Cloud Computing

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Dick Buchanan

Up in the Clouds

There is a lot of buzz today about the “Cloud.”   What is this exactly and how can it work for you?  This article will answer those and other questions.

The History

For decades now the Internet has been depicted in drawings as a cloud:

 

Every time you use your browser to explore the Internet you are connecting to this “Internet Cloud.”  A server somewhere in the world is hosting the website that appears on your computer screen. 

So why use the cloud symbolism?  Since you don’t know exactly where the server is located (and don’t really care) the cloud represents the mysterious connection between your computer and that server.

In the years before telecommunication satellites, our telephone system was a huge wired network that connected the whole country.  A call placed in Seattle to a phone in New York City would travel a route across the country that might pass through Salt Lake City, Denver, Omaha, Chicago, and Cleveland before reaching New York City.  The next time it might first connect to Los Angeles and then follow a completely different route.  We could have used a Cloud to represent this network as well.

What Can You Do in the Cloud?

Since you are reading this article, you are already using the cloud. If you use a backup service such as Mozy (http://www.mozy.com/ ) or Carbonite (http://www.carbonite.com/ ), you are storing that backup data in the cloud.

Traditionally, you have bought software that you install locally on your computer and create files that are also stored locally. 

You can now purchase something called Software as a Service (SaaS) which means you connect to the cloud and run software located there.  This is a pay-as-you-go type of system with a monthly fee instead of up front expense.  You also don’t need to install updates or buy new versions in the future. Google Apps (www.google.com/apps ) and Microsoft Cloud Computing (http://www.microsoft.com/cloudm/cloud ) can give you a good overview of this concept.  Businesses can use a product like QuickBooks Online (http://www.quickbooksonline.com/ ) to handle their accounting needs.

You can also share information stored in the cloud with others.  This usually comes in the form of photographs shared on a website.  You can use a free product called Dropbox (http://www.dropbox.com/) to share any type of file.  This is helpful when you have a large file that e-mail might not handle adequately.

Things to Consider

 This sounds great but are there things that should concern you?

All of this depends on a high-speed internet connection. I advise getting the highest speed connection available, if you want to pursue this technology. However, when your connection goes down, you are dead in the water until it returns.

The provider’s service must be up and running.  You will be out of luck until it comes back online.

Performance is determined by the connection speed.  For example, backing up your entire computer can take up to several days to complete.  Bringing back the information can be equally slow. For this reason, I recommend maintaining a local backup on an external drive as additional protection.

Since your information is “out there” somewhere that is not under your direct control, be sure to investigate and be comfortable with the security provided by the supplier.

Conclusion

This technology is changing every day and is well worth checking into regularly to see what is new and if it would work for you.

Disclaimer:  I do not receive any compensation from products mentioned in this article.

Posted in General Interest | 9 Comments

Perk Up Your Hard Drive

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Dick Buchanan

Perk Up Your Hard Drive

Is your computer slowing down?  Is it acting sluggish?  This article covers some simple steps you can take to take to speed things up a bit.  You can remove some unneeded files and also optimize the storage on your hard drive.

General File Cleanup

As you use your computer, many temporary files are created that do not need to remain on the system.  To clean these up:

  1. Open My Computer on your desktop.
  2. Right-click on the Local Drive C:  icon and select Properties.

    3.  

  3.  You will now see this dialog box:

    4.  

  4. Click on the Disk Cleanup button.  After a few minutes, you will see:

    5.  

  5. This box shows you what files can be safely removed. Check the boxes you want and click the OK button.
  6. If you have other Local Disks listed, follow these steps for those drives.

You should do this periodically to free up disk space on the PC.

Temporary Internet Files

If you browse the web a lot, a great many temporary files will accumulate on the hard drive.  To deal with this, you must open Internet Options from either the Control Panel or by selecting it from the Tools menu in Internet Explorer.

  1. When you open it, you will see this dialog box:

    2.  

