Friday, May 30, 2008
Microsoft Business Solutions Products Customization - Overview for Developer
purchased Great Plains Software, then Navision (Denmark based software development company). At this time Great Plains Software already was active ERP applications consolidation player - it already acquired Solomon Software couple of years prior. Then in 2002 Microsoft released Microsoft CRM (Client Relation Management system). Also Microsoft decided to attack retail marked and acquired QuickSell (now Microsoft Retail Management System/ Microsoft RMS). At this time Microsoft had robust package to automate business processes for small, midsize and large company and it formed so-called Microsoft Business Solutions (at the earlier stage the official name was Microsoft Great Plains Business Solutions - later Great Plains words were dropped) We would like to make brief review of customization options for such products as Microsoft Great Plains, Microsoft CRM and Microsoft RMS Technology overview. Microsoft Great Plains, Microsoft CRM and Microsoft RMS have similar database platform - Microsoft SQL Server. There are differences in the tables design between three - due to the fact that they were originally developed by three different companies. Great Plains has Great Plains Dexterity core (this is Great Plains Software proprietary c-language based technology and development environment), and as it was primarily targeted to be platform independence - Great Plains has old-fashioned UNIX style of tables names: RM00101 stays for customer master file, GL00100 - account master file, etc. At the same time Microsoft RMS and Microsoft CRM have more natural language based names: Microsoft CRM: Account, Activity, Contact, Lead; Microsoft RMS: Customer, Transaction, Tender, Register - we believe that these structures are self explanatory. Now to the Customization Options: • Great Plains Dexterity - please install Dexterity from CD #2 and take a look at its manuals - this is again legacy and proprietary Great Plains technology. We have described it in this article: http://www.albaspectrum.com/Customizations_Whitepapers/Dexterity_SQL_VBA_Crystal/DexterityCustomizationOptions.htm • Microsoft CRM Customization - this is the whole topic - we would like to reference you to our posting: http://www.albaspectrum.com/Customizations_Whitepapers/Dexterity_SQL_VBA_Crystal/MSCRMCustomizationOptions.htm • Microsoft RMS. Please review this article: http://www.albaspectrum.com/Customizations_Whitepapers/Dexterity_SQL_VBA_Crystal/GPRMSIntegrationOptions.htm Happy customizing! if you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com
Monday, May 26, 2008
Planning a usable website: A three-step guide
A website is like an information flow, with you as the provider and your site visitors as the receivers of the information. If you don't plan your website with this in mind right from the start, you could find yourself with a brand new website that solves all your immediate needs... but not those of your site visitors.
Clicking away from your website has never been easier for Internet users. There are about 35 million websites competing with yours on the Internet (source: http://www.zooknic.com/Domains/counts.html). Search engine results are becoming better and better and Internet connection speeds faster and faster - finding one of your competitors' websites is now very quick and very easy.
1. Work out your site visitors' immediate needs
Your website has to provide information that fulfils the immediate needs of your site visitors. This is the fundamental principle behind usable website design, so let's repeat it one more time: Your website has to provide information that fulfils the immediate needs of your site visitors.
OK, now we've got that straight, we come up against a problem: Your goals for the website are probably different to the immediate needs of your site visitors. Oh dear.
Let's illustrate this problem, and its solution, with the example of a web design company's website. Their immediate goal is to get visitors to contact them and ultimately commission them to do some web development work. Their site visitors are probably interested in getting web development work done (if not, why are they on this website?), but it's unlikely that this is their immediate need when they arrive at the website.
The immediate needs of the site visitors' are probably to answer questions like:
* Can I trust them?
* Are they any good at what they do?
* Will they get the job done?
Before the website begins to sell to its site visitors, it has to answer their questions and put their fears to rest. This is fundamentally important, so one more time: Before the website begins to sell to its site visitors, it has to answer their questions and put their fears to rest.
In the case of this web design company, they could provide a portfolio, client testimonials etc. Can you think of any other information they should offer?
2. Create an information flow
Now we've worked out what our site visitors' immediate needs are, we need to create an information flow, a path (or paths) that your site visitors will traverse whilst on your website. The path(s) will initially address their concerns and needs and will gradually take them towards completing your goal for them. To create this plan we'll need to:
* Identify the different groups of people who'll use your website
* Work out what you want each of these groups to achieve on your website
* Identify the information you'll need to provide for them to achieve this (and in what order)
* Work out what might put them off achieving this
* Identify the information you'll need to provide to prevent them being put off
>From this, you'll be able to create a list of website pages and a rough idea of how they might flow together. You'll then be able to work out exactly what pages to include on the website and how to group these pages together.
Bear in mind though, some users will need more information than others, so you'll always need to provide them with a choice of continuing on the information flow or jumping off so that they can achieve the goal you've set for them.
Going back to the website of the web design company, an information flow that their site visitors might go on could look something like this:
1. Homepage
2. Portfolio
3. Client testimonials
4. Company background
5. Staff bios
6. Terms & conditions
7. Good web design tips
8. Contact us
The web design company's ultimate goal is for site visitors to contact them and request their services. Wherever users are in this flow, they must be able to easily and immediately jump straight to the contact page at any point.
You've probably already seen this in action on websites. You arrive at the homepage and there are two or three prominent links (often in the form of boxes) telling you some basic information and requesting that you click on them to take you into some other part of the website. You go to that page on the website, read the information and then choose where to go next. And this keeps going on, until you either quit or complete the desired goal of the website.
So, the web design company's homepage might look something like what you see at http://www.webcredible.co.uk/images/plan-usable.gif.
The three boxes in the middle answer some immediate questions that users may have and proactively address their concerns. The contact us button on the top-left can remain in that position on every page, so users always have the opportunity to jump to the contact page.
3. Usability testing
Once the website plan has been created, it's time to test it. This is the most important usability test that needs to be done and the one that will save you the most time and money in the long run. Every £1 invested in making your website easy-to-use returns £10 to £100 (source:http://www-3.ibm.com/ibm/easy/eou_ext.nsf/Publish/23/).
If you don't do any usability testing you may discover that the structure of the website doesn't make sense once the website's up and running. This can and has happened and it leaves you with two choices: redesign the website or make a new website - neither are attractive options.
The most common objections to doing usability testing are:
* It's too expensive!
* It'll take too much time!
* I don't know how to do it!
Wrong, wrong, and wrong! Usability testing, especially at this early stage, is incredibly cheap, quick, informal and easy to do. You just need to show five people the plan/site map of the website and ask them:
* What's the point of this website?
* If you were on this homepage, where you would click? And where after that?
* Is it what you need?
Clicking away from your website has never been easier for Internet users. There are about 35 million websites competing with yours on the Internet (source: http://www.zooknic.com/Domains/counts.html). Search engine results are becoming better and better and Internet connection speeds faster and faster - finding one of your competitors' websites is now very quick and very easy.
1. Work out your site visitors' immediate needs
Your website has to provide information that fulfils the immediate needs of your site visitors. This is the fundamental principle behind usable website design, so let's repeat it one more time: Your website has to provide information that fulfils the immediate needs of your site visitors.
OK, now we've got that straight, we come up against a problem: Your goals for the website are probably different to the immediate needs of your site visitors. Oh dear.
Let's illustrate this problem, and its solution, with the example of a web design company's website. Their immediate goal is to get visitors to contact them and ultimately commission them to do some web development work. Their site visitors are probably interested in getting web development work done (if not, why are they on this website?), but it's unlikely that this is their immediate need when they arrive at the website.
The immediate needs of the site visitors' are probably to answer questions like:
* Can I trust them?
* Are they any good at what they do?
* Will they get the job done?
Before the website begins to sell to its site visitors, it has to answer their questions and put their fears to rest. This is fundamentally important, so one more time: Before the website begins to sell to its site visitors, it has to answer their questions and put their fears to rest.
In the case of this web design company, they could provide a portfolio, client testimonials etc. Can you think of any other information they should offer?
