What is Open Source Software?

Open Source Software (OSS) is software that is available under a special license that allows everyone to access the program code as well as the executable program. This means that anyone is able to edit the program code and therefore customise the software for their own needs.

This ability to access the source code is protected by the license under which the software is released. There is a great many Open Source licenses, but they all have one thing in common, they protect the right of the user of the software to access and modify it in any way they desire.

This ability to modify applications is in direct contrast to the Closed Source Software model. In Closed Source only the creator of the application has access to the source code, and therefore, only the creator is able to modify the application.

Being able to change the way an Open Source Software application operates is critical in many business environments. No two businesses are identical and therefore it is unlikely that any one piece of software will satisfy the needs of all potential users. Without the ability to modify their software a company is restricted in its operations by that software.

While it is true that no two businesses are identical, it is also true that there are a great many common business practices that are repeated across organisations. These common practices can be well served by "standard" software. The remaining practices, those that are different from competitors are, typically, the ones that give a business an advantage in the marketplace.

Since these non-standard practices are key to the organisations success it is critical that any software solutions adopted by the company also support these non-standard processes. It is in this need to adapt software to a companies specific needs that makes Open Source Software attractive. Since the company has access to the source, the application can be freely adapted to suit the unique requirements of each user.

Who Pays for Open Source Development?

The ability to customise software is critical to allow an organisation to continue to improve their business processes, but how does a company afford to pay for such customisations?

One of the side effects of allowing any user access to the source code is that the cost of acquiring the software in the first instance is massively reduced. In most cases the source code is available for no cost. This enables the user to divert resources normally allocated to pay software license fees into enhancing the software.

A successful Open Source Software project has a large community of software developers. Many of these developers work as independent contractors and can be employed to customise the software, alternatively, if a company has internal developer resources, they can leverage those skills to perform the customisations.

Does it Really Work?

This all sounds fantastic, but does it really work? Are there Open Source Applications in use in the real world?

Here are a few facts to convince you that it most certainly does work:

- Around 70% of web sites are served by the Open Source Apache HTTPD server.

- In a 2002 survey it was found over 31% of UK and nearly 42% of German companies were using or planning to use OSS.

- In 2001, Debian (an Open Source Operating System), contained over 55 million lines of code and was estimated to have consumed over 14,000 person years in development time. That is a development cost of around 1.89 Billion Dollars (US) yet it is still available with no license fees.

Scott Morris manages the site on satellite code.

1.  Replace Dexterity cursor with SQL Stored Procedure

Dexterity was designed as multiplatform technology (primarily Btrieve, Ctree, SQL Server, potentially Oracle).  Dexterity data retrieving mechanism is based on Range start, Range End, Get First and Get Next clauses.  It  is in fact similar, however a little bit slower to cursors in Transact SQL.  Long ranges in Dexterity are good candidates for replacement by SQL stored procedures with update clause.

For example, consider to replace following Dexterity code:

Range clear SOP_HDR_WORK.

Clear ‘SOP Type’ of table SOP_HDR_WORK.

Clear ‘SOP Number’ of table SOP_HDR_WORK.

Range start table SOP_HDR_WORK.

Get first table SOP_HDR_WORK.

While errEOF do

                If ‘Salesperson ID’ of table SOP_HDR_WORK = “ERIC” then

                                Edit table SOP_HDR_WORK.

Set ‘Salesperson ID’ of table SOP_HDR_WORK to “BILL”.

                Save table SOP_HDR_WORK.

End if.

Get next table SOP_HDR_WORK.

End while.

With the following SQL code

Update SOP10100 set SLPRSNID=”BILL” where SLPRSNID=”ERIC”

Bringing new data into a table in Dexterity is based on change/edit table clauses, in SQL they are equivalent (by performance) to inserting one record at the time.

When having long cycle of change/edit table in Dexterity, consider replacement by SQL stored procedure with Insert Into clause.

