Windows 8: Does its 1-month report card read pass or fail?

Windows 8: Does its 1-month report card read pass or fail?
The operating system is just a hair over one month old, so now is the perfect time to take stock of the software's public reception.

My, how time flies when you're swiping through live tiles. Microsoft's new-look Windows 8 launched exactly one month and one day ago, bringing the modern UI and mobile-style apps to the desktop masses on October 26th. So how has the system actually fared during its honeymoon period? Read on for the full synopsis of Windows 8 wins and losses.

Can you navigate Windows 8?

It can't be all bad. Or can it?

Stephen Sinofsky: the gorilla no longer in the room

Many eyebrows were raised on November 12A when Microsoft announced that Stephen Sinofskythe president of the Windows division, a driving force behind Windows 8, and a long-time leader at Microsoftwas leaving his post, effective immediately. The odd timing and abrupt announcement led to a rash of speculation. Was Sinofsky fired or did he quit? Was it planned? Are Windows 8 sales that bad?

Neither Microsoft nor Sinofsky will talk about their divorce, but many analysts believe Sinofsky's penchant for secretiveness and territorial mindset alienated external and internal partners alike, which proved troublesome in the new, cross-departmental world of Windows 8. It's hard to believe Microsoft would dump Sinofsky over two weeks of (possibly) poor OS sales. Regardless of the reason behind the split, Sinofsky's exitA was badly timed and led to a fresh wave of media focus on the negative aspects of Windows 8.

"I think it was unwise to fire the head of the unit during the launch cycle and during the critical 4th quarter," says Rob Enderle, the president and principal analyst of the Enderle Group. "It was a dangerous distraction."

Sinofsky's departure may have been a dangerous distraction, but headlines alone don't make or break an operating system. Indeed, sales figures define the bottom line, and Sinofksy has never been a household name. Nonetheless, the unceremonious exit of the Windows boss adds up to a net fail for Microsoft in the executive comings-and-goings department.

Windows Store: growing, but still unimpressive

As the Windows Store goes, so goes Windows 8. The fancy-schmancy modern UI and its glittering live tiles are all powered by new-style Windows 8 apps, and the only way to get these apps is through the Windows Store itself. Our pre-launch examination of Microsoft's digital wares revealed a worrisome dearth of apps, along with a serious paucity of blockbuster apps, to boot.

One month in, the Windows Store is looking a bit better. Wes Miller, an independent Microsoft analyst at Directions on Microsoft and the curator of the WinAppUpdate website, recently announced that the Windows Store finally cracked the 20,000 app barrier, with new apps showing up at a clip of roughly 500 per day, post-launch. Only around 13,000 of these titles are available in the United States, however, and Microsoft still has a long way to go before it nears the 700,000-plus app selection of the entrenched Android and Apple markets. Still, the Windows Store is growing nicely.

The quality level of those apps is still a concern, however. The last post on Miller's website is titled, "Windows Store: I'm holding out for a hero app," in which he bemoans the lack of exclusive Windows 8 apps and says flat-out, "There arent a ton of stellar apps. It's an observation that mirrors our own. Most of the available apps are ho-hum web wrappers, uninspired utilities or lackluster games.

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7 new Windows 8 Ultrabooks

7 new Windows 8 Ultrabooks
The introduction of MIcrosoft Windows 8 has spawned a variety of new and exciting devices. Here are 7 Ultrabooks that have been developed especially for the new operating system.

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Asus Zenbook UX21A Touch

Here's a recipe for building a better Ultrabook: Start with the slim Asus Zenbook UX21A, graft on an 11.6-in. multi-touch capacitive screen and mix in the latest Ivy Bridge processors along with 256GB of solid state storage. With a spun aluminum case, the 2.4-lb. wedge-shaped Zenbook is razor thin at the front and measures 0.7-in. in the back. Its touch display can show full 1920 x 1080 resolution. The system has a backlit keyboard that automatically adjusts to the room's lighting for after-hours work and play. Asus will also have Zenbook Touches with 13.3-in., 14.0-in. and 15.6-in. screens.

Price: Not available at press time
Shipping: Not available at press time

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Acer Aspire S7

At 2.3 lb., the Acer Aspire S7 is half an inch thick, has a chic aluminum case and should be a great travel companion. The system sports an 11.6-in, multi-touch screen that can show 1920 x 1080 resolution and resists wobbling when you tap on a tile or swipe your finger across the screen. Best yet, it folds all the way flat for slipping under a monitor stand. Model 191-6640, which is pictured here, comes with 4GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD and a 1.7GHz Intel Core i5 processor and sells for $1,119.99. Acer will also offer similar S7 systems with 13.3-in. displays.

