An Apple Mac - Reasons for Choosing to Own One

by: Frank Breinling

When people are looking to buy a new computer, whether for work or home use, they tend to opt out of buying an Apple Mac. Choosing an Apple Mac is perhaps one of the most wonderful computer investments you will ever make. There are a lot of companies that offer them at very affordable rates; comparing prices will of course save you a lot of money.

There are a lot of people who later decide against purchasing an Apple Mac because they are a little bit afraid that they may not be able to conveniently connect with others, because they erroneously feel that a Mac is not compatible with other systems.

You will discover that one of the biggest problems faced by people, who would love to buy a Mac to replace their computer, is that they are unsure as to whether they will be able to conveniently transfer data from their old computer to the new one. This is certainly no longer a problem; Microsoft has now allowed their "Office Programs" to be effectively applied to Apple Macs.

Users also have the opportunity to conveniently access other types of popular software programs too. These days you will discover that Apple Macs also come with these three;

- Adobe Photoshop

- Access to iTunes

- MSN Messenger

If you find out that there are certain files you have on your old PC and your Apple Mac does not seem to have the application to use them, fret not. There are lots of programs which are available that can assist you in transferring the files that are quite common for different types of computers to your Apple Mac, utilizing the right type of application.

You need to understand that there are certain programs i.e. Microsoft Publisher (which usually does not allow users to convert their files into an Apple Mac format) - thankfully, Apple has corrected this problem. These days, all the Intel based Apple Macs will allow users to boot up directly into MS Windows and allow users to make the required changes from Microsoft Publisher into an Apple Mac Application instead.

So you see you can get an Apple Mac, not only because it is beautiful and lightweight, but because it will meet all of your requirements whether you are using it at work or at home. Using a Mac is always special and it will keep you stay out of the crowd.

Get Some Useful Information On iPad Skins

by: Bhrat Brij

We have to confess. Credit to the cutthroat competition cell phone makers are coming with totally trendy cell phone models. The scheme is that if one competitor has one function your cell phone may have 3 functions. The cell phone market is booming these days and that is the basis why you can see really amazing range of cell phones. So if you have already invested in Samsung Rogue or Blackberry storm it is a provided that you know accurately what you wish.

Well the only difficulty with the cell phone manufacturers is that they designed a chic cell phone but did not do much concerning guarding its outer surface from scratches and smudges. Therefore it is regular that your Samsung Rogue or Blackberry storm has gathered a lot of marks during its association with you. You would want to find for ways to protect the cell phone from any type of added outer damage. This of course is going to be in the type of Cell phone skins of iPad skins, Blackberry storm skins and Samsung Rogue skins.

iPad skins, Blackberry storm skins and Samsung Rogue skins are made up of vinyl. This is one of the most stretchy yet most elegant positive materials going around in the world nowadays of these Cell phone skins. Not merely can you get iPad skins, Blackberry storm skins and Samsung Rogue skins which are tailor made but also Cell phone skins which are printable can be printed. Consequently you do not have to worry regarding boring skin covering your cell phone. You are going to find something which is robust, supple and elegant. You may also find custom-made cell phone skins.

These iPad skins are definitely one of a kind, especially when you have your own patterns to be printed on them. That implies that you are not restricted to one design, one style, and one color combination. The thought is that you will have a protecting vinyl covering to cover up your cell phone. Apart from that, you are going to have something which is really attractive and individual like you.

So what are you looking for, boast your style and trend sense by getting personalized Blackberry curve skins for your cell phone? You might also want to wrap up your Blackberry curve with psychedelic colors. The sky is the limit on ingenuity particularly when you are scheming iPad skins to your own liking. You can have all these Skins on the Web and ask the merchant to make special Cell Phone skins for you according to your own specifications.

Need for Server Management Support

by: Kathryn Dawson

Server management is one of the most important functions of any organisation that wishes to maintain a solid presence on the internet. However, these servers are used for much more than just web services. For example, they can also be supporting the back-office functions, running databases and a huge range of database applications, such as ecommerce and customer relationship management systems. Without careful management, these services could suffer from poor or insufficient administration, leading to deteriorating quality of data, out of date software, incomplete backups, poor security standards and so on. This could put a business at a range of risks, from their systems becoming slow and inefficient to full-blown outages due to the lack of disk space or even security breaches by hackers.

Server Management – A Common Scenario

Many companies believe that by creating special roles in their workforce for server management, they have everything covered. They couldn't be more wrong, as is apparent in this scenario of a manufacturing firm in Sussex. The company in question had been using a UNIX powered server for managing all its databases, including updating the daily shipping records. The role of server administrator was held by the person who originally designed the server. For several years he held this role, during which time the server showed no shortcomings. However, the employee stopped working there suddenly, leaving the company in a tight spot.

The server still ran for two months without any problems and everyone at the company breathed easy. One day, without any warning, the server crashed. Bewildered, the company immediately hired a server management firm. In their survey, the networking experts found that the server was completely outdated and had no data recovery policies in place. What this meant was that the manufacturing firm now found itself in a situation where it risked losing all crucial data like customer contacts and sales figures.

The one thing that this example brings to the fore is that even if your server is not currently causing a problem, it is not reason enough to ignore it. It is not a signal to relax. There are still very strong chances that it could be lacking in vital software updates (for example). In the case of the company above, the problem did not arise because of an individual's incompetency, but because of the lack of proper supervision.

Going Down the High Availability Path

The main advantage of carrying out regular server management is decreasing the risk of downtime (from one cause of another). Looking at this from another angle, state of the art systems can be used to provide High Availability. This makes use of technologies such as load balancing and content delivery networks to make sure that your web or offline services are available quickly and all the time.

Basic Server Management Steps:

1) Installing Typical Software: Well managed server hosting is possible with the application of specific software. These server administration tools help keep the server online and in case of a failure or a deterioration in services, alert the system administrator.

2) Upgrading the System: By updating the servers from time to time, server management vendors ensure that the website or server is always abreast of the latest additions in network technology.

3) Common Administrative Tasks Carried out by Skilled Professionals: This is the point where the server management vendors become almost indispensable. Their workforce boasts of employees with technical qualifications such as:

a) Microsoft Certified administrators for Windows Server troubleshooting

b) Cisco Certified technicians for networking

c) Linux Certified administrators for Linux/UNIX troubleshooting.

d) Experienced certified programmers and database architects.

By using a combination of people, process and technology, outsourced fully managed servers are almost guaranteed to meet all of an organisation's online or offline needs.

Mangaged Or Unmanaged Server ? What Is Better?

by: Frank Breinling

What is a dedicated server?

The only function of a stand alone server, a so called dedicated server, is to serve one client. Service providers can have direct access to the dedicated server which are hosted in data centers. The main reason for moving from a shared hosting account to a dedicated server is a need for more data space and bandwidth. You don't have to share any resources and you can install the software you want with this type of server.

There are two types of hosting you can choose from:

Managed Dedicated Server - The host looks after your hardware and operation needs. This means they monitor and manage the network and any connection problems that occur. They also install new updates, replace any hardware that is needed, put in and update security measures and install patches (software that fixes problems).

Unmanaged Dedicated Server - With this server the responsibility of the daily operation and maintenance needs are yours. It all will be your responsibilty, i.e updating software, applying of patches and security or updating the software. The service provider still looks after the network monitoring, connection problems and the hardware; they may only offer to take part of the responsibility for these things.

What is better for you? A managed or unmanaged dedicated server?

This all depends on your needs and the personnel you have available to you. If you do not have a server administrator or IT staff at your location who can dedicate a fair amount of time to maintaining, monitoring and troubleshooting the dedicated server, then you should get a managed dedicated server that will be able to fulfill all these needs, including upgrading and security monitoring. You will also keep your staffing budget low by choosing this server method.

If, however, you already have IT staff in your employment, with the time and expertise to maintain the dedicated server, then the unmanaged dedicated sever could be just right for you.

Once you have selected the hardware and operating system that is best for your dedicated server, you need to decide who you are going to get to run your server. It's clever to find a hosting company that is offering both, managed and unmanaged servers, if for some reason your IT staff is away you can make use of switching from unmanaged to managed service. Now that you have hosting, things should run smoothly.

