This month’s article deals with the “If Only I Had” issue of recovering your computer. If there is one wish I have for all those reading this article this Christmas is that they backup their computers and generate the recovery media. My heart often goes out to people when they lose their precious memories. Computers can be replaced but photos and videos are snapshots in time and as we all know, to our cost, we can’t turn back time. A backup drive will cost you 60-70 euro which is not that cheap but I ask you what value have your memories? If you value them less than 70 euro you need to re-adjust your priorities because somewhere along the way you’ve lost sight of what is really valuable in this life, and here’s a hint, it’s not money! End of Sunday sermon let’s move on to the processes.
Generating Recovery Media
All computers either come with, or are capable of, generating what manufacturer’s refer to as recovery software. To save money the vast majority of computer makers no longer provide the recovery software on cd but instead install the software onto your computer. The buyer, that’s you, must purchase blank cd’s (dvd’s in most cases) and generate the recovery media themselves. Unfortunately, as we are it appears procrastinators by nature, 9 out 10 ten people dropping off machines for repair to me have not taken the time to create the media.
Had they done so the job of getting their computer up and running again would be quicker and more importantly cheaper. Take the time to generate the recovery media because as sure as night follows day your computer will at sometime in the future need these disks. If you don’t know how then seek professional advice and I stress professional advice (I won’t charge you an arm and a leg to do it for you!).
Once you have generated the media put them in a safe place where you can find them.
Caution: These are not repair disks. They are recovery disks and if you used them without securing your data you will wipe out anything on your hard drive. If your computer fails, crashes, or otherwise misbehaves these disks are not the answer to get you back up and running. As before you need to determine the cause of the problem before you supply the cure. Seek professional advice.
Wishing you all a quiet and peaceful Christmas and may the new year bring you and yours joy ,hope, and peace in your life.
Nollaig Shamh daoibh go leir agus ta suil agam go mbeidh an bhlain seo chuagain nios fearr na an bhlain seo thart.
Oliver Reidy is a computer technician and has been in the industry since 1981.You can contact him via email at help.desk@reidyonline.com
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Free Software That Works
This month’s article deals with free software I have personally tested and can vouch for. Money is tight these days and these packages will allow you to achieve the same results as commercial packages costing hundreds of euros.
The caveat is that you should only download these packages from the links listed in this article.
Cautionary Tale On Downloading From Non Verified Internet Sites
I’ve come across a good few cases recently of people being stung for 20 euro by a software tool call Freerecorder. This application enables you to record music video from the internet but includes a scam where it gives you a chance to win an iphone. It also secretly embeds itself inside your browser and creates fake links on pages you visit. If you click on one of the links up pops the chance to win the iphone. Clicking on this link they ask for your mobile phone number to send the entry code and if you enter your mobile you will be stung for around 20 euro in sms texts per week until you send stop which will cost you 70 cent. The scam is currently perfectly legal under our very, very weak technology laws.
Alternative To Microsoft Office
Featuring 90% of the power of Microsoft office and available for free Open Office is an excellent package. If you have used Microsoft office you will have no trouble mastering it as the interface is very similar. Developed and supported by Sun computer systems I highly recommend this product. It can read and write office files, some conversion is necessary, and is quite fast. Sun asks for a donation and if you use it then send them a few bob. Download ONLY from http://www.openoffice.org / as there are numerous scam sites falsely claiming you can download from them.
