard pressed to condense your entire career into one page. At that point two or more pages may be the only solution to make sure you don’t leave anything important out.

Just make sure you do everything you can to keep the size of your resume manageable.

8. Don’t Sell Yourself Short!

I think this is one of the biggest problems that people have when creating a resume.

Have confidence in yourself. I’m sure at some point when you were growing up, a parent or a teacher told you that it’s not polite to brag.

On your IT resume you have to brag about yourself a little bit.

You need to show all of your relevant strengths and abilities, and you need to come across strong and confident. If you can’t show how good you really are, then how will you be able to help the company you’re trying to be a part of?

9. Keep Out the Stuff You Don’t Need

Let me give you a quick rundown of what I mean. You do not need to list:

• Marital Status
• Age
• Irrelevant associations and memberships
• Previous pay rates
• Irrelevant recreational activities
• Etc.

Make sure your content falls under the above headings and keep everything else out. You probably don’t have room for this unnecessary information anyway.

10. Proofread! Proofread! Proofread!

Proofread your resume until you know it is perfect. Then, proofread it again.

Have a trusted friend proofread it too. Someone you know who will pay close attention to the details and will make suggestions to you. Don’t give it to that friend that’s going to glance at it and say, "Yeah I love it."

Also, if you can, have someone that has recently gone through an IT job search take a look at your resume and give you suggestions. They can proofread it and give you ideas on formatting that may work better for you.

Bonus Tip: Make It Your Own

Remember, these tips are things that have worked for me and others, and are just suggestions.

You have to put a little bit of your own style into your resume, while adhering to the basic format of what a professional resume should look like.

With that in mind, good luck with your IT job search!

The same holds true when using Microsoft Outlook. With just a few simple changes you can increase your productivity in Outlook like you never thought was possible.

Do you work in a big office where you’re part of a large mail group? Does it always seem that you’re getting emails that don’t pertain to you?

Well I’m going to show you how to prioritize those emails so that you only get the emails that are meant for you.

The next improvement that I’ll talk about involves a workaround to allow Outlook to accept certain file types as safe. This is handy for coworkers who need to pass a certain file type back and forth over Outlook.

It basically makes sure that you get all of the attachments that your coworkers are sending to you and that your coworkers are getting the ones you send them.

This article is in the spirit of taking a few hours on a Sunday afternoon and cleaning your house from top to bottom after a long winter. It takes you until you‘re done to realize how out of place and unorganized things were.

That’s why today I want you to get out your virtual mop and bucket to do a little spring cleaning with your Microsoft Outlook.

Get Emails Meant for You … And Forget About that Other Stuff

Tell me if this sounds familiar. You sign onto your work computer and open up your email only to see 60 messages, of which only 20 are directed specifically to you and need to be handled right away. The other 40 are directed to your email group.

Going through each email one by one to find the emails you need to answer right now can be time consuming and tedious. You need something that will show you which emails are meant for you (and only you) and which ones are sent to everyone in the group.

Well break out your Crayolas because we are going to color code your emails!

To set this up: Open up Outlook and go to Tools, then click Organize

Click the Using Colors tab and click Turn On

Now, the default color is blue and from what I hear blue is a fairly pensive color. So, if you’re looking for a nice calming color then stick with the default.

Otherwise there are a variety of colors to choose from. My choice would have been Burnt Siena, but that color, unfortunately, didn’t make the cut.

Another nifty thing you can do (apparently I’m channeling Wally and the Beav; who says nifty anymore, honestly?) on that same tool is color coding messages you receive from a particular sender.

On the Using Colors tab type the email address that you want to color code next to the Color Messages From tab. The default color on this is Red. You can have a different color for each email address or you can group email addresses under the same color according to order of importance.

There is also a drop down box that allows you to change the Color Messages From tab to Color Messages Sent To, which in this case would color code the messages you are sending to a particular email address.

In either case, make sure you click the Apply Color button before you exit this screen.

Take advantage of this simple feature that will help you sort through the mass emails and let you get down to business.

Don’t Let Outlook Do Your Thinking for You

If you’re like me, then you collaborate with colleagues several times a day through email. Sometimes the only way to get things done in a timely manner is to email a file back and forth so that multiple people can work on it and get it ready for what you need to do.

The problem with this is that sometimes Outlook doesn’t like the file type or doesn’t know what it is and just decides to remove your attachment. You’ve seen the dialog box telling you that your attachment poses a potential security risk and asks you if you want to download the file.

