West Chester Employee's Technolgy Blog

Step 3 - Installing the Microsoft Online desktop

2012-02-17T09:29:00.000-05:00

You need to install the new Microsoft 365 Online Desktop applicant. To do this:

1. Go to portal.microsoftonline.com.

2. Log in with your user name (email address) and new password.

3. On the right tool bar select “Downloads”.

4. Select “setup” and follow the on screen directions.

Preparing for 365 - Step 2

2012-02-17T09:19:00.000-05:00

Here is STEP 2 for preparing your computer for Microsoft 365.

You need to change your password to the new Microsoft 365 requirements. These requirements are:

The password must be 8 characters and include (3 of 4) lower case, upper case, numbers or special characters.

You can change your password by opening the Microsoft Online Services client, selecting the “Options” tab and clicking “Change Password”.

You can find the Microsoft Online Services client on the bottom right toolbar are in the program group “Microsoft Online Services”.

Coordinating Virus and Spyware Defense

2011-12-20T13:23:00.001-05:00

Isn't it better to have more protection? This is a topic we discussed in our most recent technolgy training. Here is some great information that was recently publiched by US-CERT (United States Computer Readiness Team). Take a few moments to learn how to protect yourself while not going overboard!

Spyware and viruses can interfere with your computer's ability to process information or can modify or destroy data. You may feel that the more anti-virus and anti-spyware programs you install on your computer, the safer you will be. It is true that not all programs are equally effective, and they will not all detect the same malicious code. However, by installing multiple programs in an attempt to catch everything, you may introduce problems.

How can anti-virus or anti-spyware software cause problems?

It is important to use anti-virus and anti-spyware software (see Understanding Anti-Virus Software and Recognizing and Avoiding Spyware for more information). But too much or the wrong kind can affect the performance of your computer and the effectiveness of the software itself.

Scanning your computer for viruses and spyware uses some of the available memory on your computer. If you have multiple programs trying to scan at the same time, you may limit the amount of resources left to perform your tasks. Essentially, you have created a denial of service against yourself (see Understanding Denial-of-Service Attacks for more information). It is also possible that in the process of scanning for viruses and spyware, anti-virus or anti-spyware software may misinterpret the virus definitions of other programs. Instead of recognizing them as definitions, the software may interpret the definitions as actual malicious code. Not only could this result in false positives for the presence of viruses or spyware, but the anti-virus or anti-spyware software may actually quarantine or delete the other software.

How can you avoid these problems?
•Investigate your options in advance - Research available anti-virus and anti-spyware software to determine the best choice for you. Consider the amount of malicious code the software recognizes, and try to find out how frequently the virus definitions are updated. Also check for known compatibility issues with other software you may be running on your computer.

•Limit the number of programs you install - Many vendors are now releasing packages that incorporate both anti-virus and anti-spyware capabilities together. However, if you decide to choose separate programs, you really only need one anti-virus program and one anti-spyware program. If you install more, you increase your risk for problems.

•Install the software in phases - Install the anti-virus software first and test it for a few days before installing anti-spyware software. If problems develop, you have a better chance at isolating the source and then determining if it is an issue with the software itself or with compatibility.

•Watch for problems - If your computer starts processing requests more slowly, you are seeing error messages when updating your virus definitions, your software does not seem to be recognizing malicious code, or other issues develop that cannot be easily explained, check your anti-virus and anti-spyware software.

My recommendations include "Microsoft Security Essentials" for anti-virus protection and Spybot for malware protection. Both are free, and both work!

Avoiding Holiday Scams

2011-12-06T16:15:00.000-05:00

Here is the "Staying Safe This Holiday Season" presentation from the technology training on December 6, 2011.

Holiday scams

View more presentations from William Mann.

Dragging & Dropping in Outlook

2011-12-02T11:13:00.002-05:00

Do you know how easy it is to drag and drop email into "Notes", "Tasks", "Calendar" and "Contacts" in Microsoft Outlook? If you do not know, don't panic and simply watch this short training video to see how easy it really is!

Note: You can enlarge the video to full screen by selecting the icon on the bottom right of the video window. This is especially helpful if you are going blind (like me).

Protect Yourself While Shopping Online

2011-11-29T13:41:00.000-05:00

This is the season for online shopping. Everyone should take a few minutes to remind themselves that we all live in a dangerous online world. At our regularly scheduled training on December 6 I will talk a litte bit about online shopping and protecting yourself. In the meantime start the process of protecting yourself by reading the following article.

Shop With Well Known Establishments
Start at a trusted site rather than shopping with a search engine. Search results can be rigged to lead you to dangerous destinations. If you know the site, chances are it’s safe for shopping!

Shop Only On Secure Sites
Never trust purchasing anything online using your credit card from a site that does not have SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption installed. You can be assured of this by looking in the URL bar for the https:// in front of the website address as well as a padlock image. If you do not see these – do not use your credit card!

Don't Give Up Your Personal Information
Online shopping stores do not need your social security number or your birthday. If the website is asking for this information, shop somewhere else!

Check Your Statements
Don't wait for your bill to come at the end of the month. Go online regularly during the holiday season and look at electronic statements for your credit card, debit card, and checking accounts. Make sure you don't see any fraudulent charges, even originating from sites like PayPal. If you see something wrong, pick up the phone and contact the vendor immediately!

Protect Your PC
Keep your computer update with a good virus and malware application! There are many good free solutions out there like (my personal favorite) Microsoft Security Essentials and AVG.

Don’t Be Lazy With Your Passwords
Strong passwords are critical when banking and shopping online.

Avoid Public Terminals When Shopping
Avoid shopping on public networks. Also keep your in home (wireless) network secure with a strong WEP and use your network to shop online.

One of the Oldest Lessons Out There
If the “deal” online sounds too good to be true it probably is. No one – and I mean no one is selling IPAD’s for $49.99! Stay away from these offers for you own good!

Facebook Scam Alert

2011-11-13T09:16:00.000-05:00

A new Facebook scam is making the rounds. If you are on Facebook be aware of this and as always avoid responding to unsolicted email messages.

Today an unsolicited email began appearing that stated it was from Facebook. The email comes with the subject line "Your account has been disabled by an administrator".

Hovering over the links in the email shows that we will visit paflape.smyslzivota.cz instead of Facebook. It’s worth mentioning that the spammers forgot a dot (.) in one of the URL’s rendering the URL irresolvable (paflapesmyslzivota.cz instead of paflape.smyslzivota.cz).

From there we are redirected to viagralevitratestosterone.com, registered on the 13th October 2011 via NETLYNX, INC.

The website viagralevitratestosterone.com sells fake versions of well known prescription drugs such as Viagra, Cialis, Vicodin etc ... in other words the Canadian Pharmacy which is a frontend for GlavMed, a rogue affiliate program run by a Russian cybercrime group.

The domain viagralevitratestosterone.com was also used in a mass spamming campaign two days ago. Reference: AOL Administration Center Notification leads to Canadian Pharmacy.

It is yet unclear if paflape.smyslzivota.cz has been hacked / compromised or not. Visiting the front page directly results in a similar redirect via soft.msk0.ru. The request does not complete at the time of the write-up as PHP errors halt the execution of the redirect script.

If you are a member of Facebook you can learn more and stay up tp date with ongoing spam issues at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Report-Online-Scams/120468575683.

2011-11-07T15:54:00.003-05:00

On October 27 and 28, 2011 I participated in a Microsoft Office 365 event in Harrisburg Pennsylvania and in fact I was the opening presentation titled "Cloud 101". The sound in the beginning is very low because I forgot to wear the microphone. Once the staff stopped me and I setup the microphone the sound gets a little better. I wish I could have taken all of you, my co-workers with me however sadly that was not possible. Anyway here is the next best thing. If you are curious about the "cloud" check out the presentation. Lucky for me I remain "off camera" for the majority of the presentation.

Technical Note: This video uses Microsoft Silverlight. Take a moment to run the small install in order to watch the video. If you have a 64bit computer you will need to run the 32bit version of Internet Explorer to view the video. You can find your 32bit version of Internet Explorer at C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer.

Cloud 101

2011-10-26T13:46:00.001-04:00

Check out my "Cloud 101" presentation from the Microsoft 365 2 Day event in Harrisburg PA, October 27-29, 2011.

Cloud computing 102711 - ccap

View more presentations from William Mann

Managing Your Microsoft Online Password

2011-10-17T14:57:00.000-04:00

There is no doubt. Passwords can be a big pain for everyone. However without passwords our information is not secure. This short training video will demonstrate how to manage and change your Microsoft Online password and what happens if you allow your password to expire (after 90 days).

Finding Your "Lost Track-It"

2011-10-17T10:22:00.000-04:00

One of the things I often hear from my co-workers is that "I can't find Track-It" or my personal favorite "Somebody deleted Track-It from my computer!". Track-It is not installed on anyone's PC. It is simply a URL linking your account to the Track-It Server. Here I demonstrate how to access Track-It, even if someone has "deleted it from your computer".

2011-10-15T13:57:00.000-04:00

Ulysses S. Grant. Your story is remarkable. From a modest background you struggled to make a living until the Mexican War started. You enlisted and served in that war with distinction. After the war you served in peacetime and because you missed your wife so badly and children so much you left the service. Loose from the service you struggled to support you growing family failing at the many things you tried. Another war erupted this time, this time it was the North vs. the South. You joined President Lincoln's cause and moved up the ranks and finally became the president's trusted general and eventually earned command of the entire army. You of course went on to defeat the rebellion and help Lincoln end slavery.

After the war you were thrust into the presidency where you tried your best to follow Lincoln's reconstruction plan. For the record you were truly the only president to walk where Lincoln walked. You even made peace with the Indians. The only president by the way to do this.

After your presidency the south would not see truly enjoy peace again until the civil rights movement, almost 100 years later in the 1960's.

After your presidency you and your wife toured the world.

As you turned 62 financial and medical tragedy struck. This is where this story takes the reader.

Hopefully I have grabbed your attention and you check this excellent book out which covers the final last year of a true American hero.

National Cyber Security Awareness Month

2011-10-03T15:42:00.000-04:00

The overarching theme for National Cyber Security Awareness Month is “Our Shared Responsibility,” which reflects the interconnectedness of the modern world and the message that all computer users have a role in securing cyberspace.

Through a series of events and initiatives across the country, Awareness Month engages public and private sector partners to raise awareness and educate Americans about cybersecurity, and increase the resiliency of the Nation and its cyber infrastructure.

Americans can follow a few simple steps to keep themselves, their personal assets, and private information safe online. This year, we will also prominently feature a different critical cybersecurity issue each week in October.

Week One:
Stop.Think.Connect
Emphasizes general cybersecurity awareness with events highlighting the Stop.Think.Connect. Campaign

Week Two:
Education / Workforce
Showcases the urgent need to develop cyber education programs to train the next generation cyber workforce

Week Three:
Cyber Crime
Focuses on national and local efforts to prevent identity theft and other cyber crimes

Week Four:
Small Business
Highlights strategies small- and medium-sized business owners can use to bolster their own cybersecurity defenses

Do Your Part
Here are a few simple things businesses, schools, and home users can do to practice cybersecurity during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and throughout the year:

•Find or register a local National Cyber Security Awareness Month event on our official calendar.

•Show your organization's commitment to cybersecurity by signing the online endorsement form and becoming a National Cyber Security Awareness Month Champion.

•Download tip sheets on how to stay safe in a variety of online settings: on social networking sites, on gaming sites, on your mobile device, and distribute them within your community.

•Participate in the NCSA's Cyber Security Awareness Volunteer Education (C-SAVE) Program and help educate elementary, middle, and high school students about Internet safety and security.

•Add a signature block to your e-mail: "October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Stay Safe Online!

The Murder of James Garfield

2011-10-01T07:08:00.017-04:00

I know that this is a technology blog and I do often find myself reading great science and technology books, however I believe it is equally important to never forget the past. There are countless stories to be explored that I never grow tired of looking into our past and I highly recommend you give it a try. I actually I have found that learning about people and events from the past can have a calming and centering effect. As we all seem to be in perpetual motion these days, stopping and gleaming the past can actually have a de-stressing effect. So give it a try, maybe with the book I discuss here.

James Garfield. Do you know who he is? If you posses an average knowledge of history you will probably respond with something like this. “Was he a president or something?” That’s it. Not much more is probably known about Garfield and that is pretty distressing. In Candice Millard’s recent book, “Destiny of the Republic – A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President” she attempts to right this wrong.

This is a fascinating true story of an American who broke the chains of poverty through hard and honest work. Garfield went on to start a family build a home of a farm after saving his money, and continued to better hilself with self-education and would eventually leave a profound mark on this nation. Garfield loved his family and he loved his books. One reporter remarked after interviewing Garfield in his home during the 1880 presidential election, “wherever you looked you were presented with a book”. When the Civil War erupted in 1861 Garfield left his family and served the Union and rose through the ranks to General. Towards the end of the war Garfield was elected to Congress without campaigning or asking for the office. His reputation was so strong the office came to him. After entering Congress everyone around him could see that Garfield was honest, fair and open minded in everything he did. Eventually he found himself tangled in the tumultuous presidential election of 1880. Running for the Republican Nomination was Ulysses S. Grant (third term), James G. Blaine and John Sherman. The nomination process went on for 2 days, ballot after ballot failed to claim a winner. Although Garfield, who had just won an Ohio Senate seat was working hard to get Sherman the nomination support slowing ebbed in his direction. Garfield did not want the nomination and worked hard to oppose it. However everyone was tired of the “party politics” at that point and Garfield’s reputation was un-like anyone running. Garfield was nominated against his wishes and at the end of the second day was awarded the nomination. As was his work ethic, Garfield who was very uncomfortable with the nomination worked hard for his country and went on to defeat another Civil War hero for the presidency in 1880, Democrat Winfield Scott.

