Why Google Drive Has Become Microsoft’s Worst Nightmare

As a writer, there's one piece of software that I simply can't live without -- Google (NASDAQ:GOOG  ) Docs.

The first time I used Google Docs six years ago, Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT  ) Office software immediately appeared outdated by comparison. Google's cloud-based documents suddenly made emailing documents to myself or carrying around a USB flash drive embarrassing habits from a bygone era.

Screenshot from my Google Drive.

More importantly, Office users like myself would never have to lose hours of hard work due to software or hardware crashes again. And best of all, Google's revolutionary piece of software, which now forms the core of its cloud-based suite Google Drive, has always been free -- which has always made it a more attractive choice compared to Microsoft's Office suite.

Google rolls out new cloud-based features

Last week, Google updated its Drive app to support multiple account sign-ins and enhanced its integration into the rest of Google's cloud-based ecosystem -- which includes GMail, Google Plus, YouTube, Google Maps, and Chrome. These two updates now allow users with multiple accounts -- for example, work and personal ones -- to seamlessly switch between the two.

Google also added new functions for users to print their files via Google Cloud Print and AirPrint, and improved its support for Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) iOS 7 devices. Google also added some new "quick action buttons" on Gmail, allowing users to do some common tasks -- such as confirming subscriptions or replying to event invitations -- directly without opening the body of the email. In addition, attachments are now directly sent to Drive, eliminating the need to download them.

These enhancements boost the effectiveness of Google's ecosystem, making it a software suite that individuals and businesses are becoming increasingly dependent on.

Therefore, let's take a moment to reflect on how Google has entrenched itself as an indispensable part of our daily lives.

It all goes back to Microsoft

Back in 1995, Microsoft CEO Bill Gates rightly believed that the Internet would become an inseparable part of personal computing, and merged the company's web browser, Internet Explorer, with its operating system, Windows 95.

However, Microsoft's intentions didn't become clear until the release of Internet Explorer 4 in 1997, when it introduced the "Active Desktop," which combined the web browser with desktop folders -- effectively making it an extension of the operating system.

Windows 95's Active Desktop. Source: Microsoft.

This was considered an anti-competitive move by other web browser companies, such as Netscape. Therefore, the Department of Justice shattered Microsoft's dreams of creating the ultimate browser-based operating system in 1999, when it ruled that Microsoft had violated antitrust laws on various hardware and software fronts. As a result, Microsoft had to separate Internet Explorer from Windows and make concessions to rivals such as Apple, Lotus, Java, and Netscape, among others.

Google flips Microsoft's business model upside down

That story should sound awfully familiar to users of Google's cloud-based ecosystem. Just like Microsoft, Google had a mission to create an operating system that was inseparable from the Internet. However, Google didn't get in trouble with the DOJ or its industry peers -- mainly because it distributed everything for free.

The main difference between the two companies is that while Google built its ecosystem around its core search engine, Microsoft attempted to add features to its operating system, which was already dominating PC sales at the time.

Here's a timeline on how Google expanded from a simple search engine into the cloud-based ecosystem on which many of us are dependent on today.

Year	Notable event(s)
1998	Google's search engine goes online.
2004	Google controls 85% of all online search queries.
2005	Google Maps is launched.
2006	Google acquires YouTube, launches Calendar and Translate.
2007	Gmail becomes available to the public. Google Docs is released.
2008	Google Chrome is released. Android 1.0 is released for mobile devices.
2009	Chromium OS, the predecessor to Chrome OS, is released.
2010	Google launches its first social network, Google+.
2011	The first Chromebooks (laptops with Chrome OS installed) arrive.
2012	Google Drive replaces Google Docs, adding cloud-based file storage and synchronization features, along with search engine integration of shared files.

Source: Google.

To put it simply, Google's strategy was the exact opposite of Microsoft's.

Google purchased or created services that it knew the public would depend on, then tied them all together into a single ecosystem that could be accessed with a single login -- the Gmail account. It offered all of these services for free, knowing that they would all eventually funnel back into its main source of revenue -- its search engine.

Today, Google has two operating systems -- Chrome OS for personal computers and Android for mobile devices -- which seamlessly tie a user's Google services together across multiple devices, all for free.

