Dear Friends & Visitors:

As most of you know from previous posts at Great Documents, one of my side-hobbies aside from blogging and technology is playing the guitar. In fact, this weekend, at Sam Ash Music Stores, I landed a phenomenal deal on a guitar. I got an Epiphone G-400 for around $300 (US). The list price on the guitar was $660 (US). Amazing? You bet. The recession has really motivated stores like Sam Ash to offer unbeatable prices. So, if you enjoy music in any way and have a Sam Ash store in your area, check it out. You will not be disappointed. There are tremendous deals of all kinds and you will find many items that will sell at 50% of list or recommended retail value. Labor Day is a great weekend to find a bargain (at least here in the domestic USA). For those of you outside the USA, see if you can find a music store that is an affiliate store of a USA music store. Perhaps they can extend the Labor Day sale to your part of the world upon your request.

http://samashmusic.com

Enjoy your weekend,

Keith

Dear Readers and Visitors:

This morning, I finally finished composing a free e-book that describes the basics of a fine utility program that is available as a free download from CNET’s website download dot com, called Advanced System Care v3.6.1. This remarkable program inspects and repairs your computer (desktop, laptop, netbook, etc.) system and works with the very latest in anti-virus, defrag, and other relevant technologies. It is clearly on par with giants like Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Security Essentials. Advanced System Care addresses sensitive issues like privacy, temporary files, and log files, all of which today need to be addressed, lest a spyware program gain new insights into your browsing or confidential information that you thought was safely stored on your local drive. Like AC/DC once sang “watch your back”. So, true, especially in the evolving Internet age.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MY E-BOOK ABOUT ADVANCED SYSTEM CARE v3.6.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ADVANCED SYSTEM CARE 3.6.1 FROM CNET.

Regards and Best Wishes for a relaxing weekend,

Keith

Recently, I was reading my Computer Magazine from the IEEE Society (where I am a member) and there was an advertisement for Google Code University. Amazing? You bet. Google now is featuring this website so that programmers and developers, students, and entrepreneurs can all collaborate, discover, and mutually benefit from sharing code, coding and software design techniques and more.

Collaboration is a powerful tool for learning. Sometimes when you learn alongside with other people, the learning curve is accelerated and you learn faster. That has definitely been my experience over the years. So, for those of you who are game, check it out: Google Code University. This is definitely going to be a challenger for Microsoft’s Code Plex website (Microsoft collaboration website).

Click here to check out Google Code University.

This post is dedicated to Chapter 4 of Joan Lambert’s book Windows 7 Step by Step, published by Microsoft Press. What I would like to discuss in this post is Chapter 4 which tells you about (1) working with Windows, (2) understanding files, folders, and libraries, (3) finding your way around the computer, (4) connecting to a network resource, and (5) finding specific information. These are all very important topics.

First, working with the Windows Operating System (OS) is important because it is designed to be a user-friendly interface to help you find things easily. You can easily size, move, and arrange windows as per your needs. You simply need to learn to use the icons and learn how to point, drag, and click your mouse on the right part of the window you want to manipulate. Essentially, there are two icons located in the top right hand corner of the window that allow for resizing, minimizing and maximizing.

Second, to work with files on your computer, you need to use the Windows Explorer. Go to the Start Menu of your machine and then select the Documents icon (a folder icon). This will display a window that will list, in the left side, all the major ways you can access information on your machine: desktop, downloads, libraries, etc. In the right pane, you will see all the files and sub-directories of the selected access point (for example, your desktop) that fall within that category. You can organize files as per your needs. I like to have my files listed by file type, and not by name.

Third, this chapter will help you to find your way around your computer as you use W7. Instead of selecting Documents from your Start menu, rather, select Computer. This icon will display a window that will show all drives and drive related information. For example, my computer has merely a C drive and a DVD drive. So, this window shows those two components. If you click on either of these components, then you will see further details, like directories and files that are currently accessible via such information access points.

Fourth, this chapter will help you to connect to a network resource. Essentially, you need to learn how to map a network drive. Important steps include selecting “Map a network drive” after selecting Computer from your Start menu. When this window appears, you need to select the correct drive letter and designation and then complete further steps using this wizard. As long as your network resources are correctly set-up then this mapping should turn out successful.

Finally, this chapter will help you to learn how to find specific information on your computer as you become a Windows 7 user. One great utility in this respect is Windows Search. All you need to do is click on your Start Menu and enter the name of a file or directory you wish to find in the text box that appears. You don’t need to enter the complete name. Rather, just enter the elements that you know and Windows 7 will produce a list in a pop-up window that will let you choose the right file or directory you were seeking.

In summary, we are still in the early stages of this book. Nonetheless, important information has been presented and this chapter will definitely help you to feel more at home with Windows 7, especially if you are new to the Microsoft Windows OS

Click here to check out Windows 7 Step by Step
Click here to check out Windows 7, The Pocket Guide

1. In general, a Web Service is any online service delivered from a Web site. Since there are countless applications and services that emanate from the Web, such usage of the term is commonplace in articles from non-IT publications. Although the term may also appear in technical journals to refer to any offering on the Web, the astute journalist avoids such usage because “Web services” has a very specific definition (see #2). This is another example of generic names coined for specific technologies.