Logmein Free
This handy application lets you access your computer from anywhere in the world for free. If you are out and about or away and need to get on your machine this application will allow you to connect and view your pc as if you were sitting in front of it. The professional version lets you transfer files between your pc and the remote location but in most cases people don’t need this feature. Download from http://www.logmein.com
Escan Anti-Virus
This is top class anti-virus software that beats the competition hands down and won’t slow your computer to a crawl. Forget the so called “free” anti-virus programs and download a professional solution that will protect your system. You will need to uninstall any existing anti-virus you have before trying it. Download from www.reidyonline.com/escan.htm Full step by step instructions on downloading are provided as well as video tutorials on how to quickly get the software working for you.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Symptoms that Your Computer Needs Help
I’m revisiting this topic this month with an aim to refreshing your memory as we approach the traditional “buy a new pc” season. As we don’t have anyone manufacturing computers in Ireland I would suggest that money would be better spent stimulating the local economy. FYI: According to the CIA World Factbook, 76% of the Irish workforce is employed in the services sector and 70% of GDP is produced by this sector. Spending money which stimulates that sector is in everyone’s interest. So buy Irish, buy often and buy local (End of Rant)
Symptom No 1 – sluggish Responses, Noticeably Slow, Crashes
I’ve combined these three as they represent key indicators that the machine needs attention. Despite the fact that your computer is a fairly sophisticated machine it’s not too good at diagnosing when it needs attention. As such it will plough on long after a problem has turned from something that can be easily corrected into one which costs money. If you notice any of these symptoms on an ongoing basis then the machine needs to be looked at quickly to avoid expensive repairs.Symptom No 2 – Desperately Slow Internet
Often diagnosed as a virus or spyware problem this in many cases, can be attributed to one of three causes: (a)poor broadband quality, (b)overloading, and last but not least (c) poorly written anti-virus software.
(A) Poor Broadband Quality – With pressure on family finances I’ve seen an increase in the amount of people abandoning traditional fixed line broadband and opting for the pay as you go internet dongles from the mobile phone companies. Unfortunately, these products are, in my opinion, oversold as to what they actually are. Bottom Line: They are not a replacement for a traditional broadband line and while you may save 40 euro a month you will pay for this with patchy service, atrocious speeds at times, and poor reliability.
(B) Overloading – I see this on virtually every machine that comes in. Teenagers and “experts” are prone to this and given the chance will pile tons and tons of useless software, toolbars and utilities onto your computer. Bottom Line: Avoid downloading tons and tons of useless add-ons to your internet browser and avoid “free” utilities like the plague. Download and install Firefox web browser as, in my humble opinion, it beats the socks of Microsoft’s Internet explorer, Apple’s Safari, and Google Chrome.
(C) Poorly Written Anti-Virus Software. More common than you think and the result of companies trying to be all things to all people. Your anti-virus software can be one of the chief causes of poor response.
Bottom Line: Seek professional advice before buying anti-virus software.
Visit Our Main Website @ http://www.reidyonline.com
Reidyonline is a member of Mebo (Meath East Business Owners). Visit Mebo @ http://www.mebo.biz
Symptom No 1 – sluggish Responses, Noticeably Slow, Crashes
I’ve combined these three as they represent key indicators that the machine needs attention. Despite the fact that your computer is a fairly sophisticated machine it’s not too good at diagnosing when it needs attention. As such it will plough on long after a problem has turned from something that can be easily corrected into one which costs money. If you notice any of these symptoms on an ongoing basis then the machine needs to be looked at quickly to avoid expensive repairs.Symptom No 2 – Desperately Slow Internet
Often diagnosed as a virus or spyware problem this in many cases, can be attributed to one of three causes: (a)poor broadband quality, (b)overloading, and last but not least (c) poorly written anti-virus software.
(A) Poor Broadband Quality – With pressure on family finances I’ve seen an increase in the amount of people abandoning traditional fixed line broadband and opting for the pay as you go internet dongles from the mobile phone companies. Unfortunately, these products are, in my opinion, oversold as to what they actually are. Bottom Line: They are not a replacement for a traditional broadband line and while you may save 40 euro a month you will pay for this with patchy service, atrocious speeds at times, and poor reliability.
(B) Overloading – I see this on virtually every machine that comes in. Teenagers and “experts” are prone to this and given the chance will pile tons and tons of useless software, toolbars and utilities onto your computer. Bottom Line: Avoid downloading tons and tons of useless add-ons to your internet browser and avoid “free” utilities like the plague. Download and install Firefox web browser as, in my humble opinion, it beats the socks of Microsoft’s Internet explorer, Apple’s Safari, and Google Chrome.
(C) Poorly Written Anti-Virus Software. More common than you think and the result of companies trying to be all things to all people. Your anti-virus software can be one of the chief causes of poor response.
Bottom Line: Seek professional advice before buying anti-virus software.
