TTC Shelbyville – Technical Blog

A collection of Windows tutorials, tips and tricks.
The best Windows tutorials, tips & tricks to help make your life easier | Sync™ Blog.

You can download the latest release of Windows 8 at Microsoft’s Preview site -

It’s Windows reimagined and reinvented from a solid core of Windows 7 speed and reliability. It’s an all-new touch interface. It’s a new Windows for new devices. And it’s your chance to be one of the first to try it out.

Imagine a tablet that plugs into your keyboard and flat screen…now imagine being able to use the same software, printers, joining a domain and being able to take the tablet with Windows’ flexibility with you wherever you go.

2011 Review Below~

Androids, iPads, and other devices are not really driving me crazy.  It’s the users who jump on mobile devices and declare it is the best or the not being able to wait – and the security of mobile devices!   Truly we are in the infancy of mobile computing.   I’m not a fanboy of Apple or Microsoft or Android.  I love them all.   Each of the devices are growing and have their flaws.   But honestly, Windows 8 is looking really good.

We are currently beginning to use all of these technologies in the classroom and honestly, Windows 8 is a good pre-beta operating system.  In a tight economy many CIOs are looking at all of the technology available but many are beginning to pay attention to the network ability and compatibility of products that are coming into the work place.

(above) Cody Chandler uses Windows 8 on a 22″ touchscreen.  Although Windows 8 will be made primarily for mobile tablets, when given a choice, students would select Windows 8 over iPads and Androids.   

The metro style of Windows 8 has been criticized but it is no different than android or iPad truly and the advanced features of simply pushing the desktop metro icon sends you into a desktop similar to Windows 7.   Imagine a majority of your programs still working and your network infrastructure remaining in place without Android’s security issues or iPads/iPhone bandwidth issues (running out to iTunes – see Picture Below).   Remember when Steve Jobs could not join the busy wireless network?

iPhone talking to iTunes  (12 sessions alone to 12 servers –  we see this very often with Apple products)

Here’s some things to remember and things we have done to try to run it the OS into the ground -

• Windows 8 can be used without a touchscreen or tablet or mobile device but touchscreens are recommended
• If the software installed in Windows 7, there is a great chance it will run in Windows 8
• Run AutoCAD software or FeatureCAM software (design software)
• If you want to right click without a keyboard, hold down the icon and it will right click
• Manage is in the same place
• The device manager is in the same place
• Create ODBC connections to SQL servers
• Plug in digital cameras and retrieve or edit pictures
• Run SCADA software with Windows 8
• Run robotic software
• Run PLC software
• The control panel is in the same place
• Enhanced search features of applications or native search of your hard drive
• You basically have two OSs…. the mobile OS that has the metro menu and hit the desktop and you are in Windows 8 (so similar to Windows 7, very little learning curve!)
• Install over 90% of your programs on the computer and use it as a mobile computer or attach it to a keyboard, mouse and monitor and ta-da you have a desktop
• Use your company’s network!
• Use your printer!
• Use your usb flashdrive – no special attachments
• Attach NAS (Network Area Storage to Windows 8)
• Join a domain and enforce policies
• Setup users or administrators restrict users and documents and protect your company’s data
• Low cost of upgrading and replacing computers and get a mobile workforce with compatibility
• Attach storage to Windows 8 with your usb (external drives)
• Use Windows Explorer to copy, cut, paste your files!
• Attach cameras to your computer using Windows 8 or wait for a Windows 8 tablet with cameras
• Use multiple monitors (hey we got it working and that makes it even more awesome!)
• Our test computer uses 2 GB of ram and is very very fast (hardware upgrade is not necessary on most computers today)
• Very little programming of applications that have to be multi-platformed
• Use it as a PRODUCTION tool – a true production tool with very little reinvestment or play with applications that are used mostly for entertainment
• Low network profile
• Low training cost and across the board standardize of your applications and documents (don’t worry about converters and application development with production needs)
• Install Freeware and other software  - millions of programs available that worked with Windows 7 or earlier operating systems
• Map a network drive
• Backup to a network drive using Windows backup or freeware
• Backup to a usb device
• Works with Android tablets without adapters
• Everything you are use to…and more

Tobii tracking software will be at CES 2012.   This amazing software and hardware track your eye movement and allow you to use Windows 8 without touching your mouse or screen.  Read their press release.

