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Sunday, April 30, 2006

3 Clicks to OGA Validation

In continuation to my previous post on Microsoft Office Genuine Advantage (OGA) Validation Tool, here I explain the steps taken after we continue to validate office

Step1:
Select - Yes, please validate Office and take me to the download. (If an ActiveX dialog box appears, please click Yes.)
Press Continue button


Step2:
You see a page as below:



Firefox users need to install plugin. Download here
Click YES when you are prompted with a Security Warning

Step3:
Validation Successful... You are now ready to download. Therefore click Continue


Simple Isn't it? They were just 3 mouse clicks for validating.

Click here to find out more about alternate method of validating

Validate Microsoft Office Here

Download Office Sounds. This requires Validation


Security Myths and Passwords

A good article on Security Myths and Passwords on Cerias Weblog

In the practice of security we have accumulated a number of “rules of thumb” that many people accept without careful consideration. Some of these get included in policies, and thus may get propagated to environments they were not meant to address. It is also the case that as technology changes, the underlying (and unstated) assumptions underlying these bits of conventional wisdom also change. The result is a stale policy that may no longer be effective…or possibly even dangerous.

Policies requiring regular password changes (e.g., monthly) are an example of exactly this form of infosec folk wisdom.

From a high-level perspective, let me observe that one problem with any widespread change policy is that it fails to take into account the various threats and other defenses that may be in place. Policies should always be based on a sound understanding of risks, vulnerabilities, and defenses. “Best practice” is intended as a default policy for those who don’t have the necessary data or training to do a reasonable risk assessment.


"Free" certification exam for Live Communications Server...

Beta Exam 71-262: TS: Microsoft® Office Live Communications Server 2005 - Implementing, Managing, and Troubleshooting

Audience – IT Pros/Architects

You are invited to Exam 70-262 in its beta version. As a benefit to you for demonstrating your expertise by passing specific Microsoft certification exams or by other means, this beta exam is offered to you free. This beta exam will not be offered to the general public, and is only available to a certain number of candidates. Each seat will be assigned on a first come first serve basis.

By participating in beta exams, you have the opportunity to provide the Microsoft Certification program with feedback about exam content, which is integral to development of exams in their released version. We depend on the contributions of experienced IT professionals and developers as we continually improve exam content and maintain the value of Microsoft certifications.

**Registration Information**

Note: You will be given four hours to complete the beta exam. Please plan accordingly.

Testing is held at Prometric and Pearson VUE testing centers worldwide, although this exam may not be available in all countries. You must register at least 24 hours prior to taking the exam. Contact your exam provider for seat availability. (Please note: all testing centers will have the capability to offer this exam in its live version.)

Please read carefully the following registration information as the schedules vary depending on which testing center you choose:

Registration begins:

April 15, 2006

Beta exam period runs:

April 27 – May 10, 2006

Please use the following promotional code when registering for the exam: TS262

These beta periods are subject to change; please check the exam preparation guides for the most up-to-date information:

http://www.microsoft.com/Learning/exams/70-262.asp

To register for this exam or for information about testing centers in your area, call:

* Prometric: (800) 755-EXAM (800-755-3926)
* VUE: 800 TEST REGistration (800-837-8734)

Outside the U.S./Canada, please visit the following Web sites for registration information:

* Prometric: http://www.register.prometric.com/ClientInformation.asp
* VUE: http://www.vue.com/ms/

Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) Information on the World Wide Web

For more information, visit the MCP Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/mcp/, write to MCPHelp@microsoft.com or call 800-636-7544.

Specific pages that answer some frequently asked questions are listed below.

What is a beta exam?

http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/mcpexams/faq/procedures.asp

Where can I learn more about the registration process?

http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/mcpexams/register/default.asp

How do I prepare for this exam?

http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/exams/70-262.asp

When will my beta exam results be available?

http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/mcpexams/faq/procedures.asp#D

Where can I learn more about the beta exam invitation process?

http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/mcpexams/status/beta.asp

How can I learn more about the new and improved item types?

http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/mcpexams/faq/innovations.asp.

Where can I learn more about the MCSE on Windows Server 2003 certification?

http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/mcp/mcse/default.asp

If you have further questions regarding this exam or the MCP program, send e-mail to MCPHelp@microsoft.com or call 800-636-7544.