Visit Our Main Website @ http://www.reidyonline.com
Reidyonline is a member of Mebo (Meath East Business Owners). Visit Mebo @ http://www.mebo.biz
Friday, August 26, 2011
IPad2 Review
With the release of Apple’s Ipad2 and it’s arrival to Ireland I thought it timely to revisit this device to see what changes Apple have made. The Ipad and Iphone have both had a dramatic effect on the traditional computer and phone makers and you can expect to see many competitors to both between now and Christmas. This article is aimed to clear some of the misconceptions regarding the Ipad2.
The Ipad2
Sleeker, faster, better graphics, lighter, thinner, and sporting two cameras the Ipad2 is a formidable piece of technology. The laptop/notebook manufacturers do not even come close and this device is out on it’s own at what it does. The screen quality is outstanding and if you’ve used a touch screen phone then the ipad will seem second nature to you. I do have several problems with the ipad2 but these relate more to the misconceptions about the machine rather than the machine itself.
The problem with the Ipad2 is that it just is too limited for the typical computer user and thus it is not a replacement for a traditional computer. Apple does not providing usb ports on the device. This means you can’t hook up your camera, printer, usb key or backup drive directly to the ipad. Having said that it does feature bluetooth so it should be possible to connect to some devices but this is hardly sufficient. My experience with working with wireless and bluetooth enabled printers has not been good.
The Price
Entry level models start at $479 which is about the price of a fairly decent laptop. The entry level model has wifi only so you can’t use it browse when out and about unless you can find a free wireless hotspot (most café’s are providing this service now.). This is not really a limitation but I expect many people would be surprised by this.
Who does it Suit?
If you want a sleek portable device for internet browsing and email then this device is for you.
If you do decide to buy one make sure you buy a solid protective case for it and please don’t drop it! (Not recommended for teens who fall asleep with the laptop on the bed!)
If You can't see the above video then click here To see a Youtube review of the device
The Ipad2
Sleeker, faster, better graphics, lighter, thinner, and sporting two cameras the Ipad2 is a formidable piece of technology. The laptop/notebook manufacturers do not even come close and this device is out on it’s own at what it does. The screen quality is outstanding and if you’ve used a touch screen phone then the ipad will seem second nature to you. I do have several problems with the ipad2 but these relate more to the misconceptions about the machine rather than the machine itself.
The problem with the Ipad2 is that it just is too limited for the typical computer user and thus it is not a replacement for a traditional computer. Apple does not providing usb ports on the device. This means you can’t hook up your camera, printer, usb key or backup drive directly to the ipad. Having said that it does feature bluetooth so it should be possible to connect to some devices but this is hardly sufficient. My experience with working with wireless and bluetooth enabled printers has not been good.
The Price
Entry level models start at $479 which is about the price of a fairly decent laptop. The entry level model has wifi only so you can’t use it browse when out and about unless you can find a free wireless hotspot (most café’s are providing this service now.). This is not really a limitation but I expect many people would be surprised by this.
Who does it Suit?
If you want a sleek portable device for internet browsing and email then this device is for you.
If you do decide to buy one make sure you buy a solid protective case for it and please don’t drop it! (Not recommended for teens who fall asleep with the laptop on the bed!)
If You can't see the above video then click here To see a Youtube review of the device
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
I Just Won One Million Sterling With My PC.
I might well consider retiring based on the latest email to land in my inbox informing me I’ve won the yahoo lottery and am now the beneficiary of one million sterling. Wow! And the amazing thing is I didn’t even enter the lottery. All I have to do is supply my bank account details, together with my address and interestingly the also want a copy of my passport and driving license. The address is an English one so I guess if I didn’t know better what could I lose by replying?
The answer: My identity and probably every last penny I own.
This latest offer comes on top of the two I received recently: one telling me I won the Coco Cola Olympics 2012 lottery and the other one telling me a long lost cousin might have left me money. This is just a sample of the scams currently circulating the internet and replying or engaging with them can cost you a fortune. Below I’ve outlined some of the more prevalent scams. In all cases the advice is not to engage in any way with the scammers.
Scam No 1. Fake Calls From Microsoft or Anti-virus Company.
This particular scam begins with a telephone call from an individual telling you that Microsoft or some other company has detected a problem with your computer. The scammer will try to scare you and perhaps may suggest you are virus infected, your computer has been hacked, or some other problem which in may cases leads people to follow the scammers instructions.