Microsoft, on the other hand, initially charged customers to install Windows, charged them again for installing Office, and then allowed third-party companies to charge them again to install additional software in its operating system. In addition, it offered Windows and Office in tiered pricing versions, each with additional "premium" features.

Unfortunately for Microsoft, that business model only worked when there wasn't a viable alternative. Microsoft didn't have to worry too much in the 1990s, when its main competitors -- Apple and Linux -- only occupied small niche markets.

However, Google's popularity as a search engine gave it credibility, and over the past five years, Chrome and Android have become viable alternatives to Microsoft operating systems -- especially on lower-powered laptops, hybrid devices, and tablets.

Is Google really a major threat to Microsoft?

Even though Chrome OS hasn't risen to topple Windows yet, take a look at this chart.

OS market share as of October 2013. Source: Netmarketshare.com

Judging from the 81% of computer users who still use Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, it's safe to say that customers aren't keen on paying for new operating systems -- which means more customers might install Chrome OS or another Linux distribution instead of Windows 8.

In terms of productivity software, Microsoft still has an overwhelming lead with over 90% of the market -- but that figure doesn't account for cloud-based alternatives like Google Docs. In fact, a survey from Gartner earlier this year showed that Google's market share in cloud-based productivity suites rose from 10% in 2007 to 50% in 2012.

That stunning figure doesn't bode well for Microsoft, which entered the cloud-based productivity software game extremely late in 2011 with Office 365, which still costs $20 per month.

In closing, the writing's on the wall, folks -- Microsoft still doesn't get the three main reasons we love Google's ecosystem -- it's seamless, it works, and it's free.

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The Death of the PC
The days of paying for costly software upgrades are numbered. The PC will soon be obsolete. And Business Week reports 70% of Americans are already using the technology that will replace it. Merrill Lynch calls it "a $160 billion tsunami." Computing giants including IBM, Yahoo!, and Amazon are racing to be the first to cash in on this PC-killing revolution. Yet, a small group of little-known companies have a huge head start. Get the full details on these companies, and the technology that is destroying the PC, in a free video from The Motley Fool. Enter your email address below to view this stunning video.

Hangouts: Conversations that last, with the people you love

http://www.youtube.com/v/ahy3uRzRG9w?autohide=1&version=3&autoplay=1&autohide=1&attribution_tag=AE90WCI-O9UNrmdyt8egkw&showinfo=1&feature=share

Как се лекува кокоши трън?

Всеки е виждал върху себе си или върху другите неприятните брадавици, наричани кокоши трън. Причиняват се от човешки папилома вирус и за зла врага лечението не е от най – лесните неща на света. Възможно е да се появи по ръцете и краката, по – рядко върху глезените и стъпалата, раменете или подбедрицата.

Най – лошо от всичко е, че проблемът с кокошия трън далеч не е само козметичен. Тези брадавици врастват много надълбоко в човешката кога и когато нараснат, предизвикват силна и неприятна болка. Съществуват няколко основни начина за излекуване, като досега най – сигурният е да бъде изгорен с азот.

Ако обаче се страхувате от медицинските процедури или ви се виждат твърде скъпи, има и няколко стари рецепти. Вие решете сами – дали да излекувате кокоши трън с помощта на народната медицина, или да се доверите на традиционната.

Народни рецепти за лечение на кокоши трън

Вземете малко калиев перманганат и капнете две – три – четири капчици отгоре. Бъдете внимателни. Оставете да подейства и след време брадавицата би трябвало да падне сама.

Подобно е лечението и със сребърен нитрат. Сложете малко върху кокошия трън и залепете с лепенка. Оставете да престои около 12 часа, а когато махнете лепенката той трябва да е напълно почернял и да падне сам до няколко дни.

Това навярно е най – безопасната рецепта. Смесете поравно оцет, олио и вода. След това накиснете кокошия трън за 15 –ина минути в топла вода, за да омекне. Натопете голямо парченце памук в добре разбърканата смес от оцет, олио и вода. Поставете върху брадавицата и направете превръзка, която трябва да остане на мястото поне половин денонощие. Прави се всеки ден, докато падне.