Microsoft Office Genuine Advantage (OGA) Validation Tool

You heard me discussing about the Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) Validation tool. Now Microsoft has it in Office! This is called as the Microsoft Office Genuine Advantage (OGA) Validation tool.


This is a similar tool and functions the same as that of WGA. This checks if the Microsoft Office XP or the Microsoft Office 2003 that you are using is genuine. This tool validates your Office application using ActiveX after which you may download the Office updates from the Microsoft download center.
During the OGA validation process, the validation tool collects your system information, hardware profile etc…, Windows product key, and Office product key
The OGA Validation tool has no concerns with validating your Windows Operating system and only validates your office application


Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) Validation tool

This is an effort by Microsoft for educating users to minimize piracy. If you are running a pirated version of Windows XP, you will not be able to download updates / security patches from Microsoft website. This helps the user to verify if the copy of Windows that he is using is Genuine… before downloading the security patches and other add-ons to the operating system.

This is how it works:
  • The user visits the Windows Update site to download the latest patches and updates for the operating system that he is using
  • The download page displays a message similar to the one as below:


  • This prompts you to check and validate if the operating system that you are using is genuine
  • After you click on the link to validate, the Microsoft’s systems automatically runs a check, or by providing a product identification number. Users who may have lost the product identification number will be asked 3 basic questions. Now if they trust on you, you get a free replacement key
  • Once your operating system is validated, Success! You are now able to download the updates or the patches or any damn! thing that is available for you to keep your system updated.

This is currently only for Windows XP and slowly Microsoft are going to implement on all operating systems and it will be mandatory to validate before downloading any security patches and updates.

In addition, Microsoft also allows the user to download updates by turning on the Automatic Update feature. With this, Microsoft promotes security and ensures people to buy genuine version of Windows.

It is advised to buy your genuine copy of CD from genuine retailers. Just make a note to stick the authentication key slip on your PC. With this don’t only call yourself as a proud owner of using Genuine Windows but that also is required for validating your genuine advantage validation tool.


Microsoft Product Licensing

With my recent blog on Earn £20k Reward For Reporting Software Piracy, I just decided to put in some details on Microsoft Licensing. Hope that will help all to educate on going for genuine products.

What is licensing?
A software license grants you the right to run or access a software program. Licensing software is different than purchasing a car or house in that you have the right to run the software but there are ongoing requirements that determine how the software can be used. These requirements include such things as deployment eligibility, transferring software to other users, and downgrading to earlier versions of the software.
Microsoft software licenses generally come with one of two kinds of agreements which specify how you may use the software. The first kind, and the one most users are familiar with, is an End User License Agreement (EULA). If you have ever acquired a license for software from a retailer or purchased a new computer with software already installed, then you have probably seen a EULA. The EULA generally either comes in the box on paper or cardstock or pops-up onscreen when you install new software. You typically must accept the terms and conditions before installing the software. The second agreement type, Product Use Rights (PUR), is similar to the EULA except that it pertains to software licensed through a Microsoft Volume Licensing program. The PUR, together with the Microsoft Volume Licensing program agreement under which a license is acquired, governs the use of Microsoft Volume Licensing software.


Where do we need Microsoft Licensing?

Addresses a wide range of products
  • Gaming software to
  • Business critical server software

Addresses a wide variety of customers
  • Home consumers to
  • Family-run businesses to
  • Large transnational corporations


What is Product Licensing?

Product Categories/Pools

Applications
  • Desktop applications like Office, Project, Visio, OneNote, InfoPath, etc.
  • Developer products like Visual Studio, MSDN Universal, etc.

Servers
  • All server products like Windows Server, SQL Server, Exchange Server,

BizTalk Server, etc
  • All associated Client Access Licenses (CALs)

Systems
  • Desktop operating system only

Applications (Non-developer products)
  • Licensed on a per device basis
  • Number of devices needing the application = number of licenses to be bought
  • Per device basis immaterial of whether the application is installed on the device or whether the device is accessing the application resident on a server
  • No concurrent model of licensing

Applications (Developer Products)
  • Licensed on a “per user” basis
  • Products licensed to a “user” can be loaded on multiple desktops/servers (depending on the product edition)
  • Designed for a more optimal usage in a developer environment

