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The Benefits of Children’s Audio Books

On January 16, 2012, in childrens General Non-fiction, by Luke Judge

Emerging readers pass through a period of development where their comprehension ability is far ahead of their reading ability. These are the years when parents are encouraged to read to their child. so you may ask, If I am reading to my child why buy audio books?

The benefits of audio books enhance your child’s reading abilities and do not take away from the bonds created by the parent and child reading together.

Among the many benefits of audio books for children are:

* Improved listening skills. You child will listen as the story is read. most devices employ headphones which block out distractions. this allows your child to concentrate on and enjoy the book without interruption.

* Increased comprehension and vocabulary. Audio books are read by professional readers, actors, and authors. they are able to give meaning to the words of the story using their voices. this will help children learn to pronounce new words and understand words in context.

* Improved imagination. Children will create images in their mind to go along with the story. the images will aid the child’s memorization skills and help them understand the concept of active reading.

* Motivation. Children will be motivated to read more after exposure to audio digital books. we have all seen children rush to buy books that accompany the latest movie. Audio books have the same effect. they will want to continue reading their favorite stories and more work by their favorite author.

* Create an independent reader. the goal of reading instruction is to create independent readers. the main benefit of audio books is that they play are large part in this process. Some recordings have book that follow along with the narrator allowing to the child to read with the audio book. Children will learn new vocabulary, voice inflection, and how to read through punctuation.

* Audio books can be enjoyed by the whole family. Recorded books do not have to be used solely in the classroom or home. take them on the road. Audio books are great to listen to while traveling. You can also help your child make her own audio digital books. Let her read a book into a recorder. this is fun and encourages independence.

You will find these and many more benefits when using audio digital books for children. the technology is available, the recordings are assessable, and the children are ready to learn. put the gift of audio books with in their reach.

Tagged with: audio books • distractions • images • imagination • vocabulary

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Photo Magazine

On January 14, 2012, in Artistic & Photographic Services, by Luke Judge

by Conor Risch

© Kent Rogowski the language of self-help books, and the way the titles of self-help books relate to each other, provide the structural underpinning for Kent Rogowski’s series, “Everything I wish I could Be.”

The impulse to improve one’s lot in life is central to photographer Kent Rogowski’s new fine-art project, “Everything I wish I could Be,” a series of still lifes he created by amassing, arranging and photographing hundreds of self-help books.Rogowski became interested in photographing self-help books as a way to consider “how people deal with moments of change in their lives,” he says. the project also fit into Rogowski’s practice of taking objects or images common to popular culture and presenting them in a way that causes readers to reconsider their significance. for his series “Love = love,” for instance, he found a way to combine pieces of jigsaw puzzles of landscapes and floral arrangements. for “Bears,” he turned teddy bears inside out and made photographs of them on white seamless—making them look at once cute, frightening and delightfully grotesque.Initially he set out to find and photograph the notes that people made in the margins of the books, which showed how people “take something intended for this mass audience and interact with it to personalize it for themselves.”Finding books with readers’ notes in them proved difficult, though. used booksellers didn’t accept books that had been written in, and Rogowski’s friends were reluctant to let him photograph their personal notes. He took to buying lots of books on eBay hoping that among the dozens of books he bought he’d find a few with writing in them.After amassing a significant self-help book collection, he began to notice the language of the titles. “I realized that there was really a book for every moment in life and I could build a portrait of an emotion, of an event or of a person’s life that is told through the titles,” Rogowski says. “They started out very small, just one or two or three books, and then I realized that I could build something much larger just by trying to find a pattern or trying to find a theme that I could look at.”Some of Rogowski’s photographs have linear narratives. for instance in one image, viewers can see an entire life in the titles of the books. “I really like that the story of a lifecycle could be told through books that were meant to either heal or propel you forward,” Rogowski says.In another of the photographs, which tells the story of a relationship, if a viewer reads the book titles left to right the relationship ends, but if they read right to left it continues. Another image is comprised entirely of books whose titles use the words “beginning” or “end.”To create the images, Rogowski spent days arranging and rearranging collections of books on the floor of his studio. once he was happy with the story, message or idea suggested by the arrangement of titles, he used a laser level to fine-tune the setup, placing the books on whatever he could find so they created an essentially flat surface. He then made two exposures with a medium-format digital camera, which he mounted to the ceiling 15 feet above, and tiled the two images so he could print the images at life size for exhibition.Rogowski acknowledges that there is humor in this work—“I do see humor in some of the titles and ultimately in some of the experiences we all go through,” he says—but his real goal is for people to look at the photographs and consider their own experiences. “I want someone to look at [the photographs] and reflect on their own lives,” Rogowski says. In doing so, viewers will also recognize commonalities between their own lives and those who’ve read the books in Rogowski’s photographs.