Свети Мина

Свети Мина

На 11 ноември почитаме Свети Мина

Почитаме свети Мина като покровител на семейството. Името му означава “месечина, луна”. Известен Чудотворец, покровител на сираците и бездомните, свети Мина се смята за патрон и покровител на всички народни лечители, знахари, войни, както и на хората, поели на дълъг път. Св. Мина закриля и жените, затова на този ден те се молят пред иконата на светеца за здраве на децата си, за радост и благополучие на дома.

В народните представи Свети Мина е бил господар на вълците, които трябвало да пуска и да прибира. Неговият празник бележи средата на така наречените Вълчи празници – от Архангеловден до Коледни Заговезни – времето, в което вълците бесуват. От днес започват “Вълчите празници”, които водят след себе си най-дългите нощи. По това време хората довършвали всички започнати ремонти, поправяли огради и запушвали процепите, през които можели да се промъкнат тенци, караконджоли и други зли сили.

Св. Мина бил войник в Египет. За вярата след мъчения бил посечен с меч в 296 година при Диоклетиан и Максимиан. Той изповядвал християнската вяра и служил във войската, разположена в Котуанската област, под началството на военачалника Фирмилиан. По това време в Рим царували заедно двамата нечестиви царе Диоклетиан и Максимиан (284-305). Те издали указ да се предават на мъчения и да се убиват всички християни, които не се покланят на идолите. Според указа вярващите в Христа навсякъде били принуждавани да извършат идолски жертвоприношения.

Тогава блаженият Мина, като не желаел да гледа това бедствие и почитането на бездушните идоли, оставил воинското си звание и се оттеглил в планините, в пустинни места. Той сметнал, че е по-добре да живее със зверовете, отколкото с хора, които не познават Бога. Свети Мина дълго време се скитал в планините и пустините, поучавайки се в Божия Закон, с пост и молитва очиствайки душата си и служейки ден и нощ на Единия Истински Бог. Така изминало доста дълго време.

Къде в България има храмове на името на Свети Мина?

o Radostena Antonova В пловдив има

o Магдалена Кирева къде е в Пловдив ???

o Stoimenka Dimitrova В Търново също има !

o Anna Nenova-Peeva В местността Дурхана (землище на гр.Димитровград), Община Димитровград има параклис с името Свети Мина.

o Райна Сердарева Здравейте. Храм на Свети Мина има в покрайнините на София. Не помня къде точно но е много красиво там.

o Mina Rockschild Манастирът св. Мина е до София. Намира се след кв. Орландовци, по пътя за с. Световрачене. Mariyana Zhelyazkova hram ne se se6tam no v burgas kv.vetren ima po4ivna stansia sv.mina-sas vsiakakvi le4ebni-luga kal i dr.poseduri

o Margarita Spasova В Пловдив храмът се намира в подножието на хълама , подминават се Икономическият и следващият теникуми, върви се още малко, все по десния тротоар, посока запад.

Valeriya Konsulova Св. Мина има църква във Велико Търново

o Milena Stoykova И в Кюстендил има чудесна църква,носеща името на светеца!Честит празник на всички!

o Даниела Иванова В София също има храм на Св.Мина-покровителя на семейството и дома.Честит празник.

o Vasilka Rusinova Църква “Св.Мина” има в гр.Кюстендил. В подземният и`параклис извира вода-аязмо. Има една история за сакато момиче, проходило след посещението си в тази църква. В църквата има интересни икони, а водата наистина е чудодейна. Случайно посетих …църквата преди година и си взех от тази вода. Много неща при мен се промениха за по-добро.

Обрадовски манастир “Свети Великомъченик Мина” има край София на южния бряг на Владайска река.

