Microsoft Business Solutions is promoting its own CRM - Microsoft CRM. Microsoft CRM is gaining market share in small, mid-size and even large companies CRM market. For large enterprise clients email server is often realized on Lotus Domino or Java/Unix platforms. Microsoft CRM standard messaging works through Microsoft Exchange Server 2003/2000. Considering the fact that large number of companies are committed to alternative email server, we decided to develop Microsoft CRM Lotus/Domino connector (first release - April 2005), which works similar to MS CRM Exchange connector and will have improvement in comparison to standard connector in release 2 (June, 1 2005 - target date)

• How does it work. When you send email from CRM object (Lead, Contact or Account) - the connector takes over, appends GUID to the message header and forwards to Lotus Domino for delivery. The reason for such a primitive solution is simple - Microsoft wants to be sure that all email systems, deployed from mail recipient side (Lotus, Unix or Exchange) will keep GUID in the response header (usually appending re prefix, like re:…..GUID) and on the way back to MS CRM, connector will take all the messages with GUID in the header and will try to match their GUID with objects GUID and append these messages to their originating objects. Restating in direct words - if you send email from specific contact - when recipient responds - RE message will be attached to the contact.

• Improvements. If email is sent from Lotus client - Lotus Domino server will analyze if MS CRM any contact, account or lead has addressee email and if so - it will attach closed activity of email type to this object. If message is received by Lotus Domino server without GUID in the header - server will analyze if any MS CRM object has addressor email and if so - it will attach closed email activity to the object

• Technology - MS CRM Lotus Domino connector uses Java agent on the Lotus side and web services to address MS CRM.

• Pricing - to be announced - it will be based on Lotus or other email server Licenses

Connector has standard core working with MS CRM and platform-dependent plug-ins. It will support following email servers (check with us on availability):

1. Exchange (Win32, Win64 (upon the arrival))

2. Lotus Domino (Win32, AIX, Linux, Solaris Sparc)

3. CommuniGate Pro (Win32, AIX, Linux, Solaris Sparc & x86)

4. PostFix (AIX, Linux, Solaris Sparc & x86)

5. Exim (AIX, Linux, Solaris Sparc & x86)

6. Oracle Collaboration Suite (Win32, AIX, Linux, Solaris Sparc)

7. GroupWise (Win32, Linux)

If you feel that you need such a product and use Lotus / Domino in your company, feel free to call us: USA 1-866-528-0577, Deutschland (0177) 8349 806, Moscow (095) 918 3314, help@albaspectrum.com

The process of human learning is very complex. We have the ability to turn thoughts into abstract symbols like letters of the alphabet. Letters become words, words become sentences, and sentences become complete concepts. As we absorb information, all these processes go to work in our education process until we grasp a concept well enough to turn it into something new. When machines are used to augment the abilities of people, there is also a translation which takes place on a very simple level known as binary code. Binary code is the primary building block of all computer actions, composed to represent a type of switch which is represented by a 1 for “on” and a 0 for “off.”

For many people, it is difficult to grasp how using various combinations of “on” and “off” could lead to the rich variety of computer applications available today. Most developers who write programs for computers can spend their entire career without having to descend to this most basic level of machine functionality. Moving upward on the chain of translations that take place in executing machine instructions, it is possible to create methods that can bypass some of the stages of the human creative sequence. A simple example can demonstrate this. Suppose you encounter a written question, and go searching for a written answer to the question. If you are doing this without the aid of a machine, the human mind must travel through all the stages of translating the abstract concepts of the question to understand what is being asked, then repeat the entire sequence, with some additional steps to recognize and correlate the information comprising the answer to the question.