Price: $1,119.99
Shipping: Now

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HP Envy TouchSmart Ultrabook 4

The HP Envy TouchSmart Ultrabook 4 has all the mobile creature comforts, from Beats audio with a built-in subwoofer to a backlit keyboard. The stylish system has a soft rubberized coating, the look of brushed aluminum inside and a sparkle pattern on its touchpad. At 4.6 lb., you might think that the HP Envy is a trifle overweight for an Ultrabook, but it squeezes in everything needed on the road. In addition to its multi-touch 14-in. display, the system comes with an Ivy Bridge processor as well as a 500GB hard drive that is speeded up by 32GB of ExpressCache.

Price: Starts at $799.99
Shipping: Not available at press time

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HP SpectreXT TouchSmart Ultrabook

The reception of Intel's high-speed Thunderbolt technology has been mixed, but HP will use it to speed up data moving into and out of its SpectreXT TouchSmart Ultrabook. The SpectreXT is expected to be a performance screamer, using the latest Ivy Bridge processors and SSD storage. It has a 15.6-in. touch screen with a thin frame around the display that makes it appear to float in space. At 4.7 lb. and 0.8-in. thick and designed with a shiny silver metal case, the SpectreXT is expected to ship in December.

Price: Not available at press time
Shipping: December, 2012

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Lenovo IdeaPad U510

At 4.9 lb. and 0.8-in. thick, the Lenovo IdeaPad U510 just sneaks in under the Ultrabook size limits. It offers a generous 15.6-in. display with a 1366 x 768 resolution (without a touch option) that's powered by an Nvidia GeForce 625M graphics engine and 1GB of dedicated video RAM. The U510 can be ordered with an Ivy Bridge processor, up to 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive that can be augmented with either 24GB or 32GB of ExpressCache. The snazzy system boasts a matte silver finish and a built-in DVD drive.

Price: Starts at $679.00
Shipping: Not available at press time

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Samsung Series 5 Ultra Touch

The Samsung Series 5 Ultra Touch offers a 14-in. capacitive multi-touch screen as part of a 3.8-lb. system, making it an ounce lighter than the non-touch Series 5 Ultra system. The 1366 x 768 display works with gestures and as many as 10 individual finger inputs. It can be ordered with either a 1.7GHz Intel Core i5 (for $859.99) or a 1.8GHz Intel Core i3 processor (for $809.99). The Ultra Touch also comes with a 500GB hard drive that has 24GB of ExpressCache to boost its performance.

Price: Starts at $809.99
Shipping: Not available at press time

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Toshiba Satellite U845W

With its wide 14.4-in. display, Toshiba's Satellite U845W Ultrabook has a wide mobile format that should make any cinema fan happy. With a 21:9 aspect ratio, the Satellite U845W's LED-backlit display (which is not a touch screen) shows 1792 x 768 resolution; the system also comes with an SRS enhanced speaker system. Keep in mind that, at 14.8 x 7.5 in. and 4 lb., the system is a wide-body that runs the risk of not fitting into your notebook bag. There are a variety of models available starting with the Satellite U845W-S400, which comes with an Intel Core i5 processor along with 6GB RAM and a 500GB hard drive.

Price: Starts at $926.50
Shipping: Now

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12 effective habits of indispensable IT pros

12 effective habits of indispensable IT pros
How do you keep your job -- or get a better one -- in an era when hiring is slow and budgets are squeezed? Follow these 12 maxims.

Some are practical advice you've heard before (and ignored). Being familiar with how technology can improve the bottom line is more important than ever. But so is expanding your portfolio of IT skills. You'll also want to reach out and communicate with your colleagues across the organization, and take on dirty jobs nobody else wants. Eventually it may even mean leaving the comfort of a big organization and branching out on your own.

But remember: Becoming "indispensable" can be a double-edged sword. Get too indispensable, and you might find yourself unable to move beyond your niche.

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Effective IT habit No. 1: Get down to business
You may be your organization's most talented developer or dedicated systems administrator, but if you don't know what the business is selling or what service it's providing, you're an unemployment statistic waiting to happen.

First step: Learn as much about the business as you possibly can, advises Mark A. Gilmore, president and co-founder of Wired Integrations.