2.  Use Crystal Reports, call them from via VBA in Modified form

The easy way to call Crystal Report from your VBA code from your modified form:

Const RPT = "D:\Clients\TheClient\Invoice Status.rpt"

Public crwApplication As CRPEAuto.Application

Public crwReport As CRPEAuto.Report

Private Sub Print_BeforeUserChanged(KeepFocus As Boolean, CancelLogic As Boolean)

If SalesTransactionInquiryZoo.Type = "Invoice" Then

If crwApplication Is Nothing Then

                                Set crwApplication = CreateObject("Crystal.CRPE.Application")

End If

Set crwReport = crwApplication.OpenReport(RPT)

crwReport.ParameterFields(1).SetCurrentValue (DocumentNo)

crwReport.Preview

End If

3.  Use Direct .Net Web Publishing from Great Plains Database

The easiest and safest way is to use eConnect - SDK with VB samples, created for eCommerce programmers and web designers to call the functionality in Microsoft Great Plains.  If your company can not afford eConnect - create your own set of stored procedures to address Great Plains database and go ahead with Visual Studio.Net to do the web publishing.

Happy upgrading and customizing! if you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies – USA nationwide Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Great Plains customization company, based in Chicago, California, Texas, New York, Georgia, Arizona, Minnesota, Washington, Colorado and Florida and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com), he is Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer.

This method of creating fast email replies involves creating a simple template with no merging. The text is the same and all you have to do is add information and send it. We’ll do it for Mozilla / Thunderbird, Outlook, and Outlook Express. Mozilla and Thunderbird are exactly the same.

This method is good for small jobs of repetitive emails and responses / requests especially for newsletters like eNJ and Shavlik. I do a monthly interview column and constantly send interview requests, so I use a Mozilla template for this and it works great.

Outlook ‘Regular’

Start by creating the email complete with the Subject, greeting, body, closing, and the sig. Skip the To. If you want to cc or bcc someone on every email, enter the email address in this step.

1. Click File > Save as… > give it a name and ensure "Outlook Template(*.oft)" is selected as the type > Save.
2. Close the email window > click No when it asks if you want to save a draft.
3. To open the template, click New > Choose Form… > select User Templates in File System from drop-down > select the template > click Open.
4. Edit away and click Send.

A lot of steps to open a template, isn’t it? You can also double-click on the template file like it’s done for Outlook Express (see next one). Better yet, make a shortcut right in Outlook. A few ways to do this:

*Outlook Bar

1. Drag and drop the file into the Outlook Bar OR
2. File > New > Outlook Bar shortcut OR
3. Right-click the Outlook Bar > select Outlook Bar shortcut > change Look in to File System > the template is stored in C:Documents and SettingsusernameApplication DataMicrosoftTemplates [remember username is your name or whatever name you assigned].
4. Click on the shortcut when you want to use it.

*Folder

1. Drag and drop the file into an Outlook folder.
2. Click on it to use it.

*Shortcut on the Toolbar

1. Right-click in the blank area around the buttons > Customize > select Commands tab > Tools category > Customize command.
2. Click and drag Customize to the toolbar until you find a place to put it and there is no x indicating it is not allowed. Drop it.
3. Right-click Customize button (Keep the Customize window open) and rename the button by clicking next to Name and replacing "Customize" with your own.
4. Right-click your new button > Assign Hyperlink > Open > find your way to the template’s location: the template is stored in C:Documents and SettingsusernameApplication DataMicrosoftTemplates [remember username is your name or whatever name you assigned] > select it > click OK.
5. Close the Customize window.
6. Click on the new button whenever you want to use the template.

It’s work, but this is my favorite step for Outlook. I don’t like having the Outlook Toolbar open because it wastes space.

Mozilla / Thunderbird

Start by creating the email complete with the Subject, greeting, body, closing, and the sig. Skip the To.

1. Click File > Save as… > Template.
2. Close the email window.
3. Click on the Templates folder > double-click on the template you want.
4. Edit the email and send.