  2. Click on the Delete… button. In Internet Explorer 8, you will see the following:

    3.  

  3. Check the boxes that you want to remove and click on the Delete button.

 If you use the Internet heavily, you should do this every week or so.

Defragmentation

So what does this term really mean?

When Windows stores files on the hard drive it breaks them down into small blocks that are then stored on the drive. When you open a file, the system gathers up all the pieces and puts them in the correct order for you.  When a drive is brand new, these blocks are all adjacent to one another and gathering them is quick.  However, as you add and delete files blank spaces open up on the drive.  This is where the problem starts. Windows tries to fill open spaces first before going to a new area on the drive where the blocks can be stored next to each other.

If that sounds confusing, let’s use a simple analogy to clear things up.  Picture an old time post office with 100 boxes arranged 10 boxes wide by 10 boxes high.  We want to store a file that is 5 boxes big.  On a new drive, they would go in boxes 1 through 5. However time has passed and we have been adding and deleting files.  This time the system puts the pieces in boxes 1, 33, 75, 22, and 99. You can see that more time and effort is needed to gather them.  This is what we call file fragmentation.

So what is defragmentation?  There is a utility in Windows that will take the blocks of all the fragmented files and put them in the proper order next to each other.  This is defragmentation.

Windows 7 and Vista automatically defragment the hard drive on a regular basis but Windows XP does not.  So how do we find this utility? 

For Vista and Windows 7, click on the Start circle and type defrag in the search box that appears. Click on Disk Defragmentation in the list to open the program. Here you can change the schedule, analyze, or manually defragment the drive.

In XP, click on the Start button, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and finally Disk Defragmenter.

 

This would be a very good candidate for a shortcut on the desktop.  To do that, right-click on Disk Defragmenter, select Send To, and then Desktop (create shortcut).

When you open the utility in Windows XP, you will see this screen:

 

You can click on the Analyze button to view a status report and then choose to defragment the drive. You could also click on the Defragment button to run the process immediately.  You need at least 15% free space to properly run the process.  This is why we must clean up the unneeded files first.

I would run this at least every month or so to keep things running smoothly.  If the fragmentation is 25% or greater, you will see a marked improvement in performance afterwards.

Conclusion

If you have never done this on your PC, you will be amazed at the results.  When you do this regularly, the computer will run much more smoothly and efficiently.

Posted in Computing, General Interest, Productivity | 5 Comments

Android Smart Phone

Posted on November 29, 2010 by Dick Buchanan

Droid Does

About six months ago I made a couple of major changes in the area of my business cell phone.  I changed carriers and also switched from a Pocket PC platform to a Motorola Droid on the Android platform.  I have been very pleased with the result and will share some of my experiences and purchases in this article.

Software

Six months ago when I started with the Droid, there were fewer than 10,000 applications for the platform.  There are now over 100,000 and it just keeps growing.  Here are some of my favorite apps that I use regularly.

Advanced Task Killer lets you stop programs from running in the background. This saves on battery consumption.

Adobe Reader lets you read PDF files.

Amazon lets you order and track purchases on your phone.

AndroidTapp RSS Reader lets you keep up on current events on their web site (see Information Resources below).

ASTRO lets you see and manage the files on your Droid.

BatteryTime provides information on the current battery status.

COL Reminder lets you set reminders for phone calls and parking.  This has saved me numerous parking tickets.

Documents To Go lets you works with Microsoft Office Document on the Android.

Droid Life keeps you up to date with the Droid-Life web site (see Information Resources below).

Dropbox provides a repository for files on the Internet. You can share files between PCs and phones.

GbaHours works with QuickBooks for time tracking. This is great for consultants with billable hours to keep track of.

Grocery IQ is your shopping list companion.

Kindle lets you preview and read Amazon Kindle offerings.

Lookout provides security for your phone.

PdaNet lets you tether your phone to a laptop via USB or Bluetooth for Internet connectivity.

RedBoxer helps you find and reserve movies at those RedBox movie kiosks.

