Blog

It’s not too late to apply. Many states are still offering the Elevate America vouchers.

Check out Microsoft’s page HERE for a list of states with outstanding and available vouchers.

Microsoft, in an effort to strengthening the U.S. economy and increase global competitiveness, has set up a program to improve access to the education and workforce readiness skills required for twenty-first century jobs. In support of this commitment, Microsoft’s Elevate America initiative provides one million vouchers for Microsoft e-learning courses and select certification exams at no cost to recipients. Elevate America will be implemented in cooperation with states across the country as part of Microsoft’s overall effort to help train two million people over the next three years.

Visit the Microsoft site to check local availability for this program and use your vouchers to get Microsoft Office 2007 Training, Windows 7 Training, Project 2007 Training, and other Microsoft Training course at KeyStone Learning Systems.

In a recent announcement, Microsoft has offered us a little tease. It seems the first public beta of Microsoft Office 2010 will be available in November 2009. We don’t know exactly when in November, just that November is the month. We also don’t know if they’ll be charging for this beta as they did late in the Office 2007 beta release.

For the last few months, some in the industry have been testing Office 2010 (me included) under a special limited-release technical preview. I’m really looking forward to the public beta. In my time spent using the technical preview, I have to say I like it. However, since I was very familiar with Office 2007, making my upgrade to 2010 was fairly seamless for me. I mean, there were a few new things to learn about, but for the most part, Office 2010 looks and feels like Office 2007.

The buzz in the industry is that many users will be upgrading straight from the 2003 version to 2010 (much like many are making the jump from Windows XP to Windows 7, skipping Vista altogether). This leap presents a much larger knowledge gap as Office 2003 users haven’t had time yet to become accustomed to the new GUI of Office products, like the Ribbon.

Such an upgrade presents a challenge to companies who now have to consider employee training in addition to hardware and software resources to handle these new products.

Subscribe to the KeyStone OnDemand blog to be the first to learn about future Microsoft Windows 7 and Office 2010 Training and Windows 7 & Office 2010 news and special subscriber offers.

Windows 7 is here for Enterprise, and will be here in a few weeks for the consumer market.

Do you have a Windows 7 Training Plan in place? Windows 7 includes many new features, tighter security controls, ease of use, and potentially better productivity and lower help desk support cost once your employees know how to use it. Don’t wait until your help desk is overrun, get your Windows 7 Training plan in place today!

Just for fun, I wanted to show you this Windows 7 Video I found. Enjoy!

“More Happy is Coming!”
Subscribe to the KeyStone OnDemand blog to be the first to learn about future Microsoft Windows 7 Training and Windows 7 news and special subscriber offers.

Many CIOs opted to skip the last Windows upgrade, with three-fourths skipping Vista and sticking with XP. However, with the Windows 7 OS upgrade coming out this winter and XP Support going away, it’s decision time.

Windows 7 has been released for businesses and holds tantalizing improvements in security, employee productivity, and bandwidth management. Can IT Pros afford to “play it safe” by sticking with the stable and trusted, but eight-year-old XP?

The good news is that Windows 7 is looking like a solid operating system and nine of 10 companies that have tested it rate it as at least satisfactory with more than a third considering it excellent. “The pervasive view out there is that 7 is probably better than Vista, and I’m buying it,” says Jim Green, CIO of Los Angeles County Public Health, which has about 5,000 PCs. “We’re not applying the old, standard ‘wait till SP1’ approach. The strategy is to begin upgrading as soon as we can.”

According to an InformationWeek case study by J. Nicholas Hoover, Green’s in the middle of a PC refresh and has been moving new PCs to Vista. He says that his employees have the most up-to-date technology at home and want it at work. He sees significant usability improvements in Windows 7, to which he’ll upgrade many of the agency’s PCs.