"Once you understand how the company works, you can use your IT knowledge to improve the company -- thus making yourself more valuable and less dispensable," Gilmore says.

"Don't look at things from strictly an IT perspective," he says. "Widen your vision to see how things relate to the business world around you. That will make you more valuable than 20 technical certifications and a master's degree will."

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Effective IT habit No. 2: Keep your eye on the bottom line
Your job isn't just to keep the data center humming. It's to help your organization use technology to improve the business.

Servers running at a fraction of capacity? If you haven't already virtualized, now's the time. Software licenses dragging down your budget? An increasingly broad choice of low-cost cloud-based apps awaits.

"IT professionals need to focus on areas that either drive down costs, such as virtualization, cloud computing, and converged networking, or on areas that help to generate revenue, such as social media, mobile marketing, and SEO," notes Rick Mancinelli, managing partner for Cloud Computing Concepts. "Ultimately, those IT professionals who have a positive impact on the bottom line will be the most valuable to their employer."

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Effective IT habit No. 3: Keep your head in the cloud
With many traditional IT functions moving to the cloud, your company may no longer need you to flip switches, connect cables, or troubleshoot machines. But they will still need someone who can tell them what services are available, which ones are worth looking at, and which ones they should avoid.

"If your organization plans to rely more on public cloud providers, especially for basic infrastructure needs, you may find you need fewer in-house operations people to maintain, patch, and upgrade systems," says Mark White, CTO of Deloitte Consulting's technology practice. "But you'll still require people with expertise in managing a catalog of cloud services, handling subscribers, brokering agreements with cloud providers, and intervening when problems arise."

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Effective IT habit No. 4: Broaden your tech horizons
Besides mastering your own tech domains, broaden your skills to include other areas. If a crisis arises -- and the people responsible aren't available -- you may be able to step and save the day.

"This helps employers view them as valuable team players who can easily branch out to handle other jobs," says Dr. Issac Herskowitz, dean of the Graduate School of Technology at Touro College.

The easiest way to develop new skills (and impress your boss) is by volunteering to help other areas of IT and to stay on top of emerging tech trends, Herskowitz adds. The more you know about the latest and greatest, the more likely you'll be invited to contribute when those technologies are being considered for adoption.

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Effective IT habit No. 5: Teach your co-workers to speak geek
Want to break down the walls between IT and business and earn goodwill in the process? Start a series of casual teaching sessions where you bring less savvy co-workers up to speed about the latest in tech, suggests Ben Dunay, founder of Sixthree Technology Marketing.

"Even if you start small and informally over brown bags in the break room, it is a very cool way to step outside the norm and boost your career," he says. "By making the technical terms clearer to the business people, you can quickly become the go-to guy for your boss when he needs something technical explained to save the day."

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Effective IT habit No. 6: Ditch the slackers, find a mentor
Hanging with a crew that likes to take long lunches and knock off at five (or earlier)? You're not doing your career any good, says David Maxfield, author of "Change Anything: The New Science of Personal Success."

"The habits that hold you back are likely enabled, tolerated, or encouraged by others," he says. "Use positive peer pressure by surrounding yourself with hardworking friends who share your career goals. Distance yourself from the office slackers."

Instead, Maxfield advises you seek someone with more experience to steer your career in a positive direction. "Find a trusted mentor," he says. "That will help you navigate the career development opportunities that exist within the organization."

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Effective IT habit No. 7: Do it with data
If your business users aren't drowning in data, they will be. Taming the data deluge will make you invaluable.

"IT people who can make sense of business data, safely store it, categorize it, and especially analyze it are highly valuable," notes Scott Lever, a managing consultant with PA Consulting Group.

George Mathew, president and COO of Alteryx, predicts one of the hottest jobs in the future will be the "data artisan," a hybrid role that mixes data analysis with business savvy. "Data artisans will be asked to pull from structured and unstructured sources to drive the most important decisions within an organization -- like where it should open its next retail location, whether to pursue a new market, and which products to push," he says.

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Effective IT habit No. 8: Take on jobs no one else wants
Safe, predictable jobs won't get you into trouble, but they won't earn you any glory either. It's the tough jobs where you can prove your value, says John Paul Engel, principal for Knowledge Capital Consulting.

"The best career advice I ever received was from then president of Citibank California who told me, 'Look for the biggest problem and solve it because therein lies your greatest opportunity'," he says.