Evil lurks all around us. At the same time Garfield was succeeding at everything he tried Charles E. Guiteau was failing. Guiteau attempted it seems everything. From obtaining entrance into college, law work, writing, theology, politics and even marriage he failed miserably in all of them. Guiteau most likely failed at everything because he was insane. During the 1880 election standing on a street corner Guiteau reportedly made a corner speech supporting Garfield. Because of this, Guiteau believed he was “owed” a political job from Garfield. After the election Guiteau haunted the White House and even met the president once, which was not unusual at the time. An office job was refused of course which led to Garfield’s murder at Guiteau’s hand only 2 months after the election.

There is so much more to this excellent book and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to escape into the past for a brief time and learn something about our 20th president, James A. Garfield.

OH, I Almost Forgot
If you take the time to read this book you will be angered and upsept that Garfield should have survived the gunshot he sustained. The doctors so botched the work he suffered in misery and slowly died. A tragic fate he surely did not deserve. Just wait until you learn about that!

Contacts & Signatures in Microsoft Outlook

2011-09-29T13:49:00.001-04:00

Lesson 4 walks you through a couple of different ways of adding contacts to Microsoft Outlook as well as creating your own professional business card that can be automatically attached in your email messages as a signature.

In the previous video I did not demonstrate how to delete unwanted images in your contacts. Well here you go.

Managing Your Email in the Cloud

2011-09-23T13:56:00.001-04:00

Microsoft Online offers very good quarantine and archving software solutions. All employee's should become familure with the use of the both of these excellent resources. Take a few minutes to learn how to access your email quarrantine and archive.

You can access your quarantine and archive at quarantine.messaging.microsoft.com.

Emergency Preparedness Website Launching

2011-09-23T08:35:00.000-04:00

The Borough of West Chester is developing an “Emergency Preparedness” webpage which will host as much information as possible for our community in respect to emergency preparedness.

Informational forms, databases and links to other regional, state and federal emergency preparedness websites will be easily accessed from your “home” website for these services.

It is our goal to have this new website in service by the end of fall 2011. You can access the website through the West Chester Police Department website at www.westchesterpolicedepartment.com in the “links” section.
If anyone has any suggestions or ideas please contact West Chester’s Chief Information Officer, William Mann at wmann@west-chester.com.

This article is scheduled to appear in the Borough of West Chester's Fall 2011 Newsletter.

Microsoft's West Chester Case Study

2011-09-23T08:07:00.004-04:00

Earlier this year the Borough of West Chester moved its email services to the “cloud” with Microsoft Online Services. The Borough of West Chester was chosen as one of three Microsoft Cloud Services case studies. Afterward Microsoft published the following article which appeared in various Microsoft Publications and on their website.

The following article was prepared by:

BizTechReports
Patricia Brown, Content Strategist
Lane F. Cooper, Editorial Director
Susan Aluise, Senior Editor
William Mann, Chief Information Officer, Borough of West Chester
Ron Braatz, Liftoff, President, LLC.

Borough of West Chester, PA Takes Email to the Cloud;
Cuts Costs While Boosting Efficiency

Introduction

The Borough of West Chester, PA is a college town with a population of 18,461 (not including non-resident students) about 25 miles west of Philadelphia. It is home to West Chester University and boasts a vibrant small business community. The Borough has a total operating budget of $19 million – and only spends 1 percent of its budget on IT operations to support between 120 and 140 employees. The city keeps its IT staff costs low because one man manages all of the tasks for all departments – including the separate management of police communications systems. As the time approached to refresh the Borough’s technology infrastructure, William “Bill” Mann, chief communications officer and IT manager for the Borough was interested in applying cloud technology to improve operations while reducing costs. He turned to Microsoft and the technology implementation coaching services of LiftOff, LLC to migrate the Borough’s email system to the cloud environment. The results have been impressive.

Situation

Bill Mann is not what you would call a job hopper. He started working for the Borough of West Chester right out of high school as departments just began experimenting with computers back in the mid-1980s. He embraced the IT revolution that was heating up then by volunteering to manage computers and communications technology for the police department. He parlayed the volunteer activity into a full time position, and eventually became the lone technologist in the Borough’s government operations.

When Mann finally took over all IT activities for the Borough back in 1999, the first thing he did was merge the separate department-level IT resources. He consolidated all servers into a computer room where every department could connect for shared server access.

“I had so many servers going – file servers, Citrix servers, security servers, along with an Exchange server,” he says.

There were many department-specific IT applications that Mann needed to be able to support. For example, the police department needed people to be able to easily and securely access the system from satellite locations – they used the Citrix servers to accomplish this.

Everyone used Microsoft Outlook, and the productivity application of choice among the Borough’s user community was – and remains – Microsoft Office.

“Over a very short period of time, I decided to consolidate all of those infrastructures and migrate to a single domain,” Mann says.

During the course of keeping up on trends in the IT industry, Mann started hearing a lot about the benefits of cloud computing. He took a keener interest as the time approached for him to upgrade the Borough’s computing and communications infrastructure.

“This was the perfect time for Microsoft to get my business,” he says. West Chester was on a four-year replacement schedule rotation for its servers.

In 2011, the Microsoft Exchange e-mail server came up for replacement. “People rely on mail for everything. If it’s down for a second, people know it,” Mann says. He wanted to find a solution that increased service and connectivity for all the users while making the email management and maintenance easier and less time consuming.

After extensively researching cloud computing solutions and evaluating how they could fit into the Borough’s IT operations, Mann decided to pursue that course. He investigated multiple options – evaluating archiving solutions, backup plans and other critical factors – before determining that Microsoft’s cloud solution was the right way to go for the Borough.

A key benefit he saw in moving to a Microsoft Cloud environment: employees already were familiar with the look, feel and performance of the Microsoft user experience, making the transition easier.

Solution

Mann began his research back in November 2010. “If I wanted to move to cloud computing, I knew I had this $20,000 that I had already budgeted for the upgrade of the existing infrastructure sitting here,” he explains. “I knew I could buy a mail server or I could simply buy the best solution.” By February, Mann had made his decision: the Borough of West Chester was going to the cloud. In April, he had inked the deal with Microsoft.

A month later, the Borough of West Chester moved its email services from the on-premises Exchange server to Microsoft’s Exchange Online cloud service. The Borough was able to deliver the functions employees had become used to having in the old environment – unified messaging, fax/scan/copy to email and help desk task orders.

Microsoft also offered Mann a certified Microsoft Partner to help out with any migration challenges: Baltimore-based LiftOff LLC.

“It was like a coaching model,” Mann says. “I learned an awful lot by going through this route.”

“Fortunately for Mann, the Borough had a legacy Exchange server which gave them the most options for migration strategies,” explains Ron Braatz, founder and president of LiftOff. “Because of that, we had the option of doing a controlled migration which results in a less risky, more predictable controlled migration that can be done over a series of days, weeks or even months.”

“I could not have done it without Ron,” Mann says. “It’s tough handling a migration with a staff of one.”

Braatz, a veteran of scores of cloud migration projects in the public sector, worked with Mann on a migration checklist, reviewed the requirements assessment, and collaborated to put in place a structured migration process that would ensure success.

“The assessment phase itself consists of addressing a set of 35 questions, half of which define the project and with the rest designed to uncover any traps or potential pitfalls that I’ve encountered previously,” Braatz explains.

Based on the analysis of the assessment Mann and Braatz laid out a project plan, prioritizing the four or five key decisions that would determine the final results of the project.

One of the most critical decisions was whether to do a so-called “Big Bang” migration – in which the entire transition is executed over a weekend – or opt instead for controlled migration over a longer period of time.

Mann chose the latter.

“While getting it done all at once has its fans, I think that can lead to a lot of unnecessary troubles,” he says.

Benefits

The benefits of the Microsoft cloud solution for the Borough of West Chester are profound:

• Cost Savings: Since West Chester no longer had to maintain the Exchange mail servers, it no longer has to pay out $20,000 from the coffers to replace those servers every four years. Now, there is a monthly cost of the subscription, which is less than Mann requested in his budget. In 2012, he can retire the city’s stand-by server, which would have cost $10,000, and replace it with the one formerly running Exchange.

• Efficiency: Compared to what Mann felt he could deliver from on-premise solutions, he believes the cloud-based email services are far more efficient and include better security and data protection while offering more flexibility in how employees access their email. Essentially, it delivers more services to users for a much lower up front cost.

• Corporate-Compliant Archiving: Because West Chester is a government entity, it is required to archive files – including email. The cloud solution makes it easier to archive data without creating additional infrastructure requirements. As a result Mann is in a better position to comply with requests from courts or other government entities.

• Backup and Disaster Protection: Instead of all the email residing on a single server in West Chester, Borough data today is mirrored and stored in geo-redundant datacenters managed by Microsoft. The existing remote archive backs up only a single version of the file. “The security and availability that these centers can provide is better than anything I can do,” Mann says.

At the end of the day, the best strategy for organizations is to research options thoroughly and make sure the solution fits the mission. “Every organization has to look at this and say ‘what works best for us’,” Mann says. “For us, the central questions revolved around how to deploy as robust a system possible with a staff of one. You do that by finding a way to manage IT as efficiently as possible. For us that meant moving to the Microsoft Cloud.”

You can read the article as published by Microsoft at http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/-/West-Chester-Pennsylvania/West-Chester-PA-Takes-Email-To-The-Cloud-Cuts-Costs-While-Boosting-Efficiency/4000011009.

This article is scheduled to appear in the Borough of West Chester's Fall 2011 Newsletter.

You can download Microsoft's Published Article here.

Training Videos

2011-09-22T12:47:00.000-04:00

Training Videos are a new feature of the West Chester Employee's Technology Blog. From time to time I will try to post relevant training videos. In addition these training videos will always be easily available on the right sidebar of this fine blog.

You can always visit the new West Chester Tech Blog Youtube channel at www.youtube.com/wctechblog.

Of course if anyone has any training video suggestions please contact me.

Passwords Got You Down?

2011-09-22T12:29:00.003-04:00

Are passwords driving you crazy? Most people would immediately say yes. I know this myself because most of you, my co-workers come to me from time to time holding your head while you report with annoyance and frustration "I forgot my password"! From talking with many of you I realize that alot of people are simply writing these passwords down somewhere. This probably is not the best idea because this paper can wind up in the wrong hands or simply get lost. There are many free services that can help you manage the complex world of passwords.

One of my favorites is "Passpack". Check out this video demonstration. You can access this from any computer plus there are Android and IPhone apps available. Never drive yourself crazy with passwords again. Check out Passpack today.

Did I say it was free?

Track-It Update

2011-09-20T15:10:00.001-04:00

Track-It has been updated. Please take a few moments to learn how to enter and check on your work orders and how to create a Track-It shortcut for your desktop.

August 16, 2011 Training

2011-08-16T16:30:00.000-04:00

Slideshow presentation from today's technology training.

Computer Security

View more presentations from William Mann

Cloud Computing and Local Government

2011-08-11T12:47:00.000-04:00

Here is the presentation I gave in relation to the disortation regarding my recent CIO certification course. Enjoy.

Cloud computing presentation

View more presentations from William Mann.

Training Class - August 16, 2011

2011-07-12T08:17:00.000-04:00

The next information technology training class has been set.

Date: August 16, 2011
Times: 10:00 AM or 1:00 PM

Sign up sheets will be distributed through each department.

Leadership

2011-06-24T12:55:00.000-04:00

OK friends this post has nothing to do with technology. This "talk" which can be found on TED discusses leadership. This was passed onto me by a colleague at Chester County. Very entertaining and thoughtful discussion on what makes a good leader using some great historical references to prove his point. His comments on Tivo, which is one of my favorite products of all time is sadly very accurate.

July Training Poll

2011-06-10T20:01:00.000-04:00

I am looking for help in preparing our July Technology class. Please take a minute to vote for a topic you are interested in. Choice 4 would cover the new email service as well as touching on Sharepoint.

July Class Topic Poll (Vote Today)

More Cloud Computing In The Borough's Future?

2011-06-10T15:40:00.011-04:00

Ok now that the Borough of West Chester is safely in Microsoft's "cloud" for email services we can't possibly stop there (can we). Next in line is Microsoft's "Sharepoint" service which will allow employee's to safely, securly and easily access their files from anywhere with an internet connection.

This new service could play a large part in retiring yet another server (Citrix). There are some challenges here because applications do not run through Sharepoint. However many of us only need access to our files (documents) so there is alot of advantages to this type of cloud service.

Another strong advantage to this type of cloud service is the storing and availability of HR (human resoource) documents and other shared files everyone needs access to. Even public files can be stored here for our residents!

Yet another intriguing advantage regarding Microsoft's "Sharepoint" service is that not only does it allow users to access their files from anywhere but it also has the ability to intigrate the files within your Microsoft Outlook client!

During the next couple of months a few employees will be selected to help me beta test this service and evaluate it's potential.

The Borough's "Sharepoint" portal is already up and running so stand-by for more information. If you are interested in helping to beta test this new service please contact me at wmann@west-chester.com.

If you want to learn more about Microsoft's "Sharepoint" go here to learn more.

Internet Speed Enhancement

2011-05-22T15:17:00.000-04:00

I hope that everyone has noticed an improvement in internet speed on their workstations in the office starting last week. As part of the move to the cloud for email services I was able to improve the internet speed for all DHCP clients from 3mbps to 25 mbps.

Enjoy workmates.

June Technology Class

2011-05-22T15:06:00.000-04:00

I hope to schedule out next employee technology class for mid to late June 2011. The class will cover our new email cloud services in detail which will be a lot of fun. if anyone has any other topic ideas please post your ideas to me by commenting here.

Blogger Status Report

2011-05-22T15:00:00.001-04:00

As everyone is aware this blog has been very quite lately. For all of my dedicated readers I apologize. These past several weeks (6-8 I believe) have found the majority of my attention with with Microsoft in an effort to migrate our mail services to their cloud. For the most part this transition has been accomplised, although I am still working on getting out "corporate compliate" archiving up and running.

I thank everyone for their patience during this process, especially my entire communication officer staff who continue to amaze me with their professional and independent work ethic!

I hope to make more regular blog entries from this point forward. Keep your fingers crossed!

