Archive for the 'Computer Advice' Category
Look Out for Domain Renewal Scam
I received a very official looking Domain Name Expiration Notice a little while ago. It looked like the real thing and I might have fallen for it if I hadn’t been (a) wary that the notice was so far in advance of the actual expiry date; and (b) already aware of phantom invoice scams.
Back when I worked in big companies, it was a fairly regular occurrence to get an official-looking invoice for overdue payment that upon closer inspection was fraudulent. Sometimes it was for copier toner, other times for a directory listing or other common supplies. Now the scam has gone high tech.
I believe in knowing what I’m paying for (I prefer not to be described as “cheap” thank you) so I always looked into what I was signing off on. That’s how I uncovered the scam and learned just how persistent and unscrupulous these companies can be.
- The invoices are often to the attention of a former employee
- They always look very official
- There was always a sense of urgency
- The invoices keep coming even if you call the source and confront them
If I was like the many small business owners who do not keep close tabs on their domain name registrations and are too busy to read the fine print, I’d have paid over 4 times what I should have to renew those domain names AND I would have transferred them to a disreputable registrar.
Like spam, the phantom invoice scam must work or it wouldn’t keep appearing. I caution you to keep an eye on your domain names and pay attention to the details.
Photo sharing on the web
With the start of a new year comes the time to make resolution. Most of us will plan on losing weight, exercise more and get organized. Professional organizer, Linda Chu, asked me to write a piece about using the web and get organized and we sent out the newsletter yesterday. In this article I mentioned my top three free online tool to de-clutter my desk and brain; Ma.gnolia, Ta-da lists and Flickr. Coincidentally, common craft released another great video explaining how photo sharing works on the web.
If you had set “getting organized” as one of your goals for 2008, you should check out their video.
How is your website built?
I recently had a discussion with Mhairi about a possible project. Mhairi had a client who wished to add a blog to her site and she asked if I could provide her with a quote. Unfortunately, the website was built with ColdFusion and thus I told her that I wouldn’t be able to work on it because I’m simply not familiar with ColdFusion. Mhairi was a bit confused at first and unsure why the code should matter.
Step-by-step guide to using Google Reader
Back in early May, Mhairi wrote a piece about Google Reader and how its use allows you to keep track of your favourite blogs. I thought I would provide a step-by-step guide for those who may not know how to get started.
Step 1 – Register
Sign up for a Google Account
Step 2 – Login
Once your account set up, login. You should come to a page which looks like this:
Step 3 – Set up your reader
Click on Reader to access Google Reader. Using the link “Add Subscription” in the top left hand column add your favourite blogs.
Step 4 – Enjoy
Now that you’ve added your blogs, you only need to login to your account to access them all in one convenient location.
Alternative Readers
For those of you who may not want to use Google, there are several other options.
Make sense of your favourite links
I have a confession to make: I am a pack rat by nature. (My family will not be surprised by this. Maybe it was those tender years of growing up on a sailboat, where you can’t keep much of anything.) When it comes to “Bookmarks” or “Favourites” — those web links you save in your browser as you surf — this tendency means a lot of folders full of saved links. Many folders means lots of places to lose all those great links.
Underwire – Full support for non-techies
Do you often feel overwhelmed by all the tech talk? Monique Trottier over at Work Industries publishes a newsletter that may be of interest to you.
I signed up for this newsletter after reading about it on Darren’s blog. I’m a bit of a techy myself, but like all techies, my knowledge falls into a very small niche and I’m clueless when it comes to other stuff. (Please don’t ask me how my router works) This newsletter is very well presented and the explanations easy to understand. This issue’s main article discusses how to use photos on your website and the support question discusses my least favourite tool of all, Exel formulas!
If you’ve ever struggled with techy mumbo-jumbo I would recommend that you sign up for this newsletter.
Learn to Mac
When asked if I use a Mac, my usual reply is “No I use a real computer”. I must admit that the ads on TV are very well done and convincing.
Of course, deep down, I would like to be a Mac user. Every Mac user I know loves their Mac and they do look good; but changing would mean re-learning everything. I’m afraid that the learning curve would simply be too big. At least that’s what I thought until Kate pointed out this great resource: Learn to Mac. Learn to Mac is a blog dedicated to new Mac users with how-to’s, troubleshooting tips, news and reviews. Perhaps this is just what I needed to take the plunge.