Take on a project that's already going well, the best you can hope for is that it will continue to go well. Take on something that's a disaster and turn it around -- even just a little better -- and you get a reputation as somebody who gets things done, Engel adds.

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Effective IT habit No. 9: Don't be a jerk
You might be a brilliant coder, but if nobody likes you, your head is on the chopping block.

"Personality goes a long way when it comes time to make cuts in an organization," notes Nathan Letourneau, director of marketing for PowerWise USA. "Companies prefer people with positive attitudes and a good work ethic, even if they aren't as highly skilled as another. Don't be a pain in the butt or overly negative. This isn't to say you shouldn't speak your mind, but just make sure you're respectful when doing it."

Managers like to get rid of the troublemakers and malcontents first, says Engel: "It's the person that makes the work environment better that gets promoted and is the last to leave in a layoff."

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Effective IT habit No. 10: Go public
The more people who know and rely on you -- especially outside your department or organization -- the harder it is to fire you, notes Engel.

If you have a client-facing job, you're less likely to feel the ax on your neck because companies don't generally like to fire people who have relationships with key accounts, he says -- provided, of course, you obey Rule No. 9.

If your job doesn't bring you into regular contact with clients, you can strive to become well known across different departments, especially in larger, more siloed enterprises.

"Look for projects and opportunities that cut across departments because this builds your internal network -- thus making you more valuable to the company," he says.

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Effective IT habit No. 11: Don't become literally "indispensable"
Being indispensable can become a trap. Your talents can become so critical that you can never leave or rise to a new position within your company, says Steven A. Lowe, CEO of Innovator LLC.

"A friend of mine is an excellent developer who has created a few critical software systems for the company that employs him," Lowe says. "No one else can step in and do what he does, and the company can't 'afford' to promote him to a more senior position or pay him much more money. So he's frustrated and miserable -- but he's certainly indispensable!"

Don't hoard information or expertise. Delegate responsibility. Start training your own replacement now, or find ways to outsource responsibilities so you can take on more challenging assignments.

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Effective IT habit No. 12: Know when to fire yourself
Sometimes the best way to become indispensible is to step away from a stifling career path, even if that means branching out on your own.

"I boosted my career by starting my own company," says Innovator’s Lowe. "I doubled my take-home pay immediately, set my own hours, and got to work on really interesting things with highly motivated people."

When you're out on your own, being indispensable means solving problems and letting others reap the rewards, Lowe says. "That's pretty much the essence of my consulting career. I innovate, they prosper, we both win. The next time the client has a challenge, they call me first."

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10 handy Skype tips and tricks

10 handy Skype tips and tricks
Tutorial How to get better connected with Skype
 

10 handy Skype tips and tricksYou can add a 'Skype me' button to your blog, website or email signature

Skype lets you make free PC-to-PC calls anywhere in the world.

With a subscription, you can also make calls to external phones and receive phone calls using an online number.

The following Skype tips and tricks will help you make the most of the service.

1. Test your kit
The Skype welcome screen features a handy shortcut for testing your sound devices. Click 'Check your sound works', then click the button to test each device - speakers, microphone and video (if applicable) - in turn.

If the test fails, Skype will make some basic suggestions to remedy the problem, like making sure your headset port (typically the front mic) is selected as the default device. Follow the instructions to see if you can fix the problem.

Skype will offer to make a test call for you - you'll dial a number, hear a female voice and then attempt to record a message. This will let you check the sound quality of your microphone and ensure it's at the right volume.

Skype automatically adjusts your mic and headphone's volume to try to fix potential problems, but you can also tweak these settings yourself by selecting 'Tools | Settings | Audio settings'. You can click 'Show advanced options' to set default devices.

2. Try Bluetooth
Skype works with any microphone, speakers or headphones provided they're properly installed. This includes Bluetooth headsets as long as your computer has a Bluetooth receiver.

With your PC's Bluetooth receiver switched on and your headset in pairing mode, double-click the Bluetooth icon that appears in the notification area of the taskbar and click 'Add' under 'Devices'. Tick 'My device is set up and ready to be found', then click 'Next'.

Wait while Windows tries to locate the headset. When it appears in the list, select it and click 'Next'. Select the appropriate settings according to your headset's manual and, if necessary, enter the passkey. Click 'Next' to see the device connected and set up, then click 'Finish'.

3. Import contacts
 

Having a full list of contacts saved in Skype will make setting up calls a much simpler process. You can add an individual contact by choosing 'Contacts | Add a contact', then entering the relevant information manually.