2. Create an information flow
Now we've worked out what our site visitors' immediate needs are, we need to create an information flow, a path (or paths) that your site visitors will traverse whilst on your website. The path(s) will initially address their concerns and needs and will gradually take them towards completing your goal for them. To create this plan we'll need to:
* Identify the different groups of people who'll use your website
* Work out what you want each of these groups to achieve on your website
* Identify the information you'll need to provide for them to achieve this (and in what order)
* Work out what might put them off achieving this
* Identify the information you'll need to provide to prevent them being put off
>From this, you'll be able to create a list of website pages and a rough idea of how they might flow together. You'll then be able to work out exactly what pages to include on the website and how to group these pages together.
Bear in mind though, some users will need more information than others, so you'll always need to provide them with a choice of continuing on the information flow or jumping off so that they can achieve the goal you've set for them.
Going back to the website of the web design company, an information flow that their site visitors might go on could look something like this:
1. Homepage
2. Portfolio
3. Client testimonials
4. Company background
5. Staff bios
6. Terms & conditions
7. Good web design tips
8. Contact us
The web design company's ultimate goal is for site visitors to contact them and request their services. Wherever users are in this flow, they must be able to easily and immediately jump straight to the contact page at any point.
You've probably already seen this in action on websites. You arrive at the homepage and there are two or three prominent links (often in the form of boxes) telling you some basic information and requesting that you click on them to take you into some other part of the website. You go to that page on the website, read the information and then choose where to go next. And this keeps going on, until you either quit or complete the desired goal of the website.
So, the web design company's homepage might look something like what you see at http://www.webcredible.co.uk/images/plan-usable.gif.
The three boxes in the middle answer some immediate questions that users may have and proactively address their concerns. The contact us button on the top-left can remain in that position on every page, so users always have the opportunity to jump to the contact page.
3. Usability testing
Once the website plan has been created, it's time to test it. This is the most important usability test that needs to be done and the one that will save you the most time and money in the long run. Every £1 invested in making your website easy-to-use returns £10 to £100 (source:http://www-3.ibm.com/ibm/easy/eou_ext.nsf/Publish/23/).
If you don't do any usability testing you may discover that the structure of the website doesn't make sense once the website's up and running. This can and has happened and it leaves you with two choices: redesign the website or make a new website - neither are attractive options.
The most common objections to doing usability testing are:
* It's too expensive!
* It'll take too much time!
* I don't know how to do it!
Wrong, wrong, and wrong! Usability testing, especially at this early stage, is incredibly cheap, quick, informal and easy to do. You just need to show five people the plan/site map of the website and ask them:
* What's the point of this website?
* If you were on this homepage, where you would click? And where after that?
* Is it what you need?
Friday, May 23, 2008
Benefits of an accessible website - part 2: The business case
The DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) states that service providers must not discriminate against disabled people. A website is regarded as a service and therefore falls under this law, and as such must be made accessible to everyone.
Some organisations are making accessibility improvements to their websites, but many are seemingly not making the accessibility adjustments. Disabled people don't access their website, they say, so why should they care?
There are, however, two very good reasons as to why businesses should start taking these issues seriously:
* An accessible website will make you more money
* An accessible website will save you money
There are seven explanations for this:
1. Your website will be easier to manage
An accessible website separates the content (the words and images that we see on the screen) and presentation (the way that these words and images are laid out) of each page. Each web page has an HTML document that contains the words and images for that page (the content), and calls up a CSS document that includes the presentation information - this CSS document is shared by all the pages on the website.
To adjust the layout of your website, you only have to make changes in the CSS file, saving considerable time (and therefore money).
2. Your website will be compatible with new browsing technologies
In the near future, the use of PDAs, mobile phones and in-car browsers will all regularly be used to access the Internet. The people making use of these new technologies are generally high-income individuals. In order to reach this lucrative target, you'll need a website that is accessible to these machines. To test your website, try using it with the Wapalizer (http://www.gelon.net), which shows how your site will look on a mobile phone.
3. Your website will appear higher in the search engines
By making your website more accessible to web users, you're also making it more accessible to search engines. Search engines cannot usually understand images, JavaScript, Flash, audio and video content. By providing alternative content to each of these, all areas of your website will be accessible to search engines, who'll then be able to have a better understanding of its purpose.
The more confident a search engine is of your website's purpose, all other things being equal, the higher it'll place your website in the search rankings.
4. You won't have to incur legal fees
The RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) and the DRC (Disability Rights Commission) have been exerting pressure on companies and the government to make their websites accessible. Indeed, the DRC has now published their findings from their accessibility investigation of 1000 websites. They've warned firms that they'll face legal action and the threat of unlimited compensation payments if they fail to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities.
5. The download time of your website will be significantly improved
Accessible websites generally download quicker than websites with poor accessibility. Just 25% of web users in the UK are connected to the Internet via broadband (source: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/intc0504.pdf). You can be sure that if your website takes much longer than ten seconds to download then many of your site visitors will be clicking away and you'll lose their custom.
6. The usability of your website will be enhanced
There is a certain amount of overlap between web accessibility and web usability. It's been shown that a usability redesign increases the sales/conversion rate of a website by 100% (source: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030107.html).
7. You'll gain good publicity
Make your website accessible to everyone and you can tell the world about it.
Some organisations are making accessibility improvements to their websites, but many are seemingly not making the accessibility adjustments. Disabled people don't access their website, they say, so why should they care?
There are, however, two very good reasons as to why businesses should start taking these issues seriously:
* An accessible website will make you more money
* An accessible website will save you money
There are seven explanations for this:
1. Your website will be easier to manage
An accessible website separates the content (the words and images that we see on the screen) and presentation (the way that these words and images are laid out) of each page. Each web page has an HTML document that contains the words and images for that page (the content), and calls up a CSS document that includes the presentation information - this CSS document is shared by all the pages on the website.
To adjust the layout of your website, you only have to make changes in the CSS file, saving considerable time (and therefore money).
2. Your website will be compatible with new browsing technologies
In the near future, the use of PDAs, mobile phones and in-car browsers will all regularly be used to access the Internet. The people making use of these new technologies are generally high-income individuals. In order to reach this lucrative target, you'll need a website that is accessible to these machines. To test your website, try using it with the Wapalizer (http://www.gelon.net), which shows how your site will look on a mobile phone.
3. Your website will appear higher in the search engines
By making your website more accessible to web users, you're also making it more accessible to search engines. Search engines cannot usually understand images, JavaScript, Flash, audio and video content. By providing alternative content to each of these, all areas of your website will be accessible to search engines, who'll then be able to have a better understanding of its purpose.
The more confident a search engine is of your website's purpose, all other things being equal, the higher it'll place your website in the search rankings.
4. You won't have to incur legal fees
The RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) and the DRC (Disability Rights Commission) have been exerting pressure on companies and the government to make their websites accessible. Indeed, the DRC has now published their findings from their accessibility investigation of 1000 websites. They've warned firms that they'll face legal action and the threat of unlimited compensation payments if they fail to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities.
5. The download time of your website will be significantly improved
Accessible websites generally download quicker than websites with poor accessibility. Just 25% of web users in the UK are connected to the Internet via broadband (source: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/intc0504.pdf). You can be sure that if your website takes much longer than ten seconds to download then many of your site visitors will be clicking away and you'll lose their custom.
6. The usability of your website will be enhanced
There is a certain amount of overlap between web accessibility and web usability. It's been shown that a usability redesign increases the sales/conversion rate of a website by 100% (source: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030107.html).
7. You'll gain good publicity
Make your website accessible to everyone and you can tell the world about it.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
StarForce Protection Solutions at Games Convention 2004
A famous Russian expert in the field of copy protection and software licensing presents its brand news technologies at Games Convention 2004, Leipzig.
