Hope This Helps - A Tech Podcast

By: Hope This Helps
  • Summary

  • Tiff and Steve’s magical sysadmin adventures. You can expect fun banter about “the cloud,” Microsoft tech (Office 365, Azure, Defender, Exchange, etc), InfoSec, PowerShell, Docker, Zune (yes, Zune), existential thoughts on enterprise IT, and so much more.
    Hope This Helps
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Episodes
  • HTH0043: Microsoft Viva Las Vegas
    Jul 1 2023

    The STiffs return to podcasting after a very long week. The cloud has changed, Loop still isn't a thing, Viva and Entra are around, and Linux Mint vs Windows 11!


    Extended show notes available at https://hthpc.com


    Boot-up (AKA, "LAST WEEK, ON HOPE THIS HELPS")

    • It would be fun to do a "since we've been gone" run through of a high level overview of all of the things in tech that have happened…
    • Some things have changed, while others have stayed the same
    • Microsoft Teams External Access Flaw Poses a Malware Risk
    • Phishing emails
    • Red Hat in the hot seat
    • Jeff Geerling: I'm done with Red Hat (Enterprise Linux)
    • A Comprehensive Analysis of the GPL Issues With the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Business Model
    • Loop (or: Loop: A Fiasco)
    • Loop vs OneNote vs Notion vs Whiteboard vs Miro
    • A Referendum on the Cloud in 2023
    • Correction: Multi-cloud talk was in HTH0041, not HTH0042.
    • It used to be all cloud, then it was hybrid, then it was multi-cloud, now we're going back to on-premise?
    • Hey: We're Leaving The Cloud
    • Annoying Teams thing of the week: "You'll need to shorten your message to send it"
    • I was pasting an Excel table, two columns, 53 cells
    • Yet you can post huge chunks of code far longer than that?
    • Microsoft Viva Las Vegas
    • Tiff is saving an Entra story for next time…
    • Stuff Tiff pasted into the HTH0042 show notes but we never got to discussing:
    • Create a profile container with Azure Files and Azure Active Directory
    • SharePoint Framework Client-Side Web Part Samples

    Windows 11

    • Thoughts on Windows 11
    • Zune Software in Windows 11
    • Linux Mint
    • What the heck is up with the TPM requirements?
    • Skip_TPM_Check_on_Dynamic_Update.cmd
    • Feature updates called “moments”

    Co-Pilots

    • Windows Co-Pilot, GitHub Co-Pilot, etc.
    • GitHub Co-Pilot's tendencies to suggest other people's code without credit or licensing
    • Remember Cortana?

    The end of Windows?

    • Windows 11 Cloud

    The Year(s) of Linux

    • In January 2022, Steve moved to Linux on his main desktop - Linux Mint
    • So far, nearly every app, feature, and core experience made the jump without much fuss
    • Linux Mint is very Windows-like
    • OneNote on the web just isn't there yet. I have a VM to run the Windows version (it doesn't work in Wine)
    • Mini-state of the Zunion: It’s capable of browsing files on a connected Zune device, USB passthru to VirtualBox works
    • Teams on Linux needs work
    • Asks for a login every time
    • Input/output sound devices get confused during calls - unusable
    • Just use teams.microsoft.com in a browser
    • Steam/Proton is fantastic for gaming
    • Should you do it?
    • If you're willing to put up with learning fast and researching community fixes
    • Most Microsoft-based stuff will work on Linux, with the exception of OneNote which is stuck being web-based (or use a VM)

    Outro - "Plus Delta"

    • We help you, you help us: Rate us on iTunes
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    36 mins
  • HTH0042: You had me at Graph, You lost me at API
    Dec 13 2021

    Error messages, meeting etiquette, MFA improvements and concerns, PowerShell with MS Graph, PowerShell Crescendo, random PowerShell things, in a short-but-packed episode!