For beginners I recommend choosing a managed server. Unmanaged servers can be very time consuming to keep them running and online.

IT Management - Internal Audit

by: Even Jahr

Self Assessment or internal control is a regular process to be repeated again and again, as part of your efforts to reach the desired level of quality you are striving for. The self assessment process shows you if you are on the right track to achieve your goals, and it can also show you where you can find room for improvement in your working processes.

How to define the metrics.

What can you measure? Any working process in your department can be measured. Whether it is opening a new user account, setting up new a PC, ordering software, answering a call on the help desk - all these processes can be defined and measured. The way to do this is to set up a flow diagram, and define the working steps one by one until you have the defined the complete process. For each step in the process from beginning to end you should define the input needed to start the step, how the step is to be performed and finally, the result of the process. The process also involves defining 4 roles or levels of participation in the different steps of the process, execution defines the person who I doing the job, which normally means the person who is responsible. P for participation, who takes part in the process step, I for information, who, if any, needs to be informed about the result of the step. As you work your way through the process you are defining, make sure that all important steps to complete a process are included.

Have a special focus on the part of the process where you have little or no influence. Your interaction with other departments is important to measure, so define the steps where you need information from other departments or give information to other departments with great care. As an example, if you are defining how to open a new user account as a process, then you can have the following steps:

1) receive requisition for new user

2) crate new user on the network

3) Update user list

4) Update Hardware Inventory list

5) Update software licenses

6) Report back when everything is ready

If you in addition define the 4 levels of participation in the process, your procedure is ready.

How to do the self assessment / internal control. The self assessment is a process where you go through all the steps required to perform a task, step by step as defined in the procedure.

If the step is performed satisfactory, you have a situation that is called compliance. Compliance means that all is working well without errors.

If the step is not performed satisfactory, you have a situation we call non-compliance.Non-compliance means that there are some errors in performing the work, and these errors have to be corrected.

When you have compliance, you can complete your internal control. All is working well and according to procedure, just write a small report on your findings and send a copy to your immediate superior. Never forget the internal marketing you should do to improve your standings.

If you have a non-compliance situation, you will have to ask yourself the following questions: Are there errors in the way I perform the internal control? If you have errors in the way you do the internal control, it is easy to correct and then just repeat the process to see if your result is correct. Are there errors in the working procedures? A non-compliance situation may be a good indication. If the working procedure contains logical errors, people will bypass the steps you have defined simply because it prevents them from doing their job they feel it should be performed. After analyzing the situation and if you find errors in the procedure, correct the error, implement the procedure again and do a new self assessment. Are there errors in the implementation process? If the procedure is defined the way you want it to work and people do not follow it, then you have to consider your implementation process. Perhaps you have to repeat it, or discuss the steps where you have non-compliance with your subordinates so that they understand the importance of performing the procedure as described and not bypassing any of the steps. If there are errors in the procedure they have to be corrected, and a new training has to be done. If people bypass and the procedure works the way you want, a new training is also required. Self Assessment of your procedures is a very good tool to improve performance and verify that you keep the level you want.

More so, when you have a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with your users and you have to verify performance from time to time. Then self assessment becomes a part of your regular working routine and you can document your service level with your self assessment reports.

Importance Of EDI (Electornic Data Interchange) For Your Business

by: Aftab Ahmed

The term EDI is used for electronic data interchange. Obtaining electronic data interchange is extremely beneficial for your selling. Electronic Data Interchange technologies are new so many businesses are not even sure where to begin. For businesses new to EDI and even businesses that have begun implementing electronic data interchange technology, a consultant can help hugly in getting an EDI system setup and helping to select the proper system for the business.

EDI is not something new. It is true that-, it is much older than you might think. Yet to many industries it is only a few years old. The very central task of the EDI technology to lessen the trust on paper-based mail and fax machines and makes these things most computers oriented. In place of of sending message by fax machine a person would send the document nearly by using the EDI server. The person {{getting the fax can receive it usually, or through their own EDI server.

Now a day there are several companies currently using EDI. Normally the EDI is widely used in manufacturing, utilities, shipping, pharmaceuticals, insurance, construction, metals, food processing, banking, warehousing, retailing, petroleum, government, health care, and textiles among other industries. All those companies that buy or sell goods or services can potentially employ EDI. Because it plays an central function to support the entire business cycle. The EDI software can update the relationship the of the companies with the customers, distributors, suppliers, and so forth.

Here are largest benefits of EDI. It play a vital role is saving the big amount of labor time. No data entry mistakes will occur from your operators. The EDI also allows extremely rapid order processing. A proper system can easily handle receiving an order and shipping that order with its invoice the same day. EDI improves margins by meeting clients demands and consequently strengthening relationships. It also allows time and effort to be focused on other interior priorities.

Electronic data interchange often permits a company that first implements Electronic data interchange to handle far larger volumes without adding employees and other costs. This means increased sales and increased revenues once the original investment in EDI is recaptured. These savings come from, no data entry errors from your operators, no mail time; lessen labor processing costs and time, lessen order cycle time and no filing and other processing of paperwork.

Use The Sms Gateway To Make Best Business Gains

by: James Johnson

A combination of sms gateway software and electronic mail based advertising campaign is now the best option. Both go hand in hand now, even a few years back it was only the time of e-mail based persuasive campaigns but now the scenario has considerably changed. With the growing popularity of sms gateway software the sms service providers have tailored alluring online sms sending software to serve businesses better. Serious marketing gains can be achieved by companies in all business markets using this online marketing technique. There are corporations that offer packages, which address the needs of a company that is deciding to break new ground, in this digital marketing field. This indicates the increasing demand of sms service and professionals who excels in this field.

It is common that often customers delete the business campaign related e-mails and newsletters, few of the mails with memorable headlines are usually read. But the process of sms service is different, sms are short texts and shot directly in the hand held cellular devices of the customers. There are many ways of reaching customers better with the help of sms gateway. Now the sms api service is in vogue and with the help of sms api service it is possible to send across links that leads to web pages. These links can be sent to any global destinations within minutes. Thus it is possible to share information with the target audience.

Online free sms service is provided by many of the telecom based software development companies. Any one can create a short text message from the web instead of using conventional mobile device and can send the message to the target audience. To be specific this message gets sent directly to the SMS center. Again for delivery to the chosen mobile number the message gets forwarded. It is possible to customize the installed sms sending software. Then just by selecting the numbers from the contact list a person can start sending sms.

If anyone seeks to have a turnkey marketing machine for a US based company, it is mandatory to consider combination of sms services and email marketing. In case of initiating such a marketing campaign it is best to rely upon the suitable professionals who can effectively use the sms gateway software. Social networking with the help pf web portals along with the use of sms services definitely can yield good results. Short messaging services and e-mail offer so many benefits to the marketer. It is actually not something that the serious companies should ignore in this point of time.

Across United States there are plenty of online sms sending bulk sms software providers. Selection of the suitable one indeed matters. The right sms gateway software providers have come up with alluring schemes, it is best to check out them with the help of free trial version. By using the trial version it is possible to check out the convenience and features. It is worth to note that the best online sms providers have created many solutions to cater businesses better. It is prudent to rely upon the new digital marketing processes for business enhancement purposes.

How To Post Your Resumes Online?

by: Silas Reed

When you have taken the decision of leaving your current job, or you have just stepped out of your academic life and now badly in search of a job then having your resumes posted online can be of special help to you. Through many links and sources you can land upon the valuable information about the appropriate jobs and some of the good career sites can be the right options in this regard.

They can provide you with the information of posting your resumes online. Posting resume online can give you the correct start for your career. You will increase your chances of being found out by companies and recruiters. Let us have a look at the steps of posting your resumes online.

Create a resume according to the instructions given

If you have not created a resume yet, then follow the format that has been given over the net and make it suitable for many job listings.

Have your resume updated so that it is formatted in the correct way

Convert the resume to the text only document style. You need to update phrases and words in such a way so that online recruiters find it easy to locate you. This is how you can best use your resume.

If your resume is big then create multiple resumes

If your resume is really long then have them specialized. Create multiple resumes which can cater to the demands of many types of jobs. In this way you can match your resume according to the needs of your potential employer even though you know not who it is.

