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STT: Scott's Tech Tips
By Scott Kehoe, Technology Consultant, NMRLS
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Important! Daylight savings time updates for Windows XP and Server 2003
As you may be aware daylight savings time begins earlier this year, March 11, 2007. Your Windows computer will need a software update to cope with this time-shift. If you already have your Windows automatic updates turned on, this software update is probably already loaded on your PC. If you don't have automatic updates turned on then you need to read this article by CMRLS Consultant Rick Levine on the Central Region's newsletter, Centralities. Also see Microsoft's daylight savings time update site.
Incidentally this time-change is due to an August 2005 act of the United States Congress , which changes the dates of both the start and end of daylight saving time. The law goes into effect this year, daylight savings will now start on the second Sunday in March (3/11/07) and end on the first Sunday in November (11/4/07).
Scott's first view of Vista
This past January I was fortunate to attend a Microsoft sponsored event at the new Boston Convention Center heralding the launch of the new Vista operating system and Office 2007. It was very impressive to see a vendor put on a well-polished and informative all-day sales-pitch (free lunch and trial software included!). But I wasn't running out to my local computer store at midnight to buy any of this when it was released to the public a few days later.
While there is a lot of hand-wringing and nay-saying about these major updates, especially over Vista, the move to these products is inevitable and will happen to a computer near you, whether you like it or not. This will happen because all new computers will have Vista and Office 2007 installed on them. And eventually, possibly within 2 years, Microsoft will stop supporting Windows XP. Microsoft has already stopped support for Windows 98, 2000, and NT (see July/August 2006 STT ).
So what's a library to do?
If you are in need to upgrade computers, but not ready to take the leap into purchasing PCs with Vista & Office 2007, vendors like Dell & Gateway should be selling their current "Vista-ready" PCs installed with Windows XP and Office 2003 for at least the next 6-8 months. Also ask your computer vendor if you can purchase an additional license for Vista ahead of time, that way when you are ready to move up to Vista you'll have already bought it!
There are a number of other factors for libraries to also consider when moving to Vista and Office 2007: budget; library system vendors; patrons/users expectations.
THIS JUST IN FROM TechSoup:
Special Microsoft Office 2007 & Vista Pricing for Public Libraries!
MICROSOFT WINDOWS VISTA BUSINESS UPGRADE - $10 per copy!!!!
Public Libraries Go To: http://ga0.org/ct/EdSRNKp1O4BP/
MICROSOFT OFFICE PROFESSIONAL PLUS 2007 - $20 per copy!!!
Public Libraries Go To: http://ga0.org/ct/E1SRNKp1O4Bp/
Tech Soup Pricing ELIGIBILITY
- U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofits and Canadian charitable and
nonprofits organizations
- U.S. and Canadian public libraries
For details on eligibility requirements, visit
http://ga0.org/ct/U1SRNKp1O4BY/ . |
Budget: Currently, pricing for the Vista and Office 2007 is not the dirt-cheap pricing we've come to expect from Microsoft for non-profits and governmental agencies. But this should change soon, and pricing through vendors such as ASAP, TechSoup, and GovConnection will become competitive with current version of Windows XP and Office 2003. Also be aware that even if you intend to upgrade the software on existing PCs, these PCs may still need major hardware upgrades (see below). It may in fact be cheaper in terms of both time and money to buy a new PC!
Library System Vendors (Innovative Interfaces, SirsiDynix): If your online catalog vendor doesn't support their software on Microsoft Vista, then your decision is easy, you don't upgrade the computers where the use of this software is critical. Until your system vendor does support Microsoft Vista those PCs that are used at the Circulation Desk or for Technical Services will probably need to stay on Windows XP. Since the on-line catalog itself is web-based for users, software upgrades on those "browsing" computers shouldn't matter.
Users/ patrons: Patrons may ask about Office 2007 before they ask about Vista, in fact not many folks really care what operating system is on a computer as long as it works for them. But, something like Office 2007, which has the indispensable Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, is something people can't live without and many folks may (like me) find the newest version very appealing and even easier to use. Also Office 2007 works on your existing Windows XP computers!
So, are your users asking why you don't have this on your public PCs? They will eventually, but this critical mass may take a little while (but I'm thinking in terms of months, not years). Microsoft may have done libraries a favor as they rolled out these major updates after the 2006 holiday buying and gifting season. Keep in mind that by next February, anyone who got a new computer in the past year, or as holiday gift, will have Vista and Office 2007 on their PC and may wonder why the library isn't using it.
NMRLS experience installing Vista on an old PC … it worked!!!
If you want to attempt to install Vista on an existing computer, first, and this is IMPORTANT, download the free Microsoft Vista Evaluation tool software (see link below). The Vista Evaluation software will let you know what hardware or software you will be needed to upgrade your PC to be Vista-compatible. Or if your PC has no hope of being upgraded to Vista at all …
Microsoft Vista Evaluation tool: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/default.mspx
The NMRLS "test-bed" PC is a Dell OptiPlex GX400 which was purchased in May 2002 with Windows 98 installed(!), later upgraded to Windows XP and now Vista, we got our money's worth on this one! I installed a trial version of Windows Vista Ultimate, reformatted the hard drive and it installed smoothly. The only problems after the first reboot involved Vista not having drivers for the 3Com Ethernet card or the Creative SoundBlaster sound card. Neither of these cards is exotic, but these particular models are at least 5 years old. Drivers for both components were easily obtainable online at the manufacturer's website and installed in Vista via a floppy disk … Really, I had to use a floppy to make the latest version of windows work! Once my Ethernet card was working I connected to our office's file server running Windows Server 2003 with no trouble and this PC is a happy network neighbor.
Overall the install went much smoother then I had feared and the PC itself runs smoothly, quickly and seems to be enjoying its new operating system. Would I recommend this? Only if you have the time and inclination (as well as funding) to physically install new hardware into an old PC and don't mind spending time potentially troubleshooting an install gone wrong. I didn't mind doing this on one PC for testing purposes, but having to install new video cards, USB cards, RAM and hard drives on a dozen would be daunting and not what I'd call fun. If you are interested in seeing Vista and Office 2007 in action on a real PC, contact me and stop by for a visit.
NMRLS test-bed Dell OptiPlex GX400 running Microsoft Vista Ultimate
Existing hardware
Pentium 4 1.8GHz processor
1 GB system RAM
40 GB Hard Drive
Creative SoundBlaster Value sound card
3Com integrated Ethernet card
Hardware upgrades installed before upgrading to Vista
Radeon 9550, 256MB Video Card (approx. $75)
Adaptec 4-port USB 2.0 PCI card (approx. $35)
LINKS: the new OS's and Office suites:
Microsoft Windows Vista
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/
Microsoft Vista Evaluation tools for your current PCs
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/default.mspx
Microsoft Office 2007
http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/
Apple OS X Leopard (upcoming version of OS X)
http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard
OpenOffice 2.1 (open-source & free!)
http://www.openoffice.org/
Ubuntu Linux OS (open-source & free!)
http://www.ubuntu.com/
Lots of ways to contact Scott:
scott@nmrls.org
1-978-762-4433 x16
IM: AIM-bibliotechy / MSN-bibliotekky / Yahoo!-biblioteky
May favorite & useful techy websites at: http://del.icio.us/bibliotechy