Report from the Cloud

2011-05-22T14:52:00.000-04:00

Ok it's been about 2 weeks now since the Borough of West Chester moved their email services from an on-premises exchange server to Microsoft's cloud with "Exchange Online". So far so good. During these first 2 weeks we have had everything. As we all know nothing is 100% perfect, except perhaps "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn" (I will explain this later). After migrating everyone over to the cloud and on the eve of heading to Disney World for a much needed break Microoft began experiencing what they call "service degregation". This meant that mail flow during the early hours on May 12, 2011 stopped. The good news was that I noticed this at about 5:50 AM and quickly contacted Microsoft Online Support. A technician reported that they were aware of the problem and working on it. A work-around was offered but before anyone arrived in the office the "cloud" was back in service.

New technology can be a little scary and no one really likes change. However I believe that today's world economic situation demands bold and visionary decisions in respect to keeping cost down while striving to offer the best that technology has to offer. The "cloud", I believe will be critical during the next several years, providing organizations with the ability to keep technology cost down while (at the same time) providing high end technological services.

As the "service incident" on May 12, 2011 demonstrates nothing is easy and we will need to learn to "roll with the punches" during these hard economic times if we are to move even more services to the cloud in the future.

We can do this! In the decades past, business was done without the internet and email services. If these services are down from time to time, pick the phone up, reach out and talk to eachother. I do not expect service interruptions to be normal, however we should always be prepared. Keeping cost down is mission critical in these times, and working together the Borough of West Chester will find success and efficent government.

The Borough of West Chester maintains an information technology cost (capitol & salary) that is only 1% of it's annual budget. That is something we can be very proud of. Migrating adapatable services to the cloud will help the borough to sustain such a small cost in this area which is something every taxpayer will be thankful for.

Borough E-Mail Moves to the Cloud Today!

2011-05-04T15:27:00.001-04:00

Today might have seemed just like another rainy Wednesday to you. But it was a BIG day for me. After months of research, planning, preparation and living through "co-existence", today, May 4, 2011 the on-premises exchange (e-mail) server was shut down, hopefully for the final time. I crossed my fingers after shutting the server down and was elated to see mail flowing normally. After a tweak here and there other services that we have all come to rely on such as fax-scan-copy to email, unified messaging and help desk work orders were all up and in service as well.

The magic of the cloud is this. Without having to maintain a mail server and replacing it on average every 4 years at a cost of $20,000 the Borough now has more efficient mail services including enhanced security, superior data protection, liability protection and more ways than ever of connecting in to our email services.

Some of these enhancements include

• 14 days back-up of email is expanded to 10 year compliance archiving.

• As opposed to our email residing on one server at our facility, our email is written simultaneously to 6 "department of defense" certified data centers located at various locations across the United States.

• Enhanced liability protection because “open records” rules require local government to maintain files, including email for information and court requests. The compliance archiving will protect our government because these files will accessible upon request.

• Built-in spam filtering as opposed to having to pay a third party for this protection.

• Our partnership with Microsoft will keep the borough up to date with the highest standards of office productivity while controlling cost.

• The Borough has an information technology staff of one. Moving the e-mail service to Microsoft’s cloud will continue to support maintaining a minimal staff while providing effective technology services.

There are many more exciting things on the horizon in reference to our move to Microsoft’s Cloud like Microsoft 365.
Standby for more news from cloud and enjoy. Boy is it comfortable up here.

The "Usama bin Laden" Virus

2011-05-04T06:38:00.001-04:00

Hackers, Spammers and Scammers all love a BIG story, and there certainly is no bigger news item now then the recent take down of Public Enemy Number 1, Usama bin Laden. These hackers and other bad eggs are using this news story to intice people into downloading a file in order to watch a video. This is a HOAX and if you follow the link, download a file from one of these messages you will infect your computer, or become a spamming machine. This hoax is especially active on Facebook at this time.

Be aware that the United States Government has not released any photos or video from their recent operation.

Often the message, either through an email or a social networking site such as Facebook will have a link to a website it wants to redirect you to. Often stating it's an "official source", such as CNN. This is a ploy. Ignore it.

Also be aware that even the best anti-virus software can not prevent a human being from clicking on and downloading an infected file.

Here is the official FBI news release in respect to this recent hoax.

Cloudy Skies Ahead

2011-04-08T21:31:00.000-04:00

This was a big week for the borough as it relates to IT. This week brought the beginning of email cloud computing. After a couple of months of investigation and discussion we headed into the cloud earlier this week!

After migrating myself on Tuesday to "the cloud"" a few other were migrated as the week came to a close. The first "victims" included the Police Records clerks, Communication Officers Widmayer, Jones, Lt. Morris and finally Staci King. All were migrated into the Microsoft Cloud without incident. Next week I hope to move the Housing Office, Finance Office, Recreation Office, Borough Council, and a couple more communication officers into the cloud.

Many have asked me recently "why are we moving into the cloud"? Here are some quick answers to these questions:

Why Move Into the Cloud?
1. Less cost to the borough because of reduced hardware and licensing.
2. More efficent data protection.
3. Improved archiving (14 days to 10 years).
4. Ability to continue sustaining a strong ROI (return on investment) for IT.

As I go through this process I will meet with everyone to talk about this exciting change.

Exploring Cluster One

2011-04-03T13:55:00.005-04:00

I realize that there is no information here that can really help you in a technical way but I found this video of Pink Floyd's "Cluster One" matched with some amazing images from the Hubble telescope. It is awe inspiring. Watch this, relax and remember that the universe is unbelievably and unknowingly mass and our problems are nothing in comparison. This piece of music is simply Gilmour's guitar and Rick Wright's keyboards. Genius.

Backing Up Your Files with MOZY

2011-04-01T10:59:00.000-04:00

All this talk of the cloud has me revisiting cloud services for the home user. One of the most popular “cloud services” today is in the area of remote backups. As the earthquake and tsunami in Japan has sadly demonstrated, natural disasters do strike, usually without warning. If a natural disaster, fire or theft was to occur to you and your computer was unavailable or destroyed are your files safe?

Because our computers are becoming more and more critical remote backup service providers have been cropping up everywhere these past few years. The Borough of West Chester has been remotely backing up critical data files for years. Should you?

If you store financial files, tax documents, letters, family photos and video you probably should be backing up remotely. There are many providers with many price points. Be sure to check these providers out and protect your files today.

What about Mozy?
Mozy is a great backup service. This service lets you store files online and retrieve them remotely, which is all you really need from an online storage service.

The real reason that Mozy is attractive as an online storage solution is the price; this service’s subscription is practically unbeatable. Another advantage for using this service is the strong security features. Because it is designed to be a backup service, this service has a lot of security measures in place that other online storage services don’t have. If you want to make sure that your data is safe, this service is one of the best places to store it.

Regardless of what you call the service or what it was initially designed to be, this service is a spectacular choice. The combination of cheap storage space with useful features and strong security make this service the perfect place to store files, photos, videos, documents and anything you want to safely store outside of your home computer.

Another great ability of Mozy is that you can back up to 3 computers and remote (usb) drives. Many services such as Carbonite charge additions fees for devices and drives outside of the primary computer. This cost can add up.

Cost for Mozy's Services
2GB for free
125GB, up to 2 computers for $9.99 per month
You can learn more about Mozy at mozy.com.

Are We Cyborgs?

2011-03-26T21:51:00.000-04:00

Are we all turning into Cyborgs? That is the question that Amber Case discussed recently on TED. If you take the time to look around as you go through the day (any day it doesn't matter) you surely can see this happening. It seems everyone has their attention on their smartphone, laptop or tablet, even while walking and driving. Our attention is drawn to these devices even while holding conversations with each other!

This is not surprising to Case and after you watch her 8 minute lecture on the topic you might agree that yes, we are indeed turning into cyborgs. Is this a good or bad thing that is happening to us? The conclusion is not as clear as you might think.

The Physics of the Future

2011-03-25T22:25:00.003-04:00

The technology of the future is on my mind these days. This is because I am currently reading Michio Kaku's fascinating new book, "The Physics of the Future". Take a few moments, open your mind and watch this 10 minute video and just perhaps you may want to learn more.

There has been a wasteland in bringing science to the masses since Dr. Carl Sagan's tragic and early passing in 1999. However with minds like Kaku and Neil DeGrasse Tyson there is new hope for all of us who want to learn more about ourselves and the cosmos.

To learn more about the book click here.

To learn more about Michio Kaku check out his official website here.

The Borough of West Chester Enters The "Cloud"

2011-03-25T15:04:00.002-04:00

During the past several years cloud computing has taken off in the technology industry. In fact the concept of cloud computing is quite old.

As far back as 1961 cloud computing was being described by the likes of Professor John McCarthy (pictured right in 2006). McCarthy described his vision of computer programs being distributed to the community in the same manner as a utility with customers simply paying for what they use. This vision of McCarthy's was actually quite popular and accepted in the 1960's. However by the mid 1970's it was clear that hardware and software companies were simply not ready to provide such a service.

Beginning in the early 2000's the idea of cloud computing had resurfaced and with each passing year the surge to cloud computing continued to increase. This move towards cloud computing is driven by many factors, with perhaps the most crucial justification being cost savings. Computer hardware (servers) and licensing costs can seriously challenge an organization's budget. For example, a server capable of running Microsoft's Exchange (email) service can cost between $10,000 and $15,000. The cost does stop there however. The organization must also purchase Microsoft's Exchange (email) operating system as well as Microsoft's server (operating system) software. These costs can tack another $5,000 onto the mail server. We are not done yet! Microsoft licensing fees must also be purchased. These are what are known as CALs (not Cows!). CAL is the abbreviation for "Client Access License". The organization must also pay a license fee for each and every user who has an email account. The current government cost is about $54.00 each (and this is discounted). In the case of the Borough of West Chester who has 150 email users another $8,000 is added to the cost of running a mail server.

Now that the server is purchased it has to be installed, updated and maintained. In addition email accounts need to be backed up and archived daily. All of this is very critical because email has become a crucial part of how we communicate. Maintaining this service can be very taxing on an IT department.

All of these factors plus countless others are inspiring organizations and companies to explore the possibility of cloud computing in respect to email services.

The Borough of West Chester has an information technology staff of one (1). This includes managing 8 primary servers, 6 secondary servers, 80+ workstations, 150 users, telecommunications, wireless services and police communications. So you can see why cloud computing for email services is appealing to the borough. The smaller the IT staff, the smaller the cost to the organization and in the case of government, the taxpayers. Small is good. However maintaining small IT staffing can only be possible by streamlining, when possible networking services.

So what is cloud computing exactly? I believe you can simply define cloud computing as anytime your data is stored offsite at a data center. The contractual agreement between the organization (West Chester) who owns the data and the cloud provider (Microsoft) will usually include data management, backup, archiving and data security through the use of secure and multiple data centers. This reduces hardware cost for the organization and allows the organization to free up and possibly reduce information technology staff while continuing to provide efficient service to it's users. Maintaining offsite data is especially critical keeping in mind the possibility of natural disasters and terrorism.

The Borough of West Chester in an effort to continue controlling its information technology cost is moving it's email to the cloud with Microsoft as it's cloud provider this spring. Users will continue to use Microsoft Outlook to access their email so there will be no interruption in work or a need to learn a new system. However by moving email to the cloud the borough will be able to continue maintaining a low information technology cost, which is about 1% of the entire budget.

With the expected success of the email migration to the cloud other cloud solutions will continue to be explored in the future in an effort to continue providing the best service while simultaneously controlling cost.

Perhaps our future is really in the cloud just like John McCarthy first visioned 50 years ago.

Zite for IPAD

2011-03-14T16:51:00.001-04:00

As the tablets wars heat up I fall in love with ZITE. What is ZITE you ask? just the coolest way to customize your news sources in one magazine type enviornment. Learn more here.

Training Day Thank You

2011-03-04T15:56:00.000-05:00

Thank You to everyone who turned out for today's technology training which covered email, social media and cloud computing. The next training session will be held in June. If anyone has any training ideas please post them here.

Here is the power point from today's class.

Secure Your Passwords Safely

2011-03-02T14:34:00.001-05:00

One of the things we all seem to struggle with in today's technological and connected world is storing and remembering all of THOSE passwords. Most websites require passwords and it seems all of the various websites and agencies we need to access require different types of passwords. Some are as simple as 6 characters while some require a mix of uppercase, lowercase and special characters. What are we to do with all of these password requirements being demanded of us? One word sadly. COMPLY. If you don't comply - you don't have access. This being said there are solutions out there to help you remember, or at least have access to your countless passwords.

My favorite solution is the website www.passpack.com. Passpack is a highly secure website that once you create an account you can store all of your passwords which are connected to each website with direct links from within your Passpack account. There are three levels of security you must pass through in order to access your account! So you can be secure that your passwords are... secure. If you store under 100 passwords the account is free which is really a great deal.

Once you set this up with all of your accounts and passwords you really only need to remember the password for Passpack. In addition there is a nice client you can download and install locally on your computer. There are even Android and IPhone apps available as well!

Stop stressing over passwords and check out Passpack.com today.

Email & Social Media Training

2011-03-02T14:06:00.000-05:00

Here is a sneak peak at our training for Friday, March 4, 2011.

Clay Shirky: How Social Media Can Make History

2011-03-02T09:22:00.002-05:00

I found this video on TED which talks about how Social Media is starting to make history. It's about 18 minutes long, but it will make you think a little more broadly about how social media is starting to change all of us.

Tip: Adding A Signature To Your Email

2011-02-22T15:05:00.000-05:00

Many of you have asked from time to time, "How can I add a signature on the bottom of my email messages?". I thought I would take the time to demonstrate one of the ways you can do this easily.

If you access your email through Web Outlook, select the "options" menu on the bottom of the left side toobar.

Then browse down and open "edit signature".

Finally, enter what you would like your signature to look like and save. That's it. You now have a signature that will appear on all of your email messages.

Is Cloud Computing in West Chester's Future?