So, you click yes and move on. But, sometimes you don’t even get the attachment and you end up sending a message back to your coworkers telling them you didn’t get it.

What happened to the attachment? Well, the short answer is that Outlook "frisked" your email on the way through "security" and "confiscated" some "contraband".

Outlook is more thorough than the Puerto Vallarta, Mexico airport, where I was once searched head-to-toe 4 times in a 30 minute span. Which by the way, after the 4th time they dumped out my bag and asked me if I had anything in there that shouldn’t be in there … I was thinking, "Well maybe I do." Are pants illegal? Take my pants; whatever gets me on the flight home.

The more involved answer is that Outlook has three "risk levels" that it can apply to attached files, that will determine what happens to the attachment. You may get a message that warns you about downloading attachments.

A lot of times Outlook does what it can so that you don’t get the attachment at all, and every now and then you actually get the attachment without any fanfare, which is pretty rare. For me this happens only during a lunar eclipse, on a leap year.

So when you and your coworkers are sending a particular type of file back and forth, it would be nice to make sure you get it 100% of the time. There are two ways to accomplish this.

For all of you tech savvy veterans, I’ll show you a way to modify your registry to allow certain file types to be passed through Outlook. And for all of you novices, or even you veterans that don’t feel like messing with the registry (it can be dangerous so don’t feel like you don’t have options), I’ll show you a free product you can download that will help you accomplish this using a GUI (Graphical User Interface).

Warning: Registry Changes Are Not For the Meek

To add certain file types to Outlook’s "low risk" watch list we need to start out by opening up the Registry Editor.

Before you do this I want to stress that changes to the registry are very serious and should not be done unless you know exactly what you are doing. Also, and this is the most important thing, back up your registry before you make any changes. Even if something is done incorrectly you can always get things back to the way they were.

Now that we have the disclaimers out of the way, go ahead and go to your Windows Start Menu and Click Run. Type regedit and click OK

This will open your Registry Editor.

- Click the Plus Sign next to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER folder (if it’s not already clicked)
- Click the Plus Sign next to the Software folder
- Click the Plus Sign next to the Microsoft folder

- Click the Plus Sign next to the Windows folder
- Click the Plus Sign next to the CurrentVersion folder
- Right click the Policies folder

- Move your cursor over New and select Key from the menu and name this key Associations
- Right click the Associations folder and move your cursor over New and select String Value
- Name the String Value LowRiskFileTypes

- Double click the LowRiskFileTypes string and enter the file types that are frequently attached in Outlook. For example .exe;.flv

This will include all executable files and Flash player files, although, I wouldn’t recommend adding executable files to the list.

Registry Editing is Not My Thing

If you’re like most people, you’re not going to want to make changes to your registry through your registry editor.

In an effort to make things easier, there is a free program called OutlookTools that will allow you to make the registry changes you need to make without the hassle of going into the registry itself.

To start out, click this link and once you reach this page you will see screen shots of each tab in the OutlookTools program. Under the screenshots is a brief description of what each tab does.

- Scroll about half way down the page and click Download
- Once you have OutlookTools downloaded and installed, open it, and the main screen will default to the General tab

- Navigate to the last tab called Blocked Attachments
- Each check box you check will allow that type of attachment to be unblocked, so you can attach those file types in Outlook emails
- Click Save

Now, I know this seems incredibly easy compared to manually editing the registry, but I don’t ever want to give you the quick fix without first explaining why it works.

What you do in OutlookTools is changing your registry, just like you did manually within the Registry Editor. It’s always good to know what’s behind the GUI, and it’s always good to take some of the hassle out of using Outlook.

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The ones that have drawn my attention recently are the commercials targeting Vista. You’ve seen those commercials haven’t you?

Most of them go something like this:

Mac: “Hello I’m a super hip, fun, exciting Mac for young people that want to improve their lives.”

PC: “And I’m a stuffy, suit and tie wearing, dinosaur PC that can only do calculations and spreadsheets. I suck the fun out of your everyday life.”

Mac: “Hey PC, what are you doing over there?”

PC: “I’m just wondering why Vista has so many bugs.”

Mac: “Yeah Vista is pretty bad and nobody likes it. It doesn’t work for a variety of reasons that I won’t list here. Don’t you wish you were a Mac so you wouldn’t have to wear a suit and tie and be so boring?”