Servers
  • “Per device/user” basis
  • One server license for each server on which the software is installed
  • One Client Access License (CAL) for each device/user that accesses the server
  • Device/user flexibility available to customer to maximize benefit based on situation
  • Server licenses and CALs needed for each type of server being used
  • Server licensed in this manner include: Windows Server, Exchange Server, SharePoint Portal Server, Systems Management Server, SQL Server, Project Server

Systems
  • Licensed on a “per device” basis
  • Number of devices needing the Desktop operating system = number of licenses to be bought

Licensing Programs

There are 3 types of Microsoft Licensing programs

OEM, RETAIL, VOLUME LICENSING

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM): This is also called as System Builder licensing. This software is pre-installed with the hardware (PCs or servers)

Retail: Aimed at consumers or organizations with less than 5 PCs/people

Volume Licensing is categorized into 3 types:-
  • Open
  • Select
  • Enterprise Agreement

I will discuss about the above three in the days to come.


Saturday, April 29, 2006

Windows Live™ Messenger Beta available

For all those who were waiting for an invite of the next-generation MSN Messenger i.e., Windows Live™ Messenger Beta. Here's a good News. No waits for invites anymore. Just read the details here and Sign Up now.

It has everything you already love about Messenger—your contact list, emoticons, and instant access to your friends via text, voice, and video—plus new ways to connect and share documents with almost magical ease. As always, it is free to download Messenger and use most of its features.

What you will be able to do with it:
  • Send all your familiar winks and emoticons, plus some cool new ones
  • Have real-time text, video and voice conversations*
  • Call your friends’ mobile or land-line telephones by signing up with Verizon to make affordable domestic and international calls
  • Easily share documents of all kinds with Sharing Folders
  • Make free PC-to-PC calls with other Messenger users
*Both parties must have compatible Web cams, microphones, and speakers.

See. Hear. Share. Instantly.


Friday, April 28, 2006

Earn £20k Reward For Reporting Software Piracy

Hey guys...
Is your employer driving you insane?
You are not getting the respect that you deserve?
Or are you paid peanuts?
It's time for a revenge and you will get rewarded if your organization uses pirated software.
But remember, you have to report before the end of this June

Earn £20k Reward For Reporting Software Piracy

So employers beware! Get your legal copy today!


Wednesday, April 26, 2006

IE7 Beta 2 Released

Release of IE7 Beta says: Put security first.

Will that happen to be a reason for me to switch back to IE for all reasons? I am waiting. Let me download now and start using.

Message from the IE Blog says:

This evening we released IE7 Beta 2 at http://www.microsoft.com/ie. This release is not the preview or the update to the preview, but the real Beta 2 of IE7 for Windows XP SP2, Windows Server 2003 SP1, and Windows XP 64-bit Edition. Simply: please try it.

We acted on a lot of the feedback and bug reports from the previous public releases. In particular, I feel good about changes we made based on reports from web developers around some CSS behaviors, application compatibility feedback, reliability data (yes, we do analyze the information that comes when you click “Send Error Report”), and user experience feedback. People on the team will post additional details about changes over the next few days.

For those of you outside the United States, we will release German, Finnish, Arabic, and Japanese versions over the next three weeks.

This beta is another step to our goal of delivering a safer and easier browsing experience when we release the final IE7 product in the second half of this year. I’m looking forward to reading the feedback - positive and negative - as it comes in. Beyond consumers, I encourage developers, web developers, designers, and IT Pros to use Readiness Toolkit to deliver the best possible experience to end users in IE7.

For this Beta 2 release, we’re taking the extra step of offering no-charge phone support to consumers in North America, Germany and Japan. We’re offering phone support to encourage people who usually shy away from beta software to try IE7 Beta 2. We believe that IE7 - even at this beta stage - is a significant improvement and we want as many people as possible to try it and use it. IE7 is feature complete and has been through significant compatibility and reliability testing. People (especially technology enthusiasts) will have a good experience with it.

What’s next? Windows Vista Beta 2, and then Beta 3 of IE7, release candidates, and then a final release before end of year.

Thanks,

Dean

P.S. Please remember to uninstall any previous IE7 builds before installing this one: Control Panel, Add / Remove Programs, Show Updates, scroll to the bottom.


Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Crossing the Limits

Limits broken... Check out what Hotmail says when I was sending out invites for BangaloreITPro - Windows Server 2003 R2 Launch


Does that smell like a SPAM? or Do I sound like a Spammer?