Tagged with: bears • images

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Sure Cuts a Lot Cricut Software

On December 22, 2011, in sizzix Shapes, by Luke Judge

Recently we came across an amazing piece of software for the Cricut called sure Cuts a Lot by Craft Edge. It is simply amazing since it solves two of the only problems we have with the Cricut Machines: Expensive cartridges, software doesn’t run on a Mac.

Cricut cartridges can get pretty pricey, running from $50-$100 (unless you shop on Ebay). That is enough to put a dent in anybodies wallet these days. The sure Cuts a Lot program solves that problem beautifully instead of paying top dollar for each and every cartridge, you could instead buy one piece of software and never have to buy another cartridge again oh, and the software costs roughly the same price that a single cartridge would cost

Sure Cuts a Lot lets you use all the regular true type fonts that you would normally use on your computer. almost any font that will work on your computer will be able to be printed and cut out with your Machine. all you have to do is hook up the little bug to your computer, Apple Macintosh or PC, with a standard USB cable.

The software also comes with a massive library of images you can use. The best part is that you can even create your own custom shapes and designs and import your own SVG files with a little bit of work You design your shapes on the screen. You can weld, flip, stretch, or modify the shapes as you want. now literally the whole world of scrapbooking is open to you This software really unlocks the full potential of the Cricut Personal, Cricut Expression, and Cricut Create Machines.

So if you were holding back from buying one of these scrapbooking dream machines because of the high cost or due to the fact that it’s not compatible with a Mac, you will want to think again The sure Cuts a Lot Cricut software unlocks the true potential of the machines.

Tagged with: apple macintosh • cricut cartridges • ebay • images • massive library • type fonts

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Create Unique Photo Memories With Collage Personalized Picture Frames

On December 15, 2011, in photo Frames, by Luke Judge

The most important occasions in your life are usually associated with lots of different images, not just one: weddings, religious occasions, baby showers, special birthdays, golden anniversaries, etc.

So oftentimes, framing a single photo or snapshot simply isn’t enough to capture the feelings and emotions of a cherished event, especially if you want to share them with a special someone in a special way.

But There’s an Answer

Collage personalized picture frames allow you to arrange a number of photos into a theme that commemorates a particular event or celebrates a special person. They come available with all the features of single-photo personalized picture frames.

The simplest kinds of collage custom picture frames allow you to juxtapose three or four photos-usually the same size-inside a single frame. More sophisticated versions of these personalized photo frames provide more eye-appeal because they allow you to mat different sizes and shapes of photos inside the same frame.

But if you really want to let your creative juices flow, then opt for the kind of engraved picture frames that allow you to juxtapose different size and shape photos at different angles to one another-sometimes even on different planes with multiple mats to give a three-dimensional effect.

Sound Inhibiting? Not to Worry

Just as with single-photo personalized picture frames, some online companies have made things really easy for you, adding online photo-sharing technologies to their services.

It’s all as easy as selecting the kind of collage custom picture frame you want, typing the special message or sentiment you want engraved (on the frame) into a field on a secure website, and then uploading the photo files. Then, their service personnel will create an artistic arrangement based on the collage custom photo frame you’ve chosen from their offerings.

The process is all very familiar, especially if you’ve ever used any photo-sharing sites, such as Flickr, Shutterfly, or Snapfish. You pay with your credit card, or use a service such as PayPal, and the collage custom picture frame is delivered to you or your recipient in a few days.

The best of these companies can create amazing works of art using up to five photos. You can personalize the frame with your own message or verse-and some companies offer a number of occasional verses from which you can choose, just as you might carefully select a greeting card (wedding, Mother’s Day, Anniversary, Engagement, etc.).

You can choose from different color backgrounds to coordinate with your photos, and you can transform photos from full-color to black & white or sepia to give your collage a special effect or feeling.

Tagged with: baby Showers • collage • creative juices • images • shapes

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Book Review: Visual Stories – Behind The Lens With Vincent Laforet by Vincent Laforet

On December 6, 2011, in aerial Photographs, by Luke Judge

Telling a story with a photograph is an art and it all centers around what you put within the frame, what you leave out, what you emphasize, how you use the light and color, and all of the little things that you have to work with image.

In Visual Stories, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Vincen Laforet shares his images and his insights from nearly 18 years in the field.

Visual Stories is a technical guide as well as a source for inspiration. while technique does not make great photos, poor technique can inhibit a photographer from creating great images.

This book is also about telling stories and moving the viewer in many different ways.

Visual Stories is 264 pages in length and is contained in 13 chapters.

