VMs (Virtual Machines) can be very helpful tools for redundancy, backup, testing, and running a very clean environment. The nice thing about a VM is that if one goes bad, or starts acting up, you just grab a recent snapshot and it's like the infection or breakage never happened. Actually, it's not like it never happened. For that clone, it didn't.

First, find where you are now, what your strong and weak points are in relation to this particular exam. Begin with a test exam. There are several resources for free testing to see where you are today. There are also low-cost products that can give you a way to measure which skills need most improvement. You should not approach this blindly.

When you prepare for a standardized test, you should first find your starting point. Like with any scientific approach, you need to know the basis on which you will build.

Once you have established a starting point, there are many options for training and preparation.

Windows 7 (RC) installs much faster than Vista, but I'm using the Release Candidate. Microsoft may decide to throw a ton of DRM (Digital Rights Management) in at the last minute or perhaps new "features" that cripple the OS. My installation process was fast, clean, and simple. There are already 8 "important" updates for Windows 7. However, I'm still relatively happy with its performance.

Feel free to list [all] your social media links using the comments below (via Disqus).

Some people just don't want to be bothered with Active-X and have no need for the constant reminders that they have it disabled. For those of you tired of the constant interruption, you can simply disable the notification.

For Internet Explorer users, click on Tools, then Internet Options.

Squarespace has offered to giveaway 30 iPhones in 30 days. Now, I wonder. Is this offer going to include the two year's service everyone must commit to use the phone, retail units for people already using ATT, etc.? Curious, but unimportant. Basically this is a 6,000 USD ad campaign that put serious marketing bang in the buck.

I've probably said I wasn't going to deal with this anymore, before. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of talking about it. But, people keep asking.

Twitter has a posted policy that basically says they block people that are agressive followers, violate their [published] rules, or follow more than X per cent of their followers' number. Fact is they just make it up as they go and it changes.

I recently had a bogus ACH transaction take place on my checking account. The outcome is that I had to spend time physically going to the bank, filling out paperwork, filing a complaint, and then wait patiently for the company with whom I have no existing relationship to return my funds. They take, I wait. That's how bogus ACH transactions go.

Social media has forced big business to sit up and take notice. People are talking, talking about them, and anyone can make a complaint blow up quickly. Thanks to social media some virtual nobody can bring corporate misbehavior to the social media equivalent of the front page.