A cover letter should be created

It is not possible that you will manage a direct talk to your new employer over the job boards but you can achieve this making a cover letter. This cover letter should also be converted to the text only document style.

Big job boards should be targeted

You should try to post your resume over big and reputed sites like Yahoo, Monster and Career Builder.

Do not make the mistake of overlooking the smaller boards

There are many job boards that are particularly made for certain industry. Now if you can find the job board for your target industry then it is a good idea to have it posted out there in order to increase your chances of being found out by them.

Look for sites that give you the scope to upload your pictures or video

Some of the job boards have a resume builder or a resume section

Collect your job history, education, special skills from your resume and have them typed separately.

Job tools that are provided by job boards for free should be taken advantage of

Many sites have search engines that can automatically get you the links of jobs that match with your profile. You will be sent emails whenever their search matches with your profile. So it is good idea to take help of job agents which most of these job boards have in order to help you.

The above guidelines if followed can give you good results.and sign up today to get your resume posted instantly on over 60 job websites.

What You Need To Know About An IT Staffing Company?

by: Rudy Silva

An IT staffing company doesn’t just act as a technical recruiter for IT companies. They also provide other IT-based services such as: software development and professional advice.

Finding employment is not easy. With the economic downfall and the high rate of competition among job seekers, job searching has become harder. As result, a higher number of unemployment is experienced in most areas of the world.

Every job seeker possesses special attributes that they can contribute to a company’s growth. The problem is that not all of them can create a strong and professional impression to their interviewers.

A competent worker is like a needle in the haystack. Every company wants to employ the best and most competent worker, unfortunately, finding one is not an easy task.

As observed, job seekers would impress their interviewers as best as they can just to secure the position. They would talk about their skills, abilities and positive traits. But, failing to identify which applicant could really perform the job would surely cost the company money and time.

Another problem in hiring an employee is that they generally perform efficiently at the beginning of their contract. More often than not, this is merely a short-lived efficiency. In the end, the company would end up looking for a new person to fill the position again.

One solution that is considered by both companies and job searcher is an IT staffing company. Lately these staffing companies have expanded, providing great service for all clients.

But the question is, how can an IT staffing company help you?

First, this kind of technical recruiter doesn’t just offer temporary job services; it has the ability to provide long term career management services. So whether you are a company or a job seeker, you can be sure that the money you will spend with them can be worth it.

Second, contrary to the ordinary job placement agency, IT staffing firms can be easily found in the internet. This means, you do not have to spend transportation to go through a pre-screening process. By simply passing your resume online, you’ll know whether you are qualified for a position or not.

For companies, they can easily have access on the list of available job seekers, who might pass their qualifications. This could help them save time from posting advertisements on the net, schools, government agencies or other public places.

An IT staffing agency’s first priority is to provide competent IT employees to their clients. With this, the client’s time will be again saved. How? Because they can be sure that only qualified applicants would be sent to them, thus making the pre-employment process faster.

On the other hand, job seeker’s time could also be saved. Indeed, their time is saved because they no longer have to spend their whole day browsing for a job. They can be sure that every company calls them for an interview is related to their skills.

Most Popular Blogs Share 3 Common Characteristics

by: TJ Philpott

Some of the most popular blogs on the internet have gained their loyal following for reason other than what you would think. No doubt the quality of content found in the blog posting of a site has a lot of influence over its popularity. There is however subtle little things that readers tends to appreciate just as much as dynamic blog entries.

Often times it is these 'little things' that make for a successful blog.

Here are 3 'practices' every blogger should adopt that will only contribute in a positive way to the satisfaction of every blog reader who visits your site.

Contribute Your Own Content

When posting many will often use the content of others to place on their site and this is a perfectly acceptable practice. What you do not want to do is let this become such a habit that most of the content on your site originates from somewhere else. Make the effort to compose plenty of original content yourself to help give your site more of an identity. This will also give any visitor a more reason to visit your site.

Give Credit Where Credit is Due

Above it was mentioned that an acceptable practice is to use the content of others on your own site. The key to this that makes it acceptable is to ALWAYS credit the author since by not doing so you are 'stealing' the hard work of somebody else. Although the internet is vast in size this type of behavior will be identified quickly damaging your reputation and credibility.

Avoid Large Blocks of Text

Always try to compose your entries so that the sentences and paragraphs are short if possible. This helps to minimize large blocks of text on your site that not only discourages people from reading it due to its size but is also stressful on the eyes.

Most every one of the most popular blogs found online share 3 common characteristics that contribute immensely to their popularity. Although the quality of the blog entries viewed on any particular site has a large impact on reader loyalty there are other factors involved as well. Subtle 'little things' such as the 3 suggested practices discussed above also help gain the appreciation of the blog reader. People are looking for reliable and ethical sources of good information online. Admittedly the blog posting of any particular site is the first thing that catches their eyes. But over the long haul the manner in which information is managed and presented will be a contributing factor in making the site a successful blog.

Tackle Wi-Fi Security Issues Proficiently

by: Susan Brown

In today’s world, Wi-Fi has become a convention and as a matter of fact, many big business giants are coming forward for offering service and gadgets for wireless communication. As an immediate effect, certain security issues have been emerged as by-products of this technological revolution. Here are seven of these security issues that demand diligence of the user:

Data Incursion: with advanced technology, it’s now quite easy for the secret agents to steal data from Wi-Fi connections. Data can be stolen from more than a hundred meters distance. For combating such incidents, all Wi-Fi certified products now come up with a built-in encryption for ultimate data protection. The older versions of most of the gadgets that come up with TKIP which is quite open to data stealth cases. Therefore, it’s required to adopt AES-CCMP instead of TKIP.

Service Refutation: in many cases, WLANs are naturally quite open to DoS. The density of certain unlicensed frequencies within the periphery of a whole lot of users makes way to data leakage to the ultimate. But it is good news for the users that as 802.11n protocol has already come into effect, individual’s communication and data transfer can be put into a range of channels but the peril of DoS is still there. To prevent this attack, opt for newer products that come with 802.11w protocol.

Corrupted APS: network infiltration by anonymous and illegal APs is a big threat to Wi-Fi security. But, the majority of enterprises now use genuine APs to scan channels for data protection of the connection. But most lacks the standard of skills required to trace the true threats. One should therefore use a Wireless IPS that is pretty much efficient to differentiate between real danger and undisruptive neighbors.

Wireless Interlopers: Wireless IPS products as Motorola AirDefense or AirTight can easily detect malevolent Wi-Fi punters that are within the reach of any business periphery. But for definitive wireless data protection, accurately positioned WIPS sensors only meet the requirements. All the protocols like 802.11a/b/g should be updated in order to counter superior 802.11n attacks.

Spiteful Punters: clients that use unauthorized Wi-Fi connections of any sort are known as Spiteful Clients or Punters. They can cause a threat to the data. It always better to rely upon authorized APs to prevent this danger. You should restrict the end-user changes to avert this one and therefore you should be austere enough to unauthorized access to your Wi-Fi network.

Wireless Threats: hackers are on a go to bring out new ways of phishing and every second day newer hacking methods are invented. They can simply invade into any place of the Wi-Fi client web browser caches and cause harm. Once a hacker gets hold of your connection, it is pretty much possible that long after leaving the hotspot, your Wi-Fi connection may be redirected to a phishing site automatically. It may happen while the user is in a wired network. One method you can opt for in this case. Just extenuate the browser caches while leaving the network. The other option is to way out all traffic through a trusted VPN to ensure data protection of the Wi-Fi connection.

Pointers For Choosing Your Laptop Computer

by: David Burton

Pointers for buying a laptop.

If you're thinking of buying a laptop computer there are undoubtedly some great deals to be found, but what should you be looking for when you're in the market for a updated or even your first laptop computer.

Well, it's always worth sitting down with a pen and paper and thinking about exactly what you need your new laptop computer to do. If you're simply going to use it for word processing and the odd email here and there you don't need the super fast processor and hard drive that can hold thousands of files, so don't let a slick salesman tell you otherwise that’s just going to hurt your pocket.

If it's a family laptop computer you're in the market for you'll want a good all rounder. kidshave a great knack of loading games and other large applications onto a PC without you knowing. which can really effect performance for when you need it for more important things like business or your own games. So make sure you get a good-sized hard drive and a good amount of ram.