If the person you're contacting is already on Skype, he or she will receive a contact request, but you can also import multiple contacts from a list or from an existing webmail or Facebook account.

Choose 'Contacts | Import contacts'. Now select the type of account you want to import from and provide your username and password to connect to that service and transfer the data.

If any of these people already have Skype accounts associated with their email addresses, they will be listed. Click 'Add those contacts' to send them a contact request. Names and phone numbers will be stored for you anyway.

4. Instant messaging

When you're signed into Skype, it can act as an instant messaging program similar to Yahoo or Windows Live Messenger. You can exchange text messages with online contacts or move to an audio call at any time.

Just select an online contact, type in your message and click 'Send' to start a conversation. In your settings you can choose whether other users can see an animated pencil while you're typing something.

You can also set Skype to receive messages from people in your contact list only, and you can opt to keep a history of all your conversations. Choose 'Tools | Options' and move to the 'IM and SMS' tab before clicking 'Show advanced options'. You can now change any of these settings to suit your preferences.
 

5. Start with Windows

By default, Skype is set to start when Windows launches. This is handy if you want to be available to talk at all times, but it can be an irritant if you need to get on with some important work without any interruptions. You can set Skype to only launch when you open it, by choosing 'Tools | Options | General settings' and clearing the box marked 'Start Skype when I start Windows'. Click 'Save'.

While here, you can also set the visual style of Skype. By default this is the Skype style, but you can choose Classic Windows instead. You can change the default sounds used by Skype by clicking the 'Sounds' icon and selecting the sound that you want to use.

6. Online number
To make calls to phones, you need to buy a Skype subscription or Skype credit. Click 'Skype | Account', then 'Buy more credit' or 'Get a subscription'.

Most subscriptions give you a number that lets people call you on Skype from landlines. Start by choosing 'Online number' and clicking 'Set up now'. Pick a country from the list - people calling you from that country are charged local rates, so it's perfect for keeping in touch with friends and family abroad.

There's a limited number of area codes available, so pick the one closest to you and then click one of the suggested numbers or try to pick one of your choice. Untick the box if you don't want this number to be displayed when you call phones through Skype, then click 'Activate number'.

7. Answer message

 

You can set up your voicemail to take messages when you aren't online. To do this choose 'Tools | Options | Calls | Show advanced options'. Now select 'Voicemail' from the left-hand pane. Tick the box marked 'Send unanswered calls to voicemail'. Click the 'Record' button and use your microphone to record your outgoing message.

If you don't record a message, a default one will be used instead, but it makes sense to record your own to give a more personal impression. You can also opt to send calls to voicemail if you reject an incoming call or if you're already on a call by ticking the relevant options. Finally, click 'Save' to store these settings.

8. Get extras
Extras let you add more functions to Skype via plugins. In the latest version of Skype the Extras Manager is disabled by default, so when you choose the Tools menu, the 'Extras' option is greyed out.

If this is the case, you need to uninstall and then reinstall Skype. Download the version of Skype provided on the Extras page. This is a slightly older version of the program. While the software is installing, click 'Options' on the Hello screen, tick 'Install Skype Extras Manager' and click 'I agree - Install'.

Once complete, sign back into Skype and choose 'Tools | Extras | Get extras'. Browse through the catalogue of extras and click the green button next to one to install it.

Some extras let you share a whiteboard or play games with people on your Skype contact list, while others provide handy recording facilities.

9. Recording calls
One such extra is MP3 Skype Recorder. This is a free program that automatically records all your Skype audio conversations and saves them in MP3 format. It can cover Skype-to-Skype calls and SkypeOut calls to a landline. It sits in the system tray monitoring Skype and starts recording automatically when you make a call.

You'll need to inform any other participants in the call that it's being recorded, especially if you plan to rely upon the recording later on. Each call is saved as a separate MP3 file and stored in the default save location.

MP3 Skype Recorder is even capable of recording multiple calls that take place at the same time while one of the calls is on hold.

10. Skype button
You can add a Skype button to your website or blog that lets visitors know if you're online. If they have Skype installed on their PC, they can call you with a single click. You can even add the button to an email signature so that the recipient of any of your mails can quickly click it to call you to discuss the contents of the email.

Get your own Skype button and enter your username. Select the button style that you want to use from those provided. Once you've provided these details, a preview of your button will be shown below them and alongside it the embed code that you can include in a web page or email. Copy and paste this code as HTML source into your website or email signature file.

