Microsoft Musings 
by Scott Lowe
Microsoft Musings is a CIO's take on all things Microsoft. Have an idea you'd like to run by Scott for a future post? Want to comment on something that's been written, but don't want to make it public? Email Scott directly at itworldfeedback@slowe.com.
Scott is the CIO for Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. He has written over 500 technology-related articles and two books - Home Networking: The Missing Manual, and the Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Administrator’s Companion (co authored with Walter Glenn and Joshua Maher).
Completely skip Vista and move to Windows 7
Forrester recently declared that Windows Vista has seen less than 10% uptake in the enterprise space. With hype over Windows 7 starting to approach "fervent" it's time to start thinking about what to do when it comes to desktop operating systems in your business. Windows XP will eventually go end-of-life meaning that an upgrade path must be determined. Should you move to Vista and see how Windows 7 works out or should you go right to Windows 7?
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Hate Microsoft Outlook Mail? Try Windows Live Mail instead.
Although Microsoft Outlook is a great product in the enterprise where it's safely tethered to the ubiquitous Exchange Server, the product leaves a lot to be desired in the non-Exchange world. From PST corruption to outright weirdness, I don't want to spend more time managing my mail client than I spend managing my actual mail. In the hunt for a new client for home, I found and fell in love with Windows Live Mail.
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A cloud computing primer
With cloud computing all the rage these days, the concept is continuing to make its way into businesses everywhere. However, there are still organizations out there that do not know what cloud computing means to them which also means that they don’t know whether or not cloud computing could be good for the bottom line. In this post, I’ll explain the relatively non-technical basics behind the concept of cloud computing and explain why services “in the cloud” can result in a healthier bottom line for business.
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How to download the entire Microsoft TechNet library and take it on the road
Takeaway: As much as some of us would like it, we can't be connected to the Internet 24/7. In planes, in tunnels and in the boonies, getting a good connection can sometimes be a challenge. Doing research on Microsoft products, however, doesn't have to stop. Learn how to download the entire contents of the TechNert and MSDN libraries to your local computer.
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