StarForce to introduce its latest software protection and licensing technologies at Games Convention 2004 (Leipzig, 2004, Aug. 19th - 22nd). A new version of famous StarForce protection includes advanced anti-piracy technologies to withstand industrial software piracy as well as casual copying and license agreement violations by end users. StarForce 3.04 features a set of brand new options for license and distribution management and supports both CD/DVD copy protection and innovative PC binding technologies based on the unique serial number activation mechanism.
StarForce license and distribution management mechanism provides software developers and publishers with a tool to define and control expiry date settings of a granted demo or sales license, combine disc-based licenses with product upgrades sold via online shops, protect and control distribution of the product test-, demo-, promotional and pre-release versions. StarForce software protection solutions are known around the world for their ability to withstand industrial software piracy as well as casual copying and license agreement violations by end users.
Having protected more than a million copies of software within the six years of its existence, StarForce has become an expert in the matters of secure software distribution and license management. Company’s specialists are always ready to share their professional advice with business software and game developers looking for a reliable tool to secure their bright ideas and innovational technological approaches from theft and illegal use. All clients, partners and other individuals interested in the latest anti-piracy technologies are welcomed to schedule an appointment with a StarForce representative in Leipzig and can send their requests directly to sales@star-force.com.
StarForce to introduce its latest software protection and licensing technologies at Games Convention 2004 (Leipzig, 2004, Aug. 19th - 22nd). A new version of famous StarForce protection includes advanced anti-piracy technologies to withstand industrial software piracy as well as casual copying and license agreement violations by end users. StarForce 3.04 features a set of brand new options for license and distribution management and supports both CD/DVD copy protection and innovative PC binding technologies based on the unique serial number activation mechanism.
StarForce license and distribution management mechanism provides software developers and publishers with a tool to define and control expiry date settings of a granted demo or sales license, combine disc-based licenses with product upgrades sold via online shops, protect and control distribution of the product test-, demo-, promotional and pre-release versions. StarForce software protection solutions are known around the world for their ability to withstand industrial software piracy as well as casual copying and license agreement violations by end users.
Having protected more than a million copies of software within the six years of its existence, StarForce has become an expert in the matters of secure software distribution and license management. Company’s specialists are always ready to share their professional advice with business software and game developers looking for a reliable tool to secure their bright ideas and innovational technological approaches from theft and illegal use. All clients, partners and other individuals interested in the latest anti-piracy technologies are welcomed to schedule an appointment with a StarForce representative in Leipzig and can send their requests directly to sales@star-force.com.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Free Pre-Registration of sg-domains at Second Level
Cologne,13 August 2004. ICANN accredited registrar Secura announces today, that the company is accepting free pre-registration of sg-domains at second level. (https://www.domainregistry.de/sg-domain.html)
Singapure is the financial centre of the Far East. The registry has decided to introduce sg-domains at second level since 15 September 2004.
Part of the rule that gives priority to register 2nd level names of ?.sg? is the ownership of an existing 3rd level name (.com.sg / net.sg / org.sg / edu.sg / per.sg). The cut off date for 3rd level name to be entitled to the priority to register 2nd level names is 6 September 2004 before 5 pm. Therefore all 3rd level name had to be registered before this period to enjoy the priority in this category.You can influence the chance to get a second level sg-domain by registering now a third level domain. (Please note that there are other priority before this category which will be explained in details under item 3.3)
3. SUNRISE PERIOD
3.1 During the Sunrise Period all individuals and entities are eligible to apply for any second-level domain name. Applicants will be required to submit a declaration form (form to be published soon) together with supporting documents, if any, indicating their status (i.e. trademark holders, Unregistered well-known trademark Holder, government bodies, existing registrants or new applicants). This form has to be submitted to +49 221 2571213 via fax.
The sunrise period is 1 ½ months for the application of second-level domain names under the top level domain of .sg. Applications for second-level domain names during the Sunrise Period will not be processed on a first-come-firstserved basis but will be processed subject to the requirements and procedures set out in the following guidelines.
3.2 Where there are two or more applicants for the same second-level domain name the priority for allocation will be determined at the end of the Sunrise Period in the following order:
1. Holders of registered trademarks. Holders of word marks which are registered with the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).
2. Unregistered Trademarks, which belong to Holders of well known trademark holders
3. Government Organisations that have a current Registrant Agreement with SGNIC in relation to a current third level domain name registered under the ?gov.sg? category and is identical to the second level domain name that they want to register. For example, in the case of holder of ABC.gov.sg, the second level domain name it wants to register would be ABC.sg.
4. Applicants that have a current Registrant Agreement with SGNIC in relation to a current third level domain name registered under the ?com/org/net/edu/per.sg? categories and is identical to the second-level domain name that is under application (i.e. existing 3rd level registrants). For example, in the case of holder of XYZ.com.sg, the second-level domain name it wants to register would be XYZ.sg. The third-level ?.sg? domain name with SGNIC must be registered before 5:00pm on 6 Sept 2004. The name applied under the 2nd level must be exactly the same as the one under the 3rd level and the organization name and/or first name, last name (for the case of .per.sg) must be an exact match of the one provided by the 3rd level domain name. In addition, the domain must be in ?Active? status. Submission for domains in ?Expired? or ?Deleted? status will not be considered for application.
3.3 Where there are two or more applicants for the same second-level domain name within each of the Group, a bidding will be conducted to allocate these second-level domain names.
3.4 All individuals and entities are eligible to apply for second level ?.sg? domain name. Foreign-based registrants have to appoint a local administrative contact or register through their local office.Secura is providing automatically the local administrative contact.
4.1 The restrictions on the types of domain names to be registered are the same as the 3rd level domain names specifically:
1. Names, which contain certain words such as ?Temasek?, ?Singapore?, ?Singapura? and its variation, ?Singapore Government? or ?President? or any other words that can mislead people to think there is link to the Government; Names, which contains ?SGNIC?, ?NIC? and its variations; Names, which are obscene, scandalous, indecent or contrary to law, or morality (e.g. ?sex? or any connotations with sex or any sex-related activities);
2. Names, which are geographical names or names of countries (e.g. Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, etc.);
3. Abbreviated names (either on their own or in combination with other characters) of existing generic top-level domain name (gTLDs) (i.e. .com, .org, .net, edu, .gov, .per, .aero, .coop, .biz, .info, .museum, .name and .pro) and any other gTLDs created or to be created by ICANN in the future; Names, such as ?www?, ?http?, ?https? or ?http-www?; Names, which are similar or identical to domain names registered under other domain name space and which SGNIC deems undesirable; and Names, which consist of all numerals.
5.1 ALLOCATION RESULTS
SGNIC does not guarantee that all applicants will get a second-level domain name based on their current corresponding identical third level domain name registered with SGNIC even if the applicants apply correctly and on time. This is either because another applicant with a higher priority may have also applied for the same secondlevel domain name or the second-level domain name applied for has been reserved by SGNIC not to be available to the general public.
6. OBJECTION PERIOD
6.1 An objection period of [14 calendar days] is provided for the public to raise objections
6.2 A person raising an objection to an allocation result shall provide evidence that the second-level domain name allocated by SGNIC during the Sunrise Period did not comply with the Guidelines.
6.3 All disputes in relation to second-level domain names (except disputes arising from the allocation results announced during the Sunrise Period) will be dealt with in accordance with the Singapore Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy, Rules and Supplemental Rules (?Dispute Resolution Policy?) referred to in the Registrant Agreement regardless of when the second-level domain name was registered. All applicants shall not commence any court proceedings or administrative proceedings under the Dispute Resolution Policy during the objection period or if the person had filed an objection with SGNIC.
7. GENERAL LAUNCH
Applications from public on first-come-first-served basis will commenced on 3 Jan 2005. The pre-registation at https://www.domainregistry.de/sg-domain.html starts on 14 August 2004.
Singapure is the financial centre of the Far East. The registry has decided to introduce sg-domains at second level since 15 September 2004.
