Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Some extra Reporting Service Parameters

Some extra Reporting Service Parameters

<rsweb:ReportViewer ID="rptLetter" runat="server" ExportContentDisposition="AlwaysAttachment" 
       Height="475px" ProcessingMode="Remote" PromptAreaCollapsed="true"
       ShowPromptAreaButton="false" SizeToReportContent="True" Width="100%" ShowFindControls="false"
       BackColor="#ededed">

        <ServerReport ReportPath="/Reports/Letter" ReportServerUrl="https://reportserver" />
        </rsweb:ReportViewer>

  Dim MyDate As New ReportParameter("date", PrintDate)
  Dim p() As ReportParameter = {MyDate}
  rptLetter.ServerReport.ReportPath = "/Reports/" & ReportName
  rptLetter.ServerReport.ReportServerCredentials = New ReportViewerCredentials(
       "username", "password", "domain")
  rptLetter.ServerReport.SetParameters(p)
  rptLetter.ServerReport.Refresh()
  rptLetter.Visible = True



Cardboard ideas: Part II
< Previous Cardboard idea 

After my previous cardboard idea (which you can view in the link above), here is another:

My laptop needs to be slightly elevated to cool it down, so here is a laptop cooler (unfortunately, not strong enough to be made into a stand)



It even runs on USB power! All I need to plug it into a spare USB port. I stripped this USB plug form the masses of USB extenders that Dick Smith ship with their flash drives (that's that black USB plug)

The fan came from some old PCs, some of which come with the 8cm fans, though it runs at a lesser power as USB right now supplies 5v, the fans run at a nominal voltage of 12v. But they work... to an extent.

Now to make it fire proof...



Windows Mobile Roadmap session at Tech Ed New Zealand 2008
I have just received the confirmation I will be running the Windows Mobile Roadmap session (UNC117) at Tech Ed New Zealand 2008.

At this stage I don't know the exact date/time but it's all go.

See you there!

... (more in the full post)



Dell Studio Hybrid Desktop
Dell Studio Hybrid Desktop
The Dell Studio Hybrid desktops come out in the USA tomorow, hopefully we will see them soon here in NZ. They come in 6 colours with interchangerble sleeves.


Introducing the Studio Hybrid

  • Sleek and Stylish Design
  • Space-Saving form factor to fit where you need it.
  • About 80% smaller than a typical desktop.
  • Uses about 70% less power than a typical desktop and is Energy Star 4.0 compliant.
  • Packaging and printed documentation was greatly reduced and 95% recyclable.
  • System recycling kit included.



Small Supply Of Free Reports Left!!
JUST A REMINDER:
I Only Have A Small Supply Left Of The FREE

The Whistle Blowers Report: The Biggest I.T Industry Cover Ups

Please email me while there is still time to ensure you don’t miss out  About a week ago, I sent you a message introducing myself, and apologizing for not keeping you up to speed with developments in the IT industry However, my main reason for writing THIS letter is to make sure that you get your copy of ‘The Whistle Blowers Report: The Biggest I.T Industry Cover Ups’It's FREE…. And it's full of secrets that your I.T providers DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW There's no cost and no obligation. Why am I giving away these reports free? What's the catch? Well there is a catch, it’s only for 1 more week and it’s only because I feel bad I haven’t kept you informed and in the INNER CIRCLE of business owners that know the ways to avoid being duped by the I.T industry Incidentally, you don't need to be ‘sick’ of your current provider to get this report… (but at least it will give you some questions to ask them).. And I GUARANTEE you will learn something that adds value to your technology infrastructure. This report is valued at $175 and is only FREE to you for another 2 weeks In it you will learn 
  • The acceptable industry standards for computer support (far too many people who don’t know are paying way too much)
  • Why hourly billing can be a ‘have’ and you may be a victim of it already
  • What a service level agreement really is and what it should contain, this is the biggest smoke and mirrors charge I.T suppliers use to get additional revenue without actually giving you anything extra.
  • Why a computer technician should never ever be your point of contact to your technology supplier, but how you should use him to get the real story.
  • What managed services are, (as boring as it sounds knowing how to use these services can save you thousands of dollars per month.)
  • How  managed services can save you time, money and heartbreak
  • In-house I.T teams…here is where internal ‘patch protection’ can lead to vital business mistakes being made and how to avoid this happening to you.
  Here’s what to do now… 1.   EMAIL freereports@horizonpacific.com2.   In the subject line write ‘Whistle Blowers IT Cover ups’In the body of the email provide your name, company, email and postal address (so I can send you the report) and your contact phone number… do not hesitate… this is only available for 2 more weeks



Sony CyberShot DSC-W110
Yesterday I purchased a Sony CyberShot DSC-W110 from Harvey Norman, I also had the option to buy a bag and spare battery for only $20! Here are a few photos of what I got..