PC: “Hey, Vista may not ever work and Macs may be better than PCs and I may dream about being a Mac but … wait a minute! Oh, you outsmarted me again Mac!”

Mac: “That’s why PC users are so dumb, because PCs are dumb. Come to an Apple store … bring money.”

I may be paraphrasing a bit (are you picking up my sarcasm here?) but I’m a little disturbed at the way Apple looks at the consumer.

Apple assumes that the average consumer will look at these commercials or any publications from the mainstream media and come to the conclusion that Vista is a hassle. Vista has a negative stigma, mostly among consumers that don’t know anything about it.

For those of you that are against Vista, I want you to take a look at the reason why. Is it because of specific problems you’ve had with Vista? Or, is it because Apple and the mainstream media have talked you into a false sense of loathing for Vista because of the problems of a few?

I’m inviting you to pour out your “Steve Jobs Kool-Aid” and take a look at the truth: Vista gets a bad rap for no good reason.

Vista is Bad … Because I Said So … That’s Why

The Mac commercials that trash Vista focus on just that, trashing Vista, but they don’t tell you anything about why you should buy a Mac.

They tell you that Vista isn’t compatible with any peripherals, that Vista has so much security you can’t do any work without a popup, that Vista has over 14,000 virus types constantly attacking it and Mac is never attacked, and that Vista is so complicated that choosing the version that’s right for you is nearly impossible.

All of this Vista rhetoric does two things: It makes Vista look bad and overtly shames you for owning a PC.

If you watch the “Mac vs. PC” commercials you will hear a lot of blanket statements and exaggeration with nothing to back it up. Why does Vista have so much security? Why does Vista have compatibility issues? Why is Vista attacked by so many viruses?

Too many people, like Apple, use this verbiage to their advantage, but they don’t take the time to explain their claims.

Don’t believe me? Check out the latest Get a Mac ads.

Consider the Source …

The truth is that Vista is an excellent operating system.

It’s not meant to be a life changing experience or a one way ticket to fun and excitement. It’s meant to be the interface that allows you to use your computer without contending with a plethora of code. It’s an operating system, just like Leopard (Mac’s newest operating system) is an operating system.

So why do a lot of people think that Vista will ruin their computing experience?

The answer can be found in mass media hyperbole and sweeping generalizations made by competitors. Apple and Linux are trying to sell a product in a market place that Microsoft has dominated for years.

It makes sense to take shots at the market leader in order to make yourself a contender, but the way in which you do reflects on how your company is viewed.

I don’t know about you but when I see those “Mac vs. PC” commercials I feel like Apple is looking down its nose at me and all PC users letting us know that Mac users are better than us just because they use a Mac.

I don’t have the problems with Vista that these commercials claim everyone has and I definitely don’t feel stupid for using Vista like these commercials claim I should.

Do Blanket Statements Keep You Warm at Night?

Claim #1: Installing Vista is not straightforward. You will need to update your graphics card, memory, CPU, etc.

Let’s take a look at the minimum requirements to run Vista Home Premium, Business, or Ultimate editions:

• CPU – Modern Processor (800 MHz or greater)
• Memory – 512MB
• Hard Drive – 15GB free space
• Graphics – DirectX 9 capable graphics processor
• DVD Drive – Yes

I want to point something out here. I helped build my parents an average PC more than three years ago and even it has way more than the minimum requirements to run Vista. Upgrading their PC to Vista was a breeze and there were no compatibility issues.

In fact, if you have an older PC and you are concerned that it may not have the system requirements to run Vista or even if you want to make sure your newer PC devices are compatible with Vista, you can check out Microsoft’s Assessment and Planning Solution Accelerator.

Additionally, if you are worried whether some of your older programs will work in Vista, you can run Microsoft’s Program Compatibility Wizard within the Operating System.

This simply simulates the environment that the old program would normally run in, such as Windows XP, so that it can run without problems in Vista. Check out how to do this easy procedure at Windows Vista Help and How-to.

It takes just a few minutes to find out if Vista is right for you.

If you are running an old PC that doesn’t meet the above system requirements then I can save you the trouble of attempting a Vista upgrade. Just go get a new system because it has been many years since a PC has been built that wouldn’t meet the minimum system requirements for Vista.