Regardless of the type of laptop computer you're in the market for make sure you explain to the salesman exactly what you need it for ( ie is it for the home or on the road). More often than not they'll be able to show you in the right direction, but make sure you only spend an amount you're happy with.

If you're an online shopper then there are some great deals to be found, so just make sure you conduct proper research before jumping in to make that purchase. You'll probably see a lot of adverts for the newest laptop computer on the market , Buying a laptop computer , its just like anything else , make sure you do a good amount of research, be clear about the amount you want to spend and weigh up your options.

Software Localization

by: Gary Muddyman

Software localization: Beyond translation of a product's User Interface.

Effective software localization requires a thorough understanding of not only string translation and adaptation, but also of local cultural issues and barriers to entry as well as the linguistic requirements of the market you are trying to reach.

Conversisglobal.com specializes in localized delivery of multi-tier, enterprise applications. We can implement our solutions directly into your development environment, without disabling code or content. Our expert team can meet all of your software localization needs including localization of UI, on-line help and all collaterals and documentation.

Some of our technology solutions include:

* Localization Kits provide clients with the information they need to localize their products while guiding them through the localization process. From project management, software testing, to documentation support, the kits save time and reduce the number of project queries.

* The Conversisglobal.com Bug Manager is a Web-based bug management tool designed to cost effectively manage debugging software undergoing translation and localization for foreign markets.

The end result is a cost-effective and turnkey approach to adapting your software for the local market.

Complete Overview of Linux

by: Matthew Gebhardt

This article will discuss the differences between the Linux and Windows operating software’s; we discuss some of the pro’s and con’s of each system.

Let us first start out with a general overview of the Linux operating system. Linux at its most basic form is a computer kernel. The Kernel is the underlying computer code, used to communicate with hardware, and other system software, it also runs all of the basic functions of the computer.

The Linux Kernel is an operating system, which runs on a wide variety of hardware and for a variety of purposes. Linux is capable of running on devices as simple as a wrist watch, or a cell phone, but it can also run on a home computer using, for example Intel, or AMD processors, and its even capable of running on high end servers using Sun Sparc CPU’s or IBM power PC processors. Some Linux distro’s can only run one processor, while others can run many at once.

Common uses for Linux include that of a home desktop computing system, or more commonly for a server application, such as use as a web server, or mail server. You can even use Linux as a dedicated firewall to help protect other machines that are on the same network.

A programmer student named Linus Torvalds first made Linux as a variant of the Unix operating system in 1991. Linus Torvalds made Linux open source with the GNU (GPL) (General Public License), so other programmers could download the source code free of charge and alter it any way they see fit. Thousands of coders throughout the world began downloading and altering the source code of Linux, applying patches, and bug fixes, and other improvements, to make the OS better and better. Over the years Linux has gone from a simple text based clone of Unix, to a powerful operating software, with full-featured desktop environments, and unprecedented portability, and a variety of uses. Most of the original Unix code has also been gradually written out of Linux over the years.

As a result of Linux being open source software, there is no one version of Linux; instead there are many different versions or distributions of Linux, that are suited for a variety of different users and task. Some Distributions of Linux include Gentoo, and Slackware, which due to the lack of a complete graphical environment is best, suited for Linux experts, programmers, and other users that know their way around a command prompt. Distributions that lack a graphical environment are best suited for older computers lacking the processing power necessary to process graphics, or for computers performing processor intensive task, where it is desirable to have all of the system resources focused on the task at hand, rather than wasting resources by processing graphics. Other Linux distributions aim at making the computing experience as easy as possible. Distributions such as Ubuntu, or Linspire make Linux far easier to use, by offering full-featured graphical environments that help eliminate the need for a command prompt. Of course the downside of ease of use is less configurability, and wasted system resources on graphics processing. Other distributions such as Suse try to find a common ground between ease of use and configurability.

“Linux has two parts, they include the Kernel mentioned previously, and in most circumstances it will also include a graphical user interface, which runs atop the Kernel” reference #3. In most cases the user will communicate with the computer via the graphical user interface.

(ref #6) Some of the more common graphical environments that can run on Linux include the following. The KDE GUI (Graphical user interface). Matthias Ettrich developed KDE in 1996. He wanted a GUI for the Unix desktop that would make all of the applications look and feel alike. He also wanted a desktop environment for Unix that would be easier to use than the ones available at the time. KDE is a free open source project, with millions of coders working on it throughout the world, but it also has some commercial support from companies such as Novell, Troltech, and Mandriva. KDE aims to make an easy to use desktop environment without sacrificing configurability. Windows users might note that KDE has a similar look to Windows. Another popular GUI is (ref #7) GNOME. GNOME puts a heavy emphasis on simplicity, and user ability. Much like KDE GNOME is open source and is free to download. One notable feature of GNOME is the fact that it supports many different languages; GNOME supports over 100 different languages. Gnome is license under the LGPL license (lesser general public license). The license allows applications written for GNOME to use a much wider set of licenses, including some commercial applications. The name GNOME stands for GNU Network object model environment. GNOME’s look and feel is similar to that of other desktop environments. Fluxbox is another example of a Linux GUI. With less of an emphasis on ease of use and eye candy, Fluxbox aims to be a very lightweight, and a more efficient user of system resources. The interface has only a taskbar and a menu bar, which is accessed by right clicking over the desktop. Fluxbox is most popular for use with older computers that have a limited abundance of system resources.

Although most Linux distributions offer a graphical environment, to simplify the user experience, they all also offer a way for more technically involved users to directly communicate with the Kernel via a shell or command line. The command line allows you to run the computer without a GUI, by executing commands from a text-based interface. An advantage of using the command prompt is it uses less system resources and enables your computer to focus more of its energy on the task at hand. Examples of commands include the cd command for changing your directory, or the halt command for shutting down your system, or the reboot command for restarting the computer ect.

Now that we are more familiar with the Linux operating system, we can note the many ways in which Linux differs from the worlds most popular OS, Microsoft Windows. From this point forward we will discuss some of the more prominent ways in which Linux deferrers from Windows.

For starters there is only one company that releases a Windows operating system, and that company is Microsoft. All versions of Windows, weather Windows XP Home, Business, or Vista, all updates, security patches, and service patches for Windows comes from Microsoft. With Linux on the other hand there is not one company that releases it. Linux has millions of coders and companies throughout the world, volunteering their time to work on patches, updates, newer versions, and software applications. Although some companies, charge for TECH support, and others charge for their distribution of Linux, by packaging it with non-free software, you will always be able to get the Linux Kernel for free, and you can get full-featured Linux desktops with all the necessary applications for general use, for free as well. The vendors that charge money for their distribution of Linux are also required to release a free version in order to comply with the GPL License agreement. With Microsoft Windows on the other hand you have to pay Microsoft for the software, and you will also have to pay for most of the applications that you will use.

Windows and Linux also differ on TECH support issues. Windows is backed by the Microsoft Corporation, which means that if you have an issue with any of their products the company should resolve it. For example if Microsoft Windows is not working right, then you should be able to call Microsoft and make use of their TECH support to fix the issue. TECH support is usually included with the purchase of the product for a certain amount of time, maybe a two year period, and from there on you may be charged for the service. Although IBM backs their Linux products, for the most part if you use Linux you are on your own. If you have a problem with Ubuntu Linux you cannot call Ubuntu and expect any help. Despite the lack of professional help, you can however receive good TECH advice, from the thousands or millions of Linux forums that are on the web. You ca also get great help from social networking sites such as Myspace, by posting questions in the many Linux groups. You can usually receive responses for your questions in a matter of hours form many qualified people.

Configurability is another key difference between the two operating software’s. Although Windows offers its control panel to help users configure the computer to their liking, it does not match the configuring options that Linux provides especially if you are a real TECH savvy user. In Linux the Kernel is open source, so if you have the know how, you can modify it in virtually any way that you see fit. Also Linux offers a variety of Graphical environments to further suit your needs. As mentioned earlier Linux is capable of running full-featured graphical environments like KDE, or more lightweight and resource friendly GUI’s like Fluxbox, or Blackbox, to suit users with older computers. There are also versions of Linux that are designed to emulate the Windows look and feel as closely as possible. Distributions such as Linspire are best suited for users that are migrating over from the Windows world. There are also distributions that include no graphical environment at all to better suit users that need to squeeze out all of the computing power that they can get for various computing activities, and for users that are more advanced than others. All of this configurability can be problematic sometimes, as you will have to make a decision on which desktop is right for you, and to make things easier on yourself you will need to only install applications that are native to your distribution and graphical environment.