The template is still in the template folder. To send another, double-click on it again, edit it, and send.

Outlook Express

It doesn’t have a straight out template feature, so you have to get creative. Start by … you know the first step by now, but if you skipped the others: Start by creating the email complete with the Subject, greeting, body, closing, and the sig. Skip the To.

1. Click File > Save as… > give it a name and ensure "Mail(*.eml)" is selected as the type > Save.
2. Close the email window.
3. Load the template by double-clicking the template file wherever you saved it (it will be named something like "file_name.eml").
4. Edit the email and click Send.

Not elegant, but it’s a way for Express users to use templates. OK, I got carried away and decided to give you more than just an easy one. Happy carpal tunnel-free emailing.

Meryl K. Evans is the Content Maven behind meryl’s notes, eNewsletter Journal, and The Remediator Security Digest. She is also a PC Today columnist and a tour guide at InformIT. She is geared to tackle your editing, writing, content, and process needs. The native Texan resides in Plano, Texas, a heartbeat north of Dallas, and doesn’t wear a 10-gallon hat or cowboy boots.

Currently Microsoft Business Solutions is on the way of creating so-called suites: Microsoft Financials, Microsoft Distributions, Microsoft HR, Microsoft Manufacturing. It is very difficult to say which product will be the core of which suite, but the best guess is this: Microsoft Great Plains - Microsoft Financials and probably Distribution/Supply Chain Management and HR, Solomon - Microsoft Project or Professional Services, Navision - Microsoft Manufacturing. If you have Microsoft Business Solutions Navision and support it for your company then you need to know some technical details about Navision version upgrade and what is going on behind the scenes, which options do you have in case of C/SIDE customization or Jet Reports.

The challenge of Navision Upgrade This should be understood by both: software developer and company executive.

• One Dictionary - in contract to such product as Microsoft Great Plains, where customization goes into separate dictionary - Navision customization sits in the same dictionary. This means that when new version is out there - the customization should be re-analyzed and moved from the old dictionary to the new. If you remember the history - Navision actually merged several dictionaries couple of versions back - this was very tough time for customization upgrade
• SQL Server side - from this side upgrade is smooth, because Navision doesn’t use complex SQL functionality and SQL Server itself is rather data storage.

Do I need consultant? It is probably good idea to have consultant to do the upgrade. We strongly recommend you to use consultant in the following cases

• You have C/SIDE customization or any customization for your Navision
• You have a lot of custom Jet Reports
• Your Navision has more than 20 users and you have to have upgrade done over the weekend - if it fails - you have business problems
• You don’t have support - in this case you have to select your Microsoft Business Solutions Partner and pay for the annual support/enhancement plan - you will get new registration key and will be ready for the upgrade

Good luck in upgrading and if you have issues or concerns – we are here to help! If you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

John Kleb is Certified Navision Specialist in Alba Spectrum Technologies – USA nationwide Navision, Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, based in Chicago, California, Texas, Florida, New York, Georgia, Washington, Colorado, Canada, UK, Australia and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com).

You can contact John: andrewk@albaspectrum.com

As an editor for a few newsletters, I write to readers who write or complete feedback surveys. One of the newsletters gets several hundreds of responses with every issue. If that sounds overwhelming, the first issue alone got over 1000 responses! I use a few methods for handling large email jobs and use whichever depending on the mood. This one covers Word merge.

Anyone who has used Word’s merge features for letters and envelopes can do this using the same method by choose "E-mail messages" as the document type instead of the others. It works seamlessly with Outlook. Although, the help file indicates email merge works with any MAPI-compatible email program.

Information on merging Word docs with other email apps such as Eudora, Mozilla, and Pegasus is non-existent. If you know something, please comment.

Here are the steps for mail merge with Word, Excel, and Outlook done in Office XP (2002):

Create a basic letter template with the standard elements found in every letter. Such as the introduction, closing, and maybe a paragraph. We’ll call this Template.doc.

