eConnect and Microsoft Dexterity: Dynamics GP development tools comparison notes

This article is dedicated to Microsoft Great Plains eCommerce and web software development primarily, plus Microsoft Dynamics GP customization, integration, data conversion and reporting. As software programmer you should know where one customization realm exists and where it has boundaries: new and legacy technologies, such as Microsoft Great Plains Dexterity, eConnect, VBA & GP Integration Manager

• eConnect – was initially introduced for e-commerce web developers, enabling them to link ecommerce web site with Microsoft Dynamics GP on the back end as accounting or ERP

• Dexterity. This technology was introduced in late 1980th and earlier 1990th as EDI and programming language (sanscript) for new Great Plains Software MRP platform – Great Plains Dynamics, coming up to replace former ERP – Great Plains Accounting (available for DOS and MS Windows in 1990th and earlier). Dexterity was archtectured to provide computer graphical platform independence (remember software platform battles: Microsoft Windows, MAC OS, Solaris, etc.) and SQL and DB platform relative independence and portability. Dexterity was securing Great Plains Dynamics future, regardless on who wins on both: computer operating system and database directions

• Programmers pools. Dexterity programmers are not often found on the job and consulting market nowadays, however they were available in late 1990th and earlier 2000th. eConnect in turn uses modern Microsoft technologies, such as .Net, c#, VB, SQL scripting, MS Visual Studio, as well as universal new software development tools, such as XML web services, eConnect gives you as a developer access to the set of Dynamics GP objects: Customer, Vendor, Sales Order, etc. So, it would be probably fair to say, that eConnect programmers are available on the market, and even if universal .Net developer is not familiar with eConnect yet – he will read documentation and will be able to program in a very short turning time

• eConnect flexibility. Being reflection (so far) of what was initially created on GPS Dexterity platform, econnect, has restrictions on the subset of objects – its scope is broad, but limited in comparison to original Dexterity. Another eConnect limitation is posting (and SOP order transfer to invoices and backorders)

• Dexterity flexibility. Being legacy platform, dex should be considered with certain level of respect, however with the software development tool life cycle precaution

• Recommendations. If you need to cross eConnect limitation boundaries, you should rescue to Dexterity development. Dexterity developers should have access to Dexterity source code (DYNAMICS.DIC with sanscript code) – in this scenario your customization possibilities are unlimited.

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Becoming A Computer Technician � Tips On How To Get Started

If you have a natural affinity for computers, and you enjoy working with machines, then one of the most rewarding and enjoyable jobs that you might want to look at is that of becoming a computer technician.

Among the benefits of becoming a computer technician is that it is a very varied and interesting profession, in which you can choose from a number of different ways to progress, and also choose whether you would like to be self-employed and running your own business, or you can work for an employer and follow a more structured employment path.

One of the routes into the work of a computer technician in recent years has been to study a course in computer building or repair that will give you a good foundation of knowledge about how computers are constructed, and how the various parts within the computer work together and complement each other.

Another option if you have already been tinkering and upgrading your own computers for some time is to look for a local computer technician who should be fairly experienced, and is willing to take on an apprentice so that you can get plenty of practical experience, and then apply this experience under their supervision as you develop your computer knowledge.

If you prefer to work in an environment where there is a more structured progression and development in your role as a computer technician, then you may want to consider looking at corporations which have large offices in your area, as these will often have a number of IT staff already working there. Among the benefits of following this career path is that the company will often sponsor you or at least give you some support in earning more qualifications and accreditations to help you develop.

Once you have begun to be established as a computer technician, then it is valuable for you to think about getting more qualifications or accreditations, which will allow you to increase the breadth of your knowledge and experience, which will naturally assist you in getting more lucrative opportunities, and moving forwards in your career as a computer technician. These can be either educationally based, or be accreditations provided by manufacturers.

Whichever route you choose, becoming a computer technician can be both an interesting and lucrative profession.

Laptops Are Becoming Increasingly More Popular. But Why?

