Testing

Prototypes are useless unless you test them. This is not rocket science. People like Jakob Nielsen and Steve Krug support so-called “discount usability testing,” which is cheap and fast and yields valuable insight into your design decisions. You will use this information as the basis of another iteration of sketching, prototyping and testing. Do this at least until major issues have been fixed. We all know that software projects are tight on time and budget, so to be more efficient, test early and test often.

One of the best resources for discount usability testing is a new book by Steve Krug, “Rocket Surgery Made Easy.” Pick up a copy and read it.


Snapshot of usability testing for Delicious, by (nz)dave.

Further reading:

■Why You Only Need to Test with 5 Users
■Usability Testing Demystified
■The Myth of Usability Testing

The next step in the process is to create prototypes that will simulate the real application. A prototype can contain one or more features (or all of them), but it actually does nothing. It merely simulates the behavior of a real application, and users will feel that they are actually doing something. Prototypes may contain some functionality if needed (such as complex calculations).

Because the nature of a prototype done in HTML is temporary—its purpose, after all, is to test ideas—don’t bother with the code; just make it work with minimal bugs. You will throw it away anyway. You can also use specialized prototyping software such as Axure. Some people even prototype in PowerPoint.


An Axure interactive prototype for an e-commerce website, by e-maujean.

Further reading and tools for prototyping:

■5 Useful Online Tools for Web Design Planning and Prototyping
■A Practitioner’s Guide to Prototyping: A book from Rosenfeld Media
■16 Design Tools for Prototyping and Wireframing

Sketching

Sketching is a powerful way to explore ideas. The goal is to arrive at the solution by sketching out different concepts. Most sketches will be thrown out, but that is okay. As Bill Buxton says in his “Sketching User Experience” book, sketches are fast to create and easy to dispose of, which is why they are so powerful.

Are sketches the same as wireframes? Well, the differences can be blurry, but I would say no. Wireframes don’t capture rough ideas but rather develop them. Read a fantastic discussion on IxDA: Sketching Before the Wireframes.

Once you get the “right” sketches, or at least the ones that you think are right, you can create more detailed wireframes or go straight to creating interactive prototypes.


Sketch by Jason Robb.

Interesting reading on sketching and wireframing:

■35 Excellent Wireframing Resources
■Tools for Sketching User Experiences
■20 Steps to Better Wireframing

Design Process

You can follow one of any number of processes in designing the user interface. You might already have one. However, I would suggest that you consider the Agile approach. Why, you ask? Well, because for users (and clients), the user interface is the product. The bottom line is that they don’t care about your sketches or about fantastic back ends or powerful servers. All they want to see is the user interface.

So, how does Agile help? It helps through its key principle: the iterative approach. Each iteration consists of all of the phases defined by your process. This means that at the end of the first iteration, you will have a product that can be tested, a prototype.

How to Identify Users?

Identifying users can be done using several techniques, such as user interviews, business stakeholder interviews and and the “shadowing” method of observation. Interviews can give you answers to questions about the users’ knowledge of the system and computers in general, while shadowing can yield more detailed information about how users perform tasks and what errors they make. The method is called shadowing because the observer is like a shadow, watching and noting the steps a user takes.

If you don’t have access to real users—either because you don’t have permission or are designing for open application—you can use personas, a tool to help identify users. Personas are a representation of real users, including their habits, goals and motivation. Because certain information about users is often identified through business analysis, you can make use of it to create personas. If you are not familiar with the tool, a comic by Brad Colbow will help.



Task analysis helps identify what tasks users perform in their jobs, how they do them, how long they take and what errors they make. Sometimes clients will be using an old version of the application that you are designing to replace. Make use of that old system and watch how users use it. Understanding their tasks and challenges will be easier that way.

Regardless of who your users are, one thing is certain: in most cases, you will have to consider both novices and experts. Novice users should be enabled to learn as fast as possible, while expert users should be enabled to perform their tasks extremely efficiently. This may mean creating separate interfaces. But in many cases you will be able to accommodate both types of users in the same interface through various techniques, such as progressive disclosure.

Such research is usually done by business analysts. But if no one else is responsible for it, you should do it. Once you have the necessary information, you can begin with design.

First, Know Your Users

You’ve probably heard this a thousand times, and for good reason. A successful user interface focuses on users and their tasks. This is key, and too many developers have failed to create a good user experience. As Steve Krug said, “Developers like complexity; they enjoy discovering how something works.”
When identifying your users, keep in mind that clients are not users, and you are not a user. Although a client’s management team will usually be interested in the project and try to influence decisions, remember that they won’t be sitting in front of the computer several hours a day (unless the application is specifically for them).

Different Types of Web Applications

Business applications range in type from invoicing for freelancers to content management systems to document management systems to banking and financial systems.

We can distinguish between open and closed applications. Open systems are online applications that are easily accessible to anyone who opens an account. Users can access such applications via the Web and can open an account for free or by paying a fee. Closed systems (or line-of-business applications) are usually not accessible outside the company that uses it, and they can be considered “offline” applications (though many systems expose their functionality to business partners via either services or specialized interfaces). Such systems usually run on the company’s local network and are available only to employees.

I don’t know who coined it, but one term I like especially is weblication, which describes what a Web application is in general. This doesn’t mean, though that a Web application is a half-website half-application hybrid. It is far more complex that that.

Different Types of Web Applications

Business applications range in type from invoicing for freelancers to content management systems to document management systems to banking and financial systems.

We can distinguish between open and closed applications. Open systems are online applications that are easily accessible to anyone who opens an account. Users can access such applications via the Web and can open an account for free or by paying a fee. Closed systems (or line-of-business applications) are usually not accessible outside the company that uses it, and they can be considered “offline” applications (though many systems expose their functionality to business partners via either services or specialized interfaces). Such systems usually run on the company’s local network and are available only to employees.

I don’t know who coined it, but one term I like especially is weblication, which describes what a Web application is in general. This doesn’t mean, though that a Web application is a half-website half-application hybrid. It is far more complex that that.

Websites vs. Web Applications

Confusing Web applications and websites is easy, as is confusing user interface design and website design. But they are different both in essence and in so many other ways, which we’ll explore in this article.

A website is a collection of pages consisting mostly of static content, images and video, with limited interactive functionality (i.e. except for the contact form and search functionality). The primary role of a website is to inform. Some websites use content management systems to render dynamic content, but their nature is still informational.


CampaignMonitor is powerful email marketing software, while Jeff Sarimento’s website is intended to inform readers about his life and work.

Web applications, on the other hand, are dynamic, interactive systems that help businesses perform business critical tasks and that increase and measure their productivity. Thus, the primary role of a Web application is to perform a function that serves the user’s tasks and according to defined business rules.

Web applications require a higher level of involvement and knowledge of the system on the part of the user. They don’t just stumble upon the application, do their work and bounce off. They use it as a tool to perform critical business tasks in their daily work. In the end, they cannot easily discontinue using the application and switch to another if they don’t like how it’s working, as is the case with websites

PC Repair Using The Tools Supplied With Windows

When your pc goes wrong it is usually time to pay someone to fix it, or call in a big favour from your favourite computer geek of a friend. Sometimes though it's not always necessary to fall back on these two alternatives to repair your pc. There are an abundance of tools supplied with Windows, or for free download which you may be able to use to fix your own pc.The first thing to realise before you start looking into fixing your own pc, is that most of the time it's a software fault, and not very often hardware related, so don't break out the hammer and chisel to open up the case just yet. It's time to stop, and consider when the fault first manifested itself. Had you just installed some new software or updates to your existing software? Have you downloaded a new Internet Explorer plugin or did anything request permission to install itself while you were surfing? Have you updated a device driver or installed some new hardware?

If the answer to these questions is "Why Yes, what harm could that possibly do?" then it could be that the culprit is a conflict with the new program or update. If so, then you could try using the software's uninstall link, or the "Add/Remove Programs" section in the Control Panel (Control Panel is linked from your start menu usually). If this doesn't work, you can always bring out the big gun, and use the "System Restore" utility. This can be found in the Start > Accessories > System Tools folder. This can be extremely scary the first time you use it with all kinds of warnings and texts to read, but basically it will roll back your computer to one of the previous dates it has stored. It doesn't delete documents or emails, just removes any software installed after the date you're going to reset to.

Sometimes your pc won't even get as far as Windows, but you can always try the "Safe Mode" (if it is setup). As your pc is starting up, keep tapping the "F8" key and you should get to a screen where you can select a variety of startup methods. Ignore all but the "Start In Safe Mode" option, and select the appropriate number for it and press "Enter". This stops a lot of unimportant stuff from loading up and may just allow you to get into Windows to use one of the options above (uninstall or System Restore). In this mode however you will not have access to many of your usual services, such as networks, or internet connections, and you may also find your soundcard drivers won't be loaded so you get no sound. Don't panic, this is normal, and after you reboot from Safe Mode to normal mode your peripherals should all return to normal.