Chapter 1, “The value of an Image,” is about more than the value of the picture contained within the frame. it is sometimes about the power that it has to move people. This chapter begins with the author’s experience with Hurricane Katrina and how the images he took helped to move people to action. it then goes on to explore what a photograph is and who it really is about.

Chapter 2, “The Story in a Single Image,” is what you are trying to get across with one shot while still trying to balance that with the aesthetic of a photo. Here you will look at what it takes to make a photograph relevant.

In Chapter 3, “Marrying the Story with the Aesthetic,” we learn that this sometimes means stepping out of the box, taking risks, and starting to create your own solutions. it is about looking at things from different perspectives and relationships to the moment.

Chapter 4, “The Art of Sports,” explains tha this type of photography can come down to research, the understanding of what makes a great shot, and the ability to anticipate the moment that is about to happen. This includes the location from where you will shoot, as well as knowing how the light and other elements will affect the location during the event.

Chapter 5, “Documenting War and Tragedy,” explains such work means sometimes putting yourself into harm’s way, but whether war or tragedy, it is still about telling a story and putting faces to that story and bringing a reality to those who are viewing your images.

Chapter 6, “KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid),” is about knowing what you are shooting and learning to be ready when the right moment is going to happen. Sometimes it is knowing what is the right gear to use, and sometimes it is letting the situation make the choice for you. This chapter looks at the core gear you should consider having, the additional accessories and workflow, and then how to bring it all together.

Chapter 7, “In the Air,” is about aerial photography and considers the challenges of photographing from the air – you can’t just hang out the door and shoot down. Here you will look at the various things that you will need to deal with when shooting from above.

Chapter 8, “A Love Affair with new York,” looks at the city that the author considers his home town. it talks about learning to see the potential in shots without being cliché and learning to see the same area in different ways.

Chapter 9, “The Art of Lens choice,” examines lens discipline. When you choose a lens, you are making choices on what to keep in the image and what to exclude from the image. This chapter examines some of the options you have when you choose certain lenses.

Chapter 10, “The World through a Tilt-Shift Lens,” can bring a surreal look to your images and makes people stop and examine the world more closely. while they are looking at a real scene, many people can’t tell what you have done to the image. go too far and sometimes the scene can look gimmicky, but the idea is that when you use one of these lenses it still should still be used to tell a story.

Chapter 11, “Seeing and using Light,” looks at the importance of light to photography and what you need to know to use it correctly. Here you will see different methods on how to explore using light – both natural and artificial. you will also look at dealing with technical challenges as well.

Chapter 12, “The Paniolo,” are some of the first cowboys in the history of Hawaii. This chapter explores shooting in Hawaii. Here the author looks at the challenges of working during the rainy season, compositional techniques, and telling the story.

Chapter 13, “Never make a Mediocre Image,” means that you are only as good as your last photograph. As a photographer you should always be striving for the next great image – the ones you think are unattainable, the ones that you have never seen before. you just have to be persistent.

Visual Stories will be an instant classic. it is well written and is an easy read for photographers of every level. it contains over 100 of the author’s photos with information on the shot as well as the technical camera settings used.

Also included with Visual Stories is a DVD that contains 60 videos that provide a personal view of the author and his work. Here he explains in more detail about his work and how he captured his images. if you want to see into the mind of an award winning photographer and learn from his experiences then I very highly recommend Visual Stories.

View the original article on blogcritics.org

Tagged with: images • insights • inspiration • photograph • photographer

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Canon Powershot SD 1200-IS Digital Camera Review – Professional Pictures, Cheap Price

On November 15, 2011, in leica Lenses, by Luke Judge

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P2V Tools & Plugins For Virtualisation Projects

On November 13, 2011, in windows 2003, by Luke Judge

P2V, (Physical-To-Virtual), is the acronym that describes the tools and plugins that are available to move images from a physical host to a virtual host.

Lets understand the nomenclature first:

‘Physical’ refers the hardware (computer/server box) environment. This is the ‘traditional’ and most common method of delivering server services / resources to the network.
‘Virtual’ refers to the environment which is created by virtual software, and is able to support / host multiple instances of an operating system/s.

So, if you like, the Physical is, probably, what you have, and the virtual is, probably, where you want to be. how you get there is where the P2V tools and plugins come in.

P2V works by copying the physical state of an installed operating system as an image. if you have used Ghost, or Acronis, you will know what I mean. This image is a compressed file, much like an ISO. it can be stored, or used, whenever it is required. it contains all of the system files, drivers, and so forth, that it needs to make it viable when it is decompressed and installed to another computer or into a virtual machine (environment). Images can also be the entire state of a complete operating system and installed applications.