I think one of the biggest problems consumers have with Vista is that they jump in head first and upgrade to Vista before they think about whether their machine is able to run it. Then when they realize that Vista isn’t exactly like XP they are upset and want to go back to XP.

Nothing works perfectly, not even a Mac, so do a little research and make sure an upgrade to Vista will work for you. Don’t go into it expecting everything to work perfectly, because that’s impossible.

One final thing I want to point out concerning system requirements is that you cannot purchase a new PC today that doesn’t greatly exceed the minimum system requirements to run Vista.

First of all, the minimum system requirements to run Vista would run the OS, but not allow you to access some of Vista’s higher graphic features. With that in mind, I built the most barebones (basic) PC you could buy from Dell just to show you that the cheapest PC has quite a bit more than you would ever need to run Vista.

Compare the specs on the Dell PC with the minimum system requirements; there is nothing on this PC that would need to be upgraded to run Vista.

Note that Vista Ultimate is chosen as the operating system. Dell checks your configuration of hardware and software before you checkout to make sure what you have chosen is compatible.

But I want it Now!

Claim #2: PCs have security problems and Vista’s User Account Control is more annoying than helpful.

The first thing I want to talk about is the idea that PCs have more security problems than Macs. The fact is that PCs do have

more security problems than Macs because there are just so many more PCs out there. According to Greg Keizer, a leading writer for Computer World, Mac topped out in December of 2007, with an 8% market share. PCs ended the year with a 91.8% market share. Read the full article about Mac market share.

So if you were a hacker and you were creating malware to affect the greatest amounts of people possible, would you create it to go after Macs or create it to go after PCs? With at most 8% of the market share it just doesn’t make much sense to go after Macs.

PCs on the other hand, own over 90% of the market so when Vista or any other OS is developed for PCs, the developers have to take into account that there are millions of hackers out there trying to hack an overwhelming majority of the world’s systems.

So, is it true that PCs have more security issues than Macs? Absolutely, but this is mostly because there are so many more PCs than there are Macs in the world, hence the added security in Vista.

The second thing I want to discuss is how scared people are of User Account Control.

When you take a look at the “Mac vs. PC” commercial above, the PC is asked for permission by his “Security Officer” to perform any task. The PC then goes on to say that he could turn off UAC but then he wouldn’t get any warnings at all, which would defeat the purpose of the security feature in the first place.

This commercial suggests that you cannot do anything in Vista without first being asked for permission to do the task.

This made me want to take a look at the tasks that UAC applies to. Here is a list of tasks that will generate a UAC prompt if UAC is enabled:

• Changes to files or folders in %SystemRoot% or %ProgramFiles%
• Installing and uninstalling applications
• Installing device drivers
• Installing ActiveX controls
• Changing settings for Windows Firewall
• Changing UAC settings
• Configuring Windows Update
• Adding or removing user accounts
• Changing a user’s account type
• Configuring Parental Controls
• Running Task Scheduler
• Restoring backed-up system files
• Viewing or changing another user’s folders and files
• Repairing a network connection (requesting a new IP address)

Take a look at that list. You won’t see accessing the Internet, creating a document or spreadsheet, playing a video game, using email, instant messaging, watching movies, video or picture editing, or any of the other things the basic user will do on a daily basis.

Writer Bob Rankin on his website Ask Bob Rankin suggests that users are so impatient when it comes to clicking “Continue” on a UAC popup that disabling this feature or at least hiding the popups are the answer.

To me, it is not a big deal to click my mouse one more time to make sure that my computer is as secure as possible. The example that he gives is that inexperienced users see the UAC popup and don’t know if it’s from Vista or if it’s from some sort of malware, such as if the user is trying to execute something from the command line.

How many users are trying to run commands from the command line and at the same time don’t know what UAC is trying to do? That’s like entering a marathon and not knowing how far you have to run; it just doesn’t happen. This is just another example of “Microsoft Hating” at its best.

Rankin goes on to comment on elevating the program. You can elevate any program that needs UAC permission by right-clicking the icon and selecting “Run as Administrator”. This will allow the program to open when a normal user would not be able to open it.

Rankin’s article makes this process sound like climbing a mountain. One extra click and we’ve lost our patience? With all due respect, it’s like a child waiting for something to be cooked in the microwave for 30 seconds and whining, “But I want it now.”

My “favorite” Bob Rankin article is Ubuntu Hardy Heron where he actually suggests using a Linux operating system as an alternative to Vista.