Also, most surveys have first and last name in the same column rather than as two separate columns. If this is the case as it is in this example, you can split it up with this trick. Insert five blank columns after the Name column. Select the Name column > Data > Text to Columns > Delimited > Next > Untick ‘Tab’ and Tick ‘Space’ > Next > Finish > OK (to replace columns).

We enter five blank columns because some people put names like John J. R. Doe, Jr., which takes up five columns. Better safe. After it’s done, you can delete the extra columns. Give the columns the correct heading names (FirstName, LastName).

Open new Word document (yes, you could use an existing document, but I’d rather mess up a fresh one than an existing one).

Tools > Letters and Mailings > Mail Merge Wizard

In Select document type, check "E-mail messages"Click "Next: Starting document."In Select starting document, check "Start from existing document."

Select the generic letter template aka Template.doc. If this is not in the list, select "(More files…)" to find the document.

Click "Next: Select receipients."

In Select receipients, check "Use an existing list." In Use an existing list, select "Browse." Browse for the Excel file with the data > click on the file > Open. Click OK > OK (you can select data like blank lines to omit from the mail merge). Note: Make sure Excel has only one tab in use (worksheet) otherwise it gets messy.

Click "Next: Write your letter." Add the fields into the letter. In this case, we’ll use "FirstName." Add it from the Mail Merge toolbar - it’s the icon to the left of "Insert Word Field." To get the toolbar, click Tools > Letters and Mailings > Show Mail Merge Toolbar.

Click "Next: Preview your letter." Follow the steps based on your needs. Here is where you can personalize each letter. OR, you can do what I do. I have Outlook set so that it won’t automatically send anything. In this case, all the emails go in the OUTBOX. I move them into DRAFTS where I personalize each one and hit send so they go back into the OUTBOX ready to go.

Click "Next: Complete the merge." (With preview) Here you can test to make sure messages show up correctly by clicking "Editing individual letters."

Click "Next: Complete the merge." (Without preview and send the email). Warning - when you start this process, it sends the emails right away. It does NOT wait till you click Send. Click on "Merge to E-mail" icon (second from the right in the Mail Merge toolbar).

It’ll ask for the subject line (see notes below) and you enter the info. From the "Mail format" drop-down, select "Plain text" or "HTML." [Note: If nothing happens… No error message… The emails don’t go out… then try selecting "Plain text." Also, Outlook should be your default email app.

When using "Plain Text," you may get popups saying "A program is trying to automatically send e-mail on your behalf…" for every email sent.] You can prevent Outlook from sending the emails by going to Tools > Options > Mail Setup > Untick "Send immediately when connected." If you can do this, then you can customize each email by going into the Outbox and editing the emails. If you can’t do this, go to the next paragraph.

If you cancel in the middle of the process, it will still send the emails you’ve done anyway even the canceled one. Cancel has no meaning in the process.

It isn’t a pretty process, but there are other options that work better.

Meryl K. Evans is the Content Maven behind meryl’s notes, eNewsletter Journal, and The Remediator Security Digest. She is also a PC Today columnist and a tour guide at InformIT. She is geared to tackle your editing, writing, content, and process needs. The native Texan resides in Plano, Texas, a heartbeat north of Dallas, and doesn’t wear a 10-gallon hat or cowboy boots.

It is a well known fact that Java as a programming language set off a new paradigm in the software industry. Suddenly, every software programmer worth his salt was amidst software jargons like ‘Platform-Independence’, ‘Cross-Platform-Deployment’ and ‘The Java Virtual Machine’. In fact, it did not take long for Java to usurp the ‘most sought after status’ from many software languages, and become the most preferred tool for creating software; especially software for the web. As the recent trends in the industry show, Java is set to achieve an undeniable position as the most preferred software programming language for a long time to come. It is indeed Java’s credit that many prominent vendors who tried to emulate the capacities of Java, failed miserably in the endeavor.

