School-aged children quickly learn to make friends, display preferences and establish their own social circles. This interaction used to take place in person, via notes or letters, or via the home telephone. Affordable technology has now provided our children with new methods of communicating, including ‘online’ via various methods on the internet and also through personal cellphone text messages.
Unfortunately, those communication channels can also be used as a channel for harassment or bullying, bringing this childhood threat out from the school playground and into our homes.
Cyber-bullying can range from unwanted negative remarks to threats and disclosure of personal information and can include:
• repeatedly making fun of another person on internet websites;
• repeatedly picking on another person through emails, text messages or instant messages;
• using internet forums and postings messages online intended to harm, damage, humiliate or isolate another person that they don’t like
• posting unflattering photos of someone on a website to embarrass them.
Tips for children:
• Just like in real life, there is a difference between what is right and what is wrong on the internet. If something doesn’t feel right, tell someone that you trust.
• Never give out your real information on the internet (especially your name, school etc) or tell anyone your passwords.
• Create a free email address (like Gmail or Hotmail) and use that for internet websites. If someone uses it to harass you, it’s easy to just delete that address.
• On sites like Facebook and MySpace, keep your profile private.
• Refuse to support cyberbullying – don’t pass on hurtful messages and tell your friends to stop. Treat people with respect, like you want to be treated.
Tips for parents:
• For younger children, keep the computer in a common area where you can watch them.
• Talk to your children about what they are doing online. Learn about the technology that they are using like instant messaging and social websites.
• Tell your children that bullying is not right and it’s not their fault. Encourage them to tell you about anything that is bothering them and reassure them that they won’t be in trouble with you.
More resources:
Cyber-bullying is a popular topic, with many groups, governments and schools providing information through various websites. Here are a few examples:
www.stopcyberbullying.org
www.cyberbullying.org
www.cyberbully411.org
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/family/activities/social.mspx
Talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter about how you can protect your family online.
March 1, 2009
February 1, 2009
New Year, New Office Part 2
This month we continue our advice on technology’s little hassles, with a few more areas that can be easily and inexpensively solved.
Starting from scratch? If you have a document, spreadsheet or presentation to create, see if the topic is used by other businesses too. An online search or a visit to the Microsoft website may uncover a template that you can apply to your situation. Common examples include budget templates, sales presentations and employment forms.
How paperless is your office? Consider these alternatives to printing and posting:
• A fax card can be inexpensively installed into your computer, connecting to your phone line and allowing you to send documents directly to a fax machine without printing them first. Another option is online fax services, which allow you to upload your faxes to a website to be sent. For documents that need a signature, consider scanning a copy of your signature, which can then be added like a picture to your document before faxing.
• Email is also a great alternative to regular postal mail. Your financial software may even allow you to email invoices directly from it. It you are concerned about document details being changed, you can find free software to ‘print’ your documents electronically into an unchangeable Adobe Acrobat PDF format. This is widely used by airlines for sending flight details and receipts via email.
Morning slowness? If you have time to finish your coffee whilst your computer starts, there could be some easy tweaks which will improve its performance. Review the items in your ‘Startup’ group of programs and look at the icons in your ‘system tray’ by your computer’s clock, to see if you really do need everything to start up at once. Also, check and see if your anti-virus software is set to perform a scan each morning, perhaps changing the schedule to during your lunch break instead. If computer slowness is a constant problem, then a software tune-up or additional memory could improve the performance for less than the cost of a new computer.
Lost your internet connection? Intermittent internet connection faults are very frustrating and can be caused by any number of things between your internet provider and your computer. Keep a log of any drop-outs and call your internet provider to check if there is a fault on your cable or phone line (especially for ADSL). Ensure that all of your telephones and faxes have ADSL filters. And, if you also have wireless access to your internet that is provided by another ‘box’, follow this method to get things up and running again after a drop out:
1) Power off your internet modem and your wireless router.
2) Power on your internet modem.
3) Wait for the ADSL light to be solid (approx. 40 seconds).
4) Power on your wireless router.
Talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter about any other little problems – they may be easy and inexpensive to solve!
