=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=Vol-2543/rpaper17
|storemode=property
|title=Configuring the Information Environment of Microcomputers with the Microsoft Windows 10 Operating System
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2543/rpaper17.pdf
|volume=Vol-2543
|authors=Felix Kasparinsky
|dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/ssi/Kasparinsky19a
}}
==Configuring the Information Environment of Microcomputers with the Microsoft Windows 10 Operating System==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2543/rpaper17.pdf
Configuring the Information Environment
of Microcomputers with the Microsoft Windows 10
Operating System
Felix Kasparinsky[0000-0002-1048-9212]
MASTER-MULTIMEDIA Ltd, Entuziastov Shosse 98-3-274, Moscow 111531, Russia
felix@kasparinsky.pro
Abstract. Since 2015, microcomputers have appeared in the information envi-
ronment, which are a compact system unit with minimal functionality without
peripherals. The article published the results of the analysis of the use of 6 dif-
ferent microcomputers in various fields of activity. The purpose of the study is
to determine the limiting factors affecting the efficiency of the targeted use of
microcomputers. It has been established that for scientific and educational
presentations, office and trading activities, it is cur-rently advisable to use fan-
less microcomputers with a perforated case and an internal WiFi antenna, at
least 4 GB of operational and 64 GB of permanent memory, and a microSD
(TF) memory card slot, at least 128 GB, NTFS file system), Intel HD Graphics,
USB3.0 and HDMI interfaces. Based on comparative experiments, methodolog-
ical recommendations were created on optimizing the configuration of the
hardware-software environment of microcomputers in stationary and mobile
conditions. The problems of major updates to Windows 10, as well as the com-
patibility of Microsoft Store software and third-party manufacturers, are ana-
lyzed. It is recommended to specialize individual microcomputers for working
with 32-bit applications; accounting and cryptographic programs; as well as
conducting presentations with their video. Options for optimal configuration of
the Start menu of the Windows 10 desktop are suggested. It is concluded that
specialization in the hardware-software configuration of modern microcomput-
ers allows you to increase the efficiency of using single de-vices and their
paired systems in accordance with BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).
Keywords: Microcomputer, MicroPC, Windows 10, Configuration, Science,
Education, Business, Trading, BYOD, Specialization.
1 Introduction
1.1 Microcomputers
Microcomputers are one of the classes of information processing devices that have
been actively evolving since 2015. Unlike other mobile devices (laptops, netbooks,
ultrabooks and smartphones), microcomputers, like stationary desktops, easily spe-
cialize by varying peripherals and software. Currently, there are microcomputers with
Copyright © 2020 for this paper by its authors.
Use permitted under Creative Commons License Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
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operating systems Windows 10, Android and Linux. As a rule, BIOS tinctures provide
for the selection of the priority operating system used. Analysis of use cases showed
that the widest range of applications is provided by the Windows 10 operating system,
and devices on the above platform were chosen for experiments on the specialization
of microcomputers for different applications.
Since its release on July 29, 2015, the Windows 10 operating system [1] has been
in the phase of active adaptation to polymorphic user devices (servers, desktops, lap-
tops, ultrabooks, netbooks, mini-computers, microcomputers (microPC), mobile
phones and other wearable personal devices) in accordance with the BYOD paradigm
[2]. This is evidenced by the adaptation of all elements of the Windows 10 interface
to use on mobile devices, the introduction of a system for monitoring and saving en-
ergy consumption by hardware and software components, the comprehensive use of
telemetry to monitor the operation of components in order to fix system defects, and
cloning their software products into the spaces of other operating environments (Ap-
ple and Android devices).
1.2 Microcomputers Specialization
Currently, the development of miniature computers for various fields of application is
in the phase of an active experiment, when updated device models appear in small
batches and include the official Windows 10 license. During the first half of 2019,
two microPC models became unavailable (BBen [3], MeLE [4]) and one new one
appeared (ACEPC [5]). The first smartphones with full Windows 10, oriented to use
in professional activities, are already available [6].