Remember the Milk keeps me up to date on my task lists (see my article on Productivity).

Tasker sets up various profiles for the phone. I use this to conserve battery life by turning components like wireless, Bluetooth, GPS, and screen intensity on or off depending on where I am.

Vlingo lets you use give voice instructions to the phone and dictate into it. It can also read incoming messages to you while you are driving.

Some of these are paid apps but many are free. You can find them by searching in the Android Market on your phone.

 Accessories

When I used a Pocket PC, I had trouble making it through the day on a single battery charge.  With this in mind, I purchased a second battery for the Droid which I have found quite useful. 

                http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-DROID-1300mah-Standard-Battery/dp/B002ZG8BQM

To keep my batteries charged, I bought a charging dock stand that charges both the phone and the spare battery at the same time. It also puts the phone into docked mode.

                http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0038TVCFC

To protect the Droid I have a suede-like sleeve that also keeps the screen amazingly clean.

                http://www.sfbags.com

I want to have the phone handy while driving so I have a wonderful vehicle mount from ProClip.  You order this in two parts, one that matches your vehicle and the other matches the phone.  Best of all, this holder actually looks like it belongs in the car and wasn’t just tacked on.

                http://www.proclipusa.com

Of course I also have a Bluetooth headphone so I can answer calls without pulling out the Droid. I use one from Plantronics.

Information Resources

Since the Android environment is increasing exponentially, it pays to have reliable places to go to keep up on what is going on.

Droid Life provides general information on current events with an emphasis on the Droid market.

                http://www.droid-life.com

Android Life is a new blog by the same people as Droid Life but covers the Android platform in general.

                http://an.droid-life.com

Android Tapp is a good resource with general information and reviews on software for the Android market.

                http://www.androidtapp.com

Conclusions

I hope that some of these comments will save you time and help you to enjoy your Droid to its fullest.

Disclaimer:  I do not receive any compensation from products mentioned in this article.

Posted in General Interest, Mobility, Productivity, Smart Phone, Software | 3 Comments

Keyboard Shortcuts

Posted on November 20, 2010 by Dick Buchanan

Mixing the Old with the New

Did you know there are a host of time-saving shortcuts built into their computer keyboard?  This article will introduce you to these great little tools to help you be more efficient with the PC.

The History

 When the IBM Personal Computer came on the scene in the early 1980’s, the computer mouse did not exist.  All interaction with the computer was done through the keyboard.  The display screens were mostly text based with fields for data entry.  The cursor moved from field to field with the aid of the Tab key.  You navigated through parts of an application by using a series of menus. This was slow and tedious.

Since the computer keyboard had special keys like the Ctrl, Esc, Alt, and Function keys, programmers developed shortcuts using key combinations to perform repetitive tasks more quickly.

The Present

The mouse and the graphical interface are now familiar and commonplace to all of us.  Most of us take it for granted that the mouse is how you get things done.  For example, if you want to select all of the text in a document you probably do one of the following:

  • Hard Way – Click the mouse at the beginning of the document, hold down the left button, and drag the mouse to the bottom of the document.
  • Better Way – Click the mouse on the File Menu and choose Select All.

Did you know that you can do the same thing by simply pressing two keys on the keyboard?  That is what this article is about.

The Shortcuts

Most of these shortcuts involve using the Ctrl key located at the lower left corner of the keyboard. 

Acting on text or files and folders:   

+

 Selects (highlights) all the text or files and folders in a window.

 

+

 Copies the selected text or files and folders to the clipboard.

 

+

   Pastes the content of the clipboard at the cursor location.

 

+

 Cuts (removes) the highlighted text or files and folders and places them in the clipboard.

 

+

 Undoes the last action such as copy, cut or paste.

 

Working with documents:

+

 Boldfaces highlighted text.

 

+

 Italicizes highlighted text.

 

+

 Underlines highlighted text.

 

 

+

 Opens the Find Text Dialog Box.