The importance of Java in the software scenario has led to another major trend. Software vendors are either rewriting their existing products in Java, or are creating new products exclusively or partially in Java. This has led many analysts to question the need to port already existing applications to Java. While the prospects of porting small or medium sized software to Java may not attract concern, it assumes significance when we consider porting existing databases that could be handling millions of sensitive blocks of information. Similarly, experts also have to decide between deploying reputed databases, and new databases that have been entirely developed in Java, in their organizations. Analysts have to answer many pertinent questions like: What are the advantages of a Java RDBMS that would compel my company to switch to it? Would it be cost effective to change to an RDBMS that has all the advantages of Java? Would the costs involved in porting millions of existing records justify the perceived performance and scalability features of the Java RDBMS? How secure would be the new RDBMS? What is the learning curve that has to be tackled by the staff who may be assigned to this database? In fact, there are a host of questions that a concerned technical head may ask himself before taking that all important decision to switch to a Java RDBMS. Let’s try finding out some of the answers.

What are the advantages of a Java RDBMS?
OK, so we all know that Java is set to capture, or has already captured a sizeable chunk of the software market. However, how does that justify the use of a Java Database? After all, is not Java theoretically capable of integrating with any database? What advantages can be afforded by a Java RDBMS?

Well the answer is quite simple. Java RDBMS has, or supports, the much sought after qualities of Java, which is the most important reason to switch to it. Some of the Java RDBMS already available in the markets answers the immediate concerns of the Technical Lead in the most persuasive manner. For example, Daffodil DB, an RDBMS written in Java, considers the following as its core strengths:

Multiple Platform Portability
Small Size
Java Stored Procedures
Transparent to End User
Zero Administration Efforts

Some of these features are worth a second look.

One RDBMS, multiple avatars
Java RDBMS not only offers the advantages of Java, but also introduces new concepts that can revolutionize database programming techniques. For a start, the much famed portability of Java is the core strength of a Java RDBMS. Now, you don’t have to buy different RDBMS for different platforms within the same enterprise. Other than the cost factors, the biggest advantage such an arrangement can give is that in-house code need not be redesigned for different platforms. By standardizing the database that is used, programs working across platforms can interact transparently and effectively. Project managers would vouch that portability, synchronization and customization effort for software running on different platforms are some of the most time consuming and tension filled activities in the office. Now all these activities can be easily implemented with the Java RDBMS in its rightful place.

Store and use those procedures with abandon
Security buffs within the enterprise would always throw a tantrum when dealing with stored procedures. Traditionally, the implementation of stored procedures had been the responsibility of the specific application vendor, and most of them could crash the whole database due to internal errors, rendering precious time and money waste. Java stored procedures with its inbuilt security features is the new fad of security administrators who are finding it powerful, fast, and very safe. Java does not implement Pointers, and so is a safe bet for developers to write secure code and procedures. In addition, with the JVM overlooking all the activities (the sandbox approach), there is no scope for external access that could jeopardize mission critical enterprise applications.

Transparent to End User
Java technologies have always been in the forefront to give us seamless transparent applications with inbuilt security features being given the utmost importance. In a Java RDBMS, database components can be embedded in applications, and they can perform complex tasks without user intervention. In addition, the user need not know the complexities of the database because the embedded database components will do all the work for him without him even knowing about it. This allows the user to concentrate on his tasks rather than configuring databases, which is an auxiliary requirement. In addition, other routine activities like starting the server and repetitive configuring of the database can also be avoided. Perhaps the biggest advantage that Java RDBMS offers is that the user need not weigh the pros and cons about choosing a database vendor. This is because Java RDBMS being extremely portable can seamlessly integrate with almost all platforms, and the embedded components will handle all the chores of integrating with different vendor software. Java RDBMS can also be seamlessly operated across multiple platforms without the need to configure the database for each and every operating system.