We recently ordered touchscreen laptops and monitors for our Industrial Maintenance and Computer Information Technology class.   This technology has gotten much more affordable.  With DUO, you can add a small piece of hardware to your monitor(17″ or less), load the software and you have a touch screen that integrates with Windows 7 or Windows 8.  Link

Thanks Kevin!

50 Windows 8 Tips

Here’s our articles on Windows 8.
 

With Windows 8 coming out next year, can mobile computing be controlled by domains?  Part of the security nightmare is the fact that mobile computers cannot be controlled.    Andrew Milam used a domain setup on his computer and how he joined Windows 8 to a domain with a roaming profile.

The steps are the exact same as with any Windows operating system when joining to a domain.  Users would use the desktop icon on the Windows 8 tablet to change into the desktop view of Windows 8.   There the user follows the same steps as they would with Windows 7 when joining a domain.

The above picture shows how Windows 8 has been joined to a Windows domain.

The above screen (right half) shows the PTR record of the Windows 8 tablet as it appears in a DNS record.  The picture to the left is of a Windows 8 roaming desktop on Windows 8.  (This picture also shows how the roaming profile ‘pulled’ the programs and desktop to the desktop of the roaming pc.

The picture to the immediate right shows the folder with the desktop information vs. the information in the left screen.

See our review of Windows 8 and see how you can run 90% of your programs, virtualize other operating systems, use your network and more.

Take a look around and it’s easy to come to the conclusion that Apple’s iPad is what the masses want. After all, nobody’s standing in line overnight to purchase a PlayBook. Next on the list is Android, though only if the price is right (and Amazon’s Kindle Fire is priced right). Where does Windows fit in with all this? Maybe much higher than you think.  Read more (Shared)

 

See our review of Windows 8 and see how you can run 90% of your programs, virtualize other operating systems, use your network and more.

My hopes are that Microsoft is smart enough to keep what they have in Windows 8 when they put it onto tablets.  See our review - Mobile computing makes me crazy – Sanity out of Windows 8 – a review.

Running on a small Dell computer, we were able to install VirtualBox and run Windows 7.  Now imagine if you have a tablet you can go on the run with, use 90% of your programs, install apps, and plug it into your large monitor, keyboard and mouse.   We have been totally impressed with everything so far.   Check out the review but remember, you can also install whatever you want with virtualbox.  Don’t worry about dual booting your tablet.  If Microsoft protects it from dual booting, you’ll still have whatever OS you want on it.  Kudos to Microsoft.

VirtualBox on Windows 8 (Windows 7 loaded)

(Part One)

Androids, iPads, and other devices are not really driving me crazy.  It’s the users who jump on mobile devices and declare it is the best or the not being able to wait – and the security of mobile devices!   Truly we are in the infancy of mobile computing.   I’m not a fanboy of Apple or Microsoft or Android.  I love them all.   Each of the devices are growing and have their flaws.   But honestly, Windows 8 is looking really good.

We are currently beginning to use all of these technologies in the classroom and honestly, Windows 8 is a good pre-beta operating system.  In a tight economy many CIOs are looking at all of the technology available but many are beginning to pay attention to the network ability and compatibility of products that are coming into the work place.

(above) Cody Chandler uses Windows 8 on a 22″ touchscreen.  Although Windows 8 will be made primarily for mobile tablets, when given a choice, students would select Windows 8 over iPads and Androids.   

The metro style of Windows 8 has been criticized but it is no different than android or iPad truly and the advanced features of simply pushing the desktop metro icon sends you into a desktop similar to Windows 7.   Imagine a majority of your programs still working and your network infrastructure remaining in place without Android’s security issues or iPads/iPhone bandwidth issues (running out to iTunes – see Picture Below).   Remember when Steve Jobs could not join the busy wireless network?

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

iPhone talking to iTunes  (12 sessions alone to 12 servers –  we see this very often with Apple products)

Here’s some things to remember and things we have done to try to run it the OS into the ground -

