Daily Life and Upgrading from XP Operating Systems ... to Windows 9 and Adobe Creative Cloud

   Hello and welcome again to Freelance IT and Graphics Design of Lansing, Michigan. To start I want to tell you all that even though we are in the Lansing area and located near the campus of Michigan State University, we can do most projects and work off site. Otherwise we do the work from my office and studio. There are a few things where you may either have to drop off the computer for repairs or we have to visit your location and do on site work in a business situation. But utilizing tech and computers in personal and home situations we often require computers to be dropped off, this is in the case of computer repairs such as virus removals, upgrades, software and application installations etc.  But some of these situations can also be done via the net using messaging, screen sharing and remote access. To start remote access and control for a repair a retainer payment is required up front before we even begin and this is $50.00 non refundable plus a per hour fee of $20 regardless of outcome. I am stating this as people tend to forget the costs of doing business in a high tech world. As for business repairs and work we do this a bit different, and we more often then not do these jobs starting with and on site visit. But if you are using Windows XP or earlier we will inform you of updates necessary to bring your systems up to the standards of today's tech and security standards and again that is a $50 dollar fee just for looking at the computer seeing that XP is no longer under support via  Microsoft. We will not be able to fix or repair a Windows XP system due to the fact that it is not being patched for security and most software will continue to run on them that way written before 2013, but there is no way to secure the operating systems, software or applications otherwise making your privacy as well any public and private network access useless in a security point of view. So if you are running computers on any network that uses XP, it is first off dangerous seeing it can be compromised and the only way to stop this is via updating your systems and refraining from any sort of network access. All wireless access points and cables need to be immediately removed or disabled.

Updates and Upgrades from Adobe to Windows 9

    Now I may sound redundant in this speech I give often, but the use of XP is no longer and option for any business computer that has any sort of network access. Use of XP operating systems via a business is beyond irresponsible and,  as well clients and customers deserve the peace of mind in knowing that any communications or business you do with them is protected with modern security measures no longer available in the XP or earlier windows operating systems. All of the operating systems we use in our business whether it is graphics design, development, or just day to day business contact is done via Windows 7 Pro, Windows 8 Pro or a viable updated Linux based operating system, with no if's, and or buts about it. If your computer is so old that you cannot update your operating system then you should get a new or used system that is less then 5 years old. Moore's law states that computer systems will double every other year and this includes the processors, the memory (RAM), as well even the pixels in digital input devices such as still and video cameras. This was realized and made apparent by Gordon Moore the co-founder of Intel Corporation, and at times has been even a shorter period then 2 years.  Even storage capacities have doubled in as little as 3 years on average. Seeing that a new computer now days can be so much faster, have so much more storage and as well have dropped in overall price, then it makes sense that and upgrade ever 5 years is really letting the tech crunch get ahead of you. Just be glad you are not having to learn and keep up with each and every little update. With Graphics design there are plethora of software's we use and can be evident in the advertising medias, web design, video game worlds and the movies and film special effects (VFX) fields that show you this daily. Just staying up to date with the adobe creative suite applications uses and abilities will need both computer and operating systems updates and upgrades every other year. The Adobe Creative Suite is now know as the Adobe Creative Cloud 2014 and this will continue to require upgrades and updates for the best possible design and creative abilities. Let alone keeping up with new upcoming programming languages and scripting tools from Java and Ruby on Rails to HTML5 and CSS3. As I write this I have seen on the PC Advisers UK website, that the Windows 9 release date is scheduled for a Reveal on September 30th 2014. Windows 9 may or may not be quite a bit like Windows 8, only time will tell.

Graphics Designer and Freelance Artist lends hand to Freelance IT Lansing

  Just so people can understand and since I do not have a lot of time on a Friday night to explain why there are graphics and a graphics site mixed in with Freelance IT Lansing posts and with the website is also a link to Kenton Sweckard's Graphic Design Portfolio. Seeing that often with website development and design there is also logo design, application user interface graphics (UI's)  then you want a new custom downloading.gif for a website, this leads to new icons or graphic and animation based tutorials, videos that need processional intros , embedding your logos in your videos  , having and animated avatar made for a website guide etc etc ... So when it comes to design / development goes hand in hand. With the adobe creative cloud you can import and export from one application to the next when creating media and graphic content for a website or application...  So here are a few concept images and would be examples of character concept cards

 

For example looking at these two images and the monster does not do himself justice, though sure he is pretty scary looking. In this manner it just does not look really scary, and also looks sort of just plain out of place. Now sure this is in concept stage even though he has been retopologized. As a freelance Graphic designer if you overlook the simple little things then you will be overlooked by the companies for example involved in video game character graphic design will fail to see the value in hiring you because you did not go that extra mile in your work.

       So that being told take a look at the two Pterodactyls above and they look a lot better then just the plain grey back ground from zbrush. Again these are more concept cards for example of a 3d print out or a character concept card to introduce the producers to your characters or the game development to the concept ideas of the video games players or a virtual tour guide ,,, in a website animation with a parallax scrolling effect to mimic and alternate land or virtual universe. See the parallax effects are a very interesting subject when it comes to graphics but that is another blog post and day.

So here in the image we add some shapes, some textures and patterns as well cut the 3d render out and paste it into the concept character card, which looks 10 times better then the plain flat image of the tri head dinosaur at the top of this web page. Just the extra few minutes in photoshop and now at the least the other staff members will have to look at the gaudy candy colored card that is setting at the meeting table appearing more like a 12 year old girls birthday cake then a flat lifeless still shot, of yet another dinosaur from 10 angles.Yes the Pteradactyl blends into the image in some of the renders but it still appears better than good old 3 heads above.

Be sure to check out our Graphic Designers Portfolio

Freelance IT via Clouds and Virtual Based IT Departments

Freelance IT - is an information and technology company that is dedicated to clients needs from web based applications, networking, development, company IT architecture, information and data networking and solutions from start up to new technology integration. We work with both new and established companies and brands to insure that they have the best solutions to carry the company into the future at a reasonable and scalable price and architectural structuring. You may need solutions from web based project management solutions that are virtualized as well carried out in the cloud thus saving money on end costs as well as providing on, and off site IT abilities in multiple platforms both proprietary and open source white label development with size, cost, security and scalability in mind. Our teams can provide management, administration, training  and security both on and off site including virtual training and conferencing.

  Many companies and business today would like to have the advantages of a full service IT department that works with web presence, company inter webs, training as well maintaining application servers, social media marketing, security implementation and policies, graphics and design, e-commerce, system administration etc ... Problem being is that besides the cost of the personnel that this can involve and equipment needed on site or multiple sites the company is soon needing more room and bigger faster servers as they scale to keep up with the companies growth in business and employees. Maybe your company does not need multiple IT personnel at all times on a salary yet they need multiple IT dept employees at different times to set up the application servers, the eCommerce servers, as well many other computers and networks on start up of expansion yet these are quite the costs to retain this staff at all times when they are basically needed at start up and then after the internal employees are trained and the technology is adapted to the companies staff and needs the additional positions are causing excessive financial costs and obligations when much of the initial start up and or integration is put into place and these positions now are taking away from you enterprise rather then automating and assisting your growth. We want to help your company work smarter not harder, and the expenditure of funds on positions and time when not always needed can prevent your company from growing when, where and how its needs are best met can mean the difference between and industry leading innovator and the next layoffs and cutbacks in your industry.