Starting from scratch? If you have a document, spreadsheet or presentation to create, see if the topic is used by other businesses too. An online search or a visit to the Microsoft website may uncover a template that you can apply to your situation. Common examples include budget templates, sales presentations and employment forms.
How paperless is your office? Consider these alternatives to printing and posting:
• A fax card can be inexpensively installed into your computer, connecting to your phone line and allowing you to send documents directly to a fax machine without printing them first. Another option is online fax services, which allow you to upload your faxes to a website to be sent. For documents that need a signature, consider scanning a copy of your signature, which can then be added like a picture to your document before faxing.
• Email is also a great alternative to regular postal mail. Your financial software may even allow you to email invoices directly from it. It you are concerned about document details being changed, you can find free software to ‘print’ your documents electronically into an unchangeable Adobe Acrobat PDF format. This is widely used by airlines for sending flight details and receipts via email.
Morning slowness? If you have time to finish your coffee whilst your computer starts, there could be some easy tweaks which will improve its performance. Review the items in your ‘Startup’ group of programs and look at the icons in your ‘system tray’ by your computer’s clock, to see if you really do need everything to start up at once. Also, check and see if your anti-virus software is set to perform a scan each morning, perhaps changing the schedule to during your lunch break instead. If computer slowness is a constant problem, then a software tune-up or additional memory could improve the performance for less than the cost of a new computer.
Lost your internet connection? Intermittent internet connection faults are very frustrating and can be caused by any number of things between your internet provider and your computer. Keep a log of any drop-outs and call your internet provider to check if there is a fault on your cable or phone line (especially for ADSL). Ensure that all of your telephones and faxes have ADSL filters. And, if you also have wireless access to your internet that is provided by another ‘box’, follow this method to get things up and running again after a drop out:
1) Power off your internet modem and your wireless router.
2) Power on your internet modem.
3) Wait for the ADSL light to be solid (approx. 40 seconds).
4) Power on your wireless router.
Talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter about any other little problems – they may be easy and inexpensive to solve!
January 1, 2009
New Year, New Office
Often technology’s little problems or hassles are ‘put up with’, instead of being given the attention needed to resolve or improve them. Let’s start the New Year by dealing with a few areas that can be easily and inexpensively solved. Watch out for part 2 of this article next month.
Having trouble finding things? If your collection of electronic files continues to grow, think about archiving any historical information. This will remove old files from being listed amongst files that you currently need, but can be done so they are easy to access again if you ever need to refer to them. Archiving can also be applied to historical emails.
Your current files may benefit from some re-organizing too but ensure that all of your team members are aware of the new structure so they don’t wonder where everything went. You will also need to check your backup regime – moving files to a new location may cause the backup to think they are new files, which will increase your backup storage requirements. This can be avoided with some careful planning.
Overloaded with emails? Review any mailing lists or offers that you subscribe to. If you find you are too busy to read them and are just deleting them, considering unsubscribing instead. Use ‘rules’ in your email program to sort incoming messages into folders, moving non-urgent items (like mailing lists) out of your Inbox automatically but still being available to read. If you receive many emails from your team with attachments (e.g. documents for you to review etc), consider using a centralized storage place instead, like a ‘network file share/drive letter’. Saving and sharing files from one place reduces the amount of storage needed, compared to multiple copies of the same file in email Sent folders and Inboxes.
Running out of consumables? Why does it also seem that the printer runs out of paper (or ink!) when you are urgently waiting for a document? Has your cordless mouse battery ever died when you’ve been updating an important PowerPoint presentation? Consider adding a few things to the standard tasks you perform when you open or close your office for the day, such as filling the printer with paper. Placing cordless mice on their charging stands and checking printer ink levels could be done weekly. This reduces the risk of this running out at an inconvenient time.
Could a few extras make life easier? If there is always a queue at the printer, compare the cost of an extra printer to the frustration and the wasted time that you spend waiting. Remember too to invest in components like an extra monitor, keyboard and mouse for staff that use laptops, to reduce the risk of overuse injuries.
Talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter about how a few small tweaks to your office technology could make the world of difference.
Having trouble finding things? If your collection of electronic files continues to grow, think about archiving any historical information. This will remove old files from being listed amongst files that you currently need, but can be done so they are easy to access again if you ever need to refer to them. Archiving can also be applied to historical emails.