(ref #1) The cost effectiveness of Linux is another way it separates itself from Windows. For home use Linux is cheap and in most cases completely free, while Windows varies in cost depending on which version you buy. With Linux most of the applications will also be free, however for Windows in the majority of cases you are suppose to pay for the applications. For most cases, with Linux there is no need to enter a product activation key when performing an installation, you are free to install it on as many computers as you’d like. With Windows you are only allowed to install it on one computer and Microsoft uses product activation software to enforce this rule. When installing Window’s you must enter a product activation key, which will expire after so many uses. If you wish too, you can purchase Linux from a variety of vendors, which will include a boxed set of CDs, Manuals, and TECH support for around 40-130$. Of course If you purchase a high-end version of Linux used for servers it may cost any where from 400$- 2000$. “In 2002 computer world magazine quoted the chief technology architect at Merrill Lynch in New York, as saying “the cost of running Linux is typically a tenth of the cost of running Unix or Windows alternatively.” (ref#1)

(ref #1) Installation of Windows is generally easier, than installing Linux. “With Windows XP there are three main ways to install. There is a clean install, in which you install Windows on a blank hard drive. There is also an upgrade install, in which you start with an older version of Windows and “upgrade” to a newer one. An advantage of upgrading is that all of the files on the older system should remain intact throughout the process. You can also perform a repair install, in which case you are installing the same version of Windows on top of itself in order to fix a damaged version of Windows. There is also a recovery, which Technically is not an install; it is used to restore a copy of Windows back to its factory settings. The disadvantage of recovering Windows is the fact that you will loose all of your data, which resides on the damaged copy of Windows.” (ref#1) Also with Windows you can rest assured that your hardware will most likely be supported by the operating software, although this is not much of a problem with Linux you cant be sure if Linux will support all of your hardware. With Linux installation varies greatly from Distro to Distro. You may be presented with a graphical installer or it may be a text-based installer, these variations make Linux a bit more difficult and unpredictable to install than is Windows, (although the difficulty is disappearing). You may perform a clean install of Linux or dual boot it, to co-exist with another operation software. With Linux rather than having to buy an upgrade Cd, you can install updates by downloading and then installing them while your desktop is running. With Linux it is also not necessary to reboot your computer after most upgrades, It is only necessary to reboot after an upgrade to the kernel. It is also possible to run Linux without ever needing to install it on a hard drive; there are many distributions of Linux that will allow you to run it straight off of a live cd. The advantage of this is that you do not need to alter your system in order to

try Linux. You can run Linux off of the CD so you do not have to damage your Windows partition. Other advantages include the ability to rescue a broken Linux system. If your Linux computer will not boot, then you may insert a live cd and boot off it, so you can repair the damaged version of Linux. Also you may use a Linux live cd to recover files from a damaged Windows computer that will no longer boot up. Since Linux is capable of reading NTFS files you may copy files form a Windows computer to a USB flash drive or floppy drive ect.

Another major difference between Linux and Windows is the applications that you will use with either OS. Windows includes a much wider abundance of commercially backed applications than does Linux. It is much easier to find the software that you are looking for with Windows than it is with Linux, because so many software vendors make their products compatible with Windows only. With Linux you will for the most part be forced to let go of the familiar applications that you have grown accustomed to with Windows, in favor of lesser-known open source apps that are made for Linux. Applications such as Microsoft office, Outlook, Internet Explorer, Adobe Creative suite, and chat clients such as MSN messenger, do not work natively with Linux. Although with Linux you can get Microsoft office and Adobe creative suite to work using software from codeWeavers called cross Over Office. Instead of using these applications you will need to use Linux apps such as open office, The Gimp Image Editor, The ThunderBird email client, Instead of the MSN messenger you can use the GAIM messenger, and you can use Firefox as your web browser. Also with Linux it can be difficult to install software even if it is made for Linux. This is due to the fact that Linux has so many different versions. Software that is made to install on one version probably will require some configuration in order to install on another version. An example would be if you were trying to install software that was made for the KDE graphical environment, on the GNOME GUI, This app would not easily install on the GNOME GUI, and would require some configuring on your part to successfully install it.

The type of hard ware that Linux and windows runs on also causes them to differ. Linux will run on many different hardware platforms, from Intel and AMD chips, to computers running IBM power Pc processors. Linux will run on the slowest 386 machines to the biggest mainframes on the planet, newer versions of Windows will not run on the same amount of hardware as Linux. Linux can even be configured to run on apples, Ipod’s, or smart phones. A disadvantage of Linux is when it comes to using hardware devices such as Printers, Scanners, or Digital camera’s. Where as the driver software for these devices will often be easily available for Windows, with Linux you are for the most part left on your own to find drivers for these devices. Most Linux users will find comfort in the fact that drivers for the latest hardware are constantly being written by coders throughout the world and are usually very quickly made available.

(ref #1) One of the most notable differences between the two operating software’s is Windows legendary problems with malicious code, known as Viruses and Spy ware. Viruses, Spy-ware and a general lack of security are the biggest problems facing the Windows community. Under Windows Viruses and Spy-ware have the ability to execute themselves with little or no input from the user. This makes guarding against them a constant concern for any Windows user. Windows users are forced to employ third party anti virus software to help limit the possibility of the computer being rendered useless by malicious code. Anti virus software often has the negative side effect of hogging system resources, thus slowing down your entire computer, also most anti virus software requires that you pay a subscription service, and that you constantly download updates in order to stay ahead of the intruders. With Linux on the other hand problems with viruses are practically non-existent, and in reality you do not even need virus protection for your Linux machine. One reason why Viruses and Spy-ware are not a problem for Linux is simply due to the fact that there are far fewer being made for Linux. A more important reason is that running a virus on a Linux machine is more difficult and requires a lot more input from the user. With Windows you may accidentally run and execute a virus, by opening an email attachment, or by double clicking on a file that contains malicious code. However with Linux a virus would need to run in the terminal, which requires the user to give the file execute permissions, and then open it in the terminal. And in order to cause any real damage to the system the user would have to log in as root, by typing a user name and password before running the virus. Foe example to run a virus that is embedded in an email attachment the user would have to, open the attachment, then save it, then right click the file and chose properties form the menu, in properties they can give it execute permissions, they would then be able to

open the file in the terminal to run the virus. And even then the user would only be able to damage his or her home folder, all other users data will be left untouched, and all root system files would also remain untouched, because Linux would require a root password to make changes to these files. The only way the user can damage the whole computer would be if he or she logged in as root user by providing the root user name and password to the terminal before running the virus. Unlike Windows in Linux an executable file cannot run automatically, It needs to be given execute permissions manually this significantly improves security. In Linux the only realistic reason you would need virus protection is if you share files with Windows users, and that is to protect them not you, so you are not to accidentally pass a virus to the Windows computer that you are sharing files with.

The above was a general over view of some differences between the Windows operating system, and Linux. To recap we started with the fact that Windows has only one vendor that releases the software, while Linux comes from millions of different coders throughout the world. We also commented on the fact that the Linux Kernel and much of the applications used with it are completely free of charge, where as with windows you are forced to pay for most of the software. Unlike Widows Linux is often lacking in professional Tech support, and Linux users are often left on their own to solve Technical issues. Linux users can either pay for Tech support or rely on the many Linux Forums and groups available on the Internet. Due to the fact that the kernel is open source, Linux has a huge advantage over Windows in configurability. You can configure Linux to run almost any way you see fit by manipulating the Kernel. Installing the Windows Operating software and applications is easier due to the fact that it has a universal installer. Also finding applications for Windows is easier because of its popularity most apps are available for Windows only, and are made easily available. Linux will run on a greater variety of hard ware than does Windows, from mainframe super computers running multiple IBM Power PC Chips, to a small laptop running an AMD processor. And of course the biggest difference in this writer’s opinion is the fact that Linux does not suffer from an onslaught of Viruses and other malicious code, unlike Windows which is plagued by countless number of malicious code that can easily destroy your system if not properly guarded against.