Part of the rule that gives priority to register 2nd level names of ?.sg? is the ownership of an existing 3rd level name (.com.sg / net.sg / org.sg / edu.sg / per.sg). The cut off date for 3rd level name to be entitled to the priority to register 2nd level names is 6 September 2004 before 5 pm. Therefore all 3rd level name had to be registered before this period to enjoy the priority in this category.You can influence the chance to get a second level sg-domain by registering now a third level domain. (Please note that there are other priority before this category which will be explained in details under item 3.3)
3. SUNRISE PERIOD
3.1 During the Sunrise Period all individuals and entities are eligible to apply for any second-level domain name. Applicants will be required to submit a declaration form (form to be published soon) together with supporting documents, if any, indicating their status (i.e. trademark holders, Unregistered well-known trademark Holder, government bodies, existing registrants or new applicants). This form has to be submitted to +49 221 2571213 via fax.
The sunrise period is 1 ½ months for the application of second-level domain names under the top level domain of .sg. Applications for second-level domain names during the Sunrise Period will not be processed on a first-come-firstserved basis but will be processed subject to the requirements and procedures set out in the following guidelines.
3.2 Where there are two or more applicants for the same second-level domain name the priority for allocation will be determined at the end of the Sunrise Period in the following order:
1. Holders of registered trademarks. Holders of word marks which are registered with the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).
2. Unregistered Trademarks, which belong to Holders of well known trademark holders
3. Government Organisations that have a current Registrant Agreement with SGNIC in relation to a current third level domain name registered under the ?gov.sg? category and is identical to the second level domain name that they want to register. For example, in the case of holder of ABC.gov.sg, the second level domain name it wants to register would be ABC.sg.
4. Applicants that have a current Registrant Agreement with SGNIC in relation to a current third level domain name registered under the ?com/org/net/edu/per.sg? categories and is identical to the second-level domain name that is under application (i.e. existing 3rd level registrants). For example, in the case of holder of XYZ.com.sg, the second-level domain name it wants to register would be XYZ.sg. The third-level ?.sg? domain name with SGNIC must be registered before 5:00pm on 6 Sept 2004. The name applied under the 2nd level must be exactly the same as the one under the 3rd level and the organization name and/or first name, last name (for the case of .per.sg) must be an exact match of the one provided by the 3rd level domain name. In addition, the domain must be in ?Active? status. Submission for domains in ?Expired? or ?Deleted? status will not be considered for application.
3.3 Where there are two or more applicants for the same second-level domain name within each of the Group, a bidding will be conducted to allocate these second-level domain names.
3.4 All individuals and entities are eligible to apply for second level ?.sg? domain name. Foreign-based registrants have to appoint a local administrative contact or register through their local office.Secura is providing automatically the local administrative contact.
4.1 The restrictions on the types of domain names to be registered are the same as the 3rd level domain names specifically:
1. Names, which contain certain words such as ?Temasek?, ?Singapore?, ?Singapura? and its variation, ?Singapore Government? or ?President? or any other words that can mislead people to think there is link to the Government; Names, which contains ?SGNIC?, ?NIC? and its variations; Names, which are obscene, scandalous, indecent or contrary to law, or morality (e.g. ?sex? or any connotations with sex or any sex-related activities);
2. Names, which are geographical names or names of countries (e.g. Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, etc.);
3. Abbreviated names (either on their own or in combination with other characters) of existing generic top-level domain name (gTLDs) (i.e. .com, .org, .net, edu, .gov, .per, .aero, .coop, .biz, .info, .museum, .name and .pro) and any other gTLDs created or to be created by ICANN in the future; Names, such as ?www?, ?http?, ?https? or ?http-www?; Names, which are similar or identical to domain names registered under other domain name space and which SGNIC deems undesirable; and Names, which consist of all numerals.
5.1 ALLOCATION RESULTS
SGNIC does not guarantee that all applicants will get a second-level domain name based on their current corresponding identical third level domain name registered with SGNIC even if the applicants apply correctly and on time. This is either because another applicant with a higher priority may have also applied for the same secondlevel domain name or the second-level domain name applied for has been reserved by SGNIC not to be available to the general public.
6. OBJECTION PERIOD
6.1 An objection period of [14 calendar days] is provided for the public to raise objections
6.2 A person raising an objection to an allocation result shall provide evidence that the second-level domain name allocated by SGNIC during the Sunrise Period did not comply with the Guidelines.
6.3 All disputes in relation to second-level domain names (except disputes arising from the allocation results announced during the Sunrise Period) will be dealt with in accordance with the Singapore Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy, Rules and Supplemental Rules (?Dispute Resolution Policy?) referred to in the Registrant Agreement regardless of when the second-level domain name was registered. All applicants shall not commence any court proceedings or administrative proceedings under the Dispute Resolution Policy during the objection period or if the person had filed an objection with SGNIC.
7. GENERAL LAUNCH
Applications from public on first-come-first-served basis will commenced on 3 Jan 2005. The pre-registation at https://www.domainregistry.de/sg-domain.html starts on 14 August 2004.
Friday, May 16, 2008
My Emails Are Not Being Delivered. Black Lists and White Lists Explained.
Over 40% of all emails within your marketing campaign are not being delivered. You may not even be aware of this, as many ISPs will not send back a bounce message. In fact if you are sending messages to AOL customers, AOL is now blocking over 80% of the messages that come into their servers.
One of the main reasons that this is occurring is that your IP or Domain may be Black Listed. All major ISP's and many corporate email systems now check against Black Lists and will refuse to deliver any emails that come from an IP that is Black Listed.
But what exactly is a Black List?
DNS black lists are lists of domains and IP's that are known to originate Spam. Many anti-spam software programs used by corporations and ISP's use these lists to control Spam by refusing any email that originates from one of these domains or IPs.
Unfortunately there are many instances of false positives as there are few checks and often little objectivity when listing a particular IP. In order for a black list to know that a domain is sending Spam, the offence must be reported . It may take only one report via a web form for you to be listed.
You may be listed maliciously through one complaint of a client, or that of a competitor. Many Black Lists, as well, will list not only the IP that is suspected as spamming, but will list any IPs in that range of addresses. If someone using the same Internet provider as you is accused of spamming and is placed on a Black List, you may be listed as well.
DNS blacklists are usually maintained by anti-spam organizations or by individuals.
What are some of the most popular Black Lists that ISPs are using?
Some of these include:
* MAPS - http://www.mail-abuse.com/
* Spam Cop - http://www.spamcop.net/
* SpamHaus - http://www.spamhaus.org/
* SPEWS.org - http://www.spews.org/
* ORDB.org - Open Relay Database - http://www.ordb.org/
How do I know if I am on a Black List?
Unfortunately, you really can't be 100% sure if you have been black listed. You may be on someone's black list and not even know it. There are, however, ways to check most of the lists.
One way is to check your server log when sending your campaigns. You will often see an email bounce notice indicating that the message has bounced because you are on a particular black list.
Many of the major black lists also allow you to enter your IP into a form on their site. These checks will tell you whether you appear, or not, on their list.
A useful tool, is the Black List Monitor. http://www.blacklistmonitor.com - It automatically checks your IP against most of the major Black Lists and tells you which ones you are listed on. It also gives you help in getting removed. All your IPs are constantly monitored for any changes, listings, or delistings.
But what is a White List and how can this help?
Many corporations and ISPs will create a white list. This is a list of trusted IP addresses that they feel confident will not send spam to their customers. If your IP is listed on a particular white list then your email messages will be delivered to the destination email address. It is important for reputable marketers to work with the major ISP's such as AOL to ensure that you are on their white list. For most, it can be a lengthy process, but well worth your efforts.
Other third-party email certification programs now exist. Bonded sender www.bondedsender.com is one such agency. By joining Bonded Sender, senders improve deliverability rates and differentiate their brand. Senders go through a formal application process, adhere to email standards and post a bond against potential complaints. Major ISPs such as MSN/Hotmail now check against Bond Sender's white list and allow these email to pass.