Fact: Neither Microsoft nor any other anti-virus or software company will ever contact you by phone to tell you that you are virus infected or have been hacked.
Action: If you receive one of these calls simply hang up the phone. Do not engage with the scammer. Remember he does this for a living and is well used to conning people.
Scam No 2. Free Anti-virus /System Checks On The Internet.
This is probably the most lucrative scam out there and I’ve seen cases of people conned out of 80 euro, and more by these people. It begins with you downloading so called free anti-virus or free system health checks and ends with fake messages telling you your machine is virus infected, hacked, cracked and just about to explode!
Action: Call me (preferably!) or another professional computer technician and get expert help or you’ll end up with a disabled machine.
The answer: My identity and probably every last penny I own.
This latest offer comes on top of the two I received recently: one telling me I won the Coco Cola Olympics 2012 lottery and the other one telling me a long lost cousin might have left me money. This is just a sample of the scams currently circulating the internet and replying or engaging with them can cost you a fortune. Below I’ve outlined some of the more prevalent scams. In all cases the advice is not to engage in any way with the scammers.
Scam No 1. Fake Calls From Microsoft or Anti-virus Company.
This particular scam begins with a telephone call from an individual telling you that Microsoft or some other company has detected a problem with your computer. The scammer will try to scare you and perhaps may suggest you are virus infected, your computer has been hacked, or some other problem which in may cases leads people to follow the scammers instructions.
Fact: Neither Microsoft nor any other anti-virus or software company will ever contact you by phone to tell you that you are virus infected or have been hacked.
Action: If you receive one of these calls simply hang up the phone. Do not engage with the scammer. Remember he does this for a living and is well used to conning people.
Scam No 2. Free Anti-virus /System Checks On The Internet.
This is probably the most lucrative scam out there and I’ve seen cases of people conned out of 80 euro, and more by these people. It begins with you downloading so called free anti-virus or free system health checks and ends with fake messages telling you your machine is virus infected, hacked, cracked and just about to explode!
Action: Call me (preferably!) or another professional computer technician and get expert help or you’ll end up with a disabled machine.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Technology Advances Aim To Hit Your Pocket
This month’s article deals with one of the current trends in computing technology that ultimately is designed to cost you much more money for facilities you now have free. As usual the industry has already started in earnest to push this technology and many of you may already have considered or indeed purchased the devices that incorporate these new technologies. I personally believe many of these technologies are of advantage to certain individuals or companies based on their requirements but understanding the pitfalls may help you avoid being sucked into what I refer to as the “Revenue stream”.
Cloud Computing
You’ve probably heard the term bandied about but Cloud Computing is viewed by many as the new ongoing revenue to the computer industry.
The idea is simple: all of your information (photos, email, office documents) are stored on a remote computer somewhere on the internet. (if you use hotmail or gmail you already are a cloud computer user!). You can access your data from any internet connected computer in the world and you never have to worry about backing it up. Not alone that but you won’t have to buy any expensive office or other packages as theses will all be available via the cloud.
Sounds enticing doesn’t it ? So what’s the catch?
The Answer: you will be charged for the storage of your data and you’ll be charged for using the software. Once you stop paying then say goodbye to accessing your data. Quite apart from the costs involved with cloud computing there are four other questions which need answering about a cloud computing environment.
· How can you ensure my data won’t be hacked ? (If hackers can penetrate the IMF they can certainly get at less well guarded data)
· What happens if the company storing my data goes out of business?
· How can I be sure that my data is actually backed up regularly and can be recovered if necessary?
· How private will my data be and who will be able to access it?
In a nutshell there is nothing new in cloud computing. Back in 1980, as a young programmer, cloud computing was the only way I was able to program in the College of Commerce Rathmines. We had a remote terminal to a computer somewhere in the USA. The technology may have changed but the concept is just rehashing of old computing principles. Personal computers freed the ordinary person to compute and store information relatively cheaply. Cloud computing if implemented across the board could end that era.
Cloud Computing
You’ve probably heard the term bandied about but Cloud Computing is viewed by many as the new ongoing revenue to the computer industry.
