A New Year is here! Ahhhh, a fresh start.  It's only the end of January, and already I am having a hard time with my resolution.  I resolved to eat chocolate without guilt!! Dark chocolate is now listed as a super food, so it's a good thing, right?   How about you?  Did you join a gym...start eating healthier..or quit smoking?  According to About.com those are the most popular New Years Resolutions.  I like these better:

 

*  Spend more time with family and friends

*  Laugh more

*  Turn off the TV

*  Learn to surf

 

Good luck on all of your New Year's resolutions!!

                                                   ~Chris  

 

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What is a Wiki?

The term wiki refers to either the web site or the software used to create the site. So what is a wiki, anyway?  Simply put, it's a website which allows users to read, create, edit and and delete content collectively. 

 

Maybe you've heard of Wikipedia.com, or your kids are using them in school.  But how are wiki's used in the business environment?  A wiki can be used as a shared work space for a project or a team.  Here they can share documents, emails, proposals, contracts, calendares, and anything else the group wants to share!  You can set a place in your wiki for questions and answers, and create a time table for the project, so that everyone involved is fully informed about what others are doing on the project.  The possibilities are endless!

 

You can either host the wiki on your Windows 2003 server or use an online version with a company like Brainkeeper or Koral.

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Technology Trends for 2007

1. Content Filtering - keeping inappropriate material out of your network and keeping sensitive business information inside are becoming a top priority in today's business world. 

 

2. VPN - A virtual private network is a private network often used within a company, to communicate confidentially over a public network (i.e; the internet).  

 

3. Managed Services - 'Managed Services' is a term that refers to a service that remotely monitors and maintains your network and your computers in order to anticipate, detect and remedy problems before a computing infrastructure disaster brings your business to a hault.

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When is it time to replace your computer?
 

If your computer is more than four years old...it's time to call the Smithsonian! Seriously, four years is about the limit before you do yourself a disservice by keeping an old machine.

 

When deciding whether or not to replace a computer, the one question you need to answer is this: Will the new pc let you or your employees work more efficiently?  If your pc or laptop is 3 years old or older, it's time to start planning on replacing it.  You will be wasting your time and money to keep it updated, secure and running properly.

 

The benefits to buying a new computer are endless.  The two big benefits are that a new computer will increase your productivity and lower your stress level.  :-)

One rule of thumb is that upgrades or repairs should cost less than 40 percent of the price of a new system. If you have to pay more, it's usually more cost-effective to buy a new one.