Jeff Dray Resources on ZDNet

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10 ways for support techs to stay healthy and safe on the job: As winter gives way to spring, many people are struggling into work with colds and influenza, which they may pass along to co-workers -- and to you. In fact, as a deskside tech person, you could easily become infected yourself and then pass the bug on to the next user...; Tags: Job, Jeff Dray, Sales Tools, Blogging, Recruitment & Selection, Strategy, Sales, Internet, Human Resources, Workforce Management, Management; Download resources 2008-04-02
10 ways to improve your deskside manner: When you go out of the office and meet a customer to resolve a fault or issue, using soft skills can help get the customer on your side. It's a given that you will have the technical skills, or you'll know where to find them. But the way you deal...; Tags: Customer, Jeff Dray, Blogging, Internet; Download resources 2008-03-17
10 things you can do with unwanted computer equipment: If it can be used, use it. If it can't, get rid of it. That's what veteran tech Jeff Dray advises when it comes to your stockpile of obsolete equipment. Here are his suggestions for dealing with the accumulating junk in the most beneficial ways.This download is also available as...; Tags: Equipment, Computer, Jeff Dray, Productivity, Blogging, Internet; Download resources 2008-02-21
10 ways to convince your staff to use the help desk: Convincing users to turn to the help desk for support can be an uphill battle. But if you strive to build rapport and improve your methods of client interaction, users will begin to feel comfortable with help desk operations. Here are 10 practices your help desk can use to improve...; Tags: Jeff Dray, Help Desk, Call Centers, It Operations; Download resources 2008-02-21
Top support tech resources: Best of Jeff Dray: Jeff Dray has been in the help desk and tech support field for more than 15 years and has shared his experiences and expertise in numerous TechRepublic articles. Here's a sampling of some of his practical, often-droll advice on a variety of tech concerns. Topics include: 10 things to...; Tags: Network, Tech, Jeff Dray, Help Desk, Call Centers, Networking, It Operations; Download resources 2007-05-03

The 7 most dangerous species of net admins: Jeff Dray is back from his latest journey into the IT jungles and he's returned with yet another classification list. This time he's identified the seven most dangerous types of network administrators. Do you recognize yourself in any of these profiles? If you're lucky, most of your...; Tags: Administrator, Network, Information Technology, Network Administrator, Jeff Dray, Networking, Network Administration; Download resources 2005-10-28