A majority of the pc repairs I have carried out in my capacity as geeky friend have been as simple as using the tools and techniques above. There are also plenty of other tools hiding inside Windows menus, which can be used to help you repair your own PC. Like the ones above they can seem intimidating the first time, but they are quite safe to use, and rarely cause a problem. Just don't tell my friends about these tools, I like the feeling of superiority when I can fix their pc's with just a few clicks of the keyboard and mouse.

About The Author:
Douglas Titchmarsh tackles pc problems for friends, and maintains a PC repair related blog at http://www.douglastitchmarsh.com/PCPROBLEMS.blog and recommends PC Safety 101 ebook at http://www.thediscountebookstore.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=42

How to Keep Technology Costs Down

For many business owners, technology spending represents a good portion of the yearly budget. In the startup phase in particular, tech costs can balloon as you acquire new equipment and systems to get your fledgling business off the ground.

However, there are a few tips you can follow to keep tech costs
down and safely contained within a small business budget.

First off, figure out what technologies you really need and how advanced they should be. The technologies you invest in should satisfy core business requirements; they should add value to your business and give you a return on your investment, even if it's an intangible return such as customer satisfaction.

Next, you'll want to research what products and services are available within your budget. Cast your net far and wide by talking to a trusted IT consultant and different product manufacturers, as well as conducting your own research online. The more information you have about the technology, the more options you'll have available.

A knowledgeable IT consultant can be your biggest ally. If they know your business, they can often pinpoint what you need or recommend a variety of solutions to choose from. If you do not already have a consultant, be sure to check out How to Choose an IT Consultant.

Technology acquisition is rarely as straightforward as buying electronics or other equipment because of the supplemental costs such as system design, installation, and maintenance and support.

Before purchasing, you will want to calculate the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) to ensure that you stay within budget, and try to plan for upgrades and additional features so these costs don't come as a surprise down the line. Sometimes calculating the TCO can be complicated, so once again, you may want to ask your IT consultant for help.

If it's hardware you're after, determine if you need the equipment new or if you can get it used. You can often find quality used laptops at a fraction of the cost of new ones, for example. But if you decide to buy the equipment used, make sure you get it from a reputable vendor and ask about warranties and support.

If you are buying new equipment, most large vendors offer a range of products and services aimed at small business customers, with more moderate price points and a variety of financing options.

One of these options is leasing, which gives you the advantages of no upfront costs and a fixed monthly fee. Make sure to calculate the total cost of the lease before you sign a contract, however, because you could be paying more for the equipment over the period of the lease than if you purchased it outright.

If you are buying multiple products from one vendor, you can also try to negotiate a bundled rate. Vendors are more open to negotiation than you would think, so ask for a discount and see what happens.

Free trials offer you another opportunity to save cash. Software and services companies sometimes offer 30 or 60-day trials, and if you like the product, you can negotiate a discount when you sign up.

Some technologies have a higher upfront cost but will save you money in the long run, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). VoIP can save businesses thousands of dollars a year in long distance calls and other communications, so don't overlook the advantages of paying for cutting-edge technologies with a long-term payoff.

Finally, you may want to consider outsourcing or signing up for managed services that offer a fixed monthly cost. With sufficient planning and research you can keep tech costs down and your business up and running.

Be sure to read How to Develop a Technology Investment Strategy for helpful advice on how to implement a strategy that aligns with the specific goals of your organization.

How To Speed Up Windows XP

The default install of Windows XP includes features and processes most users don't need. If you're involved in gaming or multimedia, and you can't afford a top-of-the-range PC, here are a few tips to get the most out of your machine.For beginner users:

1. Go to: Start > Control Panel > Display > Settings.
Select: Resolution 800 x 600 pixels and Colour Quality Medium (16 bit).
Click: Apply.
What it does: Reduces system overhead. Less work for your CPU.

2. Go to: Start.
Right click: My Computer.
Select: Properties > 'Advanced' tab > Performance > 'Settings' button > 'Visual effects' tab.
Select: Adjust for best performance.
Click: Apply.
What it does: Removes unimportant cosmetic effects, thereby reducing system overhead.

3. Go to: Start.
Right click: My Computer.
Select: Properties > 'Advanced' tab > Performance > 'Settings' button > 'Advanced' tab.
Select: Processor scheduling > Programs.
Select: Memory usage > Programs.
Click: Apply.
What it does: Prioritises _your_ programs over those that XP _thinks_ are important.

4. Go to: Start > Control Panel > Display > Themes.
Select: Windows Classic.
Click: Apply.
What it does: Cleans up the desktop.

5. Go to: Start > Control Panel > Display > Desktop.
Select: Background - None.
Click: Apply.
What it does: Cleans up the desktop.

6. Go to: Start > Control Panel > Display > Appearance.
Select: Windows Classic Style.
Click: Apply.
What it does: Cleans up the desktop.

For Medium Users:

7. Go to: Start
Right click: My Computer.
Select: Properties > 'Automatic Updates' tab.
Select: Turn off automatic updates.
Click: Apply.
What it does: Stops Microsoft messing with your computer at inconvenient times. You can re-enable this when _you_ feel like an update.

8. Go to: Start > Run.
Type: msconfig
Select: 'Startup' tab.
Action: Untick all boxes, except those you are certain you need to start when XP boots up.
Click: Apply.
What it does: Stops programs starting when XP does. Frees up system resources.

For Advanced users:

9. Run your favourite program.
Click these buttons on your keyboard simultaneously: ctrl + alt + del (Control + Alt + Delete).
Click: 'Processes' tab.
Right click: The process of your favourite program.
Select: Set priority > Realtime.
What it does: Diverts CPU resources to the selected program.

10. Go to: Start > Run.
Type: services.msc
Right click: Any service you are sure you won't need, like 'Automatic Updates', 'Help and Support' or 'Indexing Services'.
Select: Properties > 'General' tab > Startup type > 'Manual' or 'Disabled'.
Click: Apply.

What it does: Stops processes starting when XP does. Frees up system resources.
Warning: Change one setting here a day. Reboot your system after each one. Run your most popular programs. If they're running normally, try disabling another service the next day. This is to make sure you don't turn off something important. If you're not sure, leave them alone.

Related programs:

Tune XP http://www.driverheaven.net/dforce/
This is freeware and simple to use.

X-Setup Pro http://www.x-setup.net/
This has a 30 day trial, and is for more advanced users.

Enjoy!

About The Author:
T. O' Donnell ( http://www.tigertom.com/secured-loans-uk.shtml ) is a credit broker and curmudgeon living in London, UK.

Align Technology Investments with Concrete Business Needs

So you've taken your passion and made it into a business. You anticipated the hard work, the budgeting, the marketing, and the sales; but what you didn't expect was to be thrown into the deep end of buying and managing technology. You are not alone. Many small business owners find that to be competitive they have to quickly come up to speed as to how technology affects their business. These days even small business owners need to be tech savvy. That doesn't necessarily mean that you have to become an expert, but you do have to know how to match technology spending to your core business needs.

As the Internet boom and bust of the late '90s showed us, technology is not a silver bullet. It must be managed like a business, with clearly defined costs, benefits, and objectives.

Start by thinking about what your company needs to run smoothly, serve its customers, and support its staff. What are your core business needs and what are your problem areas? Then ask yourself if technology can be used to address any of these needs, solve any of these problems, or perhaps make a marked improvement in the development of the business.

Here are a few questions that can help you decide whether a technology investment aligns with key business objectives:

•Will the technology satisfy customer relationships by providing support, communication, or product delivery functions?
•Will the technology help you manage the value of your business by protecting your intellectual property, supporting your staff, or improving the quality of your product?
•Will the technology investment help you meet planned growth objectives?
It is a mistake to look at the technology first and then try to apply it to your business. By first asking these types of questions, your company's organization, goals, and purpose will head your search. From there you can research what technologies support your requirements.

Once you've identified your core business needs, it's time to prioritize. Make a list of the most critical needs and determine if they can or should be solved through technology.

Do a cost/benefit analysis of each potential project before heading further down the investment path. Will the benefits produce an incremental improvement in your business, or will they be substantial? How much is that improvement worth vis-à-vis money, employee productivity, customer satisfaction, and other key business benchmarks? Who will manage the technology and do you have the necessary support structure to handle it?

It's always a good idea to look around and see how other companies in your industry have used technology to address their similar problems. There's no need to reinvent the wheel; you can learn a great deal from those who have already successfully tackled these dilemmas.

While surveying how other companies are using technology to solve business problems, keep in mind that each business is unique. You want to make an investment that is appropriate to your specific business and budget.

Develop your own IT strategy and be able to justify the investment by showing how it will help you meet core business objectives. Finally, make sure you understand the requirements of the solution before you sign off on a project.

Once you've made the investment, continue to track the technology to ensure that it aligns with your current objectives.

While technology has certainly transformed the way in which we do business, apply it like a medicine rather than a cure-all. Identify your company’s specific needs and pain points before prescribing a remedy. Just as taking the wrong medicine can sometimes hurt you, so can applying the wrong technology.