 

+

 Opens the Replace Text Dialog Box.

 

+

 Opens the Printer dialog box.

 

+

 Saves the current document.

  Working on the desktop:

      Opens the Windows Start Menu.

 

+

 Minimizes all open windows and shows the desktop.

 

+

   Opens a Windows Explorer window.

 

+

+

   Opens the Task Manager Dialog Box.

 Conclusions

Any of these will help you work much more efficiently and quickly with the computer.

If you happen to be in the Kalispell, MT area, please stop by our office and pick up a free reference card highlighting many of these shortcuts.

Posted in General Interest, Productivity, Software | 9 Comments

Backup and Recovery

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Dick Buchanan

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

One of the most important things you can do for your PC is to prepare to recover from disaster.  Unfortunately, most users tend to either ignore this entirely or at best they back up data sporadically.

In this article I will cover some proactive steps that you can take to safeguard your data and reduce recovery time.

Reasons for Data Loss

The most common reason that someone loses data is accidental file deletion.  Windows offers some built-in protection with the Recycle Bin so you can bring back something recently deleted.  However, once you empty the recycle bin, you are out of luck.  (There is one “slim” chance of recovery that I will cover in the next section.)

The next most common reason is hard drive failure.  This can cause a partial loss of some files or in the worst case loss of all data and programs.

Another possibility is that a virus can delete files, damage the hard drive, or so thoroughly infect the PC that the only remedy is to reinstall Windows and all your software.

Backup Methods

If you have accidentally deleted some files and also emptied the Recycle Bin, it is possible to recover the files if you act quickly. 

  1. Stop using the computer IMMEDIATELY.  If you continue to use the PC and/or install software or add files, you will be overwriting the lost files on the hard drive making them lost forever. 
  2. On another PC, locate some data recovery software that preferably runs off of a CD so that nothing is installed on the computer.  Do not install it on your PC or you will lose data.

 You might want to seek some professional help in trying to recover the files.

The best way to restore a missing file is to get a copy from a recent backup that you have made.  There are many ways to make this backup copy.  Some of these methods are:

  • Manually copy files and folders to a CD, DVD, flash drive, or an external hard drive
  • Use third party software to make scheduled backups to external media
  • Have Windows back up data automatically to external media (Windows 7 and XP Professional)
  • Use an online service such as Mozy or Carbonite to continuously back up files

Whatever method you use, make sure that you do it regularly. An outdated copy of the file may help, but nothing beats a current copy. You should store the backup media away from the computer, and preferably at an off-site location.  It doesn’t help to have the PC and the backup both destroyed by a fire or other disaster.

Recovery Methods

Suppose the worst has happened and the operating system must be reinstalled.  Perhaps a virus has caused this or the hard drive just failed. In either case you must give the PC a fresh start.  The major methods of reinstalling the operating system are:

  • Recovery disks that came from the manufacturer
  • A recovery partition on the hard drive
  • The Operating System CD or DVD

The first two methods will take the machine back to the day it came from the factory.  If you had a hard drive failure, the second option will not be available and you will have to order CDs or DVDs from the manufacturer.

If you are reinstalling the operating system, you will need to also install all of the drivers for devices such as the video, sound, and network cards.

You will need to reinstall all of your software and then transfer any backup data to the PC.  With the operating system and software restored, you can reinstall any printers or scanners.

Unfortunately, it is highly likely that you will lose something in the process of doing this. Maybe you don’t have all the software or driver disks.  You may have omitted backing up some of your files.  Maybe you didn’t know how to back up e-mail or your contact list.

A Better Way

If the previous section sounded like a lot of pain and suffering, it is.  There is one more recovery method that I can suggest.  You can purchase third party software that will create an exact image of your hard drive and store it on DVDs or external drives.  You may want to seek professional help to do this.

When you must recover from a major problem, all you need is the recovery program CD or DVD and your media.  Your PC will be restored to exactly as it looked the day the image was taken, including all of your data, software, drivers, devices, and user settings.  And it can do all of this in less than an hour in most cases.  After that, you can restore the latest files from your most recent backup and the recovery is complete.