Imaging an operating system is not new. We have been doing that for years. Most workstation rollouts were done using Ghost images (probably still are). Microsoft refined the technique of operating system deployment when it introduced RIS, Remote Installation Server/Service. Unfortunately, RIS was a bit limited by NIC drivers in many environments and didn’t always work well. RIS takes advantage of DHCP (BootP) and DNS to locate and deliver an operating system to a target machine. P2V does just that. but it goes one step further, it deploys from a standard image taken from a physical computer and places that image into a virtual machine. P2V can also move virtual servers from one Host to another Host, irrespective of the type of hardware that supports either Host.

Virtual Machines represent an environment similar to the old NTVDM (NT Virtual DOS Machine). the NTVDM attempted to create an isolated environment within the architecture of Windows NT, above the Executive Layer. it enabled 16bit (DOS) applications to run within a 32bit environment, it still does in fact. the theory was that if the DOS application crashed, as they were likely to do, it wouldn’t take any other applications or the operating system down with it. the application would crash within the NTVDM and the NTVDM would contain that event within the Win32 subsystem, and not allow it to access the hardware (Microkernel). This didn’t always work as it should, and usually resulted in the infamous BSOD. Fortunately things are becoming a little more stable on the Windows front, and we see less BSODs than we use to.

In a virtualised environment the key to efficiency and success is to be able to easily manage the whole infrastructure without too many reboots and downtime. in a traditional / physical infrastructure, downtime is inevitable when management is implemented effectively. When, in a physical infrastructure, it is required that new servers are installed, old ones decommissioned, and existing servers upgraded or moved around, redeployed etc, downtime will happen, whatever you try to do to avoid it. in that scenario it’s a case of limiting the damage and trying to do the work when the network is ‘quiet’. Virtualisation can enable all of these activities without the excessive downtime. P2V tools are used to create and manage the virtualised enterprise.

P2V enables the moving of pre-made server operating system images, (with applications), from a hardware based environment to a virtual environment. This activity can take place when the network is being used. however, as you are going to squirt a large image around the LAN or across the WAN, it’s a good idea to choose a more quiet period, rather than in the middle of the working day, or when the backup systems fire up.

Using a virtual machine to host the image that you made from a physical-based operating system has certain advantages beyond the reduced downtime. Virtual machines do not access the hardware directly. like the old NTVDM, there is an ‘air-gap’ between the VM and the hardware. This is occupied by either a HyperVisor, or another operating system that has been installed as a Virtual Host. VMWare is installed as a virtual host. it is Linux with a modified kernel. Microsoft Virtual Server is installed into an existing Windows operating system. other virtual tools are installed directly on the metal, such as Xen and XenEnterprise. Virtuozzo uses a different approach to virtualisation. it partitions the operating system. That makes it unique amongst virtualisation tools.

P2V tools can be used for more than moving operating system (images) from the physical to the virtual environment. they can be used for disaster recovery purposes. Images can be stored in an o/s image-bank for future deployment. P2V can be used as a backup tool and as a standard method of o/s deployment throughout the enterprise.

**Beware using P2V as a backup tool for everyday backups. the images can become enormous, which will grind your network to a standstill if not planned properly. Tape isn’t super-fast for restoring gigbytes of data, but compared to P2V as a restore tool, it’s positively frictionless.**

The virtual hardware presented by a virtual machine is always different from the physical hardware on the original server. P2V migration tools are one easy way to solve the problems inherent in making the switch. the market leaders in this segment of the virtualisation industry are PlateSpin and VMware, but other notable competitors exist, such as Leostream. here is a list, and some information, about a few of the P2V tools and plugins that I am aware of. if you know about others, why not write it up and let us all know.

VMWare P2V Assistant:

This is probably the most popular of the P2V tools. with this tool you can drag and drop your images wherever you need them.

The VMWare P2V Assistant copies all files that are resident on a physical source disk attached to a source computer and stores them to a virtual disk file, also known as a target disk. if an operating system is present in the source disk, that is also copied onto the target disk. This target disk is the new clone. the cloning process requires a P2V Assistant Boot CD that is used to boot the source computer and retrieve identification information about the source computer. in addition, the P2V Assistant must be running on a computer (physical or virtual) that is not the source computer. the resulting clone is contained in a set of files, in .vmdk format. This type of clone can be used in VMware GSX Server and VMware Workstation virtual machines.

VMWare say that this procedure is complex and a migration of an image from a source to a target is not an unattended job. VMWare also state that the procedure should only be carried out by competent Administrators or technicians who have gone through an official VMWare P2V Assistant training course. Hmm, not sure about that. Having done a few migrations myself, I can report that it is not a particularly complex task. if you can set up and run a successful RIS deployment, then you can do this job with ease. could be that VMWare is trying to sell expensive training courses? I’ll leave you to decide.