Your current files may benefit from some re-organizing too but ensure that all of your team members are aware of the new structure so they don’t wonder where everything went. You will also need to check your backup regime – moving files to a new location may cause the backup to think they are new files, which will increase your backup storage requirements. This can be avoided with some careful planning.
Overloaded with emails? Review any mailing lists or offers that you subscribe to. If you find you are too busy to read them and are just deleting them, considering unsubscribing instead. Use ‘rules’ in your email program to sort incoming messages into folders, moving non-urgent items (like mailing lists) out of your Inbox automatically but still being available to read. If you receive many emails from your team with attachments (e.g. documents for you to review etc), consider using a centralized storage place instead, like a ‘network file share/drive letter’. Saving and sharing files from one place reduces the amount of storage needed, compared to multiple copies of the same file in email Sent folders and Inboxes.
Running out of consumables? Why does it also seem that the printer runs out of paper (or ink!) when you are urgently waiting for a document? Has your cordless mouse battery ever died when you’ve been updating an important PowerPoint presentation? Consider adding a few things to the standard tasks you perform when you open or close your office for the day, such as filling the printer with paper. Placing cordless mice on their charging stands and checking printer ink levels could be done weekly. This reduces the risk of this running out at an inconvenient time.
Could a few extras make life easier? If there is always a queue at the printer, compare the cost of an extra printer to the frustration and the wasted time that you spend waiting. Remember too to invest in components like an extra monitor, keyboard and mouse for staff that use laptops, to reduce the risk of overuse injuries.
Talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter about how a few small tweaks to your office technology could make the world of difference.
December 1, 2008
Holiday Greeting or Virus
If an email arrives in your inbox, claiming to be an electronic greeting card from a friend or family member, would you automatically open it? New research by global internet security company AVG Technologies found that 74 per cent of the people polled said they would automatically open the email.
Criminals misuse our trust in familiar names. They send their security threats with false ‘from’ addresses to get us to think the information has come from a trusted source. Reputable companies are also not immune, with one reported case of emails being sent in the name of the Deputy Director of the USA’s FBI department.
If your computer is up to date with functioning security software, do you need to be concerned? Well, just like you need good driving skills in a car that has many safety features, good email habits can also help to protect your precious information. Sneaky attacks like identity information gathering (known as ‘phishing’) can also be difficult to detect.
Remember these tips for the next greeting card that arrives in your inbox:
1. Check the spelling: Look out for misspelled words, names or website addresses, which are a good sign that the email is not genuine.
2. Read the fine print: Carefully read any terms and conditions that you have to accept before viewing your card, especially if the card site wants to install any software onto your computer. You may actually be agreeing that the site can have access to the details of everyone in your address book.
3. Don’t open attachments: Save any attachments and scan them with your security software before opening them.
4. Avoid clicking on links: Links to websites may look legitimate, but they can hide malicious code that activates once the link is clicked. Instead, most e-card companies allow you to visit their website by typing the site name manually into your web browser and then entering a code to retrieve your card.
5. Phone a friend: If in doubt, delete the email or call the sender to confirm that they really sent it.
Talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter if you are concerned about the contents of an e-card that you have received.
Criminals misuse our trust in familiar names. They send their security threats with false ‘from’ addresses to get us to think the information has come from a trusted source. Reputable companies are also not immune, with one reported case of emails being sent in the name of the Deputy Director of the USA’s FBI department.
If your computer is up to date with functioning security software, do you need to be concerned? Well, just like you need good driving skills in a car that has many safety features, good email habits can also help to protect your precious information. Sneaky attacks like identity information gathering (known as ‘phishing’) can also be difficult to detect.
Remember these tips for the next greeting card that arrives in your inbox:
1. Check the spelling: Look out for misspelled words, names or website addresses, which are a good sign that the email is not genuine.
2. Read the fine print: Carefully read any terms and conditions that you have to accept before viewing your card, especially if the card site wants to install any software onto your computer. You may actually be agreeing that the site can have access to the details of everyone in your address book.