2011-02-15T15:31:00.001-05:00

Is the Borough of West Chester headed into "cloud computing"? Well this is not an easy answer. But the answer is "kind of" and "possibly". As the world economy continues to struggle and find it's 21st century legs I believe step by step we could be headed there.

What is cloud computing you ask? Simply think of remote back services such as "Mozy" and "Carbonite". This is very basic, but if you use these services as an example know that these tech companies simply back-up your files remotely. It you use email services such as Microsoft's "Hotmail" or Google's "gmail" your mail is stored off site. Basicly these are already in the cloud. So you can see, there is nothing out of the ordinary going on here. As opposed to having to pay for servers, software, licensing and yes, even energy some of your services are maintained by another vendor. That's it. That's cloud computing. The biggest question for every organization is what do you place in "the cloud" and what is maintained locally? The Borough of West Chester just like every other organization if starting to look at these issues.

Keep in touch because exciting things are just around the corner.

Syncing Your Android & Network Passwords

2011-02-09T10:24:00.000-05:00

I have found one of the biggest challenges for users of Android devices is keeping the email password synced with the network password. For anyone who has used a Blackberry device in the past this is a new issue you should be aware of.

Be aware Android users! Android devices are checking in on your Microsoft Exchange account and the password on your device must match the password on the network. If you forget to change the password on the device after changing it on the network, you will be "locked out" of the network within an hour. This results in phone calls to my office so I am hoping to educate everyone here and save all involved some time.

First, when you know you are going to change your network password, make sure you have your Android device with you.

After changing the network password on the computer select the menu button on your device, then select settings. Browse down and select Accounts. Then select your West Chester (corporate account). Enter your new password in the password field and select OK. Thats it.

Here is a video with step by step directions for syncing your network and Android passwords.

Gadget of the Month: Roku HD Player

2011-02-06T09:02:00.000-05:00

Other than its ability to stream Netflix movies, I knew nothing about Roku when I received my first HD Roku almost 2 years ago. But you ask yourself if I have had a HD Roku player for almost 2 years why make it my gadget of the month. Well you see when I purchased one of these beauties they were new on the market and somewhat unproven. Anyway their popularity has continued to grow and a new improved lineup of Roku players hes been recently introduced. I still own one of the original models so my review is based on mine.

The thing is tiny! At less than 5 inches wide and only 1 inch tall, Roku is the size of my hand!

It’s so simple to set up. Just plug in the included red/white/yellow A/V cable from Roku to the TV. If you have an HDMI cable, that’s a better choice, but it has to be purchased separately. Then you follow the on-screen directions to add it to your home network. Don’t have wi-fi? No problem. You can plug an ethernet cable into it. And that was it! You control Roku with the included remote. It’s tiny and very basic, but that’s all you need. I was watching high definition content on Netflix in about 5 minutes

While Roku is best known for its partnership with Netflix, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it does so much MORE! Watch Amazon Video On Demand, listen to Pandora Internet Radio and stream your mp3s, watch MLB TV, NBA TV, NHL GameCenter, browse your Flickr photo albums, and even Facebook photos, too! Explore internet only channels such as Revision 3, MediaFly as well. Hulu Plus has been added this past month as well as NASA TV.So you can see there is plenty of great content on this little box.

Since it’s so tiny, Roku doesn’t consume much energy at all and always stays on (unless you unplug it, of course). In fact, it doesn’t even have an off button. No waiting for a device to start up. Just turn on the TV, click over to the Roku Channel you want, and you’re good to go! It’s an awespme device!

A couple of big differences between the original model I have and the new ones are an increase in HD video quality from 720p to 1080i and the inclusion of a USB port so local video can be viewed through the Roku player. I of course need to upgrade mine at some point soon and perhaps donate my old one to my son (Kevin) in college. It may be a hand-me-down but the kid will certainly accept such a cool gift!

Roku players start at just $59.99. The price is one of the most reasonbly price points in the technology world today. There’s a 30-day money back guarantee and a one-year warranty on the device. You just have to decide which Roku to get! The useful comparison chart on roku.com should help you choose which model is the best for you.

The End of the Internet?

2011-02-04T19:53:00.001-05:00

Today, IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Agency) announced that it had handed out two more /8 IPv4 assignments to APNIC (Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre). As a result, IANA is down to 5 /8s, triggering its special policy to hand out one address to each regional registrar (RIR). The 5 RIRs are AFRNIC (Africa), APNIC (Asia Pacific), ARIN (North America), LACNIC (Latin America) and RIPE (Europe).

IANA hands IP address space to the RIRs in chunks of /8s, who then pass it on to ISPs, who then pass it on to end users. Some large end users may approach their RIR directly, and some "legacy assignments" are managed by IANA directly.

But in the end, what does this all mean?

1 - Will the Internet stop working?

No. As a matter of fact, it is unlikely that the IPv4 internet will stop any time soon. It will likely happily exist next to the IPv6 internet. There are some transition mechanisms set up. While not pretty, the two "internets" can talk to each other via proxies and tunnels.

2 - Why do we run out of addresses?

IPv4 allows for about 4 billion addresses. There are about 6 billion people on the world... how many addresses do you need (phone, home, work...)? Its a simple math issue compounded by the fact that for efficient routing sake, we can't assign all addresses.

3 - A lot of IPv4 space is still unused. Why don't we use it more effectively?

The problem is not just that we are running out of addresses, even though that is the killer issue here. Assigning addresses more effectively would mean that assignments would become smaller and routing tables would become more complex. In order to make this work, we would have to essentially "renumber" the internet, and still be out of addresses at some point.

4 - What about legacy space? Does Apple really need a /8?

In the beginning of the Internet, IPv4 address space was handed out very liberally. Remember it was just an experiment? Some of the original participants still have large IPv4 assignments which they don't use efficiently. However, even if all of them are handed back, it would delay the problem only by 1-2 years at great expense to the effected companies (and they have contracts giving them the rights to use the address space). Some "legacy allocations" have been returned in the past

5 - What do I need to do today?

Relax. Nothing is going to happen fast. the RIRs still have space left, depending on the region a few month to a year. After that, it will get tricky. You may already find it harder to get IP address space. Eventually, your ISP may ask for some space back as they can't get new addresses from the RIR. Over time, IPv4 will get more expensive then IPv6.

6 - So I can just wait and do nothing?

No. What you should do tomorrow (maybe today?) is setup a test lab to familiarize yourself with IPv6. It is easy to get going. Ask your ISP if they support it (or when), or setup a tunnel with a free tunnel provider like Hurricane Electric [2] or Sixxs [3] (there are others). You need a plan on how to deal with it. Even if you don't need IPv6, maybe your business partners start using it and you need to connect to them via IPv6.

7 - Can't I just ignore it?

Remember why you are using IP in the first place? It allows you to connect to everything on the internet. In short: It keeps you in connected. Once these people expect IPv6 connectivity, you will likely have to move along with it. It is like any technology in that it ultimately has to support the business (and well... it is fun too!).

8 - What will change from a security point of view?

Everything and nothing. The most important change is probably the fact that NAT will become less important. Endpoint protection and carefully configured firewalls will become more important. Passive asset detection will become more important compared to active scanning. There is a lot of security gear you own that probably does a lousy job dealing with IPv6. Did I mention it requires a plan and testing?

Monthly Track-It Report

2011-02-01T09:29:00.003-05:00

I thank everyone for continuing to use Track-It for submitting work order requests. Please continue to submit work orders through Track-It for the following technical services.

1. Information Technology Services (networking, websense)
2. Help Desk Services (computers and software issues)
3. Police Radio Servcies
4. Police Video & Audio Evidence Requests
5. Telecommunication Issues
6. Wireless Account Issues

If the "Track-It" shortcut is deleted or otherwise not available on your dekstop, you can always find it here, at the West Chester Employee's Technology Blog on the right side panel, under WORK ORDERS.

Be aware that service will almost always be delayed if Track-It is not utilized as it can be challenging to juggle all of these services for all departments.

Android Takes a Bite Out of Apple

2011-01-31T12:43:00.003-05:00

I know this is a technology blog and not a market blog but I came upon this information this morning and just had to share. As anyone who reads this tech blog knows I have a Samsung Galaxy Tablet and in fact it won the prestigious December 2010 "gadget of the month" on this very blog. As the past several weeks have gone by my love affair with my tablet has only matured and grown. The mixture of the convienenant 7" size and reliable Android software makes this a great mobile device for both work and pleasure. Anyway on to today's exciting market news.

Bloomsberg reported today that Android tablets have grabbed 22% of the market share this quarter. Samsung and Android must be very exicited about this turn of events. Unlike Apple's long masterly run at controlling the MP3 market with their IPOD, Android, and partners such as Samsung are going to be on their heals in the tablet market.

I don't expect Apple to continue plunging dramatically in the tablet market, however it is exciting to see their share reduced from 96% to 75% in just one quarter thanks to Android and Samsung.

Secure Your Facebook

2011-01-27T12:12:00.003-05:00

Facebook has finally wroke up and decided to offer a secure browsing option for it's members. This is a critical new feature because it allows you to access Facebook on a secure connection (https as opposed to http). This however is not turned on by default but you can reportably manually activate this feature from "Account Settings". When I recently opened my "account settings" this option was not there yet. Perhaps Facebook is rolling this out soon so check your "account settings" from time to time to see if the feature has been added to your account.

I did however try the secure connection manually and it is available and working.
You can manually access the secure connection by entering https://www.facebook.com in your browser and signing in. Then replace this secure connection as your "favorite" anywhere you previously had your Facebook link.

This secure connection is the same type of connection utilized for banking and it protects the privacy of your information. Phising sites and other questionable sites are unable to see your information when you use a secure connection.

Altough Facebook warns that using the secure connection may slow down some surfing because of the encrypted session I would not worry so much about this. Another problem may involve some third-party applications which currently do not support https so be aware of this as well.

This is a big step for Facebook and it has been a long time coming.

Employee Training Scheduled for March 4, 2011

2011-01-27T10:12:00.002-05:00

The next Information Technology Employee Training has been scheduled for March 4, 2011. The topics are timely and important to all of us. "Email Etiquette and Social Networking" complete our lesson plan. I will be sending out registration information soon. If anyone has any questions please contact me.

Carl Sagan's NASA

2011-01-25T16:39:00.001-05:00

This past weekend, my son (Kevin) took the time to show me this NASA video inspired by one of my favorite authors, Carl Sagan. Kevin knows through our many conversations that Sagan has inspired me since I first watched "Cosmos" back in 1980 (I was 16).

Several times each year I find myself re-reading one of Sagan's inspiring books which cover everything from evolution as he wrote about in "The Dragons of Eden" (1977), space exploration in "Pale Blue Dot" (1994), searching for the meaning of being human in "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" (1992) and life & death in his last book, "Billions & Billions" (1997). If you are ever in the need for inspiration, or you simply want to try and look at the universe in new and amazing ways check out one of Sagan's fascinating books or "Cosmos" on DVD.

To give you an idea of Carl Sagan's inspiration and thoughtful gift, check out this short NASA clip. The audio was recorded shortly before Sagan passed away in 1997. What is also truly incredible about the audio is that as I said Sagan recorded it in 1997 and the narrative is simply dead on for what is happening in the world around on today.

The Smartphone War

2011-01-25T14:05:00.002-05:00

OK I just had to take a couple of minutes to talk about the big smartphone battle of 2011 and how it's shaping up (if you ask me). Don't get me wrong. There is indeed a lot of hub bub about Verizon's new iPhone. However mark my words. The Verizon iPhone is too late to do any real damage to Android. The iPhone landing at Verizon is big news and it surely gives Android more competition than it has ever had. In Android's favor is about 2 years of development and enhancement of it's OS while Apple danced exclusively with ATT. Now that Verizon and Apple have finally got together, ATT has started it's own partnership with Android. Now both Verizon & ATT stores will be stocked to the ceilings with iPhones and Androids with smaller and smaller space dedicated to other smartphones.

Also never forget, for every Apple lover there is probably an Android dihard. I believe that most smartphone users who have been using Android phones are not about to jump ship for an inferior phone.

What is true in this smartphone war is that Blackberry (RIM) and the other shartphone developers are starting to eat dust. RIM is continuing to lose marketshare and with Android's additional deal with ATT it is going to worsen. The only wildcard at this point is Windows Phone 7. However even here there are problems as most users seem to have a real problem of moving their Windows experience to their mobile phone.

It appears that as Android and Apple continue to take pot shots at each other for marketshare their competitors will continue to struggle for the measly remains.

A special thankyou to Staci King for the fine edits to this entry. I think I am going to have to add her to the Tech Blog staff!

Is There A Smartphone Zombie Attack Approaching?

2011-01-21T13:05:00.002-05:00

The day is surely coming when our smartphones will be just as vulnerable to viruses and other computer infections just like our computers. To prove this point Georgia Weidman has created a "zombie" program which can infect Android phones. She will demonstrate this at the Shmoocon hacking conference later this month in Washington, D.C.

To prove that this is a credible issue here are two recent examples of smartphones being hacked.

1. Last August, a scam in Russia tricked users into installing malicious software on their Android phones and used SMS (text) functionality to send messages to a number charging a premium fee.

2. In late 2010, a Chinese virus for Android devices was used to steal personal information.

Now it may seem that hackers are picking on Android but that is not the case. Any smartphone can be infected.

Hackers relaize that the line between computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones is becoming more blurred each day and valuable personal information can usually be found on all of these devices.

As I mentioned in our December training class, hackers go where the money is and as smartphones continue becoming a bigger part of our lives you can bet that the security around these devices will need to be taken seriously by each and everyone of us.

Don't panic just yet. Smartphones remain relatively secure today. This is because of the use of managed markets such as the Apple Store and Google's Android Market. However time may be running out and soon anti-virus software may be necessary on our smartphones. Remember to use commonsense on your shartphone. If you did not request something, DO NOT OPEN IT! Even if it says it free.

Protecting Your Twitter Privacy

2011-01-20T09:48:00.003-05:00

Twitter is quite different than Facebook in many ways. One of the biggest differences is that you do not have to ask to follow someone. Because of this you probably have many "followers" you don't know. If you take a look at your followers closely you will probably find many people and companies you probably don't want reading your "tweets". Recently many companies and other persons have started following people on twitter in order to get an idea of your likes, dislikes, habits etc in order to target advertisements your way.