Periodically or whenever you make major additions or changes to the PC, you should create a new image.

Conclusions

I can say with almost certainty that a computer disaster will affect you at some time.  If you prepare for this eventuality, you will be able to recover with minimal pain and suffering.  If you don’t prepare, stock up on some pain relievers, because you’ll need them.

Disclaimer:  I do not receive any compensation from products mentioned in this article.

Posted in Computing, General Interest, Software | 7 Comments

Windows Updates

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Dick Buchanan

Windows Updates

Many times customers ask me about Windows Updates and whether they should install them.  In this article I’ll describe exactly what they are, what they will do for your PC, and why they are important.

What Are These Updates?

Updates fall into four general categories:

  • Fixing security issues that make your PC vulnerable to malicious attacks
  • Improving the reliability and performance of your PC
  • Providing additional features and upgrades to Windows
  • Installing improved drivers for devices such as printers, scanners, and other hardware

 There are two major sources of updates for Windows.  If you are using only Windows and no other Microsoft products you should be using the Windows Update service.  If you have other Microsoft products such as Office, you should be using the Microsoft Update service which provides updates for both the operating system and any other Microsoft products.

I recommend setting up an automatic update process so you don’t have to bother with remembering to handle this.  You can visit the following website for detailed instructions:

Windows XP –

                http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/windowsupdate/learn/windowsxp.mspx

Windows Vista -

               http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/windowsupdate/learn/windowsvista.mspx

You can also manually use these update services by visiting the Microsoft website with Internet Explorer. 

                http://www.update.microsoft.com/

 

On that page you can choose which kind of service to use and also set up when to automatically update.

The updates fall into the following three categories:

  • Important
  • Recommended
  • Optional

 For a complete description of these levels you can visit this website:

                http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/windowsupdate/updatelevels.mspx

Why Are Updates Important?

When vulnerabilities in the operating system are discovered, Microsoft provides a patch that will plug the security openings to prevent malicious software from exploiting them.  Once the update patch has been installed, the PC is protected against that problem.  If you do not install the update, your computer remains in danger.  This would be similar to having a faulty lock on the back door of your house and hoping that no one tries to open it.

Other updates can improve the performance of the computer or fix software bugs that might have been annoying you.

The best part of this is that these services are provided completely free from Microsoft.

Conclusions

My answer to the question of installing those Windows updates is a resounding YES.  After all, you don’t want to leave that back door unlocked.

 Next week I’ll be talking about backing up your important data and ways to plan for recovering when disaster might strike your computer.

Posted in Computer Threats, General Interest, Software | Comments Off

Brainstorming

Posted on October 27, 2010 by Dick Buchanan

Brainstorming

You have a new project looming ahead of you and are not quite sure how to define it.  You don’t know what direction to take, what to include, or how to proceed.  Does anyone have any fresh ideas on the subject?  Having a brainstorming meeting might be just the ticket.

The Approach

First, identify all the participants involved in the project and call a meeting.  Next present the project to the group and get ready let the ideas fly.  Don’t hold back because at this stage there are no good or bad ideas. Make no judgment calls as ideas are presented.  To do so has the tendency to stifle participation.

While this is going on, someone must capture the ideas.  The traditional methods are whiteboards, blackboards, easels with a large pad of tear-off sheets to tape to the wall, and possibly large post-it notes. All of these methods have the problem of reorganizing thoughts and later sharing them in a meaningful manner. 

Could a computer program be a better answer? You bet.

A Computer Solution

In my office we use a product called TheBrain by TheBrain Technologies.  We discovered this product when we had a new project coming up and wanted a more efficient way of compiling the ideas that resulted from a brainstorming meeting.  We looked at several products and decided to give this one a try.  A major deciding factor was that they had a free trial version so we could try it out to see if it would work for us. It also seemed to be easy to use.