Edit: 28/04/2006
Now does that result to close our account? We have crossed the limits consecutively for the past 2 days!



BangaloreITPro - Windows Server 2003 R2 Launch

If you cannot view this message, kindly Click Here
We are excited to inform you that this April, Bangalore IT Pro User Group has become the most happening place and we "thank you" all for your extended support.

We promise you all to improve even better and therefore BangaloreITPro is now proud to announce lot of changes now happening among the group. We now have even better and enthusiastic Management team called "Create IT PRO Waves Team" bringing in even more plans for the benefit of the community. Attend the meet to know more... on the future of the UG and how the face of BangaloreITPro is changing... Also don't miss the launch of Windows Server 2003 R2. For those who attend will also have an opportunity to see the Windows Vista CTP 5308 being showcased. That's not all... There are lot of Fun Activities and Win with Windows. May be you are the lucky one! Also we will ensure that you go back with lots of knowledge and remember for a lifetime!

We welcome one and all to participate. Free entry for members to all our events. Membership to the group is absolutely free of cost thanks to the organizations that are supporting the group and its activities.

Agenda :
Session 1 : Launch of Windows Server 2003 R2
Mr. Thiyagarajan will be presenting the Launch and the highlights and insights of the Windows Server 2003 R2.

Doing more with less just got better! Windows Server 2003 R2 simplifies branch server management, improves identity and access management, reduces storage management costs, provides a rich Web platform, and offers cost-effective server virtualization.

Thiyagarajan also heads our Create IT Pro Entertainment and Events Waves Team.

Session 2 : Showcase Windows Vista CTP 5308
Ms. Ranjana Jain, IT Pro Evangelist, Microsoft Corporation will be showcasing the Windows Vista CTP 5308.

Microsoft Windows Vista is designed to dramatically improve the computing experience of every kind of PC user—from people at home who use their PCs for simple web browsing, to business people who must organize and act on large volumes of data, to scientists who routinely perform complex mathematical analysis. Want to have a look at a few screenshots of build 5308 ? Click Here

Did that impress you? You definitely must be waiting to see them in person.

Session 3 : Upcomings / Happenings in UG
Our new Assistant Manager, Mr. Shariq Basha will be presenting you all the Past, Present and Future of the BangaloreITPro User Group. The new approaches and the new beginning in the UG

Shariq heads our Create IT Pro Entertainment and Events Waves Team.

Followed by: Fun Activities and more...

You simply can't miss this opportunity !

Date: 29/04/2006

Time: 3:30 PM to 9:30 PM

Registration: 3:30 PM to 3:45 PM

Call for Assistance:
+91-9341921581 —OR—
+91-9880931288 —OR—
+91-9223445417 —OR—
+91-9845946494

Email: BangaloreITPro@hotmail.com

Venue:
Krishna Hall,
GTSC, Microsoft Corp.,
Block-B, Embassy Gulf Link,
Business Park (Off Intermediate Ring Road),
Bangalore – 560071. India

If you cannot view this message, kindly Click Here


Friday, April 14, 2006

An Indian in the WWE!


Dalip Singh know by his ring name The Great Khali at the World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) SmackDown! episode.
He stands 7 ft 3 in (221 cm) and weighs 420 lb (191 kg)
His daily Diet: Five kg milk, Five chickens and Two dozen eggs along with Chapatis, Juice, and Fruit.
Great Khali stands to be a powerful force and a threat to every member of the SmackDown locker room.
Obsessed with wrestling gallery showcasing his pictures.

Edit: 26/04/2006
So did you hear him saying "Main hoon Khali" during his introduction?


Saturday, April 08, 2006

How BillG Works?

Have a look at the desk of the World's Richest Man... Bill Gates.

The three NEC-21" monitors are synchronized to for a single desktop.
The screen on the left has a list of his emails,
The screen in the center is usually the specific mails that he is reading and responding to,
And the browser in the right screen for browsing.

How he manages millions of email messages everyday?
How the email filter and rules are set to sort emails?
When does he read 100 or more papers from Microsoft employees that examine issues related to company and its future technology?
What and how does he take notes?
What is his favourite software?
What a kind of a paperless environment and what range of digital tools he uses to do business?

Need answers? Read here: How I Work: Bill Gates




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About me

  • I'm Ashwin Kini
  • From Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
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