Windows Server 2003/R2 End of Support July 14, 2015 notice received from Microsoft.

I just received a couple of notices from Microsoft indication the end of support for Windows Server 2003.

The irony, except for one client I've never felt the need to install Windows Server in my client based. I made the decision over a decade ago to run email hosted via a third party company so could use a lower cost more basic file server for clients. Dead easy, inexpensive, redundancy so quick recovery if required. My client base is typically under 20 users per site so the approach has worked well.

Microsoft finally caught up and is now pushing, albeit for larger organisations the same approach.

Now if only Microsoft stopped shafting customers still using their old products (300 million perfectly good Windows XP computers), stopped trying to copy Apple (having to control everything) and focus on their own market, they may remain relevant. This is frustrating seeing Microsoft becoming irrelevant to this section of the market. No doubt not an issue for them as they're the modern day IBM and we no longer buy IBM PCs. As a diehard Microsoft support, the iron is I'm typing this on a MacBook Air. I could never have imagined saying that a few years ago. Perhaps it is time to accept change and go with the flow.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for small business IT support.

Google Drive - We're sorry. You can't access this item because it si in violation of our Terms of Service message.

I was quite surprised to get this message and thought I'd share it with others.

I created a form to collect data from those who were interested. I used Google Drive to create the form and shared a link to the form on one of my blogs. The filename was called monopolypieces. I tested the form and then launched it into the public arena. Bang. There was one person who entered their pieces and then it was locked up. I couldn't edit the form. It just sits with a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark in it.

It wasn't a major concern for me as this was a temporary measure. I quickly created my preferred approach which was a web app and was ready to go in a couple of hours. Those who don't have such skills may have a problem. I suspect the best way to handle this would be to create a new form this time without the term monopoly in the filename or in the form itself. That word was not really required as the context of usage would have been clear to people.

This does however show something I'd never anticipated. When you use Google Drive keep in mind that Google can lock your form unexpectedly. I don't know why they did it. I requested review and they released it, to later lock it again. I can only guess it was the use of the term Monopoly.

This was an interesting experience which I thought I'd share.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au

MyAnswers: Dell Inspiron 2350 touch screen stopped working. The computer is using Windows 8.1 update.

The following MyAnswers solution 2476 is now available:

Dell Inspiron 2350 touch screen stopped working. The computer is using Windows 8.1 update but had been working previously It also previous stopped working so there was a concern about the reliability of the Dell computer.

Click here to obtain the solution.

Click here for related solutions.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au/myanswers/
(An Online Connections service.)

MyAnswers: The power consumption for the GV slow cooker.

The following MyAnswers solution 2475 is now available:

GVA slow cooker from the Goodguys, power consumption.

Click here to obtain the solution.

Click here for related solutions.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au/myanswers/
(An Online Connections service.)