Knowing if you are on a black list, getting removed if you are and getting established on white lists is critical if you are email marketing. The more messages delivered equals more sales!
One of the main reasons that this is occurring is that your IP or Domain may be Black Listed. All major ISP's and many corporate email systems now check against Black Lists and will refuse to deliver any emails that come from an IP that is Black Listed.
But what exactly is a Black List?
DNS black lists are lists of domains and IP's that are known to originate Spam. Many anti-spam software programs used by corporations and ISP's use these lists to control Spam by refusing any email that originates from one of these domains or IPs.
Unfortunately there are many instances of false positives as there are few checks and often little objectivity when listing a particular IP. In order for a black list to know that a domain is sending Spam, the offence must be reported . It may take only one report via a web form for you to be listed.
You may be listed maliciously through one complaint of a client, or that of a competitor. Many Black Lists, as well, will list not only the IP that is suspected as spamming, but will list any IPs in that range of addresses. If someone using the same Internet provider as you is accused of spamming and is placed on a Black List, you may be listed as well.
DNS blacklists are usually maintained by anti-spam organizations or by individuals.
What are some of the most popular Black Lists that ISPs are using?
Some of these include:
* MAPS - http://www.mail-abuse.com/
* Spam Cop - http://www.spamcop.net/
* SpamHaus - http://www.spamhaus.org/
* SPEWS.org - http://www.spews.org/
* ORDB.org - Open Relay Database - http://www.ordb.org/
How do I know if I am on a Black List?
Unfortunately, you really can't be 100% sure if you have been black listed. You may be on someone's black list and not even know it. There are, however, ways to check most of the lists.
One way is to check your server log when sending your campaigns. You will often see an email bounce notice indicating that the message has bounced because you are on a particular black list.
Many of the major black lists also allow you to enter your IP into a form on their site. These checks will tell you whether you appear, or not, on their list.
A useful tool, is the Black List Monitor. http://www.blacklistmonitor.com - It automatically checks your IP against most of the major Black Lists and tells you which ones you are listed on. It also gives you help in getting removed. All your IPs are constantly monitored for any changes, listings, or delistings.
But what is a White List and how can this help?
Many corporations and ISPs will create a white list. This is a list of trusted IP addresses that they feel confident will not send spam to their customers. If your IP is listed on a particular white list then your email messages will be delivered to the destination email address. It is important for reputable marketers to work with the major ISP's such as AOL to ensure that you are on their white list. For most, it can be a lengthy process, but well worth your efforts.
Other third-party email certification programs now exist. Bonded sender www.bondedsender.com is one such agency. By joining Bonded Sender, senders improve deliverability rates and differentiate their brand. Senders go through a formal application process, adhere to email standards and post a bond against potential complaints. Major ISPs such as MSN/Hotmail now check against Bond Sender's white list and allow these email to pass.
Knowing if you are on a black list, getting removed if you are and getting established on white lists is critical if you are email marketing. The more messages delivered equals more sales!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
5 Tips To Create A Kick-Butt Mini-Course That Pulls In Thousands of Rabid Subscribers... in a Flash!
One of the fastest ways to develop, build, and grow your own list of subscribers is to develop a "mini" course with an incredibly compelling promise.
I have personally used "mini" courses to build lists of several thousand subscribers in as little as a week.
A "mini" course is simply a series of e-mail's where you teach people a specific skill, set of skills, or reveal other information they really want to know.
In the process of providing this focused, valuable information, you prove to your subscribers that you are THE expert in a particular area - and, you also encourage people to pay you to get even BETTER information from ebooks and information products you've either written or recommend.
An example of a "mini" course offer I've used with great success is the free mini course at www.7dayebook.com that appears in the exit pop up window when you leave the site. The promise of this "mini" course is strong and compelling. Here's what it says...
FREE eBook Mini-Course
"How to Write and Profit from your own eBook...
while you're still young enough to enjoy it!"
All the registration page asks for is first name and email address... and this mini-course has generated thousands of subscribers!
So here's the basic formula in a nutshell: Strong promise+ low risk+ high perceived reward= Subscribers
Now, if you'd like to build your own list of rabid subscribers, here are 5 sure-fire tips for creating a mini- course that truly kicks butt!
Tip #1 - The Promise
If you want to launch a successful mini-course, target an audience with a specific need and then make them the biggest possible promise you can deliver on.
People are pressed for time and rarely see as much value in something they get for free as opposed to something they pay a lot of money for.
Add to this the fact that the Internet gets more and more crowded everyday and you can see that the best offers are the ones that grab people's attention by making a benefit- driven promise they can't resist.
Even though you offer your mini-course for free, you still must SELL people on WHY they should pay you with their time and attention.
Example: If you want to do a mini-course on real estate investing, look for the biggest and best promise you can make for people.
Let's look at these various promises for identical mini- course content:
Good: How to make a fortune in foreclosures.
Better: How to find and buy a profitable foreclosure within 2 weeks.
Best: How to find and buy a profitable foreclosure property in your area within 2 weeks - using none of your own money!
** The promise you make has everything to do with whether or not people sign up. IMPORTANT: After they sign up, make sure you deliver on the promise.
Tip #2 - Don't reinvent the wheel
Look for existing content - your own or other people's - you can adapt directly or indirectly into the mini-course.
Hey, I understand you're busy... I'm busy too!
Why would you want to spend 2 days coming up with all the content for your mini-course if you already have past information you can adapt!?
If you don't have any existing material, then find someone else who has written an article and use that for part of your mini-course - with their permission of course.
You'd be surprised at all the pieces of the puzzle that are out there independently which you could combine into a great mini-course without nearly the mountain of effort you might expect.
Tip #3 - Give yourself lots of chances to make money
One way to build more value into your mini-course and make sure people hang onto your messages instead of deleting them is to put lots of quality links into your mini-course.
This allows people to get additional information on specific aspects of the mini-course.
Some of those links can be to free resources, others to resources where you earn an affiliate commission, and still others to your own products and services.
The more links you have that actually contribute to your students learning the subject of your mini-course and fulfilling the promise you made to get them to sign up, the better your chances of them clicking those links.
If you create lessons people save for future reference because they have great links in them, you'll make more money!
For an example look no further than your "in-box"! Almost everybody has email messages they've saved from other people because they contain links to sites you want to use now or access in the future.
Tip #4 - Build anticipation for the next message
If you're going to take the time to put together the mini- course, wouldn't it be great of the majority of people who subscribed actually read your messages!?
If you want to launch a successful mini-course, you've got to rise ABOVE the noise of all the other email messages people receive every single day.
One way to do this is to always end each lesson with a small "ad" or excitement builder for the next message. You do this by really playing up a big benefit they'll receive as a result of reading the next message you promise to send them.
Here's an example:
"The next and final installment in this mini-course will give you five tips for how to get 10,000 visitors to your website without spending a dime on pay-per-click traffic! So stay tuned for the next lesson in 2 days..."
It's a simple, yet very powerful way to build anticipation for the next message into EVERY message you send.
This simple step helps make them look forward to the next message so it gets read... not trashed!
Tip #5 - Tell them what they don't know!
If you're using the mini-course to promote a product that covers a much "bigger picture" of the topic as a whole, constantly remind people that the mini-course is just a "tiny piece" of the whole product.
Remind them of what else they need to know and tell them if they buy the product then they'll get this benefit, and that benefit, and even more specific information.
Remember, you didn't publish this mini-course to practice your typing skills! You are in this to make money, to get subscribers, and to make sales!
Once you deliver quality content that gives people a real taste of what's in store when they actually purchase, then it's time to close the sale... you deserve it!
I have personally used "mini" courses to build lists of several thousand subscribers in as little as a week.
A "mini" course is simply a series of e-mail's where you teach people a specific skill, set of skills, or reveal other information they really want to know.
In the process of providing this focused, valuable information, you prove to your subscribers that you are THE expert in a particular area - and, you also encourage people to pay you to get even BETTER information from ebooks and information products you've either written or recommend.