Are we in the Twilight Zone? I consider myself an above average user and I wouldn’t feel comfortable using a Linux OS. How would the average user or better yet the inexperienced user feel about using a Linux OS?

Let everyone at your office know that your Vista systems will now be running the Ubuntu 8.04 (the newest Linux operating system) OS, and let me know what you hear from your employees.

I Can’t Decide … Can I Spin a Wheel?

Claim# 3: Having 6 different versions of Vista to choose from is a bad thing.

I had to say something about this ad because the way it’s presented is so ridiculous. The ad implies that choosing one of the Vista operating systems is difficult because you may end up with one that doesn’t have what you want on it or you may pay too much for one that has features you don’t need on it.

The character playing “PC” is so flummoxed by the decision that he couldn’t possibly make it on his own. Since when was buying an operating system so serious that the only way to figure out which one you want is to spin a wheel?

If you order a salad in a restaurant and you are given six different salad dressings to choose from, are you going to “short circuit” and say, “No thanks; I just can’t choose the one that’s right for me.”

Is it just me or does Apple have a pretty low opinion of 91.8% of the market?

Also, According to the commercial, Mac comes with one operating system that has everything you need. How does Apple know exactly what I need (wow I’m suddenly channeling Andy Rooney)?

But seriously, I would rather have the choice to purchase what best suits my home or business needs rather than just get what’s given to me.

Elitist Marketing vs. Vista … Yeah I Went There …

Because of elitist marketing and erroneous exposure, Vista has become the “problem OS”.

The reason this article has focused so much on the ads generated by Apple is because of the high profile commercials that describe vague problems with Vista and sometimes contain disreputable content.

One “Mac vs. PC” commercial claims that Mac is “the finest desktop PC on the market, at any price”, as stated by the Wall Street Journal. You can see this ad as a part of a collection of “Mac vs. PC” commercials below — it’s the very first ad:

The fact is the article in the Wall Street Journal that they are referring to was written in 2005, by a respected technology expert and self proclaimed Mac lover Walter Mossberg, and nearly the entire context that quote appeared in was left out.

The actual quote is:

For mainstream consumers doing typical tasks — Web surfing, email, office productivity, photos, music, home videos, etc. — it’s the finest desktop PC on the market, at any price. Hard-core game players, stock-market day traders, serious video producers and some other niche users should look for other computers.

This snippet basically says that the writer likes the iMac G5 but if you’re a gamer, use your computer for work, or edit movies you need a different type of computer.

Plus, Walt Mossberg is a well respected technology expert as the commercial suggests, but it doesn’t tell you that he’s not an impartial judge. The biggest thing that’s missing from this ad is why the Mac could be called the finest desktop PC on the market.

This is a common theme when these commercials attack Vista. They have no problem throwing out one-liners but don’t have the information to back it up, and thus the consumer is led to believe Vista is a bad OS but they’re not quite sure how that got down that path.

Even though this particular ad didn’t target Vista, it’s these types of ads that Apple has been using to mislead the consumer about PCs and Vista.

No More Snap Judgments … Give Vista a Chance

Vista is a good operating system that has garnered a bad reputation that has trickled down from Microsoft competitors, through the media, and into the mainstream psyche.

Maybe the biggest reason that Vista has received so much criticism is because Microsoft is such a big target.

It’s pretty easy to hit the side of a barn with a baseball, just like it’s pretty easy to go after the industry leader. Microsoft has obviously reached the top of the software world, and they know as well as anybody that once you reach the top you become an easier target.

If you still have doubts about Vista, give it a try or “test drive” it for free.

It’s fine if you don’t like it, but at least you’ll have the facts to backup your opinion because you tried it out.

Also, if you are an Apple fan and a Mac lover can you do something for me?

The next time someone asks you, “How come you have a Mac?” don’t answer with, “Because I hate PCs.”

Don’t be like the “Mac vs. PC” commercials, give me an actual reason why you like Macs more than PCs or Mac OS X and Leopard more than Vista … and maybe I can understand better why Vista has garnered so much criticism.

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Microsoft Windows Vista is your choice, but you want to install it yourself so that the computer manufacturer doesn’t add free trials of AOL and other wonderful extras, or as I like to call it — annoying junk.

So, you’re pricing the different editions of Vista and realize that this OS is kind of expensive. Instantly you’re wishing you didn’t spend that extra money on the 32 inch LCD monitor, but you just weren’t going to be satisfied until your World of Warcraft character was a foot tall.

