Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Windows 10. Should You Upgrade and When?

Update: 
As I was completing this blog, I received a newsletter addressing the new (and ever changing) Microsoft licensing as it applies to Windows 10. Microsoft's licensing structure has always been very confusing to me. For their OS, they have so many levels and versions, and so many caveats that it takes an expert to even fake understanding it. The "free release" of Windows 10 makes it even more confusing! See, when you buy a computer with a Microsoft operating system (OS) on it, you don't really own the operating system. You purchase a license to use the OS. So, it is not your property (except in certain cases which most people would never use). In addition, when you upgrade your computer (such as adding a new hard drive) you have to call Microsoft and get your license renewed or it will not function properly. If your computer dies and you buy a new one without an operating system, you CAN NOT use the OS on your old, crashed computer to install on the new one (unless you have a full retail version of the OS only). All of this licensing mumbo jumbo applies to the current crop of Microsoft operating systems.
So, what does that have to do with Windows 10? Well, the free upgrade of Windows 10 just adds another layer of complexity and confusion to an already convoluted method of keeping track of your license to use a product from Microsoft! 
After reading the newsletter (written by an expert on the subject), it is clear as mud. So why did I include this update? Just to let you know that even if your Windows 10 upgrade goes smooth and works properly you could run into issues later on down the line. 
What kind of problems? Consider the following:

  • You upgrade your computers hardware and have to re-activate your license.
  • Your computer crashes and your have it rebuilt, requiring re-activation.
  • You have to reinstall the operating system (this could be a nightmare)
I want everyone to be forewarned that issues could come up later if something goes wrong and you need to make repairs (either hardware and/or software) to your computer that has been upgraded to Windows 10. 

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By now, most of you have heard that Microsoft has released a new operating system called Windows 10. Many of you have even noticed the "Upgrade to Windows 10 For Free" icon in the system tray. I thought I would address this latest release from Microsoft and give you a few tips on how to upgread, when to upgrade and how to prepare to upgrade.

First, Microsoft has been working furiously on Windows 10 in order to get it released as soon as possible. Why? Because Windows 8/8.1 was the worst operating system Microsoft has ever released! Period, end of story! Even Windows Vista was head and shoulders above 8 (and that's saying a lot). They knew they had to come up with something better and they had to do it quickly. So after all the firings, hirings and restructuring at Microsoft, they got busy on Windows 10.
So, why is Windows 10 free? A few reasons: They really messed up on Windows 8/8.1. They figured they better do whatever they could to retain and/or reel back in their loyal customer base. Plus, technology is changing and Microsoft finds itself in a peculiar position. They are making huge changes to their business model in order to compete.

Enough history. Now, Should you upgrade to Windows 10 and if so, when and how? The answer to this question is, yes you should upgrade especially if you are running Windows 8/8.1.
But, not so fast! You have until June 30th, 2016 to upgrade. So, here is what you should be doing to prepare for and complete the upgrade process.

First, you should wait. You don't want to upgrade the minute a product comes out. Especially if you are running Windows 7 (a perfectly capable and stable operating system). You should give Microsoft a few months to release updates and bug fixes before upgrading. No need being bug testers for Microsoft. Let them shake out the problems then you can proceed with the upgrade.
Windows 8 users should upgrade first. Let's face it, you are the ones in the most pain and need some relief. If you are running Windows 7, I wouldn't be in a hurry to upgrade. Give Microsoft enough time to sufficiently release updates, bug fixes and drivers.

When you get to the point that you feel it is time to upgrade, you want to go over a few things to make the process as painless as possible. Here is what I would suggest before attempting the upgrade process:

  • Make sure you have a good backup (or two) of your data. It never hurts to assure you have all of your files successfully stored on an external hard drive or DVD.
  • After making a good backup, it would be a good idea to delete any unused file on your system. As long as you have a backup and you no longer use the files, no need to keep them around.
  • Uninstall any software you aren't using. This is a good tip for any user, but especially if you are going to be upgrading.
  • Complete all of your Windows Updates.
  • Do a thorough virus/malware scan of your system.
  • Turn on system restore and create a good restore point.
  • Make sure you have plenty of hard drive space.
  • Make sure you have your Windows 7/8 product key available (just in case).
  • Do your research on Windows 10 first!
  • Now, read some more (it won't hurt)!
  • You might want to download the installation media just in case!
When you start the upgrade process, allow enough uninterrupted time for the process to complete. As a note, I wouldn't start the upgrade at any point when you think you might how power interruptions (weather related). It is never a good thing to lose power while doing any kind of upgrade and/or update. So, if you see a huge thunderstorm churning in the distant, find something else to do!