The legacy of manually asking questions and correlating answers is what has led us to where we are today. Unfortunately, before mankind developed written languages to capture these processes, there was always the constant danger that information would be lost, and would have to be rediscovered by the next generation of people. Now that we have computers to assist us, it is easier than ever to retain massive amounts of useful information, and to recall this correlation of data without the necessity of repeating the stages previously needed to obtain it. Unlike the human process needed to connect concepts, machines do not have to be limited to the same stages of translation and correlation. A machine is able to work with storing, equating, and recalling complete concept groups. The formula for doing this is a simple equation, Question = Answer. Using this simple formula, a person can interchangeably connect with the information on either side of the equation. With this new type of connection, if a person knows the Question, they can also instantly correlate this information to its corresponding answer with the aid of machines.

When taken to a repetitive higher level, we encounter situations where there may be many different questions that lead to one answer, or one question that leads to many answers. Using technology, we have the opportunity to decrease the learning curve by storing and manipulating large amounts of information on a mechanical level. Once the processes of collecting the information and correlating it are complete, we can accomplish far more than previously realized. When the system is available, we can then fill in missing pieces in our understanding by allowing machines to help us gather the data we do not have as individuals. If we only know the question, the machines give us the predetermined answers. Benefits of this capability are enormous. If any one person has ever discovered the definitive answer to any question, everyone who follows behind the discovery can almost instantly arrive at the same conclusion without traveling through the layers of discovery, allowing them to ponder the next level of growth.

In this scenario, it is always a function of human creativity that will ultimately direct the building blocks of any knowledge base system, and the machine that will help us use it faster and better than we can do it ourselves. This mix provides the ingredients for the best possible synergy between people and their technology. It allows people to focus on their creativity, while machines manage the repetitive operations they are designed to perform. Incorporating these principles into software design can result in big dividends for the user community when applied to a wide range of uses.

Director of Software Concepts
BHO Technologists - LittleTek Center HTTP://www.home.earthlink.net/~jdir.
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If you have Norton Anti Virus, do you have reason to have 100% peace of mind? I know I worry constantly about computer viruses. I know too many people and more than one company who have lost one or more computers to a bad and incurable virus. I worried so much, in fact, that I have done a great deal of research on anti virus software, how it works, and whether or not the major providers like Norton Anti Virus give me reason to rest easy when it comes to the threat of viruses to my hard drive and privacy.

What is important when you talk about anti virus software, whether it be a big company like Norton Anti Virus or not, is for you to know how they work. As you likely are aware, computer viruses can come from any number of places, but are usually brought into your computer via either an email attachment or going to a website with an infected server. Either way, getting a virus on your computer can spell doom for your hard drive. So how does the software from companies like Norton Anti Virus work? You may not be quite so confident in your computer’s safety once you find out. Bare in mind, though, that currently this is the best way we have of combating viruses.

For example, Norton Anti Virus, which is owned by Symantec, is widely considered to be the best anti virus software available for home users. Basically, the software is working off of a list of known viruses and it is watching for them while you work on your computer. It scans each and every file that you download, intentionally or not, and then checks it against a list of viruses. If it finds one, it goes to work repairing the file, quarantining the file, or deleting it. However, even with Norton Anti Virus, you are not 100% safe from virus infestation. You see, the list of viruses the company has is based on ones they find on their own, or users like you send them after they have been infected. So, there is always a chance that you will get a virus and be the first one to be infected by it. You will have no idea about the virus until something is wrong with your computer and you report it to Norton Anti Virus. They will then, likely, have you send them the suspected file so they
The truth is that Norton Anti Virus is not perfect, in fact no anti virus software is.

Because of the constantly changing nature of viruses and the creativity of those who make them, there will likely never be a best answer to the problem. No, you can not rest with 100% peace just because you have Norton Anti Virus on your computer with all of the updates. That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it, just that you still need to be careful. Be aware of what files you are downloading, what attachments you are opening, and even from whom emails you look at are sent. Keep your anti virus software up to date and use precautions and you will give yourself the best chance of surviving the virus storm on the internet.

If you would like to find more of my personal articles on computer software please check out my technology website!