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642-425 Q&A / Study Tools / Testing Engine

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QUESTION 1
Use the diagram to assist in answering this question.
You have received a trouble ticket for a recently installed MGCP gateway. In testing it appears that
the CallManager cluster cannot communicate with the gateway. The gateway address is
10.1.44.12/24 and the CallManager that is going to control the gateway has an address of
10.1.44.4/24. Use the following configuration snip to resolve the problem.
!
mgcp
mgcp call-agent 10.1.44.4 2427 service-type mgcp version 1.0
mgcp dtmf-relay voip codec all mode out-of-band
mgcp rtp unreachable timeout 1000 action notify
mgcp modem passthroughvoice mode cisco
mgcp sdp simple mgcp package-capability rtp-package
mgcp package-capability sst-package no mgcp timer receive-rtcp
no mgcp explicit hookstate
!
ccm-manager config server 10.1.44.7
ccm-manager config
!
What command is missing from the configuration that will allow the CallManager to control this
gateway?


A. ccm-manager fallback-mgcp
B. ccm-manager switchback
C. mgcp bind control source-interface FastEthernet 0/0
D. ccm-manager mgcp
E. ccm-manager redundant-host

Answer: D

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QUESTION 2
What happens if CDP is not enabled on a switch port where an IP phone is connected?

A. The phone is unable to acquire an IP address.
B. The switch will put the port into theerrDisable state until CDP is enabled.
C. The phone cannot get its VLAN ID assignments.
D. The switch cannot include the voice VLAN in the uplink trunk.
E. The phone cannot learn the address of the TFTP server.

Answer: C

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QUESTION 3
An 802.1Q trunk is configured with mismatched native VLANs. What is the most likely symptom?

A. Layer 2CoS markings are not mapping correctly to layer 3 QoS markings.
B. Spanning Tree Protocol is disabled for all VLANs in the trunk.
C. Communication over the link occurs in one direction only.
D. The switch port is shut down and displays a port status oferrDisable.

Answer: D

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QUESTION 4
Which tool lists the following options in a query:
All Patterns
Unassigned DN
Call Park
Conference
Directory Number
Translation Pattern
Call Pickup Group
Route Pattern
Message Waiting
Voice Mail
Attendant Console

A. SQL Enterprise Manager > CCM 03xx > Device Pool > Return All Rows
B. Route Plan > External Route Plan Wizard
C. Digit Number Analyzer
D. Route Plan > Route Plan Report

Answer: D

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QUESTION 5
When dialing 1136, which of the following patterns will be selected?

A. 11XX!
B. 1[1-4]XX
C. 1[14]XX
D. 1[^2-8]XX

Answer: A

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QUESTION 6
IP Phone A can make calls to some but not all phones. Phone A cannot call Phone B. The
following is the extended ping output from the router interface on the CallManager subnet to the
Phone B subnet.
ping 172.16.1.45
Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 172.16.1.45, timeout is 2 seconds:.!.!.
Success rate is 40 percent (2/5)
What does this output indicate?


A. CallManager has a good IP path to Phone B
B. Multiple equal cost paths exist fromCallManager to Phone B, and one is currently unusable.
C. The IP phone is turned off, but the switch port it connects to is accessible via IP.
D. The IP path fromCallManager to Phone B has a 20% packet loss problem.

Answer: A

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Raspberry Pi now packs 512MB RAM

The educational and hobbyist gizmo du jour adds extra memory, but doesn't hike the price

The Raspberry Pi model B -- a cheap, customizable Linux computer the size of a pack of cigarettes -- now boasts 512MB of RAM, for the same price as before, according to the Raspberry Pi Foundation.

MORE RASPBERRY PI: Google's Android 4.0 being ported to $25 Raspberry Pi PC

The model B, which costs $35 plus shipping, used to have 256MB of RAM, but founder and trustee Eben Upton said in an official blog post that the foundation was consistently receiving requests for more.

"One of the most common suggestions we've heard since launch is that we should produce a more expensive 'Model C' version of Raspberry Pi with extra RAM. This would be useful for people who want to use the Pi as a general-purpose computer, with multiple large applications running concurrently, and would enable some interesting embedded use cases (particularly using Java) which are slightly too heavyweight to fit comfortably in 256MB," he wrote.

However, given that the foundation was unwilling to go above its $35 price point, Upton said, the decision was made to simply double the device's RAM without charging the consumer. Users with an outstanding order for a 256MB model should receive a 512MB model instead, he noted, and the foundation has released a firmware upgrade to allow access to the additional memory.