The cost of a microPC is comparable to the purchase price of Windows 10 Home
OS [1] for installation on any computer without an operating system. The current
pricing policy for the distribution of Windows 10 with innovative devices ($ 5) allows
initiative researchers to actively experiment with the use of computer innovations in
various fields, bringing the moment of the official release of smartphones with full
Windows 10, intended for a wide range of users.
For the MASTER-MULTIMEDIA project, it turned out to be relevant to conduct
an experiment to replace the traditionally used office and personal computing equip-
ment (desktops, laptops and ultrabooks) with microcomputers, which are a personal
computer system unit in a case the size of a pair of matchboxes. This interest was due
to historical practice. Over the past 10 years, all laptops have been used exclusively as
computer system units, and the interface peripherals (monitors, keyboards, mice,
graphic tablets, webcams, microphones, speakers) were in common use and connected
to each of the devices as needed. Thus, all the components of the input-output inter-
faces of laptops, except for the components of the system unit, turned out to be practi-
cally unclaimed.
The choice of microPCs for experiments on the modernization of the information
environment of the MASTER-MULTIMEDIA project was due to their mobility ac-
cording to the BYOD standard [2], in contrast to mini-computers the size of an A5
format book [7]. Some microPC models are positioned as entertainment Internet me-
dia players for home theaters [8], others are recommended for office, public (online
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help systems), as well as special applications (monitoring security systems) [4], and
some models are supposed to be used in scientific and educational activities when
giving lectures and reports [3, 5]. The purpose of this study was to determine the min-
imum hardware and software configuration of modern microPCs for use in scientific,
educational, office and trader spheres of activity.
2 Hardware Configuration of Microcomputers Used
in Experiments to Specialize Their Applications
The experiments on configuring the information environment were carried out with 6
microPCs of 4 models, which differed in the basic hardware configuration (see Table
1): central processor (Intel CPU), RAM size (RAM LPDDR3) and permanent
memory (eMMC); type of cooling (active / passive); the presence of a CMOS battery,
an external antenna (Ext WiFi), connectors for connecting an Internet cable (LAN
Rj45) and audio peripherals (Audio jack 3.5 mm). It should be noted that in devices
without a CMOS battery, it is necessary to immediately correct the system date and
time immediately after switching on to avoid data synchronization conflicts with
cloud storages that are connected at the final stages of loading the computer's operat-
ing system.
Table 1. Microcomputer hardware specifications.
Name Manufacturer CPU RAM, eMMC, CMOS Ext. LAN Audio
GB GB WiFi Rj45 jack
FOKWSR08 Rombica [8] Z3735 2 32 No Yes No No
FOKWSB09 BBen [3] Z8350 4 64 Yes No No No
FOKWSM10 MeLE [4] N3450 4 32 Yes Yes Yes Yes
FOKWSA11 ACEPC [5] Z8350 4 64 Yes No No No
FOKWSA12 ACEPC [5] Z8350 4 64 Yes No No No
FOKWSA13 ACEPC [5] Z8350 4 64 Yes No No No
2.1 Operational, Permanent and Expandable Memory of Microcomputers
Currently, the minimum size of microPC RAM is 2 GB. The experiments showed that
2 GB of RAM is not enough for comfortable operation: Rombica model [8] was dis-
tinguished by delays in invoking the Start menu, slowing down while simultaneously
opening more than half a dozen browser windows with pages of Internet sites and
displaying recommendations to increase the size of RAM to 3 GB when working with
1C-Enterprise databases. A microPC with 2GB of RAM copes with the single-task
playback of content (broadcasting Internet TV, playing media files, PowerPoint slide
shows, process monitoring). All other microPCs with 4 GB of memory functioned
with sufficient speed when working in a multitasking scientific, educational and busi-
ness information environment (multi-window opening of several browsers, associa-
tive maps, spreadsheets and word processors, accounting databases with cryptograph-
ic providers). At the moment, there are microPC models with 6GB of RAM [9] and
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they can be recommended for working with resource-intensive programs for multi-
track video editing. The cost of RAM at the beginning of 2019 was about $ 25 / GB.
