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Deploy/Adopt: Realizing ValueAll about Adopting and Deploying the Microsoft Platformhttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/atom.aspxTelligent Community 22.214.171.124162 (Build: 220.127.116.11162)2009-01-07T20:26:53ZNYT Maps the Forest of Services Across Top Tech Companies, But Fails To See The Treeshttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2010/01/26/nyt-maps-the-forest-of-services-across-top-tech-companies-but-fails-to-see-the-trees.aspx2010-01-26T16:35:54Z2010-01-26T16:35:54Z
Today's NY Times has an article in the Bits section that attempts to define the services available from Apple, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo across a wide swatch of important

technologies.  It's a curious matrix, and points out the risk of ambiguity charts like this present, limiting their effectiveness.  Let's look at several of the categories and try to make sense of what (if anything) this chart actually is telling us.

Video/Voice/IM Chat.  Unified communications are only as good as their ability to integrate with what you are actually doing.  Screen sharing and collaboration are critical elementshere, with Microsoft leading the way in both consumer and enterprise offerings.

Mobile Hardware, OS, App Store and Applications.  One could make the case for Microsoft being a grey circle here.

Music Store.  Overlooked Google's partnerships with MySpace and LaLa

Office Suite.  The Office Suite area is solidly owned by Microsoft; while there market share will see some decline as the Google offerings mature, to say they are competing at this point is like calling a race between a bicycle and a stock car.

Video Content.  A throwaway metric, but ok.  Not sure what the Microsoft offering is that they're referring to, as MSN Soapbox is dead.

News.  I would put a grey circle here for Google, as they aggregate news from various sources.  Microsoft and Yahoo produce content.

Social Network. The author loses major credibility here by overlooking Microsoft's Live platform (Spaces, Messenger, etc.) which has millions of active subscribers and is arguably of greater significance than, say, Google's Orkut.

Online Retail.  Google Checkout maybe?  Selling a phone online does not an online retail presence make.  On the other hand, Microsoft has been selling software (games, Office suites), hardware and services to consumers online for years.

My point in walking through the chart is this: anyone can show you a chart with a bunch of dots on it.  What matters is how you interpret the relevance of the categories and the impact of the solutions provided by the vendors in those categories.
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxDeploying software is easy, but realizing value can be hard. Why technology adoption matters. Part 1http://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2010/01/05/deploying-software-is-easy-but-realizing-value-can-be-hard-why-technology-adoption-matters-part-1.aspx2010-01-06T00:33:59Z2010-01-06T00:33:59Z

"Price is what you pay.  Value is what you get" Warren Buffett

In my career I've had the opportunity to witness a disturbing trend emerge of technology investments being orphaned within the enterprise post purchase or licensing.  In too many instances, it becomes "shelfware" before the check can be cashed by the vendor/consultant, and then proceeds to gather dust for months, if not years.

What is inarguably worse are instances wherein expenses are incurred to deploy the technology, perhaps even offering some level of training, but mostly there is no measurable, positive impact to the business.  There is no realization of value.  Sure, there may be successful, isolated pilots that department heads, IT and even the vendor/consultant will pronounce as the justification.  But how often has the total investment been recouped in ways that matter to the organization?  And what does that do to the credibility of IT within the organization, when the ROI can't be measured or proves to be negligible?

The fact of the matter is this: deploying technology without a plan for adopting the technology to drive the business forward is a luxury that no business can afford .  Often, the potential is there for lower TCO, increased productivity, positive ROI and other metrics that define success.  But I would estimate that 100s of millions of dollars are wasted, a result of poorly thought-out purchasing decisions (often based on "fud",  soft business justification, or just not having a plan for actually using the technology in ways that address company needs.

Over the next few weeks, I'd like to host a discussion on deploy/adopt about ways companies can maximize the return on their technology investments, by thoughtfully planning out the last-mile of that purchase: adoption.

Defining Adoption

When we talk about "technology adoption", what do we mean? What exactly does 'adoption' suggest, in the context of IT investments?  Now, deployment is relatively easier to define – 'bits on the device' works well enough (though virtualization technologies has begun to make even that statement somewhat constraining). But in general most would agree that 'to deploy' something gives the ability to actually use it.

So then what does it mean to adopt a technology solution? And, does it really matter? Is deployment enough or synonymous with adoption?

The Encarta dictionary describes adopt this way:

choose and decide to use something: to take up something such as a plan, idea, cause, or practice and use or follow it

choose something as requirement: to officially select something as a requirement

We see in these definitions that adoption implies making a choice - a conscious decision is being made to choose something other something else. Think about how we 'adopt' things in life, whether it is a sport team, philosophy or animal. Why do we do this? Because a value has been associated, by ourselves or others, and we're acknowledging that value in how we then act towards or interact that object.

That seems simple enough to apply to business in general and technology solutions specifically, right? Then, can an enterprise deploy a technology solution without adopting it? Most assuredly – it's an unfortunate situation many customers are facing now, justifying long-term service and sales contracts, when the technology and/or solution has yet to demonstrate measurable value back to the organization.  But can you adopt something without deploying it? No. In the vernacular of social networks you can "be a fan" of a technology solution without actually deploying it, but that relationship can be both shallow and fleeting.

We can now say that the act of a customer deploying a technology solution merely makes the applications, servers and services available to the enterprise. But the adoption indicates that all or parts of the system have achieved a level of value and appreciation within the company; they've become integral to their processes, their recipe for success.  And that realization of value is measurable using the metrics that the company itself deems relevant to their bottom line (satisfaction of employees and/or customers, productivity, lower costs, higher sales).

So then, in discussing technology adoption, can we break this down into pieces that are easier to quantify?  I think we can, and in my next article on the subject of technology adoption, we will do just that.

In the meantime, what are your thoughts?  Is the adoption of technology investments important, or does the purchase or installation/deployment good enough?  And what roles do the vendor/consultant, IT department, business units and sponsoring executives play in insuring a fruitful experience?
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxFree Agency: Chris Has Left The Microsoft Buildinghttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/12/26/free-agency-chris-has-left-the-microsoft-building.aspx2009-12-27T04:22:22Z2009-12-27T04:22:22Z
Note: on doing a search for "deploy adopt" I noticed that Microsoft had not decommissioned my blog.  Interesting.

So, I'm reposting the entry from my personal blog that explains why this one won't be seeing any updates :)

If you are interested in discussion on deployment and adoption of technology, please consider my new blog, DeployAdopt.  You can also contact me directly via @cmross on twitter.

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As in past years, I plan to reflect on all of 2009 in early January and blog about my resolutions for the coming year.  But there's a big pink elephant in my virtual living room that everyone keeps staring at and wanting to know where it came from.  Or a better analogy is that my sofa is missing and I don't seem to be making a big deal of how, why or when it will be replaced.

 That comfy couch was Microsoft, and I no longer work for the company.
 It's been a little over a month now, leaving Redmond and flying back to Chicago with both excitement and a bit of sadness.  For almost 8 1/2 years I've carried a blue badge for the company, doing my best to support enterprise customers, business partners and our field sales team.  And I'm proud to say that I was really good at it.  When I joined, it was to sell Windows and Office to companies in the Midwest and  evangelize about our product stack.  But the 'fixer' in me didn't stay dormant long, and it wasn't long before our general manager tapped me to think about a strategy for increasing the rate of "deployment" (i.e., the installing of our products).  A year later, I was asked to create a job description for "that deployment stuff you do", and a brand new field role Desktop Deployment Specialists was created.  That resourcing 'fixed', I packed up the family and headed to Redmond to be a bull in a china shop program manage Microsoft Office deployment marketing in the US, then worldwide.  Along the way, some great programs were developed, partnerships established, and many colleagues stepped up and became true Rock Stars in their own right.