The Boxes



Everything Unpacked



Camera Front and Back




Ok.. All of these photos were taken by another Sony camera (not the same model as this though) apart from the boxes one which I took with the DSC-W110.

Before walking into Harvey Norman yesterday I knew next to nothing about cameras, I knew how to take photos and that was pretty much it.. So I wanted someone to explain to me different features cameras have like, 3x zoom and 4x zoom - will I notice the difference, if 7.2 mega pixels is any better than 8 mega pixels for all round use and a few other things. What I really wanted to know if I could take photos that would focus on a certain object and make the background blurry, the girl who served me didn't exactly know how to but said they all can do this, I took her word for it. Too be perfectly honest she was absolutely no help to me, she may as well of given me the cabinet keys and let me play with them all (which I did anyway).

I decided on the DSC-W110 because;

A) I like Sony products, Ive used Sony cameras before.
B) I got a bag and battery for $20.
C) This camera didn't feel 'plasticy' like some of the others.
D) All my gadgets are black hence I chose a black camera.

So far I really like this camera and am anxious to explore some of its other features, other than the Auto mode!

I havn't really had a chance to take any decent photos yet but when I do, Ill post a follow up to this blog entry.



Orcon Homehub/ADSL2 Setup - A Quick Review
After going unbundled with Orcon's Gold+ Account I was having issues getting online and was recommended an Orcon HomeHub over D-Link DST-502T. The 502T was theoretically more than capable of doing ADSL2+ (as I was running it at home on the same plan already). But at $5 a month, and to solve a problem I thought, stuff it, and got one sent out.

The HomeHub is really just a Siemens SX-763 WLAN DSL Router. Its running a slightly modified firmware that has the Orcon settings preset. You can't flash newer vesions of Firmware, although Orcon can from their side of things. This could lead to an interesting future for this little hub - more on that later.
The Homehub features (according to Orcon) -
"This sleek wireless router lets you access your Broadband from anywhere in your house without plugs or cables.
What's more, because our network can talk to it, our helpdesk can easily support the device remotely to get you back online faster if there is ever a problem.
In the future, we'll be teaching the Homehub some cool new tricks to give you an even better Orcon experience through new and interesting services, so stay tuned..."

On the Siemens site it lists it features as -
  • High-speed wireless data transfer at up to 108 Mbps (compatible with IEEE 802.11b/g)
  • Integrated ADSL 2+ modem
  • 4 Port 10/100 Hub
  • External broadband access modem support (e. g. VDSL, cable)
  • Support for up to 6 VoIP public telephone accounts (SIP Protocol)
  • USB Support (SMB/FTP/Web/Printer).
So after ordering it, the unit arrived a couple of days later, interestingly I had to pay postage, with a white Orcon slip over a standard Siemens box. In the box were all the cables one could ever need to setup and use the unit. Network cable, phone, filters etc... Annoyingly Siemens have gone with RJ-45 (Network) Adaptor plug for the phone cable, not the smaller and standard phone plug - so don't go loosing your cables.
The Unit is one of the nicer Routers or modems I've seen, although it does feel a but light and plasticy. All the ports are nicely placed on the back. It can be mounted on a wall or look fine on a desk.

Homehub Back Ports

The web inerface is pleasent to look at, and functionally seems to include all the settings. There's wizards both for the absolutely basics and also for the security features. Add to that the normal Advanced Settings, It's feature packed but simple to get around. There's support for all the necessary wireless standards - WEP, WPA2-PSK, WPA-PSK or WPA2-PSK/WPA-PSK.
I'd love to go into the VOIP settings but as I have never been too interested in it before, I wouldn't know much. The fact they're there, and are quite feature complete shows a feature I imagine Orcon will use in the future.

Orcon HomeHub


Connection wise, the wireless seems solid, although I personally use an Apple Airport Extreme to run a parallel 5ghz Only 11N based network and a 2.4Ghz for older clients. Excessive. Maybe. A bonus of using the $5 a month homehub though.
Internet wise, in the Auckland CBD, just off K Rd I've got a 12286 kbps (upstream) ADSL Connection. Its strange as when the connection was first setup I was getting up to 22500kbps on the connection - close to ADSL2's limit - and now its back down to the top of ADSL1's top....... Orcon?
UPDATE See first comment.

Heres some results from speedtest.net -

Auckland -> Auckland (WorldxChange Communications) - 9907 Down / 354 Up


Auckland -> Christchurch (Snap Internet) - 6587 Down / 266 Up


Auckland -> Sydney (Mammoth Media) - 3327 Down / 333 Up


Auckland -> London (Namesco) - 1723 Down / 180 Up


Auckland -> San Francisco (Unwired) - 2739 Down / 194 Up


Things that aren't cool -
USB only does FTP no SFTP so not great for putting online.

The DHCP server won't list connected devices - Wireless status lists the Host name, Mac and IP's of any wireless clients but for the overall IP's - nothing. The settings are there - just broken, a bug that I hope Orcon will get on to fixing.
UPDATE Orcon do indeed have a forthcoming update. Orcon were nice enough to flash mine and it does indeed fix the issue.