Днес 11.11 се почита празникът на Св. Мина. Светецът помага за всичко-за здраве и любов, късмет и успехи, и дарява с деца молещите я.

o Mariana Christova В софийския квартал Бенковски се намира Обрадовския манастир Свети Мина. Там е и чудодейната икона на светията, на която идват да се молят от цяла България, а на днешния ден опашката е дълга километри …

http://cudo.blog.bg/drugi/2009/06/03…/manastira-sv-mina-ili-obradovskiiat-manastir.343597

Честит празник!

o Rozalio Pavlov В Пловдив. Намира се в началото на Бунарджика, непосредствено до Техникума по дървообработване.

o Maria Videlova http://www.google.bg/search?q=kyde+v+bg+ima+hram+na+sv.+mina&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=com.google%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&client=firefox-a

o Цвети Кабадийска v Sofiq manastir4eto Sveti Mina e mnogo krasivo sled osnoven remont, naskoro bqh tam dano dnes yspeq da ida na praznika  na 7 km ot Sofiq suvsem blizo e 

o Diana Stoyanova Манастир “Свети Мина” е след Орландовци, в кв. Бенковски. Поместила съм снимка в профила си.

o Елисавета Стоименова mislq 4e nqkyde v ruse,ili okolo nego…

o Yana Garova В Пловдив – описаният по-горе храм след Икономическия техникум се казва – „Св. св. апостоли Петър и Павел”.

http://www.focus-news.net/?id=n1460119

o пенка демирева В Асеновград в църквата Св. Троица има изграден параклис Св. Мина

- See more at: http://jenskologia.com/2010/11/sv-mina/#sthash.C4gQLo2D.dpuf

How to Clone a Hard Drive

For backing up data, there's no shortage of alternatives to choose from. Few, however, are as simple and straightforward as simply cloning your hard drive. If you need to copy all of your data, or want to safeguard against a corrupted or physically damaged hard drive, having a functional copy of the drive you can immediately turn to is hard to beat. And unlike some backup strategies, which require regular attention or convoluted tools, cloning a drive is a relatively uncomplicated affair.

Two Options: Clone or Image
A clone is a direct copy, bit for bit, so that the data stored on the cloned drive is identical to the data on the original drive. From the operating system to the hidden directory files, from your desktop to the device drivers, everything is copied identically. Swap the old drive out for a freshly made clone and there should be no functional difference. You can also use the cloned drive in another PC, and aside from some potential missing drivers due to hardware differences, it should work just like your old system, making it an ideal backup in the event of a damaged PC. The downside to this, however, is that a direct bit-for-bit clone will usually be the only thing on the backup drive.

The second option is to create a disk image, which is a snapshot of the drive data; it still creates a complete copy of the drive contents, but it does so in a single compressed file. It's sort of like copying your entire drive to a big .zip file. You can actually back up more than one image, letting you save the entirety of your drive multiple times and different points in time, and save them locally (to a backup partition) or onto a separate drive. The downside, however, is that the image isn't immediately functional. For an explanation of how to create and use a disk image, see "The Beginner's Guide to PC Backup".

Tools and Utilities
For those who want to clone their drive directly, there are several tools available. Among the many backup utilities we've reviewed, our top pick is Acronis Backup & Recovery 11.5.

It's an amazingly thorough and powerful backup application, more suitable to expert IT managers than for small businesses or consumers. It can do just about anything, but you should need to read a downloadable manual to use some of its features.

While many find it worthwhile to pay for the convenience and ease of use offered by a for-purchase program, there are a few popular free alternatives that may do the job just as well, such as Macrium Reflect Free, ShadowCopy, Clonezilla, and EaseUS Todo Backup Free.

Destination Drive
Cloning a drive, or even saving a backup image, requires having someplace to save your data to. When backing up an entire drive, you'll want to have a drive of equal or larger capacity set aside for backup, and nothing else. You have to real options: A bare hard drive, or an external drive.

A bare drive is exactly like the drive you already have in your laptop or desktop—it's the actual drive, but not yet installed in a machine. Once you've acquired the drive, you can either install it as a second drive or purchase a compatible drive enclosure for it. These drives come in several physical sizes, meant for desktops or laptops, and both spinning hard drives and solid-state drives (SSD) are viable options. For cloning purposes, you'll want a drive with at least as much memory as the data you're cloning (the amount of used memory in the original drive). For example, if you only have 200GB of data stored on a 500GB drive, some cloning tools will let you clone the data to a drive smaller than 500GB, so long as there is space for all 200GB of data. For a drive that can literally be swapped for the one already in your PC, you'll definitely want to get a drive that is the same size and connector type as the original. For a more in depth explanation, check out "How to Buy an Internal Hard Drive".