Another example is ETS-Lindgren, which makes energy measurement and management products. The reasoning is concrete cost savings. Global IT architect Jeff Border says 70% of the company’s 600 existing PCs can run Windows 7 without the major hardware upgrades Vista requires. So he expects he can slow new PC purchases while still upgrading older machines to Windows 7. Plus, he cut licensing costs by negotiating to become an early adopter.

CDW’s Doug Miller presented recently at the Smart IT Sessions 2009 Conference. CDW stays on the leading edge of technology so that it can not only take advantage of increased efficiencies but also offer hands-on expertise to its customers. The company recently deployed the Windows 7 operating system and has experienced faster deployments, increased user productivity, and enhanced security as a result. CDW has also experienced reduced costs due to a decrease in help-desk calls and the elimination of some third-party licenses.

While some may be tempted to hold on to Windows XP, there are many more reasons to make the move to Windows 7, and over half of surveyed companies have firm plans for Windows 7 deployment.

Make Windows 7 Training part of your Windows 7 Migration plans for improved productivity and lower help-desk support calls.

Subscribe to the KeyStone OnDemand blog to be the first to learn about future Microsoft Windows 7 Training and Windows 7 news and special subscriber offers.

Thursday’s Smart IT Sessions 2009 web conference provided attendees from many top organizations with key information they needed for planning around Windows 7 migration and upcoming Microsoft titles like Office 2010, Project 2010, and SharePoint 2010.

The Smart IT Sessions conference was live on Thursday, September 24th, and featured a full day of presenters including Mary Jo Foley and Paul Thurrott and topics based around Windows 7 and what to expect from Microsoft in 2010.

In summary, Windows 7 looks ready for enterprise use. As Paul puts it, “Is enterprise ready for Windows 7?” Issues to consider are budget and training plans. “We are proud to be part of this event,” said Rob Kingyens, COO of KeyStone Learning Systems, “Many CIO’s and IT pro’s have been asking about these topics and it’s great to be able to bring the information to them.”

A case study with CDW‘s Doug Miller showed that Windows 7 migration can improve efficiency, cut support cost, and increase end user productivity, and Ben Armstrong (Virtual PC Guy) illustrated the value of using virtualization to support migration efforts and ensure access to legacy systems.

Mary Jo Foley provided a great overview of the tentative Microsoft Timeline, highlighting Office 2010 and other 2010 Microsoft resources for IT Pro’s coming out in the upcoming year. Office 2010 should provide many time-saving features and increase end user productivity, but most likely will not be available till Q2 or later next year.

Whatever your migration plans, SharePoint and Project Management are sure to play a critical role in effective ECM and EPM. Andy Hopkins (Chrysalis BTS) covered a real world case study for SharePoint Enterprise Content Management and Robert Happy and David Blair (Project Management Practice, Inc.) provided tips and tricks for Project 2007 users, as well as a peak at the upcoming Project 2010 and new Project Server 2010.

I will provide summaries for each session in upcoming posts. Access to recorded sessions, slide decks, and other resources can be found Here.

Subscribe to the KeyStone OnDemand blog to be the first to learn about future Microsoft Windows 7 Training and Windows 7 news and special subscriber offers.

Yesterday I attended the Region 2000 Technology Council “Wired Wednesday” luncheon.

A packed room of Region 2000 Technology Council members were attentive and full of questions after the presentation. “What’s Next in the Microsoft World?” by Corinne Hoisington, was informative and entertaining, covering a live tour of Windows 7 RC and the Office 2010 alpha. (recording to be available later this month)

Her presentation was rich with multi-media including music and video clips, as well as a live demonstration of the Windows 7 touch-screen capabilities on a touch-pad. I was especially impressed with her poise and quick recovery when a technical difficulty derailed the planned demo of Windows 7 Speech Recognition (a non-Windows 7 issue before you say anything).

I was able to talk to Jonathan Whitt, Executive Director for the Tech Council, and he was gracious to allow me a few minutes to share about the upcoming Smart IT Sessions 2009 Conference on September 24th. “This (Smart IT Sessions 2009) ties in perfectly with today’s topic.” commented Mrs. Hoisington.

