Technology, training, learning and development blogs

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More computing power than Jodrell Bank

Posted by Gary Duffield · 20 October 2008

I opened exploratory talks recently with the current Mrs D. regarding the purchase of a new piece of kit for use here at Duffield Towers. Her response, that we had more computing power than Jodrell Bank, forced me to reconsider my intended purchase...

8 out of 10 server owners who expressed a preference said their network preferred IT

Posted by Gary Duffield · 15 September 2008

Over the last two years, I have chatted to hundreds of people about their Microsoft strategies. Over the last 10 months, I’ve asked seminar delegates to complete a survey with the promise that I’d share the results with you. Three figures worth of people were surveyed...

Fancy a virtual certification?

Posted by Gary Duffield · 10 September 2008

Right now Microsoft seems to have gone off like a firework with new products and services flying out of Redmond almost by the second. No sooner had Hyper-V, SBS 2008 and SQL 2008 shipped than we get a new Zune, the BlueTrack mouse and...

Nearly MCSD or MCAD certified? Get them well you can (with 40% off the exams)

Posted by Gary Duffield · 03 September 2008

Microsoft Learning is retiring a number of developer and SQL examinations on the 31st March 2009. Now, what does that mean for you? If you have an MCAD or MCSD you’ll not lose those certifications, BUT if you have put off taking that last exam for the MCSD et al, you’ll not have the option to take it after March next year. That’s it, game over. There will be no new MCSDs when these retire. To encourage us, Microsoft is reducing the cost of the retiring exams by 40% until the exams finally put their feet up in the home for retired exams. This offer is worldwide.

A man out standing in his field: An everyday story of blended learning and a tent

Posted by Gary Duffield · 01 September 2008

Have you every stopped to think about how you learn? It’s a subject that has fascinated me over the years. Many people I’ve asked the question of instinctively say that they learn by going on a course. If that were true, we’d fill every classroom many times over. The reality is, without realising it, we learn from multiple sources and stimuli, a sort of unconscious learning. We learn without even being aware of it – can you remember where you were when you learnt to turn on a tap or Ctrl-Alt-Del a PC. Learning without knowing or knowing without learning...?

Work with computers ?

Posted by Gary Duffield · 01 September 2008

Last week my colleague Gary Duffield complained that once acquaintances realise that you “work with computers” they just can’t help asking your advice or worse, asking you to “take a look at ...”

SharePoint: The Swiss Army knife of server products

Posted by Gary Duffield · 22 August 2008

Is it just me or do your relations, friends and friends of friends seem to come out of the woodwork as soon as they know you “work with computers”? Had I taken a different career path and taken up taxidermy I suspect I’d not be subjected to quite as many “while you are here can you just have a look at this....” moments. A recent social visit resulted in me reinstalling a “friends” SUSE Linux PC. It took me the best part of half a Saturday – My reward? Three cups of tea and a “you must come round for dinner”…I assume dinner will be served the next time the computer goes belly up.

Houston: We have a paradigm shift...

Posted by Gary Duffield · 20 July 2008

It’s funny how many “paradigm” shifts we seem to have in our industry. When I started at what today is Xpertise Training, way back in 1986, then we wrote emulators for Honeywell Bull Mainframes. One paradigm shift later we went all WIMP (Windows, Icons, Mice, Pull-down menus). The next shift saw centralised, Mainframe delivered applications shift down to the PC, now I feel there maybe another shift on the horizon, that is if Microsoft comes good on their rhetoric.

Bill Gates has left the building (and taken Windows XP with him)

Posted by Gary Duffield · 27 June 2008

Those prone to conspiracy theories might argue that Bill Gates leaving Microsoft today after 30 plus years service is an elaborate smoke screen, constructed to bury the real news of the day. Windows XP has left the building. Well sort of.

Nobody puts Baby in the corner

Posted by Gary Duffield · 24 June 2008

If you reconise the quote above, this blog isn’t a review of the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, it’s a 60th birthday greeting to what is generally acknowledged to be the world’s first electrically programmable computer – The Manchester Baby (.NET Framework MCMXLVIII not included).

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