The other option is to buy an external hard drive. These are self-contained drives, usually connected through a USB connection. External drives may be larger deskbound drives or pocket-sized portables, but they generally all will work as a suitable backup medium, and many will also offer additional features, such as encryption or automated backup software. For a detailed look at desktop and portable drives, check out "How to Buy an External Hard Drive".

Clean Up Your Files 
With both a backup utility and a drive to back up to, you're ready to clone your drive, but this is also a good opportunity to do some digital spring cleaning. There's plenty of data you want to back up, but chances are you also have plenty of stuff saved—drivers for old devices, programs that aren't needed, media files you couldn't care less about—that doesn't need to be duplicated. For a great guide to getting your drive in tip top shape so that you aren't cloning a disorganized mess, check out "Get Organized: Keep or Delete?".

Making the Clone
Once you've got your back up drive, cleaned up the digital detritus, and figured out your backup utility, it's time to start cloning. Connect the destination drive, open up your backup utility, and follow the utility's directions to copy the contents of your hard drive to the backup. Depending on the size of the drive to be cloned, the amount of data stored on the drive, and the speed of both the original and backup drives, this process may take anywhere from several minutes to several hours.

Caring for Clones
Once the drive is completely cloned you're done—for now. What you have is an exact copy of the original at that moment in time. Any future changes in files, programs, or anything else will only be reflected on the original drive. Once you swap it for the clone, it will be like stepping back in time to the day you cloned the drive originally. For more up to date backup, you'll want to schedule time to make a fresh clone at regular intervals—even if it's just an annual copy for World Backup Day (every March 31st).

You also want to keep that cloned drive somewhere safe and accessible. For long term storage you'll want to be especially careful to keep the drive safe from moisture, extremes in temperature, and static electricity or powerful magnets. A safe bet is to slip the drive into an anti-static bag and then store it the same way you would vital documents—in a safe or fire box. If you're less concerned with immediate accessibility, you might also consider storing the drive off-site so that you have a backup to turn to in the event of fire, flood, or similar disaster.

Две източни рецепти с чесън могат да ви върнат младостта

Две източни рецепти с чесън могат да ви върнат младостта

Да се подмладим с чесън

Освен че е едно от най-полезните растения на света, помагащо за десетки болести, че дори и при рак, с чесъна може дори и да се подмладим. Неговите регенериращи и очистващи качества могат да направят чудеса с тялото и външността ни, стига да имате възможността да се подлагате на терапия с него, защото както знаете, чесънът има специфична неприятна миризма.
Много народи по света имат култ към тази култура и го използват както в кухнята, така и в домашната си аптечка за направата на различни отвари, мазила и добавки.

Много източни народи го използват и като подмладяващо средство. От там са и две народни рецепти за подмладяване с чесън. За първата ви е необходимо литър прясно мляко, което слагате да кипне на котлона. След като отстраните от огъня, в млякото се слагат две глави ситно нарязан чесън, след което отново поставяте съда на котлона и отново кипвате сместа. Изключвате котлона, захлупвате капака и останяте течността така около час, сле което тя е готова за употреба. 3-4 пъти на ден се пие по една чаена лъжица от млякото всеки ден. Приема се на гладно 15 минути преди хранене.
За втората рецепта се взимат и изчистват 350 грама чесън, който се смила на пюре. В стъклено шише се налива 200 грама чист спирт от аптеката или силна домашна ракия, към която се прибавя смления чесън. Тази смес трябва да престои на тъмно около 10 дни. Сместа се прецежда и отново се налива в стъклен съд. От нея се пият капки по определена схема, докато течността свърши. Силната настойка се разтваря в малко мляко или вода и се приема 30 минути преди хранене.
Първият ден се пие една капка на закуска, две на обяд и три вечер преи хранене.
С всеки следващ ден капките се увеличават с по една на всеки прием, докато не се стигне до 15 капки. От там нанатък започвате да намалявате с по една капка на всеки прием, докато не стигнете отново до 1 капка. На следващия прием вече се приемат 25 капки за всички останали дни, докато течността свърши. Тази рецепта може да повторите едва след 5 години.

Amazing proof of God's handiwork.