VMWare P2V supports Windows NT, 2000 and 2003. VMWare P2V requires a third ‘helper’ machine. This can be a physical or virtual machine. You will also need a boot CD. You can use P2V to create the clone, or Ghost, Acronis, PowerQuest Image Center, or any other imaging tool you are familiar with, and that can create the image in the required format for VMWare P2V.

In my opinion, VMWare has made this process a bit more complicated than it needs to be. other tools do the same job, support a wider range of operating systems, cost a lot less, and do it without a ‘helper’ machine. but, if you are comfortable in a Windows environment or have to work in one, then this tool is perfectly fine and is cost effective at the enterprise level in terms of time and money.

Leostream P2V Direct 3.0:

This P2V tool is used with VMWare and Microsoft virtualisation tools. it is a management interface, but has some interesting and useful utility functions that could be endearing to the enterprise Administrator for a virtualised infrastructure.

The downside is that it only works with Windows operating systems. As Windows is the dominant datacentre operating system, at this time, that isn’t really a limitation. however, this state of affairs is changing, and Leostream will, no doubt, change with it.

The Leostream system consists of a Wizard and a Host Agent, which can be on different networks as long as there is a routable connection for the following ports (8080, 9400, 9401, and 9402). Wide area network connections are supported.

The Leostream P2V Direct Wizard is installed on the origin physical server, and is compatible with all 32 bit versions, service packs and all security patches of Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003. for NT4 it supports service pack 6a and all security patches.

The Leostream Host Agent is installed on the destination host server running the virtualization software.

Leostream’s P2V Direct Wizard is installed, run, and un-installed on the origin machine without needing a reboot. it sees the machine in its operating state so it can map all of the running services and drivers and determine the changes needed for a successful conversion. it then instructs the virtualisation layer to create an appropriate VM, attaches a small operating system and boots the VM. the disks are then copied across by using the existing drivers. Once the disk transfer is complete then the VM is rebooted into Windows and the Leostream Wizard automatically un-installed. What could be simpler?

Two versions are available; the Windows version is compatible with VMware Workstation 5.x running on Windows XP (any service pack), VMware GSX 3.x, VMware Virtual Server, and Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 running on 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows Server 2003 (any service pack). the ESX version is compatible with VMware ESX Server v2.5.x and v3.0.

Leostream claim that it can do a one-time migration without a reboot. I haven’t tested that yet. if you have, let me know how it went. Leostream also say that this is an easy process and requires no training (). well, that’s a blessing.

PlateSpin PowerConvert:

The claim here is that PlateSpin decouples the data, operating systems, and applications from the servers on which they are hosted. This enables anywhere-to-anywhere automated conversions between physical servers, virtual machines, and image archives. PlateSpin’s PowerConvert can be used for server consolidations, disaster recovery, hardware migrations, test-lab automation, and more. You can stream servers in any direction between physical machines, blade infrastructures, virtual machines, and image archives over the network.

Using drag-and-drop, a physical server or virtual machine server running Windows or Linux can be converted into a fully functional virtual machine hosted on VMware Infrastructure 3, VMware ESX Server, VMware Server, Microsoft Virtual Server, or a PlateSpin Flexible Image. no physical contact with the source or target machines is required, allowing the flexibility to perform the consolidation from anywhere. Likewise, migrate to next generation blade, SMP or rack hardware without time consuming server rebuilds.

Restoring with backup products is often time consuming and includes manually building new servers, installing applications, and restoring data from tape or inflexible images. PlateSpin PowerConvert for Recovery is designed to replicate a server completely by streaming it over the network periodically to any available physical or virtual machine that could be used as a standby.

Live Transfer functionality enables such migrations to be performed without taking the source server offline. in case of primary server outage, the standby system can be activated to take over the workload quickly and resume normal processing. This is a pretty useful facility, but I still think that you should be very careful when you try this sort of activity. PlateSpin has a wide range of platforms supported by it’s various utilities. I think it is the widest range of all the P2V tools. Virtual Machines Operating Systems Image Archives Backup Solutions o VMware Infrastructure 3 o VMware ESX Server 2.1 and higher o VMware Server o Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 & 2005 R2 o Windows NT Server (SP4, SP6a) o Windows 2000 Server o Windows 2000 Advanced Server o Windows 2003 Server o Windows 2003 Server R2 o Windows XP Professional (SP2) o Redhat Linux (7.3, 8.0) o Redhat Enterprise Linux (AS, 3.0, ES 3.0) o SUSE Linux Enterprise (9) o Acronis True ImageTM o Symantec LiveStateTM o PlateSpin Flexible Image Packages o Symantec GhostTM o Raw Volume Data o Veritas Backup ExecTM o CA BrighStor ARCserv r11 o Double-Take by Double-Take Software

For servers without an operating system installed, you will need to use a boot CD to take control of the server. in almost all other cases, PlateSpin is used remotely and you need not go to the servers at all.