For more information on managing your IT investments, read Who Should Manage Your Company’s IT Investment? and Match Your Technology Goals to Your Company's Future Strategy

Developing Software by the 15% Rule

Writing software on a consulting basis can often be a losing proposition for developers or clients or both. There are too many things that can go wrong, and that ultimately translates into loss of time and money. The “15% rule” we’ve come up with is intended to create a win-win situation for both parties (or at least make it fair for everyone). Clients generally get what they want, and development shops make a fair profit. It’s not a perfect solution, but so far it seems to be working for us.

This may come as a surprise to some, but we make very little money selling software licenses. The vast majority of our revenue comes through consulting services–writing code for hire. Having now done this for several years, we’ve learned some hard lessons. On a few projects the lessons were so hard we actually lost money.

A few months ago I put together somewhat of a manifesto-type document intended to address the difficulties we’ve faced in developing software for clients. I’m pleased to say that it’s made a noticeable difference so far for us. My hope is that this blog entry will be read by others who develop software on a consulting basis, so that they can learn these lessons the easy way rather than the way we learned them.

What follows in this article is a summary of one of the main principles we now follow in developing software–the 15% rule. If you’d like, you’re welcome to read the full “Our Approach to Software Development” document.

For the impatient, the 15% rule goes like this…

Before undertaking a development project we create a statement of work (which acts as a contract and a specification) that outlines what we’ll do, how many hours it will require, and how much it will cost the client. As part of the contract we commit to invest up to the amount of time outlined in the document plus 15%. That is, if the statement of work says that the project will take us 100 hours to complete, we’ll spend up to 115 hours (but no more). As to where-fores and why-tos on how this works, read on.

Those that have developed software for hire know that the end product almost never ends up exactly as the client had pictured. There are invariably tweaks that will need to be made (that may or may not have been discussed up front) in order to get the thing to at least resemble what the client has in mind. And, yes, this can happen even if you spend hours upon hours fine tuning the specification to reflect the client’s wishes. Additionally, technical issues can crop up that weren’t anticipated by the programming team. In theory, the better the programming team the less likely this should be, but it doesn’t always end up that way (Microsoft’s Vista operating system is a sterling example). These two factors, among others, equate to the risk that is inherent in the project. Something isn’t going to go right, and that will almost always mean someone pays or loses more money than originally anticipated. The question is, who should be responsible to account for those extra dollars?

Up until relatively recently, we would shoulder almost all of the risk in our projects. If the app didn’t do what the client had in mind, or if unforeseen technical issues cropped up, it generally came out of our pockets. For the most part it wasn’t a huge problem, but always seemed to have at least some effect (the extreme cases obviously being when we lost money on a project).

This seems kind of unfair, doesn’t it? The risk inherent to the project isn’t necessarily the fault of either party. It’s just there. We didn’t put it there, and neither did the client. As such, it shouldn’t be the case that one party shoulders it all. That’s where the 15% rule comes in.

The 15% rule allows both parties to share the risk. By following this rule, we’re acknowledging that something probably won’t go as either party intended, so we need a buffer to handle the stuff that spills over. By capping it at a specific amount, though, we’re also ensuring that the buffer isn’t so big that it devours the profits of the developers.

For the most part, the clients with whom we’ve used the 15% rule are just fine with it. It is a pretty reasonable arrangement, after all. We have had the occasional party that squirms and wiggles about it, but, in the end, they’ve gone along with it and I think everyone has benefited as a result.

Todd Wilson is the owner of http://www.screen-scraper.com, a small software development firm focused on web data extraction.

Synchronize Outlook Contacts Automatically For The Entire Office

If there is one thing that frustrates small business owners, it is ineffective contact management. There is a way to handle the process of updating existing contacts, the addition of new contacts, and the deletion of inactive contacts. We are all mobile these days with our laptop and PDA serving as extensions of our office. So how do we add a new contact to our PDA in the morning and distribute that new contact to other office members by the next morning? Better still, how can we correct a contact and have the correction distributed in a timely manner? Here's how.
We must establish from this point onward that Outlook or Outlook Express with it's notorious MAPI (messaging application programming interface) is here to stay. For the foreseeable future the desktop mail application will be some form of Outlook. Outlook is certainly the connection of choice for CRM applications such as ACT and Goldmine because they know all to well that Outlook is established as a foundation in small business software.

Contacts are just one folder and record type in the Outlook database. The Outlook database file also contains calendar records which are tough to keep up with as well. Everyone who has owned a PDA in the last 10 years has become familiar with the synchronization process. So it should be no surprise that the task of keeping all the contact lists and calendars the same involves synchronization of one sort or another.

The unavoidable problem is that the database file (.pst) for Outlook allows one user at a time. Two different Outlook programs cannot connect to outlook.pst where all the data is at the same time. This is by design and will never change, at least as far as I can tell. So what to do? The first step is to select a third party synchronizing program that will open two databases (.pst files) at the same time and copy data between them. We use SynchPST from Wisco products www.SynchPST.com. We can follow the authors step by step instructions to set up automated synchronization between two .pst files.

Step one is to master the automated synchronization from one PC to another. Keep in mind that PDA’a have a sync to Outlook function already, we are simply going to fit that into the scheme.

Step two, we select a location for our master .pst file. This location can be anywhere on your LAN that is easy to get to. If you’re a little unsure about navigating your LAN and file sharing, here is a great link to clear up the lingering doubts http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304040/. After we have selected a location for the master .pst file and we have shared the file correctly so that anyone and everyone who needs access can get to it, we must create a empty .pst or database file from with Outlook.

Note here: Outlook Express does not use .pst files. We must use Outlook. Outlook can create a .pst file in a couple of different ways depending on the version of Outlook you have. If you have not created a .pst file before, look at this link and go from there http://support.microsoft.com/kb/829971/. The idea here is to create a blank .pst file with two different folder types inside it. One folder type is a contact folder. Another folder type is a calendar folder. The folder names have to match in the case of SynchPST however your selected sync software may operate differently.

The last step is to schedule some synchronizations to occur. The time you select here is important because the synchronizations cannot occur at the same time. If the master .pst file is in use the synchronization will fail. Here is my layout diagramed below. I called my master file common.pst. The default Outlook .pst file is outlook.pst

The synchronization has to go in both directions. That is if there is a new record in common.pst it has to migrate to the desktops. If there is a new record in one of the desktops it has to migrate to common.pst on the server. A server is not required here. Any PC will do, even if it is the same as on of the desktops. The PDA’s have their own sync software which is quite capable of synchronizing in two directions.

About The Author:
Kris VanHemert, Technologist and Engineer for over 20 years. Former I.T. Director and Systems Integrator. Currently a business owner providing I.T. consulting and services in the greater Atlanta metro area. email: kris@harmonycomputing.com web: http://www.harmonycomputing.com

Software Product Documentation

The ideal software would be free of errors and so easy to use that everybody would be familiar with it the minute they start the application. However, this is not the case in real life.

Besides the quality of the software product, there’s something else that makes or breaks the deal: technical support. The better the support software publishers and shareware authors provide, the more users are likely to buy the product.

Technical support for software products can be provided in several ways:
online product documentation
e-mail assistance
access to support forums maintained by software publishers
knowledge bases.
Good documentation may exclude in many cases the need for further forms of technical support. It is, however, not easy to write. One of the reasons why this happens is that it is difficult for shareware authors or other software developers to put themselves into the users’ shoes, since they are already thoroughly familiar with the application.

Read Me file

The first thing every software product should have is a text format "Read Me" file that includes the following:

Product Name and Version
Ship date
Company and Author Name
Description (like "photo organizer")
A What’s New list (this should be a list of fixes and new features)
System requirements (hardware like CPU, RAM, disk space, operating systems supported)
Price, payment options and instructions
Copyright and distribution information (rules for people who want to distribute your product)
Contact details (email, phone, fax website and postal address)
The "Read Me" file is important because everybody that might be interested in your product is expecting it, including reviewers, users, or people who want to put your product on a CD for distribution with a magazine or on their website. The idea here is to minimize frustration associated with the information being too difficult to find, therefore you should put all in one place.

The Manual

The other thing shareware authors and software publishers need to provide with their product is the manual. The first thing you should think about when starting to write it is how your users are going to use it. Few are those that will bother reading it all before attempting to use your product. They are more likely to turn to it later, when they try to do something and cannot figure out how to do it, or when they find something they do not understand.

To help them, it is best to organize your documentation by tasks. "How to…" sections are more useful than merely documenting every command in order. Explanations are easier to understand if they are backed by pictures and diagrams, wherever possible. There should also be a chapter labeled "Troubleshooting", which provides answers to the most common problems. At first you will have to guess where those problems may occur, but a couple of upgrades to your product later, the feedback from the people who tried the product will tell you what the most common problems are. The manual should be broken down into chapters, the first of which telling what the other chapters contain, so that people could readily find what they need.