The idea is simple: all of your information (photos, email, office documents) are stored on a remote computer somewhere on the internet. (if you use hotmail or gmail you already are a cloud computer user!). You can access your data from any internet connected computer in the world and you never have to worry about backing it up. Not alone that but you won’t have to buy any expensive office or other packages as theses will all be available via the cloud.
Sounds enticing doesn’t it ? So what’s the catch?
The Answer: you will be charged for the storage of your data and you’ll be charged for using the software. Once you stop paying then say goodbye to accessing your data. Quite apart from the costs involved with cloud computing there are four other questions which need answering about a cloud computing environment.
· How can you ensure my data won’t be hacked ? (If hackers can penetrate the IMF they can certainly get at less well guarded data)
· What happens if the company storing my data goes out of business?
· How can I be sure that my data is actually backed up regularly and can be recovered if necessary?
· How private will my data be and who will be able to access it?
In a nutshell there is nothing new in cloud computing. Back in 1980, as a young programmer, cloud computing was the only way I was able to program in the College of Commerce Rathmines. We had a remote terminal to a computer somewhere in the USA. The technology may have changed but the concept is just rehashing of old computing principles. Personal computers freed the ordinary person to compute and store information relatively cheaply. Cloud computing if implemented across the board could end that era.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Top PC killers
This month’s article deals with some of the top causes of computer failures I encounter and gives you some tips on avoiding them. As always I recommend you backup your information regularly so that when you have a failure the impact is minimised. Remember the old rule “If it’s worth keeping it’s worth backing up”
Electrical Failures
Damage as a result of power failures, surges, or power outages is quite common and in many cases very severe. A power spike or surge may not kill your pc immediately but in many cases the damage done will surface within a short time. Power problems can result in the failure of the computer’s power supply and in the more severe cases damage to internal components such as your hard disk or motherboard.
Prevention: Invest in a solid surge protector and ensure it is rated to cope with computers. This is important as the cheaper surge protectors do not react sufficiently quickly to prevent a surge or spike hitting your machine.
Turn off and unplug your computer when not in use. This is not alone a good practice to prevent surges and spikes hitting your machine but also prevents the possibility of fire due to overheating of your computer.
Do not leave laptops constantly plugged in to power and do not leave the machine turned on overnight. While it may appear that the machine has turned itself off it usually is just in a hibernation state and is susceptible to damage from electrical failures.
Overheating
This problem occurs most commonly in laptops but occasionally I come across it with desktops. An overheating problem has the potential to seriously damage your computer resulting in either costly repairs or worse the machine ending up in the recycling centre. Heat problems can be solved if discovered and addressed early.
Prevention: Ensure your desktop computer is located in a well ventilated area and that neither the front nor rear vents are blocked. If you hear excessive fan noise seek technical assistance. With laptops avoid excessive use and if the underside of the machine becomes hot or you hear excessive fan noise turn off the machine and allow it to cool. As with desktops if the machine becomes excessively hot within a short period of time or you hear excessive fan noise seek technical assistance.
Electrical Failures
Damage as a result of power failures, surges, or power outages is quite common and in many cases very severe. A power spike or surge may not kill your pc immediately but in many cases the damage done will surface within a short time. Power problems can result in the failure of the computer’s power supply and in the more severe cases damage to internal components such as your hard disk or motherboard.
Prevention: Invest in a solid surge protector and ensure it is rated to cope with computers. This is important as the cheaper surge protectors do not react sufficiently quickly to prevent a surge or spike hitting your machine.
Turn off and unplug your computer when not in use. This is not alone a good practice to prevent surges and spikes hitting your machine but also prevents the possibility of fire due to overheating of your computer.
Do not leave laptops constantly plugged in to power and do not leave the machine turned on overnight. While it may appear that the machine has turned itself off it usually is just in a hibernation state and is susceptible to damage from electrical failures.
Overheating
This problem occurs most commonly in laptops but occasionally I come across it with desktops. An overheating problem has the potential to seriously damage your computer resulting in either costly repairs or worse the machine ending up in the recycling centre. Heat problems can be solved if discovered and addressed early.