Ultimate P2V:

This is a free plugin that is used as part of a boot CD. the most popular boot CD is Bart PE. the simplest way to use Ultimate P2V is to install it on the Bart PE CD, along with Ghost, or Acronis (or your favourite imaging software), and any other utilities you think might be useful. maybe include a password changing utility, or a file manager, or whatever you think will be helpful in your planned task.

This is an ‘off-ramp’ product. That means you never install anything to the servers. You just boot to the CD and then use the utilities to create the image. Once you have created the image, you can use Ultimate P2V to transfer it to a virtual server.

Oddly enough, this method of P2V does require that you are a competent technical person. That tends to be the case, as soon as you move from the commercial tools to the free tools. You have to work harder if it’s free.

I haven’t used this tool. I have used Bart PE, and it is one of the most useful RAMDisk tools out there in the wild. mostly used by crackers to access servers and change the Admin’ password. I have a Bart PE disk with me at all times

EZP2V:

As above. This tool is used with a RAMDisk, ‘off-ramp’ utility like Bart PE. This one can only be used with Windows servers. You will need an imaging tool, like Ghost, and you will also need to include a VMWare plugin.

Ultimate P2V is a free plugin that enables you to clone a physical machine to a virtual machine and perform the necessary system reconfiguration required to make it bootable.

Warning: you will need to track down and install a load of drivers to make this utility compatible with the standard operating systems.

Bart PE is used as the platform for Windows cloning. if you want to clone other operating systems you will need to use the Linux Live CD as the platform.

VMWare Converter 3.0:

VMware Converter is a scalable enterprise-class migration tool that converts physical machines to VMware virtual machines. using a snapshot-based cloning mechanism, VMware Converter enables remote conversions without disrupting the source server during the conversion process. I wondered how long it would be before VMWare came out with a P2V freebee. I only became aware of it because it was mentioned in a comment about VMware Converter on the VMWare web site. of course, I couldn’t wait to try it.

VMware Converter is a P2V solution. it enables you to convert physical machines running Windows to VMware virtual machines. the Starter Edition is for free, the Enterprise Edition will be licensed as part of support and subscription services with VirtualCenter Management. the Enterprise Edition allows multiple concurrent conversions, whereas the Starter Edition can only convert one machine at a time. Another difference is that the Enterprise Edition supports cold cloning, i.e. the migration of powered off machines. since the OS of the source system isn’t running in a cold migration, the cloning process is less error prone. To cold clone a physical machine you have to boot from a Windows PE CD which will launch VMware Converter.

VMware Converter 3 has an easy-to-use wizard which guides you through the configuration of the conversion task. At the first step you have to decide what kind of conversion you are planning. there are five options:

physical computer
remote physical computer
VMware virtual machine
Microsoft virtual machine
Symantec Backup Exec system Recovery (or Ghost 9 image)

The fact that it’s free has to be a reason to use it. but, it is limited to Windows, although, that isn’t necessarily a bind as most people use Windows servers in most datacentres.

Virtuozzo:

You will know, if you read my previous article on the subject of virtualisation, that Virtuozzo offer a virtualisation tool that partitions the operating system. This methodolgy lends itself well to P2V. You can move virtual servers between physical servers without end-user disruption or the need for costly storage capacity with Virtuozzo for Linux 3.0. no SAN required. the zero downtime migration capability is one of several major new features in the latest version of Virtuozzo for Linux – which also adds new template management, streamlined resource management and expanded operating system support to greatly enhance performance and automation.

SWsoft, (the developers of Virtuozzo), also introduced Virtuozzo for Windows, which adds a physical-to-virtual tool that enables easy migration from a dedicated physical server to a virtual server, performance increases and updated platform support.

Personally, I like Virtuozzo. It’s a different approach to the other tools and has that big plus of only requiring a single host operating system license (this may change in the future as Microsoft licensing catches up).

XenEnterprise:

XenEnterprise is the most efficient virtualisation tool available. it is true ParaVirtualisation and is 35% more efficient than VMWare and 40%+ more efficient than Microsoft Virtual Server.

XenEnterprise uses the Open-Source Xen kernel to provide it’s virtual process. Added to this is the ability to support Linux and Windows servers on the same hardware, providing the Intel hardware has the V extention, and the AMD hardware has the VT extention.

Included within the product is a P2V toolset that is totally integrated. From the single browser interface you can create a server image from a server operating system on another piece of hardware, and install it into a virtual machine on the XenEnterprise Host server. XenEnterprise tools include VM Export, Import and Cloning. no extra tools or utilities are required. Everything you need is right there in the XenEnterprise virtualising application.