In 2019, microPC models with 32 GB data storage devices began to give way to
devices with 64 GB of permanent memory due to lack of space for regular procedures
for updating the Windows 10 operating system, requiring at least 15 GB of free space,
while the basic set of operating system modules and the minimum software can be
about 25 GB. The cost of permanent memory for microPC (eMMC) at the beginning
of 2019 was about $ 2.5 / GB.
All tested microPC models had one slot for microSD memory cards (TF with a
maximum capacity of 128 GB), into which separately purchased microSD cards were
inserted. At the time of writing, the best microSD cards for use in microcomputers
were Kingston Canvas React microSDXC 128Gb UHS-I U3 V30 A1 + ADP (100/80
Mb / s), allowing real-time 4K video recording.
Experiments have shown that the connection between a microPK and a memory
card may be lost due to malfunctions of the operating system and exposure to strong
electromagnetic fields. The reliability of the microSD card depends on the specific
microPC model (there are frequent failures with MeLE device FOKWSM10 and rare
failures with other experimental microPCs). To restore the operation of microSD
cards, turning off, de-energizing and turning on the microPC is enough. In addition to
saving space in the main drive, organizing the storage of programs and user files on
the removable microSD-card makes it easy to use them in emergency situations of
damage to the unrecoverable main drive.
2.2 Graphic Subsystem of Microcomputers
All tested microPC models had graphic coprocessors with declared support for 4K
resolution ULTRA HD 60 fps: Intel Gen8 HD Graphics (BBen [3]) Intel HD Graphics
400 GPU (ACEPC [5]) Intel HD Graphics 500 GPU (Rombica [8] and MeLE [4]). In
practice, it turned out that all microPC models except BBen [3] reproduced Internet
video and on-air broadcasting with HD resolution without problems.
The output of micro-PC audio-visual signals is carried out via the HDMI interface,
the stability of which may depend on the high quality of the cables and adapters used.
If there is an appropriate HDMI connector in the monitor, the microPC can be con-
nected directly to it using the bundled extension cable (BBen [3] and ACEPC [5]) or
an adapter for the HDMI cable (Rombica [8], MeLE [4]) Experience has shown that
the Rombica device [8] was successfully connected to any monitors through a variety
of cables and adapters (HDMI, DP, DVI. VGA); to connect other devices, high-
quality switching was required, and BBen [3] and ACEPC [ 5] turned out to be in-
compatible with VGA monitors. When organizing the connection of monitors to mi-
crocomputers using an HDMI-DP converter, it should be borne in mind that signals
are transmitted in only one direction, and for better compatibility, choose a device
with active storage of EDIO information on the converter and the ability to transfer
uncompressed two-channel LDPCM audio via HDMI and support for graphics resolu-
tions up to 3840x2160 P / 30 Hz.
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2.3 Communication Interfaces of Microcomputers
For network data exchange, microPCs are equipped with dual-band WiFi modules
(802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz) with an internal (BBen [3], ACEPC [5])
or external antenna (MeLE [4] , Rombica [8], Azulle [9]), and the MeLE [4] and Az-
ulle [9] models are complemented by the Rj45 Gigabit LAN connector. The experi-
ments showed that antenna localization does not affect the WiFi data transfer rate (of
the order of 20 Mbit / s for input and output), but mounting an external antenna can
break off without disrupting useful functionality after 2 months of operation, requir-
ing a change in the position of the antenna to access the USB port below it (Rombica
[8]).
All microPCs had a Bluetooth 4.0 wireless module, which was often turned off by
the system to save power, which made it impossible to use tested mice (SONY VGP-
BMS15, Logitech MX Master, Logitech MX Master 2S, Logitech MX Anywhere 2S)
and keyboards (SONY VGP-BKB1, Logitech K375s, Logitech K480, Logitech K810)
with Bluetooth interface due to reaction delays and loss of communication. Changing
the Bluetooth settings in the BIOS did not help fix this problem. Connecting Blue-
tooth dongles via USB ports was also ineffective due to system locks. At the moment,
the problem with connecting the Bluetooth peripherals to microcomputers remains
unresolved.
