jamesb

Depends what you mean by geeky. I had an LG Viewty which was very nice, and suitably multi-purpose, but to be honest I got fed up of the whole touchscreen thing in the end and have gone for a Nokia N85 with my latest one. Its not as convenient for e-mail and such but there are some excellent games for the N-Gage 2.0, the built-in radio transmitter is perfect for driving, the screen's large enough that QReader is perfectly legible, and the various Nokia services can't be faulted (as far as they go, a lot are in beta at the moment but Maps, Sync and now the Ovi store all work well). On top of this it actually feels like a phone, and has a decent camera.

I don't agree with the add a zero bit, but assuming the average consultant is working maybe 30% of the time (highly variable, but a reasonable average to start with) then they've got to be earning triple the wage of someone who works full-time in order to survive. So £50/hour wouldn't strike me as unreasonable for a self-employed consultant providing basic skills. For someone with more advanced skills I'd expect the number to drift much higher, depending on demand for those skills and their scarcity. As another note, I've done a few minor bits of consultancy and I know others who have. Wearing a nice suit does not rule out knowing what you're talking about.

Congratulations. What're you aiming for?

Renewal is the same price. Basically what happens is that when you first buy you get a pack of all the discs. That's the library, training stuff, and software. You then get a few discs sent each month with the updates. If you renew, you just keep on getting those few discs each month. If you let it expire and then buy a new one, you get the original pack sent out again with all the latest discs. Or you can always go down the download route, which is a better option price-wise, and you can always burn your own discs.

Work paid for it. I'd never have gone down that route on my own. The Technet license I could afford, the MSDN one's a little out of my league. As for discounts, if you do a quick google search you'll find various voucher codes popping up to offer between 20% - 40% off. Edit: Forgot to mention, it also entitles you to two free Microsoft support calls (normally about £250 each I believe)

If you go for the full one, where they send you the DVDs, its actually better to let it expire for a day or so each time, then renew/rebuy. There's no difference in price, and they'll send out the new discs each time so you can have shelves full of smart little Microsoft technet DVD folders.

I've used it before, and found it excellent. The only reason I no longer us it is that I'm now on an MSDN license. As for a list of software, that could take a while: - All server operating systems (including RC of 2008 R2) - All client operating systems (from Windows 3.11 to RC of Windows 7) - Most server software (I don't know if there's anything missing, but its a bit enough list) - Most client software (Full versions of Office, Visual Studio, etc) - The full technet technical library as a download - A large selection of technet technical training - A load of utilities and other general stuff. I'm not going to go through and list them one by one, it'd take too long.

Its an annual fee, and you have a choice between two options. One lets you download all the software and get the product keys online, the other gets you a nice Microsoft branded CD folder, with all the DVDs included and monthly updates sent out. Buy, Renew or Upgrade Your TechNet Plus Subscription

If you want legal license keys for everything in order to play with it, I'd recommend just picking up a Technet license. Gives you about ten copies of just about everything (except server editions, only one copy of those) with an unlimited 'evaluation' license. Also gives you access to a lot of other handy stuff.

I've just been having a quick look over the BECTA website. There didn't seem to be anything in there about the requirements being reduced. In fact the letter I managed to find, which was sent out to all heads mentions maximising the use of information technology for reporting to and involving parents.

So, ISPs will be forced to hold on to our data for a year, with or without our consent. Meanwhile websites will have to get express consent before doing something as simple as dropping an identity cookie onto your computer. Please kill this cookie monster to save Europe's websites | OUT-LAW.COM Do the people who make these laws actually bother speaking to each other at all, or do they just roll dice to decide which way to go?

Seriously now, who thinks up these rules?

At least until they shut down Pirate Bay.

A follow-up survey revealed that IT workers are also over-fond of bad puns.

That's just not natural. Teenagers up at 5am?

Look at the AD structure and either familiarise yourself with it, or decide how you'd change it. If you decide to change it then plan out a new one with great care before making any changes, wait until you have a few weeks when no one's using the network, then create your new structure, move objects as appropriate, test, and take out the old structure only once you know it all works. While you're waiting to do that, run a lot of GPResults with different combinations to find out how the policies are applied to actual users and computers. Get a network diagram worked out. Make yourself a list of all the static IP addresses and the devices they apply to. You may be lucky enough that all this is already documented, in which case work through that.

If they bring a Playboy magazine into school, that is the school's business. I don't see the difference just because it might be electronic.

Why did the teacher have a list of pupils passwords?

The CEH network is the Certified Ethical Hacker course wireless network, the one where they practice breaking into a secured wireless network and any devices hooked up to it. I wisely decided not to link up to it. I know that when I've been on courses with them, there have been people coming back for the second half of the course when they couldn't make the full thirteen days. Not ideal I know but it might be worth talking to them about options.

You've mentioned them. I know they're expensive, but I honestly cannot recommend Firebrand enough. They are well worth the money, and their courses really are everything they promise, at least in my experience. I did my MCITP:EA with them (had to take one extra exam since I was technically only there for the upgrade from my MCSE), and had done many of my other certs with them beforehand. Very accomodating, fantastic food, very intense, comprehensive learning and instruction, and loads of useful tidbits to pick up along the way. The instructors are top-notch and really do know their subjects inside out. I've seriously considered taking a week's holiday by going on a Firebrand course rather than wasting money on a trip abroad somewhere. Just remember, if you're taking your own laptop and happen to spot a network called CEH appear, don't join it.

Google Earth? I believe there was a thread a while ago about someone wanting to import all of their pupil addresses into Google Earth to do pretty much what you said. Microsoft AutoRoute might be another option. Edit: Et voila - http://www.edugeek.net/forums/how-do-you-do/31274-plotting-1500-postcodes-map.html

It almost looks like its using something like osql to run a query. If it is, could you set up the task to run under a specific account set up as a service account and use trusted logon instead?

Some places do mix their support levels rather than having the standard three. What're the job titles which're confusing you?

Oddly enough though if you ask for the conversion to lbs it does work out ounces.

Implanted RFID tags. Much better option, and if you set up your wireless right you can keep track of when those problem users are heading towards you as well.