Fundamental Software Solutions

I had a couple of intermittent problems while supporting a client that I couldn't find any information on, anywhere.

The problem manifested itself when they plugged in their mobile phone to their computer.  In XP, using ActiveSync, or using Windows Mobile Device center in Vista, and Windows 7.  Before they plugged in their mobile, they could use the internet browser on their computer, through a proxy auto-configured with WPAD.DAT, and after, they couldn't.  The web seemed to just "stop" resulting in a "cannot connect" error at the web proxy server, every time.

I incorrectly focused on ActiveSync at first - since that was the point of contact that caused the failure, and found that although it installed a network driver to communicate with the phone - it didn't seem to matter what the network settings were.

Finally, while working with the WPAD.DAT (auto-configuration script) I found that the actual call to myIpAddress() was returning an auto-configured address, and not a DHCP address on the connected subnet.  Since I was using shExpMatch(myIpAddress(), "192.168.1.*") to test the validity of the local network - the WPAD was incorrectly configured to go DIRECT through the firewall, which wasn't allowed.

Instead, I added this to WPAD.DAT:

So, careful using myIpAddress() in WPAD.DAT, unless you account for the Windows Mobile IP Address to be returned in myIpAddress().

Windows Desktop Search 4.0 is a pretty cool little piece of software; it indexes a computer and allows free-text searching of file contents and properties.  In fact, it replaces a lot of technologies that would have cost thousands of dollars.  However, windows Desktop Search is best run on the computer where the data resides and not necessarily over the network.  (Think of a corporate situation where tens or hundreds of systems are trying to index the same server... eek!)

So how do you get the results to the client desktops when you need them?  Well, as Microsoft always tends to support with their products - there is a way to query WDS pragmatically. More...

We have been a part of deployment projects with Windows XP and Windows 2000 on very large scales in the past, and now are getting our hands dirty with Windows 7.  This deployment is for a SMB only of about 40 computers, and so far, we are very impressed.

Microsoft has come a long way with the deployment process of their operating system.  At first, understanding the steps and deployment stages can be daunting, but a quick read of the unattended settings using the documentation provided with the System Image Manager makes things a breeze.  The WIM format and ImageX tools allow us to overlay application data onto the drive in layers, instead of creating drive images and then copying loose files over-top. 

The goal with any deployment project is to minimize deployment time on the day-of, and there is some time spent with the WIMs that I think could be faster, but it is fast enough for a complete corporate install in about 2 days with only 2 techs on about 40-60 computers.  We found a way to do this without the purchase of any third party tools, also!

... Does anyone but me remember those weekends being stretched to the limit installing Windows XP by hand, and then installing all the applications afterward?

The time savings actually makes this deployment pay for itself in the long run, too.  New computers introduced into the company can be completely generated in 30 minutes.  No more ordering from your computer supplier and then stripping all the settings that you couldn't remove with Group Policy.

In conclusion of this brief article, anyone having to install an operating system (or returning an operating system to a base state) should be thinking automated and unattended deployment first - especially if 5 or more computers are involved - it is simple, cheap and very reliable.

We found a Microsoft technology recently that sparked some interest for anyone with information to reveal, called Microsoft Tag.  The basic idea is that on your camera-enabled mobile phone, you install an application that can read tags.  When you see a tag in the future - you use your phone to scan the tag, and the phone browses a website, or dials a number, or does something else based on the tag itself.

Some other technologies have been attempting to use Near Field Communication where other electronic equipment is involved, but this is a highly simplified way of doing it - and what we feel is currently the cheapest.

The idea isn't new - cash registers do it with bar codes already, shipping companies do it to track packages.  The difference is that the bar code in this case has been separated from just a scanner/database and has been linked with phone functions that anyone can use regularly.  Microsoft even went further to design something that could be completely customized, so it doesn't even look like a traditional bar code on a package. (The image on the left of the balloons is actually a bar code!)

 For one of our Real Estate customers, it meant that people with supported smart-phones could scan a for sale sign and instantly be directed to the mobile portal of the agent's website - with information about the house, images, etc.  Further to that, once the listing information is downloaded, a user can tap a link on the web-page to dial to request an appointment.

Admittedly, there is a chicken and egg situation forming with the technology that may be insurmountable in making the technology viable everywhere.  The tag reader application has to be on the phone to read the tag - and most people would not install the tag reader until tags were common, tags not being common because nobody has the reader, etc. 

Marketing something with new technology however may mean a new audience and new clients - in this particular case, technically intrigued clients that normally would have passed the sign by without giving it a look.  Now, they have something interesting to try.

(Within the next 30 days, if you are in the Deep South of Calgary, check out 1336 Shawnee Rd SW, North at the light off James Mckevitt Rd. with your Tag-enabled smartphone.)

I had a chat with some former collegues the other week, and was reminiscing about the days of old.  We happened to discuss the days when Kernel versions were held and never changed.  In fact, any company playing with our very stable kernel version 1.3 would have some testing to do before we would adopt the new 1.4 version with something-or-other added to it.

Times have changed, or at least in my new client and working environment.  Now, needs decide the kernel and focus has left the "don't you dare change my kernel or-else" stance to one of "well, if it squeezes some power out of the processors, I will look at it."

In fact, I like what is happening.  I like the change.  I like taking hardware and running the OS of the day, then upgrading it and finding it runs about twice as fast.  To me, that is like putting updated software in my car and getting twice the speed, and twice the economy.  (I wish my car would do that.)  I like feeling like there is a something-for nothing equation in place, and perhaps only in software - it is possible and is happening more and more.  I think improvements should occur.  At the risk of signing my own death warrant, perhaps this model of software should be annually paid for in favour of speed and other updates - never having to purchase upgrades again.

Ok, wait - let me clarify.  I support that licensing model ONLY if I get something out of it.  If the OS or software using this model becomes stale and I am paying annually for absolutely nothing in return - forget it.  I do that now with other licensing.  Pay 1.5x the purchase price, and IF any upgrades come within a year, you get them free.  I don't think that has ever worked in my favour.