A reliable peripheral connection for all tested microPCs was provided by 2 USB
connectors (the Rombica device [8] was equipped with USB 2.0 and microUSB 2.0
connectors, while the rest had one USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 connector). Obviously, to
transfer large amounts of data it is efficient to use models that can use the USB 3.0
protocol. One can activate or deactivate the USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 protocols for each
port in the BIOS settings.
2.4 Power Supply and Cooling of Microcomputers
Power supply of all microcomputers was carried out through a specialized microUSB
connector (5V / 3A), which was very demanding on the high quality of the switched
cable. During the operation, all the power supplies from the microPC supply set had
to be replaced by higher-quality network devices (Rock T14 Travel Charger
3xUSB3A), each of which provided simultaneous power to one microPC and a pe-
ripheral USB splitter connected to it (see section 2.5) If it is necessary to get rid of
acoustic noise during the work with sound (recording from a microphone, playing), it
is recommended to power the sound equipment (receivers, transmitters, sound cards,
mixers, amplifiers and acoustic systems) from power supplies that are not electrically
connected with microcomputers.
The BBen model [3] was distinguished by the presence of active cooling (Internal
Intel Mute fan), the launch problems of which prevented the use of this device in the
frequent on-off mode. Keep in mind that the sound of a fan-cooled computer cooling
system interferes with the performance of work related to sound recording. For this
reason, it is advisable to choose fanless microcomputers to work in sound recording
studios. It was found that the fanless Rombica device [8] with the smallest size of the
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closed case overheats in multitasking mode with the subsequent shutdown of the op-
erating system. The largest MeLE device [4] with a closed case during multi-tasking
heats up significantly, but functions smoothly, and the BBen [3] and ACEPC [5]
models with perforated cases heat up weakly and function stably in all modes.
Thus, for scientific, educational, business and entertainment purposes, we recom-
mend using fanless microcomputers with a perforated case and an internal WiFi an-
tenna, at least 4 GB of operational and 64 GB of permanent memory, a Micro SD
memory card slot (TF, not less 128 GB), Intel HD Graphics, USB3.0 and HDMI.
Since each interface module (Rj45, Audio, Card Readers, etc.) is a source of addition-
al heating, it is advisable to minimize the microPC hardware functionality and to spe-
cialize the properties of the information environment with connected peripherals. To
prevent the occurrence of acoustic noise, it is recommended to organize power supply
to the microcomputer and its associated speaker systems through different power
supplies.
In the field, microcomputers and connected peripheral devices (USB splitters and
storages, audio devices, screens, etc.) can receive power from batteries (power banks)
with USB outputs (5V / 2-3A) and a capacity of at least 10000 mAh. In stationary
conditions, the power supply of microPCs and peripherals from USB energy banks,
permanently connected to the electric network, can be considered as an alternative to
uninterrupted power supplies. Compact power banks are currently available, provid-
ing simultaneous power to 3-4 devices. When organizing long-term work in stationary
conditions using energy banks as uninterrupted power sources, preference should be
given to models that allow their own charging during the power supply of connected
devices.
2.5 Microcomputer Peripherals
In accordance with the BYOD standards [2], microPCs can be connected via the
HDMI connector not only to computer monitors, but also to TVs, displays with touch
interfaces, etc. For sound monitoring, it is convenient to use the built-in speakers of
graphic monitors that receive a signal via HDMI or Display Port (DP) using a special
converter [12]. The sound output to high-quality acoustic systems is advisable to be
carried out by means of an external USB sound card connected to the microPC [13].
When choosing touch screens for working with microPCs in the field, it is advisa-
ble to give preference to models (Kenowa, etc.) that receive power from the microPC
via USB port simultaneously with the exchange of multi-point positioning data (sup-
port for a 10-finger input method of information) and 1024 gradations of pressure.
Experience has shown that for the stable operation of such a monitor with a micro-
computer, a single power supply is sufficient.