Virtualisation isn’t the answer to all datacentre ills. it brings with it some nasty bits. it can over-utilise your systems, wear out your hardware quicker than traditional servers, replace server sprawl with virtual sprawl, and if you reboot a host, you down every guest operating system on that host.

Tagged with: hardware computer • images • virtual software

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Toymaker offers great rebate promotion on Transformer products

On November 12, 2011, in conditioner, by Luke Judge

October 16

by Andrew M. Seder Leader Staff Writer

There’s more to Transformers than meets the eye and this deal should be taken advantage of in a blink. Toymaker Hasbro has a rebate promotion that rewards you with $20 worth of Transformers products if you purchase $20 worth of Transformers toys. Spend $20 before tax and coupons on Transformers Dark of the Moon toys then submit the form found at transformersPrimeStyle.com for an offer that will net you a limited edition Transformers T-shirt, a Kreon Transformer and another $5 off coupon toward a future Transformers toy purchase. Make that purchase before Oct. 20 to qualify.

Here are some more rebate offers:

• buy a bottle of Woolite Oxy Deep at any store and get a rebate up to $5.99. buy the item before Jan. 15 to qualify. go to woolitecarpet.com/images/IncludeContent/Mail-in-rebate-form-oxy-deep.pdf for the rebate form, and read complete details.

• buy some Carmex Moisture plus lip balm at CVS between now and Dec. 15 and fill out the rebate form found here: mycarmex.com/cvsrebate/CarmexMoisturePlusCVSRebateForm.pdf, to get up to $2.99 back. You must buy the item at CVS to qualify for the rebate.

• right now you can try the new Bissell Stomp ’N go for free after mail-in rebate. get up to $5.99 back when you buy the product between now and April 1 and send in this form: bissell.com/downloadfile.aspx?id=17345.

• CVS has 28-count packs of 24-hour Prevacid on sale for $18.99 and you can get an $18 manufacturer’s mail in rebate by downloading the form on cvs.com or asking the store for details.

As with all rebate deals, save your receipts and product package for the UPC code.

There are loads of scary good coupons in today’s Times Leader. here are a few ways to use them wisely:

• Take the $1 off of two Suave Professionals shampoo or conditioner coupon to Price Chopper and pay $2 for two bottles.

• Also at Price Chopper, Arm and Hammer fabric sheets and laundry detergents are buy-one, get-one free. There’s a $1 off two Arm and Hammer products coupon that makes the price of two $1 less than the typical price of one item.

No coupon needed for this thirst-quenching offer from Target. buy 10 bottles of 20-ounce Vitamin Water, 700 ml Smart Water or 16.9 ounce Fuze drinks for $10 and you’ll get a $5 Target gift card at checkout.

Also, check out the Rite Aid circular’s page 5 and 12 for another batch of items that are free after rebate or where you’ll get the entire cost of the product back by way of a store coupon that will print on your receipt when you use your Wellness+ Card.

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Tagged with: hasbro • images

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Selling Antique Collectibles on eBay – My Top 5 Tips For Success

On November 10, 2011, in aardman Animation Collectables, by Luke Judge

I love selling antique collectibles on eBay

‘Competition’ the bugbear of so many professional eBay sellers is virtually non-existent – it is highly unlikely another seller will be listing antique collectibles on eBay identical to mine There are so many different places to source my stock – local auctions (offline), thrift stores, estate sales, boot sales, online auctions even on eBay itself The items tend to be small so packing and shipping is simple and cheap, one happy consequence of this is I am not restricted to selling locally as I would be with large, bulky items. I can sell worldwide which leads to more bids and higher final values.

This business is fun

I enjoy every aspect of this business and so do my children, we all visit the local auctions and thrift stores together, making a day out of it My teenage son hones his photographic skills and produces the images. My teenage daughter is a budding writer, she takes care of the auction descriptions My two youngest look after the packing, it is a real family affair if you are looking for a lucrative and fun home business here are my top five tips to help you sell antique collectibles on eBay successfully.

This is my most important tip applying not only to antique collectibles on eBay but also to any other items you buy to resell. you must research eBay to establish what sells before you invest your money in stock.

eBay is a very transparent marketplace and you should run an advanced search for ‘completed listings’ of any item you are considering buying before you part with your cash. This will enable you to see whether or not a hungry market exists for the item and if so what the final values of recent sales were. This information is gold and will ensure you buy at the right price (remember, you make your profit when you buy the item) and you don’t fill your garage with items you can’t resell

Set the right starting price. I have tested many different starting prices with similar antique collectibles on eBay and my results are surprising; Starting low does not attract more bidders, with antique collectibles, low starting prices put bidders off The key is to start high and if the item doesn’t sell to relist with a slightly lower starting price and repeat this process until you find the price point where your items sell consistently – the ‘optimum price’ for your items.