An example of a "mini" course offer I've used with great success is the free mini course at www.7dayebook.com that appears in the exit pop up window when you leave the site. The promise of this "mini" course is strong and compelling. Here's what it says...
FREE eBook Mini-Course
"How to Write and Profit from your own eBook...
while you're still young enough to enjoy it!"
All the registration page asks for is first name and email address... and this mini-course has generated thousands of subscribers!
So here's the basic formula in a nutshell: Strong promise+ low risk+ high perceived reward= Subscribers
Now, if you'd like to build your own list of rabid subscribers, here are 5 sure-fire tips for creating a mini- course that truly kicks butt!
Tip #1 - The Promise
If you want to launch a successful mini-course, target an audience with a specific need and then make them the biggest possible promise you can deliver on.
People are pressed for time and rarely see as much value in something they get for free as opposed to something they pay a lot of money for.
Add to this the fact that the Internet gets more and more crowded everyday and you can see that the best offers are the ones that grab people's attention by making a benefit- driven promise they can't resist.
Even though you offer your mini-course for free, you still must SELL people on WHY they should pay you with their time and attention.
Example: If you want to do a mini-course on real estate investing, look for the biggest and best promise you can make for people.
Let's look at these various promises for identical mini- course content:
Good: How to make a fortune in foreclosures.
Better: How to find and buy a profitable foreclosure within 2 weeks.
Best: How to find and buy a profitable foreclosure property in your area within 2 weeks - using none of your own money!
** The promise you make has everything to do with whether or not people sign up. IMPORTANT: After they sign up, make sure you deliver on the promise.
Tip #2 - Don't reinvent the wheel
Look for existing content - your own or other people's - you can adapt directly or indirectly into the mini-course.
Hey, I understand you're busy... I'm busy too!
Why would you want to spend 2 days coming up with all the content for your mini-course if you already have past information you can adapt!?
If you don't have any existing material, then find someone else who has written an article and use that for part of your mini-course - with their permission of course.
You'd be surprised at all the pieces of the puzzle that are out there independently which you could combine into a great mini-course without nearly the mountain of effort you might expect.
Tip #3 - Give yourself lots of chances to make money
One way to build more value into your mini-course and make sure people hang onto your messages instead of deleting them is to put lots of quality links into your mini-course.
This allows people to get additional information on specific aspects of the mini-course.
Some of those links can be to free resources, others to resources where you earn an affiliate commission, and still others to your own products and services.
The more links you have that actually contribute to your students learning the subject of your mini-course and fulfilling the promise you made to get them to sign up, the better your chances of them clicking those links.
If you create lessons people save for future reference because they have great links in them, you'll make more money!
For an example look no further than your "in-box"! Almost everybody has email messages they've saved from other people because they contain links to sites you want to use now or access in the future.
Tip #4 - Build anticipation for the next message
If you're going to take the time to put together the mini- course, wouldn't it be great of the majority of people who subscribed actually read your messages!?
If you want to launch a successful mini-course, you've got to rise ABOVE the noise of all the other email messages people receive every single day.
One way to do this is to always end each lesson with a small "ad" or excitement builder for the next message. You do this by really playing up a big benefit they'll receive as a result of reading the next message you promise to send them.
Here's an example:
"The next and final installment in this mini-course will give you five tips for how to get 10,000 visitors to your website without spending a dime on pay-per-click traffic! So stay tuned for the next lesson in 2 days..."
It's a simple, yet very powerful way to build anticipation for the next message into EVERY message you send.
This simple step helps make them look forward to the next message so it gets read... not trashed!
Tip #5 - Tell them what they don't know!
If you're using the mini-course to promote a product that covers a much "bigger picture" of the topic as a whole, constantly remind people that the mini-course is just a "tiny piece" of the whole product.
Remind them of what else they need to know and tell them if they buy the product then they'll get this benefit, and that benefit, and even more specific information.
Remember, you didn't publish this mini-course to practice your typing skills! You are in this to make money, to get subscribers, and to make sales!
Once you deliver quality content that gives people a real taste of what's in store when they actually purchase, then it's time to close the sale... you deserve it!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
7 Years At The Keyboard
Ok, for those of you still waiting, the Internet won't go away.
Hang up the hopes that it represents a passing fad sharing the fate of the Beanie or the Pet Rock.
With legitimate high-tech stocks finally in the market, regular people doing "real" business online, and consumer acceptance to the point of purchasing movie tickets and homeowners insurance over the Internet, the Web is here to stay.
However, many people still get that glassy-eyed, far away dreamer look on their faces when they think of the riches awaiting them on just the other side of their own dot-com.
Well, whether your business represents a laptop on a TV tray in the basement, or a mega-corporation with offices all over the world, my last 7 years in the Wild West online has revealed a few "truths" which should last from here until the end of computers.
** There is no get-rich-quick! **
I guess it's in man's nature to desire instant wealth.
Since the dawn of history, people threw common sense to the wind and went off in search of "buried treasure." Unfortunately, instead of discovering riches, most just ended up buried under a load of debt, misery and despair themselves.
In the late 1990's we saw the modern day equivalent of a gold rush with high-tech stocks, dot-com companies, and investors who threw common sense to the wind.
Well, we all know the result.
** The "Secret" to online business success! **
Would you like to know the real secret to making money online that will govern the Internet for all eternity?
Here you go: Spend less than you make.
That's right! Simple math creates millionaires on the Internet!
Regardless of the market, size of your enterprise, or the nature of the product or service you sell, the people who make money online spend less than they make in revenue.
The companies that make money are the ones who let someone with basic math skills run the advertising department!
** People don't buy refrigerators online! **
That's right, most people don't buy refrigerators online, but to look at the way some companies operate, you'd swear they did.
Here's how people use the Web to buy a refrigerator (or any other major purchase): they go online, research different models and prices, look for a local store, go to the store, and buy one.
Companies that use the web to make money (instead of wasting it by the bucket-load) understand the difference between closing the sale online and providing information that leads to making the sale at a physical location.
** The quick and the dead! **
People who buy online have little or no patience.
They go online to get information NOW, or to place an order NOW, or to get their questions answered NOW!
The online world is a "right NOW" world, where wait times get measured in seconds and people get mighty testy if their needs don't get met immediately.
Speed, not size, determines the victor in e-commerce because the businesses that meet people's immediate expectations as quickly as possible (if not faster) ultimately win.
Hang up the hopes that it represents a passing fad sharing the fate of the Beanie or the Pet Rock.
With legitimate high-tech stocks finally in the market, regular people doing "real" business online, and consumer acceptance to the point of purchasing movie tickets and homeowners insurance over the Internet, the Web is here to stay.
However, many people still get that glassy-eyed, far away dreamer look on their faces when they think of the riches awaiting them on just the other side of their own dot-com.
Well, whether your business represents a laptop on a TV tray in the basement, or a mega-corporation with offices all over the world, my last 7 years in the Wild West online has revealed a few "truths" which should last from here until the end of computers.
** There is no get-rich-quick! **
I guess it's in man's nature to desire instant wealth.
Since the dawn of history, people threw common sense to the wind and went off in search of "buried treasure." Unfortunately, instead of discovering riches, most just ended up buried under a load of debt, misery and despair themselves.
In the late 1990's we saw the modern day equivalent of a gold rush with high-tech stocks, dot-com companies, and investors who threw common sense to the wind.
Well, we all know the result.
** The "Secret" to online business success! **
Would you like to know the real secret to making money online that will govern the Internet for all eternity?
Here you go: Spend less than you make.
That's right! Simple math creates millionaires on the Internet!
Regardless of the market, size of your enterprise, or the nature of the product or service you sell, the people who make money online spend less than they make in revenue.
The companies that make money are the ones who let someone with basic math skills run the advertising department!
** People don't buy refrigerators online! **
That's right, most people don't buy refrigerators online, but to look at the way some companies operate, you'd swear they did.