But, you notice something; the upgrade editions are more than $100 cheaper in some cases, and you think, "I wish there was a way to install the full version of Vista on my new PC at the upgrade price."

Well I’m here to tell that there is a way to do this, and it looks like Microsoft knows all about it … and they’re fine with it.

Vista – The Early Days

When Microsoft first released Vista it was met with some resistance by consumers. It was about $400 for the full edition and even if some people could afford it, most were having compatibility issues.

The upgrade edition was met with even further frustration because even though it was about $100 less than a full edition, it could only be used if you had the XP or Windows 2000 operating systems actually running on your machine. What’s more, you could no longer use the XP or 2000 disc to start your upgrade.

Sales were not what Microsoft expected until one day someone stumbled upon the fact that you could do a “clean install” of the full version of Vista from the upgrade disc.

Why Does This "Clean Install" Make Me Feel So Dirty?

Simply put, a "clean install" is installing an operating system on a formatted, or blank hard drive. There is nothing on the hard drive so you cannot use an upgrade disc, because you have nothing to upgrade.

You would be required to install the full version of your operating system. However, there was a hack written into the upgrade disc for Windows Vista that allowed you to do a clean install of Vista from the upgrade disc.

Without getting into too much detail (I’d hate for the MIB to show up and "flashy thing" my brain) you could boot your PC from the upgrade disc and do a clean install of Vista on your machine, without entering the product code and without activating the product.

Once the installation was complete you could again launch the setup program from within Vista, but this time select the "Upgrade" option and enter the product code. Essentially, Vista was upgrading over a copy of itself!

I know what you’re thinking; surely Bill Gates went down to the Vista development department and did his best Donald Trump impression and cleaned house for such an error, right? He did do something close to that, but instead of firing people, he actually did nothing.

Working Out The Kinks

Microsoft appeared to be indignant when it came to this workaround and issued a press release that basically stated that using this "hack" violated the Vista End-User License Agreement. They further went on to say that they didn’t believe that too many people would take the time to take advantage of the "hack".

Translation: You probably shouldn’t be doing this, but even if you think you might, we’re willing to bet that the several minutes you’d lose by doing this will deter you from going through with it. Go ahead; we dare you!

It had been about a year and Microsoft was poised to release Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Vista and everyone assumed this workaround would be removed. According to Microsoft’s website, 551 bugs were fixed in SP1, and it stood to reason that lighting wouldn’t strike twice with the upgrade error, with one year to find it and correct it.

Well, this was one "kink" that wasn’t worked out. You can still use the workaround I described above, on the SP1 release of the Vista upgrade. Because SP1 still has the upgrade workaround this begs the question; with unlimited resources, was it possible that Microsoft could accidentally let this happen twice?

Not Bloody Likely!

Suspicions were aroused, when the workaround was found on the first release of Vista, that Microsoft had done this on purpose to boost sales of its product. It seemed they were targeting a more technologically sophisticated buyer. But no proof could be found to support this and at the end of the day, however unlikely, it seemed it was plausible that Microsoft just made a mistake.

Then SP1 was released with the workaround still available in the upgrade disc and everyone was wondering, "Is it possible Microsoft missed this twice?" If everyone could now adopt their best Cockney accent and say it with me, "Not bloody likely!"

Microsoft would never accidentally let this happen. The only other plausible explanation is that Microsoft has in fact purposely done this as an attempt to boost sales and at the very least to get us talking about it in articles such as this one. Whatever the reason, both seem to have happened.

Will This Get Me in Hot Water?

It doesn’t look like you’ll need to worry about falling in the hot tub on this one. If Microsoft did not want this workaround to be part of the Vista upgrade they would have removed it when it was noticed. At the very least they would have taken it out of SP1.

The fact is that Microsoft really does not seem too concerned about it. Allowing this to remain on SP1 is just short of a full endorsement by Microsoft, and realizing that this had to be implicitly added by the developers should put most of your fears to bed.

I do want to say that I’m not endorsing this workaround as a way to save money when installing new PCs, say, at your small business. This does violate the Vista EULA and it wouldn’t be wise to put your business in potential jeopardy.

But, could you install the full version of Windows Vista using the upgrade disc on your PC at home? Microsoft isn’t going to say yes, but they’re certainly not saying no.

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