The interface

Another point worth mentionning is the interface. User friendly is not enough, the interface needs to be navigatable even if the user does not have an overall systems understanding, so screens need to be self-describing.

Online help or online documentation

There is also online help, or online documentation. The documentation put on the website for users to read has to show up in search results. It has to be organized in such a way that users, who are sure to be asking questions like "How can I…" or "Why can't I…" can find the answers quickly. Lots of examples showing how to do various tasks with the software product are also needed. A good idea is to include links to a glossary of terms that might be more difficult to understand.

Always bear in mind that anyone who has had a bad experience with a product tends to remember it for a long time and software is no different. That is why you should strive to make using your product as smooth an experience as possible, something proper support and documentation can help you achieve.

Read full article. Copyright © 2006, www.avangate.com all rights reserved.
This article may be reproduced in a website, e-zine, CD-ROM, book, magazine, etc. so long as the above information is included in full, including the link back to this website.

A Common Misconception About Object-Oriented Programming

I’ve seen it time and again. A computer programmer proudly proclaims, “Yeah, my code is object-oriented. See? My data members are all private, and they can only be reached through public member functions. That’s what being object-oriented is all about.” I’ve even heard this kind of drivel come from the mouths of Computer Science graduates—people who have presumably studied object-orientation in the classroom, or who would have had ample opportunity to educate themselves.

Scholars may quibble about the fine points of object orientation; however, one thing is for certain: merely having private data and public functions does not constitute a proper object-oriented design. Rather, proper object orientation entails much more.

One of the most basic elements is information hiding. This means that objects should only present the information that needs to be seen; that is, it should present a coherent and well-selected interface of functions—one that does not betray the data contents and internal workings of the class. In other words, the manner in which the functions are implemented remains hidden from the user, allowing the developer to alter the implementation as needed. (Some also refer to this as “encapsulation,” whereas others state that encapsulation is merely a means for hiding information. I lean toward the latter view; however, for the purposes of this article, this distinction is unimportant. Suffice to say that information hiding is a key element of object-oriented design.)

When a programmer declares that his code is object-oriented by virtue of having private data and public functions, he is placing the cart before the proverbial horse. Using private data and public functions is merely a means of achieving information hiding; it is not a goal in itself. For example, consider a design in which every single data member has corresponding “get” and “set” accessors (e.g. a data member “x” would have matching “getx()” and “setx()” functions). In this example, information is poorly hidden, since the choice of functions (indeed, their very names!) betrays the manner in which the data has been implemented.

Inheritance is another key element; that is, specific classes are to be derived from more general ones. Inheritance is a means of implementing abstraction; that is, it allows the user to identify objects with common characteristics, and which should therefore use common code (or at the very least, common interfaces). This is part and parcel of thinking in terms of objects, as opposed to thinking primarily in terms of functions and procedures.

Yet another key characteristic is polymorphism, which allows a descendant object to override its parent’s member functions. With polymorphism, a descendent object does not have to respond to a message exactly as its ancestor does; rather, it can have its own implementation. Note that the descendant objects do not have to override these functions; rather, they should simply be allowed to do so, as needed.There is much more that can be said about the nature of object orientation; indeed, scholars often contend over its precise definition and its principal ideas. Whatever the case though, the point remains: merely keeping private data and a set of public functions does not constitute an object-oriented design—not in any meaningful sense of the term.

About the author:

V. Berba Velasco Jr., Ph.D. is a senior electrical and software engineer at Cellular Technology Ltd, a biotech company that provides ELISPOT analysers, human PBMCs and serum-free cell culture media.

Agilent Technologies Offers Industry's First Automatic IBIS-AMI Model Generation Capability in an ESL Design Flow

SANTA CLARA, Calif Agilent Technologies Inc. ( NYSE: A ) today announced that its SystemVue Electronic System-Level (ESL) design software, version 2010.07, will automatically generate IBIS Algorithmic Modeling Interface (IBIS-AMI) models.SerDes) transceivers, was created to enable fast, statistically significant analysis of high-speed digital chip-to-chip links. For the first time, IC manufacturers will be able to automatically generate IBIS-AMI models for their chips as a natural outcome of an ESL workflow.

'IC vendors are adopting IBIS-AMI models because unlike proprietary encrypted models, IBIS-AMI models are 'write once, run anywhere' and therefore avoid duplication of effort,' said Colin Warwick, signal integrity application manager with Agilent's EEsof EDA organization.

Since the IBIS-AMI models are compatible with statistical channel simulators, they allow customers to create ultra low BER contours in seconds, rather than the days or weeks it would take with a netlist model. The drawback used to be that AMI models were hard to create. With SystemVue 2010.07, models are compiled directly and automatically from the exact same ESL model used to specify the original implementation.

'The ability to generate AMI models in SystemVue without having to hand-code in C is an exciting prospect,' said Manuel Luschas, signal integrity manager, Netlogic Microsystems. 'Even more compelling is that we can now quickly explore the SerDes design space at the algorithmic level in an ESL design flow. Previously, we would have had to do such exploration at the implementation level where revisions are painfully slow.'

High-speed digital chip I/O pins are increasingly making use of sophisticated signal-processing techniques (e.g., pre-emphasis, adaptive equalization and clock-data recovery phase-locked-loops). This technique helps to mitigate impairments due to chip-to-chip connection. To use the new I/O capabilities to their fullest extent, signal integrity engineers require accurate models of the IC that can be used for system simulation in their EDA tools. The models act like an 'executable datasheet' for the IC.

Design and verification of chips with high-speed digital SerDes transceivers is one of the applications that will benefit from Agilent's SystemVue IBIS-AMI model generation capability. SerDes transceivers are found in almost all consumer and enterprise digital products produced today, from laptop computers and data center servers to telecommunication switching centers and Internet routers. The timely availability of the SystemVue generated models will help manufacturers of these products arrive at an optimum design through rapid and complete exploration of the design space. Unlike proprietary channel simulators offered by some IC vendors, EDA tools like Agilent's Advanced Design System allow 'mix and match' modeling, for example, a transmitter from one IC vendor and a receiver from another.
Agilent's SystemVue is a leading EDA environment for ESL design. For a free information package on SystemVue in AMI applications, visit www.agilent.com/find/eesof-ami-model-gen or contact your local Agilent representative.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

Agilent's SystemVue 2010.07 with AMI Modeling Toolkit will be available as a customized solution in the third quarter of 2010. Contact your local representative for pricing. A high-resolution image of Agilent's SystemVue is available at www.agilent.com/find/SystemVue2010_W1714_AMI_Generator_images .

About Agilent EEsof EDA Software

Agilent EEsof EDA is the leading supplier of electronic design automation software for microwave, RF, high-frequency, high-speed digital, RF system, electronic system level, circuit, 3-D electromagnetic, physical design and device-modeling applications. More information is available at www.agilent.com/find/eesof .

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. ( NYSE: A ) is the world's premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, electronics and communications. The company's 19,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenues of $ 4.5 billion in fiscal 2009. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com

The Upcoming Battle for Your Desktop: Microsoft Vs Google (Part 1)

While the great majority of the community waits and waits for the latest version of Windows (Windows Vista) to be released, there is a group of people that have their eyes set on another information giant: Google. You may now ask yourself: What is it that brings these two huge companies together? Or, how are these two companies related? Well, it so happens that, according to various sources on the Internet, Google would be preparing itself to give Redmond its biggest blow yet on their battle for the command of information. The logic for this reasoning branches off from the following questions: Why is Microsoft absurdly delaying the launch of its new operating system? and What has happened with Google since Window XP was launched?

Regarding our first question, we can say that Microsoft has provided us with new operating systems practically every two or three years since Win95 was released. Launched in 1995, Win95 unleashed a revolution in PCs by introducing us to a graphic world of buttons, Windows, folders, files, etc. Praised by its greater compatibility and improvements, it was basically the product of the moment that would allow us to connect to Internet in an easier fashion and also make use of the new “plug and play” devices. With the new Millennium came Windows 2000, which without any doubt was one of the first really good operating systems, much more stable and user friendly. Windows ME also made its appearance, however, due to its insignificance we will not further analyze it. Well into 2002 and 2003, Windows XP was introduced into the market. This version is clearly a very powerful operating system, it has greater stability and combines the best of Windows 2000 with a great ability for running games, total compatibility with plug and play devices and an enhanced graphic interface. In between each new release we have had the famous “services Packs”, “seconds Editions”, etc etc etc… and since the release of XP we have heard first of “Longhorn” and then of “Vista”…however, it is only now that the Beta versions have come out and everything points out to the commercial version coming up by the end of 2006 or early in 2007. That would make it 4 or 5 years from the previous version that was released. The reason for this: Windows Vista will set forth a revolution that goes far beyond our imagination, where there will no longer be room for the concept of files and folders, being replaced by something completely innovative, intuitive and more “human”.