Zero Administration Efforts
Java RDBMS comes in with zero administration efforts, which means that once installed and configured, your clients need not change their settings to suit new changes that you make in your database. Java RDBMS also does away with, or considerably reduces, the role of the Database Administrator because of its self-managed features, and its extremely scalable mode of operation.

If you have not thought of it yet, it is a good time to think about Java RDBMS. The time is not far away when the databases industry will be greatly influenced by the power and functionality of Java RDBMS.

About the Author:

This article has been contributed by (Mr.) Parveen Aggarwal, Technical Consultant to DSL India. With more than 6 years of industry experience in Java and allied technologies, he has an in-depth understanding of J2EE, J2ME and database management systems. Parveen is currently working on the concept of data-archiving in embedded databases. He can be contacted at parveenaggarwal@hotmail.com

Bet you get the following message from time to time: "The system has recovered from a serious error" message from time to time with two buttons: "Send Error Report" and "Don’t Send" regarding sending the report to Microsoft. The error message appears when an application runs into a problem it can’t handle. When this happens, XP stops the app and the error report prompt appears so you can send the error report to Microsoft if you’re connected to the Internet.

In the case of hardware or a driver (software managing hardware) attempts something that could cause problems, XP puts up that annoying BSOD (blue screen of death) and the computer is either restarted or you have to turn it off and back on. System error reports go to the Microsoft Online Crash Analysis Web site, aka MOCA. Go figure - the Web site drops the ‘M’ in the URL.

When one of them error report windows pops up and you decide to let it send a report to Microsoft, be sure you’re connected to the Internet before hitting the "Send Error Report" button. Behind the scenes, XP creates a short message describing the error and provides additional information such as operating system version, failure type, language, cause of the problem, etc. to help Microsoft resolve the problem. The message is encrypted.

In the error report window, there is a link "click here" for seeing what the data report contains. After you send the report, you’ll get a message from MOCA with the steps on how to solve the problem and other information depending on the problem. Such information could be links to downloading updated drivers and how to prevent the problem from happening again.

What about when getting errors from a non-Microsoft application or hardware? MOCA reports these errors to the company behind the application or device, so it can be helpful to send these forward. So those of you who never send non-Microsoft-related errors might want to reconsider.

You can also use MOCA to track errors when you get BSODed. This Microsoft Knowledgebase article shows how to use error reporting.

Many people don’t use the reporting at all because of privacy concerns. We’ve heard plenty of jokes about how Microsoft knows everything about everyone who has a computer. You can read Microsoft’s error privacy information to get exact details on what Microsoft learns about your computer when getting such reports.

Error reporting is not just for Microsoft, but pays off for you since it can help reduce the problems with your computer when you get the error resolution messages back from MOCA. You can turn off error reporting, but I don’t recommend it.

Some saud they’ve never received resolutions to their problems when submitting an error report. I don’t know if this happened or not, but it may not be obvious that Microsoft is providing a possible solution.

I got an error after writing this report and submitted it to Microsoft. After it finished, the following window appeared. Click on "more information" to get details about the problem and a possible solution. When I clicked on it, it takes me to the Microsoft Online Analysis Web page and provides the following information.

Clicking on "Word Quits…" takes me to a knowledgebase article for details. Some problems probably have multiple possible solutions and there would be a bulleted list of other knowledgebase articles.

Maybe instead of "more information," it would be better for the link to say, "More information and possible resolution." "More information" might lead people to believe it’s tech speak about the problem and people don’t have time or interest to read that, so they close the box instead of clicking on it to see what is really behind the link. I’ve been guilty of that before.

Meryl K. Evans is the Content Maven behind meryl’s notes, eNewsletter Journal, and The Remediator Security Digest. She is also a PC Today columnist and a tour guide at InformIT. She is geared to tackle your editing, writing, content, and process needs. The native Texan resides in Plano, Texas, a heartbeat north of Dallas, and doesn’t wear a 10-gallon hat or cowboy boots.