Things that are cool -
USB Features.
Looks good.
A full featured router for only $5 a month (on Orcon).
Assumably VOIP support from Orcon in the future.



Companies reinventing themselves: I am not sure I laugh or cry on this one...
Wow... Talk about a complete reinvention. I just read this press release and I can only think what a waste of investors' money from the start.

I am talking about Foldera, a company which started as a "developer of web-based organization and collaboration software" and now decided their market is really selling network switches.

I see this as an example of where all this "web-based" craze is going if people keep investing in good ideas with short sighted implementations. Too much money being thrown into companies with no vision, or trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist - or doing it in the wrong way.

I am posting this because I think it's relevant to a topic Ben posted today on "web 2.0 and monetisation".

Want more "fail"? Their new web-site, linked from the press release doesn't even exist yet:

Here is part of the press release to inspire you more confidence on "web 2.0" business:


SANTA ANA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Foldera, Inc. (OTCBB: FDRA), today unveiled the Company’s new strategy, management team, market thrust, name and capital structure by issuing the following letter to shareholders.

Dear Shareholder:
We are pleased to announce that Foldera has now successfully transitioned itself from being a developer of web-based organization and collaboration software. We have searched to find the right market, management team and product with which to take the Company forward and we would like to take this opportunity to outline the Company’s future plans.

New Strategic Direction
The Company’s principal market moving forward is with the core network infrastructure of the telephone companies, cable operators and wireless suppliers. The Company has recruited a new management team with a wealth of telecom infrastructure experience and who have already independently completed much of the software development for a High Speed, High Density Carrier Grade Ethernet Switch that will be the Company’s initial product launch. Along with our product development partners, we are continuing to develop the software and hardware in a closely integrated program that will result in timely implementation of the system using components that will exceed all carrier and prospective customer requirements.

There are other players attempting to enter these markets. Cisco Systems (CSCO), Juniper (JNPR), Force10, Alcatel-Lucent (ALA), Huawei, World Wide Packets and Foundry Networks (FDRY) clearly have well-established brand names and large customer bases. However, they also have legacy technologies and cannot re-launch into new markets with products that must be redesigned/re-architected and which would cannibalize their existing product lines. We will compete in the high density, carrier grade 10 Gigabit switch market with a switch that is both extensible and affordably scalable. This will present a ‘new standard’ in the market and the Company will be a ‘first mover’ in this segment.

The Company’s new technology will transform the Ethernet Switching market segment by developing and selling dramatically more cost-effective, scalable solutions for High Speed Ethernet switching with the industry’s first 288 10 Gigabit port Ethernet switch as our initial product launch at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show in Las Vegas in April 2009.

Corporate Name Change
As is appropriate with this major change in the Company’s direction, we have decided to change the name of the business to CeCors, Inc., an acronym for Carrier Ethernet Core Switch and pronounced ‘SeaCores.’ This will become effective in the coming weeks as the Company’s legal name, registrations, trading symbol and marketing materials are changed.

Expanding Management Expertise
The CeCors executive team brings 100+ years of combined management experience in IT and communications technology, manufacturing, sales and marketing. The team has worked together and successfully led a number of liquidity events, such as mergers and acquisitions, as well as IPO’s.

As of July 18, 2008, Jim Fiedler, an experienced and respected leader in the telecom industry, with vast experience in running early and mid-stage telecom networking and services companies, has become Chairman, President and CEO of CeCors. His experience and contacts within the industry will provide exceptional leadership into the future.


Excuse me while I laugh here. Seriously, I think Ben Kepes should look into this and analyse it further because he's the SaaS guy.



The Windows Mojave experiment results
Yesterday I posted about Microsoft Windows Mojave, an experiement in perception.

A set of people were asked what they think is bad on Windows Vista during the Mojave Experiment. Their answers were recorded.  They were then shown "Microsoft Windows Mojave", a new operating system that impressed everyone.

Microsoft then revealed "Windows Mojave" and "Windows Vista" are the same one.

I have just found out the full "Mojave Experiment" results will be available 29th July on The Mojave Experiment website.



Geekzone Jobs: search and forums
A few months ago I created a Jobs forum on Geekzone to allow for some of our readers to exchange job information, post requests for specific skills, etc.

Of course it's no competition for the big job sites around, but it seems to be working ok for our community. We do have some of the job agencies posting some ads there - and why wouldn't they, it's free!

Anyway, after talking to the guys at JobX, New Zealand's newest site for job search, we decided to add a Job Search to Geekzone.



One of the first joint initiatives was their sponsorship at the Geekzone Pizza evening in Christchurch - by chance we selected a pizza place just next to their offices, so that helped too.

The Jobs forum is still active and I expect it to get busier every day, but I think the Job Search will bring an even bigger selection for you.

Good luck!


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