In the absence of a touch screen, cursor positioning and text entry are carried out
using computer mice and keyboards. As a result of experiments with connecting wire-
less mice and keyboards to microPCs, it was found that in polymorphic information
environments with a different electromagnetic background, Logitech devices with the
Unifying receiver connected via USB are most stable. For an information environ-
ment of 2–3 microcomputers, it is advisable to use mouse and keyboard models with
191
support for Logitech Flow technology, as a result of which computers equipped with
Unifying receivers are controlled by a single set of mouse and keyboard without the
use of hardware buttons for switching focus (see section 9).
To control microPC during lecture and presentation activities, it is recommended to
use a special miniature keyboard with its own USB receiver, touch panel, as well as
ergonomic homologue buttons of the left and right mouse buttons [10].
In conditions of intensive multi-tasking, the operation of the receivers may be dis-
rupted due to overheating, as a result of which it is advisable to connect USB-
receivers through USB-extension cords or splitters (hub’s). Experiments have shown
that it is most efficient to use USB 3.0 splitters with additional connectors for con-
necting a gigabit LAN (Rj45) and external power supply [11]. If necessary, data stor-
age devices, graphic tablets, webcams, microphones, USB hardware dongles, carriers
of qualified electronic signatures, etc. can be connected to the microPC through such
a USB splitter. For high-speed data exchange (up to 1 Gb / s) between External media
SSD drives with an NVMe interface that can be connected using USB 3.0 can be used
efficiently with media devices.
3 Windows 10 Operating System and Problems of Updating
it in Microcomputers
When one turns on the computer for the first time with a licensed Windows 10 operat-
ing system, the license is activated with its binding to the email address of the Mi-
crosoft user account and phone; selection of telemetry parameters of the system; for-
mation in the c: \ Users \ folder of the user's personal directory (automatically named
in accordance with the first five letters of the user's registration email address), as well
as connecting the OneDrive cloud storage (starting from build 1809) to the folder of
the same name inside the user directory. To save space in microPC drives with 32 GB
of RAM, it is recommended to turn off advanced telemetry at the stage of basic sys-
tem installation. It should be emphasized that the policy of using Windows 10 makes
updating the system inevitable and can be turned off for a period of not more than a
month, after which it is carried out forcibly. Major Windows 10 updates are released
twice a year (in March and September). It should be borne in mind that updating of
local Enterprise versions of the Windows 10 operating system may occur with an
annual lag phase.
Experience has shown that after installing Windows 10 with assemblies from 1507
(Rombica [8]) to 1803 (BBen [3]), the installation procedure for all updates takes a
long time (up to 2 days), requires operator control and free space of about 15 GB of
permanent memory. For microPCs with 32GB of permanent memory, large updates
cause the need to connect an external USB-drive and leave 2-6 GB of free space at the
end, which is critically small for the stable operation of the system. Switching to
Windows 10 build 1903 under such conditions was not possible (Rombica [8] and
MeLE [4] devices) even when an external USB hard drive was connected. Releasing
8 GB on drive C: allows one to proceed to build 1903, after which the problems with
Windows 10 updates stop: starting with build 1909 (September 2019), large updates
192
are carried out successfully even on devices with 6 GB of free space on the system
drive.
An indication of the need for major updates is the User License Agreement, dated
2015-2017. It was found that it is advisable not to upgrade computers with outdated
Windows 10 assemblies, and immediately after the first login to the system, subject it
to the recovery procedure from the section (Settings / Update and security / Recovery
/ Restore the computer to its original state). Experience has shown that as a result of a
process called in this way, the last Windows 10 assembly is installed in the device in a
minimum amount of time, bypassing intermediate updates, which saves about 10 GB
of permanent memory space. The system recovery procedure is impossible on sys-
tems in which, after installing the software environment and downloading user data,
less than 8 GB of free space is left (MeLE [4]).
It was noticed that the background image of the lock screen is replaced with a new
one during system updates, and after failures and component recovery, it returns to
the old version. This feature can be used as an indicator of the previous state of the
system when it boots. One should avoid conditions that interrupt the operation of the
microPC (power failure, freezing in multitasking mode, etc.) during a lengthy proce-
dure for cleaning previous installations and unnecessary Windows 10 update files. As
a result of abnormal completion of the cleaning procedure, the memory space is re-
moved from the further turn.