Prevention: Ensure your desktop computer is located in a well ventilated area and that neither the front nor rear vents are blocked. If you hear excessive fan noise seek technical assistance. With laptops avoid excessive use and if the underside of the machine becomes hot or you hear excessive fan noise turn off the machine and allow it to cool. As with desktops if the machine becomes excessively hot within a short period of time or you hear excessive fan noise seek technical assistance.
Buy Or Sell On The Internet – Part 2
Linkedin
Linkedin is the business version of facebook and while I’m an advocate of it the jury is out on its value for direct selling to potential customers. I believe it is worth the effort setting out your shingle on this site. Take the time to create a professional profile of your business.
YouTube
A picture is worth a thousand words and Youtube is the site of choice to provide this service. YouTube is known by virtually every internet user and is an ideal way of displaying your product. If you take the time you will be surprised at just how easy it is to upload a video or slideshow showing your products.
What Are The Hidden Costs Of Selling?
The primary hidden costs not considered by most people when considering selling over the internet are: Packaging Costs, Shipping Costs, and Payment fees.
Packaging Costs:
You will need to pack your product well to ensure it does not get damaged in shipment. Include the cost of these items in your pricing.
Shipping Costs:
A significant factor in pricing as shipping costs can be expensive particularly if the item is large or bulky. Remember your buyer may be from any area of the world so calculate your shipping costs correctly before listing your items.
Payment Fees:
When you start out you’ll need to provide a simple method for people to pay you. The obvious choice is paypal but remember they will charge you a fee for any money coming into you account. In addition if you want to transfer that money to your local Irish bank account there is an additional fee.
Local Selling Sites And Ebay
Several local internet sites provide a method for you to buy and sell. These include donedeal and gumtree. If you list on these two sites you target buying audience will likely be limited to buyers from the Irish market. Having said that these sites offer a quick way to shift your goods.
Ebay
The big daddy of selling will ensure your product is displayed to the world. As with paypal there is a charge for listing products. By placing your goods on ebay and combining it with paypal you give yourself the best chance of selling the product. Remember there are thousands of sellers on ebay so price your product right.
Useful links:
Donedeal -http://www.donedeal.ie
Gumtree - http://www.gumtree.ie
Linkedin is the business version of facebook and while I’m an advocate of it the jury is out on its value for direct selling to potential customers. I believe it is worth the effort setting out your shingle on this site. Take the time to create a professional profile of your business.
YouTube
A picture is worth a thousand words and Youtube is the site of choice to provide this service. YouTube is known by virtually every internet user and is an ideal way of displaying your product. If you take the time you will be surprised at just how easy it is to upload a video or slideshow showing your products.
What Are The Hidden Costs Of Selling?
The primary hidden costs not considered by most people when considering selling over the internet are: Packaging Costs, Shipping Costs, and Payment fees.
Packaging Costs:
You will need to pack your product well to ensure it does not get damaged in shipment. Include the cost of these items in your pricing.
Shipping Costs:
A significant factor in pricing as shipping costs can be expensive particularly if the item is large or bulky. Remember your buyer may be from any area of the world so calculate your shipping costs correctly before listing your items.
Payment Fees:
When you start out you’ll need to provide a simple method for people to pay you. The obvious choice is paypal but remember they will charge you a fee for any money coming into you account. In addition if you want to transfer that money to your local Irish bank account there is an additional fee.
Local Selling Sites And Ebay
Several local internet sites provide a method for you to buy and sell. These include donedeal and gumtree. If you list on these two sites you target buying audience will likely be limited to buyers from the Irish market. Having said that these sites offer a quick way to shift your goods.
Ebay
The big daddy of selling will ensure your product is displayed to the world. As with paypal there is a charge for listing products. By placing your goods on ebay and combining it with paypal you give yourself the best chance of selling the product. Remember there are thousands of sellers on ebay so price your product right.
Useful links:
Donedeal -http://www.donedeal.ie
Gumtree - http://www.gumtree.ie
Friday, April 1, 2011
Buy Or Sell On The Internet - Part 1
Given the current economic climate many of you may be looking to buy or sell via the internet to supplement your income. In the next few articles I will touch on the key issues with regarding to Buying and Selling on the internet.
