Windows 8

Microsoft’s release of its new Operating System, Windows 8 at the end of October marked a new era for Windows. Ever since Windows emerged with its Graphical User Interface, the general layout of the Operating System has been the same. There has been a traditional desktop for icons and shortcuts, a task bar at the bottom of the screen and a start button to access various functions of the computer.

Windows 8 completely redesigns the interface of the system by changing the Start button into a “Start Screen”. With this new approach, the Start screen consists of tiles much like most popular Smart Phones. Windows 8 is fully compatible and arguably most effective when used with touch screen devices. There is a slight learning curve for this new system. There are new gestures/swipes to learn and getting used to new placement of applications, programs and settings. Once these commands or tasks are picked up on, the operation of the system is very fluid and quick. When Windows 8 boots up, it opens to the Start interface but if you prefer it to resemble the previous versions of Windows, it takes purchasing an additional app to load directly to the desktop.

In addition to the new interface, there have been many performance upgrades and additional features added to it. In past versions of Windows, updates would be displayed when they became available or when the computer is being shut down. These updates would inevitably come at the worst times like in the middle of work being completed or any other time in which restarting the system would be a huge inconvenience. Windows 8 checks for these updates in the background and asks to install them at the login screen now.

After having used and tested the Windows 8 operating system, we are happy to share our experiences and opinions with you. Contact us if you have any questions!

Server 2012

Shortly before the release of Windows 8, Microsoft released a new and revolutionary version of their flagship server operating system, Server 2012. Not only does Server2012 have performance and feature upgrades, it has a radically new user interface.

Server 2012 shares the Start screen with Windows 8. Much like what users are experiencing with Window 8, there is a learning curve involved with Server 2012. While developing Server 2012, Microsoft took suggestions to make a server run faster. They did that by reducing the GUI (Graphical User Interface) and including more command driven management. The administrator has a choice to install the GUI or the Server Core which removes the GUI. This is a great feature for datacenter type environments where a server can be managed remotely instead of the administrator needing to be directly in front of the server.

Much of the advantages of this new server system come from its ability to implement virtualization much more effectively than previous versions. Virtualization setup and control over remote work groups is far more effective than any other server operating system out there.

As with any technology and software, Server 2012 has its advantages and disadvantages. Upgrades are inevitable because hardware will age and will need replacement. At some point businesses will start to migrate to the new Server 2012 operating system and whether that happens today or tomorrow, TechFarmer is ready to move your business into the future!

HDMI Image Quality

Walk into any popular electronics store and the selection of HDMI cables ranges from the cheap five dollar cables to “high tech” premium cables that can cost over $100.00. The choice can seem overwhelming. Is it really worth the extra money to get a higher performing cable?

HDMI cables can be advertised as being high speed or high tech offering “better image quality". An HDMI cable is nothing more than a series of copper cables ran together inside of a rubberized sheath to protect them. As a digital signal is transmitted across the wires, it is in the form of Binary Bits or “ones” and “zeros” which look like “11001010". The DVD player, computer, or whatever device is using the cables will translate whatever signal it is sending into these Bits and send them through the HDMI cables. When these bits of data reach their destination, they are then translated by the output device such as a TV, monitor, or whatever device is being used, into a picture and/or sound.

This being said, there is no way for a cable to improve or degrade the “quality” of the bits. They will either reach their destination and be translated, or they won’t and there will be no signal at all.
 
Regardless of image quality, there can be advantages in purchasing a heavier duty cable that is less prone to physical damage from being walked on or from wear and tear. So, when walking into a sales situation, the only choice that you should consider is whether you want a standard or high speed HDMI cable.  High-speed HDMI cables are made to handle 1080p and 3D signals. In this day and age, the price difference between the two is so minimal and with high speed HDMI cables being available for around five dollars, it makes sense to just purchase the high speed cable.

At TechFarmer, we see claims like this from manufacturers all of the time. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, we research and test these theories ourselves before over spending on technology that simply does not deliver what it claims.

Tri-gate Inside

In the world of technology and computing, small is more. The goal for chip manufacturers has always been the pursuit of smaller and more powerful products. A computer’s Central Processing Unit (aka CPU or processor) is the “brain” of the computer. Computers speak and operate in bits which are nothing more than ones and zeros, that in combination translate into numbers, words, commands etc. The CPU processes information, makes calculations and provides computing power via these “bits" of information. Within a computer’s hardware, these bits are represented by electrical impulses that must be transmitted throughout the various components of the computer.