The Experience

 We found that the system was actually very easy to use.  In our case, we have a conference room with a 43 inch computer display so everyone could see the Project evolve on the screen as the ideas flowed.  The software made it extremely easy to quickly place an idea on the screen, edit it, add to it, and move it around.  This meant the process didn’t hinder the flow of new ideas the way pen and paper has a tendency to do.

Another great benefit of using a computer-based system was the ability to share the results after the meeting with not only the participants but with others who had not attended the meeting.  The result of the session was stored on the network and anyone with a copy of the software could view it.  No one had to transcribe the meeting results for distribution.

We were very impressed with the outcome.

Additional Uses

After our initial experience with the software, we explored some of the other strengths and possibilities of the product.  By now you are probably wondering what a Brain output looks like.  We have a simple example on the home page of our web site.  This is a simple “Brain” we created to display the services that our company offers in a graphical manner.  The sample is actually stored on a shared web site with the Brains of many others.

However, the possibilities extend much further than brainstorming and this simple example.  TheBrain can be used to store information so it can be retrieved more in the way our brain works instead of a rigid hierarchical structure normally found in an office environment.

We have created another brain that represents how our business is organized.  A newly hired employee can browse through the company at their own pace and actually discover what they need to know much more rapidly than be “trained” by someone.  For example, if a customer needs a service that we don’t provide, there is a topic that lists recommended solution providers in our area.  If they want to read the employee handbook, they can find it right there in the Brain.

If you want to explore the possibilities, you can go to the web site, see if this might work for you, and download a trial copy. 

                http://www.thebrain.com/

Conclusions

My major point in this article is that you should explore using a computer solution to handle the brainstorming process. There are many other possible software solutions that could work out just as well. If you know of one, please add comments to this article.  This is just one that worked out well for us.

Disclaimer:  I do not receive any compensation from products mentioned in this article.

Posted in General Interest, Productivity, Software | Comments Off

Task Management

Posted on October 20, 2010 by Dick Buchanan

Remember the Milk

Once I had begun my journey toward better organization that I talked about in the previous posting, I needed to find a task management system that supported the Getting Things Done (GTD) philosophy.

My Environment

I spend a good deal of my time at customer sites fixing computer problems.  My business is located in Flathead County, Montana, which covers about 5,100 square miles (Rhode Island has about 1,600).  This makes mobile communication with the office critically important.  The staff must be able to add phone messages that I can review while away from the office.

The Problem

For years I had been using Microsoft Outlook to manage e-mail, appointments, and tasks.  This worked out for me when I was using a Pocket PC as my mobile device.  When I switched to using a Droid, I found that the Droid did not support Outlook’s task list function.  I could still use Outlook to manage my e-mail and calendar but I had to find another solution to handle my task lists.

I first tried to use Google tasks in conjunction with a free Android app that synchronized with the Droid.  Unfortunately that app didn’t work all that well at synchronizing.

The Solution

What I needed was a web-based solution that worked both with the computers in the office and my Droid in the field.  Enter a product called “Remember the Milk.” 

                http://rememberthemilk.com/

Please don’t let the name throw you off by thinking this is just a glorified to-do list application for remembering errands and writing shopping lists. 

Features

It has some very powerful business-grade features that are well-suited to fully supporting the GTD methodology.

  • Web-based – access your lists from any browser
  • Multiple Lists – create as many as you like
  • Descriptive Tags – these help organize things further
  • Locations – sound a notification when you are near a task site
  • Reminders – both e-mail and audible notification
  • E-mail – send tasks to your in-box list via e-mail
  • Search Lists – based on highly customizable search criteria
  • Gadget for iGoogle – manage lists directly from an iGoogle home page
  • Mobile Applications – iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and Pocket PC support
  • Sharing – use shared lists with co-workers

 The best feature of all is that this powerful software is free to use with your PC.  The mobile applications require what they call a Professional (Pro) Account which costs $25 per year.  This is the best $2 a month that I have ever spent.