In the Lap of Luxury

Laptops are becoming increasingly more popular, and have evolved so much that some business people and individuals are using them as their only computer. The reasons laptops are popular is that they are portable, they use far less power than desktop computers, and they make less noise. The disadvantages of laptops, however, are that they are usually slower than desktop models, have fewer graphics, and their power to process sound is not as robust. As laptops are upgraded, however, many of these differences are not substantial enough to even be noticeable to the average computer user.

Laptops are generally more costly than desktop computers, although that may not be the cost for much longer. The price of both is falling continually, with the price of laptops dropping more quickly. As of May 2005 more laptops were sold in the United States than desktop computers.

Laptops and desktops are actually quite similar in design, with the same basic software, hardware and operating systems. The basic difference between the two is in how these components are fitted together. Laptops, of course, of necessity, must have more compact components.

Desktop computers have motherboards, hard drives, video cards and their other hardware components assembled together and housed in a large case, commonly referred to as the CPU (central processing unit) or the tower. In a desktop model the keyboard, mouse, monitor, printer and other peripherals are connected to the tower by wire or through the newest technology are connected wirelessly. Each CPU or tower has plenty of extra internal space for additional cards, cables and the circulation of air.

A laptop, of course, is considerably smaller and lighter weight than the smallest tower for a desktop. Neither the mouse, keyboard nor monitors are peripherals, but rather part of the laptop unit itself. There isn’t a lot of extra space for circulation of air or addition of cards. Not only must laptop components be compact but their heat production must be considerably lower than that of desktop components, and they must conserve considerably more power. Thus the additional cost.

The CPU, also called the microprocessor, works with the laptop’s operating system to control the computer. This CPU is the brain for laptops. In a desktop computer a CPU generates a considerable amount of heat, so it must have a fan and a heat sink. The heat sink is made up of plates, channels and radiator fins that work systematically to draw heat away from the processor.

Laptops have CPUs that run at lower clock speeds and voltage. The heat is reduced, and power is not consumed as greatly, but the processor is slower as a result. Most laptops will run faster and at a voltage that is higher when they run on electricity than when they run on batteries.

Laptop processors don’t use pins to mount to their motherboard, which saves room. The two alternatives are for the processors to mount right to the laptop motherboard without any socket, or to use a micro-FCBGA (Flip Chip Ball Grid Array.) The latter replaces pins with balls. The disadvantage of this, however, is that the owner cannot replace or upgrade the processor because it can’t be removed from the motherboard.

Laptops have slow-down, hibernation or sleep modes. These reduce the speed of the CPU when the laptop is not in use. One Macintosh processor actually prioritizes its data to help minimize the drain on its battery.

Some laptops use CPUs made for desktops, but that are designed to run at slower clock speed. Performance is improved in these laptops but they tend to run considerably hotter than other laptops, and their battery life is reduced a great deal.

What You Ought To Know About Windows For Your Homes

The way they are constructed, makes double hung windows very popular. Cleaning double hung windows are easier than windows based on a spiral or string system because they won't allow the sash to drop out when you are cleaning them. Double hung windows tilt in a way that uses a flush fitting tilt release which is more attractive than screwed in tilt release systems that are more commonly used. You may find that choosing a quality window is difficult because of the overwhelming number of options. A solid warranty offered by a quality manufacturer as well as your budget should be important factors in the window decision you make. Windows are a large investment and if you pick wisely you can save money over the long run by improving your energy efficiency. In order to save money in the future you may be wise to spend a little more on your windows now..

Quality doors add to the curb appeal of a home and also enhance your home's security. Block the noise outside from entering your home with a well built door which will provide a sound barrier. Energy efficiency is the most important door feature to have. Well built doors provide tight, long-lasting barriers by using effective weather seals to improve energy efficiency. The function of door (patio, garage, front or interior door) will certainly be a factor in your decision. When you install a door ensure it is up to code and meets the safety features in your area. There are a number of design options you can choose from when it comes to doors, such as whether you would like to use coloured, textured or wrought iron glass. There are many types of materials that hand formed bevels come in like black chrome, lead, brass, copper, zinc and antique black. Breaking a door by force in order to enter your home is more difficult when you have well built security plates in your door.