What has Google been doing all of this time? Well, after providing us with most effective and simple search engine, it came out with the highest capacity email accounts. After that came the famous “Google Toolbar”, with more tools to help improve our searches on the Internet, followed by Google Earth and the Google pack which came with everything an average user would need in a computer: Photo utilities, messenger with Google Talk, Firefox (navigator), Ad-Aware, Adobe Reader and even a special version of Norton Antivirus. They also released Google Desktop, which is basically like having a smaller scale Google, but for our computers. An enormous amount of widgets for various functions were also released together with these applications: calendar, information, labeling, notepads, etc. Thanks to Ajax’s developments, with Writely, Google even offers us the possibility of accessing a text processor online. Without a doubt, all these applications represent a new style of software commercialization, where no longer do you have to go to a physical store to get it, but either simply download a small application or use it directly from the Internet without having to install anything on your hard drive.

Summarizing, while we find ourselves waiting for Microsoft to release its Windows Vista, Google has been offering all of the common applications any user would need at practically no cost. If Google’s first and primary line of business was oriented towards information search, what is taking it to become a software provider? and what are they pursuing by giving us all of this for free?

We will try to keep you posted on the developments of this battle with a series of more postings. While this happens, all you conspiracy theory fans please drop a couple lines and tell us what you think. (Not Dan Brown though. It is not the church’s fault, however if you feel like giving us your comments, please do so.) Comments made

Mr. Marcelo R. is a Data Recovery engineer at Kepler Data Recovery. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of KDR.

To read more articles from this author or other Data Recovery Engineers please log onto the (http://blog.keplerlabs.com).

Agilent Technologies Offers Industry's First Automatic IBIS-AMI Model Generation Capability in an ESL Design Flow

SANTA CLARA, Calif Agilent Technologies Inc. ( NYSE: A ) today announced that its SystemVue Electronic System-Level (ESL) design software, version 2010.07, will automatically generate IBIS Algorithmic Modeling Interface (IBIS-AMI) models.

IBIS-AMI, a modeling standard for serializer-deserializer (SerDes) transceivers, was created to enable fast, statistically significant analysis of high-speed digital chip-to-chip links. For the first time, IC manufacturers will be able to automatically generate IBIS-AMI models for their chips as a natural outcome of an ESL workflow.

'IC vendors are adopting IBIS-AMI models because unlike proprietary encrypted models, IBIS-AMI models are 'write once, run anywhere' and therefore avoid duplication of effort,' said Colin Warwick, signal integrity application manager with Agilent's EEsof EDA organization.

Since the IBIS-AMI models are compatible with statistical channel simulators, they allow customers to create ultra low BER contours in seconds, rather than the days or weeks it would take with a netlist model. The drawback used to be that AMI models were hard to create. With SystemVue 2010.07, models are compiled directly and automatically from the exact same ESL model used to specify the original implementation.

'The ability to generate AMI models in SystemVue without having to hand-code in C is an exciting prospect,' said Manuel Luschas, signal integrity manager, Netlogic Microsystems. 'Even more compelling is that we can now quickly explore the SerDes design space at the algorithmic level in an ESL design flow. Previously, we would have had to do such exploration at the implementation level where revisions are painfully slow.'

High-speed digital chip I/O pins are increasingly making use of sophisticated signal-processing techniques (e.g., pre-emphasis, adaptive equalization and clock-data recovery phase-locked-loops). This technique helps to mitigate impairments due to chip-to-chip connection. To use the new I/O capabilities to their fullest extent, signal integrity engineers require accurate models of the IC that can be used for system simulation in their EDA tools. The models act like an 'executable datasheet' for the IC.

Design and verification of chips with high-speed digital SerDes transceivers is one of the applications that will benefit from Agilent's SystemVue IBIS-AMI model generation capability. SerDes transceivers are found in almost all consumer and enterprise digital products produced today, from laptop computers and data center servers to telecommunication switching centers and Internet routers. The timely availability of the SystemVue generated models will help manufacturers of these products arrive at an optimum design through rapid and complete exploration of the design space. Unlike proprietary channel simulators offered by some IC vendors, EDA tools like Agilent's Advanced Design System allow 'mix and match' modeling, for example, a transmitter from one IC vendor and a receiver from another.
Agilent's SystemVue is a leading EDA environment for ESL design. For a free information package on SystemVue in AMI applications, visit www.agilent.com/find/eesof-ami-model-gen or contact your local Agilent representative.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

Agilent's SystemVue 2010.07 with AMI Modeling Toolkit will be available as a customized solution in the third quarter of 2010. Contact your local representative for pricing. A high-resolution image of Agilent's SystemVue is available at www.agilent.com/find/SystemVue2010_W1714_AMI_Generator_images .

About Agilent EEsof EDA Software

Agilent EEsof EDA is the leading supplier of electronic design automation software for microwave, RF, high-frequency, high-speed digital, RF system, electronic system level, circuit, 3-D electromagnetic, physical design and device-modeling applications. More information is available at www.agilent.com/find/eesof .

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. ( NYSE: A ) is the world's premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, electronics and communications. The company's 19,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenues of $ 4.5 billion in fiscal 2009. Information about Agilent is available on the Web at www.agilent.com .

The Upcoming Battle for Your Desktop: Microsoft Vs Google (Part 2)

On our first delivery we took a look at what each one of these huge companies (google and Microsoft) are about to launch into the World, setting up the framework for the way in which we will probably relate to technology in the very near future…this time around lets take a further look at one of the parties in question.



What has Microsoft got for us?

Microsoft has consistently delayed the launch of the newest version of its very popular operating system, Windows. Known as Windows Vista, it supposedly comes with an enormous amount of new features and the complexity of its programming make its development very slow.

Loads of documentation is circulating regarding the new features of Windows Vista, however, the three main innovations are WinFx, Indigo and WinFS.

WinFx is the new API destined to replace the current win32, Indigo is a set of Microsoft .NET technologies designed for the creation of connected systems based on web services, and WinFS corresponds to an extension of the NTFS file system which complements it by adding functions and searches typical to data bases. WinFS also provides and API for developers.

Translating all of this into english, we will have a totally rejuvenated operating system and new window, menus and dialogue box designs that will allow us to make them transparent and even display them in 3D. All of this together with a tremendous web integration.

WinFS provides us with a complement to the NTFS files system by adding functions that are typically seen in data bases. This way, a search for information will not only come up with a determined file as a result, we will also be able to obtain additional information that cross references the fields of our search. Now the results on our search will include information from our contact list, emails, text files, notes, etc. Some tasks will even be able to be automated, such as sending a reminder alert by email or as an instant message to a cell phone.

Why is there such interest in the organization, classification and searching of information? Given the enormous sizes of the hard drives that are being launched to the market, and the gigantic amount of information that is produced daily, file management has become harder and harder, specially in work environments with shared information. As a matter of fact, according to an IDC study, those who work with data, spend about 15 to 30% of their time searching for the data they need.

Certainly, Windows Vista should be a revolution in terms of the way in which one relates to the machine. The grouping and management of the information will become a fundamental issue, considering that the enormous amounts of data both in the hard drive and on the net will make it utterly necessary to find a new way to access it, which bottom line is what really matters.

It’s true that Windows Vista offers an incredible amount of possibilities regarding information management, search, indexing and establishment of relationships, in how it interacts with the user and in the way in which it better utilizes the data that is brought up…if you think about it, it is practically the same business that google does when it in some way organizes the information on the Internet…and practically the same thing that it intends to do with its application “google desktop”.

Are we amidst the battle of two giants which will determine who is the “best search”? No doubt, Microsoft expects to revolutionize the interaction with our computers, without forgetting the traditional business model where software distribution is done through direct points of sale, or indirectly through the purchase of new computers that carry the new operating system. Very far from what google is doing by engaging in joint ventures with other companies and distributing its software as part of other software packages or by simply offering free downloads online.

Marcelo R. is a Data Recovery engineer at Kepler Data Recovery. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of KDR.

To read more articles from this author or other Data Recovery Engineers please log onto the (http://blog.keplerlabs.com).

basic software marketing techniques

Do you know everything about software promotion? If you are a web developer that sells software online, here are the basic software marketing methods that will help you boost your sales. Learn about each one, and find the winning combination that will bring you more buyers.

1. Continuous Search Engine Optimization




Maintaining a high ranking in the most important search engines is a never ending struggle, as you need to follow certain rules AND continuously update and optimize your website.
Focus on:

improving your link popularity
adding fresh content
monitoring website results
testing various keywords
spending time in improving the design and the usability of your website.
Unless you turn to professional SEO help, you shouldn't establish your software marketing strategy exclusively on this method. For higher results, combine it with other methods, such as those presented below.

2. Submit your shareware to software download sites and directories

Promote your software by submitting it to as many download sites and directories as possible. Create a good PAD (Portable Application Description) file, as this will ease the entire submission process and webmasters will appreciate it, too.

