Desktop OS

Dell pledges to be more energy efficient

Paul Mah — Fri, 16 May 2008 08:23:32 -0400

Dell is pledging to reduce the energy consumption of its notebooks and desktops by up to 25 percent. This is to happen within two years, and will be achieved by more energy-efficient circuit designs, fans, and more advanced power-management features. By working with suppliers, Dell also expects to leverage on lower power components in areas such as the chipsets, power supplies, and memories.

In the past, Dell had been criticized for bundling an excessive amount of unnecessary software--or bloatware--onto its systems. It has since announced that most of this pre-installed software will be offered as an option at the point of configuration.

For more on Dell's push to be more power efficient:
- check out the InformationWeek article

ALSO NOTED: Plan 'B' for H-1B visa applicants; Reasons to fire your CIO;

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:59:58 -0400

> Plan 'B' for H-1B visa applicants. Article
> Reasons to fire your CIO. Article
> IT managers must get ready for the cold. Article
> How telecommuting can work for IT. Article
> No one wants to be a CIO. Article
> IBM: email, desktops and phones will disappear. Article

And Finally... Rich parents prefer Google. Article

Sharing desktops

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 06:59:58 -0500

There may be an easy way for CIOs to save money. CrossLoop, a desktop sharing software developer, announced Tuesday that it raised $3 million for its business, which markets software that lets computer users gain access to a colleague's computer. "Our focus is the individual consumer who doesn't have access to a large corporate help desk," CrossLoop CEO Lisa Alderson said. It certainly is a tool that CIOs can use at a small company. Desktop sharing software is becoming more popular with IT professionals. It is an easy way to supply technical support from remote locations, share data and collaborate with others remotely. It means you do not have to fund an IT Help desk in your office. And that surely will save you plenty of money at a time when you are trying to cut costs.

The California company has already logged more than 10 million "help minutes" by at least 300,000 users since the company launched last November. The program is gaining popularity. It's being used in more than 150 countries and is available in 21 languages. It's an idea that is so simple that you have to wonder why no one else thought about it. But it does pose the usual security traps when you open up a desktop to multiple users. That's one reason why the company has a secure, encrypted environment. Will sharing desktops work for your company? We're interested in finding out what you think, and if it is a workable deal for you.

For software technology to share desktops:
- See this Red Herring Article

Microsoft goes to court...again

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 06:59:59 -0400

Meanwhile, Microsoft has some legal problems of its own (again). The software giant is facing a class-action lawsuit alleging that stickers which read "Windows Vista Capable" that were put on some PCs were misleading. One suit claims that Microsoft violated the Consumer Protection Act by affixing these labels without telling consumers they may have to perform upgrades to a "capable" machine in order to run a premium edition of the OS. Meanwhile, another suit alleges that Microsoft unjustly received payment for Windows XP licenses and upgrades from Vista Basic to Vista Premium in a deceptive manner. Late last week, a Washington State judge denied Microsoft's request to dismiss some of the claims. According to Infoworld, the judge is allowing the two plaintiffs' claims to move into the trial phase. The judge did dismiss one claim, which alleged a "breach of contract." The case is scheduled to go to trial on Oct. 8.

For more on the lawsuits brought against Microsoft:
- check out the article in Infoworld

Survey: Virtualization to Impact Desktops and Apps

Sun, 17 Jun 2007 20:01:38 -0400

While virtualization is very popular in the datacenter these days, The 451 Group predicts the next wave of virtualization technology will benefit desktops and applications, leading to greater efficiency and power savings. "By allowing partitioning, emulation and aggregation at every layer of the software stack, virtualization is transforming enterprise IT from the datacenter server farm to the desktop PC, thin client or remote laptop at the enterprise edge," said Rachel Chalmers, senior analyst for enterprise software at The 451 Group and lead author of the report.

For more:
- read the report in Tekrati's article

Taking a chance on white box PCs

Mon, 14 May 2007 20:01:36 -0400

Instead of going with the tried-and-true big guns when it comes time to replace desktops or laptops, consider an independent builder of white boxes. Cost is attractive, as is their more hands-on, service-oriented approach. To avoid getting burned, check the certifications; that is, make sure the PC OEM you're using has Intel, AMD and Microsoft membership or certification. Secondly, make sure your PCs will come with the original Windows installation discs and manuals. If a PC doesn't, you could be getting an unauthorized copy of Windows, which is a big red flag. Third, be sure the dealer tells you exactly which components will be in the systems and who will warrant them. Fourth, make sure the PC dealer is really listening to your needs and concerns, and not just steering you toward what's on hand. Finally, ask for references.

Learn more about buying PCs from a white box builder:
- read the article at Small Business Computing

ALSO NOTED: Digital rights; IT service management frameworks;

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 20:01:38 -0400

> Picking your way through the digital rights minefield. Blog

> Digital Rights Management and online file sharing. Article

> Adopting IT service management frameworks. Article

> Less than 20 percent of organizations have started Windows Vista deployments. Article

> Survey: Most desktops aren't Vista-ready. Article

> Red Hat aims for small and mid-sized businesses. Article

And Finally … The value of a Windows alternative for serious office work. Article

ALSO NOTED: Crafting an effective outsourcing strategy; organizational change wreaks havoc on IT;

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:01:38 -0400

> Crafting an effective outsourcing strategy. Article

> Organizational change wreaks havoc on IT. Article

> Microsoft announces a Dynamics platform strategy. Article

> Despite a failing market for desktop PCs, HP believes its new line of desktops will entice business customers. Article

> Survey: IT managers experience workplace stress. Press release

> Measuring business agility. Blog

> Survey: IT and telecom professionals have more flexibility to work at home than those in other sectors. Article

And Finally… Lessons learned from the CIO of Accenture. Article

PC management relief through virtualization

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 19:01:38 -0500

Keeping track of which users are using which version of which application is enough to give any IT manager a headache. And when you multiply that headache times hundreds or thousands of desktops, it's clearly time to think about a new approach. For some companies, that means virtualizing and streamlining desktop applications. Desktop management moves to the data center, where it costs less, can be done more easily and is more secure. Virtualization isolates the application from the operating system and other applications, while streaming delivers the application to the user. It's virtually transparent to the end user, so help desk calls shouldn't increase. And this way, when the user needs an application--and only then--it can be streamed over the network to the desktop, reducing bandwidth, memory and disk space. Virtualization allows the streamed applications to reside in their own self-contained operating environments, which can help isolate problems like viruses if they do occur.

Learn more about desktop virtualization and streaming:
- read the article at ComputerWorld

Virtualization requires due diligence

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 19:01:38 -0500

As virtualization becomes more entrenched in corporations, especially for disaster recovery and business continuity planning, it will become more available on desktops and in mobile devices. But virtualization also presents clear challenges on the security front. Enterprises must learn how to manage security in a virtualized environment, as well as how to allocate costs. The licensing of proprietary products in a virtualized environment is yet another challenge.

Read more about the impact of virtualization on the enterprise:
- read the article at eWeek