Microsoft reports that the adoption of Windows 7 is the fastest adoption of an operating system in the history of the company. It’s not clear yet if this is because Windows 7 is that good, or because people were so frustrated with Vista that they are eager to get away from it, but the early reports on Windows 7 are very favorable.

You may be considering an upgrade to Windows 7 soon. If so, here are a few things to consider before you pull the trigger:

1. Clearly determine why you want to upgrade. Are you looking for a specific feature or performance enhancement? You should get clear on your goals before spending the money to make sure you get the correct version of Windows 7 – there are six versions – for different needs. Tip: most small businesses will want to go with Windows 7 Professional.

2. Backup before you upgrade. Some upgrade paths will require a clean install of Windows 7, meaning your computer will have to have the current operating system wiped out before installation of Windows 7. Make sure all of your data is backed up before you start.

3. Consider the age of your computer before upgrading. New computers will come with Windows 7 pre-installed, so if you are within a year of buying a new computer anyway, it probably makes sense to hold off on the upgrade so you don’t double-pay. Your old computer may not have the horsepower for the new operating system either, which will diminish your experience and leave you frustrated.

4. Confirm that the applications you want to use will work with Windows 7. If you are using general office applications, you are probably safe. But if you are using anything custom or specialized, you need to verify compatibility.

5. Prepare for “office envy”. You know…one person in the office gets the cool new technology and suddenly everyone just has to have it.  Windows 7 inspires that kind of response in some people.   You may want to be careful about who you roll this out to and when, or make sure you have the budget to cover an upgrade for everyone!

Many people are calling Windows 7 the best operating system yet. Time will tell, but it definitely has some significant improvements over previous operating systems. Plan your upgrade carefully and you’ll have a better chance at enjoying all of the benefits Windows 7 has to offer.

Mike Cooch

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Going green doesn’t have to be a huge corporate overhaul project. There are plenty of things you can do everyday at work to inch your way to a more green environment. At home you know the rules: Don’t leave the water running when you brush your teeth, recycle, shut lights off when you leave a room…the list goes on. Keep in mind that the list should not end when you leave your house each morning for work! Read on to learn simple ways to go green in the office, too.

1. Choose Pay-Per-Click ads over print advertising campaigns - Although we do a mix of advertising at Everon, we are big Pay-Per-Click fans. Not only is it an earth friendly advertising option, it is also easy for us to run. Once our campaigns are set up, the process is pretty much automated. We edit campaigns and make changes to our bids/budget as we see fit, but besides that we basically monitor our campaigns as they run. Google also sends  daily analytic reports with pretty sweet statistics for our team to review. It’s very measurable.

2. Email your newsletter – While you’re on the Internet train, use it to send your newsletter too! The old fight of electronic vs print. Although marketers deliberate back and forth in regards to which method is more effective two things are for certain: e-marketing is much cheaper and more easily measured.

3. Telecommute if and when possible - More and more companies are offering flex time. Not only does this save employees money on gas, childcare expenses, lunches and more, but it also helps the air we breathe stay more clean. Less cars on the road = less pollution in the air. Even working from home a day of two a week makes a difference. Telecommuting not an option at your work? If you live close to the office, consider biking, walking, or carpooling.

4. Bill your clients by email – Reduce the amount of trees that need to be cut down AND your postage bill by switching to email invoices instead of snail mail. Afraid your old school clients won’t like the switch? Send out a quick letter asking if this is OK, and then use this method for your clients who are OK with this.

5. Invest in a water cooler – Bring back the water cooler! Those plastic water bottles that you and your coworkers buy daily end up spending years and years in a landfill. Not to mention they sneakily add up when it comes to money out of your pocket.

6. Don’t print what doesn’t need to be printed – There are many ways to document and backup files that no longer include needing hard copies. Of course there will always be some things that you must print and file away, but there are definitely many things that can be e-filed away for future reference. Be a little more conscious when you hit the print button, use your judgment and decide whether you really need that file printed out or not. The trees will thank you, and you’ll thank yourself on a summer day 10 years down the road when we still have trees to sit under.

SS

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I wondered the same exact thing. From the Amazon Kindle 2 to Netbooks, this CNN video will give you the lowdown in regards to what’s in store for the tech savvy crowd in 2010.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2010/01/01/intv.steinberg.high.tech.cnn

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Google is now offering a FREE service to ensure your local business listing can be found on Google.  Get started by visiting this website. 

There are a lot of free and/or cheap local advertising outlets to take advantage of in today’s market. Don’t have the time and resources to capitalize on all of these opportunities for your business yourself? No problem. Everon can perform these services for you. For more information, please contact Everon at 888.244.1748, opt 2.

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Windows 7 has recently been released by Microsoft and it is creating a lot of buzz, and rightfully so. Windows 7 is by far their most stable OS release in as many years as I can remember from Microsoft, and it does wonders for making windows easy to use and graphically appealing.

I have heard a lot of people say “it is much more Mac like”. Given the legions of Mac devotees and the migration of many long time windows users to the Mac platform over the past handful of years I would consider this a compliment if I were Microsoft.

Besides the stability and the easy to use good looking graphical interface, Windows 7 starts to bring a new error of simplified computing to the world. The user interface is slick looking abut also includes a new task bar with big easy to see icons that allow you to jump between application that are open , access recently opened applications, and chose to doc or un-doc specific applications from your task bar.

There are also built in migration tools to move you from your old computer into your new windows 7 computer and even more impressive is the fact that the migration tools work pretty well. My mom was able to setup her windows 7 computer at home and hit the right buttons for the new PC to move her old files and folder over from her old PC.

This may not sound like much of a triumph, sorry if you are out there reading this mom, but my mom is a user that had some figuring out to do when she first starting using a mouse to give you an indication of the simplicity.

The list of improvement in this operation system goes on and on, including:

Gadgets

Themes

Shortcuts

Advancements in minimizing and maximizing windows

New preview options

Advanced media (audio and video) capabilities

Virtual XP mode for legacy applications

Technical advances including advanced driver support and an OS that does not bog down your computer

And the list continues on..

The next obvious question is:  Should I move to windows 7?

My answer to this depends. I know the OS is stable because I have been testing it for the last month with very few problems. But like any new technology product there are small problems and annoyances that will be fixed in the coming months with service packs and greater third party support for the OS.

For me I cannot use my phone dialer software outside of the XP virtual mode which crashes frequently. Not the end of the world but a pain in the neck at times.

I maintain that for home use I would encourage anyone getting a new PC to move right into windows 7 but for office use I suggest you wait a few months. It is always best to be right behind the cutting edge of technology and new releases because those that are right at the edge often get to work out all the little bugs and problems and they enjoy doing it.

If you give this OS six months you will hear me say that you should be creating your organizations migration path.

Until that time let someone else deal with the nasty nicks and bruises that are associated with the cutting edge.

Josh Clifford, CSO
Everon Technology Services LLC

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