Selling Products And Services
Before You Start
Warning! It is good practice to setup a separate email address for selling to ensure your own email does not fill up with queries. You must ensure your anti-virus software is up to date before attempting to do business on the internet or you may find yourself attacked via your email. Forget what your nephew says about free anti-virus. There is “no free lunch” when it comes to anti-virus software. You can try a fully functional 30 day version of my recommended anti-virus software by downloading it from my website at the following address http://www.reidyonline.com/products2.htm
Do I Need A Website?
It is a common misconception that you need a web presence (website) to successfully sell products on the internet. This may be true if you trying to sell a multiple of products to various customers but for the start up internet seller there is absolutely no need to spend a chunk of money on a website. The truth is your website has little chance of being found by your potential buyer as opposed to the other well known internet selling sites such as eBay. With the changes in social networking you can get yourself a web presence without spending a penny. Setting up a blog to describe or provide an introduction to your business is relatively easy and you can start by visiting my blog http://reidyonline.blogspot.com and click the create Blog button at the top right of the screen. Blogspot belongs to Google but free blogs are not limited to them so look about. Have your friends and family proof your blog before you post it. Remember it’s going on the web.
Free Web Presence Sites
Facebook Linkedin And YouTube
Facebook allows you to advertise on the web but remember you’ll need to collect friends. Posting information to Facebook is simple once you know how and is a process many of you are familiar with. As with your email it is good practice to setup a separate Facebook account for your business venture. I will continue on this topic in next month’s article.
Selling Products And Services
Before You Start
Warning! It is good practice to setup a separate email address for selling to ensure your own email does not fill up with queries. You must ensure your anti-virus software is up to date before attempting to do business on the internet or you may find yourself attacked via your email. Forget what your nephew says about free anti-virus. There is “no free lunch” when it comes to anti-virus software. You can try a fully functional 30 day version of my recommended anti-virus software by downloading it from my website at the following address http://www.reidyonline.com/products2.htm
Do I Need A Website?
It is a common misconception that you need a web presence (website) to successfully sell products on the internet. This may be true if you trying to sell a multiple of products to various customers but for the start up internet seller there is absolutely no need to spend a chunk of money on a website. The truth is your website has little chance of being found by your potential buyer as opposed to the other well known internet selling sites such as eBay. With the changes in social networking you can get yourself a web presence without spending a penny. Setting up a blog to describe or provide an introduction to your business is relatively easy and you can start by visiting my blog http://reidyonline.blogspot.com and click the create Blog button at the top right of the screen. Blogspot belongs to Google but free blogs are not limited to them so look about. Have your friends and family proof your blog before you post it. Remember it’s going on the web.
Free Web Presence Sites
Facebook Linkedin And YouTube
Facebook allows you to advertise on the web but remember you’ll need to collect friends. Posting information to Facebook is simple once you know how and is a process many of you are familiar with. As with your email it is good practice to setup a separate Facebook account for your business venture. I will continue on this topic in next month’s article.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Safeguarding Your Data – Part 2
Common Mistakes In Securing Data
Local Email: If you use Outlook express, or Outlook your email files are stored locally on your computer and are not kept on the internet. Unfortunately, the email files and your address book are not normally stored under your My Documents folder. This quite commonly results in the email files not being backed up and when a disk failure occurs all email is lost. You can locate where these files are by searching for *.dbx (in the case of outlook express) and *.pst (in the case of Outlook). There are various free backup tools available on the internet and if you drop me an email at I will send you a link to one of these utilities.
Too Little Too Late
Quite often when I ask for a copy of the backup I am handed a usb key as the only backup for a computer. Bottom line – A usb key, no matter how big, is highly unlikely to be able to secure your data. In my opinion, while better than nothing, these devices give a false sense of security. I would liken them to having a bucket of water in the house in case of a fire. Better than nothing but in the end of limited use if a serious fire breaks out.
If you want to ensure that you can recover from a serious computer failure and be able to restore your music, video, pictures, and documents you must invest in a proper external hard disk and use it !
No Recovery DVD’s
One of the most common mistakes is not generating your recovery dvd’s. Most, if not all, computers shipped in the last five years come with this facility but you must generate the dvd’s. Given a set of these DVD’s and a solid backup your chances of recovering from a serious problem are extremely good.
Conclusion: It’s a fact that your trusty hi-tech gizmo will fail in the future. By taking some simple steps now and spending a small amount of money you can significantly reduce the effect that failure has on you. It’s in your hands – Good Luck!