The Region 2000 Technology Council provides regional development leadership within the 2,000 square miles that surround Lynchburg, Virginia, providing a single point of contact to the public and private sector for regional planning services, economic development, marketing, and workforce training. Their new website will be up soon here.

Subscribe to the KeyStone OnDemand blog to be the first to learn about future Microsoft Windows 7 Training and Windows 7 news and special subscriber offers.

Gavriella Shuster posted on the Windows for your Business team blog about the 90-Day Trial license of Windows 7, and also about Volume License Ability at a Discount.

As of yesterday, businesses can order upgrades to Windows 7 from a Microsoft Volume License Reseller. This option is for businesses that don’t already have Windows Software Assurance and want to upgrade their existing business PCs to Windows 7. There are two editions of Windows 7 available through Volume Licensing:

• Windows 7 Professional: Designed for small and midsize organizations, Windows 7 Professional provides a PC experience you can count on, helps you get more done, and helps safeguard your work. Today, we are also starting a 15% discount on Windows 7 Professional upgrade licenses that will run until February 28, 2010. Contact your Microsoft reseller to take advantage of this offer and confirm availability in your area (discount is offered on Microsoft pricing to its channel partners; pricing offered by partners may vary).
• Windows 7 Enterprise: If you have an active Software Assurance agreement or purchase one with your Windows 7 Professional upgrade licenses or new PCs with Windows 7 Professional, you can deploy Windows 7 Enterprise. Designed for enterprises and businesses that want to optimize their desktop IT infrastructure, Windows 7 Enterprise will help make users productive anywhere, enhance security and control, and streamline PC management.

Windows 7 will run on most PCs businesses have today. More information on tools to help with your upgrade to Windows 7 is available at http://www.windows.com/business/upgrade. Additionally, we recommend that customers with Software Assurance purchase the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) to aid in their enterprise OS management. The MDOP subscription currently includes six technologies that help reduce the TCO of a Windows 7 desktop. MDOP simplifies application deployment and lifecycle management and provides a solution for resolving application incompatibility through virtualization. MDOP also increases IT responsiveness and user uptime through robust diagnostics and monitoring capabilities, and increases IT control by providing asset tracking and group policy change management.

Keep in mind that Windows Volume Licensing upgrades are only available for PCs that already have a qualifying Operating System, such as Windows Vista Business or Windows XP Professional. For a list of qualified versions of Windows 7 operating system licenses, download the Windows 7 and Optimized Desktop Volume Licensing Guide available on http://www.microsoft.com/windows/enterprise/how-to-buy.aspx.

Subscribe to the KeyStone OnDemand blog to be the first to learn about future Microsoft Windows 7 Training and Windows 7 news and special subscriber offers.

Download Windows 7 at no charge and use it for 90 days.

Microsoft’s (NSDQ: MSFT) new Windows 7 computer operating system is now available to tech pros for a free trial.
The software can be downloaded from Microsoft’s TechNet Web site and can be used for 90 days.

The Trial is available in English, Spanish, French, German, and Japanese in 32-bit and 64-bit editions, and only a limited number of trial licenses are available.

“Many IT pros we talk to have been looking for a way to continue their work with the Release Candidate to test their applications, hardware, and deployment strategies with final Windows 7 bits,” wrote Microsoft’s Stephen Rose, in a blog post. “In response, we have created the Windows 7 Enterprise 90 Day trial edition.”

Upgrading from XP to Windows 7? Here’s a step-by-step guide provided by InformationWeek.

Subscribe to the KeyStone OnDemand blog to be the first to learn about future Microsoft Windows 7 Training and Windows 7 news and special subscriber offers.

Serdar Yequlalp (InformationWeek) posted a great step-by-step guide with screenshots to demonstrate how to migrate from Windows XP to Windows 7 without loosing your settings.

While Windows Vista to Windows 7 Migration can be achieved through the normal direct upgrade path, there are extra steps required for Windows XP to Windows 7 Migration.