3. Don’t open attachments: Save any attachments and scan them with your security software before opening them.
4. Avoid clicking on links: Links to websites may look legitimate, but they can hide malicious code that activates once the link is clicked. Instead, most e-card companies allow you to visit their website by typing the site name manually into your web browser and then entering a code to retrieve your card.
5. Phone a friend: If in doubt, delete the email or call the sender to confirm that they really sent it.
Talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter if you are concerned about the contents of an e-card that you have received.
November 1, 2008
Social Networking
MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, Nexopia, Hi5, Skyrock and Friendster are common examples of online communities or ‘social networking’ websites. They enable you to build connections to people who share your interests and provide communication methods like instant messaging, message boards and status messages.
This kind of electronic group communication is nothing new - in fact local computer bulletin board systems existed in the 1970s. However, today’s social networking sites have become another vital component of online life for many people, sometimes regarded as important as e-mail. This is due to many factors, including:
1) Their ease of access, as computers and high speed Internet are now expected in most homes and businesses;
2) Their integration with other media components such as photos (which can often be uploaded directly from a compatible mobile phone camera) and videos (e.g. YouTube site video links);
3) Their ‘instant’ communication feeds, where you can see the new status messages of all of your friends on one screen.
These technology components have a universal appeal across a wide range of ages – whether you are sharing homework tips with your school friends, keeping in touch about overseas travel adventures or sharing stories about your children or grandchildren.
But unless you have everything set to ‘private’, beware what information you post that other people can view. Apart from obvious sensitive personal information (such as your address or phone number), other things that you say on your profile page can also get you into trouble. Many employers and prospective employers use the Internet as a research tool, so don’t announce that you are looking for a new job if you don’t want that to be made public. Even if your boss can’t see your message, someone else may decide to give your boss a call and let them know. There have also been many examples where disciplinary action has been taken because someone has posted negative comments about a named customer, or has raved about their great day when they had called in sick.
There is a strong debate about whether access to these websites should be allowed ‘on work time’. People naturally want to communicate and build friendships, so banning these sites can be seen as tyrannical. In some industries such as recruitment, a social networking presence is encouraged, as it helps to build a pool of possible candidates. It’s also argued that team works together better (especially teams with members in multiple locations), if the members have an opportunity to learn about others likes, dislikes and interests outside of the workplace. However, work productivity is a concern for employers, so technology measures that restrict or monitor the usage of these sites can be helpful when combined with ‘acceptable usage’ guidelines.
If you would like to learn more about the risks of social networking websites, talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter.
This kind of electronic group communication is nothing new - in fact local computer bulletin board systems existed in the 1970s. However, today’s social networking sites have become another vital component of online life for many people, sometimes regarded as important as e-mail. This is due to many factors, including:
1) Their ease of access, as computers and high speed Internet are now expected in most homes and businesses;
2) Their integration with other media components such as photos (which can often be uploaded directly from a compatible mobile phone camera) and videos (e.g. YouTube site video links);
3) Their ‘instant’ communication feeds, where you can see the new status messages of all of your friends on one screen.
These technology components have a universal appeal across a wide range of ages – whether you are sharing homework tips with your school friends, keeping in touch about overseas travel adventures or sharing stories about your children or grandchildren.
But unless you have everything set to ‘private’, beware what information you post that other people can view. Apart from obvious sensitive personal information (such as your address or phone number), other things that you say on your profile page can also get you into trouble. Many employers and prospective employers use the Internet as a research tool, so don’t announce that you are looking for a new job if you don’t want that to be made public. Even if your boss can’t see your message, someone else may decide to give your boss a call and let them know. There have also been many examples where disciplinary action has been taken because someone has posted negative comments about a named customer, or has raved about their great day when they had called in sick.
There is a strong debate about whether access to these websites should be allowed ‘on work time’. People naturally want to communicate and build friendships, so banning these sites can be seen as tyrannical. In some industries such as recruitment, a social networking presence is encouraged, as it helps to build a pool of possible candidates. It’s also argued that team works together better (especially teams with members in multiple locations), if the members have an opportunity to learn about others likes, dislikes and interests outside of the workplace. However, work productivity is a concern for employers, so technology measures that restrict or monitor the usage of these sites can be helpful when combined with ‘acceptable usage’ guidelines.