Amazing proof of God's handiwork.   Rainbow Mountain" located in China There are some unbelievable natural formations located all around the globe.  Due to distances involved, many of us never have the chance to visit these sites.  The following photos display a mountain range called "Rainbow Mountain" located in China.  I thought you might enjoy seeing these photos.  The mountains are part of the Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park in China. Layers of different colored sandstone and minerals were pressed together over 24 million years and then buckled up by tectonic plates.  I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I did. It reminds me of the little joke I recently saw about a little girl who saw such a beautiful thing as that and remarked that it's even more wonderful considering God did it all left handed. Somebody asked why she thought He did it all left handed? She answered, "Because the Bible says that Jesus sits on His right hand." ...

Bless her little heart. Find out the secret to her long life.

Bless her little heart.  Find out the secret to her long life.                     A  doctor on his morning walk, noticed the old lady pictured  above:,                    She  was sitting on her front step smoking a cigar, so he walked up to  her and said,     "I  couldn't help but notice how happy you look! What is your  secret?"                   "I  smoke ten cigars a day," she said. "Before I go to bed, I smoke a  nice big  joint.              Apart  from that, I drink a whole bottle of Jack Daniels every week, and  eat only junk  food.              On  weekends, I pop pills, have sex, and I don't exercise at  all.              "That  is absolutely amazing! How old are  you?"     "Forty,"  she  replied

Avast! 4.8 for the Windows Home Server

To scan or not to scan (the Windows Home Server)…that is the question.  On Show #28 on the The Home Server Show, a few of us discussed just that particular question.  It was even the topic of a post in a January 2008 review at We Got Served.

If you have looked for an antivirus solution for the Windows Home Server, you won’t find many.  Is that it’s not really needed?  Is it that the market for this type of software is still too soft or too much of a niche?  Could it still be too complex of a solution for most users?  Do most people feel that antivirus on the client is good enough?

Its been well over a year since that post and avast! has since released a new version.  I think it’s time again to ask the question, is it really necessary to run an anti-virus application on your Windows Home Server?  And if you did, would you run avast?

I have been running the avast! Windows Home Server Edition on my own WHS since the late spring (May 2008).  I purchased it as a part of the Professional Family Pack (see specs below) that included one server and 10 client licenses.

In the Media?

Before we get too far, I wanted to highlight where avast! fits into the rankings with the other products that are out there.  I will include some links so you can do some research for yourself.  Remember that most reviews cover the client side only.

TopTen Reviews – Ranked 14 out of 17. BitDefender, a product reviewed here at the Home Server Show was ranked #1.

Top 20 Antivirus Rankings – Ranked 12 out of 20.  Kaspersky. also reviewed by the Home Server show was ranked #1.

A note about the Windows Home Server

If are an experienced Home Server user, you can skip to the next section.  For those of you still reading, you must be either in the market for one or have questions of what to buy.  Very simply, there are two options.

1.  Purchase a pre-built home server like the HP MediaSmart Server.  There are plenty of examples out there and HP is not the only company making them.  This discussion is a bit outside the scope of this review, however, this site and many others have all kinds of info to help you if you are trying to make that decision.

2.  Build your own using new or reused PC stuff as well as the OEM software from Microsoft.  This option is more for the advanced user, but not impossible for the novice.

My Home Server

Every home environment is different, so let me explain mine.  I opted to build my own server using the OEM WHS and a re-purposed PC that I pulled from my parents place when I bought them a new one.   Here are a few of the system specs for reference.

Microsoft Windows Home Server 32 Bit 1 Pack (Power pack 1) – OEM – $99 at Newegg.com
Dell Dimension 2400
Intel Celeron 2.20GHz
1.25 GB RAM
80 GB ATA System Drive (Contains the OS) Partitioned into 20/60 GB space
2 x 500 GB External USB 2.0 ATA Hard Drives (Used for Data)
160 External USB 2.0 Hard Drive (Used for File Backup)

Here is what it looks like on the WHS:

avast! does offer several choices when it comes to protecting your home environment.  The most revenant ones for this discussion are listed here.