For family reasons however, I needed to get the family back to the Chicago area.  To my fortune, the US had created a role they wanted me to take on, leading this now titled "Deployment Initiative" for our sales organization and the 4,000+ customers it represents.  Wow.  I loved working with our Office team, and in hindsight perhaps should have gone back to living in 2 cities, but whatever.  The last 2 years were wrought with a lot of challenges, but some great successes.  What I valued most was the camaraderie I had with everyone that felt a passion and/or conviction for helping our customers and partners.  Even reflecting upon the experience now, I have to smile – it's been a great run.

 But 2009 has not been kind to any industry (except, maybe gun manufacturers, alcoholic beverages and TMZ).  And I learned early in the year that my position, while needful, was at risk of being eliminated in difference to getting more salespeople in the field.  So I had a choice: do I abandon ship to save my paycheck or continue to do what I believe in and hope for the best.  The die was cast as I chose the latter, culminating in that November call (while at a customer conference, natch) that brings me to writing this blog that's surprisingly longer than what I thought it would be….

How are you doing?  It may be hard to understand, but I haven't felt this good in a very long time about my career and my personal life.  When I found out that I had almost 7 weeks of vacation being cashed out, it hit me how much time I had missed out on enjoying my family and friends.   My first task was to try and rebalance things, and that's what I have focused on.  Being able to watch Phoebe learn to walk, Ian excel at basketball (and basically everything else he does, including growth), Zachary mature into a little man and Olivia solidify my belief that fathers are powerless to the whims of their daughters is a great thing.

Ok.  But what are you going to do next?  Good question.  I have no idea!  Ok, at the risk of causing my mom (hi mom!) and wife to freak out, I do have some ideas – keep in mind I've been aware of this fork in the road for a while.  There are basically 3 options on the table that I'm considering:

Start my own business.  That was my intentions for 2012 (yes, that specific), to leave the corporate payroll and build up a consulting & development practice.  The question is whether to make that leap now, taking advantage of the experiences and relationships I've built over the past 20+ years of writing code, managing IT shops, selling software and being a strategic leader.

Join another company.  I've been humbled by the number of individuals that have reached out to explore working together.  A couple of them are extremely compelling, either because of the relationships I have with the individuals or the technologies involved.  In some respects, I think the challenge of helping another company succeed for a few years would be a good stepping stone to hanging out my own shingle.

Go back to Microsoft.  At times, it's all about timing.  There are a few groups and individuals I would relish the chance to work with, and would head back to the mothership to do so.  That's all I'll say about that, because they know who they are :)

Good, you've got a plan.  Anything I can do?  Another positive that has come out of this experience is a) an increase in my twitter followers, and b) renewing of some good friendships.  I really appreciate all of the kind words and offers of support and reference.  Please keep them coming!  I've put December 21st on the calendar as the date by which I'll make a decision what direction I'd like to go, and will most likely blog about that too.  I hope that, whatever direction that takes me, I'll have the chance to work and commune with many of you again.

In the meantime, I'll be spending cycles consulting, blogging about technology on the re-christened deploy/adopt, supporting my church in revamping their online presence, revamping our cooking website into a network of sites and creating a social network for the little town I call home.  It's a good busy, but balanced.  The technologist in me is happy, the family is happy, and I'm excited about what lays ahead.

Life is good.
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxUpdated DDPS Offeringshttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/10/26/updated-ddps-offerings.aspx2009-10-26T15:25:02Z2009-10-26T15:25:02Z

Microsoft provides additional services and benefits to customers with Software Assurance.  These benefits include Packaged Service Benefits which enable customers to use their allocated days to engage MCS and/or certified Partners to deliver services related to desktop deployment (DDPS), business value planning (BVPS), SharePoint deployment (SDPS) and Exchange deployment (EDPS).

Desktop Deployment Planning Services the culmination of best practices demonstrated by MCS and Partners in programmatically addressing deployment planning and pilot, has been a tremendous benefit to our customers and the service organizations that support them.

Today, I'm pleased to announce that Desktop Deployment Planning Services is entering a new era of flexibility, and now incorporates many of the additional services asked for. The chart below describes the richer suite of planning services available to customers.

And, the exception process has been streamlined, to a review process committed to our customers, the Partner community and Office deployment.

As a customer, you can contact your preferred Partner or Microsoft account manager to learn more about Software Assurance benefits and DDPS specifically.

Partners can find out more information on the Microsoft Partner portal.
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxWebcast: Best Practices for Windows 7 Migrations Using MDOPhttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/10/26/webcast-best-practices-for-windows-7-migrations-using-mdop.aspx2009-10-26T15:23:31Z2009-10-26T15:23:31ZI've known Liz Eversoll for many years, and am very pleased to see that she is presenting on this topic. Well worth your time if you are looking for best practices in leveraging Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) for your Windows 7 migration.

 Best Practices for Windows 7 Migrations Using Microsoft Application Virtualization

 	 Oct 26, 2009
12:00 p.m. Eastern / 9:00 a.m. Pacific
Duration: 60 Minutes

 You need to increase the manageability of your IT infrastructure and boost employee productivity, all while reducing help desk costs. Join us to hear firsthand how CDW, a leading provider of technology solutions for business, government and education, overcame those same challenges in its organization.

Join us for an interactive 1-hour webcast and discover how to:

Separate applications from the OS to deliver application upgrades quickly and without conflicts with other applications

Save time on application testing, packaging and deployment by allocating resources to your higher-priority projects

Deploy new desktops 25% faster with 70% in cost savings using your pre-existing hardware

 Find out more about CDW's best practices migrating from Windows Vista to Windows 7 and how you can streamline application delivery and desktop manageability.

Also, bring your questions for our panel of experts to address during a live Q&A following the presentation!

REGISTER TODAY >>

Register and Attend
For A Chance To Win
Universal Remote

VIEW CONTEST RULES >>
REGISTER FOR EVENT >>

 Liz Eversoll
Vice President of the Microsoft Practice
CDW

 Michael Van Cleave
Technical Specialist
CDW

 Joseph E. Maglitta
Editorial Director and Market Expert
Ziff Davis Enterprise

 eSeminars Information
Copyright 2009 Ziff Davis Enterprise All Rights Reserved.
Ziff Davis Enterprise, 28 East 28th Street, New York, NY 10016

 TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxThe Productivity Hub is now live!http://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/09/02/the-productivity-hub-is-now-live.aspx2009-09-02T17:26:00Z2009-09-02T17:26:00Z
I mentioned this during my session at ILTA this week, and the response has been overwhelming.  Suzanne has provided more information below, as well as a link for downloading.

What is the Productivity Hub?

The Productivity Hub is a SharePoint Server 2007 site collection. It comes packed with over 300 pieces of content, including videos, documents and PowerPoint slides. Customers may then create a learning community within their firewall.

The Hub uses SharePoint Server's social networking features to engage end users. It also offers training for "coaches", or power users internal to each customer. Coaches reduce the burden on training and helpdesk staff by adding another level of support.

The Productivity blog is another strategy to build a daily customer connection. Blog posts from the Crabby Office Lady, product managers, the field, and our learning partners feeds directly into the customer's Hub through the included RSS feed.

The Hub pilot has reached over 100 customers around the world.  During the pilot, one customer remarked, "We owe you a debt of gratitude," and another said they weren't allowed to move forward with deployment until they installed the Hub.

Customer benefits:

•Helps reduce costs: Streamlines training and helps reduce training overhead. Acts as a tool for training departments and IT.