If you would like to learn more about the risks of social networking websites, talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter.
October 1, 2008
Is Your Laptop Painful?
In the past, the use of laptop computers was reserved for selected, special people in the corporate world, like executives and travelling sales managers. These large and expensive machines were carried around by ‘road warriors’ who completed their business duties from hotel rooms after a day of meetings.
As portable technology has become faster, lighter and cheaper, laptops have migrated into small businesses, university lecture halls and even our homes. Indeed, if your new laptop is faster than your old computer and can be placed wherever you need it in your home, office, or any other location, then why do you need a traditional ‘desktop’ computer? Most businesses now don’t provide with you with a desktop computer at your office desk if your role warrants having a laptop.
The main downside of this is the increasing number of repetitive strain injury cases. Quite simply, the laptop computer was never designed for long periods of use (especially not a full 8 hour or even 12 hour working day). The main ergonomic design flaw of the screen being attached to the keyboard just does not work in harmony with the optimal positioning of our eyes, head, fingers and wrists. So, the positioning of our laptop ends up being a compromise on both counts – with the keyboard close enough for us to type on, but the screen tilted back so we can read it. Our bodies still end up in a compromised position, with hands navigating a smaller key layout and our necks bent down on an angle, throwing the weight of our heads forward.
If you can’t live without your laptop, here are our tips to help it be nicer to your body:
• Take regular breaks. ‘Micro breaks’ involve looking away from your screen often to something much further away, to let your eyes refocus and rest. Physical movement is important too, including regularly letting your arms drop or even getting up and walking away from your laptop.
• Invest in a separate keyboard and mouse. Laptops have a plug to let them accommodate a full-sized keyboard and mouse, so take advantage of these better ergonomically designed ‘input devices’ if you are going to be using your laptop for hours.
• Raise your laptop so the screen is at the correct height, or invest in a separate monitor. If you sit back in your chair with a slight recline and hold your right arm out horizontally, your middle finger should almost touch the middle of the screen.
• Watch out for heat build-up if the laptop is going to be on your lap for a prolonged period of time. Consider investing in a special pad or tray designed to reduce the heat problem.
• Invest in a quality bag or backpack. If you travel frequently, perhaps a ‘luggage trolley’ type bag with wheels would be a better option, to help prevent shoulder strain. Consider the weight factor when buying a new laptop too, including the weight of any associated laptops parts you may have to carry with you.
Talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter about how to stop your laptop being a pain in the neck, wrists, arms, back and shoulders!
As portable technology has become faster, lighter and cheaper, laptops have migrated into small businesses, university lecture halls and even our homes. Indeed, if your new laptop is faster than your old computer and can be placed wherever you need it in your home, office, or any other location, then why do you need a traditional ‘desktop’ computer? Most businesses now don’t provide with you with a desktop computer at your office desk if your role warrants having a laptop.
The main downside of this is the increasing number of repetitive strain injury cases. Quite simply, the laptop computer was never designed for long periods of use (especially not a full 8 hour or even 12 hour working day). The main ergonomic design flaw of the screen being attached to the keyboard just does not work in harmony with the optimal positioning of our eyes, head, fingers and wrists. So, the positioning of our laptop ends up being a compromise on both counts – with the keyboard close enough for us to type on, but the screen tilted back so we can read it. Our bodies still end up in a compromised position, with hands navigating a smaller key layout and our necks bent down on an angle, throwing the weight of our heads forward.
If you can’t live without your laptop, here are our tips to help it be nicer to your body:
• Take regular breaks. ‘Micro breaks’ involve looking away from your screen often to something much further away, to let your eyes refocus and rest. Physical movement is important too, including regularly letting your arms drop or even getting up and walking away from your laptop.
• Invest in a separate keyboard and mouse. Laptops have a plug to let them accommodate a full-sized keyboard and mouse, so take advantage of these better ergonomically designed ‘input devices’ if you are going to be using your laptop for hours.
• Raise your laptop so the screen is at the correct height, or invest in a separate monitor. If you sit back in your chair with a slight recline and hold your right arm out horizontally, your middle finger should almost touch the middle of the screen.