Options:

avast! Windows Home Server Edition – Covers just the WHS if purchased alone.  $39.95 for the first year.

avast! Professional Family Pack – Includes WHS Edition and 10 Pro Clients for $79.95 for the first year.  If you have more than 3 PCs at your location and you want to run the professional version (comparison of the pro and home versions here), this is the best value.

avast! Professional Edition – Pro Client Version.  Starts at $39.95 per client.  A 10 License purchase would run $249.50 for one year.

avast! Home Edition – Free for non-commercial and home use only.  You must register the software within 60 day to end trial.
WARNING – Can be used in conjunction with the WHS Edition with two major limiters.

1.  Script blocking in IE is not available.
2.  Scheduling of scans in not an option.

I recommend that for the first time user, download the Windows Home Server Edition from here and the Professional Edition from here and try it out for 60 days.  By the end of the trial period, you will have a good idea if it meets your needs.  If you are going to proceed, I have some notes below.

I did get the free Home Edition working with a trial version for the server.  I have a licensed server copy on my production WHS and well as Pro on all 6 of my clients.

avast! Windows Home Server Edition – Installation

The avast! WHSE installs much like any other software add-in for WHS.  The download for both the licensed and trial version can be found here as well as the instructions for installing.  The download is 75.1MB and the current version as of this writing is 4.8 (Released Jan 2009).

Download the .msi package and copy it to the Software\Add-ins folder on your Home Server.  It will appear as an option in your available add-ins on your WHS.

The set up is easy and can be done successfully by selecting all the default “next” options and “Demo” and “OK” under the License Manager.  I would recommend you demo the software first before you buy.

Another next and you are done.  It will require a reboot. Make sure you are ready for that.  Once installed, it has its own tab in the WHS console.

In this screen shot, the WHS name is HMSERVER.  From the console you can see the software version as well as VPS version (update).  You can also start the avast! main console from the icon on the application toolbar.

avast! Windows Home Server Edition – Features and Comments

From the console, you can right click on the Home Server to get five options.

1.  Properties – Schedule scans for the Home Server machine (or clients) as well as set various notification options.  In the licensed version, there is also a tab for the license key.

WATCH OUT! – For both the server and client versions, the default schedule to run is NOT set (see below).  If you don’t change it here, no scans will be run automatically by the server.  Select “Schedule scans on this machine.”

2.  View scan history – See a log of the scan history as well as any details of that scan.

WARNING – On my TESTSERVER, the scan took about 26 minutes for about 188 GB of data.  My production server contains more data.  I run the scan weekly and it can take 6 or 7 hours.  It has never found anything, however, I also run the client on every PC.

3.  Turn off Shields  – Gives you the ability to turn off the active “shields” or on access scanners that are running in the background on the server or client.  These scanners are very helpful on the client version, maybe not so helpful on the server.  They consist of a following scanners: Instant Messaging, Internet Mail, Network Shield, Outlook/Exchange, P2P, Standard and Web.  The screen shot below is from a client, but it looks the same if you remote to the server.  You might want to carefully consider what you turn off and what you leave on.

4.  Update VPS – This is just a remote way of updating the latest virus information.  In all versions this happens automatically, but if needed, you could do it here.  The one draw back here is that there is no display of an update status.  You are never really sure if something is happening until the VPS version changes and if it is current, nothing happens.

5.  Run a Scan – Starts a scan on any selected item.  Very useful if you are using the Home version and you want to kick off all your scans at once or even remotely.

The main console gives you access to the rest of the software options.  It’s not laid out very well and often times looks like a couple of tools jammed into one interface.  It has some redundant features that are found in the WHS console tab.  There are more options than can be covered without you going to sleep, so I will only cover the main ones.

1.  Overall GUI – You can see right away some of the inconsistencies.  The Folders toolbar (left) and the Folders structures tree and the same features, just displayed in a different order.  You can turn off the structures by selecting View – Program Folders.

2.  Settings – All the finer options are here.  Things like appearance, languages, sounds, logging, alerts and troubleshooting can be found here.  Lots and lots of options.  Everything you would expect from a server application.  I have never changed anything here.

3.  avast! News – Looks like there was good intentions here, but it hasn’t been updated with new news since 2005.  Didn’t seem to be fixed in 4.8 either.

avast! Windows Home Server Edition – Simple User Interface

From View on the toolbar, you can choose the Simple User Interface.  It looks nothing like main console.  If you close it, and select Start main console again, you go back to the main one.  Again, it is not laid out very well and can be difficult to find your way around.

