Wednesday, October 21, 2015

October TRI News

Sunrise in Cabo San Lucas Bay with the Pacific Ocean off in the distance is breathtaking almost every single day. Cabo is absolutely beautiful but somewhat of an enigma. A collection of high class resorts lining the coast line with a small town hosting bars, restaurants and shops with a third-world flavor. The infrastructure doesn't match what you might expect giving the tremendous influx of tourists. I am guessing that is Mexico. Please see my online store. The store allows you to have my photographs custom printed and framed with no cropping. Friend me on Facebook, look at my blogs, or look me up on Flickr. My online photograph store is now open. Click to Shop.

In This Issue

October 2015

Global Entry

Cloud BigTable

Windows 10 Yet?

Welcome to News from trif.com! First time readers, I am glad you're here! Returning readers, welcome back!

Greetings and welcome to our Newsletter! I love to share the many photos I have taken of places, people and things throughout the country and beyond. Each month our headline photo will be something new and different. We hope you enjoy. Keep in mind, we don't want to waste your time. Articles will contain generally less than 250 words. Please have a look and give us your feedback. By all means, forward to a friend using the link at the bottom of the Newsletter. Thanks. Questions? Send me an email!

 

Global Entry

I have been interested in improving the travel experience for quite a long time. Since 9-11, travel via air has become a bit of a nightmare. Adding international travel only seems to compound problems. A few months ago, I applied for Global Entry from the US Customs and Border Patrol. It costs $100 and lasts for 5-years. Here is the process. You fill out an application on line at GOES (Global Online Enrollment System. The application is reviewed and you are invited to make an appointment at your nearest Global Entry Enrollment Center (Logan Airport, Terminal E). During the interview process, your past international travels will be verified, you will be finger printed and you will be required to prove your identity. After the interview and if approved, you will receive your Global Entry Card. You need to reference your Global Entry number when you make your airline reservations whether domestic or international.

More importantly, you will be added to the safe traveler program, allowed to use the Kiosks devoted to Global Entry safe travelers, added to the TSA PreCheck eligibility list (not guarenteed), expedited entry to the United States and some other countries. All of these things can help to make your travels less hectic.

In testing the new benefits, I was able to check in at Logan using the TSA Precheck line saving the time of a very long line, no need to remove shoes or belt or computer from bags. Just like the old days. Upon returning to the United States, we were able to fly through customs using our finger prints in an automated Global Entry Kiosk with no paperwork necessary. All in all, well worth the $100.

Technology solutions are a part of doing business just like sales and marketing, It is an important component in servicing customers, managing costs and controlling operations.

Our capabilities bridge database design and development, Internet services, network and computer sales and support, document imaging, bar code scanning, corporate communications, fax and email programs, mobile applications, cloud computing and help desk services. Interested in taking a step forward with technology? Looking to take advantage of the latest advances? Or just want to take advantage of your new computer?

Email me at rmj@trif.com The first consultation is always without charge.

Cloud BigTable

We have been working with databases for 30 years. Data is the basis for all the software we write and without indexed access to data, everything we do would take longer to accomplish - much longer. Understanding how to store, find and manipulate data is a crucial at the simplest level. Adding millions of records in this indexed environment is made possible by harnessing a database engine like SQL Server.

But how do companies handle huge amounts of data, like Google for example? It is mind-boggling. SQL just would not work for Google, so what do they do? They built there own system. It's called BigTable. It is a database architecture that uses hundreds of thousands of computers and can add more as the need arises. It isn't a relational database like we use. Instead, it is like maps of giant spreadsheets of data with a trillion rows and a trillion columns broken up into smaller sections called tablets. It can scale to many petabytes of data (a petabyte is a million gigabytes) and it all operates within a Google File System. The map keeps track of the keys to a row, column and timestamp associated to that entry.

We can now harness the power of what Google has created since they released Google Cloud BigTable to the public last May. We are just learning about the advantages of using the Google architecture, but it looks to have applicability in managing huge stores of data with speed, security and reliability.

TRI is a

Specializing in deploying

Upgrading to Windows 10? Not Yet!

Sure you can if you want, but I am not sure Edge (the new Microsoft browser) or Cortona (like Siri) is worth it just yet. I would always hold off until I get a new PC and I would not do that until Windows 10 has been fully tested and the first or second release has been issued. Operating systems can make or break your productivity. It is like upgrading your Office products. You never know how everything you have been running will run under the new operating system.

So it is always best to wait for that new computer when you know you will need to spend time upgrading devices, printers, drivers, software, applications, connectivity, and everything else that goes along with installing a new computer.

If you must upgrade, check the compatibility report for Windows 10 first before you begin the upgrade!

 

Social

Nuts and Bolts

Format painting (the little paint brush) in your Office applications is a little known but very valuable little tool. Use it in email to copy the formatting of a phrase from one place to another. But more valuable is using it in Excel to copy the formatting of a currency value, total or sub-total from one cell to another. Double click the format painter to turn it on and copy formatting to many different cells or words. Single click it again to turn it off.

 

Robert McKay Jones
TRI
9 Waushacum Avenue
Sterling, Massachusetts 01564

Direct Line:
978-422-4324
rmj@trif.com

 


Copyright ©2015 TRI
All Rights Reserved
All Photographs Copyright ©2015 by Robert McKay Jones unless otherwise credited
Artists Sketch by Bruce Davidson
This document is provided for informational purposes only.
The information contained in this document represents the views of Robert McKay Jones and Transportation Resources, Inc.
All information provided in this document is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied.
The reader assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and the use of this document.
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Transportation Resources, Inc. | 9 Waushacum Avenue | Post Office Box 452 | Sterling | MA | 01564