4 Microsoft Store Software Applications
In the basic configuration options for microcomputers, the Windows 10 operating
system is delivered in a request state to automatically install a set of 30-40 software
applications from the Microsoft Store online store, which begins after the first login.
After the installation is completed (about 1 GB of space in permanent memory), these
applications are updated automatically, which causes an increase in the consumption
of the space they occupy. Many of these applications are shareware and are used
based on regular subscriptions. The set of shareware applications of the Microsoft
Store depends on the manufacturer of the microcomputer. Enterprise versions of the
operating system may ship without the Microsoft Store application.
From the basic set of free applications, we recommend paying attention to Mi-
crosoft Edge (browser); Microsoft OneDrive (cloud storage, the size of which de-
pends on the user subscription); OneNote and Sticky Notes (services for creating
multimedia and text notes synchronized on all user devices, respectively); as well as a
set of programs inherited from Windows 10 Mobile (Alarms and clocks, Voice re-
cording, Calculator, Camera, Maps, Cinema and TV, People, Groove music, Weather,
Mail and Calendar, Skype, and Photos). The databases of some of the listed applica-
tions (OneDrive, People, Mail and Calendar, Photos) increase as they are used, which
must be taken into account when configuring the microPC information environment
with a limited amount of read-only memory. In emergency cases, the Photos applica-
tion database and OneDrive backup database can be deleted with the release of sever-
193
al GB of space (photos in user folders are saved and the databases will subsequently
be automatically restored).
The set of Microsoft Store applications installed in the system should be varied in
accordance with the specifics of user work and the use of a computer in a distributed
information environment (see section 9). The basic set for the creation of a unified
information environment for the microPC of the Infocontinuum of the MASTER-
MULTIMEDIA project includes four dozen Microsoft Store applications, including
the “Microsoft ToDo: List, Task and Reminders Task Manager”, “Snip & Sketch”,
“Microsoft Whiteboard”, and graphic application “Microsoft Office Lens”. The latest
HEVC video codecs required for playing and editing audio-visual recordings made on
modern smartphones are purchased separately ($ 0.99). After installing the codec
using the free Video Convertor (V3TApps) application, one can convert the new au-
dio-visual recordings to a format compatible with most software video editors.
5 Third Party Software Applications
The functionality of the information environment of microcomputers can be enhanced
by installing third-party software applications that can conflict with each other, pro-
voke malfunctions of the operating system or help to overcome them. For example,
the installation of a workable vector graphics editor CorelDraw 13 forbidden by the
Windows 10 operating system in forced administrative mode is possible, but the result
is an irreversible failure of the functioning of all Microsoft Store applications and the
Start menu. In an information environment with such defects, Internet access is possi-
ble using the classic Internet Explorer application or through browsers of third-party
software vendors, among which Google Chrome has the highest performance / re-
source ratio.
Since 1993, Total Commander [14], formerly known as Windows Commander, has
been used as a multifunctional file manager in the information space of the MASTER-
MULTIMEDIA project. Five years of experience in use allows us to recommend the
Safe-in-Cloud program [15] as a reliable and utility password manager for all devices
in the information environment. To ensure the information security of the system, it is
recommended to replace the standard Windows Defender with the Norton Internet
Security antivirus complex [16], which is characterized by low resource capacity and
effective speed, and also does not cause malfunctions in the databases of 1C-
Enterprise platform programs (violation of consolidation new data with old). It should
be noted that the standard 1C database archiving mechanism does not work reliably
and archives created by it should be checked for readability, and the databases recov-
ered from them should be tested for data integrity in the configurator mode. It is noted
that cryptographic providers and modules for working with qualified electronic signa-
tures that integrate not only in specialized applications, but also in browsers, reserve
system resources and slow down the operation of third-party applications. Telemetry
modules that collect information about failures of the software and hardware func-
tionality (Logitech Options, etc.) can also slow down the operation of microcomputers
with limited resources.
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6 Configuring the Windows 10 Start Menu
In Windows 10, the Start menu was updated, which appeared back in Windows 95. In
addition to the buttons for accessing the User Account, Explorer, System Settings and
the Alphabetical Application Menu, so-called “tiles” were also included in the Start
menu – potentially multi-format interactive animated elements for calling selected
applications of the Metro interface [17]. Initially, the tiles were grouped into two
blocks: "Events and Communication" and "Entertainment and Rest".
The Metro interface turned out to be extremely effective in the Windows Phone
Mobile OS developed for smartphones, but it is not much needed in the information
environment of desktop computers and laptops. Options for configuring the Start
menu that are offered in Windows 10 builds for the 2018-2019 release include the
“Create”, “Play”, and “Explore” blocks. In distribution assemblies of Windows 10,
starting from 1903 (May 2019), the Start menu was reduced from a two-column ver-
sion to a one-column one, and for updated configurations, the blocks of the second
column are automatically moved to the lower region of the first column when chang-
ing orientation of the screen from landscape to portrait. Given the emerging conver-
gence of the information environments of mobile devices and other computers, it is
advisable to configure the Start menu in a unified style for all computers in the com-
mon information space and fill it in accordance with the specifics of each device (see
section 9). For example, in the Infocontinuum of the MASTER-MULTIMEDIA pro-
ject, all devices have common Start menu tiles: Organize, Play, Explore. Depending
on the purpose of the computer, the Start menu is supplemented by specialized
blocks: “Create”, “Finance”, “Use”. The properties of blocks and tiles, as well as their
mutual arrangement, are configured by the user in accordance with their preferences
and the specifics of frequent actions, including changing the orientation of the con-
nected screen. Practical experience shows the advisability of including the display
mode of the "Frequently used applications" section in the Start menu settings.
7 Optimization of the Use of Long-Term Memory
of Microcomputers
Control over the use of long-term memory in Windows 10 is carried out in a special
section (Settings / System / Device memory), where the information on the use of
local storages and media connected to the device (SD-cards, disk spaces, etc.) is con-
centrated), and also there are adjustments to the memory monitoring functional and its
automatic release. To save scarce space on the main memory storage, it is advisable to
change the location for saving new content (applications, documents, music, photos
and videos, films and TV shows, offline maps). To do this, it is practical to connect to
the device a reliable, capacious and fast microSD-card (see section 2.1), previously
formatted in NTFS format, and immediately after the first login to indicate this card
as a new storage location. As a result, all Microsoft Store applications loaded at the
request of the installation script will not occupy space in the main storage, and the
user directory will be moved from the c: \ Users \ folder to the root of the microSD
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card. Theoretically, the Windows operating system has the usual mechanism for trans-
lating applications between different carriers for smartphones, but to use it, you need
to stop the portable application, which in some cases is impossible.
In Windows 10, starting with build 1809, OneDrive cloud storage is associated
with a user account in a state of accessibility of all files on demand, which allows you
to connect data volumes exceeding its capacity to a local drive. For example, in a
multi-user computer configuration (see section 12), up to 6 cloud storages with a total
capacity of 6 TB can be connected to its 32 GB drive. Prior to requesting access to
OneDrive storage files, only database data that control the synchronization state are
stored on the computer. The size of the local database is about 1 GB / 1 TB of data in
the cloud. After downloading files from the cloud and their modifications, the updated
versions automatically replace the predecessors in the cloud and are deleted from the
local medium in accordance with the schedule of the Memory Control settings: daily,
weekly, monthly, etc. However, if you need to work with large files at the same time,
there is a chance of running out of space in the system drive, where the OneDrive
folders are located by default (see section 2.1). For this reason, during basic system
configuration, it is advisable to move the OneDrive folder from the user directory in
the c: \ Users \ folder to the microSD card (only NTFS format is acceptable, whereas
the original microSD card format is ExtFAT). To ensure the possibility of changing
the location, you should agree to the OneDrive default setting, after which immediate-
ly delete the formed connection with the user's cloud storage and create a new con-
nection with the directory on the microSD-card. For single-user computer configura-
tion, it is advisable to place the OneDrive folder in the root directory of the microSD
card, and in the case of multi-user configuration, inside the user directories of the
microSD card. The internal folders of the OneDrive directory are created in accord-
ance with the recommendations for creating a distributed storage system and media
content [18].
It should be borne in mind that in a paused state of OneDrive synchronization (no
connection to the Network or connection with limited traffic), the creation and modi-
fication of descript.ion file comments is blocked in the local file storage. For this
reason, files with comments (archives with verification protocols, distributions with
annotations, etc.) in an unsynchronized state should be accumulated in the
OneDrive.new buffer directory [18], and when synchronization is resumed, moved to
a place of permanent storage inside OneDrive folders.
8 Multi-User Microcomputer Configuration
Starting in 2019, it became possible to create multi-user computer configurations
without significantly consuming storage space for each new user. This is due to the
features of connecting devices to OneDrive.com cloud storage and the new Microsoft
application sharing policy. For third-party applications, permission for their use for
each user may be required, as occurs during the process of restoring the functions of
Microsoft Office with the adoption of a usage policy for users whose configurations
did not carry out its initial installation.
196
One should keep in mind that the configuration of connection to OneDrive reposi-
tories for each user is independent and users do not have access to view each other’s
directories. The directories of all users can be located on a microSD-card, which re-
duces the likelihood of irreversible data loss in emergency situations (see section 2.1).
The configuration of the Start menu for each user and the modification of the contents
of the Desktops is carried out individually. Experience has shown that the “On-
Demand Access” mode for user data allows organizing and using multiuser configura-
tions stably, even on microcomputers with a minimum size of the system disk’s per-
manent memory.
9 Organization of a Distributed Information Environment
from Multiple Microcomputers
In the course of performing scientific, educational and office tasks, situations often
arise when simultaneous work on several computers with different configurations is
required in order to avoid software conflicts and a lack of system resources. For ex-
ample, the efficiency of working with databases of the 1C-Enterprise platform is
higher in a 64-bit environment, but many forms of reports with two-dimensional bar-
codes can be printed out only from 32-bit versions. It turned out that the presence of
crypto providers in the information environment negatively affects the possibility of
multitasking with databases, associative cards and graphic applications in the demo
mode of the desktop and audio-visual recording of its contents during Skype video
conferences. For this reason, it is advisable to use specialized computers for activities
in the areas of distance learning and accounting and management accounting, in
which it is necessary to ensure that cryptographic service providers work with quali-
fied electronic signatures, USB hardware HASP keys, etc. A special configuration of
computers is required to process massive audio-visual data and simultaneously moni-
tor the kinetics of many processes (tools for technical analysis of the state of financial
markets, etc.). When conducting videoconferences (consultations, scientific and edu-
cational activities), it is convenient to use one computer to demonstrate the desktop,
and use another for reference and organizational purposes.
Several computers with different hardware and software configurations (up to
3 pcs.) Can be combined into a single environment using Logitech Flow technology
[19], when the mouse cursor moves to the paired information space of a neighboring
computer when crossing the screen border with corresponding automatic keyboard
focus switching. In the general information space of Logitech Flow, direct copying
and moving files between the desktops of all connected computers is available, which
significantly increases the efficiency of operational work.
The information environment of each computer can be individualized by creating
multiple desktops, the timeline that preserves the history of working with all files
helps to control the change in the contents of which. To facilitate on-screen identifica-
tion of shared computers, it is recommended to assign the names of the corresponding
computers to microSD cards, and place a shortcut with the name of the computer and
197
a link to the root directory of the microSD card in the upper left corner of each desk-
top.
10 Conclusion
The hardware-software configuration of modern microcomputers allows you to use
them individually in accordance with BYOD standards [2] or to specialize in the addi-
tion of software and peripheral hardware devices for use as service components of a
distributed information environment [21], which provides a solution the tasks of sci-
entific, educational, office, managerial and trading activities in stationary and mobile
conditions.
At the level of philosophical generalizations, specialized computers of a single in-
formation environment can be likened to cells whose combined action takes the sys-
tem to a qualitatively new level of functioning of a single multicellular organism in
accordance with the paradigm of infocentrism [20, 21].
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