Implementing GTD

Remember the Milk has an excellent BLOG that is full of tips and techniques for managing your life with the software.  If you are interested in combining GTD with the software, there is a fantastic guide at:

http://blog.rememberthemilk.com/2008/05/guest-post-advanced-gtd-with-remember-the-milk/

I used this guide extensively to create my own GTD system to set up and manage all my lists.

Conclusions

After a few months, using this software has become an integral part of my life.  When I first get to the office, I call up a checklist of daily tasks to perform that starts the day off on the right track.  Next I look at my list of activities for the day (plus any left over from previous days).  

My tasks cover a wide range including phone calls to make, bills to pay, business and personal errands to run, customers to visit, and tasks to move a project along.  Nothing falls through the cracks and I can stay on top of things. 

Life is good.

Disclaimer:  I do not receive any compensation from products mentioned in this article.

Posted in Productivity, Smart Phone, Software | 4 Comments

Getting Organized

Posted on October 13, 2010 by Dick Buchanan

Why Have Organization When Anarchy Will Do?

Multiple stacks of paper cover the desktop, the filing cabinet, and the floor. Yellow post-it notes adorn the monitor, the phone, the bookshelf, and just about everything else.  The “IN” box is overflowing. Unopened mail is strewn about.  The seat of the chair has become the Priority In-box.

This is what my work area looked like just a few months ago. Are you in the same boat?  You could just declare it to be a National Disaster Area or actually do something about it.

Most people would have thought that I was well-organized with my Outlook software, my netbook computer, and my Droid smart phone.  I had read and tried to follow Steven Covey’s ideas set forth in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I even used software designed to implement the principles.

The problem was that the software just didn’t work seamlessly enough. I seemed to be floundering. I needed to find a better way.

Getting Things Done

I purchased a book by David Allen called Getting Things Done – Stress-Free Productivity. You can get it at your bookstore or from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free-Productivity/dp/0142000280/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1286919228&sr=8-1

This started me on the right track to becoming more organized, getting control of my environment, and gaining some peace of mind.

This was not an easy journey. It was not a quick fix solution. It took a couple of “painful” weeks to put everything in order.  After that, you must keep going so that your new way becomes habit.

The key to this system is organizing all your “stuff” (a technical term) into a number of lists that are managed by a system that you can have confidence in and rely upon.  The system can be paper-based, computer-based, or some combination of the two. It’s up to you.

In my case, using computer technology was the best fit.  I was already using Microsoft Outlook to manage my e-mail and calendar. While tasks could be kept in Outlook, there was a problem synchronizing it with my Droid.  The best software solution in my case was the web-based “Remember the Milk” product which synchronizes with the Droid and Google.  Working with this software will be the topic of my next article.

GTD in Action

A basic concept of Getting Things Done (GTD) is that all new material is placed in one of several “In-boxes.”  At a minimum you will have one for e-mail, one for paper, and another for day-to-day issues such as phone messages and tasks to perform.  The goal is to empty all of the boxes regularly.  A rule of thumb is if it takes 2 minutes or less to handle something, do it immediately.  Otherwise, place it in an appropriate list to be reviewed and handled later. 

Large or complicated issues become a list of their own that includes the steps required to complete them.  The key concept here is to elevate one or more of the steps to a Next Action item.  As you complete each step, another is elevated to Next Action. In this way, you systematically make progress until you complete the project.

Once you have confidence in your task management system, your mind can be freed from carrying around and worrying about all of the issues on your plate.  With this new freedom you can actually start to relax and be free to pursue other interests.

For more information on GTD, you can visit the David Allen Company web site at:

                http://www.davidco.com/

Conclusion

It has been a few months since I started on the GTD journey.  It is indeed a journey and not a destination.  I continue to evaluate and improve my goal of getting more organized and removing stress from my life.  I recommend that you give this a try and see what happens.  The next article will cover how Remember the Milk works for me.