Given the Raspberry Pi Foundation's mission to promote hobbyist programming and increase educational opportunities for budding programmers, it's not necessarily a surprise to see the price remain the same despite the extra capacity. If the gadget was a commercial venture, a more-expensive "C" model -- as outlined by Upton -- would be the more likely outcome.

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CompTIA Lifetime Certification Change Creates Controversy

CompTIA faces backlash from technology certification holders after informing those with supposedly lifetime A+, Network+ and Security+ certifications that they would have to retroactively pay for renewals. CompTIA has since retracted the changes for anyone who receives one of those certifications in 2010, but come 2011 the renewal process will be in place.

In December, the Computing Technology Industry Association decided lifetime A+, Network+ and Security+ certifications were going to retroactively require renewal every three years. The response from the IT community was particularly thorny, and rightfully so. Why the changes? According to Ars Technica, CompTIA was getting its accreditation process evaluated by several larger accreditation organizations, including ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and ANSI (American National Standards Institute), which were helping evolve requirements.

It's not uncommon for many certifications to require renewal, but you certainly affect a lot of people when you ask them to pay to continue something they were told would last as long as they did. Lifetime is lifetime, people said. Many comments about CompTIA were negative, though the organization has taken down its original post that received a harsh response. Here's one reaction (from Phillyman's Blog):

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"According to Wikipedia, over 800,000 people are A+ certified! So you just expect 800,000 people to hand over $220 every 3 years??? Before you pulled this little stunt of yours, I had planned on getting the following certifications... Network+ ($220), Linux+ ($220), Security+ ($240). Do you know how many CompTIA certifications I plan on getting now? ZERO!!!!!"

CompTIA appears to have been listening to the uproar and has changed its tune for certifications earned in 2010 or earlier, but after this year, these lifetime certifications will need to be renewed every three years. Here are the latest details from Ars Technica, which led the reporting on the controversy:

"Holders [from 2011 and beyond] who wish to maintain their certification will then have to pay an annual fee to CompTIA of $25 or $49 and will need to rack up sufficient continuing education credits to renew their certs.

The initial decision to retroactively invalidate certifications generated considerable anger among cert holders, which we described in today's story on the fiasco. An hour after our original report went live, CompTIA contacted us with news about the change.

CompTIA president Todd Thibodeaux, announcing the policy change, said, "We do not wish to disenfranchise any of the individuals who have supported our certification program. The right thing to do is honor our past commitment to those certified under our original 'certified for life' policy."

Top 10 cloud jobs

Dice.com, the popular tech-focused job site, posts upwards of 3,800 cloud-related job listings on any given day. Researchers there crunched the numbers to come up with a list of the top 10 most available jobs in the cloud. These job descriptions and credentials were compiled using multiple job listings in each category.

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Cloud architect
Job description: Spearhead the development and implementation of cloud-based initiatives to ensure that systems are scalable, reliable, secure, supportable, and achieve business and IT performance and budgetary objectives.

Required credentials: B.S. in computer science or engineering; 10+ years experience in large-scale, multi-platform networks; expert in Shell, VBScript, Perl or Python; expert knowledge of Linux and Windows; significant experience designing, installing and administrating virtualized environments.

Requested credentials: Experience working with public cloud providers; expert understanding of firewall and load balancing concepts; prior work creating PCI-compliant solutions.

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Cloud software engineer
Job description: Responsible for design and development of distributed software modules that integrate with cloud service providers.

Required credentials: B.S. in computer science or engineering; 2+ years professional experience in software development; work experience with ETL (Extract-Transform-Load) tools and techniques; work experience with system configuration and deployment automation technologies; hands-on programming experience on a Linux/Unix operating system; excellent understanding of at least one compiled-code language.

Requested credentials: Experience in deploying software to cloud computing infrastructure; experience in SOA technologies; ability to provide accurate ETA for software modules.

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Cloud sales: cloud sales executive, cloud sales representative, cloud sales consultant, cloud sales manager

Job description: Develop and grow a book of outsourced cloud business with C-level professionals in midsize and enterprise-level customers.

Required credentials: Bachelor's degree in business administration and 5-10 years business experience in client-facing roles, with some of that spent in outsourcing or systems integration; highly effective communication skills; strong understanding and successful experience in building strategic and/or developmental partnerships at the C-level within midsize and large corporations; demonstrated consistent quota attainment in selling infrastructure, IT, cloud and security services.

