Trying to give something back to the Community...
Just been forwarded another scam email which goes along the lines of you'll get paid $245 for every person you forward the email onto as Microsoft are tracking the message.
If this isn't bad enough though I've seen people forwarding the mail onto people to test each others spam filters.
If you're using SMS in Standard Security Mode and having problems installing your MPs and RPs it could be down to the fact that you've got spaces in your "TEMP" or "TMP" variables as documented in the following KB Article:
Site system installation is unsuccessful if 8.3 file-name support is disabled in Systems Management Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;838437
Just in time for Xmas Episode III is coming to DVD, the official release date being the 31st October.
Will I be buying it? You betcha although being a member of the UK Garrison of the 501st Legion I'm rather hoping to attend the various launches around the UK in my Stormtrooper costume
If you were unable to make the Microsoft Management Summit in Las Vegas earlier in the year boy did you miss a show. But don't worry as Microsoft are bringing the very best sessions to the UK at the end of this month.
To find out more and to sign up goto:
https://msevents-eu.microsoft.com/cui/EventDetail.aspx?culture=en-GB&eventid=118761227
I'd strongly recommend you attend this event as you'll get to see some amazing sessions plus you'll get a free DVD of all of the sessions that were recorded in Vegas which is worth attending for alone.
One of the many background tasks I've been working on apart from running FAQShop is working with Microsoft to create a UK-based Windows Management User Group.
Well it seems that after many years of trying Microsoft finally agree with me and there are others "out there" in the community that are also keen to help. We've had a kickoff meeting with Microsoft but as I'm sure you can appreciate these things take time and we want to make sure we get it right. So why am I telling you this? Well we need some help to get this off the ground namely:
You can leave feedback here or if you'd rather drop me an email please feel free to do so (although please mark the subject as something like "UK Windows Management User Group" or something so it doesn't get lost in the forest of mails in my Inbox).
As soon as I have anything new to report I'll let you all know.
Just received this emailed out to all of the MVPs and wanted to share:
"Today Microsoft released version 1.0 of the Shared Computer Toolkit for Windows XP, a new set of security and management tools for people who manage shared computers in school computer labs, libraries, Internet cafes, or community technology centers. Genuine Windows XP customers can now download v1.0 for free at www.microsoft.com/sharedaccess
.For those of you who have not heard about this product before, we designed The Shared Computer Toolkit to help:
We recently concluded a Public Beta program that resulted in almost 60,000 downloads and lots of great customer feedback.
Shared Computer Toolkit Feature Overview:
- User Restrictions makes it easy for an administrator to restrict users from changing system settings, accessing system files, or running unauthorized software. Restrictions are applied to local machine accounts, but it is possible to apply SCT restrictions to domain accounts through a Group Policy template that is included with the Toolkit.
- Windows Disk Protection clears all changes that are made to the Windows partition each time the computer restarts. WDP ensures that computers start from a clean and trusted copy of Windows each time, removing viruses, spyware, temporary files and personal data from the computer with each restart. WDP is designed for use on domain as well as standalone computers.
- Accessibility Tool provides a single end user interface for enabling the Windows Accessibility features without accessing the control panel.
- Profile Manager is a simple tool that allows an admin to properly create and delete local user profiles.
- Handbook provides step-by-step instruction on how to set up a shared computer with the Toolkit and advanced security and management topics.
- Command Line Tools are additional utilities for advanced customers."
Get this. Here in the UK you can buy most things as you can anywhere else. BUT if you want to speak to the majority of companies you need to dial using a number that can cost you several pence per minute. What's the problem with this?
1. The reason I'm calling most companies is to talk to them about their products most probably to complain so why should I pay for the privilege?
2. OK it may only be a few pence more than a normal standard phone call BUT by the time you've sat there and listened to the robot voice giving you several menu options that lead to more options, more menus, more options, etc. it's ended up costing me the national debt of some small country somewhere. Then you've got to sit into a queue listening to some awful music before you FINALLY get through to someone (I'm sure there's a conspiracy somewhere where British Telecom cut a deal where these companies have all these lines but like 1 or 2 people manning them when they can be bothered just you can run up a large phone bill which BT and the company then splits).
Well the people are fighting back..!!! I came across this site the other day that lists most of the big companies with their premium numbers BUT displays a cheap number alternative. Check it out:
http://www.saynoto0870.com/