In conclusion we will conclude that the Linux OS really is the superior software. Other than a few minor nuisances, linux out performs Windows in most categories. The fact that Linux is more secure is the tipping point, that tilts the scales in the favor of Linux. Windows simply suffers from far to many security vulnerabilities for it to be considered the better over all desktop environment.

References

http://www.michaelhorowitz.com/Linux.vs.Windows.html Reference #1

http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2004/10/27/linux-more-secure-than-windows-says-study Reference #2

http://www.linux.com/whatislinux/ reference number 3

http://www.linux.org/info/

Reference #4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux%5Fkernel Reference #5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KDE Reference #6

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNOME Reference #7

How to Clean Disc Drives

by: Ray Geide

When your CD or DVD (disc) drive starts giving you problems, your first thought may be to replace it or take it to the repair shop, but a good cleaning may be all it needs.

Below are three methods to clean the disc drive. The easiest method is the least effective. The hardest method is the most effective. Since the hardest method takes some time to do, I recommend that you start with the easiest method. If it solves your problems, congratulations. If not, try the next method.

The Cleaner Disc method - this, the easiest method, uses a special cleaner disc which can be purchased in computer stores. The disc usually comes with a little bottle of cleaner solution. Apply a few drops of the solution to the disc and insert it in the disc drawer (be sure to read and follow the instructions that come with the cleaner disc). The drive will turn the disc and clean the lens. Unfortunately, this only works adequately about half the time.

The Cleaning Stick method - this is what I do in desperation when the cleaner disc does not work and I don't want to disassemble the drive. Since all that is needed (at least in my mind this is true) is a little more pressure applied to the lens, I start out in search of a thin, flexible stick of some type which is at least six inches long. It should not have sharp or rough edges that would scratch the lens. Next, get a soft, thin cloth and put water or rubbing alcohol in the middle of it. Place one end of the stick under the wet part of the cloth and slide it into the opened disc drawer. The goal is to rub the wet cloth on the lens to clean it. Do not apply so much pressure that you will scratch and ruin the lens. Also try blowing into the disc drive to remove any dirt that may have accommulated in it. If you do not succeed at this, proceed to the next method.

The Disassembly method - this method should work but it requires you to disassemble the drive. So if you are not comfortable with taking the drive apart, please take it to a computer repair shop and let them do it.

Take the cover off your computer, unplug the cords from the back of the disc drive, remove any screws holding it in, and slide it out (you may need to remove the face plate on the end of the drawer to get the drive out). Remove the screws in the drive housing and take the cover off. The bottom side of the drive is a circuit board, so if that is what you see when you take the cover off, figure out how to access the other side. On the correct side, you should see a lens that runs on a track (there is no harm in moving the lens along the track but do not touch the lens itself). Use a wet, soft cloth to clean the lens.

Sometimes a disc drive malfunctions because there is too much dust or debris in it, so be sure to clean out the inside with either compressed air, a soft cloth, or a cotton swab. Reassemble the disc drive, put it back in the computer case, and cross your fingers. Hopefully, it will work when you turn on the computer.

If these methods work, you just saved yourself some money. If not, you needed a better disc drive anyway.

Why Wipe Free Disk Space?

by: Sam Miller

Computers have found very many applications in today’s world, in almost every field of human activity. Offices, schools, libraries, and other organizations that need to keep track of and organize huge masses of information have found that computers perform this task admirably. Scientists and engineers have been able to leverage the massive computing power now available to help solve problems once thought unsolvable, and to develop new technologies through simulation. Writers, visual artists, and even musical composers have also found that computers can provide new and exciting ways for them to practice their respective crafts.

Because of this, it has also become quite important to look at the different ways of storing digital data. Digital data here refers to that information stored in methods that make it accessible to computers, such as on hard disks or compact discs (CD’s). Apart from increasing the amount of data that could be stored on a particular digital storage device, discussions of data security have also arisen.

Computers have been made to handle confidential information, which is meant to be protected from unauthorized access. Password protection is now an option with most programs that work with digital files, and so is of course keeping the computers in question physically secure. Sometimes, however, it may become necessary to delete certain files in such a manner as to leave no traces on the medium.

This is where the disk wiping or file shredding operation comes in. These processes are distinguished from ordinary deletion by the fact that they are more permanent. The data disposed of using either of these two processes are much more difficult to recover than data merely deleted. This is so because when a file is deleted, it is actually not removed from the hard disk. Instead, what happens is just that it is marked “deleted”, and the space it occupies on the disk surface is marked “available”.

In other words, the file information remains on the hard disk, available for curious eyes to recover and view. In the file shredding operation, the area on the hard disk where the file is stored is actually overwritten with random data. This helps to mask any traces that the file has left on the hard disk, and makes recovering the shredded file’s information virtually impossible.

A disk wipe is simply the same operation, but performed over the entire area of the hard disk, to more or less permanently delete all data on the disk.

Some programs have the function of wiping free disk space. This may seem useless, at first encounter, but it actually does have its own uses. Some programs such as word processors or spreadsheets may create temporary files that hold information. Also, previously deleted files that have not yet been wiped are still on the disk, available for recovery. By wiping the free disk space, these temporary files are removed, and the previously deleted files become gone for good. Wiping free disk space would be a useful habit to form, to help guard against the unintentional recovery of deleted data, thought lost.

Mentoring In IT

by: Barry Koplowitz

ATTENTION AMERICAN IT MANAGERS: Within the next decade most of your best people will retire or die. Your senior staffers are baby boomers with twenty years or more of experience in their field. They built the systems: they learned the operating systems as they were created: they know what they know from real life experience that cannot be learned in school. They are also somewhere between their late forties and early sixties. They rose to the top while competing within the largest workforce America has ever seen. When they leave they will take a level of efficiency and expertise with them that will take twenties years to replace.

To make matters worse, the population of appropriately educated Americans coming up behind them is far smaller than the population getting ready to move out. Do the math. Start now. To try to buy that talent later will not only cost you a fortune but you will be competing for a very small population of such individuals, with the entire world.

In this corporate environment where everyone is disposable and so much work is done by contractors so that companies can avoid having to make a commitment to personnel, it is far too easy to miss this growing danger. Business Managers may have learned this—but probably not. However, IT managers usually have not had much exposure to this concept. They live in a world of projects that staff up for the project and then disband. How to you bring up the next crop of leaders in such an environment? This is going to take far too many companies by surprise! But IT is going to be hit much harder than most other departments. I know of no other area of corporate life that is so project oriented. In the IT world, you build a team and disband it a few months later--even when they do outstanding work. All in the name of avoiding long term cost. It also avoids long term success.

There is also an emotional and psychological component to this problem. After the Dot-Bomb debacle, many people with decades of smarts were kicked out due to layoffs, or companies failing, or being eaten by a bigger company that had its own staff. Why do we eat our seed corn? Those that survived are still concerned about it happening again. And it could. It makes them conservative. Possibly even a tiny bit timid and less likely to share their knowledge freely. I don't blame them. Because our corporate mentality is to cut the expensive people and replace them with contractors—that we can easily get rid of when the job is done. What a vote of no confidence! This is considered to be a strategy. OK…I will accept that. It is a strategy. But it is a very short sighted one. Where is the mid-range planning?

So, what do you do? In this article and podcast, let us restrict our focus to Mentoring. Future articles and podcasts will explore other activities that are also proven and available.

Do you have a mentoring plan in place? I don't mean the typical, "oh, we believe in mentoring around here" kind of plan. I mean a thought out purposeful plan whereby you determine which journeyman IT personnel have the potential to grow into those senior roles and have your baby boomer senior staffers truly mentor them to bring them along. I doubt it. It does exist; I know of a few such companies. But it is rare.

Part of the problem for those that want to create a mentoring program is that it is not so simple to identify candidates. Let me help with that. Not everyone is a candidate for mentoring and few people are cut out to be mentors. It's sad but true. Don't spin your wheels and exhaust your enthusiasm backing the wrong plan and/or individuals. You need to have some way to identify in whom you want to invest. And, please understand, it is an investment. You will invest money but not only money. You will invest the time of very busy and critical people. That will hurt a bit—but you don't really have any choice. If you are responsible for future planning in your organization, ignoring this process is irresponsible.

