Technically Speaking

So it is 2011 and Windows 7 has been out for just about two years… wow. 2 years already, who can imagine? I have noticed that even though Windows 8 (or whatever it ends up being called) is likely just a few months away that there are still some great features in Windows 7 that may have gone uncovered by many. And if not, I am going to look at one of them here anyway.

This feature primarily applies to laptops and mobile computing, but it is still pretty sweet.

Cool Feature: Location Aware Printing
I carry my laptop with me most places and especially to work. Sure there is a PC under my desk, but sometimes the applications I own are just handy. When I brought my laptop to work after getting Windows 7 I added a default printer just the same as I might on an XP machine. Intending it to be for use in the office, and just complain that it wasn’t available when I was at home or on another network. No big deal.

The printer was named Office Printer so I would remember where the printer existed. After adding the printer, I left work for the day and went about my normal routine. When I got out my computer to check mail later that evening on my home network, the Office Printer, was nowhere to be found.

Maybe I deleted it before leaving so it wouldn’t just hang out unusable later. The next day, at the office, the Office Printer was right back where I had put it the day before.

A bit more research lead me to the feature explanation of Location Aware Printing. The printer is added dependent of the network you are connected to. Windows then hides the printer when you are connected to another network where this printer does not exist. Being someone who uses printers sparingly and does his best to name printers in a memorable fashion, I was quite pleased that Windows took care of visibility for these items without my help.

This printer feature is enabled by default but can be managed from the Devices and Printers window.

Managing Location Aware Printers

From the Device and Printers window, select a printer and click the manage default printers toolbar button.

Figure A

Location Aware Printers - image by Microsoft

Then select the option to change my default printer when I change networks.

In the select network list, choose the network you wish to manage the printer for

In the select printer list, choose the printer you want to set as the default, then click Add.

This printer added will be set as the default printer for the selected network.

To add default printers for other networks, repeat the steps above.

Note: The Location Aware Printers feature is only available in the Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate Editions of Windows 7.

For anyone who frequents multiple networks and needs printing capabilities, this feature could be just what the doctor ordered.

If you wish to disable this feature, select always use the same default printer in the Manage Default Printers dialog box.

This morning when I arrived at the office I had a few things that were top of list and needed to be checked out right away.  We were having difficulty with a web application used to handle checks received.

On Friday, the user of the system spoke with a bank support representative about the issue and was treated quite rudely.  I know that I have been a bit less than nice in the past when providing support, but have learned from my experiences and adjusted accordingly.

Why do I mention this?  Because there are two things that are important here:

1. You can attract more flies with honey than vinegar

2. A poor attitude impedes the solution to the problem

Both of these are seemingly common sense thoughts that most, including myself at one time, would brush off as understood and no brainers.  This is where I have found that I was wrong.

Sure there are easy fixes in the technical realm, and rebooting is often a solution that is a no brainer, but assuming a solution will just work and going away, or giving the impression that you (or your staff) know more than those using the computer (or about following instructions) is just a bad plan.

Usually when i ask a user to reboot, I have a secret hope that the issue will go away, but actually the reboot gives me a chance to do a quick search for information or get a soda on my way to work with the client (for those instances when I am in the office working with co-workers).

Assuming that all systems are configured equally is not a good plan either.  An example, while on the phone with the bank support rep, my co-worker was told to access user accounts in the Windows XP control panel.  It was the fourth icon from the left.

At full screen with the control panel in classic view and sorted by alpha, the fourth item from the left is actually Automatic updates.  Perhaps a better approach might be to ask the person you are helping what is on their screen or if they see xyz icon and suggest where they might look for it.

Until I did technical support on the phone for a while, I was in two camps, I was sure I knew how to fix the issue in many cases, but also unsure of how to confidently and politely convey this to the people I was helping. 

Doing onsite support and being able to get my hands on the machine killed my ability to do off the cuff phone support, but it helps keep my mind fresh because I have to look for things to get the problem solved.

I have learned that it is more about helping those who ask and doing the right thing in many cases than being right or best or any of that.

Please work to instill this in yourself and your staff.  You and your IT department will be better for it.

Like it or not, when you accept the responsibility of an IT manager position, you will get to do some type of support for your internal customers.  Even if that is just to rally your team because someone in the office is escallating cases to you.  How you handle these things will reflect on both yourself and your team.

What about external support?  You know when you have to call in outside help becasue application X or device Y is not doing what the manual and the Internet claim it should.  I have been in that position a time or two and it is getting better, but I think my attitude toward the situation may be only partly to blame.

Recently in two separate posts for TechRepublic.com I stepped through two very cool support scenarios.  One dealing directly with a help desk call and the other dealing with the use of Twitter to get help solving an issue.

Please give them a look and leave a comment about any experiences you have had with either.

TechRepublic: When the help desk actually helps

and

TechRepublic: More than ‘social’ Networking – don’t count out twitter as a useful support tool

I look forward to seeing your thoughts on both of these articles.