After you have completed the upgrade process and you boot up the computer and log in for the first time, you need to take time to do an initial check of your system. Everything could run smooth and you might not have any problems. Some issues might not surface for several days or weeks. However, check the following to insure your base system is functioning properly:

  • Open Windows Explorer and check that you can successfully navigate all of your file system. Go to "My Documents" & "My Pictures" and check to see if all of your files are intact. If you have external drives attached to your system, check them as well.
  • Check to see if your printer is still recognized. If so, try to print a document. 
  • Open your most frequently used applications to insure they work properly.
  • Insert a USB thumb drive to see if you can access it properly.
  • If you transfer photos from a camera (or a smartphone) to your computer, try the process with some test photos to see if the process works properly.
  • If you have multiple accounts on your computer, try logging in to each one. 
  • Run Windows update.
At this point, if everything is working properly and without any weird glitches, I would say you have a successful upgrade! But, don't be surprised if you experience some weirdness down the road. Especially with hardware drivers. When a major OS is released, it takes a while for the drivers to be updated, so you just have to deal with it. Just make sure you stay current on your Windows Updates! It is also possible to have some issues with older software as well.

I'm sure some people will think all of this reading and planning is overkill. It might be, but I would rather be prepared and have a successful upgrade that a half-hearted effort with questionable results. Poor planning is usually just asking for problems.

I must mention upgrading from Windows 7. There is really no technical need to upgrade if you are running Windows 7. Windows 7 is probably one of the best operating system Microsoft has ever produced. The only real reasons to consider upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10 are:

  1. Microsoft is offering you a FREE operating system!
  2. Each Microsoft OS has a lifecycle. Windows 7 is good until January 14 2020. Windows 10 lifecycle ends on October 14, 2025. So (on paper at least) upgrading buys you 5 extra years.
Let's be honest about the above information. Do you really intend to keep your computer for FIVE MORE YEARS????????????? Really? Plus, in the case of Windows 10, you are looking at 10 more years. Looking at either set of numbers, it really doesn't make sense to upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10. HOWEVER, Microsoft has made their move. Windows 10 is soon to be the latest of their operating systems. That kinda forces the end user to switch. Sure, you can keep Windows 7 and it will continue to work fine, and you will continue to get updates. But, you won't be running the latest and greatest. You will soon only see mentions of Windows 10 when referencing a Microsoft OS. So you might as well upgrade. Besides, most people will be buying another computer before these licences expire.

Remember, Microsoft released Windows 10 to replace the poor excuse of an operating system called Windows 8! Windows 7 doesn't need to be "fixed".  

In closing, don't get nervous and worry that you are going to miss the boat. Give Microsoft a little time to get the bugs ironed out, then start the upgrade procedure.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Portable Apps! Apps on the go.

This portable apps post is focused exclusively on apps for the Windows operating system.

Apps. What are apps? Well, apps is the new buzzword in technology for applications. Nothing new, we have had applications since the first script was written on a mainframe computer. Yes, apps (or applications) have come a long way, and apps are available for everything from a desktop computer to a smart phone. In technology today, the focus is on apps that you install on your smart phone or tablet. But this blog is about portable apps.

So, what are portable apps? Portable apps are applications that you run on a conventional computer (desktop or laptop). What is so unique about portable apps? The fact that you don't have to install them to run them! See, with conventional applications, you have to go through the install process, that while installing the application to your computers hard drive and setting program variables, also makes a number of changes to your system registry and operating system. Over time, this will cause a computer to run slower and overall cause a degree of "bloat" on your computer. With a portable app, no changes are made to your computer. The application is totally self-contained.

