Smarter Startup Management With Soluto

You probably has heard of many ways of managing Windows startup items, from the built-in msconfig command to third party startup managing applications. I've seen quite a lot of software like these, but unfortunately, none of them are quite as informative, interactive and innovative as Soluto, a startup management software which bills itself as an 'anti-frustration' software.

As we all know, a computer that is slow during startup causes lots of frustration. Soluto aims to solve that problem but they took a pretty innovative route to addressing such problem. They uses their own technology, such as their patent-pending low level driver technology that scans a PC for application that is slowing down computer, as well as PC Genome, a technology that leverages the new cloud computing technique, whereby they have a knowledgebase located in the cloud that gathers data and generates statistics from users using Soluto, so that other users can edit share their information regarding applications that startup during boot and what they do to it.

Which is pretty cool, isn't it? Imagine people sharing their ideas around regarding startup items! There's even a video on their official website that demo on what Soluto can do! You can watch the video on Vimeo.

What i really like about this software is also its modern, interactive GUI that takes into account, the users who are novice to computer knowledge. There are many interactive tools and prompts that guides user on understanding and how to best use Soluto to their advantages. We need more of these forms of utilities nowadays, instead of the geeky, complicating GUI that only advanced users care about learning!

Boot Performance Information that shows up everytime after your desktop finished booting into operational mode (It can be toggled off).

The Soluto History Page, where you can view your computer's startup performances

The Application Editing Page, where you edit and submit application information and boot advice to PC Genome for community's references.

I had Soluto running on my PC now, and it does its job well without slowing down my PC (although it may suck bits of your RAM off at times). It is only in beta stage, but quite stable to use and i'll recommend it around wherever there's people who need it.

Visit Soluto Official Website here.

Download Soluto HERE.

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The Future Is In The Clouds: Microsoft Launches Cloud Services Website

In my opinion as a future Business Information System graduate, the first launch of Cloud Services back during the PDC conference in 2008 sounds like a breakthrough, though i can say i do not know how serious Microsoft is towards this 'new technology' development. It is now 2010 and well...Microsoft is going all-out on Cloud Computing...with the upcoming release of Microsoft Office 2010 on May and June 2010 and the launch of a new Cloud Services website.

  
Why do i say that Office 2010 is the beginning of the cloud era? Well, some of the applications in Office 2010 is developed with cloud computing in mind...for example, Microsoft Office Live Meeting and Office Communications Online.The website also have a Silverlight-powered video where Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer talks about how he thinks cloud is the future path for Microsoft's development and how cloud provides an opportunities for Microsoft to improve and stay ahead of technology rivals such as Google. Better toggle off the video though, if you're sick of Ballmer's speech (LOL). Well if you notice carefully enough, you'll notice that cloud-based services from Microsoft is slowly taking shape as of today; see below image for reference:

 
Microsoft's Cloud Service is powered by a service platform known as the Azure Services Platform. Within the Azure Service Platform, a cloud operating system called Windows Azure will be the acting medium for applications's operation such as Office Live, SharePoint Services etc. 

Visit the new Cloud Services website and see for yourself: Microsoft officially lists six software categories as the firsts to be hosted in the cloud, though i'm convinced with the progress of services infrastructures and developments, more services will be added to the current list in the future:

1. Windows

Development of Windows Azure, Microsoft's first ever cloud-based OS, is first mentioned in the 2008 PDC Conference by Ray Ozzie. Windows Azure supports cloud computing in a sense that it serves as a platform for in-the-cloud applications to run together as a bundle of internet services which is accessible from the on-premises environment and the Internet itself. 

Meanwhile, Windows Live ID (your Hotmail/Live ID which incorporates your username and password) will be sort of like your online identification card on which Microsoft requires to provide services to you. This indirectly means that your Windows Live ID is starting from today, something which importance is as high as your IC and your Passport.


2. SQL (Structured Query Language) Servers

SQL databases used to be created & managed with the help of physically-hosted ERP software or Database Management System (DBMS) such as SAP, Oracles and at the simplest, Microsoft Office Access. Since Windows Azure provides the ability to host SQL database online, database managers now don't have to create, setup, manage or patch their database anymore.


3. Exchange

Microsoft Exchange is the predominant mail client of Microsoft way back during the popularities of Windows 95 and 98 until it was replaced by Microsoft Office Outlook.Meanwhile, Microsoft Exchange Server survives and thrives until now, where it is often used by enterprise as infrastructure providers in Windows Server 2003 & 2008. With cloud computing, Exchange is now brought to the cloud and run as an in-the-cloud services.


4. SharePoint


Microsoft SharePoint also goes to the cloud now, giving business employees the power to share information and data online from anywhere, at anytime and not forsaking the idea of being able to collaborate with each other as usual. Going to the cloud means that SharePoint is now more secure and more centralized in terms of management.


5. Office

Office Live Meeting, Office Communications Online and Office Web Apps also goes into the cloud. Starting with the latest Microsoft Office 2010, users can now host real-time conference online, real-time communications with text, voice and videos, plus the ability to now access and edit your Office-based documents (eg, your Word, Excel and Access) anywhere.


6. Dynamics CRM (Customer Relationship Management)

Previous CRM management means that information managers have to keep track of customer information & relations with the aids of either separate or integrated applications, meaning that costs will be high and CRM systems are constantly bugged with planning, implementation and adoption issues. With Microsoft Dynamics CRM now in the cloud, CRM can be centrally managed through an integrated system online, saving business organizations the troubles of having to develop, implement and manage the CRM systems themselves. The only concern left is getting clients to adopt to them!


Microsoft also clearly states that the new cloud services provided will be useful for technical professionals business professionals and government and educational sectors. For technical professionals, they can now utilize all the provided applications to enhance, create new and manage their current information systems when they are trying to develop an IT infrastructure that meets business needs. All they need to focus now is on producing quality codes and defining business needs. For business professionals and government & education, they've been provided with a complete set of online applications to manage their business information online; without the need to even change or implement new services anymore!


Sources suggest that a huge majority of Microsoft employees are now working on cloud development, and we are talking about a majority of the 93000 employees at Microsoft, which is a ridiculously huge number. Honestly, if Microsoft are really so dedicated that they could reduce attention on developing host-based software like Windows 8, then they must really be serious about things. Bring on the cloud, then!

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