XP here to stay

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Well, my prediction is wrong already (Summer Predictions). I can see clearly what will happen now. Microsoft will not extend the deadline, June 30, 2008 will be the end of OEM XP sales. However, Microsoft does allow downgrades to Windows XP (see this Word doc) if you own Vista Business or Vista Ultimate. The big computer manufacturers that cater to business will make an option available where you buy Vista Business, but they downgrade it for you and ship it with XP loaded. This has already been announced by Dell (Dell Downgrade Service). Lenovo’s program looks a little different, since you do it yourself.  Here is a good story with more details.

This means life will continue with the better OS.

Widescreen = Small Screen

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For some reason widescreen monitors are all the rage, so that’s primarily what the stores are selling now and almost all laptops now have widescreens. I suppose that the HDTV-look influences it and just because it looks cool and new, etc. However, I think that the sizes that are advertised are deceptive. For me, and many users I support, vertical size is very important. For businesses, a website or a piece of paper are not wide, like a movie, but rather tall.

Unless you have a really good reason, I recommend going with a regular ratio monitor (4:3 or 5:4). I have put together some measurements below that give some perspective:

  • Dell 1907FP 19 inch flat panel: 11.9 inches tall x 14.8 inches wide (5:4)
  • Dell 16 inch CRT: 9.5 inches tall x 12.75 inches wide (4:3)
  • 19 inch widescreen flat panel (calculated): 10.1 inches tall x 16.1 inches tall (16:10)

As you can see, a widescreen 19 inch monitor is actually 1.8 inches shorter than a regular 19 inch monitor. To match the height of a 19 inch regular ratio monitor in a widescreen, you’d need to buy larger than 22 inches. To go the other way, a 19 inch widescreen is as tall as a 17 inch regular flat panel monitor.

I found this GREAT website to figure it all out: tvcalculator.com and change the source image to none.

Routers – faster is better!?

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Please, consumers, do not take your purchasing advice from Best Buy sales people… It has been the myth that you must buy a new digital TV before January 2009 (I’ll blog about that another day). Now sales people are pushing Wireless-N routers. I was looking in a sales circular lately and it has FAST (Wireless-G), FASTER (Wireless-Super G), FASTEST (Wireless-N). This is just so deceptive.

  • Wireless-B has speeds up to 11 Mbps (don’t have newer security protocols)
  • Wireless-G has speeds up to 54 Mbps
  • Wireless-Super G (various names) has speeds up to 108 Mbps
  • Wireless-N has speeds up to 108 Mbps (but better range than B/G)

Just for perspective here are internet speeds available in Western PA:

  • Verizon $20/mo. and under DSL – 0.768 Mbps
  • Verizon $35/mo. – 1.5 to 3.0 Mbps
  • Verizon FiOS – 5.0 Mbps
  • Comcast – 6.0 Mbps

So, what you’ll notice is that any of the router should be able to handle the internet speed with no problem. The higher speeds on the routers will only affect transfers of files between one computer and another on your internal network. Most users don’t do that, do Wireless-G should be all you would need.

Summer Predictions

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[NOTE 4/23/08, please make sure to read “XP is here to stay“]

As I blogged in my previous post (Xpublicans vs. Vistacrats), I believe this is be a contentious summer for the IT industry. I want to go on record now with my predictions of what will happen.

With lots of kicking and screaming in the background, July 1 the big manufacturers will stop selling computers with XP, as the kingdom of Microsoft has decreed. After about one month of this new world, Dell, HP, Lenovo will look at their sales and find that their shareholders will be VERY unhappy looking at the results when enterprise stops buying. Vista is dead for business. With computers sales dropping off a cliff, Microsoft will cave in to the pressure and allow XP once again.

I think there’s a chance that the companies may use all this to their advantage, to encourage sales of new computers, then Microsoft will extend the deadline at the last minute.

These may be wishful predictions, because I’m not sure that Vista is supportable. I don’t know if I can please my customers because of its inherent defects. I’ll post about that soon..

Microsoft Word 2007 Spellcheck Fix

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I’m posting this for the benefit of the Word 2007 world. I spent a lot of time trying to fix a computer in which the spell check would not work in Word. For the benefit of searchers, here are some other word combinations: word 2007 spell check not working, spellcheck off, fix spelling.

Here is a support guide:

Symptom: Misspelled words are not red-underlined in Word 2007.

2. Type in this sentence: “I will going to the store.” If “going” is green-underlined, Spelling and Grammar Checkers are installed, do not start with installing or uninstalling. (If no green underline, install the missing piece from the installation CD as shown below)

Installation

3. Make sure checkboxes are set properly as shown below:

(Review tab, Set Language)

Set Language

(Big round Office Button, Word options, Proofing)

Word options

If all are set properly, click Add-Ins (on left) in Word Options. Click Disabled Items in the Manage drop-down box, click Go, and look what I found:

Disabled items

Click Enable after clicking on “Addin: speller en-us (nlsdata0009.dll)”

Credit for this fix goes to user “Huddy” (from this company: www.hudsonhill.co.uk) here:

http://help.lockergnome.com/office/Word-2007-spell-check-problem-ftopict932165.html

If none of this works, try this:

http://mcpmag.com/columns/article.asp?EditorialsID=1697

Also, other credits:

http://help.lockergnome.com/office/Word-2007-Spell-checker-working-ftopict909134.html

http://localtech.gidblog.com/2007/07/24/fix-microsoft-office-word-2007-spellcheck-not-working/

XPublicans vs. Vistacrats

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It looks like just when the Presidential race is heating up with the Democratic nominee fighting against John McCain, another divisive race will be heating up as well, XPublicans against Vistacrats. Another race with conservatives against liberals, traditional vs. cutting edge. It will be war!http://ceoec.ru/

July 1, 2008 will be the beginning with everyone taking side, with some being moderate and being open to each camp.

We all know that Microsoft are all Vistacrats, that’s easy, how about the everyone else:

-Computer manufacturers — I don’t know, maybe Vistacrats in order to sell new, expensive hardware to everyone, but maybe moderates once sales of new computers fall dramatically in July 2008 and force Microsoft to allow XP sales indefinitely.

-Software companies – Vistacrats, how else can you get users to buy you new software unless the old version won’t work on Vista. Why else would you buy new software when it works fine (hello, Intuit)?

– Businesses — XPublicans, no doubt. Why buy expensive new hardware to run something that has not one benefit for business users. (Possibly hyperbole.)

– Consultants/indie computer stores – XPublicans. How can we make businesses happy with Vista? I think downgrades to XP is the only way to please.

– Tech media – XPublicans, that’s been shown already: http://slashdot.org/~twitter/journal/177855

– Home users – Moderates, some users just need internet and that doesn’t matter. Some savvy users will be ticked and will stay with XP.

– Games – XPublicans for sure. XP = fast; Vista = slow, hmm?

My advice — stick with XP!