I know what you are thinking; "what's the big deal about a portable app"? Well beyond the fact that you don't have to go through an installation process, you have several advantages to traditional applications. Let's look at one scenario. In your job, you travel a lot. you use a web browser to check on emails, do research and other tasks such as calendar entries. You have access to computers in the places you visit (such as schools) but you don't want to use their browser. You could have a portable web browser on your usb drive and use it instead. What are the advantages of using a portable web browser? You can configure the portable web browser with all your bookmarks, extensions and settings. You can also be assured that all of your passwords, cookies, history, settings and cached browsing files remain on your USB drive and not on the client computer that you are using. Another advantage is you get to choose the specific browser you want to use as opposed to what is installed on the computer you are using. Another advantage of using portable apps is, you can setup and try software out on your computer without actually doing a full installation. That way, if you do not like the program, you can just delete the app and no harm is done to your computer.

Just because I used a web browser in the above example, don't think that is all portable apps has to offer. Recently, I counted 343 portable apps listed for download on their web site! The apps are listed under the following categories: Accessibility, Development, Education, Games, Graphics & Pictures, Internet, Music & Video, Office, Security and Utilities.

I'm sure that some of you are still wondering how to use portable apps, or how they would be beneficial to anyone. Think of it this way: you are working on a project that requires you to have access to a web browser, a word processor, an FTP client, an HTML editor, and a photo editor. You are working on this project in several locations on several computers. You could install all of the apps you need from the portable apps web page onto a USB drive and copy all of your data on the drive as well. At this point, you now have all you need on your USB drive to do your work on-the-go! All you need is a computer. You don't have to worry if the computer has all of the applications you need. They are all on your USB drive.

So, how does one actually configure a USB drive so you can use portable apps? First, get a good USB drive with plenty of space. On the USB drive, create a folder named "portableapps". Then go to the portable apps web site and download the apps that you want to use. Then, navigate to the folder that contains your portable apps downloads. Double-click on the "installer". When the installer opens, one of the prompts you will receive is: where to extract your app to. Choose the portableapps folder on your USB drive. Keep in mind that there is no installation process, in the sense of a traditional installation. What the installer does is extract the files to the destination folder. Remember, these apps are totally stand-alone, meaning, they do not need to install anything to the host computer or make any changes to the registry of configuration files. That is the important thing to remember with portable apps.

You also have the option of placing your portable apps into a DropBox folder. Your apps will run just fine from DropBox (as long as your host computer is running a version of Microsoft Windows). Portable apps can also be setup on an external hard drive or network drive. You can also download the PortableApps Platform, which is a total solution for portable apps and includes a menu system for your portable drive. They also have a good support page to help you out with any issues you may have. Although portable apps are directed toward the Microsoft Windows crowd, you can run them on a MAC and Linux with a little work.

Portable apps are a great resource for the tech savvy user. Take a few minutes and head over to the PortableApps website and check out their offerings. Find an app you would like to try out, download it and give it a whirl!

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Avoiding "Junkware"

"Third Party Software Offers", this is a never ending fight that most computer users aren't even aware of. They are not aware of it until they have problems with their computer and have to call their trusty computer geek to "fix" their PC. You might not be aware of it either, but in this blog entry, we are going to discuss Third Party Software Offers and how to avoid them.

What exactly are "Third Party Software Offers"? OK, follow me on this, it could get long.

Ask Toolbar installer
Java's "Ask Toolbar" Installer

Everyone uses free software of one type or another. Java, Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash Player, Skype plus a score of other packages. One way these software distributors generate income is to add, somewhere in the installation process, an option for you to install "other software" during the normal installation process. This software is usually something like the "Ask Toolbar", "McAfee Security Scan Plus" and many others. You probably have some of this junk on your computer right now. By default, this unwanted software is selected to install. So, if you do a standard install, without "deselecting" these options, this software WILL be installed on your computer. The image to the right shows how the Java Update Installer inserts the additional installation of the "Ask Toolbar" during the normal installation process. When updating Java, most people fly right by this screen leaving the "Ask Toolbar" installer option checked. If you simply click "Next" without first deselecting "Install the Ask Toolbar and make Ask my default search provider" then the installer will install the Ask toolbar AND make Ask.com your default search engine.