•Multiple learning paths: Includes learning roadmaps, coaches, forums, searchable content and more.

•Helps increase productivity:  Accelerates 2007 Office system adoption through a learning community.

•Drives adoption: Ongoing access to training enables deeper use and helps create new power users.

•Ignites collaboration:  Creates customer evangelists through the coach program.

•Proof of concept: Provides a vision for collaborative learning – leading to collaborative work.

Hub Download link

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=277fefca-d62f-41bc-943d-79002254cfee
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxGoing through all of the business cards ...http://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/07/18/going-through-all-of-the-business-cards.aspx2009-07-18T17:30:00Z2009-07-18T17:30:00Z
Going through all of the business cards gathered throughout the week of WPC 09. I hope everyone heeds my caution and waits to email me until August - that way I have the time to get through everything that's come in this past week as well as the week of our sales conference (MGX) and technical conference (TechReady).
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxDeployment Services Roundtable at WPChttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/06/02/deployment-services-roundtable-at-wpc.aspx2009-06-02T19:11:10Z2009-06-02T19:11:10Z
I will be part of an expert panel for desktop deployment at WPC, along with several of Microsoft's senior marketing representatives and a few partners with DDPS certification.  This would be the right audience for you to share feedback on utilizing your customers Packaged Service Days for Desktop Deployment Planning Services, Business Value Planning Services, etc.

Hope to see you there!
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxA New Laptop Hunters Video – Why I Like Themhttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/04/10/a-new-laptop-hunters-video-why-i-like-them.aspx2009-04-10T18:13:14Z2009-04-10T18:13:14Z
Another good ad pointing out the obvious.  It's been interesting reading the blogs and comments, which are mostly positive.  What surprises me is how well the ads portray the decisions every consumer has to make: I have specific needs and a finite budget, how can I get the most for my money?  Enjoy!

<img src="http://blogs.technet.com/blogfiles/cmross/WindowsLiveWriter/ANewLaptopHuntersVideoWhyILikeThem_56D6/video17bfc9d6e6ec.jpg" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('17218cfa-7c87-4d68-b644-77fe228bb749'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "
<object width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Qui43P1kztw&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Qui43P1kztw&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt="">

TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxUpgrading from Win7 Betahttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/04/09/upgrading-from-win7-beta.aspx2009-04-09T17:08:42Z2009-04-09T17:08:42Z
Recent blog articles have discussed whether or not you can upgrade from the Win7 Beta, including one today from ZDNet pointing this out. In fact, our own Windows 7 Engineering blog offers a workaround to this, but I highly suggest that Enterprise IT understand that, while it's a cool hack, it's a hack nonetheless better left to hobbyists.  What I have encouraged customers, our Partners and field teams on is the following:

· Do encourage your customers to pilot Win7 with a cross-section of their users. For the Beta, I would suggest 0.5% (1 out of 200 desktops), especially if they have decided to skip Vista.

· Do raise their awareness to the fact that this is still beta code. Frequent backups and/or redirection will ensure a good user experience should something go poorly.

· Don't imply that they won't have to reinstall with the RTM release. If this is a concern of your customer, draw them into a discussion about their deployment plans and infrastructure optimization.

We all want you to have a great pilot experience with Windows 7.  But, it is still a pilot – don't let your enthusiasm and anticipation cloud your judgment as to what's best for your end users (and your sanity!)
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxFree Office 2007 Deployment Training Availablehttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/04/03/free-office-2007-deployment-training-available.aspx2009-04-03T22:06:19Z2009-04-03T22:06:19Z
Our Office marketing team continues to develop ways to help IT get relevant training in this "new economy".  If you've not taken advantage of a Microsoft Office 2007 Labcast before, what are you waiting for?  They use a virtual lab to get you the experience you're seeking around deploying Office 2007, server management tools and application compatibility. Register today.  Good stuff!

Join the Desktop Deployment: Planning, Deploying and Managing Office 2007 Labcast series to learn about new tools and technologies to deploy the 2007 Microsoft® Office system. During these half day events you will receive practical technical information and proven techniques to help simply your 2007 Office deployment. The labcast provides a hands-on virtual lab environment where you can perform the tasks yourself with step-by-step guidance from Microsoft professionals, giving you experience-based knowledge on how to deploy the 2007 Office system. Click here for more information about the 2007 Office labcast series.

Labcast sessions :

Deploying the 2007 Microsoft Office system with the Deployment Workbench

o Add the 2007 Office system to the Deployment Workbench

o Perform multi-language integration

o Learn about the Office Customization Tool (OCT)

o Use SMS 2003 for 2007 Office system deployment

Click on the date to register

Deploying the 2007 Microsoft Office system with the Deployment Workbench

3/23/2009 8:30 AM CST

4/06/2009 1:00 PM CST

4/20/2009 8:30 AM PST

5/04/2009 1:00 PM PST

5/18/2009 8:30 AM CST

6/01/2009 1:00 PM CST

6/15/2009 8:30 AM PST

6/29/2009 1:00 PM PST

Assessing Application Compatibility and Managing Your Office Clients with Group Policy labcast

· 2007 Microsoft Office system Planning and Migration Tools: Office Migration Planning Manager (OMPM)

o Install and configure OMPM

o Perform a scan on a user system

o Convert documents with no issues to the new file formats

· Managing the 2007 Microsoft Office system with Group Policy

o Import the new Group Policy Administrative Templates for the 2007 Office release

o Use Group Policy to configure the Default File Save options in the 2007 Office release

o Use Group Policy to configure the Default File Save options for Office 2003 (to support a mixed Office environment)

Click on the date to register

Assessing Application Compatibility and Managing Your Office Clients with Group Policy labcast

3/23/2009 1:00 PM CST

4/06/2009 8:30 AM CST

4/20/2009 1:00 PM PST

5/04/2009 8:30 AM PST

5/18/2009 1:00 PM CST

6/01/2009 8:30 AM CST

6/15/2009 1:00 PM PST

6/29/2009 8:30 AM PST

© 2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft is a registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxGartner: Don't Wait for Windows 7 SP1http://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/03/25/gartner-don-t-wait-for-windows-7-sp1.aspx2009-03-25T18:17:25Z2009-03-25T18:17:25Z
Michael Silver has come out with an analysis that already has the blogsphere buzzing with even more excitement about Windows 7.

In it, he proclaims that "The first Service Pack for Windows 7 is not necessary for the operating system's stability and security readiness."  He also states what I have found in talking about Windows 7 with our customers, and that is that many of you may not be prepared to deploy today.  That is something we are very focused on changing, through our focus on The Optimized Desktop.

In his view, it will take customers 12-18 months to prepare for the OS, which would make SP1 the release they will deploy.  I don't agree with his timeline assertion, as I believe that we can significantly decrease that planning and piloting time if we are diligent in taking action now:

It's about desktop optimization and the benefits it returns to the business.  As good as Windows 7 RTM will be, we know that it's not about the OS alone.  Know the IT benefits (compatibility, performance, security) and ROI (energy savings, virtualization) and factor those into your decisions.

Pilot Windows 7.  Assess your hardware profile and PC refresh plans against the hardware requirements for Vista/Win7.  If you own the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP), ask your Microsoft account team or Partner for assistance in piloting MED-V and APP-V as ways to decrease deployment and management costs while addressing compatibility concerncs.

