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Another PDF Converter: FreePDF Creator for Windows

By on May 10, 2013 in Microsoft

143of365[NTR23] by ntr23 on Flickr

There are multiple PDF converters available online. It is however always convenient to install a PDF converter on your PC, and I have already introduced you to PrimoPDF a while ago. I should note here that we are exclusively discussing a PDF converter for Windows, since Macs come with a built-in PDF printer.

An alternative to PrimoPDF that has been brought to my attention is FreePDF Creator from PDFConverter.com. The installation is very straightforward: just head to the website and download the software. After downloading the executable file (which is about 12 MB), double-click to install the converter. You need to supply a name and email in the installer, and you’re good to go. Continue Reading →

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Microsoft’s MCSE is Back…Sort Of

By on May 3, 2012 in Certification

empty class by keno, on Flickr

I have learned yesterday that Microsoft is bringing back the MCSE. Not really the MCSE, but an MCSE nevertheless. Confused yet?

As I have mentioned before, I owe the original MCSE a lot. It has allowed me to change careers into IT and has helped me build my experience and ‘move up’ as an IT professional for almost a decade, before working as a Civil Engineer again. I have other certifications, but having those three MCSEs (on Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows 2003) has been extremely beneficial. Will this vendor-specific certification again establish Microsoft as the premier technical certification provider? Why did Microsoft bring the MCSE back? Continue Reading →

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SharePoint 2010 for Project Management by Dux Raymond Sy – O’Reilly Media

By on May 1, 2012 in Books

SharePoint 2010 for Project ManagementIf your work revolves around projects – whether you work in design, construction, technology or another field – and you use (or are required to use) Microsoft SharePoint, then you really need this book.

In this eagerly awaited update of the previous edition that covered SharePoint 2007, Dux Raymond Sy takes you by the hand and shows you the capabilities of SharePoint 2010 as a Project Management Information System, or PMIS. Having bought the first book, I was alerted by my favorite publisher of the availability of the updated book. I grabbed the second edition as quickly as possible. The differences between SharePoint 2007 and 2010 are many, and it is preferable to get the edition that covers the version that you use at your place of work. An overview of the basic differences between the two editions can be found here. Continue Reading →

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Certifications: the Why, the What and the How

By on January 3, 2012 in Certification

Exam by albertogp123 on Flickr

Happy New Year!

There are many reasons why one would choose to pursue certification. Certification, in its simplest definition, allows an individual to prove that he/she has a certain baseline of knowledge defined by the issuer of that certification, has some experience with a certain kind of software or methodology, or is qualified to teach, sell or repair something.

Of particular interest to us then is why would you want to study and acquire a certification in your field of work, or – and this is where it gets interesting – another domain where you would like to work. What you should do to get the certification that you desire and add the letters that designate it – should you wish to, of course – after your name, follows naturally in our discussion.

This post will therefore kick off a series of articles that I shall be providing you with at the beginning of this year in order to explain, in the simplest possible form, the following:

  • Why to get a certification;
  • What type of certification to get;
  • How to get that certification, once you decide on the certification to get.

Continue Reading →

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How To Get a Free PDF Converter for Windows

By on December 29, 2011 in Microsoft

PDF 1.5 specification by rillian, on Flickr

You probably have Adobe Reader on your computer, in order to read PDF files. However, while working in Word, Excel or PowerPoint, it is frequent to need a PDF version of a file so that you can send a read-only copy by email, or merely for backup or retention purposes. The PDF file is usually much ‘lighter’ than the original, too, in that it occupies much less space. Oftentimes, you also need to send an email that you have just received to PDF in order to keep a copy in a clean, readable and lightweight format.

So how do you convert any file to PDF without paying for a full-featured PDF maker such as Adobe Acrobat? Continue Reading →

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How Much Is That Apple By The Window(s)?

By on December 19, 2011 in Apple

Rabih and his MacLet’s not beat around the bush. I owe a big chunk of my IT career to Microsoft. The famous MCSE certification (now deprecated) that I got first in 1999 (and updated twice since) has introduced me to the world of networking and opened doors that I would never have imagined that I would step in. I have worked in sophisticated data centers for more than five years, with dozens of servers – all of them were running solid server software based on Windows and associated technologies, including firewalls, databases, email and web hosting servers.

At home, I had a couple of desktop machines running Windows, and then an HP laptop running Windows XP joined them – a machine that I had bought mainly to carry with me to the MBA classes. A couple of years after graduation, and after more than five years of loyal services – including one year in the UAE – I sensed that my laptop was about to give its last breath. I had always maintained that machine very well, with constant updates for Windows itself, and I had stayed on top of security patches and anti-virus updates – but the hardware had really started to show its age. Continue Reading →

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