Disclaimer: I do not receive any compensation from products mentioned in this article.

Posted in General Interest, Productivity, Software | Comments Off

Wireless Computing

Posted on October 6, 2010 by Dick Buchanan

Wireless Computing

You have a laptop, netbook, or possibly a desktop computer with wireless capability.  What are the key points you should know about this technology? 

Some major issues are:

  • Connection Types
  • Methods of connecting
  • Security

 Connection Types

The two most common means of wireless computing are the wireless router at home or the office and the hot spot located at cafes, hotels, coffee shops, etc.  Your mobile computer already is capable of connecting in these instances.

Another common method is using a wireless adapter supplied by your cell phone provider.  This allows you to connect wherever cell phone coverage is available.  You may have purchased a computer with this capability already built in.

Methods of Connecting

There are three methods of wireless connection:

  • Ad Hoc
  • Infrastructure (Access Point)
  • Any Available Network

The Ad Hoc method allows two or more devices to communicate directly with one another without involving an access point or wireless router.  You can connect directly to a wireless printer this way.  Leaving your computer in this mode can be dangerous in public places such as cafes and coffee shops because a hacker can easily gain access to your computer system. 

The infrastructure method will connect to an Access Point or Wireless router and can provide connection to a wired network and/or the Internet.  This method allows features that enhance the security of your computer while connected.  As the procedures to actually connect to a wireless network vary widely depending on your software, consult the owner’s manual for your computer for specific instructions.

The third method allows connection to either of the first two with an Access Point being preferred.

To change this setting:

  • Click on the Start Button
  • Click on “Connect To”
  • Right-click on your wireless connection.

  You will see a window like the following:

Click on the Wireless Networks tab to view the window below:

Click on the Advanced button.  The picture below shows where you select a method in Windows XP:

Make the appropriate selection and click the Close button.

Security

The first thing to know is that wireless networks are not entirely secure.  However, there are several principles you can follow to improve the security of your network.  To implement these suggestions, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to configure your wireless router.

Administrator Password

You should change the password for the administrator account for your router.  The default passwords are well known and can leave the system highly vulnerable to attack.

SSID

The router will broadcast a user-definable network name. The default is usually the name of the manufacturer such as Linksys or Netgear.  You should give this a name of your own but don’t use something like your first or last name or address that would further identify your network. This name is case sensitive.  I recommend also turning off broadcasting on the router. That way an intended user must already know the name.  Unfortunately, there are ways for an intruder to discover the name so this isn’t foolproof.

Encryption

The lowest level of encryption is WEP (Wireless Equivalency Privacy).  More secure are WPA and WPA2 (WiFi Protected Access). You should use the highest method that your client PCs and devices support.  For WPA try to use a phrase that is at least 16 characters long. Mix in upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.  The phrase will be easy for you to remember but hard for an intruder to crack.

MAC Address Filtering

Every network adapter has a unique 12-character identifier called a MAC Address.  You can instruct the router to only accept clients with a known MAC address.  Unfortunately, a determined intruder can spoof this address so this only adds another hurdle in the way.

Remote Administration

Routers can permit someone on the Internet to exercise control over the network.  The best practice is to turn this feature off to close off that potential entry point.

Firewall on the PC

Since mobile computers are out in the world, they are much more vulnerable than a desktop PC connected in a wired network environment.  At a minimum, make certain that your Windows Firewall is turned on.  For added security you might consider using a third party Internet Security package from a major vendor such as AVG, McAfee, or Norton.  These packages tend to bog down the machine somewhat and can provide a seemingly endless stream of confirmation questions but are well worth considering.

Conclusions

 Unfortunately, everything comes with a price. As wonderful as wireless networking is, security concerns must be weighed and dealt with.  If you follow the suggestions in this article and use some common sense, you can enjoy the freedom of wireless computing.

Posted in Computer Threats, General Interest, Laptop, Netbook, Networking, Tablet, Wireless | 1 Comment