Pay attention to the traffic you get from these sites and invest time in those who really bring you customers. One of the main advantages of submitting your software to download sites is obtaining more back-links and increased link popularity, which enhance your website's page ranking and position in the main search engines. It is one of the most important software marketing techniques, that also helps you increase your traffic and from that your internet software sales, so don't neglect it. If you find it too time consuming, ask for professional help.

3. Affiliates marketing

There is a vast network of affiliates on the internet. Affiliates are people who will promote and sell your software products from their websites, in return of a small commission for every sale. Why should you try to market software using this method? Because you pay your affiliates on result. The compensation may be made based on a certain value for each visit (Pay per click), registrant (Pay per lead), or a commission for each customer or sale (Pay per Sale), or any combination.

There is a wide range of affiliates and methods of promoting your software products. Choose those who have websites that have been specially designed to sell software products.

4. Pay per Click campaigns

Important search engines place ads near search results in return of a small amount. It is called pay per click advertising. The idea behind this marketing technique is to bid for relevant "keywords" that bring pertinent results related to the product you're selling, and place your advertisement on the top of the page. The most important players on this market are Google AdWords and Yahoo!Search. The method has its fans but also its fierce opponents, due to the possibility of click fraud.

5. Write newsletters and press releases

A newsletter is an easy way to stay in touch with your clients, prospects and affiliates. The success of an e-mail newsletter distribution system depends on your database: you need to keep it up to date and accurate.
You can target your e-mail campaign to clients and prospects or to affiliates. Concentrate on creating different campaigns for each segment that you target.

Always ask permission to stay in touch with your clients and your affiliates. Let them know what to expect from your newsletters regarding content and frequency and respect the standards that you have established. Keep focused on the substance of the email - make it original and appealing. Offer the chance to unsubscribe from the newsletter in a very visible place.

You can also take advantage of many websites that offer public relation services including free publishing of press releases. Of course you can always choose the classical way and publish your materials regarding product launches or news related to your company, in newspapers or software magazines. Don't overdoit though, because people might get bored with too frequent information and loose interest in your software products.

6. Get involved in online forums and blogs

It is basically free publicity. Invest time in subscribing to forums or discussions groups that deal with software related themes. Be careful though, some administrators might ban you for explicit publicity. So be creative.

Many people visit forums and blogs in search of information. A blog post that deals with the theme under discussion, contains relevant information and is presented in a professional way could be of real interest to the participants.

Give your website's address, the product's name and possibly your PAD file location. Use a signature and not a nickname, and you can also add a slogan related to the software product you want to promote.

7. Write and submit articles

There are many e-zines and online publications on the internet where you can publish software related articles. This is an easy way to get free exposure and consolidate your image as a professional in your domain.

A good article has to look professional. The golden rule is to come up with a catchy headline and pay special attention to the content. Avoid duplicating information found on the internet. Your article must be simple, meaningful and original. Keep a professional tone and avoid self-promotion.

Sign your articles, add your contact information and a copyright note at the end of the editorial. Also include a line with your website's address for those who might be interested in the subject that you presented and would like to find out more about your work.


To successfully market software, you need to find the most suitable combination between these methods. Learn more about each one of them. Keep in mind that every business is different, so you need to be creative and patient until you find the best formula that brings you higher sales.

Read full article.

Copyright © 2006, www.avangate.com all rights reserved. This article was written by a Web Marketing Specialist at Avangate B.V. Avangate is an eCommerce platform for electronic software distribution incorporating an easy to use and secure online payment system plus additional marketing and sales tools.

This article may be reproduced in a website, e-zine, CD-ROM, book, magazine, etc. so long as the above information is included in full, including the link back to this website

Is 3-D Technology Ready for Business?

After all the hype from Avatar and the slew of other films being released in 3-D, it’s hard not to notice the new generation of technology. As with its 1950s era predecessor, today’s 3-D still requires users to wear glasses to get the full experience, but at least gone are the cheap cardboard frames with the red- and blue-colored gels. Instead, the new 3-D technology involves "active shutter" technology that corresponds to the onscreen image, essentially closing half the time to create the stereoscopic effect.

This technology is heading to the home as well, through Blu-ray and even some cable and satellite channels promising original 3-D content. However, to get the true effect you'll need a 3-D-capable TV, connection to the source material, and to have every viewer wearing a pair of those glasses. The jury is still out on whether 3-D viewing in the home will take off for the masses, but the truth is that 3-D -- and simulated 3-D (think first-person shooter video games) -- have been around for a while on the computer and video game front.

The even more interesting question is whether 3-D is really ready to catch on in the business world.

One obvious use for true 3-D would be for architects who can currently use existing technology to present 3-D models for a 2-D monitor. With true 3-D on a monitor, even those requiring active shutter 3-D glasses, users could get a greater sense of depth and take virtual guided tours of houses or buildings, even as the blueprints are being written up.

The same technology holds true for virtually any designer, whether their use be for automobiles, city parks, or just a widget. A 3-D program would seem to be the next step in computer-aided design (CAD) programs, and could make models obsolete, especially if coupled with the state-of-the-art 3-D printers that have hit the market in the past few years.

But here’s where the problem lies and why 3-D might not be quite ready for business. There are plenty of 3-D programs that provide a "good enough" experience with current 2-D monitors. Users can still rotate objects, walk through virtual 3-D buildings, and see the extra dimension. Having the added benefit of something "popping out" at you could, in fact, detract from the experience. The 3-D presentation, at least as people get used to the technology, has the potential to be more impressive than the design. Thus the computer program could outshine an architect's hard work. And for scale models, 3-D printers are starting to fill the void. A single "printout" of the foam-like model can be a lot easier to see and visualize than any object on a screen. Likewise, no matter how a 3-D image looks, it can't be touched.

Here are the five reasons why 3-D might be almost be ready for prime time, but still have a way to go for business.

1.Glasses are required. Currently -- and for the foreseeable future -- to see 3-D you need some form of glasses. These glasses are falling in price, but could still be $100 or more for each pair. Do a large-scale presentation and 3-D becomes expensive.
2.Not all monitors are compatible. Monitors are getting larger, but 3-D is truly a "bigger is better" experience. While 3-D looks impressive on a 52-inch LCD TV, this screen size is too big for most other work applications. That's a whole lot of monitor to be collecting dust when not in use.
3.The learning curve looks more dramatic in 3-D. The key words in CAD are computer-aided design, meaning users still have to work the program. Having to build in true 3-D could literally add a new dimension to the learning curve.
4.Modeling in 3-D is already here. Printing in 3-D isn’t just for science fiction; 3-D printers allow for "printouts" of scale models, which can be touched, held, and viewed in person -- not just on a screen.
5.It could just be a gimmick. Movies in 3-D hit theaters just as TV was catching on (again) in the home, as more people have been getting HDTV at home. In other words, since home TV looks better, are James Cameron and others trying to save the movie theater experience with a gimmick? If that argument holds true, business won't be buying into it.
The final dimension in all this is that 3-D truly has the potential to do a great many things, but just because it can be done doesn't mean it should be -- or at least it doesn't mean it will be a better experience for all.

Why You Should Buy Windows Vista 2

There has been so much talk about Windows Vista but it seems that the house is divided. It seems inevitable for users to move up to a higher operating system but some are simply not willing to concede and surrender XP. If you look closely at the abundant blogs in the internet, many are filled with reasons why not to buy Vista. On the other hand, there can be some good reasons to buy too. Naturally, we all want to be updated and move with the changes in technology. Other than this soon to be mandatory reason however, Vista actually has its charm and potential for usefulness. You should therefore get Vista for some good reasons.
User Interface
The new user interface is not only appealing to the eyes but easier to use and simply pulsating with life. Enhanced navigation includes live thumbnails and flip 3D features as well as various animated effects. Operating system messages are better written, understandable, more positive and more accurate. In many ways, the Vista interface experience has more depth, almost like interacting with a live creature.

Instant Search
Some simply see Vista as possessed with a degree of intuition when it comes to performing searches. The Vista Instant Search is of course faster than previous search function versions. Aside from the speed though, Instant Search is system-wide and can automatically perform its function at the start menu, control panel and Windows Explorer. It will also allow indexing through user determined data and categories.

Multimedia Applications
Any new Vista user will rejoice at the wealth of possibilities with Vista multimedia features. Windows Media Player for example features stacking and media sharing with other computers. Windows Movie Maker and Windows DVD Maker are also wonderful features. The former allows editing HD and DVR-MS videos and DVD burning. The latter supports DVD creation. Photo enthusiasts will also be glad with the new Photo Gallery which will let you manage, organize, edit, print and rate your photo files.

Parental Control
Parents now have an extra reason to give thanks. Now, parents can be away from home and not worry about their kids going over restrictions. With Vista, parents can block specific websites and content based on category or type and can even prevent downloads. Parents can also specify time limits on account use.

Internet Explorer 7
Probably one of the best features of the new Internet Explorer is better privacy and security. With the new technology used in Internet Explorer 7, users can actually be kept secure from websites with doubtful intent. The new Internet Explorer will also stop code from a third party from reaching you.