In summary, you cannot run Windows 7 installer in an existing Windows XP installation and upgrade that copy of XP to 7 with your installed programs and data intact. However, you do have some options. If you install the copy of Windows 7 on the same computer and replace your existing XP install, you will loose all programs and data saved on that computer. If you wish to keep your programs and data intact, you can either install a copy of Windows 7 on the same computer in parallel with your existing XP install, or migrate your XP data and application settings to a new computer that has Windows 7 installed. See screenshots and detailed instructions here

Subscribe to the Keystone OnDemand blog to be the first to learn about future Windows 7 Training and Windows 7 news and special subscriber offers.

Steve Ballmer signed a gold DVD bearing the RTM version of Windows 7 on Wednesday, signaling that Microsoft has completed work on it’s newest operating system.

In an InformationWeek article, Paul McDougall covered the final, official sign-off on Windows 7 RTM. Below are the upcoming release dates for Windows 7 RTM.

• August 6: Available for download from Microsoft Connect or MSDN on August 6th for software and hardware vendors, as well as IT professionals and developers with MSDN or TechNet subscriptions.
• August 16: Windows 7 available to Microsoft Partner Program Gold/Certified members
• August 23: Windows 7 available to Microsoft Action Pack subscribers
• October 22: Windows 7 available to consumers on a new PC or standalone box from retailers

Pricing ranges from $199. for Home Premium (upgrade from Vista or XP is $119.) to $319. for Windows 7 Ultimate (upgrade price of $219.).

Subscribe to the Keystone OnDemand blog to be the first to learn about future Windows 7 Training and Windows 7 news and special subscriber offers.

In less than three months, Windows 7 will be released to Enterprise customers, with the consumer version still slated for October 22nd.

Monday, Microsoft revealed that business customers would have access to the new operating system at least a month before the consumer version shipped. Microsoft senior Vice President Bill Veghte, during his keynote at the Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans, that enterprise customers with any of several Microsoft Volume Licensing programs will have access to Windows 7 as early as September 1st.

He went on to talk about Windows 7’s features, highlighting the systems ability to run Windows XP and Windows 2000 programs, and addressing many IT pros’ concerns over compatibility.

Subscribe to the Keystone OnDemand blog to be the first to learn about future Windows 7 Training and Windows 7 news and special subscriber offers.

This morning on digg.com I found a great Windows 7 review article.

Originally written for PCMAG, this is a great read with a lot of detail on what to expect.

I don’t know about you, but I’m excited and looking forward to the upcoming release.

Subscribe to the Keystone OnDemand blog to be the first to learn about future Windows 7 Training and Windows 7 news and special subscriber offers.

This morning, Paul McDougall with InformationWeek wrote about Microsoft’s pricing for Windows 7 (due October 22nd).

The full version of Windows 7 Home Premium will be priced at $199, and the upgrade price will be $119. Windows 7 Professional will be $299. with an upgrade price of $199. Windows 7 Ultimate will be $319. with an upgrade price of $219.

Microsoft also announced a pre-order program for Windows 7 with discounts of more than 50% for the next two weeks.

Subscribe to the Keystone OnDemand blog to be the first to learn about future Windows 7 Training and Windows 7 news and special subscriber offers.

According to Bill Koefoed, Microsoft’s general manager of investor relations, many businesses may not consider Windows 7 integration until early 2010.

He spoke at the RBC Capital Markets’ 2009 Technology, Communications and Media Conference in San Francisco last week, and despite the admitted economic challenges, seemed upbeat about Windows 7’s future.

Windows 7, scheduled to ship October 22 of this year, is expected to boost Microsoft’s 4th quarter numbers. However, Koefoed cautioned that in the current economic climate, PC Sales are down 15% and analysts are predicting a depressed server market through 2010.

When do you plan to look at Windows 7 Integration?

Subscribe to the Keystone OnDemand blog to be the first to learn about future Windows 7 Training and Windows 7 news and special subscriber offers.