Protect your privacy and clean up your "followers" on a regular basis. Here are step by step directions to do this.

Step 1: Click the followers list on the right side of your Twitter page.

Step 2: You will see a list of all your followers. Review the list and click on each follower you wish to block.

Step 3: On the far right side, click on the settings wheel and choose "Block".

Rinse and Repeat as necessary. This is an ever increasing problem on Twitter and I hope that eventually, like Facebook Twitter acount holders should be required to approve followers. Imagine, taking security lessons from Facebook. Amazing.

A special thank you goes out to co-worker Jay Ferriola for his question about this when he complained, "who are all these people following me on twitter!?"

Apple Users Beware

2011-01-20T08:36:00.000-05:00

During December's Security Training I was asked why "Apple products" don't get viruses. I noted that one of the primary reasons was simply that the market share of Apple vs. PC was very small in comparison and hackers usually choose to spend their programming time on the biggest audience possible. Hackers want the biggest bang for all of their hard and evil work. The below article which appeared recently at Spamnews.com covers the growing threat to Apple products in general. The morale of this story is use common sense and protect your information, regardless if you are a PC user or an Apple user.

According to McAfee the security vendor, which recently released a research study, Mac OS is in more danger of Apple Trojans and botnets because users tend to have low knowledge of how to keep new Apple tools secured, which leads them into the danger of identity theft. Current.com published this on January 10, 2011.

Moreover, there are other threats to Mac OS, according to the security company like botnets' rising operations, increasing hacktivism, and growing networks of online television that can cause businesses to lose secret data in case they're targeted.

In its security alert, Michael Sentonas, Chief Technology Officer for Asia Pacific states that while Mac users earlier were immune from hackers' assaults, they're currently being increasingly targeted through Apple products. Smartcompany published this on January 11, 2011.

Sentonas further states that it's being observed that both business and home users are increasingly using the Mac operating system and with the OS' growing market share, it's quite expected that distributors of malicious programs will begin considering focusing their attacks on this platform. The CTO cautions that Mac users can't just take for granted that they'll be safe from attacks, hence they must embrace anti-virus applications while maintaining it up-to-date.

Additionally he states that his company on average is spotting some 60,000 fresh malware items daily. And with this amount being huge, there's greater requirement of user awareness about this problem.

Moreover, McAfee further cautions that security risk is growing during 2011 since every minute about 3,000 shortened URLs are created. The company in its 2011 Threat Predictions Report forecasts that there'll be more danger with URL-condensing utilities on social-networking websites. Also it forecasts that hackers on social-networking websites will increasingly concentrate on geo-location utilities like Gowalla, Foursquare as well as Facebook Places, which trace users' whereabouts and also publish them.

Eventually, McAfee notes that still other threats such as viruses from personal contacts, or malware camouflaged as genuine files and e-mails will all become more advanced thereby effectively deceive unsuspecting users during 2011. Besides, botnets will keep on using unlimited stolen bandwidth along with computing power across the world, the company adds.

Entering Blogtown

2011-01-18T13:33:00.000-05:00

The West Chester Employee's Tech Blog is now featured at the Daily Local News Website. You can find us on the bottom right of the Daily Local News website and clicking on Blogtown.

XP Tip: Add familiar icons back to your desktop

2011-01-17T16:50:00.001-05:00

When you first got your computer, it probably had shortcuts for My Computer, My Documents, My Network Places, and the Recycle Bin on the desktop. If you or someone else removed any of those shortcuts and you’d like to get them back, you can easily restore them.

To restore you icons

Right-click the desktop, and then click Properties.

In the Display Properties dialog box, click the Desktop tab, and then click Customize Desktop.

In the Desktop icons area in the Desktop Items dialog box, select the desktop icons that you want to appear on your desktop.

Click OK.

Click OK again.

The icons you selected will be displayed on your desktop.

Backing Up Online Could Save The Day

2011-01-15T20:04:00.002-05:00

Today there is no excuse to backup your files. You don’t even need to purchase any additional equipment. All you need to do is sign up with a service, install the software, follow the directions and before you know it your data is safe and sound, even if your computer isn't.

Why Online Backup?
Backing up to an Internet service makes a ton of sense, for three important reasons: For one, the data is stored off site, usually in Fort Knox-type secure servers. This means that in case of flood or fire or other property damage, you're covered.

A second argument for going with online backup is because it's automated. There's no need to insert or even have any CDs or DVDs or plug in a USB drive that may be susceptible to the calamities listed above. Online backup services automate the process of getting your files from your machines to the backed up storage, usually on a daily basis, and in some cases, they'll watch folders or files you've protected and upload the changes on the spot.

Finally, when you back up to online storage with most of these services, you'll not only have access to your files from any Web browser, but with some services, such as SOS and MiMedia, you can share the files to contacts via links in e-mail or even view photos in the web interface. MiMedia goes even beyond this with the ability to play video and music files.

Stay in Sync
In addition to the traditional online backup services listed below, you might consider syncing services like SugarSync, DropBox, Nomadesk, and Syncplicity. These keep folders on multiple computers up to date with any added or changed files. They also usually keep a copy in the cloud, so you could use one of these as a sort of minimal, hands-off form of online backup. A couple of services, like Nomadesk and MiMedia fall somewhere in between regular online backup and syncing services.

Price and Other Considerations
Within traditional online backup, services you have further subdivisions. One is price: Some, like Carbonite and Mozy, offer unlimited storage—but only for one PC. Others like SOS charge by the gigabyte, but let you backup multiple machines. In the end, expect to pay from $5 to $10 a month for a reasonable amount of backup. The unlimited providers will tell you that their option is best, but from what I've heard from industry executives, the average user backs up from 10 to 20GB, so you may find a better deal with a multi-PC plan than an unlimited.

Another differentiation is whether the service keeps all previous file versions when you save a change. Most do this, but the better ones like SOS even keep files that you delete from your protected machine. Since accidental deletions are a real possibility, this feature can really be a lifesaver, and is one reason why SOS is our Editors' Choice.Other niceties to look for in online backup are the ability to share files from your online storage and marks in Windows Explorer entries that show which files are backed up. Right-click menu options in the better products like SOS and Norton Online Backup also let you tell the service to back up a file or folder immediately.

Another option is to go with your security software provider's online backup. Most of the big suites now include at least some level of remote backup storage, and some rebrand products listed here. Webroot, for example, rebrands SugarSync.

As you can see, though it seems like a simple concept at first blush—store files from my PC on a server on the internet—there are plenty of options and features involved. After careful reading of the reviews below, you should be equipped to make the choice of which service best fits your needs. Note: this isn't every online backup service in the world, but we think these are most of the best. We'll be updating this roundup as we look at more of them.

Here are my top three picks for online backup services at home.

Carbonite 4.0

$54.95/year for one PC with unlimited storage
Carbonite is a mature online backup service, but it lacks many desirable features you'll find in the competition. It offers unlimited remote backup storage, and handily marks backed-up files in Windows Explorer. It also has a good Mac version and a so-so iPhone app. But an account only covers one PC and its backup servers aren't geographically redundant. It also lacks file sharing or viewing, live protection, and doesn't back up external or network drives.

IDrive (Spring 2010)

$4.95/month per PC with 150GB
IDrive's support for up to five computers in one account, version saving, Web interface and fast operation are welcome, but you can't mix Macs and PCs, and there are still some rough edges, compared with the competition. Still, the service is much improved since our last review.

MozyHome 2.0

$54.45/year
Mozy improves ease of use and setup, but still supports just one computer per account and doesn't let you back up network or removable drives. That keeps it a step behind the competition.

Is Cloud Computing in Your Future?

2011-01-14T16:14:00.002-05:00

What is Cloud Computing you ask? Cloud computing is an increasingly broad topic that encompasses everything from Google Apps to data center services to virtualization to software-, infrastructure- and platform-as-a service. Technology executives are increasingly interested in cloud computing as a way to save money. Nevertheless, cloud adoption remains in the single digits amid security concerns.

I believe that cloud computing is a game changer. Key players include: IBM, HP, Google, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Salesforce.com, NetSuite, VMware as well as dozens of others.

This could result in a substantial cost savings to local governments especially in today's down turned economic market. I will be writing more on this as I prepare my final project, with this as my topic of choice for my CIO course. I hope to take all of you, my dedicated readers on for the ride as we learn about the future of cloud computing together. I will explain how we may all be swept up in "cloud computing", perhaps kicking and screaming, but we will be heading in that direction, like it or not.

Do You Know Why It's Cold?

2011-01-14T07:38:00.001-05:00

William Mann (@cdmann) has shared a Tweet with you:

"michiokaku: In Brazil, its 85 degrees, while the US is frozen, so the seasons are due to the tilt of the earth, not its distance from the sun."
--http://twitter.com/michiokaku/status/25867798693552128

Voyager's Pale Blue Dot

2011-01-13T21:41:00.001-05:00

Now I realize that this is not anything that can help protect your computer or reviews some gadget you can purchase, however as I read my book about Voyagers 1 & 2 I wanted to share this short clip of Carl Sagan talking about when Voyager 1 turned around half way out out our solar system and took an amazing photo of our planet. Earth looks so very small here and Sagan captures the moment so perfectly that everyone should watch this video at least once.

Why Pay for Antivirus Protection Today?

2011-01-13T15:22:00.004-05:00

Who says you don’t get anything for free anymore. It might be rare nowadays but it does happen and antivirus applications is an example. Today when you sign up with Verizon or Comcast for internet access one of the first things that you are charged for is “security protection”. There is no reason to pay an additional fee for these services. Do yourself a favor. Check out your internet bill and if you see these charges call your provider and cancel the security services. After you have done this, first uninstall the old antivirus program (usually Symantec or MacAfee) and then install one of the following free antivirus solutions. Use the extra money to treat yourself to a night out or pick up a gift for your favorite IT blogger.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is a great choice for a free antivirus. I have been using this one for years and this application has seen impressive improvements and enhancements recently. This antivirus program offers a high level of protection. This is due to the inclusion of a fully-fledged behavioral blocker that is the "Identity Protection" protection.

There is a paid version which offers more security and firewall protection.

Microsoft Security Essentials is a growing favorite; with good detection rates, particularly for rootkits. Even more impressive is that Security Essentials has very few false positives, is light on system resources and is good at removal of existing malware.

Microsoft Security Essentials is the best choice for average users because of the minimal user interaction required. It automatically updates and removes threats. No registration is needed, apart from a quick validating of Windows, and there are no nag screens or advertisements.

The main downsides are the slow scan speeds and the lengthy amount of time it takes to quarantine malware but because this is relatively new in the free antivirus game I expect improvements here soon.

In conclusion, between these two excellent antivirus solutions I would recommend that those of us who are less “tech savvy” s check out Microsoft Security Essentials while those of use with a little more computer knowledge and awareness stick with AVG for now.

* Important Note: If you do this, make sure you act immediately, first uninstall the old antivirus applicantion and install the new program without delay! Your computer will not be protected properly until you do this.

Tech Blog Now On Twitter

2011-01-13T09:47:00.002-05:00

The West Chester Employee's Tech Blog is also now on Twitter. For those of you not familure with Twitter check it out and sign up to receive Twitter updates on your SmartPhone, tablet or even your plain old computer (how old school).

I think of Twitter as a great way to stay up to date with topics that interest you. Today all news sources have Twitter feeds and agencies like NASA post updates there as well.

If you do not have a Twitter feed you can learn more and sign up at www.twitter.com.

If you already have a Twitter account sign up for the West Chester Tech Blog page at http://twitter.com/wctechblog.

Microsoft Security Updates for January 2011

2011-01-12T15:58:00.001-05:00

Part of the mission of the West Chester Employee's Technology Blog is to help keep us cyber safe both in the office and at home. Each month Microsoft releases "patches", usually updating security concerns and funcionality in your operating system. I will be posting these updates and links here as often as possible. With that being said here are January's Microsoft updates and links.

Because the updates are scheduled to run on the computers in our office you should be fine but if you have any questions please let me know. You may want to check your home computers, laptops however when I send thiese updates.

Microsoft security updates for January 2011
As part of Microsoft's routine, monthly security update cycle, 2 new security updates were released on January 11, 2011.

Latest Security Updates
MS11-001 - addresses a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows (KB 2478935)
MS11-002 - addresses vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows (KB 2451910)

Apple Takes a Swing at Android

2011-01-12T12:43:00.010-05:00

At one point ATT’s iPhone was obviously the favorite and best Smartphone on the market. One has to only look back to earlier last year when Windows Mobile was struggling to compete and Android was learning the mobile game. Anyway things have surely changed during the past year or so in the mobile world. Windows Mobile 7 is actually getting some rave reviews and Android seems to get more functional and fun with each software upgrade.

Yesterday’s announcement from Verizon has the entire mobile market a flutter with activity and excitement. I admit, at one point yesterday I even felt of momentary shiver run down my spine (at least thats what I think that was). However after reading up on this new Verizon iPhone I have some serious concerns that anyone thinking about moving from an existing Smartphone should consider first.

1. Unfortunately, the iPhone 4 will only run on Verizon’s 3G CDMA network and not on its newly-launched 4G LTE network. There are Smartphones on the market now that take advantage of the new 4G network.

2. Has Apple fixed the antenna problem in this new iteration of the iPhone 4 for Verizon? Naturally, Apple hasn’t said that it has changed anything with the iPhone antenna. Why can’t Apple simply answer the question?

3. Once again you have 2 choices, 16gb or 32gb of storage. No room to upgrade the memory on your own. If you enjoy music and video on your Smartphone why should Apple decide (and limit) your local storage capability?

4. Of course the new iPhone5 is reportedly going to be hitting the market in June 2011. Does this not seem strange to you?

I think it is great news that the iPhone is finally available on another carrier but the world is a dark and scary place and things like this just don’t happen by accident. A strong possibility is that Apple’s strategy was to do this now simply to try and stem the growing tide of the Android wave.