Technorati Tags: Gartner,Windows 7,MDOP,MED-Vista,APP-V

 http://mediaproducts.gartner.com/reprints/microsoft/vol5/article2/article2.html
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxSee you at WPC09http://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/03/20/see-you-at-wpc09.aspx2009-03-20T19:08:47Z2009-03-20T19:08:47Z

I'll tell you right now.  I love our Partner community!  That's right.  When I look at the success our customers have in deploying and managing our software platforms, and how they've adopted it through solutions and out-of-the-box capabilities I know that many times Partners make the difference between just licensing software and realizing value.  So I always look forward to WPC as a way to meet up with a lot of great Partners that I frequently only know through emails and conference calls :)

If you are a Microsoft Partner you need to be at WPC this year.  In addition to meeting me (!!) you'll experience the best sessions, the best networking and the best all-around Thank You experience Microsoft can give.

As soon as the networking is turned on, I'll let everyone know.  If you have service offerings related to deployment or adoption, I'd love to meet you and at least exchange cards and promise to look for opportunities to work together.  I'll also have my Twitter account going (you have one, don't you?) so maybe I can figure out a cool scavenger hunt or game of tag to play with everyone.
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxMicrosoft Business Value Planning Serviceshttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/03/18/microsoft-business-value-planning-services.aspx2009-03-18T15:40:58Z2009-03-18T15:40:58Z
Recently, I've been hearing more from customers looking for Microsoft's help in quantifying the ROI that deploying the 2007 Microsoft Office System will support.  We've been fortunate to have both a consulting arm, field sales and Partners that can help customers with this, through offerings such as the Rapid Economic Justification.  Last November, we added a benefit to our Software Assurance licensing agreement to make this a paid-for service, the Business Value Planning Service.

 What it is

Microsoft Business Value Planning Services (BVPS) is a Software Assurance (SA) benefit through which Microsoft pays Partners to deliver and engagement through which a certified BVPS consultant helps customers develop a plan for improving business process through the use of the Microsoft Office System.  Depending upon the specifics of your SA benefit, this may be funded for 3-15 days of engagement.  During that time, the consultant follows a proven agenda that includes identifying a business process improvement scenario from the following list:

Automated Forms: Reduce costs and streamline form driven business processes.

Automated Performance Reporting: Improve decision making through near-real time creation and access to performance reports.

Budgeting: Improve accuracy of creation and tracking of departmental budgets.

Collaborative Document Development: Improve a company's ability to develop and review documents across teams and improve content reuse.

Content Search and Reuse: Improve a company's ability to organize and find information through online repositories.

Merging Project Plans: Integrate multiple project planning efforts for better resource planning and tracking.

Performance Management: Improve a company's performance management processes through more efficient and effective planning, forecasting, analysis, and reporting.

Project Portfolio Management: Improve a company's project prioritization and selection, and the project portfolio's overall strategic alignment.

Remote Training: Reduce costs and streamline a company's training processes through virtual / remote training.

Routing Communications: Improve communication and speed issue resolution through new and integrated communications – email, telephone, instant messaging.

Sensitive Records Management: Improve a company's current process for creating, managing and deleting sensitive records such as legal, financial, medical and HR.

How to get it

If you have Software Assurance, you're halfway there!  The next step is to choose a Partner to help you, from the list of Packaged Service Providers found here.  You can also check with your preferred Partner, to see if they are already certified (if not, point them to www.MicrosoftBVPS.com for more information).  The consultant assigned will contact you and explain the agenda, find out a little more about your business and discuss the scenarios you would like to know more about.

In summary, I really like this benefit because it gets to the heart of what customers need today in justifying IT spend and valuating ROI.  If you have any questions about this benefit, you can contact Microsoft directly from firstname.lastname@example.com
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxDeploy Windows Vista or Wait for Windows 7?http://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/02/21/deploy-windows-vista-or-wait-for-windows-7.aspx2009-02-22T02:36:14Z2009-02-22T02:36:14Z
 Hey! Have you heard of Windows 7?  LOL.  Yeah, even my 13yr old is quizzing me on the date.  Which is kinda funny, seeing that he's the IT guy in the house.  Well, Windows 7 is on the minds of our customers and Partners; I'm sure that most (all) of you are running the Beta too on some machine. The interest has been amazing (Circa Windows 95 maybe?) and it's something we're really happy and proud about.  But the #2 question I hear from customers (after "When is it being released?) is "What should I be doing?"  I'll share with you the same guidance I've given to our field sales teams, customer's I've met and our Partners.  It's framed around 3 statements:

Windows 7 is not a panacea for bad IT. Many of the customers I speak with are running Windows XP with a mix of Basic or Standard-optimized capabilities.  That's concerning; not because they aren't running Windows Vista, but because they haven't used the time to optimize their infrastructure.  Windows 7 could be the next best thing to sliced bread, but if you don't have the ability to build 2 images max, deploy without touching the desktop, leverage virtualization technologies, etc. it doesn't really matter does it?  I love technology just as much as the next techie, but make sure you have your priorities in the right order: training the staff, improving the server infrastructure and having a solid PC lifecycle plan.  Which brings me to my next point, which is…

There are no stop signs on the road to Windows 7.  If there is one consistent behavior I've seen over the past 2 client OS releases, it's a hesitance to pull the trigger on deployment before SP1. Why is that?  2 reasons: confidence in the RTM quality and preparedness.  Hopefully, we're earning your trust and the interest in Windows 7 beta has proven to be a worthwhile consideration of early adoption.  But if it were to RTM today are you ready to deploy?  In most cases, the answer is probably not.  And that's too bad, because with Windows XP going into Extended Support, many of you may be in a reactive mode rather than proactively managing your desktop.  So how can an IT shop plan for Windows 7?  There are 4 resources you should be considering, as a way to keep your foot on the gas:

Desktop Deployment Planning Services.  This is a free services engagement for customer with Software Assurance.  It will pay for either a Partner or Microsoft Consulting Services to come on site for anywhere from 3-15 days and help you plan & pilot your deployment of Office 2007, Windows Vista or Windows 7.

Microsoft App Compat Toolkit.  Most applications written for Windows Vista will run stock on Windows 7, so do your testing on Windows Vista.  By doing so, you'll be able to set a baseline with Windows Vista and return to it, rather than Windows XP, should an application not be immediately supported at RTM.

Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack.  This subscription service has everything a band of IT rock stars could hope for, including:

Asset Inventory Service.  Wouldn't it be great to know exactly how many applications are in your Enterprise?  Who is running them?  What version?   Many customers have work to do in understanding the scope of effort necessary to manage their applications.  With AIS, this is something that can be started today, and likely decrease licensing costs and time spent building images, while increasing manageability.

Microsoft Application Virtualization.  Pick your flavor: VPC, MED-V, APP-V, VDI.  Never has there been so many ways to decrease the challenges of application compatibility, the time and cost of deploying and managing the desktop.  Read the full Microsoft virtualization story here.

Advanced Group Policy Management. Managing multiple client OSes is the reality.  AGPM gives that added level of flexibility and manageability to the desktop experience.

And finally the Springboard Series, chock-full of Windows client training resources.

It's not about Windows Vista vs Windows 7. It's about Desktop Optimization.

Your IT vision is probably less about what version of Windows to deploy, and more about optimizing your IT infrastructure and desktops.  The Microsoft platform can help you do that, and I encourage you to expect the support of your account team and technology Partners to make that a reality.  So without further ado, here's what to do:

If you are deploying Windows Vista today, keep deploying Windows Vista. Take advantage of your MDOP subscription to begin exploring virtualization technologies.
If you are running Windows NT/2000 (or older).  Deploy Windows Vista now.  Seriously.  Virtualize OS-dependent applications and get on a supported operating system.

If you are running Windows XP, begin your planning and infrastructure preparation now.  When you are ready to being deploying, target Windows 7 but have Windows Vista as a fall-back if ISV support or appcompat issues are a blocker.  You will be in the best position, with the agility and lower costs you've always hoped for.