Here is a handy way to help make these determinations. A friend once told me that he had learned in a sales course at IBM, decades ago, about a concept that went something like this—and I may be mangling it so please forgive me. It was not meant for IT or Mentorship purposes, but I have adapted it.

There are four levels of competence. They are listed in order from least capable to most capable in performing their job. Oddly, this does not represent the order in which they are most effective in a mentoring program.

- Unconsciously Incompetent
- Consciously Incompetent
- Consciously Competent
- Unconsciously Competent

UNCONSCIOUSLY INCOMPETENT: This person doesn't know that they don't know. They are not a candidate for this program—but may need help in learning to learn.

A famous story about Thomas Edison says that he used to test fresh new Engineers who wanted to work for him by putting them in a lab with a very unique and oddly shaped glass container. He would tell them to figure out the internal volume of the container. One time he watched a new graduate work out the problem by measuring all the diameters of the odd twists and turns of the glass and carefully making the calculations on his slide rule. When he presented the answer, Edison said, "You got the right answer, but I can't give you the job." The young man asked why and Edison responded by picking up the container, filling it with water and pouring into a graduated beaker, getting the answer in ten seconds. He said, "Son, I am glad you know the answer, but I'm afraid you just don't know the question." The Unconsciously Incompetent person does not know the question.

CONSCIOUSLY INCOMPETENT: This person knows that they don't know and is probably working to get better. They are a junior person with potential. Such an individual bears watching—and possibly a little testing. Don't make it something too hard, but it should be a little scary, something that makes them stretch. See what happens. This is a good candidate to groom for middle management and in future years, senior management.

CONSCIOUSLY COMPENTENT: This is where the high performers stand. They will be in middle to senior management already. These people are two-for-one sales, all by themselves. They are both someone to be seen as a candidate to RECEIVE mentoring—for senior management—and the ideal person to PROVIDE mentoring for the Consciously Incompetent candidate. They have a high level of skill and consistently perform very well.

This person knows what they are doing, and remembers learning how to do it. They are not as capable as the Unconsciously Competent person. Nevertheless, they know what they know and they know how to transfer it to someone else--if they are motivated and are not afraid of losing their own place. If they know that they are part of something stable and long term and can afford to create their replacement—they are who you need. Because that is exactly what you want them to do. You want them to create their own replacement. You want them to bring up someone that will ask management for less, has a longer run in front of them and to know that they are not committing financial suicide by doing so.

Not all people in this category will make good Mentors as communication skills and a desire to teach are critical components to performing well in the role. I know many individuals who are extremely skilled and have the sort of knowledge that is transferable—but who could never serve this role with someone successfully. You need to keep other variables in mind.

- Communication Skills
- A temperament that tends toward explaining what they are doing, rather than keeping things "close to their vest."
- Good people skills

The people that will make the best Mentors are already doing it. They are respected by their peers as someone that is very free with their knowledge. They are just informal about it as there is no real structure. Find those people and give them a mandate, the time and some guidance and they will do a wonderful job for you.

UNCONSCIOUSLY COMPENTENT: The highest level. This person doesn't even know why they are so good anymore. Everything is so effortless that it is unconscious. This is the best you can get and you may only meet a handful of people like this in your career. Don't touch this person! There are two very good reasons why.

1) They are not replaceable or reproducible. They really are unique. Give them whatever they want to keep them doing what they do and don't distract them!

2) The other reason to keep them away from a mentoring program is because they make terrible mentors. They have no idea how they are doing what they are doing. They just do it--better than anyone else. But, they can't teach what they themselves don't really understand. Treat them as the gift that they are and get out of their way. Additionally, the probable failure in their attempt at mentoring will mess with their confidence. You don't want that.

There is a lot written on mentoring techniques, so I will not belabor the point. You, the IT Managers, may not have the authority or sense of security to set up this sort of program. I understand. However, if you want to do it and you have the authority, it isn't really hard to begin. There is a lot of material already in publication about various approaches. This is not a new concept. Available resources will probably not be specifically IT management related, but you can apply their lessons. My goal in this article is not to present something you have never heard of before. Rather, it is to remind you of what you already know--and to demonstrate how critical it has become to use that information.

Projects are also an opportunity. If you allow less capable people to work with more capable people, or more accurately, tag along, relationships can be created. Make the project oriented nature of our industry, which is its greatest weakness in this regard, become a new strength.

Creating A Software Library

by: Jane Smith

Every business uses computer software. But not every business realises the importance of having a user friendly software library for cataloging all their software.

While sharing software and using it on more than one computer is against the law, making a copy to keep in your software library in case it is ever needed is not only allowed, it is strongly advised.

In this sense a company’s software library is the computer equivalent of the box that says ‘break glass in emergency’; it grants you access to the vital software your company uses to run its day to day business. If anything goes wrong or the original software is corrupted in any way, you have the back up you need to get you out of trouble.

It’s obvious then that the library needs to be properly catalogued and kept fully up to date, to ensure that everything is where it should be in the event that it’s ever needed. Consider it as a fire extinguisher to help put out the flames caused by malfunctioning computer equipment. If you don’t know where that extinguisher is – or even worse, you haven’t got one at all – the flames could spread out and affect your whole business. Use the fire extinguisher however and everything is back to normal in no time.

The process of creating a software library can ironically be made much easier by purchasing software that is designed to make the task easy to perform and control. The companies that specialise in this kind of software also offer support services to help you get your own library up and running.

The most important aspect is to consider your needs and the best way of organising your own business software library. It needs to be easy to access and update, while remaining secure at all times.

For this reason it’s advisable to make sure that only a few key members of staff can access the software library. It’s not necessary for everyone to have access to it, and the more people are able to do so, the more likely it is that it will be compromised.

Once the library has been created it will be necessary to update it every time a new piece of software is integrated into the current computer system. Making a particular person responsible for seeing that this is done will ensure the integrity of the software library remains secure.

Authorised and Unauthorised Software

by: Jane Smith

The bigger your business is, the harder it can sometimes be to keep an eye on what’s happening with your software.

All businesses need software for their computers; the type and amount of software programs required depends largely on the type of business being run and how large it is. But regardless of these issues the problem of whether your software is authorised or unauthorised can rear its ugly head in any business, and it’s important to have adequate measures in place to ensure that any problems associated with unauthorised software are kept to a minimum.

Many employees don’t recognise the problems that can occur when unauthorised software is introduced into the system. Of course the most pressing issue is that of keeping within the law; keeping a copy of the software locked up safely in your software library is perfectly acceptable, but installing that same software on half a dozen computers in a single office is most certainly not.

Unfortunately some employees are naïve when it comes to this kind of breach. It can be worth amending the staff handbook or guidebook to ensure that guidelines and advice regarding such matters are included there for them to read. Department memos and perhaps even training sessions to help raise awareness of these issues can also help to bring people in line with what’s required by law, and what’s required by the company as a whole.

Of course some employees will assume that they are doing the company a favor by using software in inappropriate ways. Why purchase more copies than you really need when one or two copies can be used to install the program throughout an entire office? Employees that take this line of thinking assume they are doing a good thing by saving the company money – not thinking ahead to the possible fines and fees associated with being caught.

The other main problem associated with using unauthorised software is the risk of introducing viruses and other unwanted ‘hangers on’ into the business systems. If an employee brings a copy of some software they have at home, or worse, accesses it from the internet, they are putting the safety of the whole company at risk.

It’s plain to see that using authorised software is the only safe and legal route to making sure you get the best from your computer system. The challenge is in making sure all staff members recognise and accept this same fact, and don’t do anything to jeopardise it.

LeaderTask - Alternative to Outlook!

by: Ivan Abramovskiy

I once asked a friend of mine what is the best organizer? He said, "Microsoft Outlook, of course". Then he thought a bit and added, "The most popular one, anyway." But popularity is not the key issue for me. And since I have to write down (or keep in mind) a lot in my work, I decided to take it more seriously. I have studied a lot organizers and schedulers. LeaderTask from the Almeza company has turned out to be the most appropriate and convenient one for me. I will not compare it with all organizers, but only with the most popular one – Microsoft Outlook. No doubt Microsoft Outlook is a high-quality software product, but LeaderTask outdoes it in some things. Though Outlook is better in some other things. I will enumerate all these parameters in this article. So...

