Realtime Windows Server's Help an Admin Out! Contest

Realtime Windows Server’s “Help an Admin Out!” Contest

About the Contest:

If you've been a regular visitor to the community you might have noticed that we've had only a few comments from people who have opinions about what's going on in the world of Windows Server. So, rather than inundate you with a series of, "Come on, people! Let's comment!" I've been working with a few great people who have graciously donated some prizes to help implore you to join in on the interaction.

Here’s how it works:

Every two weeks, from Sunday at midnight through Saturday at 11:59p two weeks later, we’ll be keeping tabs on every comment made on any blog entry during that period. To help spur these comments, there will be two opinion questions asked per two-week period. Each individual person, as identified by their email address, will get one entry into that period’s contest for each comment they submit (up to 10 entries per email address per period). At the end of the period, we’ll pick an email address at random from the entries and declare the winner.

So, the more you comment, the better your chances to win! Click on the links below to jump to the most current contest question:

Contest #1 (closed - winner announced below)

First Week Question (1): What Windows Server product do you rely on most?
Second Week Question (2): What is the IT gadget you absolutely can’t live without and why?

Contest #2 (closed - winner announced below)

First Week Question (3): What part of your IT job keeps you up at night the most?
Second Week Question (4): What systems management product (like SMS, Altiris, Enteo, Kaseya, etc.) do you currently use and what do you like best about it?

Contest #3 (closed - winner announced below)

First Week Question (5): What Windows Server topic interests you the most that you’d like to see more coverage in our Community?
Second Week Question (6): What is the most annoying feature of Windows Server that makes you want to throw it out the window some days?

Contest #4 (closed - winner announced below)

First Week Question (7): If there was one software company you wish would sponsor a Realtime e-book, which one would it be?
Second Week Question (8): Would you attend a class on Server 2008? If yes, then would you prefer a 1-day, 2-day, or a 3-day class? What would you want it to cover?

Contest #5 (closed - winner announced below)

First Week Question (9): If you could implement a security product today to protect your network, which would it be? If none exists, what security product do you wish did?
Second Week Question (10): How many servers, workstations, and network devices make up your network? What percentage are Windows-based devices?

Contest #6 (closed - winner announced below)

First Week Question (11): What part of Server 2008 excites you the most?
Second Week Question (12): What is your timeframe for implementing Server 2008?

Contest #7

First Week Question (13): Which media form do you prefer to receive IT tips and tricks? Blog posts? Email newsletters? On-line web site forums? Snail mail? Other forms of media?
Second Week Question (14): Does your company make use of mobile devices? If so, what kind of devices? Are they centrally managed?

Contest #8

First Week Question (15): Do you have formalized IT change control processes in your organization? If so, what do you like or dislike about them? If not, do you think they would be valuable to implement?

Your next obvious question should be, "OK, what can I win?"

One free copy of VBSEdit - a great VBScript editing tool compliments of the guys over at www.vbsedit.com. We will be giving away five licenses of VBSEdit.

One free copy of Peter Bruzzese's new book, Tricks of the Vista Masters

One free copy of Don Jones' new book Windows PowerShell: TFM

(Thanks to both Don and Peter for the donation!)

One free copy of SAPIEN PrimalScript 2007 - this great tool comes compliments of SAPIEN.

And the Winners are:

Contest #1: Stuart

Contest #2: Doug Geary

Contest #3: John Trier

Contest #4: Mike Cowley

Contest #5: Dmitry

Contest #6: Justin Lofton

Contest #7:

Contest #8:

Some disclaimers: Comments are not automatically posted to the site, but must first be approved by Realtime Publishers. This is due to the large quantity of comment spam that we receive on a daily basis. We will put forth a good-faith effort to adjudicate all comments within a reasonable amount of time, but please be cognizant that we’re only human with wives and kids and dogs. Realtime Publishers retains the sole and inviolable right to accept or reject any submitted comments. Only accepted comments count towards contest entry. One prize will be awarded per period for eight periods. Each period will start at 12:00a on Sunday and end at 11:59p on the second Saturday following.