If you are software developer or database administrator - we would like to give you the clues on Crystal Report creation for Microsoft RMS

1. Database: Microsoft SQL Server or MSDE - this means that you can deploy native SQL driver for connection or use ODBC for flexibility.
2. Tables Structure – it is extremely self-explanatory: Customer, Transaction (invoices, returns, layaways and others), TransactionAmount, Cashier, Tender to give you examples
3. Links - Usually master table has ID column and Transaction-related table links by [Entity]ID column: Transaction.CustomerID=Customer.ID to give the idea. This query will give you customer info of sales transaction: select b.FirstName, b.LastName, a.* from [Transaction] a join Customer b on a.CustomerID=b.ID. Please pay attention to the brackets around Transaction - transaction is reserved word in MS Transact SQL - the Microsoft blend of SQL92
4. Hints on dataflow/synchronization – Microsoft RMS uses worksheets technology and all the data goes from stores to headquarters database through worksheets. Headquarters database doesn’t create its own transactions - so be careful and do not try this type of data integration.
5. SQL Views and Stored Procedures - yes - feel free to create them directly in RMS Headquarters database and deploy in your Crystal Report.
6. Advanced Techniques - in MS SQL Enterprise Manager you can create Linked Server to all ODBC/OLEDB compliant databases: Ctree, PervasiveSQL/Btrieve, MS Access, ORACLE, DB2, Unidata, Navision (C/ODBC) and using OPENROWSET construction you can create geterogeneus view and stored proc - then you can have the data from multiple systems in your Crystal Report.

Happy designing and developing! if you want us to do the job or use our product - give us a call 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies – USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM, Microsoft RMS customization company, based in Chicago, Arizona, California, Colorado, Texas, New York, Georgia, Florida, Canada, UK, Europe and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com), he is MS RMS, Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer.

Any computer connected to the Internet needs some sort of protection against unscrupulous companies and persons who use the Internet to spread malicious software. New spyware removal programs been designed to protect the computer from different types of adware. adware is short for advertising-supported software. Internet users are often tricked into installing an adware program on their computer, and once it is installed the Adware program can take control over the computer and automatically play advertising material for the user, or download advertising material to the computer without the owners consent. It is very easy to involuntarily install adware. A simple click on a fake X in the top right corner of an irritating pop-up add can be enough to `okay’ an installation, without you ever even noticing that a program is being installed. The fact that you are using a Firewall and a good Anti-virus program does not mean that you are safe when it comes to adware. You need a program specifically designed to detected and remove adware from your computer, and alert you every time an adware program tries to install itself.

As mentioned above, the adware is primarily used to display advertisements and commercials for you. Some Adware are however combined with so called Spyware. Once your computer has been infested with spyware, the Spyware program will monitor you action and send back sensitive information to its owner. The information is used by the adware program to more effectively target you with the right commercials. The gathered information can include very personal details such as lists of all your visited websites, how often you visit each site, online purchases and all your online searches. Adware are used by dishonest persons and companies to track your online habits and gather information about you without your knowledge or consent. The information is normally used to target you with commercials and advertising, but can be used for more malevolent actions as well.

There are also honest adware products available, which are not installed without your consent. Adware can be a way to make it possible for a company or a programmer to provide the users with free versions of a software program, such as a popular game. The advertising displayed while you are using the program will help paying for programming development costs etcetera. Honest adware programs are not installed without your knowledge and you can remove them when you do not wish to use the software product anymore.

Lavasoft adware 60 is one of several programs design to protect your computer from Adware. Spyware remover software will scan your computer and clean it from existing adware. The program will also alert you every time an attempt to install a potentially harmful program on your computer is made. Lavasoft.com 6.0 has been designed to alert you of any potential security- and privacy breaches. Some spyware remover programs can be downloaded for free online and most users will probably find it easy to install and use. Compared with many other Ad-Aware programs the file is relatively small and will therefore not take for ever to download, even if you are using a modem to connect to the Internet. Lavasoft.com Adware 60 will begin working immediately and do not require a reboot. Using spyware removal software to scan your computer and clean away any suspicious software will typically take a few minutes.