When installing doors and windows in your house don't forget to factor in window coverings into the price. New technology has improved the quality of shutters and blinds now available. The decision of using a shutter or blind will come down to personal preference because there are so many benefits to both. Blinds are sometimes preferred because of the flexibility they offer for installation and the variety of colours and types you can choose from. Common types of blinds include roman, roller, sheers, pleated shades or cellular shades. The fact that shutters offer home owners privacy, durability and versatility are key benefits. Shutters are designed to allow you to control the amount of privacy and light in your home. The features of light and privacy control offered by shutters makes them a popular choice. Shutters don't shrink, fade, peel or crack, which makes them a great investment for home owners. Shutters can be cleaned easily, making them a popular choice. The ability to easily remove shutters that have a hinge-release panel makes cleaning them very accessible. Whether you want to install shutters inside the window frame or not is up to you. If you find a reliable manufacturer they will usually offer a solid warranty, perhaps even up to 25 years. The quality, type or size of window coverings you choose will impact the price.

Tips when using LimeWire

Here are some tips and useful features that will help you get the most out of LimeWire 4.9.

1. LimeWire is written in Java programming language and will run on any computer with the ability to run Java version 1.1.8 that is connected to the Internet.

2. It’s best to use different P2P programs to get certain files. LimeWire is best suited for songs and video files, especially recent ones. For CD images and programs, I use BitTorrent/Azureus. I only use WinMX if I can’t find the files I want on those first two, and I don’t even have Kazaa installed (too many viruses and trojans!).

3. When searching for files, first do a general search and find the specific file you want. Then do a more targeted search on that file, and you will get more results, and thus, a faster download.

4. If you’re like me and fetch download speeds from 30 kb/s up to 200 kb/s per file, downloading more than 4 files at once may put a strain on your computer. If this happens, your computer will get extremely sluggish, and it will become difficult to do anything else on it. Because of this, I recommend choosing your downloads in the morning or at night, and leaving the computer to do its hard work while you sleep or away during the day.

5. LimeWire has a cool “Recently Added” button that lets you search for new files. Also, there’s a place that lets you see what other users are typing in their search boxes. Both of these features help when you are bored but you don’t know what to download.

6. When you remove a download from the transfer list, it isn’t deleted; it’s actually in a folder called “Incomplete”. If you are tight on hard drive space, it’s a good idea to check this folder (found in the library screen) and delete its contents every so often. Make sure you empty the trash bin too!

Top Gamers Laptops from Alienware

Alienware is an american computer hardware company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dell computer corporation. Alienware's most well known series of desktops are the Aurora and Area-51 lines; Alienware also sells considerable-end laptops to which their most well known is the Area-51m.

Functioning under the tagline of "build it as if it were your own," Alienware has earned numerous awards for excellence and has become a respected brand name worldwide with systems on hand direct within the United States, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. That point is that Alienware has confirmed them as a counterculture alternative with high quality, considerable performance hardware that is packaged in a creative way.

Computers

Since high-end game hardware was not widely distributed, the company's founders formed an OEM that sold pcs with the highest performing hardware and settings according to benchmarks. You receive to buy the peripherals and accessories you require including monitors, games, game controllers, keyboards, mice, and more. They also sell all kinds of computer parts and PC components like monitors, printers, CPUs, memory, graphics cards, motherboards, modems, CD drives, DVD drives, and hard drives, power supplies, video cards, sound cards and wireless networking hardware. Alienware is arguably the sexiest computer manufacturer in the greater OEM area.

Laptops

Alienware has done it again, bringing those who love gaming on their laptops yet another powerhouse in the form of the m7950. After all, these aren't ordinary word processing laptops but respectable gaming machines. I also recommend this laptop to computer enthusiasts who multi task programs, game occasionally, and surf the net regularly. Regardless of rumours of degraded quality of Alienware's product quality since their merge with Dell Pc's, I decided it was still the best way to receive the most quality, highest performing laptop, without "crapware"; useless pre-installed programs, etc.