Another installer that comes to mind is the Adobe Flash installer:
Adobe Flash Installer with McAfee Security Scan Installed embedded
Most people will need the Adobe Flash Player installed on their computer. What you don't need is the "McAfee Security Scan Plus" installed. Not only is this a bad idea, it could actually interfere with your current antivirus software. Without user intervention, The McAfee Security Scan Plus will be installed with this version of Adobe Flash Player. You have to deselect the McAfee install option. 

The above are a couple of the many examples of installers that have optional "Third Party Software" installer built-in. The following examples are web sites that can cause the casual user to click where they shouldn't and get in trouble before you know it.

Many times when searching for web sites hosting free software, you will find yourself on a site that is very hard to navigate and doesn't have clear instructions on downloading the software you were intending to download. The following image shows just how confusing it can be:

I did a Google search for "Malwarebytes Anti-malware" a great program that does wonders on computers that have malware installed. They have a free version for personal use. The image above does have a download for Malwarebytes, however, look at the deception built into the site. You can clearly see three deceptive download prompts that are rather large and will certainly cause confusion. You see where I circled the actual download URL in blue. Even though this site contains a download for Malwarebytes, I would not download from this site. I want to be sure I have the safest version of software available. 
Now, look at the image below. I did a google search for "Malwarebytes Antimalware". As you can see, I get many hits, however the first two are from web sites that I personally wouldn't trust. Why would I when the third hit is the actual Malwarebytes website, https://www.malwarebytes.org. 


As you can see (if you take time to actually examine the search results) the third hit is the actual Malwarebytes site. This would be the proper site to visit and download the software. I'm not saying the first two hits are bad sites, however, why visit these sites when you can go straight to the source? 

In light of the above examples, what is a non-geek, casual computer user to do? 

  • If you think you need a certain software package or browser plugin, ask your tech specialist. They probably know just what you are looking for or they can do the research and find a safe alternative. 
  • Go to the source. When searching for software, do a little research and find out who distributes the software you are looking for. I did a google search for "malwarebytes anti-malware information" and found a wikipedia hit and several results from university tech sites. These sites had links to the original Malwarebytes download site.
  • When doing an installation, never do a default install. Use the custom install if available. That way, you can deselect and default third party software options.
  • Take your time and read each page of an installation. If unsure, cancel the installation. Be sure of what you are installing. 
So in review:
Beware of fake download buttons. Never click on a download link that you are not absolutely sure of. Go to the source for free software downloads. I'm not saying you can't download software from a site that has fake download buttons (since most sites have them) just be sure of what you are clicking. Be alert during the installation routine. Carefully read each page. Some of the installation instructions are very sneaky and worded to trick you. Any time you see an option for a "custom install" or "Advanced options" click on it and make sure additional installations aren't selected by default.

Last but not least, make sure you absolutely need the software BEFORE you install it. Many times people think they need a certain piece of software and, without giving it serious consideration, install it "just to try it out". Bad move! If you are that curious about software, maybe you need a test computer or a "virtual computer" with the express purpose of testing software on. 

If you think you have inadvertently installed junkware on your computer, put a plan together to get it uninstalled ASAP!

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Technology........

Disclaimer: Much of what is displayed on this blog contains a little (or a lot) of my opinion. I try to be objective. I refrain from pointing fingers, however, I will take the opportunity to express my concern and challenges in matters of education and technology. Teachers, Technology Directors, Administrators, I feel your pain. I hear about it all the time. I see both sides. The following post is my honest opinion concerning real, useful technology implementation in our school systems. It didn't get this way overnight (well, it almost did), and it is going to take some time, and the attention of a lot of people before it changes. I hope I see the change in my lifetime.