One drawback with the free version of Lavasoft Adware 60 is however that it does not include all features, and you will have to pay for an upgraded version if you want to have full program access. Regardless of which Ad-Aware program you choose to use, you must update the program regularly to keep the register up to date, since new types of malicious Adware are created constantly. With Lavasoft.com Adware 6.0, updates are available for free and you can also set the program to update for you automatically.

You can configure Lavasoft.com Adware 6.0 to make it suit your own preferences. The free version comes with plenty of different options, but if you wish to have access to all possible configurations you must buy the Plus or Professional versions of Lavasoft.com Adware 6.0. If an option is greyed out in your version of Lavasoft.com Adware 6.0, it means that this option is not available. All the changes you make concerning the configuration is saved, so it is very easy to go back to an earlier configuration if you find out that your current one does not suit you.

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We would like to give you pluses and minuses of Microsoft CRM.

1. Web and MS Outlook based client - this means that you don’t need additional installations or training - everyone is using Outlook if you are on Windows XP/2000/2003
2. SQL Server database - just to mention
3. Integration with Microsoft Exchange 2003/2000 - this means that replies to CRM originated emails will be captured and store in CRM as activities for the Contact, Account or Lead.
4. Remote Support - I would say - this would be in the nature of MS CRM - you host it’s database in your headquarter and users will connect to it worldwide via Internet Explorer
5. Integration with other MBS products - currently it has integration interface with Microsoft Great Plains
6. Microsoft technologies dependence - yes, this is true and maybe considered as minus, it doesn’t work with Netscape or Mozilla browser.
7. New Product - it is relatively new on the market and may not have industry specific features yet

Also if you are considering some customization scenarios, we would suggest you to review the options below:

1. Microsoft CRM SDK – this is software development kit with C# and partly VB.net code samples – it is supported by Microsoft Business Solutions technical support. It is based on web service calls, if you are C# .NET developer – you are excellently positioned to do this type of customizations. This is the preferred modification scenario and this should be easily upgradeable customization. VB.Net examples will be available soon.
2. Legacy SQL Data integration. This is also easy and safe. If you have SQL database, sitting on the same or linked SQL Server – you can create ASPX .Net application and simply integrate it into CRM. You can place it on the navigation bar or menu in isv.config – please refer to MS CRM SDK
3. Legacy ASP integration – this is somewhat more sophisticated. You have to deploy HTTP handler to be a middle party between CRM which is .Net based and ASP which is legacy IIS. The trick is – you have to have INI file with security settings to penetrate into MS CRM with proper credentials, calling web service.
4. Microsoft Exchange Programming. Microsoft CRM has Exchange connector – which moves CRM incoming email to MS if it has GUID in its subject. You can alter this logic (for instance - move email to CRM if it doesn’t have GUID but it is from the sender who is contact or account in MS CRM). Refer to MS Exchange SDK onsyncsave event handling. Then simply apply some MS CRM SDK programming - you need some COM+ objects creation and VB programming experience.
5. Direct SQL touch – in #4 above I described you the scenario with MS Exchange handlers – this would be ideal world if MS CRM SDK does the job. But – in real world this is not always true – you have to do direct flags correction in CRM database (like making Activity closed, moving email attachments/octet streams, etc). This is not supported by MBS technical support – but you can rescue to this technique if you have to get job done.
6. MS CRM Customization tool – this is rather end-user tool and we don’t describe it here – read the manual. We’ve described above the options to use when this tool doesn’t do the job
7. Crystal Reports - feel free to create Crystal report - tables and views structure is self explanatory. Try to avoid the temptation to create your own SQL view or stored procedure in MS CRM database, instead - create custom database and place your view and stored proc in it.

Happy selection, implementation and modification! If you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies – USA nationwide Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Great Plains customization company, based in Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, and Miami and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com), he is Dexterity, SQL, VB/C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer.