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Technology News You Can UseMay 2009 – Issue XLVIIn This Newsletter
Comments from the EditorsA big “thank you” goes to the contributors to this month’s eTech News You Can Use. Here you’ll find several interesting articles ranging from technology compatibility to computer performance improvement to understanding computer geek shorthand. Feel free to contact the editors or the authors of any of our topics if you have any questions or would like additional information. This newsletter is meant to be of value to you, so please help us make it even better by submitting questions or articles on other topics. Finally, put Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 on your calendar for the 2nd presentation in our Technology Speaker Series. June’s topic will be the ROI of Data Privacy and Compliance, which is indeed timely given the recent reports of sensitive data being lost to hackers by large businesses -- More Information and to Register Online Brent Daugherty and Matt Reedy Computer Performance Improvement, Bryan Guinn, Prism Technologies
Is your computer getting bogged down? Does it often hang on the hour glass for several minutes at a time? Are you trying to figure out what to do about it? If so, your computer is likely experiencing problems with its Registry database, the operating system component that stores information about the system, application settings and hardware. It is a fact of computer life that once a PC has been in use for some time the user may begin to experience degraded performance. Utilizing a safe and effective registry cleaner is an important part of making sure your computer’s operating system stays up and running at maximum efficiency. Registry Cleaners are software utilities that attempt to remove configuration data from the Windows Registry that is no longer in use or that is unwanted on the system. A Registry Cleaner scans the Registry, and attempts to pick out the unnecessary values in order to delete or repair them. This is where it gets difficult because there are many registry cleaners available. A good number are freely downloadable over the internet. However, for some, a registry cleaner download has ended up being an avenue for viruses, spyware and malware. This is because some sites will use the cover of these applications to distribute predatory software. PCMAG.com reviewed 6 different Registry Cleaners and picked RegistryFixer as the Editors’ Choice. It is also recommended that you run monthly Disk Defragmentation, Disk Cleanup and Full Anti-Virus scans to prevent unwanted issues and make your computer run like new. Disk Defragmentation and Disk Cleanup is built into your Windows operating system and can easily be found by going to the start menu, Start – All Programs – Accessories – System Tools. Even if you're extremely careful about how you use your computer and never download questionable material, it is inevitable that, over time, your system will accumulate unwanted registry entries, errors, clutter and debris that will impact performance and your time. AFAIK and Other Email/Text Shorthand, Matt ReedySince the Internet was not really invented by Al Gore, but by a bunch of computer programmers, a good bit of (often humorous) dialect has been developed over the years because programmers are basically lazy. I can say that because I am one. For example, we hate to reinvent the wheel and will frequently “borrow” program code that someone else has already written if a) we think we can get away with it, and b) it does something useful that we like. One significant way that this laziness manifests itself is in shorthand or abbreviations we use when emailing or texting, because we hate to type. You may have seen some of them on cell phone TV commercials lately: OMG (oh my goodness), BTW (by the way), LOL (laugh out loud) and so on. But programmers don’t stop there. We create abbreviations for everything. With thanks to Netlingo (http://www.netlingo.com/acronyms.php) here are a few of the more popular and humorous abbreviations I’ve seen and used myself. (Disclaimer: because programmers are also creative types, you may see some abbreviations at this web site that use some four or five letter words; please do not be offended.) Send me an email if you’ve seen others that you especially enjoy. IMO – in my opinion (and it’s variants IMHO, in my humble opinion and IMPO, in my personal opinion) YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary - Used to indicated that you know others' experiences may differ from yours Here are a few of my favorites for their creativity and expressiveness: 1337 – Elite (the numbers look like the word “leet”, short for “elite”) And one of the longest abbreviations I’ve seen (but never used because I won’t type this much): IITYWIMWYBMAD – If I Tell You What It Means Will You Buy Me A Drink Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Mel Indyk, Mel Indyk & Associates, LLCAs we’ve been helping a variety of businesses over the last several months, we’ve heard a number of questions about technology and compatibility. Since many of us use different technologies every day, we thought we’d share some common questions along with answers, in the hopes of helping you use technology more effectively. Question: I switched from PC to Mac a year ago, but now I am thinking of adding a Windows laptop. If I do, what kind of compatibility problems would I have? I would be using the laptop mostly to write documents, to send/receive email and to browse the Web. Answer: In the old days there were compatibility problems, but most of those have gone away. Based on your simple predictive usage, I would say that you should be fine. For instance, both Macs and PCs can interchangeably open and edit all of the major file types- JPG pictures, MP3 music, Microsoft Office documents, Adobe PDF files, etc. Email and instant messages can of course, be exchanged between the two platforms, even if you are using different programs. And Macs understand Windows file extensions. Also, you can use both platforms simultaneously on the same home network to access the internet. In some cases, you might need different programs to open the same files on the two platforms. But even that obstacle has been greatly diminished. For instance, programs like Firefox and Safari Web browsers, Adobe Reader, ITunes, Microsoft Office, Google Earth, Picasa, Photoshop and many others, come in native versions for both platforms that can handle the same files. And of course Web based programs like Gmail and Yahoo Mail work on both. Sometimes the same programs have different features and user interfaces on Windows and Macs, but I haven’t found these differences hard to master. The most common problems for average users are with Quicken and Quickbooks, whose Mac versions are inferior and incompatible; Internet Explorer, which is no longer made for the Mac; and Microsoft Outlook, which is replaced on the Mac by a program called Entourage that is similar but uses a different file format. And networking can be tricky. In general, the Mac does a better job of seeing Windows PCs on a network than Windows does of seeing Macs. Question: I use Outlook Express for my email, and I store a lot of mail in local folders. Is there a simple way to back these up? If I buy a new computer, can they be transferred? Answer: Yes, there are two methods. One is a manual method, which Microsoft explains in a detailed document at this Web site: support.microsoft.com/kb/270670. The other, quicker method is to obtain one of several utility programs that can back up your Outlook Express data and in some cases, allow you to transfer it to another PC. I haven’t tested these recently, and thus can’t recommend one over another. But one example is a free program called Outlook Express Backup, which can be found at genie-soft.com/products/oeb. Another is a $40 program called Outlook Express Backup Wizard which can be found at: outlook-express-backup.com. Question: Do you know of an iPhone GPS application that speaks directions? It would make the iPhone similar to a Tom-Tom or Garvin GPS unit. Answer: No, But Apple recently announced that, under its new 3.0 operating system for the IPhone, such programs will be possible. Several companies are believed to be working on them, and I expect them to be available later in the year. The reason none exist yet is partly legal, having to do with the licensing of the underlying maps. Some of this information was provided by Mossberg’s Mailbox in the Wall Street Journal. 10 Ways to Make the Most of “IT”, Stephen Noteboom, Mobius PartnersInformation Technology (IT) is the most unifying and productivity-driving tool a company can use. It can also be the most confusing and costly. Whether you’re an IT supplier or a customer, now more than ever you’re likely being challenged to deliver more with less. Having worked for small and large IT operations as a buyer and seller, I know that the methods for managing IT can be as diverse as the businesses IT supports. As a result of my experience, I’d like to offer a few guidelines that may make managing IT less mysterious: 1. Ask Questions Information is power. Beyond acronyms and presentations, IT is a real product or service you need to understand. The less you understand the more you will likely pay. What does it do? When will I get a return on my investment? How does it compare to competitive products? Ask…ask…ask
2. To Consolidate or Not? Some people argue that you should spread your business with many suppliers while others make the case that you should consolidate with a trusted few. Although spreading it out tends to get you lower costs, it also increases the time you spend managing vendors. I am an advocate of consolidating your purchasing, but periodically bidding the business to understand what you’re getting. Realize that the lowest cost doesn’t always mean the best choice.
3. Grade Your Vendors If you decide to consolidate, it’s critical to understand how well your vendors are meeting your needs. Being up front with your vendors about those needs helps keep them honest….following up is even more important. As they say, inspect what you expect. 4. Know Your Grade The more valuable you are to a vendor the more leverage you have. I’m not advocating working with small or big companies, simply that you should know, grow and sell your value. How much do you buy? Are you a reference? Do you provide leads? 5. Renegotiate It’s said that you don’t get what you don’t ask for. If renegotiating means the difference between lower profit and lost business you’d be surprised how open your vendors may be to this. 6. Refresh Your Technology Technology changes quickly. There are risks in being the first to move, but being last means you’re likely spending more time and money than you need to. New technology tends to drive energy costs down and performance up…. all while using less space. 7. Consider Leasing If you are attempting to stay ahead of the curve, leasing allows you to refresh your technology and use expense as opposed to capital. As a rule of thumb, leasing will get you three times the equipment or cut your spending by 2/3 for the same equipment depending on your need.
8. Look to the Clouds “Cloud computing” allows you to pay for access to hardware/software over the Internet while someone else manages it. If your office technology is outdated, you have no IT staff and limited budget, this may be for you. Much like leasing, cloud computing allows you to get access to technology for a small monthly cost as opposed to a large upfront one.
9. If You Can’t Hire…Train People can make or break the value you get from your technology. Even in a depressed market, IT staff can be some of the most expensive to find and keep. IT classes allow you to train and build the staff you need at a fraction of the cost of hiring them. 10. If You Can’t Train…Staff Temporary staffing allows you to complete one-time projects without the burden of salary/healthcare/training expenses. Some colleges and universities even provide students with college credit for completing an internship. Technology Scholarship CommitteeNorth Chamber Technology Council has implemented a new program. The Council has created the Technology Scholarship Committee to help graduating high school seniors achieve education and training for workforce solutions. New Horizons Training is funding a full scholarship for a program that will provide education for A+ certification. Certification test vouchers will be provided, and upon completion of the program, the scholarship recipient will receive the A+ certification. In addition, the scholarship recipient will have a 2 to 4 week paid internship with a local
The 2009 Scholarship recipients are Tyler B., Erasmo G., Jesus C., David X., Michael D., Ryan J. The committee was impressed with the quality of the applicants and wish these young men continued success Contact Us
Technology Chair: Chuck Weisbrich Co-Editors: Matt Reedy, Matt Reedy & Assoc and Brent Daugherty, Time Warner Cable North Chamber Contact: Debby Zucker
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