Requested credentials: Ability to travel more than 50% of the time on the job.

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Cloud engineer

Job description: Plan and conduct technical tasks associated with the implementation and maintenance of internal enterprise-shared virtualization infrastructure.

Required credentials: B.S. in computer science; 5+ years of implementation experience with highly virtualized shared infrastructure, platforms or applications architecture at a large enterprise or service provider.

Requested credentials: Vendor-specific virtualization certification such as VMware Certified Professional.

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Cloud services developer

Job description: Design and build the multi-platform customer-facing tools -- such as sales interfaces and management portals -- that serve as the gateway into how end users consume the underlying cloud services.

Required credentials: B.S. in computer science or computer engineering; 5 years of experience with cloud architecture and design; 5 years of experience architecting and deploying Web services on SOA platforms (examples: Amazon EC2, Heroku, Azure, Rackspace); 5 years of experience with PHP Python, Java, or C++ with software development methodologies like Agile.

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Cloud systems administrator

Job description: Configure and maintain the systems that comprise the underlying cloud platform. Troubleshoot when problems arise and plan for future cloud capacity requirements.

Required credentials: B.S. in computer science or computer engineering; 3 years of experience in operating system administration; 3 years of experience in supporting enterprise-level platform installations; strong Linux command-line skills; experience in performance monitoring and capacity planning for enterprise platforms.

Requested credentials: Knowledge of cloud-based development.

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Cloud consultant

Job description: Conduct technical studies and evaluations of business area requirements and recommends to IT management appropriate cloud technology options.

Required credentials: At least 8 years of related IT consulting experience; outstanding understanding of cloud technologies available and vendors providing cloud services; top-notch communication skills.

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Cloud systems engineer

Job description: Build the virtual systems that support the cloud implementation.

Required credentials: B.S. in computer science, information technology or related technical degree; 5-10 years of systems engineering experience, holistic understanding of the Internet and hosting from the network layer up through the application layer; experience in a 24x7 hosting environment.

Requested credentials: Experience with monitoring tools, scripting, configuration management, clustering, Drupal and Internet security.

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Cloud network engineer

Job description: Perform the implementation, operational support, maintenance and optimization of network hardware, software and communication links of the cloud infrastructure.

Required credentials: Related degree in computer science ; 4 years' in-depth network engineering experience; proven deep understanding of TCP/IP, Subnetting, DNS, DHCP, NAT and routing; strong knowledge of Layer 2 network protocols; strong knowledge of Layer 3 IP routing; proven scripting abilities in one or more language -- Perl, Shell or Python.

Requested credentials: Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)/Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification.

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Cloud product manager

Job description: Perform product planning for cloud-based offerings including creating product concept and strategy documents, creating requirements specifications, identifying product positioning and enabling the sales processes (licensing, pricing, packaging, benefits, etc.).

Required credentials: Bachelor's degree in business or computer sciences or equivalent work experience; minimum of 3 years of experience working with a software development company that deploys its offerings using a SaaS or cloud-based model; very strong communication skills.

Requested credentials: Advanced degree in business or computer sciences.

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QUESTION 1
What is the phenomenon called where different wavelengths of light travel at different speeds?

A. attenuation
B. OSNR
C. dispersion
D. light skew

Answer: C

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QUESTION 2
Why are the 1300 nm and 1550 nm regions of the fiber spectrum primarily used for optical
communications?

A. They are both regions of lowest loss.
B. They are both regions of low index of refraction.
C. They are both regions of low chromatic dispersion.
D. They are both regions of low reflections.
E. They are both regions of low Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD).

Answer: A

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QUESTION 3
For lasers with tightly controlled wavelengths, approximately how far apart are the centers of
adjacent wavelengths when 100 GHz spacing is used in a DWDM system?

A. 0.8 nanometers
B. 1.6 nanometers
C. 0.4 nanometers
D. 1.2 nanometers
E. 0.6 nanometers

Answer: A

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QUESTION 4
Which device creates an OEO conversion?

A. fiber-optic cable
B. regenerator
C. optical receiver
D. optical switch
E. attenuator
F. amplifier
G. light emitter

Answer: B

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QUESTION 5
If node 2 is accepting line timing from node 1, node 2 will send _____ to node 1 as its SSM
messge.

A. SMC
B. AMI
C. ESF
D. PRS
E. DUS
F. B8ZS

Answer: E

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