So what do you think?  I hope this gives everyone guidance they can take and make their own.  It's important that you use the announcement of Windows 7 as the opportunity to solidify your IT vision and make it a reality.
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxNow Available: Windows Optimized Desktop Scenarioshttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/02/05/now-available-windows-optimized-desktop-scenarios.aspx2009-02-05T22:49:31Z2009-02-05T22:49:31Z
The Windows Optimized Desktop Scenarios is a Solution Accelerator for matching IT and business user requirements to 5 standard user scenarios.  This is a great resource for planning a cost-effective strategy around Microsoft technologies.  Freely available, you can download it from the Microsoft Download Center: http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/B/C/5BC966BC-47D8-41DF-95F2-FA9A2D816258/Windows_Optimized_Desktop_Scenarios.zip

The scenarios covered are: Office Worker, Mobile Worker, Task Worker, Contract/Offshore Worker, and workers who need to Access from Home. Each scenario puts a different emphasis on applications, security, and networking. In this way, these scenarios provide a flexible, adaptable desktop experience that meets the business requirements of each of these users.

In the download, you will find the following components:  The Windows Optimized Desktop Scenarios Assessment guide and the Windows Optimized Desktop Scenario Selection Tool.

The Windows Optimized Desktop Scenarios Assessment Guide:
The Windows Optimized Desktop Scenarios Assessment describes the five user scenarios defined for the Windows Optimized Desktop and further describes the Microsoft products and technologies that underpin each scenario solution. Additionally, this document guides you through an assessment of the user profiles in your organization to identify which scenario or scenarios best meets their needs.

Windows Optimized Desktop Scenario Selection Tool:
The Windows Optimized Desktop Scenario Selection Tool is designed to help you identify applicable scenarios, based on user and business requirements, for each user segment within your organization.

This is the latest Infrastructure Planning and Design (IPD) guide in a growing popular series which cover deployment, product integration and virtualization among other IT Pro subjects. Read more about the IPD series here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/solutionaccelerators/dd408383.aspx

Additional Resources

Solution Accelerators on TechNet: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/solutionaccelerators/default.aspx
Infrastructure Planning and Design, Windows Optimized Desktop Scenarios, Executive Overview: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd334417.aspx
Windows Optimized Desktop: Overview on MS.COM: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/enterprise/optimized-desktop/default.aspx
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxSlow news day at InformationWeek results in dumb Windows 7 articlehttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/01/30/slow-news-day-at-informationweek-results-in-dumb-windows-7-article.aspx2009-01-30T19:04:46Z2009-01-30T19:04:46Z
Paul McDougall should be ashamed of himself.  Basically he creates an article and ambiguous headline about the fact that Georgetown University doesn't want Windows 7 Beta installed on school-owned computers.

Duh!

He's getting pummeled in the comments, and rightly so – this was just grade-school, sensationalistic journalism.

Let me give you the skinny:

1.  Do evaluate Windows 7 Beta.  It's the bomb,and a great follow-on to Windows Vista in my humble (albeit biased) opinion :)

2. Don't put Windows 7 Beta on anything other than test machines, and only with the permission of your IT department.

Stick with me, I'll always give you the 411.

Windows 7 Beta Flunks Out Of Georgetown -- InformationWeek
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxIE8 Release Candidate Availablehttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/01/26/ie8-release-candidate-available.aspx2009-01-27T00:19:00Z2009-01-27T00:19:00Z
We're getting closer to launch with IE8 with the release of IE8 Release Candidate. If you've not begun your evaluation, now is a good opportunity to begin that planning now.

Here are some additional resources you can refer to during the RC1 installation:

System requirements for RC1 are the same as Beta1 and Beta2.

Release notes for RC1 outline a few scenarios you should watch out for when installing IE8 RC1.

Troubleshooting guide is a great resource if you run into any problems during your installation.

Dynamic updates article summarizes which updates get installed with IE8 to keep your experience reliable and secure.

Technet Edge interview which Brandod did that covers many install topics.

You can read more in the IE8 blog here.
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxJoin the Deployment Champs Clubhttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/01/21/join-the-deployment-champs-club.aspx2009-01-22T08:16:02Z2009-01-22T08:16:02Z

 I'm sometimes taken aback when talking with customers about deployment and they just can't believe that Microsoft actually cares.  We do!  An effort that's been kicked off by our east coast sales teams is the Microsoft Deployment Champs Club.  It's all about showing love to enterprise customers by providing [even more] resources to assist with the planning, piloting and rollout of Microsoft Office 2007 and Windows Vista.

While the club is limited to enterprise customers, everyone who signs up will get access to the myriad of free resources available, access to events and online presentations.
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxYou Like Us! You Really Like Us! Windows 7 Beta Cap Liftedhttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/01/12/you-like-us-you-really-like-us-windows-7-beta-cap-lifted.aspx2009-01-12T19:03:47Z2009-01-12T19:03:47Z
Last week, I jokingly asked that we take down the internet with all of the requests for Windows 7 beta.  Well, that didn't quite happen, but the interest has been tremendous to the point that we've dug deep and opened the pipe beyond the 2.5M limit we'd imposed.  Wow.

You can read the official statement on Brandon's blog here.  Thanks for your continued interest in the Windows platform!

Technorati Tags: Windows 7
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxWhy Windows Vista SP1 Matters In A [New] Windows 7 Worldhttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/01/08/why-windows-vista-sp1-matters-in-a-new-windows-7-world.aspx2009-01-08T19:34:09Z2009-01-08T19:34:09Z
This week, Microsoft is making a big push to the consumer in building Windows 7 awareness and excitement.  Friday, the public will be able to download the beta version and begin their own evaluation, through August 1st.  Following on the heels of a successful PDC, it should be obvious to everyone that we are making good on the promise of continued innovation of the Windows platform.

But I caution companies that are licensed for Vista but assuming that they should now delay or slow down their Windows Vista SP1 deployments.  Rather, you should take this news as a confidence boost that your investment in planning, testing and deployment have prepared you to better asses the potential of Windows 7 in the enterprise.  We are on the road to Windows 7, and the smoothest way to get there is by taking the Windows Vista SP1 route.

First, a couple of notes first about the Windows 7 beta.

· It only supports Windows Vista SP1 to Windows 7 upgrades.  No trying this out on a Windows XP machine.

· Only one edition will be available, the equivalent of Windows Vista Ultimate Edition.

Most enterprises will have access to bits through MSDN or perhaps PDC participation.  Just be aware that the beta released the public is not intended for corporate evaluation.  Contact your Microsoft account team if you have any questions.

Are you aware of the Windows XP support lifecycle?

Windows XP is now 8 years old, and will lose mainstream support in April 2009.  It's important that you have a plan for both assessing potential risks and planning for migration.  Many companies have policies related to only using products with full vendor support.  If you are unfamiliar with the potential impact, you can review the Microsoft support lifecycle policy FAQ.

So how should you think about Windows Vista SP1 and Windows 7?  There are 3 things I would suggest to any customer:

Production Pilots of Windows Vista SP1

Almost 10% of our EA accounts have yet to deploy a Windows Vista license.  Now is a good time to collaborate with your DSMM to market Vista production pilots to these customers.  The reason is two-fold.  First, it gives us exposure to their infrastructure and deployment plans.  With this information, we (our Partners and MCS) can better engage in an optimization dialogue, up-leveling from a Vista conversation.  Secondly, a production pilot can significantly increase our deployed seats, bringing us closer to the Fy goal.