Images; It is essential to take several high quality pictures of your antique collectibles with a good quality digital camera. Don’t be tempted to keep your listing fees down by only uploading one image. I use several images to highlight the points of interest in my auctions.

Tell a story; people love to read stories so use the item description to tell them one unlike the vast majority of eBay sellers I don’t just include the basic details such as age, condition and dimensions in my descriptions. I also describe how I found the item and the lengths I went to to prepare it for sale, use a little ‘artistic licence’ here to make your item stand out from the crowd

Offer a strong guarantee. Perhaps the most important part of your eBay auction listing is your guarantee. Don’t be afraid to offer a strong one – 100%, no questions asked, refund if you are not delighted with your purchase This will boost your sales and won’t lead to more refund requests.

So there you are, my top five tips to selling antique collectibles on eBay, a great way to make money and have fun doing it

Tagged with: consequence • home business • images

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Photography Marketing Ideas for Photographers:10 Low Cost Ideas

On November 3, 2011, in wedding Photography, by Luke Judge

Marketing your photography studio does not have to be expensive. I’ve used hundreds of low cost marketing strategies over the last twenty five years and managed to build my photography studio to the point where I am one the busiest and most successful studios in my city. Here’s a few tips for you:

1. Create a photo display. A photography display can be as simple as displaying a few small portraits at a store and offering some free information about your studio or more elaborate set ups with framed wall samples. you can even create large temporary displays in malls or at events such as trade shows. The important thing is how it looks. you will attract a lot of attention with some great images, especially from woman, who happen to be your target market. Displays will help you create a lot of business if you play your cards right. have a great selection of images, be presentable yet never pushy, have a system for collecting names and address’s from those wanting more information by simply asking or offering a draw prize, and keep in touch with all those prospects. It’s the beginning of a potential long term and lucrative relationship.

2. have a free giveaway. Offer a time limited in studio session and small reprint. Tell them there is no obligation for further purchase, and mean it. you will make some sales anyways and you will acquire many long term clients if you do a good job for them. some will only grab the freebie, but the odds are very good that you will upsell without being sneaky or pushy. especially if you are professional and create some great images. do this at mall displays, banks, schools or offer it to a list of clients from a non-competitive business in your town or city. Freebies are the best way to get your studio busy, start making sales and most of all for getting tons of exposure.

3. Reward referrals. Make a policy to reward anyone who brings you referrals. when a client brings in a propective client, give them a gift of appreciation, such as a coupon worth reprints dollars at your studio, frames, or to a local spa or restaurant. As an added incentive, give a small gift to the new client as well.

4. Create a tie-in with another business. Contact a local business and offer to exchange coupons. For example, your client receives coupons from a local restaurant, hair salon, spa, or wherever your typical prospect would shop. A great place to start is with clients of yours who already own their own businesses.

5. Make your reception or waiting room prospect and sales friendly. whenever you create a family portrait or are shooting a wedding there are often people waiting in your reception area. Offer them snacks or something to drink. Make sure your place looks great and smells nice. Make it comfortable. Use this time to increase your upcoming sales presentation by explaining some of the items such as wall portraits and other packages and services. answer objections that you know will be coming up later during the sale presentation with a consultive approach and people will not only trust you more but will likely make the sale easier for you and even buy more. This is also a great time to collect names. These people are somehow associated with you and at this point make excellent prospects.

6. Make copies of news articles about yourself and your studio. Hang them on the walls or pass them out. Past publicity is better than any advertising or promotional literature you can create. give copies of positive articles to everyone who comes in for information.

7. Raise money for charity. Not only do you help a good cause, you get plenty of free, positive publicity and exposure. Hold a contest, offer some photography classes, give out free booklets- that you can easily write yourself and print for pennies by having them photocopied- think up your own exciting charity event.

8. Submit press releases to the local newspapers about a noteworthy event at your studio or a human interest story. Did you win a photography contest? is there and article on photography that relates to local sites in your area or has to do with the seasons? Make your release interesting to the readers, never self-serving and you will get press coverage.

9. give a free photography seminar or presentation at your studio. Invite members of the public and clients family members to be a part. A seminar gives them the chance to see your studio and your work. Offer something timely to do with how to create great photographs with digital cameras or offer a slide show from some of your more exotic travels. you could create an exhibition highlighting your work. Don’t forget to invite the local newspaper.

10. Leave your business cards everywhere. whenever you are at a restaurant, leave a nice tip and your card. Drop a stack off at the local jewellry store. Make sure card is loaded with your best samples and print on both sides to maximize the space for your sales message.

Tagged with: images • malls • photo • target market • wall samples

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