The only Internet Explorer 7 add-on you'll ever need

This is a pretty cool add-on. Definitely competes with Firefox's add-on's.

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9861372-7.html

Copilot is now free on weekends

Now you have a free option for fixing your friend's computer over the weekend, without having to go to their house! ;)

http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2008/01/25.html

Microsoft: SQL Server 2008 Will Be Late

by Jeffrey Schwartz
25 January 2008

Despite public confidence that SQL Server 2008 would ship by the end of June, Microsoft today indicated it probably is more likely to arrive toward the end of the year.

http://reddevnews.com/news/print.aspx?editorialsid=9469

AutoRuns for Windows v9.02

This is a neat little utility...

Introduction
This utility, which has the most comprehensive knowledge of auto-starting locations of any startup monitor, shows you what programs are configured to run during system bootup or login, and shows you the entries in the order Windows processes them. These programs include ones in your startup folder, Run, RunOnce, and other Registry keys. You can configure Autoruns to show other locations, including Explorer shell extensions, toolbars, browser helper objects, Winlogon notifications, auto-start services, and much more. Autoruns goes way beyond the MSConfig utility bundled with Windows Me and XP.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx

Defrag, Fast & Free

WINDOWS TIP SHEET: Defrag, Fast & Free

By Jeffery Hicks

I'm a big believer that a properly defragged disk is faster and healthier. It is convenient that Microsoft includes a free defragmentation tool, although it has limitations. Of course there are full fledged defrag applications if your budget allows. But I'm always looking for a good free or open source alternative.

Lately I've been trying JKDefrag v3.62 from Jeroen Kessels http://www.kessels.com/JkDefrag/index.html. This open source product comes packaged for Windows 2000/XP/2003 and Vista, as well as a 64-bit version. The utility is written using the same Windows defragmentation APIs that the big vendors use and it has been pretty rock-solid so far.

Installation is practically non-existent: Unzip the files to a folder and you're done. The graphical version is as bare bones as you can get -- no menu, no buttons. Just click it and it runs. Because it's barebones, it's a small executable that runs very quickly.

You can manually launch the graphical version from the command line and pass configuration parameters. But if you prefer more granular control and don't really care about a GUI, then I recommend just running the command line version.

The command line version has a wealth of parameters and because it's CLI based, it's incredibly easy to set up as a scheduled task. You could easily push out the exe file to all your clients and remotely create a scheduled task to run a daily defrag job. There is also a screen saver version of the utility.

Documentation is included as an HTML file and is pretty complete.
JKDefrag also has a decent online support forum.

So if you're looking for a defrag solution that is a step above what comes with Windows but have a limited budget, take a look at JKDefrag.
It's free so you've got nothing to lose!

Comment: http://mcpmag.com/columns/article.asp?editorialsid=2454#post

Jeffery Hicks MCSE, MCSA, MCT is a senior network engineer with Visory Group.

Telecommuting Not Great for Workers Left in the Office

Interesting...

http://www.cioinsight.com/print_article2/0,1217,a=223422,00.asp

Gates Describes High-Touch Future

The future?

Google’s Lunchtime Betting Game

Very interesting way of capitalizing on our sinful nature (i.e. greed). :)

"IT probably doesn’t come as a huge surprise to learn that while employees in many companies sit in the cafeteria gossiping about work, or the boss, or the competition, at Google they are doing something else.

At Google, employees are encouraged to go online and place bets on a prediction market — an exchange that tries to forecast events based on the money wagered on a particular outcome. "

Click Here to read the rest of the article...

What CIOs Want: Five Standout Skills

Amen!

"January 07, 2008 (Computerworld) It's a good market out there for IT job seekers, but that doesn't mean your technical abilities will automatically land you a rewarding position. CIOs seek professionals who can contribute immediately to their companies' success. Faced with multiple candidates who are similarly qualified and technically proficient, how do they make tough hiring decisions?"

Click Here to read the rest of the article

Microsoft Removes Licensing Restrictions From Windows Server 2008

It's about time licensing got easier! :)

http://www.crn.com/software/205207950

Microsoft Seeks To Patent System To Spy On Workers

This is an interesting idea...

"The application describes a program that would watch users' computer activity, automatically offering help and letting supervisors monitor users. "

Click Here to read more