LeaderTask advantages.

1. Separate object groups.

There are different types of objects defined in LeaderTask. These include: projects, tasks, notes.

Projects in LeaderTask mean those things that have time limits. Something specific results from a project being completed.

A task in LeaderTask is the description of what should be done in order to complete a project (project steps).

Notes are chaotic records that can be assigned to projects and separate tasks (they may also deal with a contact/category/time, etc.). Notes serve as a convenient tool for taking down separate thoughts that can be useful for completing a project or a task.

A project may contain several tasks. For example, the "Writing an article" project may include the following: "Studying materials", "Writing a draft", "Sending it to the editor", "Correcting the article". The result of the project is an article. That is, something large is split into smaller parts, which is very convenient to use.

Besides, every project has the following properties: a name, a group (logical, the one the project belongs to), a contact (the list of project participants), a time period (the time the project will be completed within), notes (comments to the project). You can filter tasks by these properties (single out tasks from the list of tasks). I will dwell on filtering a bit later.

Each task can contain subtasks. For example, the "Studying materials" task may include the following subtasks: "Visit the library", "View information on the website", "View advertising materials". Any task has parameters (tags) that can be also used for filtering. These include: "Projects", "Contacts", "Categories", "Calendar".

Outlook has nothing like this - no different types of objects are defined in it. There are no separate projects, tasks, notes – there are only equal tasks. It means that notes (occasional thoughts) will be in one list, which will make searching for a particular note afterwards more difficult. It is completely unacceptable for a person who values time.

2. Tree-like tasks.

Tasks in LeaderTask are arranged in the form of a tree, which is achieved due to the task hierarchy (splitting tasks into subtasks). It allows you to classify tasks, combine them into one project (or into a task of a higher level). This way you get tasks that are not scatterred, but strictly structured. The tree-like structure allows you to see the heirarchy and understand what tasks belong to what at any time. It reminds the tree of folders and files in the operating system. It is much more convenient to keep tasks this way (since you are quite used to it). Besides, these hierarchies can have as much levels as you need.

The tree-like structure allows you to:

See all tasks at once;

Sort tasks. You can sort tasks by any property (important/unimportant, personal/business, etc.);

Group tasks. You can group tasks by criteria (either by one or by several criteria at once). Criteria include: project, time, category, contact;

Use the "Periodic Task" option allowing you to complete tasks that may occur at certain intervals;

Customize the settings. It is possible to customize the task tree the way that suits you best;

Hide completed tasks. You can show (or hide) completed tasks at any time. Which is also very convenient and allows you not to pay attention to tasks that are already completed.

Tasks are not arranged as a tree in Outlook. It has one level only. All tasks are arranged in one list, there is no embedment, which makes it sometimes difficult to make out what a particular tasks belongs to. It is as if all files on the computer were located in one huge folder. It is very inconvenient.

3. Flexible interface customization.

It is possible to flexibly customize interface in LeaderTask (as in many modern programs). Any user can customize tasks to be displayed in the way he finds convenient. The following items can be used to achieve it.

Floating panels. All panels in LeaderTask are floating – they can be dragged to any part of the main window. The user can set the panel size, set its position and type, specify how many panels should be displayed at a time. Besides, every panel has thee buttons in the right corner of its title bar. They allow you to maximize the panel (inside the main window of the program), activate popup mode for the panel (the panel will slide out when you move the mouse pointer over it), close the panel.

Highlighting. Every user can highlight task tabs in a particular color in order to see better in the task tree. Highligting is a perfect tool for marking the most important tasks, urgent tasks or tasks you must not postpone or forget about. An important task that is not highlighted may get lost among other tasks. LeaderTask allows you to avoid it. It seems as if nothing special, but highlighting in different colors is a very useful tool for planning your tasks right.

Skins. LeaderTask supports all kinds of skins, among which any user will be able to choose the one that suits him best.

Fonts. LeaderTask supports all kinds of fonts. You can use it to highlight various tasks in the list as well.

It is possible to partially customize the interface in Outlook (but it is no so easy to do it). In particular, panels are static in Outlook (they are not floating) and it is also impossible to highlight particular tasks in different colors in Outlook.

4. Structuring tasks.

That's where LeaderTask is completely incomparable - it offers extremely wide features for structuring tasks. First of all, it is structuring tasks by projects and subtasks (what I mentioned above). Besides, it is possible to structure tasks by categories, by deadlines, by priority, by contacts.

The most important thing in LeasderTask is structuring tasks by priority. Priorities are arranged into a library of priorities that you can cusotmize so that it meets your needs. Tasks structured by priorities allow you to single out the most important tasks among all other tasks and complete them first.

Tasks are not structured in Outlook. All tasks are displayed in one list where it is reall difficult to make anything out.

5. Clear view.

One of the main advantages in LeaderTask is a clear view of tasks (particularly on the "Today" panel). Along with the task tree and highlighting, it is achieved by the following:

Tabs. Multiple tasks are grouped with the help of tabs in the "Tasks" panel. Any items in the "Navigator" panels can be used as these tabs. Most often, they are projects. Using tabs is very convenient. For example, there are two projects: "Writing an article" and "Design development". And these projects include a lot of tasks. Not to view tasks from both projects at once, you should click the corresponding project tab and the "Tasks" panel will show tasks of one project only (for example, those from "Writing an article").

Filters. It allows you to view records by certain selected parameters. Parameters (criteria) are set when you create records: task start time, responsible person, physical locations where the task is completed and others. It means that filtering allows you to select records (from different projects) among all created records by certain criteria. This feature seemed the most actual one to me since it offers wide opportunities in selecting what is needed at the moment accoding to some event from the entire list.

There is no clear view in Outlook. And even more – viewing tasks is made as difficult as possible. As I mentioned before, all tasks and notes are displayed in one list. There are no trees, no highlighting, no tabs and only simple filtering (you cannot create custom filters).

6. Differentiated tasks.

LeaderTask allows you to plan your activity assigning tasks to a certain context. Context means circumstances that suit best for completing a task (for example, "in office", "at home", "at a conema" and others). Also, it is possible to single out tasks by parameters and attributes set for them. For example, by projects, by contacts, by priority, by urgency and by others. In other words, LeaderTask considers the same tasks with different attributes as different tasks (which they are).

Tasks are not differentiated in Outlook. All tasks are equal. That's probably the reason why it does not have such useful features as trees, filtering and others...

Microsoft Outlook advantages.

1. Data synchronization.

Microsoft Outlook (to be exact, a lot of add-ins both from Microsoft and from third parties) allows you to synchronize your data on the computer with data on other devices, such as cell phones, pocket PCs, etc.

There is no such data synchronization in LeaderTask. It should be mentioned that LeaderTask is not assigned to any system during its installation – you can store it, for example, on a flash drive and use it on different computers. It is a bit of excuse.

2. Data import and export.

Microsoft Outlook has automatic data impot and export. You can import quite a lot of items: address books, e-mail messages, account settings, etc. You can also export this data into various formats that are most convenient for importing by other programs. Besides, there are special add-ins enhancing the data import and export features.

I could not find data import and export in LeaderTask.

Summary.

These are the main advantages and disadvantages of LeaderTask. Since I plan my time only using the computer and only in LeaderTask, I do not have to import, export and synchronize data. But, of course, it is no excuse for its drawbacks. Probably, they will be fixed soon. And if they do it, LeaderTask will become the best organizer ever. And there is no doubt that they will do it taking into account how thoughful software developers from Almeza are about their software making it comfortable, appealing and functional. Most probably, data import, export and synchronization are only a question of time.

All that may be even implemented already in the current version of the program – it all depends on when you are reading this article...

LeaderTask is a perfect choice for everyone who is looking for an alternative to Outlook!

Download the free trial vesion of the LeaderTask organizer
http://www.leadertask.com/download/leader.exe

LeaderTask organizer homepage
http://www.leadertask.com/

LeaderTask support forum
http://www.todoforum.com/