Additional Resources

OS security scorecard for Q1 08 - Do patch numbers mean anything to anyone?: Jeff Jones, director of security strategy for Microsoft, has published two papers this week which look at OS vulnerabilities. According to Jones, Windows sees fewer patches than any of the other operating systems looked at. If you're in the mood for a read, here are the papers:...; Tags: Security, Operating System, Patch Management, Patches, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes; Blog posts 2008-05-15
Comcast scoops up Plaxo: good move: In a move that surprises few people, Plaxo is being acquired. The surprise - at least for some - is that it is Comcast and not one of the usual suspects of Facebook or Google. Comcast is Plaxo's biggest partner and provides hosting for all Comcast email subscriber address books....; Tags: Plaxo Inc., Comcast Corp., Advertising & Promotion, E-mail, Marketing, Online Communications, Dennis Howlett; Blog posts 2008-05-14
HP's to-do list following EDS acquisition: We now know that HP is acquiring EDS in what appears to be an agreed bid that values EDS at $13.9 billion. Larry Dignan has the main analysis but it leaves open a series of testing questions for HP CEO Mark Hurd. As Larry points out: Overall, Wall Street...; Tags: Acquisition, Hewlett-Packard Co., Mark Hurd, Electronic Data Systems Corp., Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Mergers & Acquisitions, Outsourcing, Corporate Law, Asset Management, Construction, It Services, It Operations, Investment, Finance, Business Operations, Outsourcing & Subcontracting, Operational Planning, Dennis Howlett; Blog posts 2008-05-13
News to know: HP's to buy EDS; AMD; XP SP3; iPhone; Spam attacks: Notable headlines: Larry Dignan: HP bidding for EDS; Deal would ramp up services. Dennis Howlett: HP to take out EDS: does it make sense? AMD rejiggers management; Forms central engineering group Adrian Kingsley-Hughes: Integrate Internet Explorer 7, Firefox 2.0 and Windows Media...; Tags: Apple iPhone, Hewlett-Packard Co., Nokia Corp., Electronic Data Systems Corp., Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Attack, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows XP, Podcasts, Data Centers, Homeland Security, Operating Systems, Software, Internet, Storage, Hardware, Data Management, Government, Larry Dignan; Blog posts 2008-05-13
Microsoft Biz Unit Chief Jeff Raikes to head Gates Foundation: Microsoft Biz Unit Chief Jeff Raikes to head Gates FoundationNice...So he'll be the man in charge of the foundation that this year awarded me the Gates Millenium Scholarship...nice to know.An Executive CatamaranJiminy Cricket. Some coasters in this world have sails that are miles wide. Not only did...; Tags: biz unit, Gates Foundation, Jeff Raikes, Microsoft Corp.; Discussion threads 2008-05-12
AMD rejiggers management; Forms central engineering group: AMD on Monday named a new head of its computing solutions group and created a central engineering unit to improve execution at the chipmaker. Among the moving parts: Randy Allen was promoted to lead the computing solutions group at AMD, which focuses on the...; Tags: Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Workforce Management, Semiconductors, Workstations, Processors, Human Resources, Hardware, Components, Larry Dignan; Blog posts 2008-05-12
Microsoft Biz Unit Chief Jeff Raikes to head Gates Foundation: For all those wondering what Microsoft Business Division President Jeff Raikes would do once he retires from Microsoft in September, the uncertainty is over. Raikes is going to become the new CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Raikes is replacing another former...; Tags: Jeff Raikes, Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Office, Office Suites, Software, Mary Jo Foley; Blog posts 2008-05-12
Hosted software development: an emerging market [includes podcast]: Note: Click the player above to hear my podcast interview on hosted development with Jeffrey Walker and Jeff Leyser from Atlassian Software. Hosted software as a service SaaS development solutions have become an important option for mainstream programmers. These products range from straightforward offsite storage, such as...; Tags: Software, Podcast, Environment, Emerging Market, Workflow, Tool, Development Environment, Productivity, Tools & Techniques, Software Development, Development Tools, Management, Software/Web Development, Michael Krigsman; Blog posts 2008-05-11
Morse Code Rickroll 0-day... no, seriously, I mean it: In the security research world, getting Rickrolled has become a global epidemic. If you've been to any of the recent conferences, you're sure to have been Rickrolled at least once... if you were fortunate enough to be at ToorCon Seattle, then you got Rickrolled about 300 times by Dan Kaminsky....; Tags: Morse Plc., I/O, XSS, Encryption, Security, Nathan McFeters; Blog posts 2008-05-04
Extracting the structure of networks: Extracting the structure of networksAnother example of hierarchical organizationIs it news that a lot of things are organized hierarchically?For one more hypothesized example, see Jeff Hawkins heirarchical temporal memory.THANK YOU!!!Great article! This is exactly the kind of cutting edge emerging knowledge I need. Very valuable.; Tags: network; Discussion threads 2008-05-04
SAP's Business ByDesign: Explaining the Delays: In the wake of the brouhaha surrounding the delayed rollout of Business ByDesign and the allegations of technical difficulties (the thread in the Enterprise Irregulars discussion was called BBD=DOA?), I spoke to Hans-Peter Klaey and Jeff Stiles, the two men at SAP responsible for bringing BBD, and the rest of...; Tags: SAP AG, BBD, Sales Force Management, Performance Management, Sales, Human Resources, Workforce Management, Joshua Greenbaum; Blog posts 2008-05-02
House committee passes 'gluttonous' Pro IP Act: So, we have a credit crisis, a foreclosure crisis, a full-blown recession and no plans on how to get out of Iraq or how to create a regional solution. So what do we need? How about an intellectual property czar and stiffer penalties for unauthorized music downloading? ...; Tags: Damage, CD, IP, Piracy, Business Operations, Corporate Law, Richard Koman; Blog posts 2008-05-01
Spigit mashes up social software to reveal innovation: Take the idea of community, sprinkle liberally with process, add a dash of prediction market thinking and a soupcon of reputation analysis, stir gently without too much mashing and you have InnovationSpigit. I really like this idea because it solves one of the...; Tags: Innovation, Idea, Spigit, InnovationSpigit, Research & Development, LDAP, Leadership, Games, Strategy, Business Operations, Directory Services, Enterprise Software, Software, Management, Personal Technology, Dennis Howlett; Blog posts 2008-05-01
Where's the next new thing in Silicon Valley?: Excellent article by Jeff Nolan, an ex-VC, writing in SandHill.com on venture capital investments and locating the next big thing. Incrementalism and "The New New Thing" - With all the venture capital moving around in the Silicon Valley, where is the real innovation? He makes many good points...; Tags: Silicon Valley, Innovation, Web, Venture Capital, Web 2.0, Leadership, Investment, Strategy, Finance, Financing Startups, Internet, Management, Tom Foremski; Blog posts 2008-04-28