Demo Windows 7

Be proactive, and ask your Microsoft account team to schedule a Windows 7 demo with you.  Kick the tires, ask questions.  Discuss your thoughts, what you find compelling, your concerns.  Windows is all about you.

Allow us to share the Windows platform story: the OS, MDOP and server tools that make up our Desktop, Server and Device Management strategy.  Let's talk about the roadmap, the fact that it's inclusive of Windows Vista SP1, and that we have case studies in your industry of other companies that are taking advantage of their Windows client OS licenses now, making them better prepared for assessing Windows 7.

For many of you, this hopefully confirms the activities you're already taking, and that's great.  I too am excited about Windows 7, but even more confident that we're demonstrating our commitment to continue the success of Windows XP and Windows Vista.

Technorati Tags: Windows 7,Windows Vista,Windows XP,lifecycle,pdc
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxMy New Homehttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/01/08/my-new-home.aspx2009-01-08T19:21:00Z2009-01-08T19:21:00Z
I'm slowly going through the process of transferring my blog posts to my new, Microsoft Technet home. So, you might see some old posts interspersed with new materials for a short while.

Thanks

TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxIntroducing Microsoft Taghttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/01/08/introducing-microsoft-tag.aspx2009-01-08T17:15:20Z2009-01-08T17:15:20Z
Announced at CES, Microsoft Tag is an application lets people use the camera of their Internet-capable mobile phone to snap a tag, which then connects them to mobile content such as videos, music, product information, ring tones, free text and other promotions.  Similar in concept to the iPhone applications that read barcodes, it has potential in both the business and consumer markets.

I downloaded it to my AT&T Fuze and have been playing around with it.  The experience was quick and easy, and I think there's potential because of the simplicity in creating a tag.

For example, here's the tag that directs to thisblog:

I tested a Microsoft Research product a few years ago that worked with barcodes.  I'm glad that the technology has been made available, and would love your feedback on the download and ideas you have for using it.  Microsoft Tag is available via a free beta download for commercial publishers and the general public in the United States and is available at http://www.microsoft.com/tag.

Some Tag examples:

SQL Server 2008

Halo 3 for Xbox 360

Windows Vista Ultimate (PRODUCT) Red

Technorati Tags: microsoft tag,windows mobile

TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxInterested in Windows 7? Here's What You Need to Know Nowhttp://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/01/07/interested-in-windows-7-here-s-what-you-need-to-know-now.aspx2009-01-08T08:04:07Z2009-01-08T08:04:07Z

The Windows Blog has some great information for those of you just chomping at the bit to install Windows 7.

On January 9th, the Windows 7 Beta will be available for Windows enthusiasts to download via the Windows 7 page on Windows.com. The Windows 7 Beta is going to be available download-only (we're not sending out physical media) and available for a limited time to the first 2.5 million people who download the beta.

http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/01/07/information-on-downloading-and-installing-windows-7-beta.aspx

Couple of important notes:

It only supports Windows Vista SP1 to Windows 7 upgrades. Not running Vista?  What are you waiting for?

The Windows 7 Beta will be only available in one edition, which is roughly equivalent the Ultimate edition of Windows Vista.

Windows 7 Beta will expire on August 1st, 2009

Let's see if we can bring the internet to it's knees on the 9th!
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxYou've Got Questions? Try Microsoft Answers.http://blogs.technet.com/b/cmross/archive/2009/01/07/you-ve-got-questions-try-microsoft-answers.aspx2009-01-08T07:26:53Z2009-01-08T07:26:53Z
Technorati Tags: microsoft answers,mvp

Microsoft Answers is a site we've launched to provide a more friendly UI for getting answers to Windows Vista questions.

You will also see that there's a forum moderated by the Microsoft Answers Team (employees and MVPs), for those queries that seem to stymie the search engine.

Interestingly, the site is built around the idea of a social network.  By logging in with your Windows Live ID, you can Follow other individual's activities.  Why would you do this?  Well, let's say they ask a really good question that you're curious of the answer to.  Or, perhaps you've seen their profile and think they your IT infrastructures and interests are similar.  It's an interesting concept, at the least.

Both are efforts to break through the barriers that may be preventing customers from deploying Windows Vista or getting past nagging issues.  And as always, don't hesitate to contact your account team or services Partner for help!

Below are links to a couple of articles in the blogsphere:

http://arstechnica.com/journals/microsoft.ars/2008/12/23/microsoft-answers-beta-website-launched

http://www.techflash.com/microsoft/Microsoft_site_gives_Vista_answers36845064.html

Technorati Tags: Vista
TechNet Archivehttp://blogs.technet.com/reinstallmypc_4000_hotmail.com/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashx


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The free ride might soon be over, or at least slowing down. According to a report in the New York Times, Hulu, the popular online streaming site, will begin testing a subscription service called Hulu Plus perhaps as early as May 24.
Users who aren't interested in forking over a monthly stipend would still be able to view the five most recent episodes of most TV shows for free, such as Saturday Night Live and Glee. Where the subscription comes into play is for viewers who want to watch a bigger selection.
Hulu, the second largest video portal on the planet, has turned a profit in the last two quarters and has pulled in more than $100 million in revenue from advertising. But according to the NYT, Hulu is under increasing pressure from its owners to rake in more cash and get viewers accustomed to paying a monthly subscription for professional content.
Do you think the $9.95 fee is reasonable? Would you subscribe to a service like this?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I'm Amazon best-selling author Edith Maxwell, and I write the Local Foods Mysteries series from Kensington Publishing. Farmed and Dangerous is out!
"Quirky characters, lots of organic farming tips, and a well-developed mystery make this Cam's best outing yet."- Kirkus Reviews
As Edith Maxwell, I write the historical Quaker Midwife Mysteries, too, and I'm really excited about these books. Delivering the Truth will be out from Midnight Ink in 2016.
I'm also Maddie Day, and I write the Country Store Mysteries, also from Kensington. Flipped for Murder will release in October, 2015.
And just to keep things interesting, I'm Tace Baker, as well, writing the Lauren Rousseau Mysteries from Barking Rain Press. Bluffing is Murder came out in November, 2014.
As Edith Maxwell I also write Agatha-nominated and award-winning short crime fiction.
Welcome to my world of cozy and traditional mysteries. I hope you'll visit my group blog, where I post with five other New England cozy mystery author-friends every week day over at WickedCozyAuthors.com. My latest author newsletter is here.The banner on this site is a horizontal slice of a gorgeous oil painting by the Boston area artist Jackie Knight titled "Edith's World." My dear friend, author Jennifer J. Yanco, commissioned it for a milestone birthday I celebrated recently (well, two years ago).