Intel

Intel� Core 2 Duo is built with Advanced power gating (apg) to optimize performance per watt even while being overclocked by shutting down certain parts of the cores. Intel has subsequently started selling x86 chips that are 64 bit, and that use multiple cores. As things currently stand, Dell exclusively uses Intel CPUs in its systems, but Alienware use both Intel and AMD, so what happens next, we have to wait and see.

Graphics

The Alienware M9750 has dual Nvidia 7950GTX graphics cards, just like the Sager NP9260 does, so you are going to receive extreme gaming performance. With the capability of configuring dual Nvidia graphics cards, it is capable of handling a lot. The graphics cards are admirable choices for gamers and those who work with 3D apps. All are PCI Express and have 256 megs of graphics memory.

Alienware computers and Alienware notebooks are ideal for those that play games, use extensive graphics or require high performance systems. The whole reason why gamers go to companies like Alienware is to exclusively can have the best PC gamer product possible.

Icons in Windows Vista

Microsoft Windows Vista, the next version of Windows, is scheduled to arrive in H2 2006. Vista is loaded with new technologies, the most visible being an enhanced graphical user interface. Vista’s user interface improves rendering of text, allows smooth, eye-pleasing window transition effects, and utilizes high-resolution icons.

Icon in Windows Vista Explorer

Windows Vista Explorer makes use of high-resolution 256x256 icons. While 256x256 pixels seem to be too much for current displays, Vista is able to dynamically downscale images to any size. By using large icons, Vista Explorer is already prepared for future displays with higher resolution [DPI].

The image size is controlled by a slider control in Windows Explorer. This slider replaces the discrete view modes in Windows XP. Vista makes it possible to assign different view mode and different icons sizes to each folder.

Support for high resolution icon is not limited to system icons. Our test showed that a custom icon with a large image is accepted and used by Windows Explorer without problems.

PNG Compressed Vista Icons

A typical Vista icon contains 12 images:

• 16x16 pixels in 16 colors, 256 colors, and truecolor+alpha
• 32x32 pixels in 16 colors, 256 colors, and truecolor+alpha
• 48x48 pixels in 16 colors, 256 colors, and truecolor+alpha
• 256x256 pixels in 16 colors, 256 colors, and truecolor+alpha

The ability to put 256x256 pixels image inside an icon is not new. This feature was available in Windows XP and in previous systems. The problem is that an icon with all 12 formats requires more than 400kB. This is considerably more than a typical Windows XP icon needs (approx. 25kB). Microsoft solved this problem by extending the icon format.

Vista icons store the images in icons using PNG compression. With PNG compression, the size of an icon is reduced. Because PNG is loss-less and supports 8bit alpha channel, the quality of icon is maintained.

Current Vista icons use compression for the large 256x256 formats only. This makes the icons backwards compatible with previous systems. Windows XP will ignore the high resolution images and load the standard 48x48 pixels images.

It is possible to compress all images in an icon. Such icons will occupy even less space and they will work without problems in Vista. They will of course fail under Windows XP.

Creating and Converting Compressed Icons

Vista compatible icon editor ( http://www.rw-designer.com/vista-icon-editor ) is needed to work with Vista icons. Icon editor authors are adopting the Vista enhancements to the icon format and some of them have already managed to release an updated version of their software. A Vista icon is created by simply adding a high resolution images and by selecting the Vista format when saving an icon.

Some editors also allow extracting Vista icons from executable files and converting them to XP icons (e.g. saving them without compression).

Conclusion

Microsoft improved the visuals of Windows delivered a future-proof solution compatible with high-end system as well as with lower definition screens. The 256x256 icon images allow icon authors to add more details and make the icons more appealing under wide range of conditions.

The information in this article is relevant for Windows Vista Beta 1. Vista icons specifications are preliminary and subject to change.