Issue 24 - February 2006

1. LOW COST COMPUTING WITH SUMO THIN CLIENTS

Try out thin-client computing with our FREE evaluation programme

The Lapworth Consultancy are pleased to announce their appointment as an Authorised Partner for SUMO Technologies Ltd.

Established in 1998, SUMO Technologies is a leading supplier of thin-client and wireless tablet devices.

As a SUMO Technologies partner, The Lapworth Consultancy has fully trained staff and provides end-to-end customer support, meeting the thin device and wireless needs of our clients, big and small.

Thin-client computing uses a server and desktop clients which take input from the client/user via the keyboard and mouse and send it to the server over the network. The server sends the output (screen or printer) to the client. The server is where all the processing is carried out. Logging onto the server provides each user with a complete desktop on their client device, giving the advantage of full functionality and appearing to the user as if they are working locally on a PC.

Moving parts such as hard drives are not a part of the thin-client device, making their expected lifetime extend past that of a full PC.

All applications are loaded onto the server, simplifying the management of the IT infrastructure even further, not only because it no longer becomes necessary for administrators to go to each machine in order to upgrade or install software, but also because there is control over the applications users can access.

The management of security and virus control is on the server, and as no information is saved locally on the client, this ensures increased security.

We are able to provide you with an evaluation unit, call us today on 01635 567756 or email sales@tlc-ltd.com

2. HOW TO KEEP YOUR COMPUTER UP TO DATE WITH MICROSOFT UPDATE

Minimise Security Risks And Help To Maximise Your PC's Performance

Microsoft offer a website that provides you with the latest security patches plus the latest updates for Microsoft Office and other Microsoft programs. It can help keep your computer more secure and performing at its best.

When you visit the Microsoft Update website you can scan your computer and list any required updates, which you may then decide to download and install. High priority updates are critical to the security and reliability of your computer—for example, repairs for security gaps in your system, boosters for system reliability, or the latest protection against spam for those who use Microsoft Outlook. Without these security patches (as they're also known), your computer is more vulnerable to attack from cyber crooks and malicious software (or malware).

If Automatic Updates are not enabled on your PC, when you visit the Microsoft Update website, you can turn them on. If you already use Automatic Updates, when you sign up for Microsoft Update, Automatic Updates will continue to operate it as you've set it up.

Note: Microsoft Update supports Microsoft Windows XP and Windows 2000 with Service Pack 3.0 or greater. It contains updates for Microsoft Office XP and Office 2003. (Updates for more programs will be added as time goes on.)

For further information visit the Microsoft website.

3. E-Z AUDIT VERSION 8

New Features in Version 8!

• Graphical Executive Summary Page (view example) - One page summary in graphical format showing your hardware assets by Operating Systems, RAM, processor speed, PC Manufacturer (new!) and Installed Software.


• New Security Feature: Audits show list of logins that have Administrator level at the PC. The list appears on the Hardware Summary > Security report on the admin console.


• Distinguish between CD drive and CD/DVD combo or DVD drive: New results allow you to determine if drive is DVD capable (Windows 2000 or newer)


• Exclude %WINDIR% folders in a Full Scan: Now you can exclude scanning the Windows system directory tree. Here by popular demand.


• Software Company name information now a field in all program file reports (view example) Now see who made "fooware.exe" from any file search.


• Intranet module now saves audit locally to user's My Documents, or at your option to the user's local "TEMP" folder: No more saving to C:\EZAudit and problems with locked down PCs.


• If you have users answer questions on your audits, now they are stored user-specific and no longer to the C:\ root: No more issues with locked down PCs.


• New "Home Page" in the admin console: With quick resource links, including an Online Update button that shows date and time you last checked for an update.

Along with the above are many speed improvements, ease of use improvements and more ... in short an even easier, more comprehensive and productive E-Z Audit product than that which already leads the market.

For example screen shots go to http://www.ezaudit.net/screenshots/default.htm

Conditions and Additional Important Information

• Upgrade Insurance is for a period of 365 days from the date of purchase (void or cancelled in case of denied credit card transaction, fraud, failure to pay invoice, or any other failure to satisfy payment requirements).


• The Upgrade Insurance does not provide free upgrades for any "add-on" modules that were, in prior versions, separate purchases to the E-Z Audit product. The add-on modules may or may not be applicable to future versions of E-Z Audit and may or may not be continued past any prior versions.


• Purchasers of Upgrade Insurance that have purchased "add-on" modules for a prior version will be extended a 50% discount off the prices for the equivalent module, if offered in the newer version or versions, at the then current prices at the time of purchase.


• Academic discount does not apply to Upgrade Insurance.


• Upgrade Insurance is a non-refundable purchase. No guarantee is made or implied that there will be any new versions released during any validity period.

For more information call us on 01635 567766, e-mail info@samsolutionstlc.com or visit our website www.samsolutionstlc.com

4. OPENING A FILE WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE PROGRAM

What happens when you receive an e-mail or a CD that contains a slide show or a diagram that you really need to see but that you can't because you don't have the program needed to open it? In a word: viewers.

If you receive a Microsoft file that you cannot open because, for example, you don't have PowerPoint installed then you can install a program viewer so that you can look at the file in question.

There are some restrictions: You can view the files in a viewer, but you can't edit them, and you also can't create new files, such as a new Excel workbook or a new presentation. (If you want to do that, you need to have the actual program installed.)

Word Viewer 2003 lets you open Word 2003 documents and documents created with all previous versions of Word for Windows and Word for Macintosh.

With Excel Viewer 2003, you can open, view, and print Excel workbooks, even if you don't have Excel installed. You can also copy data from Excel Viewer 2003 to another program. However, you cannot edit data, save a workbook, or create a new workbook. This download is a replacement for Excel Viewer 97 and all previous Excel Viewer versions.

PowerPoint Viewer 2003 lets you view full-featured presentations created in PowerPoint 97 and later versions. This viewer also supports opening password-protected PowerPoint presentations.

Visio Viewer 2003 enables anyone to view Visio drawings and diagrams created with Visio 5, 2000, 2002, or 2003 inside their Internet Explorer 5.0 or later Web browser.

You can obtain these viewers by visiting the Microsoft Office Downloads Site, search for "viewers," and download the viewer that you need in around 1 minute.