2. When mentioned in the plural (“Web services”), the term often refers to an interface for a service oriented architecture (SOA), in which Web-based applications dynamically interact with other Web applications using open standards that include XML running over HTTP, UDDI and SOAP. Such applications typically run behind the scenes, one program “talking to” another (server to server). Microsoft’s .NET and Sun’s Java System (J2EE) are the major development platforms that natively support these standards. See SOA.

Private Implementations
Web services have been initially successful in private environments where large enterprises need to exchange data with their divisions and subsidiaries or with partners and clients. In such controlled situations, agreement on the data being passed between Web service components is more easily obtained. In addition, since Web services use open standards, vendors can supply customers with client side software to add to their applications no matter what the platform.

Public Use
Web services over the public Internet are expected to materialize slowly. Using discovery systems such as UDDI, the goal is to register a service on the Internet, allow an application to search for and find the service and then to seamlessly exchange data with it. If the service is fee based, payment processing could be included. Before global Web services can be put into operation, there must be industry agreement on the functions each service component must provide.

CORBA and DCOM
Web services enable software components to interact with each other around the world. In the past, this has only occasionally been realized within private networks using the industry standard CORBA and Microsoft’s DCOM distributed component platforms. However, because Web services use protocols that are open and easier to implement, they have a better chance of being widely implemented.

The Buzzword
Although the term became the hot buzzword at the turn of the century, Web services still require cooperation and agreement among people to define business transactions and processes. Web services define only the format, transport and interface standards, not the meaning of the data to be exchanged.

Source: The Computer Encyclopedia

CompTIA

(Computing Technology Industry Association, Oakbrook Terrace, IL, www.comptia.org) Formerly ABCD: The Microcomputer Industry Association, it is a membership organization of resellers, distributors manufacturers dedicated to business ethics and professionalism, founded in 1982. It is involved with many issues including product returns, freight and warranty claims and price protection. CompTIA is also well known for its certifications for computer professionals, all of which have a plus sign at the end of their names as outlined in the following list.

Short Name (Full Name) or Field of Coverage
A+ Computer service technician
CDIA+ (Certified Document Imaging Architect)
i-Net+ Internet, intranet, extranet skills
Network+ Network support and administration
Server+ Industry Standard Server Architecture
Linux+ Linux OS proficiency
IT Project+ IT project management
e-Biz+ E-Business concepts and technologies
CTT+ (Certified Technical Trainer)
Security+ Security specialist
HTI+ (Home Technology Integrator)

Compliments of The Computer Desktop Encyclopedia

In the same way that a waterfall survives many hundreds of years, just like the image above, so “the waterfall process” of software development survives generations of software development and technological change. Essentially, in my fifteen years of software development experience, there are four “tiers” which a software program much pass on its journey to the market (like water falling over a falls into the river below). First, there is the level of “business analysis”. Here, an application is created with an emphasis on its utility and how the customer is going to use it. Once this is completed, architects and programmers create the code that enables the business model to come to life within the parameters of the technology at hand. It could be a desktop or laptop computer. It could be a web service. It could be a Wikipedia. It could be an iPhone application. Next, once coding is finished (no pun intended, really), then Quality Assurance makes sure the application lives up to its initial business goals and objectives and that it really works from both the interface and internal logic aspects. Finally, Technical Writers like myself write the User Guide and any necessary Training Presentations to help users get the most out of the program. Today, there is a big push toward processes like Agile and Scrum, but let us remember that no matter the generation, basic laws of development apply. Even though we have Google today, still, if you venture to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, you will see nature unchanged and waterfalls that have been there for centuries. The Waterfall method of turning an idea into a market product is a timeless methodology. That is why I say that Waterfall = True. Regardless of whether you have a Toyota Yaris or a BMW, you have four tires, a motor, and a vehicle that abides by the same laws of motion. The same holds true with software development

Today’s Technical Daily Word (Term): Hardware Profile

Definition: Settings that define a specific configuration of peripherals and drivers. Multiple profiles let you set up more than one hardware configuration, which is commonly done when a laptop also serves as a desktop computer. The desktop profile activates one set of peripherals, the laptop profile another. A separate hardware profile is also used as a last resort when an application conflicts with one of the drivers that is routinely loaded. A special profile is created that boots the computer without the problem driver so the application can run. In order to run the rest of the programs, the machine must be rebooted with the regular profile.

Source: The Computer Desktop Encyclopedia

Documentation is always considered important by organizations. At the same time, few people enjoy spending time to actually create meaningful and helpful documentation. Our world today is on the move. However, like the age-old expression goes “haste makes waste”, the very same holds true for documentation. There are many people creating, developing, testing, and implementing systems of all kinds. Yet, the glue that holds developers, testers, business analysts, users, and investors is the documentation. So, as a Technical Writer, I encourage everyone in the business word to adopt these four simple words into their everyday vocabulary “make time for documentation”. To create a product and have erroneous or no documentation makes no sense. It is like going on a long trip and not making sure you have ample brake fluid, oil, gasoline, and other vital liquids for your car. Take care of your car, right? So, do the same for your product or service. Spend some time verifying your documentation. You just might discover something important in this process of review. You might even discover ways to better your product and/or service and realize just how documentation has kept you in the game

For those of you who are always trying to improve your technical vocabulary, there is a website that I recommend. It is PC Magazine’s website. Specifically, visit their own encyclopedia. It is quite impressive.

Here is the URL.

http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/

Wishing everyone in the USA a restful and relaxing Memorial Day Weekend.

Regards,

Keith