text:
posters, ruce posters, miller posters, elk posters, animal posters, western posters, mountain posters, bugle posters, cabin posters, sign antique posters, home posters
"Buglers Haven Sign" poster by JQ Licensing. Ships within 3 - 4 business days and arrives rolled in a tube. Multiple sizes available.
All prints ship in durable cardboard tubes.
Fine Art America is one of the largest, most-respected giclee printing companies in the world with over 40 years of experience producing museum-quality posters and prints. All of our posters are produced on state-of-the-art, professional-grade Epson printers.
We use acid-free paper with archival inks to guarantee that your posters last a lifetime without fading or loss of color. All posters include a 1" white border around the image to allow for future framing and matting, if desired.
Posters ship within 3 - 4 business days in durable cardboard tubes.
Great sign using Bruce Millers majestic elk Painting and James Piazza design work from JQ Licensing. Its what we do best!
Welcome to JQ Licensing Fine Art. JQ Licensing is leading Art Licensing agency that represents 43 artists, some of whom allow us to sell their beautiful images and custom designs as prints. Jon Q Wright, president of JQ Licensing and an artist & designer himself, is proud to offer fine art prints and originals by these world renowned JQ Licensing artists: Cynthie Fisher, Bruce Miller, Michelle Grant, Robert Schmidt, Joe Low, Darrell Gulin, Jeff Wack, James Piazza and Jon Q Wright.
Our return policy is very simple:
If you're not happy with a purchase that you made on FineArtAmerica.com, for any reason, you can return it to us within 30 days of the order date. As soon as it arrives, we'll issue a full refund for the entire purchase price. Please note - Fine Art America does not reimburse the outgoing or return shipping charges unless the return is due to a defect in quality.
Fine Art America sells thousands of pieces of artwork each month - all with a 100% money-back guarantee.
If you've hesitated to purchase artwork online in the past, why not give us a try? You have nothing to lose!
We take great pride in the fact that 336,776 artists have chosen Fine Art America to fulfill their orders, and we look forward to helping you select your next piece!
Customer Service: 877-807-5901
(Call Any Time - 24 Hours Per Day)
All posters ship from our production facility within 24 hours of your order.
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text:
Burlington Jobs
Looking for jobs in Burlington? Snagajob has great opportunities with the area's leading companies. And applying for Burlington jobs has never been easier. Look at the job listings below, click on a job title that interests you and hit the "apply now" button. Part-time jobs, teen jobs, student jobs and summer jobs are now just a click away. Start your job search now.
Burlington, NC Job Openings
Arby's781 Huffman Mill Road
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ALDI1801 South Church Street
Burlington, NC
Michaels Arts & Crafts1455 University Dr
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Burlington StoresBurlington, NC
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Red Lobster1726 Glidewell Drive
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Cities within 20 miles of Burlington, NC
- Greensboro, NC (161 jobs)
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- Elon, NC (2 jobs)


text:
As part of the Government's review of sentencing in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, ministers have decided to increase the number of hours which offenders are required to stay in their homes while electronically tagged.
The daily maximum curfew time is currently set at 12 hours, but it will extend to 16 hours and can be imposed from six to 12 months.
The curfews are intended to protect communities and give offenders meaningful punishments that will help them stop reoffending and improve their lives.
Crispin Blunt, minister for Prisons and Probation, said: "These tougher curfew conditions will keep offenders off the street for longer, stop them socialising in the evenings and keep them away from situations that could land them in trouble again.
"This is part of our proposals to reform the Criminal Justice System and will help to keep communities safe whilst important work is done with offenders to turn them away from a life of crime."
The new curfew hours will enable offenders to divide their 16-hour periods into different blocks within the day.
There are around 24,000 individuals with electronic tags who are restricted by curfews under court order. If they break their curfews, they will be brought before court again and issued a harsher sentence.
Stephen Sheenan was ordered to wear an electronic tag and had a 12-hour curfew in January 2011. He claimed that the curfew allowed him time to turn his life around.
He said: "I have definitely changed since being on tag, and can see that it's far better than going to prison which I don't think would have worked for me as it was my first offence. It definitely works as it really teaches you a lesson.
"The curfew has actually meant that I've been able to change my life around. It was easy to keep to as I was always able to get home for 7pm and allowed me to sort my life out.
"I'm now going to university in September and looking forward to a new time in my life."
As well as the new curfew rules, a new offence is to be introduced for aggravated knife possession. This crime will carry a mandatory six-month prison sentence.
Related links:
Read more on the story (Ministry of Justice)
Learn how sentencing is worked out (FindLaw)
Find local specialist solicitors throughout the UK (FindLaw)
You may also like:
- In the courts: Trump to fight windfarm proposals in UK…
- Corporate law: Libor riggers bribed with beer and curry
- International: International Criminal Court to examine 2008 Georgia-Russia war
- Consumer law: Sainsbury's accused of exploiting legal loophole in 5p…
- Criminal law: Jury informed Becky Watts death was sexually motivated


text:
The St. Louis County Library Foundation is pleased to present Liz Fathman and Maddie Earnest, authors of "Missouri Harvest: A Guide to Growers and Producers in the Show Me State" on Monday, April 16, 7:00 p.m. at Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd.
The program is free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase at the event from Reedy Press.
Did you know that Missouri has the second largest number of farms in the United States? Missouri farmers grow and raise an amazing variety of foods: vegetables, grains, fruits, meats, dairy products, and more. "Missouri Harvest" takes you on a tour of all the Show Me State has to offer for those interested in eating and shopping locally, whether you are a committed locavore or just developing an interest.
Maddie Earnest and Liz Fathman introduce you to the farmers who raise the food, to the purveyors who bring it to you, the chefs who prepare it, and some of the people who are active in making it all happen through the support of local businesses. Throughout the book, they also provide ideas and suggestions for preparing the great bounty of our state, right down to the recipes provided by some of the folks featured in the book.
Farmer's markets, grocery stores, country stores, restaurants--let "Missouri Harvest" be your guide to local farming and local eating. You will learn that small farmers are an enterprising and optimistic lot who like to say "Hope springs eternal!"
Maddie Earnest is the co-founder and co-owner of Local Harvest Grocery and Café whose interest in local foods stems back to the family garden of her youth and environmental courses in college. The store and the café sell and use as much locally grown and produced food as possible, striving for at least 50% to be locally sourced, and the businesses buy from farmers who use sustainable growing methods.
Liz Fathman is a food enthusiast with an interest in local food systems and all they imply. From the sustainability of growing and buying locally raised food, to the difference in the flavor and quality, to the act of supporting the local economy, Liz's interest in the Farm to Table movement has, like that of many others, developed along the way. When she's not cooking and eating locally raised food, Liz is the Publications Manager at the Missouri Botanical Garden.
Program sites are accessible. Upon two weeks notice, accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities. Contact St. Louis County Library by phone 314-994-3300 or visit www.slcl.org.
|Date published
|Summer Learning Day at SLCL
|Thu, 06/11/2015 (All day)
|St. Louis County Library's Sweet Reads program recognized by NACIO
|Thu, 06/11/2015 (All day)
|SLCL Presents Missouri History Museum Archivist and Author M.E. Kodner
|Wed, 06/10/2015 (All day)
|SLCL Presents a Social History of Monopoly with Journalist Mary Pilon
|Thu, 06/04/2015 (All day)
|SLCL Presents Celebrated "We Are Not Ourselves" Novelist Matthew Thomas
|Wed, 06/03/2015 (All day)
|SLCL's Library Director Honored as One of St. Louis' Most Influential Business Women
|Wed, 06/03/2015 (All day)
|SLCL Presents the Tenth Anniversary Suspense Night Celebrations
|Fri, 05/29/2015 (All day)
|Florissant Valley Branch Marks 50th Anniversary
|Wed, 05/27/2015 (All day)
|St. Louis County Library Expands Borrow a Telescope Program
|Thu, 05/21/2015 (All day)
|SLCL Foundation Presents Acclaimed Western Suspense Author Craig Johnson
|Wed, 05/20/2015 (All day)


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The Cedar Creek Road bridge east of county Highway I in the Town of Cedarburg is closed indefinitely after an inspection Monday, Town Administrator Jim Culotta said.
Steel beams supporting the concrete deck of the town-owned bridge have deteriorated and pose a risk to public safety, according to preliminary information from Monday's inspection by a contractor for Ozaukee County.
Culotta announced the bridge closing Monday evening in an email to town residents. Barricades have been erected at the bridge over Cedar Creek between Highway I and Maple Road.
The county contractor will provide town officials with a bridge inspection report and recommend temporary support measures and other repairs that would enable the bridge to reopen while a permanent fix is studied, Culotta said.