Modern processors are made up of transistors which switch or manage these streams of electricity. To reduce the size of processors, the size or placement of the transistors must be re-designed. Intel’s newest generation of CPU is the Ivy Bridge processor. In order to reduce the size further of this new chip, Intel utilized what they refer to as “Tri-gate” technology. Transistors are small devices with gates that control the flow of electricity through them, and in Tri-gate transistors electrons have three times the surface area to travel through. Intel’s newest transistors are 22nanometers in length. This is smaller than red blood cells! At this size, every change implemented can have a significant impact on performance. Tri-gate technology changes the way in which the electricity flows through the transistor gate decreasing energy usage and increasing reliability.

If comparing CPUs to brains, the brains are getting smaller but smarter. As all of us have already witnessed the unfathomable advancement of technology in the past twenty years, it sure seems that the wave is not slowing down but actually picking up speed. Just like anything, the Ivy Bridge processor is not perfect but the Tri-gate technology will certainly open doors to more and more possibilities.

As the pursuit of smaller and more effective technologies continues, it will be interesting to see what comes out next. Here at TechFarmer we love to stay on top of current trends in technology. We are happy to answer any questions that you may have on processors or any other future technology.

E-mail Management

As an employee in today’s technological world, much of our work related communication is done via e-mail. Unfortunately, the constant stream of e-mails that barrages us on a daily basis can become a source of unwanted stress. It can be time consuming and difficult to manage this onslaught of information. Our human intuitions tell us that we have a responsibility to read the messages in our inbox, and much of the time respond to them. Most of the time these messages aren’t as urgent or vital as well tell ourselves. With some simple organizing, we can take some of the urgency and stress out of these e-mails, and save ourselves time and headache.

One strategy for suppressing our instinct or sense of obligation to respond to all the mail in our inbox is to set up the e-mail to be received in scheduled intervals. If we have a set time each day to check our mail, we can more easily sift through the important and not so important messages eliminating much of the impulse involved in receiving messages at random.

A way to help our inboxes from piling up and becoming overwhelming is to organize the e-mails by archiving them. Messages can be archived by priority or importance as well as many other categories. This can also help when looking up past e-mails by providing a searchable database.

At TechFarmer we view our e-mail system as a great tool for communication. We have adopted many tips and tricks for maximizing its usefulness while keeping it stress free for ourselves. Ask us any questions you may have regarding managing your e-mail and we will be happy to help!

Social Engineering

When individuals and businesses come up with security plans to protect their environment from computer hackers and cybercrime, the first thing that is usually put in place is a firewall. To add an additional layer of security, an Intrusion Detection System may be implemented in addition to the firewall. Wireless encryption, anti-virus software and the delegation of user privileges are some other common ways in which to keep a network more secure.

However, gadgets and security measures aside, one of the first and most effective methods that cyber criminals use to gain access to business networks is a tactic that many people are unaware of called Social Engineering and it doesn’t involve computers. Social engineering is a tactic pioneered by one of the most famous hackers of all time, Kevin Mitnick.

Kevin Mitnick, the most notorious hacker of his day, now works for a network security company helping businesses protect themselves from cybercriminals doing what he used to do best. In his biography, he explains the methods in which he used to gain access to numerous businesses networks and data. Before penetrating firewalls, scanning for open ports or doing anything over the wires, he would use social engineering to gain access effortlessly. Social engineering consists of contacting employees at a company, posing to be an authority figure and somehow tricking them into divulging information about log in credentials or passwords. If this didn’t work, then he would the computer to gain access.  

Common social engineering tactics come in the form of phone calls or E-mails. In these attacks, the hackers will pose as security professionals, law enforcement officers, fellow employees, or any number of other figures. They will then ask for credentials or information pertaining to the network of the business. It is important to remember that disclosing any personal information or more importantly usernames and passwords to anyone who isn’t a trusted source is never a good idea.

To find a great example on how easy it is to steal information by using social engineering, we don't have to look hard. This summer, an annual hacker convention called Def Con hosted its annual Social Engineering contest where the participants have two weeks to do research on a company. The contestants then had to do their tricking over the phone in front of the Def Con spectators and attendees. In a short time, contestants were able to retrieve sensitive information from people they've never met that work for companies such as Wal-Mart and Target showing the world how dangerous yet easy Social Engineering is. For the full article on CNN, click here.

Contact TechFarmer for more information on how to avoid Social Engineering affecting your business.