Watch Out For What You Wish For

2011-01-10T16:46:00.006-05:00

Yesterday I was discussing the pending launch of the I-Phone on the Verizon Wireless network with my college age son. Kevin said something about this possibility that actually made me sit back and think if this was such a good idea after all. When the I-Phone becomes available (and it will, eventually) on the Verizon Wireless Network what will that mean to competition among developers such as Apple, Android and Microsoft? If the I-Phone explodes on the Verizon network will Android and Microsoft's marketshare be hurt so badly that developing and improving mobile software will suffer? It's a good question that my son made me think about.

This reminds me of an old episode of Star Trek when Spock remarks to a fellow Vulcan who was basically having an affair with his wife (yes Spock was married at one point) that he could have his wife saying, "You can have her, she is all yours, but you may find that HAVING is not always as pleasing a thing as WANTING". Spock was of course right about that, and I only hope that if and when the I-phone becomes available on Verizon Wireless that the mobile market continues to thrive with competetion and does not turn into a one trick pony. That would be really boring.

Bonus Video!

Is Surface 2.0 in Our Future?

2011-01-10T14:00:00.000-05:00

Microsoft & Samsung recently announced a very cool technology called "Surface 2.0", which I believe will take computing into a completly new direction for service oriented computing. Check out this recent demo and consider the possibilities.

A "Track-It" Thank You!

2011-01-10T12:08:00.000-05:00

I would like to take a moment to thank everyone for working with the IT Department and entering your technology related service requests in "Track-It". This is big help to me in respect to prioritizing and responding to everyone's work order requests. Thanks again and keep the work orders coming!

Facebook Here We Come!

2011-01-07T13:01:00.004-05:00

I am really trying here friends and co-workers. The West Chester Employee's Tech Blog is also now on Facebook. If you have a Facebook account and follow this page you will more then likely not miss any of the exciting topics being covered here. Check it out here. Be sure to choose "like" and keep pace with the ever changing world by keeping in touch with the West Chester Employee's Tech Blog.

LogMeIn Updates

2011-01-07T11:46:00.001-05:00

Many of you have asked me from time to time, "There is an application that wants to update called LogmeIn. Is this OK?" The answer is "Yes". The borough has a corporate account with LogMeIn and it is an important tool which I use to remotely access our workstations in order to provide support when I am not physically on site. Therefore it is safe to run the updates for this application when you are prompted.

Computer Security Slideshow Available

2011-01-07T08:29:00.000-05:00

If you missed out on the Computer Security Training last month, the slideshow is here for you. Enjoy.

Computer Security

View more presentations from William Mann.

Email Etiquette Training Announced

2011-01-06T16:25:00.005-05:00

Email Etiquette is a hot topic these days in the professional world. How should email be handled? When is email an appropriate response as opposed to a phone call, or face-to-face conversation? These and many other issues will be discussed in our next information technology training class which will be held in early March. Below are some email etiquette “tips” which will all be discussed when we get together for the training.

32 email etiquette tips:

1. Be concise and to the point
2. Answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions
3. Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation
4. Make it personal
5. Use templates for frequently used responses
6. Answer swiftly
7. Do not attach unnecessary files
8. Use proper structure & layout
9. Do not overuse the high priority option
10. Do not write in CAPITALS
11. Don't leave out the message thread
12. Add disclaimers to your emails
13. Read the email before you send it
14. Do not overuse Reply to All
15. Mailings > use the bcc: field or do a mail merge
16. Take care with abbreviations and emoticons
17. Be careful with formatting
18. Take care with rich text and HTML messages
19. Do not forward chain letters
20. Do not request delivery and read receipts
21. Do not ask to recall a message.
22. Do not copy a message or attachment without permission
23. Do not use email to discuss confidential information
24. Use a meaningful subject
25. Use active instead of passive
26. Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT
27. Avoid long sentences
28. Don't send or forward emails containing libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist or obscene remarks
29. Don't forward virus hoaxes and chain letters
30. Keep your language gender neutral
31. Don't reply to spam
32. Use cc: field sparingly

Voyager 1 and 2 Trek On

2011-01-05T21:17:00.002-05:00

While reading "Voyager: Seeking New Worlds in the Third Age of Discovery" by Stephen J. Pyne which obviously covers the great history and ongoing missions of the Voyager 1 & 2 Spacecrafts. I cannot help but think of the great Carl Sagan who was such a big part of these awesome missions. Here is Carl Sagan talking a little bit about Voyager's accomplishments from 1990.

The Voyager program is a series of U.S. unmanned space missions that consists of a pair of unmanned scientific probes, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. They were launched in 1977 to take advantage of a favorable planetary alignment of the late 1970s. Although they were officially designated to study just Jupiter and Saturn, the two probes were able to continue their mission into the outer solar system. They are currently on course to eventually exit the solar system. These probes were built at JPL and were funded by NASA. Voyager 1 is currently the farthest human-made object from Earth.

Carl Sagan passed away on December 20, 1996 and he is missed by anyone who has a love of science and a desire to learn about the cosmos in which we are a ever so small part of.

Barnes & Noble’s New Color Nook

2011-01-05T15:07:00.025-05:00

I’m a sucker for a good book and because I simply love gadgets & Barnes & Noble this was sure to be a winner for me so keep that in mind as you read on. Also know that although I had purchased the earlier E-Ink version I just had to have this one. Don’t worry because I was lucky enough to receive enough gift cards this Christmas in order to purchase this one.

Only one year after the release of the original Nook, Barnes and Noble introduced the Nook Color, an e-reader designed for reading newspapers, magazines, children's books, cookbooks, and other color content in addition to e-books.

The first thing you will notice, especially if you have had experience with the earlier E-Ink version is that the Nook Color is heavier then it’s sister version. But that’s OK. Just think of it as one of those 1000 hardback page turners!

The Nook Color also doubles as a portable multimedia device capable of browsing the web, playing video, music, games, and a lot more. This should be enhanced once Barnes and Noble launches the new Nook App Store in early 2011.

The Nook Screen
The Nook Color definitely lives up to its name with its 7-inch VividView touchscreen from LG that can display more than 16 million colors. Images are exceptionally bright and detailed, especially with magazines that use high-quality photographs like National Geographic.

The Nook uses a capacitive touchscreen so you barely have to touch the display for it to react. Scrolling, pinch-to-zoom, highlighting, tapping letters on the keyboard, and navigating through menus all work very easily.

The interface is impressive as well. Navigating is faster and more intuitive with a touchscreen. The on-screen functions, being able to tap words to look up in the dictionary, adding highlights and notes, are all much more functional than the original Nook.

However, like any LCD e-reader, the main drawbacks of the screen are that it is reflective, drains battery power, and fingerprints build up. Outside in direct sunlight the screen is highly reflective and fingerprints are much more apparent, but both are much less noticeable indoors with the brightness turned up. If you like reading on the beach, with the sun directly above this may be a show stopper for you.

Limited Nook Power
As for battery life, it is rated at about 8 hours for reading, which seems to be pretty accurate with the brightness turned down some. My original Nook could sit on my night stand for days, not plugged in without needing a charge, after nightly reading. This is not the case with the Nook Color. Get used to keeping it plugged in when not in use.

Plenty of Memory and Built In Games
The Nook Color comes with 8GB of internal memory and a microSD card slot for cards up to 32GB, built-in WiFi and a web browser, chess, crosswords, Sodoku, Pandora Internet Radio.

Facebook, Twitter and Sharing Books!

Like the older E-Ink Nook, this new Nook can lend ebooks for a period of 14 days. Impressively, the Nook Color has social networking incorporated into it’s interface! Another new feature from B&N is called NOOKfriends, where you can share passages with friends and family through email and social networking sites, Facebook and Twitter. I have not tried this one yet but I am sure my friends on Facebook and Twitter will appreciate it once I start exploring this feature more. This is big for me because my friends on Twitter and Facebook love to keep up with what I am reading!

Nook Functionality

The home menu of the Nook Color is reached by pushing the "n" button below the display. This is the only hardware button with the exception of the volume and power keys. The homescreen background image can be changed and you can drag your books around to arrange them however you want.

There are several other ways to organize content too. In the library there are options for different bookshelf layouts, including custom shelves. There are sections for magazines, newspapers, and your side-loaded content, which includes EPUB and PDF ebooks, Microsoft Office files, music, images, and videos.

As you might guess with a full color touchscreen, Barnes and Noble is doing a lot of promoting for newspapers and magazine subscriptions with the Nook Color, as well as the newly-launched Nook Kid's portion of B&N's books. In fact, there's a feature called AliveTouch where kids can interact with word and pictures, and even have books read aloud to them as they follow along. Sadly my boys are 19 and 23 so I really have no one to try this out with, but I am sure it is a fun feature for kids.

Reading Features on the Nook

For reading features, the Nook comes with several customizing options. There are 6 text sizes, font types, and color themes to choose from. There are 3 levels of adjustment for margins and line height. There's a brightness adjuster. And an option to turn on and off publisher defaults.

Other reading features include jumping between chapters and pages using the table of contents and slider bar, searching for words or phrases, and adding bookmarks. There's a pop-up for writing reviews and recommending books that also lists other books written by the author and similar books other customers bought.

For newspaper reading, everything is laid out into sections, which can be navigated by using the table of contents. Each section shows a heading and excerpt. Tapping the heading goes to the full article. Be aware I did try out the US Today on this and was very disapointed with it's particular functionaility. Newspaper viewing quality differs from paper to paper. I was also disapointed that the Philadelphia Inquirer was not available at this time, but one can hope.

Magazines are a little different. Some operate the same way as newspapers but most are set up like their print counterparts. With these you can zoom in on the images and articles, or choose to read in "Article View", which pops-up a box with nicely formatted text.

Purchasing Content

It is very easy to browse the Barnes & Noble store on the nook and the interface is fun. You can also shop for content on your computer and your purchased content will be available on your Nook almost immediately.

Final Nook Thoughts

Barnes and Noble has done a great job with the new Nook Color. It is well made with a metal frame and although it's heavier then the previous E-Ink version it is not uncomfortably heavy. The user interface is smooth and intuitive. The color screen is gorgeous. Right now third party Android apps are not available on the Color Nook but I am hoping that they will be available soon, which would truly enhance this device in the every expanding tablet market.

If you are looking for a great e-book reader then this is a device you should seriously consider. However if you want a device to handle email, true internet browsing, gaming in addition to e-books check out the Samsung Galaxy tablet and yes, even Apple’s I-PAD. As I mentioned earlier, if and when third party Android apps are available, the Nook Color could play a part in seriously competing in the tablet market.

Whatever Happened to My Old Nook Anyway?
Oh and if were wondering what ever happened to my one year old E-Ink Nook. Well, my 19 year-old son was more then happy to take it off my hands!

Nook Color Specs

7-inch LCD capacitive touchscreen, 1024 x 600 at 169 PPI
Android 2.1 operating system (Upgrading to 2.2 next year)
ARM Cortex A8 processor
8GB internal memory; microSD card slot for cards up to 32GB
WiFi (802.11 b/g/n)
Web browser
Pandora internet radio
Lend ebooks with B&N's LendMe feature
Audio: AAC and MP3 formats; 3.5mm headphone jack; built-in speaker
Video Player: MP4 format
Image Viewer: JPG, BMP, PNG, and GIF
Supports ePub and PDF formats, both non and Adobe DRM
Quickoffice Software for viewing Microsoft Office files: .xls, .doc, .ppt, .pps, .txt, .docm, .xlsm, .ppsx, .ppsm, .docx, .xlx, .pptx
Games: Crossword Puzzles, Sudoku, Chess, etc
Weight: 15.8 ounces (449 grams)
Dimensions: 8.1 inches x 5 inches x 0.48 inches
Battery: up to 8+ hours

Training Update & Thank You

2011-01-05T07:15:00.001-05:00

First, I would like to thank everyone who particapted in our first information technology training session on December 21, 2010. 30 students particpated and I hope that the topic of "Computer Security" was helpful.

I am working on our next class which should be in March 2011 which will include two topics. The first topic will include "Email Etiquette and Management" and the second topic is still being planned. If anyone has any ideas about March's agenda or any other possible future topics please contact me.

Creating Forms in Microsoft Word

2011-01-05T07:09:00.000-05:00

Many people use Word to create "traditional forms." Traditional forms are
typically printed and reproduced to be filled-in by someone using a pen, pencil, or typewriter. They may include checkboxes, but often simply include response lines.

When putting together a form, many people type some text, and then follow that by a line for the form user to fill in. When creating the line, you have many different techniques you can use. The simplest is to use the underscore character (a shifted dash) to create the line. If you have multiple lines in the form you are creating, you won't get a professional look by using the underscore. This is due to the variable nature of proportional space fonts. When you use the underscore with other text on the same line, the right edges of your lines almost never line up.

To get around this problem, you can use tabs with leader characters to get a professional look. Simply type your text, followed by a space, then hit the Tab key. Format the line so that it has a right-aligned tab at the place you want the line to stop. Also make sure that the tab uses the underscore character for a leader. This approach looks much more professional than if you use underscores.

You can also use tables to put together your forms. For instance, you could use a two-column table. In the left column you would place your prompting text, and in the right put your underline characters. This is an easy approach, but it often places your fill-in-the-blank area (the underline) quite a distance from the prompting text. If you are creating simple forms, this may be more than acceptable, however.

Finally, you can use the drawing toolbar in Word to create your underlines. If you do this, you can place your underlines anywhere you want and make them any thickness you want. You display the drawing toolbar by selecting Toolbars from the View menu, and then making sure Drawing is selected.

If you want to frame your form, meaning to put a border around the whole thing, there are four ways you can do so. The first is by using a standard Word text box. If you do, however, make sure you create the text box before starting to design your form. If you don't, the text box displaces the text in your form and you need to move it all within the text box later. You can, of course, select the text that makes up your form, and then choose to insert a text box. In this case, the selected text (which is your form) is placed inside the text box. You may then have some reformatting to do to ensure your form appears as you expect.

