Directive Blogs

It’s easy to skimp here and there when you run a business. After all, it isn’t cheap, and you have to make difficult decisions every day for where you’re prioritizing your spending. One area where you can’t scrimp on a substandard investment is your technology; especially an old computer that has broken down over and over again. If you’re not careful, that broken computer could be holding you back and costing you profit.

Have you ever heard of mouse keys? It’s an accessibility feature of Windows 11 that lets you control your mouse cursor using the keyboard. It’s helpful for when your mouse stops working, or if the batteries die and you don’t have another you can use. Here’s how you can make the most of mouse keys for your Windows 11 PC.

You should want your team to be ready and able to accomplish as much as possible. So, when a team member approaches you with a request for a better laptop or a dual-monitor setup and the wish to do more with their time, you should agree. However, there may be that little voice in the back of your head, whispering, “Was that a wise investment?”

It can be hard to balance the need for employee satisfaction with your budgetary restrictions, but it must be done. Let’s go over the considerations you need to make… as well as the pitfalls that must be avoided.

While most days, you should lock your computer when ending the day, shutting down your PC and rebooting it on occasion can offer some huge benefits. Doing so helps you avoid some of the more common computer problems that can be highly disruptive and hold you back from achieving productivity.

How much time do you waste every day while trying to find specific files? Chances are, it’s more than you’d like, and one quick glance at your digital workspace would tell us you have some tidying up to do. Today, we want to share three tips to help you be more organized and productive with your digital workspace.

The sun is setting on an era. On October 14, 2025, Windows 10 will officially reach its end of support. For millions of users worldwide, this marks a significant turning point, prompting questions, concerns, and perhaps a touch of nostalgia for an operating system that has served faithfully for a decade.

So, what exactly does end of support mean, and what should you be doing now to prepare? Let's dive in.

How long has your workstation been in use? How long does it take to boot up, to access your user profile, to load the documents you need to work on?

It can be extremely tempting to put off any investment into new hardware… after all, it still works, doesn’t it? Well, depending on your answers to the above questions, it might not. Don’t fall into the classic trap of relying on hardware that is simply too old to support your needs. It’s more expensive than you’d think.

For those of you making the exciting leap from macOS to Windows, we understand that while the fundamental principles of computing remain, the execution often differs. In our ongoing series, we're dedicated to guiding you through these transitions, ensuring your journey into the Windows ecosystem is as smooth as possible. Today, we're tackling a universal computing challenge: the frozen application.

Businesses are constantly seeking ways to build agility. Like many things, it’s not as easy as just saying it.  If your current technology feels more like a roadblock than a launchpad, it might be time to explore some different strategies. Let's talk about MACH architecture, the powerful framework designed to build a flexible, scalable, and future-ready digital workplace.

Entertainment has changed a lot over the past several decades. When not too long ago teams of trained professionals were using ultra sensitive film stock to shoot your favorite movies, flatbed editors in dark rooms to edit them, and elaborate film projectors to show them, today there are digital cameras that rely on digital storage, digital editing that you can do from a phone, and OLED screens that use thousands of pixels to provide the clearest picture possible.

Support for the Microsoft Windows 10 operating system is coming to an end, so let's talk about something crucial for your business technology: upgrading as soon as possible. Microsoft has officially set the date: October 14, 2025. After this day, mainstream support for Windows 10 concludes. While that might seem like a comfortable distance away, in terms of IT planning and business operations, it's practically tomorrow. Waiting is not a strategy; planning is.

Artificial intelligence is taking over enterprise computing. So much so that there is some degree of cynicism among CIOs and other technology leaders about what exactly AI can do for them. The reality is that AI can do some pretty remarkable things and is advancing pretty quickly, but if you are expecting it to transform your business with minimal effort, you might be in for a rude awakening. This month, we want to take a look at how AI is beneficial for businesses and what to expect from the technology in the near future. 

Many market analysts and industry experts foresee an increase in the cost of hardware. We recommend that you take matters into your own hands to dodge the price hike and purchase your new IT now before it costs you more to do so. The implementation of any proposed tariffs could impact the market as early as February 2025, so we wanted to discuss what you should consider when purchasing new hardware today.

If you want more productivity from the workday, then multiple monitors can help you achieve this goal. You might run into the issue of “ghost monitors,” though, where your PC believes you are connected to screens when you’re not. If you experience this issue and your application windows are off-screen and unobtainable, you’ll find this week’s tip helpful.

Have you ever searched for something on Google, played a game that remembers your high scores, or checked your Instagram messages? These apps feel smooth and efficient thanks to something called a Database Management System (DBMS) working quietly in the background. In this month’s newsletter, we’ll explore what a DBMS is, how it works, and why it’s essential for creating a seamless user experience.

Any computer issue you have can be extremely frustrating, but when something happens you should know you’re not alone. There are a few things that anyone that uses a computer has dealt with. This month, we take a look at three extremely common technical problems people deal with and what to do about them.

Operating systems are the backbone of any computer or device. Whether it’s your phone, a tablet, or a computer, the operating system controls how the device works, allowing you to run apps, browse the web, and complete tasks. For businesses, having up-to-date operating systems is especially important. Let's look at why this is critical and what can happen if businesses don’t keep up!

Your computer has a brain, of sorts, in its CPU… a tiny square that literally enables everything the device does, as it processes billions of instructions at a time. Of course, to support this on such a relatively tiny piece of hardware, most CPUs are packed with microscopic transistors—these transistors being small enough to fit hundreds on a single blood cell.

As you might imagine, this means things can go wrong pretty easily… and gone wrong, things have. Many newer computers are suffering from a bug that could cause permanent damage to the CPU… and if you don’t take steps fast, it could be too late.

Software fuels most businesses nowadays, even the small shops down the street. Depending on the size and scope of the business, however, managing software can be complex and downright unfun. Today, we want to highlight a type of tool that your business can find great value in: a software management solution.

With little fanfare, the AI Wars have begun. When we say “war” we mean just that: a battle for the survival of tools designed to improve human productivity. To start we should rewind a little. Most new software platforms (and many, many established ones) have started to use “artificial intelligence” to improve their products, or at least improve the prospect of selling them. In this week’s blog we will discuss the increased prevalence of “AI” and how some of the largest names in computing have gone all in on the technology.