    Extended show notes available at https://hthpc.com

    =====Boot-up=====

    BSoDs and error messages

    Phrases I don't wanna hear anymore: "Thank you for your time."

    Microsoft Teams - Send praise to people

    Better meeting etiquette

    The stigma against accepting a meeting as "tentative"

    Accepting and not sending a response

    Shower thought: There should be a "Mute Mic AND Turn Webcam Off" button in Teams

    Parasocial relationships

    Real-time followup: There's a PowerToy for it! Go check it out.

    Microsoft Authenticator improvements

    Suspected Russian Activity Targeting Government and Business Entities Around the Globe



    =====PowerShell Drunk Jawer (it's like a Junk Drawer shut up)=====

    Microsoft Graph PowerShell got way easier + Azure AD Temporary Access Pass

    Tiff asks: Why are Enterprise Apps and App Registrations in two different places?

    Azure AD security attributes

    Microsoft Graph API: The dangerous line between script writer and developer. It's a high barrier of entry to a non-developer.

    Graph PowerShell Module

    The Ups and Downs of Connecting to the Microsoft Graph Using the PowerShell SDK

    Installing modules in PowerShell 7 vs Windows PowerShell (admin level vs user)

    PowerShell Crescendo Release Candidate - But why JSON? What's wrong with advanced functions?

    PowerShellGet 3.0 Preview 12 - More useful for developers developers developers?

    Global variables in PowerShell 7 are funky if you use -UseWindowsPowerShell with import-module

    Make test accounts with this one simple trick! 1..300|%{$_}

    Correction: This technically isn't an array

    Range Operators in PowerShell

    Always make your functions return psobjects containing data. It's better for you, the environment, and your pets.


    =====“Unplanned Outage” (Sponsor section - “Hope this Helps is helped by…‘)=====

    The rewind button. Be sure to rewind this podcast when done listening so the next person doesn't have to



    =====Outro - "Plus Delta"=====

    Montero (Call Me by Your Name)

    We help you, you help us: Rate us on iTunes

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    46 mins
  • HTH0041: This is Commander Bezos' Land
    Nov 5 2021

    Microsoft Ignite 2021 hot takes! Multi-Cloud MultiBall, Loop, Teams, Viva, PowerShell install variations, and Zune on macOS!

    Extended show notes available at https://hthpc.com


    ===Boot-up===

    We help this hopes


    ===Microsoft Ignite 21H2===

    Defender madness - so many confusing name changes!

    Multi-Cloud MultiBall

    "Now, native support for multicloud environments is available through the extension of Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) and Cloud Workload Protection capabilities to Amazon Web Services (AWS)."…Do other clouds actually want Microsoft to butt in?

    Actual quote from someone (Mary Jo Foley?) at Microsoft: "It's like a Big Mac: Have it Your Way"

    Tiff's experience working at Wendy's

    LOOP THERE IT IS

    Does it replace OneNote?? (No)

    Does it replace Whiteboard? (Maybe?)

    Clarification: Loop is an Office app.

    The feature imparity between Windows and Mac versions of certain Office apps

    MS Roadmap updated and has moved MS Teams connect to March 2022, I just want shared channels.

    Speed/ease of use - When people choose illogical/unexpected solutions

    Remember Viva?

    PowerShell's store version versus the standalone MSI version

    Frustrating differences between them

    VS Code integration for Store version is off

    Running as a different user can get hairy

    Just install the MSI version, the Store version is annoying

    Installing PowerShell on macOS via HomeBrew is fantastic


    ===This is the way===

    Microsoft presents for a long time about why passwords suck

    Types of Passwordless auth

    Unlock your Mac with your Apple Watch

    iOS Security Guide - Page 8 - Passcode supersedes biometrics at first boot

    Are passwords and policies truly worthless?

    Counterpoint: They have their place in the correct use cases.


    ===State of the Zunion===

    Steve's attempts to get Zune working on macOS Big Sur

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    1 hr and 5 mins

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