Here's how people use the Web to buy a refrigerator (or any other major purchase): they go online, research different models and prices, look for a local store, go to the store, and buy one.
Companies that use the web to make money (instead of wasting it by the bucket-load) understand the difference between closing the sale online and providing information that leads to making the sale at a physical location.
** The quick and the dead! **
People who buy online have little or no patience.
They go online to get information NOW, or to place an order NOW, or to get their questions answered NOW!
The online world is a "right NOW" world, where wait times get measured in seconds and people get mighty testy if their needs don't get met immediately.
Speed, not size, determines the victor in e-commerce because the businesses that meet people's immediate expectations as quickly as possible (if not faster) ultimately win.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Microsoft Great Plains on Ctree or Pervasive SQL – what to do – tips for IT manager
As you probably know, when Microsoft purchased Great Plains Software – the whole strategy for Great Plains Dynamics/eEnterprise line was changed. Initial GPS strategy was to maintain DB platform independence – via it’s C-written engine Dexterity, based on the believe that C programming language is platform independent. So – Great Plains was running on MS SQL Server, Ctree (Faircom – if you remember 1995-96 Macintosh era), Pervasive SQL (Btrieve). Microsoft obviously had no plan to keep this multiplatform capability and Great Plains was optimized to MS SQL Server and with the introduction of MSDE – the need to keep entry level Dynamics on Ctree/Btrieve disappeared.
Microsoft Great Plains Business Solutions, later renamed to Microsoft Business Solutions was sending multiple signals to Dynamics customers to migrate to SQL Server, later on to upgrade to Great Plains Standard on MSDE. Recently it promoted all the clients who own Great Plains on Ctree/Pervasive – so now they technically own so called Great Plains Standard. All they need to do is pay for Migration (around k$3 + consulting fee to whoever your MBS VAR is).
Unfortunately MBS did several rough turns in the process of this migration from ctree/Pervasive to SQL/MSDE.
Until early 2004 you could see support expiration date for Great Plains 7.5 on Ctree/Pervasive was July, 31, 2005. In about April, 2004 – Microsoft roughly changed it to December 31, 2004. This actually exposed all the clients with regulation-related modules (such as US Payroll – where you rather do not risk with printing W2s without support) to serious problems
Clients who migrated to Great Plains standard are now in the feeling that they paid for something that is free now. See above – all the low price GP clientele now technically owns GP Standard
Ctree/Pervasive clients with high volume of employees count in GP Payroll/HR now have to cut it to 500 employees due to the cap for GP Standard. You can imagine frustration, especially due to the fact that a lot of mid-size and big companies were running very cheap Dynamics on Ctree for just Payroll/W2 filing. This was a very nice alternative to products like Abra HR – not any more.
What to do. Well, if you plan to stay with GP – the only alternative is to migrate to MSDE. Contact your MBS VAR (or call us directly: 1-866-528-0577). You will be given Migration Tool quote – then install MSDE and Great Plains with exactly the same accounts structure that you have on Pervasive/Ctree. Tune Migration Tool, select all the tables in all the modules, click the button and wait a few hour – and you are in the SQL World!
Microsoft Great Plains Business Solutions, later renamed to Microsoft Business Solutions was sending multiple signals to Dynamics customers to migrate to SQL Server, later on to upgrade to Great Plains Standard on MSDE. Recently it promoted all the clients who own Great Plains on Ctree/Pervasive – so now they technically own so called Great Plains Standard. All they need to do is pay for Migration (around k$3 + consulting fee to whoever your MBS VAR is).
Unfortunately MBS did several rough turns in the process of this migration from ctree/Pervasive to SQL/MSDE.
Until early 2004 you could see support expiration date for Great Plains 7.5 on Ctree/Pervasive was July, 31, 2005. In about April, 2004 – Microsoft roughly changed it to December 31, 2004. This actually exposed all the clients with regulation-related modules (such as US Payroll – where you rather do not risk with printing W2s without support) to serious problems
Clients who migrated to Great Plains standard are now in the feeling that they paid for something that is free now. See above – all the low price GP clientele now technically owns GP Standard
Ctree/Pervasive clients with high volume of employees count in GP Payroll/HR now have to cut it to 500 employees due to the cap for GP Standard. You can imagine frustration, especially due to the fact that a lot of mid-size and big companies were running very cheap Dynamics on Ctree for just Payroll/W2 filing. This was a very nice alternative to products like Abra HR – not any more.
What to do. Well, if you plan to stay with GP – the only alternative is to migrate to MSDE. Contact your MBS VAR (or call us directly: 1-866-528-0577). You will be given Migration Tool quote – then install MSDE and Great Plains with exactly the same accounts structure that you have on Pervasive/Ctree. Tune Migration Tool, select all the tables in all the modules, click the button and wait a few hour – and you are in the SQL World!
Monday, May 5, 2008
Reduce TCO: The Java Database Way
TCO (Total Cost Ownership) is the buzzword in today’s business world. This metric helps enterprise managers assess direct and indirect costs and benefits derived from their investment on IT components and services. A vital component of overall TCO is database management. All information-centric applications need databases for data storage. Also, the storage demands of small and mid-sized companies are growing rapidly, as more emphasis is given on data backup and long-term archival of data disaster recovery.
Embedded databases have arrived in this scenario as a major cost-cutting tool. They help organizations in managing the growing storage requirements by providing a cost-effective and reliable solution for data backup, file storage and archiving, thereby assuring a lower cost of ownership for small to medium sized business organizations.
The remainder of this article will focus on the database server that I am most familiar with (Daffodil DB) and how it helps in the reduction of TCO. Though the example has some nuances specific to Daffodil DB, I am sure that readers will be able to extrapolate the theme to better understand the role of a database in TCO reduction.
Let’s begin with Development and Deployment Costs. Gone are the days when applications had to be tested extensively for all underlying platforms. Now, one can shrink the cost and time required to develop and setup solutions on multiple platforms by using a Java database. A separate deployment for different platform implementations of a large application is a major expense that an enterprise can do without.
Administration Costs are a major concern for many-a-company. Logically, database administration costs are a significant component of TCO. When embedded with an application, a compact Java database can be made practically invisible to the user, since it (the database) requires no administration and runs on the same Java virtual machine (JVM) as does the application. Its simple performance tuning process helps in optimizing database performance and vastly reduces database administration costs.
Now let’s move on to Compatibility Cost. Java databases, being platform independent, are compatible with all operating systems and application servers. This feature helps developers in choosing their own range of effective and economical solutions. For example, with Daffodil DB the developer can use Open Source tools like JBOSS application server for reducing overall TCO.
Last, but certainly not the least, let’s get to Licensing Costs. Pardon me if I seem to evangelize Daffodil DB, but that’s one area where I can ‘preach’ with confidence. As Daffodil DB can be used / embedded with a wide array of applications, flexible licensing policies have been developed to accommodate the diverse needs of the development community without restricting the same to just one standard license. Each application development organization may pick the right combination of licenses that best meets its needs. The organizations may also acquire additional licenses or upgrade their licenses. Do I hear someone shout ‘What about Open Source?’
Embedded databases have arrived in this scenario as a major cost-cutting tool. They help organizations in managing the growing storage requirements by providing a cost-effective and reliable solution for data backup, file storage and archiving, thereby assuring a lower cost of ownership for small to medium sized business organizations.
The remainder of this article will focus on the database server that I am most familiar with (Daffodil DB) and how it helps in the reduction of TCO. Though the example has some nuances specific to Daffodil DB, I am sure that readers will be able to extrapolate the theme to better understand the role of a database in TCO reduction.
Let’s begin with Development and Deployment Costs. Gone are the days when applications had to be tested extensively for all underlying platforms. Now, one can shrink the cost and time required to develop and setup solutions on multiple platforms by using a Java database. A separate deployment for different platform implementations of a large application is a major expense that an enterprise can do without.