This could very easily turn into a rambling concerning technology, however, I will attempt to make this a productive post. I suppose my best hope is that this post is thought provoking. Hopefully it will encourage people (that work with technology) to take an honest look at how they use technology in their job. I also hope it encourages technology users to ask some important questions (and hopefully get honest answers). Such as:

  • Is technology actually helping me in my job?
  • Am I using technology correctly?
  • Am I using technology just for the sake of "using technology"?
  • Am I "in charge" or am I a "slave" to technology?
  • Do I take time to understand what I am actually doing?
  • Am I using the correct tools for the job?

I have had the opportunity to see literally hundreds, if not thousands, of people use (or attempt to use) technology going all the way back to the early '80's. This includes everyone from attorneys, paralegals, military personnel, support personnel, medical staff, regular office personnel (group 1), and educators (group 2). Without a doubt, the most interesting of these has been the educator. I have a few theories as to why the educators have been, and continue to be, the most interesting technology users. Before I get into an explanation of my theory of why educators excel in the coveted position I place them in, we need to examine why those other groups DO NOT fall into the same category.

Group One Category
Generally, people that fall in the group 1 category learn specific skills pertaining to specific software applications that are directly related to their job. It might be a spreadsheet that they have to populate on a regular basis, or a database that list products, services, or inventory items. It could also be a publishing program to create flyers, programs, or handouts. A very popular software application is a word processor. In a general office environment, it goes without saying that you have basic word processing skills, many companies require a certain WPM level. So, in working with these specific applications, they use the basic skills to perform their job duties. In most instances, they learn their basic skills from a co-worker (or the retiring person they are replacing), from their boss, or in some cases they take a short class to learn the basic skills.  As time goes on, they become even more familiar with these applications, and with familiarity they become more proficient. They might even buy a book or take a class on this application because a large portion of their job depends on it. Rarely do they stray from the instructions given them from their trainer, that is, until they need to do something new that they weren't taught. At that point, they will try to figure out how to perform the new function, many times by asking friends and/or coworkers. The truly industrious ones will seek an answer on a forum or by using a general Google search. But generally speaking, these people (group 1) learn and execute tasks that are a part of their everyday job, and they do so repeatedly every day. The applications, entries and associated peripherals do not change often, which is a good thing, because these people do not like change and do not have time for change.

Group Two Category
This takes us to the group 2 category, the educator. For the most part, the educators we are referencing are teachers. This category does not include most central office employees, since they would fall in the group 1 category. Let's take a moment to define a teachers profession. In the most basic terms, they have the primary responsibility of teaching/educating youth. For (hopefully) twelve years students are molded by the work and efforts of the teacher. Teachers go to school to receive training for their respective courses and are equipped with textbooks specifically created for these courses. In my day, the ingredients for education included:
  • A teacher
  • A classroom
  • Students
  • Pencil and paper
  • Textbooks
  • A chalkboard
You take these ingredients, mix them together and you have education. Now, granted, I wasn't thrilled about going to school, but I will admit that it really wasn't that bad. I was a solid B student without really trying, and I did retain a good bit of what I was taught. The one BIG thing I learned in school was "the desire to learn". I always wanted to learn new stuff! I still do. The educational foundation that I was subjected to was what I needed to continue to learn to this day. About the only thing that actually changed in the above mentioned ingredients were a dry-erase board, a calculator (for advanced math) and an occasional film (reel-to-reel) or overhead projector. But for the most part, it was the above ingredients that consisted of many people's educational needs.

Enter Technology! Although computers started showing up in the late '70's through the early '80's (mostly used by hobbyist, business and colleges), we really didn't see technology seriously hit public schools until the '90's. These dates are generalizations. You can certainly find exceptions to the above dates. By the mid '90's the new "thing" in education was TECHNOLOGY! A push was made to put computers in schools, and in many instances in the classroom. Some schools even had a technology lab. This was a slow process that is still evolving today. At first it was a computer with some educational software or a typing tutor. As time went on, more hardware and software was introduced to the educational world. Literally hundreds of specialized software packages have been created for education. And just as many hardware devices have be manufactured as well. Hundreds of companies were created just to address educational technology. I have seen many "fads" come and go throughout the years. And that is part of the problem. It seems that in education we jump at every little shiny thing that is dangled in front of us.

