Microsoft expands its software donation program for nonprofits
July 27, 2011
Nonprofits need up to date technology just like other businesses do. Unlike other businesses however, they don’t have a lot of cash lying around for such items. Most nonprofits use donations to provide services and pay for the people to run them. Shelling out hundreds or thousands of dollars for software that makes their programs run more smoothly is not in the budget’s of most nonprofits, at least not these days.
Windows Live Sync is a blessing to all those who have multiple computers that they want to keep synchronized. Rather than constantly updating files and folders using a USB drive, you can sync over the internet. Every file and folder chosen for syncing remains up to date so that files you are working on at the office can be easily opened and worked on at home, on the road or anywhere. 
Every version of Windows from the beginning to now, has improved on the ease with which a home network can be created. Windows 7 makes it very easy. 
Buying a new computer or getting a new version of Windows means setting up your desktop just the way you like it. What gadgets do you want to have handy? How big do you need the icons or the text so that you aren’t squinting at the screen? Do you have a favorite picture that you want to use for background? Whatever look you want, it is easy to set it up. 
The Windows taskbar has always been where you found your open programs. You could easily move from one to the other just by left clicking icons on the taskbar. The Windows 7 taskbar works the same way, but it has a few handy features of which you might want to take advantage. 
Associating different programs with certain file types makes those files easy to open or listen to. For instance, associating Microsoft Word with .doc files allows you to quickly open word files when you download them. Other files can be associated with a variety of different programs. Gif files, a type of picture file, can be opened by many different programs like Internet Explorer, Paint, Windows Media Player, Picasa and other photo/picture viewers. What happens if your pictures or music don’t open in your preferred program? When that happens you need to change the file type association. 
It’s almost here. In fact, it’s so close I can almost sniff the shiny new OS smell wafting in from Microsoft HQ. The Windows 7 Release Candidate is already available to some, including our own 
One of the nice things about Windows Vista is the way that it allows you to directly open your Documents folder without having to know its exact physical location. But what happens if your drive is filling up and you wish to relocate your Documents folder to a different physical location such as a second hard drive? What if you want all your data files in one convenient location for backups? What if you just want to be different? 