Local Email: If you use Outlook express, or Outlook your email files are stored locally on your computer and are not kept on the internet. Unfortunately, the email files and your address book are not normally stored under your My Documents folder. This quite commonly results in the email files not being backed up and when a disk failure occurs all email is lost. You can locate where these files are by searching for *.dbx (in the case of outlook express) and *.pst (in the case of Outlook). There are various free backup tools available on the internet and if you drop me an email at I will send you a link to one of these utilities.
Too Little Too Late
Quite often when I ask for a copy of the backup I am handed a usb key as the only backup for a computer. Bottom line – A usb key, no matter how big, is highly unlikely to be able to secure your data. In my opinion, while better than nothing, these devices give a false sense of security. I would liken them to having a bucket of water in the house in case of a fire. Better than nothing but in the end of limited use if a serious fire breaks out.
If you want to ensure that you can recover from a serious computer failure and be able to restore your music, video, pictures, and documents you must invest in a proper external hard disk and use it !
No Recovery DVD’s
One of the most common mistakes is not generating your recovery dvd’s. Most, if not all, computers shipped in the last five years come with this facility but you must generate the dvd’s. Given a set of these DVD’s and a solid backup your chances of recovering from a serious problem are extremely good.
Conclusion: It’s a fact that your trusty hi-tech gizmo will fail in the future. By taking some simple steps now and spending a small amount of money you can significantly reduce the effect that failure has on you. It’s in your hands – Good Luck!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Safeguarding Your Data – Part 1
Most of us, if not all, are guilty of not taking care of our most precious possessions as well as we could. I’m not sure what the reasons are for this but I prefer to think it is due more to our optimistic outlook rather than laziness. The truth, for those of you who can handle it, is that your trusty technical gizmo is destined to fail. How this failure affects you will depend on how well you have prepared for it and in this article I will make some suggestions on how you can lessen the pain when it occurs.
Plan To Fail - Not fail To Plan
Approach the problem of securing your information in a step by step approach.
Step 1 . Make a list of all information you currently have stored on any computer device you own. This should include external usb drives, portable hard drives, and cd’s you may have created.
This is easier said than done as most people now have valuable information stored across multiple devices.
Step 2. Rate the importance of this information to you. Most people will put photos at the top of this list but don’t forget your personal documents and email.
Step 3. Use the two location rule.
Mark the items where you have the information stored on multiple devices. For example if you’ve made copies of your photos to an external hard drive.
Step 4. Make a schedule to secure the information for which there is no backup.
Common Mistakes In Securing Data
Online Email: One of the most common areas where I see massive data loss are online email accounts such as hotmail and google. I’ve seen countless examples of people losing all their email because their email account has been hacked. If you must use online email, I don’t personally recommend it, then you need to be aware that in the event of a hack attack you will lose all mail you have stored on there. My personal recommendation is to get yourself a proper email account and store your email on your computer. At a minimum if you have an online account periodically forward your important emails to another email account preferably with a different provider.
Next month I will expand further on this article.
Plan To Fail - Not fail To Plan
Approach the problem of securing your information in a step by step approach.
Step 1 . Make a list of all information you currently have stored on any computer device you own. This should include external usb drives, portable hard drives, and cd’s you may have created.
This is easier said than done as most people now have valuable information stored across multiple devices.
Step 2. Rate the importance of this information to you. Most people will put photos at the top of this list but don’t forget your personal documents and email.
Step 3. Use the two location rule.
Mark the items where you have the information stored on multiple devices. For example if you’ve made copies of your photos to an external hard drive.
Step 4. Make a schedule to secure the information for which there is no backup.
Common Mistakes In Securing Data
Online Email: One of the most common areas where I see massive data loss are online email accounts such as hotmail and google. I’ve seen countless examples of people losing all their email because their email account has been hacked. If you must use online email, I don’t personally recommend it, then you need to be aware that in the event of a hack attack you will lose all mail you have stored on there. My personal recommendation is to get yourself a proper email account and store your email on your computer. At a minimum if you have an online account periodically forward your important emails to another email account preferably with a different provider.
Next month I will expand further on this article.
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