Another way to put a border around your form is to use the rectangle tool from the drawing toolbar. Simply draw a rectangle around your form. If you use this method of bordering, some of the elements of your form (particularly if you are drawing lines) may disappear, depending on your drawing settings. You can get around this by selecting the rectangle and using the positioning tools on the drawing toolbar. The idea is to send the rectangle completely to the back of your form by selecting the Send to Back tool or the Send Behind Text tool.

A third way to create the border is to simply select all the paragraphs in your form and then choose Borders and Shading from the Format menu. You can select the type of border to create, and then choose a line effect for the border. There is one instance when this type of border will not work as expected: if you use different margin formatting on the paragraphs in your form. For instance, you may have a couple of paragraphs with a half-inch left and right indent, which makes the margins different than the other paragraphs in the form. In this case, this type of border will not look good.

If your form takes up an entire sheet of paper, you can add a border to the page itself. You do this by choosing Borders and Shading from the Format menu and then working with the Page Borders tab. The controls on this tab are very similar to those on the Borders tab, with the exception that they apply to the page as a whole.

A final word on putting your forms together: If you want to create check boxes, you can do so by using symbols. Choose Symbol from the Insert menu, and then make sure the Wingdings font is selected. Near the right side of the third row of symbols are a couple of boxes. These provide different effects, but work great for check boxes. Experiment a bit and select the box that is right for you.

Half Way To Pluto

2011-01-01T20:27:00.001-05:00

Daily life is stressful enough and one of the things that keep me keep me grounded is keeping pace with science and technology. Exploring our universe should be much more important then it seems to be. Anyway did you know that in we have a spacecraft half way to ex-planet Pluto? I personally can not wait to see what we find when we finally get there in 2015. Here is some very cool information to get you up to date on NASA’s current mission to explore Pluto.

After an intense political battle, a revised mission to Pluto, dubbed New Horizons, was granted funding from the US government in 2003.^[New Horizons was launched successfully on January 19, 2006. The mission leader, S. Alan Stern, confirmed that some of the ashes of Clyde Tombaugh, who died in 1997, had been placed aboard the spacecraft.

In early 2007 the craft made use of a gravity assist from Jupiter. Its closest approach to Pluto will be on July 14, 2015; scientific observations of Pluto will begin 5 months before closest approach and will continue for at least a month after the encounter. New Horizons captured its first (distant) images of Pluto in late September 2006, during a test of the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI).^[The images, taken from a distance of approximately 4.2 billion kilometres, confirm the spacecraft's ability to track distant targets, critical for maneuvering toward Pluto and other Kuiper Belt objects.

New Horizons will use a remote sensing package that includes imaging instruments and a radio science investigation tool, as well as spectroscopic and other experiments, to characterise the global geology and morphology of Pluto and its moon Charon, map their surface composition and analyse Pluto's neutral atmosphere and its escape rate. New Horizons will also photograph the surfaces of Pluto and Charon.

Discovery of moons Nix and Hydra may present unforeseen challenges for the probe. Debris from collisions between Kuiper belt objects and the smaller moons, with their relatively low escape velocities, may produce a tenuous dusty ring. Were New Horizons to fly through such a ring system, there would be an increased potential for micrometeoroid damage that could disable the probe.

Oh No! Not my Android Too!

2011-01-01T20:10:00.001-05:00

Pirated Apps Smuggle Trojans Onto Android Phones

A bit of malware that could allow hackers to control victims' phones is making its way around Android handsets. A Trojan called "Geinimi" apparently is able to sneak into Android phones by way of pirated apps available through third-party China-based Android apps stores. It appears the original versions of the malware-riddled apps are not infected.

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A new Trojan that can create botnets has emerged in China, according to Lookout Mobile Security.

This Trojan, dubbed "Geinimi," is the most sophisticated Android malware so far, the company said.

Once it's installed on a user's phone, Geinimi can receive commands from a remote server that lets that server's owner control the smartphone.

Geinimi is apparently being spread through pirated versions of legitimate Android apps, mainly games, and is being distributed in third-party Android app stores in China.

How Geinimi Works

When a smartphone user launches an infected application containing Geinimi, the Trojan collects information in the background.

This information includes location coordinates and unique identifiers for the device and its SIM card, Lookout Mobile said.

Every five minutes, the Trojan tries to connect to a remote server using one of 10 embedded domain names. These domain names include www.widifu.com; www.udaore.com; www.frijd.com; www.islpast.com and www.piajesj.com, according to the security company.

If Geinimi manages to connect to the remote server, it will upload information it collected. The Trojan also prompts the user to uninstall an app, and it sends a list of installed apps to the remote server, Lookout Mobile said.

The malware's creators have used an off-the-shelf bytecode obfuscator to hide the code and have encrypted some of the command-and-control data. This data comes into play when the Trojan connects back from a victim's smartphone to the remote server.

Where the Virus Lurks

Pirated applications that include the Trojan that are available in Chinese app stores include "Monkey Jump 2;" "Sex Positions;" "President vs. Aliens;" "City Defense;" and "Baseball Superstars 2010," Lookout Mobile said.

However the original versions of these apps that are in the official Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android Market have not been affected, Lookout Mobile said.

"The Trojan is an add-on, so it could be uploaded to any app on the Android Market, but so far the infected apps have only shown up in the Chinese app markets," Kevin Mahaffey, chief technology officer at Lookout Mobile, told TechNewsWorld.

"We contacted the developers, and they didn't know this was going on or that their games were being pirated," Mahaffey added.

Green Isn't Always Good

"We see the exact same thing with software for Windows in China all the time," Chester Wisniewski, a senior security adviser at Sophos, told TechNewsWorld.

"The malware authors convert legitimate Windows apps into adware and offer it for free, and it wouldn't surprise me if they took the same approach with Android," Wisniewski explained. "There's a term in Chinese that translates to something like 'green software,' and that refers to pirated versions of software."

About 80 percent of so-called green software on websites in China contain malware, Wisniewski said.

No Sailing the 7 Seas Yet

Geinimi was discovered on a user forum in China, Lookout Mobile's Mahaffey said.

While the malware currently affects only users in China, it could well spread elsewhere.

"Mobile devices have a fairly international user base, and there's a lot of cross-pollination of apps," Mahaffey pointed out. "But so far, the market is still localized."

Google can easily prevent the spread of the Trojan by kicking the app off Android, Randy Abrams, director of technical education at ESET, pointed out. "Why hasn't Google done anything yet?" he asked.

Google didn't respond to requests for comment by press time.

A Smartphone Is Not Just a Phone

Smartphone users need to realize that their devices are "really powerful little computers," ESET's Abrams told TechNewsWorld.

For example, Android-based smartphones can be used to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks against websites, Abrams said.

"Right now, people are constantly installing apps that tell you they will access the Internet, or send and receive text messages, or send and receive email," Abrams pointed out. "These apps are paid for by advertising. The Trojan takes things one step further in that it can create a botnet. But in terms of giving up privacy, people are already doing that by installing free games and apps."

Android offers users two types of protection, Lookout Mobile's Mahaffey said. One is that the apps users download must ask for permission if they want to access any of the operating system's features.

The other type of protection blocks sideloading, which is the technical term for users downloading apps from unknown sources. In order to download pirated apps, which may contain the Geinimi Trojan, Android smartphone owners need to turn off sideloading protection, Mahaffey said.

That's exactly what they shouldn't do; after all, they don't turn antivirus off on their PCs before downloading applications.

"Treat your smartphone like you would your PC, and make sure that all the things you safeguard on your PC you safeguard on your smartphone," Mahaffey stated.

By Richard Adhikari
TechNewsWorld
12/30/10 12:58 PM PT

Turn Your Phone into a Tricorder

2010-12-22T09:54:00.003-05:00

I admit I'm a trekkie at heart and I just had to share this very cool Android app with you, my co-workers. As of now it's only available on the Android platform but if you are a blackberry user keep the faith. Maybe one will be available soon for you as well.

FCC Adopts new Internet Rules

2010-12-21T21:45:00.001-05:00

Divided FCC adopts rules to protect Web traffic - USATODAY.com

New Facebook Profiles Invite New Threat

2010-12-20T14:18:00.003-05:00

Facebook is great fun, and can even be a great way to keep in touch with not only your friends and family but your work mates as well. Facebook because of its very nature needs to be used with caution and a good dose of common sense, as the following article clearly proves.

Security officials from Trend Micro caution that malware creators are taking misusing the buzz made by the latest Facebook profiles to push harmful program on to user's systems with the help of Facebook toolbar.

The toolbar is forged, but is well crafted. The mails appear to have come from Facebook and use the site's template also. The subject of the mail is "Hello dear friend!" and the message is signed by "The Facebook Team".

It reads: "Hi dear Friend. Now you can download the Facebook toolbar. Now it will be easier than ever to share and connect with your friends. Thanks". The message comes with a big green button which says "Download Here", which on clicking, takes to a site serving a file calledfb.exe for download.

As per Trend Micro, this file is actually a variant of the Zapchast IRC backdoor.

Security expert state that Backdoor.IRC.Zapchast installs IRC scripts and configuration files that enable the infected system to be used as a zombie. The infected machine connects to some IRC channels mentioned in the configuration files and is controlled by the hacker. Also, some Zapchast variants come infected a computer virus called Parite.B.

Cristina Buenviaje, Anti-Spam Research Engineer at Trend Micro said that, lately, Facebook brought in some changes to the profile pages of its users which make it easier for users to display their latest activities and to know about their friends. Also, it is not a matter of concurrence that soon after this change, they started getting fake mails from Facebook, as per the news by blog.trendmicro.com on December 9, 2010.

The security experts claim that it has become an expected pattern. Everytime Facebook initiates some changes; the attackers launch mail campaigns that misuse the change and lure users into installing malware.

Facebook has attempted in the past to increase the security level, but as per from BitDefender, an Internet Security Firm, is filled with Trojan horses, keyloggers and other kinds of malware. The viruses could be found in harmful links and other third-part applications.

You can read the full article here.

Tom's Top 5 Holiday Gifts

2010-12-18T11:27:00.002-05:00

Now I was just talking about the best gadgets to pick up this holiday season and this morning I found Tom's Top Five on Revision3 listing his, which ironically are very simular to mine and finding the Roku Player on his list of tech goodies. If are you still searching for that special someone (me perhaps) you can find lots of tech goodness here. You will also notice that although Tom has the IPAD listed at #1 he does throw some love at my new Samsung Galaxy Tablet.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Roku Box - Cnet's Gadget for the Holidays

2010-12-17T22:42:00.000-05:00

I was so happy to see CNET give the Roku box some love this holiday season. I have had one of these little amazing boxes for about 16 months and I truly love it. With this little box you can access not only your Netflix account, but Hulu Plus, amazon on demand, Sirius radio, Pandora Radio, Revision3 TV and much much more. Check out the quick review here and perhaps I will write up a full review after the holidays. At about 100 bucks just about anybody can afford one of these tech beauties.

Holiday Tech Scams to Avoid

2010-12-17T14:45:00.001-05:00

The holidays can be a dangerous time out there on the internet. Protect yourself by educating yourself and beware of what seems to good to be true, because it probably is. Especially if you heard about it on the internet!

The holiday shopping season is a great time to get tech products at discounted prices, but it also creates a golden opportunity for the Web's scam artists. The FBI, McAfee, the Better Business Bureau and F-Secure are all warning about cybercriminals who will try to take you for a ride this holiday season. Here are their most pertinent warnings and tips for staying safe:

The Infamous Free iPad

Bogus free iPad offers started popping up immediately after Apple's tablet went on sale, and they've since been banned from Facebook. Still, you might see similar offers around the Web, McAfee says, prompting you to buy other products as a condition of getting the free iPad. By now, you should realize it's too good to be true.

Gift Card Scams

That free $1,000 gift card offer you saw on Facebook? Bogus, of course. McAfee says that cybercrooks lure people into giving away their personal information or taking quizzes in exchange for these cards, which never arrive. The information is then sold to marketers or used for identity theft.

The FBI also says to use caution when purchasing gift cards through auction sites or classified ads. These can be fraudulent, and you won't get your money back. Buy directly from retailers instead.

Bogus Auctions and Classifieds

Here's a particularly tricky scheme pointed out by the FBI: On auction and classified sites, fraudsters use their own order forms to get payment details from holiday gift buyers. Then, they charge the victim's credit card and use a stolen credit card to buy the actual item, which is sent directly to the victim. In other words, you'll still get the product, but you might be liable for receiving stolen goods. To avoid this scam, be sure to use legitimate payment services like Paypal instead of providing money directly to the seller.

The feds also warn of a related scam for free or reduced-price shipping offered on auction and classified sites. The fraudsters provide fake shipping labels to the victim, and the product ends up being intercepted in transit, never delivered to its destination.

Malicious websites

For cybercriminals, spamming Google with bogus holiday gift pages is a yearly tradition. These pages could be loaded with malware or payment forms intended to steal your identity. F-Secure has created a list of what it thinks will be the highly targeted search terms this year, including Kinect for Xbox, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Amazon Kindle and Apple iPad. Visit retailers' websites directly when possible, use Internet security software if you must and always check for "https" in the URL bar before ordering online to ensure that the page is secure.

Wi-Fi Hackers

Public Wi-Fi networks will get a workout this holiday season as people travel, McAfee notes. This is especially true with Google offering free Wi-Fi on domestic flights from three major airlines. Check out our security tips from Google's free Wi-Fi offer at airports last year, most of which are still relevant in the skies. Number one tip: Avoid shopping and paying bills over a public network.

The read the full article from PC World click here.

Fake DHL / FedEx Delivery Email Messages

2010-12-17T09:32:00.005-05:00

The fictitious DLH and FedEx delivery email messages continue to plague computer inboxes everywhere. Although our filtering system (Postini) does a good job blocking most of these messages a few do make it to inboxes here and there. Below is some information you should be aware of regarding these messages.