By selecting the up option in the upper left corner, you can switch back to the main console or get the rest of the options.

Conclusion

Pros

1.  As far as anti-virus purposes, it has worked on par.  Several of my kids PC’s have caught colds (or Trojans) and it has found them and removed them quickly.  Although, when a virus is found, I have had to go to the client PC to completely remove the virus.  It doesn’t seem possible to do it from the WHS.

2.  It is a very simple and light antivirus on the client.

3.  There is a free version that does work with the WHS version.  It does have some limitations.

Cons

1.  The client software however, seems to run short on products compared to its competitors like Norton, McAfee  or BitDetender.  No firewall or system utility tools are included.  While that makes it light, it also makes it weak from a price point perspective.

2.  In my tests, the server scan can take several hours (like 6 to 10 hours!) to complete.  I moved it to weekly so it wouldn’t consume that processor time each day.

3.  The UI is not always the most intuitive.  It sometime looks like it’s been put together by several teams that never talked to each other.

Because I have purchased avast! I will continue to use it through the expiration period.  I will then again start to look and see what else is out there.

So, do you have to have antivirus on your Windows Home Server to be completely protected?  What helps you sleep at night?

Version Reviewed: 4.8

Removing a Drive from your Windows Home Server

There seems to be a lot of people who are still a little unsure about adding or removing drives on their Windows Home Servers, so I figured some simple walk-throughs would help here.

In this first walk-through, I will discuss removing a hard drive from the storage pool.

REMOVING A DRIVE FROM THE STORAGE POOL

A time may come when you want to remove a hard drive from your Windows Home Server,
either because you suspect that there might be a problem with it or because you want to
replace it with a larger and possibly faster hard drive.

You cannot remove the primary hard drive, which is the one with the Windows Home Server program files stored on it. If you want to replace the primary hard drive, you will need to reinstall Windows Home Server.

To remove a hard drive, just perform the following simple steps:

1. In the Windows Home Server Console, click the Server Storage tab.

2. Click the hard drive that you want to remove, and then click the Remove button above
the list, or right-click the hard drive and select Remove from the context menu.

This will launch the Remove a Hard Drive Wizard.

Beware, because the removal process moves the files that are stored on that hard drive to another
hard drive, you must ensure that you have sufficient space available in the storage pool before continuing. Otherwise, you may lose files or some shared folder duplication may stop.

3. Click Next. The wizard will check that there is enough storage available to move the
files to before continuing.

Depending on how many hard drives you have in your server storage pool and how much data is stored within the pool, the process of calculating the available space could take a few minutes. As usual, be patient!

4. Once the calculation has completed, you will be presented with a Hard Drive
Removal Consequences page. Review this information as it could be very important.
There are two major areas of possible consequence, plus a reminder if you’re removing
an external drive.

• Files and Folders is where you will be informed if files that are stored in duplicated
folders will continue to be duplicated.

• Computer Backups is where you will be informed if any computer backups will
be lost.

• Do Not Disconnect will appear if the drive being removed is an external hard drive.
The wizard is reminding you that this drive must be connected and powered on
until the wizard has completed.

It is also possible that you won’t have any consequences (wouldn’t that be nice), in which case you will will just be told you can remove the drive.

If you have only two hard drives in your Windows Home Server and decide to remove
one of them, the biggest consequence is that shared folder replication cannot continue, because a minimum of two hard drives are required for replication. You will be warned of this on the Hard Drive Removal Consequences screen.

5. Click Finish. The hard drive is removed from the server storage pool, and the data is
moved to other hard drives within the pool. You can monitor the progress while this is
taking place.

Depending on how much data needs to be moved from the hard drive, the removal process can
take a long time. The wizard even advises that this process could take several hours to complete. Do I need to say that you should be patient?

6. Once the removal process has completed, you will be presented with a Hard Drive
Successfully Removed screen. Click Done to complete the removal process.

If the hard drive is an external hard drive, you can now safely unplug it from the
Windows Home Server. If the hard drive is an internal hard drive, you will need to power
off your Windows Home Server and remove the hard drive before restarting the Windows
Home Server.