Travel the Stars from your Desktop

Here's a fun space exploration program that's been around for a while, Celestia. Celestia allows you to zoom around the solar system and beyond with amazing images and accuracy. It supports Windows, Linux and Mac operating systems.

For those wanting to travel further out and for you sci-fi fans (and who isn't?), go to the "motherload" page there are deep space objects, galaxies and even Star Trek sites to be seen.

It's hours of entertainment for the whole family (at least the geeky ones).

3 Windows Vista Keyboard Shortcuts

Here are three keyboard shortcuts I learned about while reading the Mastering Windows Vista book.

Windows key + Spacebar to bring the Windows Sidebar to the foreground (the Sidebar must be running)

Windows key + X for to launch the Mobility Center (only for laptops and tablet PCs)

Ctrl + Alt + End to bring up the security menu when using Remote Desktop (may also work for XP, haven't tried it yet)

Get your Cylon here!

Okay, this is too cool not to post: ThinkGeek has affordable Cylons for purchase.

I ordered one a few weeks ago and while anciously waiting I received a call from my brother-in-law thanking me for his new arrival. Since he was the last person I ordered stuff for, his shipping address was cached. So in my purchasing frenzy I didn't notice, but as a fellow geek I was happy "Cy" had a good home.

Anyway, after ordering another one, I now have one of my own. And no I don't move it around making noises or anything (at least when my wife's around).

Evaluate Exchange 2007 on 32-bit

Since hands-on experience is the best teacher, I highly recommend using Exchange 2007 quite a bit before putting it into production. This release, which I'm sure you've already read, is quite different than the Exchange 2000/2003 that came before. It's a similar jump that was Exchange 5.5 to 2000 in functionality and UI.

Get the free (you have to register) download here.

Exchange 2007 on Windows 2008

I've just begun a project involving an Exchange 2007 deployment on Windows 2008, one FE (Hub and CAS roles) with a clustered BE (Mailbox role only), the Edge role will be Sendmail.

This is an intra-organization migration replacing a single Exchange 2003 server. Part of this is getting the prerequisites out of the way. TechNet has a couple of great articles, Preparing AD and Domains and Installing Exchange 2007 Prerequisites on Windows Server 2008.

So far so good. I'm also making use of Jim McBee's great book Exchange 2007 Implementation and Administration as well (this book assumes that you have experience with Exchange, Windows Server and Active Directory).

I'll post more as the project progresses.

Exchange System Manager 2003 for Vista

I want to thank Nathan Winters for this gem, there's now a Excange 2003 System Manager for Vista you can download from Microsoft.

I fault the 3rd party hardware and software manufacturers with the many compatibility issues that have plagued Vista, when they had a FIVE YEAR window for development (HP Photo printer anyone?), but to have Microsoft come late to the party with Windows server and Exchange management tools is just lame. Do they want the MS tech crowd on their side or not?

In any case, better late than never.

Passed the Vista Exam

The exam went well, a 700 is need to pass and I achieved a 907; not too bad. Many of the questions covered the new features such as, Meeting Space, Windows Calendar, Defender and the beefed up Windows Firewall.

Interesting enough there were six simulations, some of which I went back and looked at for non-related questions, like firewall settings. They lock you into the various choices in the interface that one might use for the task; i.e. should you be in the Control Panel for a Windows Firewall question, you can't look at the Tablet PC Settings applet.

The testing site, A&A Computers, was acceptable and quiet, that is until a delivery person showed up in back and rang the bell incessantly. My exam also crashed while generating one of the simulations, I was an hour in at this point with 60% of the test completed. Luckily it saved all of my answers and picked up where I left off.

Now it's onto the 70-290 Windows 2003 Server exam. Why not Windows Server 2008? That down the road, but not far. But when you are a Microsoft Certified Trainer, you must pass the exams for the classes you want to teach, and I'm hoping to be as marketable as possible.