Recently, security researchers at AppRiver (security firm) have warned of a fake malware infected DHL delivery status e-mails that are targeting innocent internet users.

The "From" column of the e-mails is spoofed as if it had come from "DHL Services" and the complete content of the message is written in Spanish. These emails are quite different from all other DHL spoofs as they exploit a real DHL email template, which comprise the company's logo, color schemes, images, and contact information.

These fake e-mails states that a package could not be delivered on time due to unclear or badly written shipping address. The e-mail further informs recipients that the parcel can be collected from the local post office. To collect the parcel, the e-mail asks the users to carry along a print of the shipping label enclosed in the attachment.

The shipping label attachment is named Etiqueta_ID#####.zip (# being a random digit) and encloses a folder with a malicious .exe file. The file contains a fake Excel document icon, which installs an Oficla variant. The Oficla family of malware is called droppers. As the name suggests, their main aim is to penetrate into systems and drop malware that can further damage the system.

Commenting on the issue, Fred Touchette, Security Researcher at AppRiver stated on his blog post that, he was not sure that who would like to get into all of these troubles by clicking on several links and attachments, but one thing he was sure of is that, this trick works. He further said that, he could only presume that those files were foldered and zipped to avoid detection by anti-virus software, which doesn't check that thoroughly, as reported by AppRiver on October 25, 2010.

Finally, users can apply their common sense approach and keep in mind the following suggestions to avoid falling prey to such malware attacks. First and foremost, if the user doesn't speak Spanish, he should immediately delete from their inbox. In case, if the user speaks the language, but not expecting some DHL shipment, then also he should immediately delete the e-mail.

But in case, if the user is expecting a shipment from DHL and speaks Spanish, then he should think for a while regarding the poorly written message and understand that a reputable company would not sent such a badly written thing or file attachment like this (via e-mail).

You can read the original article here.

Email Message Hoaxes - Don't Be Afraid

2010-12-13T10:22:00.003-05:00

Many of you, my co-workers have forwarded me email message “alerts” these past few weeks which always refer to a reliable person “in the know” who has information about a major virus on the horizon. These messages can almost always be ignored. The email message you received from the “reliable source” asking you to forward it on is the “virus” itself. We will talk about these messages in more detail during next week’s IT classes.
Here is some more detail about the history of these types of email “hoaxes”.
Email hoaxes are nothing new, dating back at least as far as 1994 with what is widely believed to have been the first email hoax—referred to as the "Goodtimes virus" or the "Goodtimes virus hoax" after the subject of the email. The message in the early version was short and to the point, advising recipients not to open email messages with the subject "Good Times" because doing so would ruin their files. This, of course, was not true, but in cases where the recipient complied with the warning, it obviously had the effect of ruining their chances of actually reading any legitimate email messages with that very subject.
Before email, normal postal mail (known fondly by many as "snail-mail") chain-letter hoaxes regularly did the rounds, and sometimes still do even today. The difference between a simple hoax and a chain-letter hoax is that the latter encourages the recipient to forward the letter or email on to others, usually family and friends. Sometimes the hoax email claims that something good will happen to the sender if they send the letter on to at least 5 or 10 or 15 or 20 people, whereas others take the darker path of sternly informing the recipient that failing to forward the message to others will result in something bad happening. This could be illness, loss of income, the sky falling, or whatever the case may be (insert evil consequence here). Of course, both the "carrot" and the "stick" versions prey on people's natural desires for good things to happen in their lives, and their equally natural desire to prevent or avoid "bad luck." I'm sure most people don't truly believe that something bad will result if they fail to forward the message, but many people are superstitious and probably take the view, "Well, it can't hurt, so just in case…"
A minor variation of one particular hoax that dates back to at least 2006 (and possibly before) has recently resurfaced and is scaring people once again. The email looks like this:
FYI TO ALL.
            Dave's brother is a very advanced programmer who does
computer work for a living and has a high up status with Microsoft. He
doesn't send these if they aren't real.   If he says this is for
real, it for sure is.   Be aware.
           VIRUS COMING !

          Hi All,
          I checked with Norton Anti-Virus, and they are gearing up
for this virus!

          I checked Snopes, and it is for real. Get this E-mail
message sent around to your contacts ASAP.
          PLEASE FORWARD THIS WARNING AMONG FRIENDS, FAMILY AND
CONTACTS!

          You should be alert during the next few days. Do not open
any message with an attachment entitled 'POSTCARD FROM
HALLMARK,'regardless of who sent it to you. It is a virus which opens A
POSTCARD IMAGE, which 'burns' the whole hard disc C of your computer.

          This virus will be received from someone who has your e-mail
address in his/her contact list. This is the reason why you need to
send this e-mail to all your contacts. It is better to receive this
message 25 times than to receive the virus and open it.
          If you receive a mail called' POSTCARD,' even though sent to
you by a friend, do not open it! Shut down your computer immediately.
This is the worst virus announced by CNN.

          It has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive
virus ever. This virus was discovered by McAfee yesterday, and there is
no repair yet for this kind of virus. This virus simply destroys the
Zero Sector of the Hard Disc, where the vital information is kept.
          COPY THIS E-MAIL, AND SEND IT TO YOUR FRIENDS.

          REMEMBER: IF YOU SEND IT TO THEM, YOU WILL BENEFIT ALL OF US

Create & Mail PDF files from Excel 2007

2010-12-08T07:27:00.000-05:00

When sending Excel files to co-workers or associates you should be aware that the recipient will able to change the document. Even if you take the time to save the document with a password, the recipient can save the document with a new name, and then modify the document. Now, if you are aware of this that's no problem. However if you want to protect the document, save the spreadsheet as a PDF. By doing this you will be protection our work from unauthorized changes.

A new feature of Microsoft Excel 2007 (with Microsoft Office Service Pack 2 installed) is the
ability to create and mail Acrobat Reader PDF files. If you do not wish to install Microsoft
Office SP2, you can install just the add-in. You can download it here :
2007 Microsoft Office Add-in: Microsoft Save as PDF

After the add-in is installed you can use the code below or do a manual Save As PDF.
Office Button >Save As ….PDF
Office Button >Send ….PDF

Note: In Excel 2010 the big round Office Button is replaced by File

Tips / warnings :

1) If you have also installed Acrobat Reader you can change OpenAfterPublish in the code to
    True to open the PDF file after you create it.
2) The mail code example is not working with Outlook Express or Windows Mail.
3) If you set OpenAfterPublish in the code to True then you can do a manual send in
    Acrobat Reader (also with Outlook Express or Windows Mail).
4) If there is no printer installed the add-in will not work. You only have to install a printer driver
    of one of the printers in the default printer list, you not need a real printer to use the add-in.
5) When you use a hyperlink to another place in the workbook or if you use the Hyperlink
    worksheet function the hyperlinks are not working in the PDF.

If your workstation still have Microsoft Office 2003 and you would like the upgrade to 2007 please create a Track-It work order requesting an upgrade.

Are the feds about to take over the internet?

2010-12-07T22:11:00.001-05:00

Check out this week's "The Communicators" to see what's a foot with the future of the free internet.

More News Coming on New Life Form

2010-12-07T12:01:00.001-05:00

--http://twitter.com/cdmann/status/12189669785608192'>William Mann (@cdmann) has shared a Tweet with you:

"cdmann: More on “new” bacterium from Cali's Mono Lake! “Arsenic and Meaning of Life,” 1 – 3 pm ET (18:00 GMT) on NASA TV http://go.nasa.gov/ax5PCk"
--http://twitter.com/cdmann/status/12189669785608192

A Windows XP Tip: The Startup Folder

2010-12-06T08:11:00.005-05:00

From time to time you may notice that your computer is booting slowly or that the performance of your PC seems sluggish. Checking your startup folder for any unnecessary applications may help.
A quick way to boost your computer's performance is to reduce the number of applications it runs when starting up. Some programs, such as anti-virus and hardware utilities, need to be run automatically, but an overabundance of startup applications can overwork a computer and use up too much memory.

The easiest way to keep programs from running automatically is to remove them from the computer's Startup folder:
1. First double click My Computer from the desktop, or select it from the Start Menu.
2. Double click the hard drive (default C:\).
3. Open the Documents and Settings folder.
4. Open a specific user account folder, or select All Users.
5. Double click the Start Menu folder.
6. Select Programs.
7. In the Programs folder, find the Startup folder and double click.

Any shortcut within this folder will launch a program automatically on startup. To take it off the list of startup applications, simply delete the shortcut. No worries because you are not actually deleting the program but simply stopping the program from starting automatically (on boot).

How many astronauts is too many for NASA?

2010-12-05T12:01:00.008-05:00

Goodbye Space program

I know this is not exactly "tech news" but I just has to get this off my chest. As our nation's economy continues to limp along and wars rage on just about every continent, one of our nation's premier organizations has been getting stripped of it once great shine by politicians who refuse to see beyond their own term in office.

Just think, back in 1968 and 1969 even as the Vietnam war was engaged, college campuses exploding with protests and leading politicians being gunned down our nation remained committed and capable in directing it's limited scientific resources & energy to going to the moon. Today with technology exploding all around us, our nation has had to resort to canceling the space shuttle program while at the same time canceling future man space exploration. That is unless the Russians are willing to let one of our astronauts hitch a ride on one of their spacecraft (for a price of course).

I was 5 years old when our nation first landed on the moon and 9 years old when our last astronaut, Gene Cernan left the moon (Apollo 17). Unless something drastically changes, I will probably never get to see another human being in deep space and I fear for our children as well. What has happened our nation's vision of being the leader in exploration? Exploration and personal growth provides people with something to be proud of. Being a truly unified nation is much more then war and taxes.

To learn more about the fate of many of our astronauts check out the following article.
NASA: How many astronauts is too many for NASA? - OrlandoSentinel.com

Let's Talk Tech

2010-12-04T21:16:00.000-05:00

Let's Talk Tech

Websense got you down? Is is your computer slowing your down? Looking for a tech idea and you can't find cdmann?

Join the West Chester Tech discussion at http://wctech.46.forumer.com. Only here can you easily discuss all things tech with your co-workers in an open and fun way. Have fun, be honest but be respectful as well. I am not sure about everyone else, but I am quite sensitive so be nice.

You will always be able to find a link to the WC Tech Forum on the right side of our tech blog.

Websense Poll

2010-12-04T17:39:00.002-05:00

New Life Form Announced : Through the Wormhole : Science Channel

2010-12-03T20:37:00.002-05:00

New Life Form Announced : Through the Wormhole : Science Channel

The Science Channel is one of the few channels I actually watch regularly anymore. The channel and their corresponding webpage are both great places to keep up on the latest science news. As I mentioned earlier NASA has discovered a new "life form" and of course the Science Channel has jumped on this news by announcing a special episode of "Through the Wormhole" on December 4, 2010 at 8pm, Be sure to check it out dedicated readers.

(From the Science Channel)

In the "How Did We Get Here" episode of Through the Wormhole, Morgan Freeman explored the leading theories on the origin of life. Humans are searching for clues in countless different ways, from chemistry to archaeology. Today it seems we have more questions than answers. But discoveries like this incredible announcement from NASA take us one step closer to understanding the truth behind life as we know it.
NASA has discovered a strange bacteria living deep in a California lake that can survive on arsenic and can even grow by incorporating the element into its DNA and cell membranes.

The finding not only presents the possibility that alternative life forms can exist, or once existed, on Earth. It also has deep implications for the search for life beyond Earth. It also muddies the waters for scientists refining techniques to identify alien life, if it exists.

Get the whole story.
Don't miss a special presentation of the "How Did We Get Here?" episode of Through the Wormhole with new footage about NASA's discovery. Tune in on Saturday, December 4 at 8PM E/P.

Expand Your Viewing Options

2010-12-03T16:52:00.005-05:00

One of my favorite web based networks is Revision3. Revision3 has some great programming which air exclusively through "online" shows. You can watch Revision3 in many ways besides on your PC. Devices such as Roku's Digital Video Player, Google TV, Apple TV and WD TV Live also provide Revision3 content.

With the quality of the content on conventional TV decreasing with each passing year, do yourself a favor and check out some of the great offerings on the internet for educational and fun content. I will cover many more of these options in a detailed article soon.

One of my favorite weekly offerings on Revision3 is "Tekzilla". Check it out friends.

Weekly Tip: Locking your Computer

2010-12-03T14:11:00.010-05:00

Keeping your data secure is critical. Allowing others access to your computer is unwise to say the least. Think of walking away with your computer “open” in the same way as walking away with your open purse or wallet unattended in a public place. Now I am fairly certain most people would never intend to leave their open purse or wallet unattended and your computer should be treated in the same manner.

It is very easy to “lock” your computer when you get up from your desk to walk away. For example, lets say you want to walk away from your desk, and deliver a hot cup of coffee to your IT Manager. Here are some easy directions to lock your PC while you deliver that much needed cup of coffee:

1. via the keyboard
The easiest way to lock Windows XP is by simply pressing the Windows logo key and the letter L (for Lock) on a Microsoft Natural Keyboard or any other compatible keyboard that includes the Window key. Doing so will pop up the Unlock Computer Password box.

2. via a Shortcut.
If you don't have a keyboard with a Window key or simply don't like the keyboard method, then here's how you can make a desktop shortcut to lock your computer.

Right click an empty area of your desktop, choose New/Shortcut and enter this line as the command line:
rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation Click. Next. Name the shortcut whatever you prefer and click Finish. That's it. Pretty simple wouldn't you say.

There are other ways to lock your workstation such as simply pressing the [ctrl] [alt] and [delete] keys and selecting "lock computer" so please do yourself a favor and lock your computer when you step away from your work area. The data you save may be your own!

New Life Form Discovered

2010-12-03T13:40:00.003-05:00

And to think I grew up with all of my "friends" calling me a "geek" or "nerd" because of my love for Star Trek. Now many years later, NASA announces that they have discovered a new form of life based on Arsenic. Basically what this proves is that life forms are capable of developing in strange places, including other planets. Just think about it, if life can evolve from arsenic the possibilities are endless.

You can learn more about NASA's latest discovery here.