Meeting Space
Another great reason to buy Windows Vista is because of its peer-to-peer collaboration feature which will let users interact and share with members of a network. Desktops, work and messages can now be easily passed from one member to another.

Windows Defender
If you’ve had some terrible encounters with spyware in the past, then Windows Defender on Vista may be the best answer for you. Aside from scanning for spyware, it will also give you feedback on changes because of spyware.

Increase Your System Performance with a few Basic Windows XP Tweaks

Windows XP is currently the most popular operating system for personal computers and comes in two broad categories--XP Home and XP Pro. XP home is designed for home users who do not need the more heavyweight corporate applications such as a web server but still require a scalable and reliable operating system. While Windows XP runs well out of the box, there are tricks that can be used to optimize your installation. There are great Windows XP tweaks that involve broadband settings, registry entries, and other under utilized components of WinXP.
While this first group of tips can not properly be considered Windows XP tweaks, they are so important that they should be included in any guide that discusses WinXP performance and efficiency. The single most important thing you can do to ensure to WinXP performance is to make sure that your computer is free from viruses, trojans, spyware, and other pieces of software that could serve to slow down or otherwise compromise the functioning of your WinXP computer. The first thing that you should do, particularly if you have an always on broadband connection, is to install a firewall. A firewall locks down the software entry points (called ports) that applications use interact with your computer. Ports are simply numbers that, when combined with your internet protocol (IP) address, specify a single channel of network communication. Some ports should usually be open, such as port 80 which allows web HTTP communication to occur, but others should be locked unless they are needed by a legitimate program. By default, the entire range of ports is open to the world on a WinXP machine. A firewall blocks all unused ports and lets the WinXP user decide which ports to open. WinXP service pack 2 contains a firewall that is on by default. Another member of this class of Windows XP tweaks is to install anti virus and anti spyware software. These programs can clear up the malicious pieces of software that siphon of your WinXP machine's performance.

Once you have implemented the above vital Windows XP tweaks, it is time to look at other performance based steps that you can use. The WinXP registry is a centralized data structure that WinXP programs, including WinXP itself, use to store configuration data. The registry can quickly become crowded and hence more slow to search. Particularly if you remove unused programs that do not uninstall properly, they may leave behind garbage in the registry that can cause registry searches to slow. Since registry searches can occur at any time during program execution (particularly during start up), a clogged WinXP registry can cause the entire system to slow. There are numerous free and share ware programs out there that can help you clean your WinXP registry. It is not advisable to muck around the registry yourself, and always be sure to back up your registry before making any changes.

Another important class of Windows XP tweaks is to keep your hard drive defragmented. Hard drives become fragmented when application programs save different parts of files in different places on your hard drive. For example, in order to maximize available space, WinXP may decide to save part of your file in different places on the hard drive. This means that access time for that file will become slow. Over time, your hard drive can accumulate many such fragmented files and generally become a mess. This can slow your computer down a great deal. Fortunately, it is easy to de-fragment your hard drive using built in WinXP utilities. The process can take a number of hours to complete, so many people choose to de-fragment their hard drive overnight.

Kris Mainieri shows you the best ways to optimize, secure, and maintain your computer absolutely FREE with his up-to-date tweaking tips and click-by-click video tutorials See more at http://www.kmainieri.com

Bentley Announces Availability of V8i (SELECTseries 1) Versions of MXROAD and MXROAD Suite

EXTON, Pa. - Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the leading company dedicated to providing comprehensive software solutions for the infrastructure that sustains our world, today announced the immediate availability of the V8i (SELECTseries 1) versions of Bentley MXROAD and MXROAD Suite - both of which provide advanced string-based modeling that enables the rapid and accurate design of all road types.

These updates continue the evolution of Bentley's proven MX product line by including Bentley's Roadway Designer functionality, which provides innovative 3D parametric modeling tools for resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation projects. The new releases also add a full-featured geospatial information management system - to address the unique and challenging needs of organizations that map, plan, design, build, and operate transportation systems - and are integrated with the ProjectWise collaboration services. ProjectWise provides distributed project teams with improved engineering content management and collaborative workflows that enhance productivity and the quality of deliverables.

Ron Gant, Bentley global marketing director, said, 'Streamlined and intuitive, Roadway Designer offers the most advanced 3D modeling capabilities available in civil engineering for interactive 3D, constraint-driven design with intelligent components. This proven technology empowers civil engineers and designers to control the entire modeling process - visually, graphically, interactively, and dynamically.'

Especially suited to the newest construction technologies, the tools provided by the new versions of MXROAD and MXROAD Suite embrace advanced techniques for automated machine guidance. This lets transportation designers more quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively respond to the constraints and demands of constructing and maintaining roads and bridges.

The updated MXROAD products also include mapping functionality tightly integrated with civil engineering for the creation, maintenance, and analysis of geospatial data. The geospatial data can then be edited with the precise, CAD-level accuracy required for engineering. This means users can easily integrate data from a wide variety of sources into engineering and mapping workflows.

Innovative 3D modeling tools enable users to create and edit extensive 3D spatial models within the engineering design application to support analysis such as shadow, massing, line of sight, disaster mitigation, and wind studies. They also can be used to create complex civil engineering models, while mapping functionality handles attribution and storage of data in DGN or DWG files, or natively in Oracle Spatial
Gant continued, 'This evolution of MXROAD also provides further integration with Bentley's ProjectWise collaboration services. ProjectWise is used to better connect people with information across project teams. When connected by ProjectWise, engineers, architects, and contractors can easily manage, find, share, and visualize CAD and geospatial content, project data, and Microsoft Office documents. ProjectWise capabilities include central engineering content management and local caching servers for fast file access, plotting and publishing servers for reduced distribution costs, and a web server for streamlining access to content.'

The newest versions of MXROAD also extend supported environments to include AutoCAD 2010. In addition, innovative data acquisition, geometry, visualization, drafting functionality, and interface tools further broaden the scope of Bentley's transportation solution.

Gant concluded, 'Bentley's civil engineering software enables project teams to reuse design data during construction, avoiding rework and reducing costs. At the same time, it empowers them to work more efficiently and effectively in collaborative workflows - increasing quality and enhancing profitability - while being more ecologically aware in their design and construction work. Ultimately, this leads to the delivery of intelligent infrastructure that is better performing and more sustainable.'

About Bentley MXROAD and MXROAD Suite

Bentley MXROAD is an advanced, string-based modeling tool that enables the rapid and accurate design of all road types. With MXROAD, users can quickly create design alternatives to achieve the ideal road system. Upon selection of the final design alternative, MXROAD automates much of the design detailing process, saving time and money.

Bentley MXROAD Suite combines all of the functionality of MXROAD with PowerSurvey, an all-in-one, standalone survey solution; MXRENEW, a complementary solution that fits new design onto existing roads for rehabilitation and reconstruction; and MXURBAN, parametric design software for roads in cities and urban areas.

For additional information about MXROAD, visit www.bentley.com/MXROAD . For additional information about MXROAD Suite, visit www.Bentley.com/MXROADsuite . For additional information about ProjectWise, visit www.bentley.com/ProjectWise . For additional information about Bentley Map, visit www.bentley.com/Map .

About Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Bentley is the global leader dedicated to providing architects, engineers, constructors, and owner-operators with comprehensive software solutions for sustaining infrastructure. Founded in 1984, Bentley has nearly 3,000 colleagues in more than 45 countries, $ 500 million in annual revenues, and, since 1999, has invested more than $ 1 billion in research, development, and acquisitions.

For additional information about Bentley, visit www.bentley.com . To view Bentley's May 2010 Annual Report, visit www.bentley.com/annualreport . To subscribe to an RSS feed of Bentley press releases and news alerts, visit www.bentley.com/rss/news . To view a searchable collection of innovative infrastructure projects from the annual Be Inspired Awards, visit www.bentley.com/yearininfrastructure . For information about Be Communities, a professional networking site that enables members of the infrastructure community to connect, communicate, and learn from each other, visit http://communities.bentley.com/ .

Bentley, the 'B' Bentley logo, Be, MXROAD, MXRENEW, SELECT, Bentley Map, and ProjectWise are either registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or one of its direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries. Other brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

[Editorial queries for this story should be sent to newswire@enpublishing.co.uk ]

How to Configure OpenLDAP for the AXIGEN Mail Server

LDAP stands for Lightweight Directory Access Protocol. This protocol is used to access a directory listing. It is being implemented in Web browsers and e-mail programs to enable lookup queries (searches for certain types of information). When compared to other querying architectures such as SQL databases, lookup speed is the major advantage of using LDAP. In large companies, a huge number of requests are made and storing the information in a database becomes a very resource consuming approach. The basic principle behind LDAP is the optimization toward many record reads and few additions or modifications. From an administrator's point of view, LDAP is fairly easy to use as long as the concepts behind the system are understood. It is not the most user-friendly application to use, but the benefits it provides are worth the extra effort.
Why use LDAP?