OK, so we have technology deeply entrenched in education. So why are educators different from other technology users? Good question!

(This next section is strictly my opinion. It is based on years of being around educators, teaching technology courses, assisting educational consultants in their quest to help teachers and helping many, many educators utilize technology in their environment.)

In the race to introduce technology in education, we left out one important ingredient: proper training! There, I said it. I have been saying it for years, but now it is official. We have yet to address consistent, proper education. Sure, there has been various training for educators and application courses are available, but a good, solid training foundation has never been made available to our teachers. Even when we had a big push to train teachers in technology, we forgot the foundation. It was (and still is) assumed that they understood the basics.

Even with the fact that many of these teachers do not have a solid technology foundation, they actually do a good job utilizing technology in their curriculum. They put in the time to figure out stuff, they research and actually use the technology. I always wonder how much better these people would be if they had the proper training and a firm technology foundation to build on.

What do I mean by proper training? Every time I have a training session with teachers, I always mention file maintenance, file extensions and proper procedures for working with your files. It is unfortunate that I have to take time to do this, but in order for the participants to understand the subject matter, I need to go over it to some extent. The majority of the times, the participants have never heard of file maintenance. They do not understand that technology is built around files. Everything pertaining to computers and the Internet is dependent on files. A blog is a compilation of files (data). A podcast is a file (audio). A web page is a collection of files. All of these files have two defining components: a filename and an extension. The extension allows the file to be associated with an application so you can easily edit and/or use the file. For instance, an audio file might have an extension of "mp3" or "wav". Without these extensions, your computer (or device) would not know how to deal with these files. This is just one example of the type of training that I feel is missing from our educators resources. It's really a struggle to be truly proficient and confident working with technology without this training!

Another example that I see all too often that is a result of bad training is, users saving files on their devices desktop. This is a no-no! We should never do this, however people have not been trained to "not do it" or given the reason why.

OK, I believe I stated my case on the importance of proper training. BUT there is another problem that has plagued our educators since the introduction of technology in education. Here is the way I see it:

Teachers have been bombarded with "the latest, greatest" software applications or devices from day one! But they have never been given time or training to properly implement these wonderful tools. Before they have time to fully comprehend this software or hardware, someone hits them with another product that is the end all, be all of educational technology. Think back over the last twenty years at all of the products (both hardware and software) that has been introduced to school systems. It's enough to make you dizzy! Now, consider that all of these products have been heaved on users without the proper training in the first place. I would also ask you to keep in mind that these lofty expectations have been placed on folks who have a primary responsibility to actually educate our children. So, we want you to educate your students, while integrating all of this wonderful technology into the lesson plan, while conforming to State/Federal standards! Really?

I almost feel guilty adding this, but while all of the above is going on, we are neglecting proper technology training for our students. Every student in the United States, should have proper technology training before graduating. This training should include more that just keyboarding. They will be expected to utilize technology in today's workforce, so why shouldn't they be properly trained? Now, for the person that would offer the argument that everyone will not enter the conventional workforce, I would offer this rebuttal; even in the arts, you are surrounded by technology. Photography is now a digital environment, which requires a digital camera, a computer (for file maintenance), and a web presence to display your work. In many bands today, you find people using computers to create digital files of music scores. This digital sheet music is displayed on a tablet device instead of a conventional music book containing printed charts. Technology is a part of our everyday life.

The above statements are only addressing issues with technology. We won't even go into all of the ever-changing state and federal initiatives that educators are expected to comply with on top of everything else.

Whew, I realize that I might have jumped up on the soapbox a little. I also realize that this has been a concern of mine ever since I stepped into the educational world, and that I have been harping on it since I saw the stark contrast from the business/military world. But we are dealing with something very, very important. The education of our children, our future. Do overs are hard to come by in our life. We should be doing it right the first time. We shouldn't be expecting teachers to use technology in education by the seat of their pants. I realize we are caught in a vicious cycle and it is going to be difficult to stop the cycle and address the issues. It must be addressed.
The longer we ignore it, the worse it will get!