• Watch out for heat build-up if the laptop is going to be on your lap for a prolonged period of time. Consider investing in a special pad or tray designed to reduce the heat problem.
• Invest in a quality bag or backpack. If you travel frequently, perhaps a ‘luggage trolley’ type bag with wheels would be a better option, to help prevent shoulder strain. Consider the weight factor when buying a new laptop too, including the weight of any associated laptops parts you may have to carry with you.
Talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter about how to stop your laptop being a pain in the neck, wrists, arms, back and shoulders!
September 1, 2008
Time for a Server?
When a business consists of more than one person, questions arise about how to share critical business information and technology resources such as printers. Most small businesses start to link computers together with a network and are unaware that the benefits of a ‘server’ computer may actually be within their budget.
Servers are specifically designed to provide file storage, file sharing, resource sharing (like printers) and other services, to multiple computers. They can also help you:
• better find and manage business-critical information in one consolidated location;
• store large chunks of information, enabling individual PCs to perform better;
• access up-to-date customer information quickly;
• share email and calendaring details between your team;
• protect your information by making back-ups easier;
• provide secure access to email & calendars, other files or to your entire office PC, from another Internet-connected computer;
• better manage security features and monitor threats to your computer systems.
Does that all sound like it’s going to be expensive? Well, servers are no longer confined to dedicated rooms, serving large corporations with large I.T. departments. Many of the major manufacturers promote ‘Small Business Server’ bundles, with the hardware and software needed for a business with as little as 5 staff.
Here are some factors that indicate your business may be ready for a server:
• You need to consolidate & arrange your files (you can't always find what you need when you need it).
• You are worried about whether all of your important files are secure and are being backed up.
• You need to share hardware such as printers and fax machines for two or more PCs.
• You have employees who travel, frequently telecommute, or work off-site, and would benefit from accessing what’s back in the office.
• You keep adding more files onto your PCs and running out of disk space.
• You'd like to run accounting software or other line-of-business applications on more than one PC.
• Your business is growing and plans to add new computers and employees or even a second location.
As with any technology purchasing decision, you need to discuss your business needs and plans with your trusted I.T. advisor to see if it’s the right time for a server. You may be looking for aggressive growth, stability or even expense reduction this year, so you’ll want to focus first on the server features that will support your goals. You also need to ensure that you’re not expecting technology to solve a problem that could be resolved with a change in your business processes.
Talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter about whether now is the time to make the move and experience the benefits of a server computer in your business.
Servers are specifically designed to provide file storage, file sharing, resource sharing (like printers) and other services, to multiple computers. They can also help you:
• better find and manage business-critical information in one consolidated location;
• store large chunks of information, enabling individual PCs to perform better;
• access up-to-date customer information quickly;
• share email and calendaring details between your team;
• protect your information by making back-ups easier;
• provide secure access to email & calendars, other files or to your entire office PC, from another Internet-connected computer;
• better manage security features and monitor threats to your computer systems.
Does that all sound like it’s going to be expensive? Well, servers are no longer confined to dedicated rooms, serving large corporations with large I.T. departments. Many of the major manufacturers promote ‘Small Business Server’ bundles, with the hardware and software needed for a business with as little as 5 staff.
Here are some factors that indicate your business may be ready for a server:
• You need to consolidate & arrange your files (you can't always find what you need when you need it).
• You are worried about whether all of your important files are secure and are being backed up.
• You need to share hardware such as printers and fax machines for two or more PCs.
• You have employees who travel, frequently telecommute, or work off-site, and would benefit from accessing what’s back in the office.
• You keep adding more files onto your PCs and running out of disk space.
• You'd like to run accounting software or other line-of-business applications on more than one PC.
• Your business is growing and plans to add new computers and employees or even a second location.
As with any technology purchasing decision, you need to discuss your business needs and plans with your trusted I.T. advisor to see if it’s the right time for a server. You may be looking for aggressive growth, stability or even expense reduction this year, so you’ll want to focus first on the server features that will support your goals. You also need to ensure that you’re not expecting technology to solve a problem that could be resolved with a change in your business processes.
Talk to your local Computer Troubleshooter about whether now is the time to make the move and experience the benefits of a server computer in your business.
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