LDAP can be used along side AXIGEN to provide three functionalities: LDAP Address Directory, User Authentication and Connection Routing. The main benefits this integration entails are less time spent searching for contacts when sending an e-mail, especially within large contact databases, less stress on the server and increased end-user productivity. Authentication is a widely used method of preventing unauthorized access to the mail server. In a mail environment with hundreds or thousands of accounts, a long authentication time can prevent other users from logging onto the system and can thus lead to poor service. When managing several AXIGEN servers, LDAP comes as a means of controlling all authentication processes from a single location.

OpenLDAP (an open source implementation of the LDAP protocol) should be used alongside AXIGEN Mail Server if you are looking for a shared address book and you want to have user accounts spread on several AXIGEN servers.

If you decide to use a LDAP system with your mail server, there are a few aspects you should take into account. A fair understanding of the LDAP system is required before actually starting to install and configure it. The additional workload needed to configure and implement an LDAP server is considerable, thus it is typically used only in scenarios involving a large number of mailboxes spread across several AXIGEN servers.


How does LDAP work?

A client starts a LDAP session by connecting to a LDAP server, by default on the 389 TCP port. The client then sends operation requests (queries) to the server which returns a certain response. Apart from specific situations, the client is not required to wait for a response before sending subsequent requests, and the server may send the responses in any order.

An LDAP server generally supports the following actions:

Bind (authentication and protocol version specification)
Search (search for elements in the directory)
Add (add an element to the directory)
Modify (edit the contents of an element)
Delete (remove an element from the directory)
Abandon (cancel a previous request)
Unbind (close the connection)
When using a secure connection the default port is 636. Secured connections have been deprecated officially in 2003 along with the second version (ldapv2) of the LDAP protocol. Even though this version has been deprecated, many applications still use it and therefore it is still supported.

An LDAP Directory resembles a tree of entries. These entries have their own attributes and unique identifiers. Attributes have names that are defined in the schemas used by the server. Unique identifiers are in fact the DN (distinguished name) of the entry containing an attribute of the entry (such as CN – common name) followed by the identifier of the parent entry. Here is an example:

dn: cn=Someone,dc=example,dc=org cn: Someone givenName: Someone mail: someone@example.org manager: cn=Some manager,dc=example,dc=org objectClass: inetOrgPerson objectClass: organizationalPerson objectClass: person
In this example, the name of the entry is "Someone" and the parent entry name is "example.org". "dc" stands for domain component, and is specific to domain names. The rest of the lines are the attributes of this particular entry. Attributes have generally easy to guess names, such as “mail”.


Configuring LDAP for AXIGEN

Before changing the authentication type to LDAP you have to make sure that you have AXIGEN Mail Server version 3.0 or higher installed, a LDAP server running and the LDAP directory set up.

Hands-on example - Debian 3.1 and AXIGEN 3.0

1. Install AXIGEN 3.0 and configure your domain of choice (example.org in this configuration example). Make sure you have some accounts active in that domain.

2. Install the LDAP server:

Install the required packages:
apt-get -y install slapd ldap-utils
Enter the domain name defined in your AXIGEN mail server (example.org). This will result in "dc=example,dc=org";
Enter the same "example.org" for the organization;
Choose a password for your server;
Choose to enable support for the LDAPv2 protocol.

3. Configure LDAP


With your favorite text processor edit the file:
/etc/ldap/slapd.conf
Uncomment the line:
#allow bind_v2
Under the lines where schemas are defined include the “misc schema” by inserting the following line:
include /etc/ldap/schema/misc.schema
Restart the LDAP server:
/etc/init.d/slapd restart
4. Setup the LDAP Directory structure:


Create a file that will be the template for subsequent users you will add:
touch user.ldiff
Edit the newly created file and insert the following lines into it:
dn: cn=example-user,dc=example,dc=orgobjectClass: inetOrgPerson objectClass: inetLocalMailRecipient cn: example-user sn: example-user mail: example-user@example.org userPassword: userpass mailHost: 127.0.0.1
Save and close the file. Make sure that no trailing spaces exist on any of the lines and that the file ends with a ‘newline’ character. If these requirements are not met, LDAP will return syntax errors. When you want to add a new user into the directory database, all you have to do is change the contents of the above file to fit the new identity;
Add the user in the directory listing use the following command:
ldapadd -x -D "cn=admin,dc=example,dc=org" -W -f user.ldiff
Important! Make sure you use the "-x" switch when connecting to the LDAP server to use plain authentication.
The server will ask for the password and then the output of that command should resemble: adding new entry "cn=example-user,dc=example,dc=org"
If you receive an error here, youeither used a wrong password or you need to check the file again for errors;
Edit the file and add a few more users to the directory, to test the setup.
5. Make sure the LDAP directory contains the needed information:

Perform a search on the LDAP directory with the following command:

ldapsearch -b "dc=example,dc=org" -W -D "cn=admin, dc=example,dc=org" -x
This command will display all the entries that currently exist in the directory. You should be able to identify the admin user you have used to log on the server and all the accounts you've been creating. If this is not the case, please review the previous steps before continuing.

6. Configure AXIGEN to use the LDAP directory for authentication and routing

First configure a new LDAP Connector:

Log into the WebAdmin interface;
Go to the "UserDB" context;
Click the "LDAP Connectors" tab;
Click the "Add new ldapconn" button;

Set the following atributes:
Name: ldap-users Host URL: ldap://localhost:389 bindDN: cn=admin,dc=example,dc=org bindPass: searchBase: dc=example,dc=org searchPattern: mail=%e passwordField: userPassword axigenHostField: mailHost

Click the "Add" button;
Click the "Commit" button;
Click the "Save Config" button;
Then create a new User Map:

In the "Server" context, click the "User Maps" tab;
Click the "Add new map" button;
In the "Name" field enter: "LDAP-Auth";
Make sure the type of the map is "ldap";
Local file should be blank because we do not use one;
userdbConnectorType: ldap;
Set the user map to the one we defined before: userdbConnectorName: ldap-users;

Click the "Add" button;
Click the "Commit" button;
Click the "Save Config" button.
7. Enable LDAP authentication for a specific service (IMAP in this example)

Log into the WebAdmin interface;
Go to the IMAP context;
Select "ldap" in the "User dB connector type" section;
Set the "userdbConnectorName" to "ldap-users";

Click the "Add" button;
Click the "Commit" button;
Click the "Save Config" button.
Important! The password set in the LDAP Directory must be used to log into the accounts when using LDAP authentication. Normally these two passwords should not differ in any way.


References & Further reading
http://www.axigen.com/docs/30/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightweight_Directory_Access_Protocol
http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LDAP-HOWTO/

How to Use Windows XP "System Restore"

Basically, System Restore is like a little hound that runs behind the scenes taking "snapshots" of various parts of the Microsoft Windows XP operating system. So, if a part of Microsoft Windows XP stops working one day, the System Restore utility is able to reference one of the "snapshots" it took and restore your system from a previous day (a day when your computer worked). It's kind of like going back in time to a day when your computer worked. All your current data (Microsoft Word files, etc.) are still retained, so you don't have to worry about losing any present day files. In order to restore your computer just follow these simple steps:

1. Close any open programs.

2. Click on the Windows "Start" button (normally located on the bottom of your computer desktop)

3. Click on "All Programs"

4. Click on "Accessories"

5. Click on "System Tools"

6. Then click on "System Restore"

7. At this point the System Restore wizard will launch. You will have two options:

a. "Restore my system from an earlier date"

b. "Create a system restore point"

If you just need to restore your system and get it working correctly again, just select option "a" and click "Next."

8. On this screen you can select a date from the calendar that you would like to try and restore from. So, if you knew that your computer worked fine two days ago, just pick that date on the calendar and click "Next."

9. The next screen is the confirmation window. Just verify the information on the screen and click "Next." Windows XP will then reboot and try to restore your system with the settings from the date you selected.

The System Restore process can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes depending on how much reconfiguration Windows XP needs to do and how fast of a PC you have. When System Restore is done, a screen will popup with the results of the restore. If it was successful, you can then log into the system and start using the computer again. Any quirky issues that you were having are now hopefully gone.

Now, on step 7b above, I mentioned the "Create a system restore point" option. This option is for when you want to force Windows XP to take a snapshot of your system just before you install a program or alter any system settings that you are not sure of. It is like a safety net for when you install any internet programs (sometimes riddled with spyware) or system drivers (video, audio, etc). If you want to revert back to a virgin state just create a restore point "before" installing any software. This way, if your machine starts acting weird, you can just restore your settings from the selected point.

With a little practice, the System Restore utility is easy to use and a great way to help ensure the safety of your computer.
William McRand Sr: http://douglas4.freegoogle.hop.clickbank.net/ is into internet marketing (Affiliate Programs). He has taken his love of marketing and developing web sites to the top in his internet marketing business. Business, that offers information of marketing to others.