• Windows 8 can be used without a touchscreen or tablet or mobile device but touchscreens are recommended
• If the software installed in Windows 7, there is a great chance it will run in Windows 8
• Run AutoCAD software or FeatureCAM software (design software)
• If you want to right click without a keyboard, hold down the icon and it will right click
• Manage is in the same place
• The device manager is in the same place
• Create ODBC connections to SQL servers
• Plug in digital cameras and retrieve or edit pictures
• Run SCADA software with Windows 8
• Run robotic software
• Run PLC software
• The control panel is in the same place
• Enhanced search features of applications or native search of your hard drive
• You basically have two OSs…. the mobile OS that has the metro menu and hit the desktop and you are in Windows 8 (so similar to Windows 7, very little learning curve!)
• Install over 90% of your programs on the computer and use it as a mobile computer or attach it to a keyboard, mouse and monitor and ta-da you have a desktop
• Use your company’s network!
• Use your printer!
• Use your usb flashdrive – no special attachments
• Attach NAS (Network Area Storage to Windows 8)
• Join a domain and enforce policies
• Setup users or administrators restrict users and documents and protect your company’s data
• Low cost of upgrading and replacing computers and get a mobile workforce with compatibility
• Attach storage to Windows 8 with your usb (external drives)
• Use Windows Explorer to copy, cut, paste your files!
• Attach cameras to your computer using Windows 8 or wait for a Windows 8 tablet with cameras
• Use multiple monitors (hey we got it working and that makes it even more awesome!)
• Our test computer uses 2 GB of ram and is very very fast (hardware upgrade is not necessary on most computers today)
• Very little programming of applications that have to be multi-platformed
• Use it as a PRODUCTION tool – a true production tool with very little reinvestment or play with applications that are used mostly for entertainment
• Low network profile
• Low training cost and across the board standardize of your applications and documents (don’t worry about converters and application development with production needs)
• Install Freeware and other software  - millions of programs available that worked with Windows 7 or earlier operating systems
• Map a network drive
• Backup to a network drive using Windows backup or freeware
• Backup to a usb device
• Works with Android tablets without adapters
• Everything you are use to…and more

Windows 8 is in its pre-beta format. Want to install it to test the operating system?

http://liliputing.com/2011/09/how-to-install-windows-8-using-a-usb-flash-drive.html

The Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows 7 is a collection of games and applications that are made available to computers with multi-touch enabled displays running Windows 7.   Download

After reading all of the negative comments on Windows 8, I too began to believe the media and coverage of how Windows 8 was too little too late.   Working in education, I am exposed to the latest in technology with mobile computing.   Our recent article “Motorola Xoom, iPads, Google Docs and Microsoft Office“ discusses who should be using mobile computing and the insanity of finding applications that are equivalent to programs we use in business and industry.   Mobile computing in its present form is more of a toy that you can check email and end users struggle to find ways (applications or developing applications) to use the devices in a production environment.   (The learn programming in 5 minutes sites and books have been around forever and no you can’t truly create applications in 5 minutes – sounds negative but is the truth.)

Last week we downloaded Windows 8 to a computer with a touch screen to see how tablet computing would be with Windows 8.   The metro menu we could see would be no different than iPad or Android’s application icons.   You HAVE TO VISUALIZE it being on a tablet.    So we decided to experiment.   We laid out an iPad, a Xoom and had Windows 8 available.   Users loved Windows 8.    After they saw they could instantly touch the desktop icon and get a desktop that looked like Windows 7 and Office was available, their network, email and their programs they used on a daily basis,  they asked when it would be available in a tablet form.   When asked if they would prefer it to their iPad or Android, they said yes.

So is this a anti-iPad or anti-Android post.   No- Windows 8 will keep IT from reinventing the wheel and can save users and managers time from developing applications (apps) or finding applications that are truly useful.   The part I like about Windows 8?  The native environment you are working in will remain the same (actually better when Windows 8 tablets are added to the work environment).   We are using iPads throughout or organization along with Xooms.   We love the technology and the use of these tablets have saved time in certain situations.

We will be adding pictures and a how to on Windows 8 over the next week.

Heard of Server 8?

Read Write Web has an excellent series on this new server and how the cloud will be implemented into this OS.

 

Microsoft made no bones about the fact that Windows 8 is designed to give PCs a look and feel that’s more like smartphones and tablets. “We reimagined Windows,” said Steven Sinofsky, president of Microsoft’s Windows unit, during a keynote address at the company’s BUILD conference. And with good reason.

Windows 8 Visual Tour: Microsoft’s New Desktop — InformationWeek.

You cannot effectively protect corporate data and intellectual property. It takes skilled IT professionals to protect your data.

A new survey by DELL Kace revealed 87 percent of companies have employees that use some kind of personal device for work including laptops, smartphones and tablet computers. However, they are unable to effectively protect corporate data and intellectual property as well as ensure compliance.

Read more                90% of employees use personal devices for work .

Windows 8 tablets was recently previewed in its beta form.

Windows 8 Microsoft Event

Sneak Peak into the new OS by Microsoft

Thanks Kevin and Dawn for sharing!