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"Laundry Day" - Shot on the Canon 7D
Production: This is a 76 sec short shot with the Canon 7D. It was primarily done as something fun and fast, as a way to test the camera. We sh...
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For the most exciting live music and entertainment in Oklahoma City, look no further than the performance stage at Newcastle Casino. We host the hottest local and national music acts every week. Catch your favorite bands playing live during our summer concert series, or stop by on a Saturday night from 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. to see the best concerts around Oklahoma City. Looking for free concerts in Oklahoma City? All our weekly shows are free!
Newcastle Casino is located in Newcastle, Oklahoma, just 10 miles from Will Rogers Airport and twenty miles south of Oklahoma City. Visit Newcastle Casino today to experience the best entertainment in Oklahoma City.


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Speed Racing
Italy Games
- April 3, 2015
Offers in-app purchases
( 258,227)
Drive the #1 critically acclaimed Android racing game today! Get ready for the most exhilarating handheld racing experience!
How to Play:
Game Features:
Buckle up and hit the gas; you're in for the ride of the best racing experience. Feel the intensity of no brakes allowed street racing with the best 3D racing visuals.
How to Play:
- Tilt your cell phone to steer left or right
- Touch the screen to accelerate the speed
Game Features:
- A tense endless racer to dodge the traffic & deadly obstacles.
- Earn gold coins to unlock 7 unique cars and buy power-ups
- Visually stunning and built for speed
You spend 500 coins for no fog and even with that you can't make 500 coins back. It's redicules. You get up near 7000 points and there is no way to to get through traffic. It all boils down to you paying for your coins, which I will never do.
Wider Variety I think you should get to choose at least two car choices. My least favorite color is yellow, so I think it would be wonderful if I could choose blue bird right off the bat. Other than that, great game and concept of game.
Speed racing IT'S STUPID I SHIULD NOT TALL TOWHO EVER MADE THIS GAME BECAUSE THE GAME IS STUPID
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Speed How do you actully get Blue Bird when you have to spend money?
I LOVE THIS GAME You have to look out for cars and make sure nobody hits YOUR car....
What's New
v1.4: Fixed the bugs of can't buy coins in the game. Thanks.
The hottest drag racing game in the world is now available on Android for FREE!


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Notes from the Manager
Related Strips: #814: Projection; #815: Intellectual Sloth; #820: Moving On; #823: Just a Thought
Short one this time — partly to balance out the long one on Monday, and partly because I'm moving on Monday morning, so I need to get these next two done quickly, so I can pack all my shit up.
If you run a website of your own and would like to use this yourself, I've put it up over at Github.
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Major NASA Announcement
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
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Welcome to another week of the Creative Collection Link Party! Thanks for stopping by! Check out our faves this week and be sure to link up below for this week!No-Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake |A Night Owl BlogWicker Dresser Makeover |Colour Saturated LifeDIY Boxwood Wreath |Making it in the MountainsWashi Tape Party Decor |Lemon ThistleOutdoor Birthday Party |Ella Claire Daydream Printable |Juggling Act Mama via Designs byMiss MandeeFootball Party Ideas |Pixie BearJen from Craft-o-Maniac: Facebook || Twitter || Pinterest || Instagram || Google+ Mallory & Savannah from … [Read more...]
The Creative Collection Link Party
Be Your School's Lucky Charm Free Print and Recipe
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of General Mills®. The opinions and text are all mine.It's just in the past week that I've been really thrown into the world of being the parent of a school aged child and with that, I'm learning all sorts of new things about school, PTO's, and more. But one thing I already knew about, but just now have a vested interest in is learning more about the General Mills® Box Tops™ for Education Program. I talked about it briefly the other day and today I'm taking it to a WHOLE new level by finding a fun way to get kids and parents both remembering to collect their box tops.To refresh … [Read more...]
Goodbye Summer Hello Fall Party
This post is sponsored by Target.Are you ready to bid summer "adieu" and welcome fall with open arms? Some of us just LOVE the heat and humidity and roasting in the sun, but sadly, I'm not one of them. While I enjoy the bright, sunny days...I welcome fall with all the pumpkin spice EVERYTHING it has to offer and I'm already enjoying the cooler evenings outdoors. Tonight was no different and we decided to celebrate the end of summer with a little outdoor pizza party with some great Spritz party products from Target.Spritz has tons of different colors to choose from, but my eye goes straight to gold these days, so I picked up … [Read more...]
Raspberry Brie Tartlets
My mom called me the other day telling me about the most amazing appetizer she had at a restaurant with brie and raspberry preserves and we started brainstorming fun ways to turn that ideas into a simple appetizer. So last weekend we put together these simple Raspberry Brie Tartlets recipe and they turned out pretty fantastic!! These would be a great appetizer idea for a baby or bridal shower or even just for a Friday night paired with a bottle of wine and your spouse!How to make:1 package puff pastry1 container of raspberry preserve1 circle of brie cheeseDefrost your Puff Pastry per the instructions then gently … [Read more...]
The Creative Collection Link Party
Hi friends! Welcome to another week of The Creative Collection Link Party! We're super excited that you're here to party with us! Thanks for sharing your awesome projects and recipes, week after week! We love looking through them all so keep 'em coming! Before we get to partying, let's check out some of our favorites from last week!Printable Ice Cream Cone Wrappers by Make and Tell via Delineate Your DwellingBlackberry Mint Lemonade by The Casual CraftleteDIY Distressed Grocery Sign | Thistlewood FarmsPineapple Cooler | Kleinworth & Co.Embroidery Hoop Art | Fynes DesignsChalk Paint Dresser Makeover | … [Read more...]
General Mills® Box Tops for Education™
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of General Mills®. The opinions and text are all mine.My son started his first day of school this week...kindergarten. He was calm, cool, and collected about it, but I was SO nervous for him! I remember first going to school (surprisingly--hehe) and how overwhelming it was and not knowing where to go at first... and those things instantly ran through my head. But my little man, he handled it great and came home like it was no big deal. We were so proud of him. It's going to take some time getting used to this new part of our life, but I at least am happy he's in a good school and … [Read more...]
Back to School with Tyson Grilled and Ready Fajita Chicken
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Tyson. The opinions and text are all mine.Is anyone else shaking their heads in disbelief right now thinking...where did the summer go? I'm right there with you, except that summer went EXTRA fast for us because before we could blink, our son is starting KINDERGARTEN NEXT WEEK! You guys?! When the heck did I have a child old enough for school? I'm kind of in disbelief and I'm sure this time next week I'll be wiping away motherly tears of sadness. In the meantime...I'm running around like a mad woman trying to get ready. We have school clothes to buy, new shoes to find, school … [Read more...]
The Creative Collection Link Party
Marshmallow Fairy Wands from The Casual CraftleteKitchen Gallery Wall Updates from Finding Home FarmsGrilled Peaches & Cream Cake from I Dig PinterestChalk Paint Bedside Table from I Should Be Mopping the FloorBig Batch Coconut Oil Granalo from Real Life at HomePink and Silver Earrings from Domestic Bliss Squared DIY Birch Plywood Wall Hanging from Lemon Thistle An InLinkz Link-up … [Read more...]


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Beckett hot | Clubhouse Insider | Boston Red Sox News
Clubhouse Insider Boston Red Sox News
Beckett hot
MINNEAPOLIS -- Josh Beckett better keep his composure because he angered home plate umpire Adrian Johnson twice in the first inning. Beckett gestured towards his knees when Johnson missed one pitch that Beckett thought should have been called a strike and he yelled at him as he walked off the mound at the end of the inning.
After walking two batters to load the bases, Beckett walked in a run to narrow the Red Sox' lead to 3-1.