Administration Costs are a major concern for many-a-company. Logically, database administration costs are a significant component of TCO. When embedded with an application, a compact Java database can be made practically invisible to the user, since it (the database) requires no administration and runs on the same Java virtual machine (JVM) as does the application. Its simple performance tuning process helps in optimizing database performance and vastly reduces database administration costs.
Now let’s move on to Compatibility Cost. Java databases, being platform independent, are compatible with all operating systems and application servers. This feature helps developers in choosing their own range of effective and economical solutions. For example, with Daffodil DB the developer can use Open Source tools like JBOSS application server for reducing overall TCO.
Last, but certainly not the least, let’s get to Licensing Costs. Pardon me if I seem to evangelize Daffodil DB, but that’s one area where I can ‘preach’ with confidence. As Daffodil DB can be used / embedded with a wide array of applications, flexible licensing policies have been developed to accommodate the diverse needs of the development community without restricting the same to just one standard license. Each application development organization may pick the right combination of licenses that best meets its needs. The organizations may also acquire additional licenses or upgrade their licenses. Do I hear someone shout ‘What about Open Source?’
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Internet, Jeff Buckley music, websites, epiphanies, following your dreams…everything’s connected in the Universe.
Internet, Jeff Buckley music, websites, epiphanies, following your dreams…everything’s connected in the Universe.
This may come across as a strange article contextually as I am a writer for a web hosting company who likes for me to spread the word about how cool the Internet is, so average people, if they ever get to read this stuff, may be inspired to partake in this new aspect of our collective, privileged, contemporary society. I have been an avid music listener and player for many years of my life and I want to give you the simple story of how the Internet has now connected once again with my life’s journey. I have a deep-seated dream of one day producing some music while I’m here in the world, but as in many cases, we humans have fears in relation to the ideas and feelings that mean the most to us. Recently I first heard music from a guy called Jeff Buckley.
This Jeff Buckley fellow can really play, I mean he could really play. His music spoke to me instantly; he plays guitar and sings in a way that touches and even haunts the soul. For a person like myself who hopes to one day become a ‘real’ musician and not just a hobbyist, this guy is a true inspiration. Buckley died at the age of 31 years. So how did I find out about the guy? The Internet. I even read the lyrics off a website to the song I was listening to at that very moment. Looking at photos, reading his biography; the experience of hearing the music at the same time as ‘seeing’ and learning about Buckley added a whole new dimension to the experience. The Internet let me feel the music in a new way, and resulted in a moment of epiphany-and don’t these moments mean so much to us?
So what am I alluding to? What am I getting at here? The idea I think I’m trying to articulate is that the Internet can add dimensions to our experiences. Of course there is nothing wrong with listening to music on its own, simplicity is one of the most beautiful ways to live life. But for me in this particular instance, adding visuals, lyrics, and information about the musician seemed to make the feelings I received via the music grow and swell in the moment. The experience became multidimensional, both a reflection and a new vision simultaneously felt.
The result for me was like a big kick in the ass. If you want to make music, stop procrastinating. This guy Jeff Buckley gave it his best, made beautiful music and then died. He didn’t get to hang around very long, and the same thing can happen to any of us. If I don’t follow my dream now, in the present, I might just leave this place before I use the opportunities that have been given to me.
All I’m trying to say here is that the Internet is becoming a tool that we can use in our daily lives that can add richness and texture to our lives. Like all internal and external stimulus in our world, it too just might be the medium that ignites the ‘light bulb’ idea that changes the rest of your life.
This may come across as a strange article contextually as I am a writer for a web hosting company who likes for me to spread the word about how cool the Internet is, so average people, if they ever get to read this stuff, may be inspired to partake in this new aspect of our collective, privileged, contemporary society. I have been an avid music listener and player for many years of my life and I want to give you the simple story of how the Internet has now connected once again with my life’s journey. I have a deep-seated dream of one day producing some music while I’m here in the world, but as in many cases, we humans have fears in relation to the ideas and feelings that mean the most to us. Recently I first heard music from a guy called Jeff Buckley.
This Jeff Buckley fellow can really play, I mean he could really play. His music spoke to me instantly; he plays guitar and sings in a way that touches and even haunts the soul. For a person like myself who hopes to one day become a ‘real’ musician and not just a hobbyist, this guy is a true inspiration. Buckley died at the age of 31 years. So how did I find out about the guy? The Internet. I even read the lyrics off a website to the song I was listening to at that very moment. Looking at photos, reading his biography; the experience of hearing the music at the same time as ‘seeing’ and learning about Buckley added a whole new dimension to the experience. The Internet let me feel the music in a new way, and resulted in a moment of epiphany-and don’t these moments mean so much to us?
So what am I alluding to? What am I getting at here? The idea I think I’m trying to articulate is that the Internet can add dimensions to our experiences. Of course there is nothing wrong with listening to music on its own, simplicity is one of the most beautiful ways to live life. But for me in this particular instance, adding visuals, lyrics, and information about the musician seemed to make the feelings I received via the music grow and swell in the moment. The experience became multidimensional, both a reflection and a new vision simultaneously felt.
The result for me was like a big kick in the ass. If you want to make music, stop procrastinating. This guy Jeff Buckley gave it his best, made beautiful music and then died. He didn’t get to hang around very long, and the same thing can happen to any of us. If I don’t follow my dream now, in the present, I might just leave this place before I use the opportunities that have been given to me.
All I’m trying to say here is that the Internet is becoming a tool that we can use in our daily lives that can add richness and texture to our lives. Like all internal and external stimulus in our world, it too just might be the medium that ignites the ‘light bulb’ idea that changes the rest of your life.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Another title by Atari released on StarForce protected DVDs
“Atari has selected StarForce to protect their brand-new game called Race Driver 2”, a supervisor from StarForce has stated today.
“Race Driver 2” is produced by Codemasters and distributed by Atari. It was released in Taiwan in July 2004. The game is designed for both PC and Microsoft Xbox platforms. The product is distributed on DVD discs protected by StarForce.
Atari is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for both gaming enthusiasts and the mass-market audience. The company’s products are based on internally created intellectual properties or products licensed from third parties, and include most recognizable names in popular entertainment industry.
This is the second case of Atari’s cooperation with StarForce. Earlier they used StarForce to secure their hit game — “Desert Rats VS Afrika Korps”.
Both titles are protected using the StarForce Professional 3.0 solution. StarForce Professional 3.0 utilizes latest copy protection know-how and provides a high level of security yet being a very usable solution for end users. StarForce Professional is designed to assist software developers and publishers to suppress high-volume industrial piracy as well as illegal copying by end users. The protection technologies implementation doesn’t require publishers to use any special tools for a licensed disc production, quality control, or other procedures.
Pleased with the quality of StarForce service and proven effectiveness of the company’s technologies, Atari is planning to continue its cooperation with StarForce in the nearest future.
“Race Driver 2” is produced by Codemasters and distributed by Atari. It was released in Taiwan in July 2004. The game is designed for both PC and Microsoft Xbox platforms. The product is distributed on DVD discs protected by StarForce.
Atari is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for both gaming enthusiasts and the mass-market audience. The company’s products are based on internally created intellectual properties or products licensed from third parties, and include most recognizable names in popular entertainment industry.
This is the second case of Atari’s cooperation with StarForce. Earlier they used StarForce to secure their hit game — “Desert Rats VS Afrika Korps”.
Both titles are protected using the StarForce Professional 3.0 solution. StarForce Professional 3.0 utilizes latest copy protection know-how and provides a high level of security yet being a very usable solution for end users. StarForce Professional is designed to assist software developers and publishers to suppress high-volume industrial piracy as well as illegal copying by end users. The protection technologies implementation doesn’t require publishers to use any special tools for a licensed disc production, quality control, or other procedures.
Pleased with the quality of StarForce service and proven effectiveness of the company’s technologies, Atari is planning to continue its cooperation with StarForce in the nearest future.
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