French art exhibit in New Orleans

I just returned from a fabulous trip to New Orleans. Despite what we hear about the city in the news, tourism is vibrant, loads of events are planned all through the year. Here's a link to a very special exhibit at the New Orleans Museum of Art.

Femme, Femme, Femme, published in San Antonio Express-News

Taking Multitasking to Task

Another report in the news urges us to focus, focus, focus. While I couldn't read the article in one sitting, and my mind wandered to three other ideas, I did read it. The Chicago Tribune story, by Steve Lohr quotes David Meyer, a cognitive scientist and director of the Brain, Cognition and Action Laboratory at the University of Michigan: "Multitasking is going to slow you down, increasing the chances of mistakes. Disruptions and interruptions are a bad deal from the standpoint of our ability to process information."

Sorry - got interrupted.

As I was saying, I have noticed that multi-tasking and the constant effort to recover from interruption is fatiguing and results in getting less done.

Add up all the starting and stopping and you'll see why you're worn out and not sure what you should do next. If you ask yourself "What was I working on?" you suffer from task overload too.

My office phone line has been broken almost all week. It has nasty interference noises, sometimes rings like a fire alarm, sometimes like a dying bird. So until it is repaired, I have turned the ringer off and just check for voicemail every hour.

When you have a lot to get done, try turning off the phone and closing your email program for a few hours. I predict your productivity will soar.

Will Social Networking please peak soon?

With the wealth of powerful knowledge and information available worldwide on the web, doesn't this seem a bit pathetic? Source: hitwise.com

Hitwise US - Top 20 Websites - February, 2007

Rank	Website	Market Share
1.	www.myspace.com	5.93%
2.	www.google.com	4.47%
3.	www.yahoo.com	4.16%
4.	mail.yahoo.com	4.1%
5.	mail.myspace.com	3.86%
6.	www.hotmail.com	1.98%
7.	www.msn.com	1.81%
8.	www.ebay.com	1.55%
9.	search.yahoo.com	1.42%
10.	search.msn.com	0.81%
11.	www.facebook.com	0.76%
12.	www.youtube.com	0.61%
13.	images.google.com	0.53%
14.	blog.myspace.com	0.44%
15.	www.wikipedia.org	0.39%
16.	music.myspace.com	0.38%
17.	www.aol.com	0.33%
18.	my.yahoo.com	0.33%
19.	address.yahoo.com	0.31%
20.	www.ebaymotors.com	0.29%

Source - Hitwise - February, 2007 - based on market share of visits.

Are your programs compatible with Vista?

Microsoft has issued a list of programs certified or approved to run on Vista.

You can read the full list here.
Clients: Note that only Act Premium is listed, not all versions of Act.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933305

Skip to the Loo

LifeHacker.com is one of my favorite tech sites. They scope out the most ingenious, creative, web tools, gadgets, and productivity tools. Here's a clever one.

SeaMonkey: Part 2 - It's a winner

As a follow-up to my post on January 26, 2007, SeaMonkey, from Mozilla, makers of Firefox, is a worthy contender for your web browsing and email management.

I mentioned my search for a replacement for the Netscape browser. It's a good product, but v. 7.2 has been crashing in many multi-media and ad-filled web sites, such as CNN. And v. 8.3 is dandy but Netscape abandoned the integrated email feature after v. 7.2.

Netscape, invented at the University of Illinois, used to be the dominant browser in the PC marketplace, until Microsoft embedded IE on every computer sold. Even the US Justice Dept. couldn't manage to unravel that theft of market share. Netscape remained relatively safe from hackers, offered tabbed browsing, robust email with an excellent junk filter, labels to sort mail by priority and sub-folder support.

I started looking for a replacement because I also need Netscape's Composer feature to edit web pages and publish them on the fly. The HTML editor was unique to Netscape. Copy-cats IE and Firefox didn't add that to their browser, and never figured out a way to include integrated email.

So I downloaded SeaMonkey and recommend you do the same. While Firefox is a dandy browser, SeaMonkey's integration of browsing and a terrific email program is a real asset. The download is quick. You can get it here: http://www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/.

It completely configured itself - importing bookmarks, address book, email settings and took about ten minutes. If you're not sure you love it, don't make it your "default" browser, and you can always go back to old habits. But SeaMonkey, which is a Firefox product, is finally one program for all web needs. I recommend it. To prove how closely these products are based on Netscape, SeaMonkey looks EXACTLY like Netscape 7.2, except for the logo.

What's in your "Office?"

If you are upgrading to Office 2007, be sure to take a good look at what programs are in your current Office suite.
Every new version seems to flip around a few key products, beyond the basic Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Here's a run-down on what's in each version: (unique components in Bold)

Home & student version:
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote

Standard version:
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook

Small Business version:
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook for Business, Publisher, Accounting Express

Professional version:
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook for Business, Publisher, Access, Accounting Express

Ultimate version:
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook for Business, Publisher, Access, InfoPath, Groove, Accounting Express


If you have a prior version, such as 2000 or 2003 with other tools you want, that aren't included in your version of Office 2007, be sure to load the new version in a separate folder and do not remove the prior version.

In the shadow of Vista: Office 2007

Now that the Microsoft Vista's over-hyped launch has appropriately fizzled, CNET.com looked at the companion Office 2007 and has the following report, admired for its brevity:

"The good: Previously hard-to-find features now easier to explore; Word embraces basic desktop publishing tools; Excel formulas are easier to reference; PowerPoint presentations are more attractive; Outlook improves task and time management; improved integration throughout the applications; smaller application and file sizes; new file formats are easier to salvage if corrupted; document security is more straightforward.

The bad: Drastic design changes demand a steep learning curve if you're upgrading; new interface isn't always intuitive; contextual tabs and style galleries can be distracting; users of Office 2000 through 2003 must install converters to open Office 2007 files; no easy way to save work to the Web."

If you are using Office 2000 or 2003, and happy with it, there's no need to chase after this new version. But if you're in the market for an update from Office 97, or want to purchase individual components, focus on the 'good' as shown above, and conquer the bad by learning about the new features. Absent a way to save work to the web, you might also want a good web editing program. Let me know if you need help along the way.

When a blogger types in China...

Last week, I made a presentation to a writer's group about blogs: their immediacy, their impact, and the pleasures of a space on the web where writers like me can post brief essays about any topics of interest at any time.

I doubt there were any skeptics in the audience after my presentation, based on all the positive feedback I've received. If there were, today's Chicago Tribune rather proves my point about the efficacy of blogs.

On Page One in the Sunday Tribune there's an article by Evan Osnos, a Tribune foreign correspondent :

"Chinese blogger's crusade has Starbucks feeling heat"

The blogger, Rui Chenggang, a television anchorman, believes Starbucks should withdraw it's shop from the 600-year-old majestic palace complex in the Forbidden City as a sign of cultural respect.

As a result of the blogger's campaign, palace authorities are weighing the issue, and thousands of Internet users are visitings Rui's blog. China has 20 million bloggers and 137 million web users, according to the article, which states: "With few other ways to protest within China, consumers see the web as a raucous town square."

News of this blogger's efforts have spread to CNN, MSNBC, Yahoo.com News, Technorati - the blog search engine, and probably Starbucks headquarters too.

I'm unable to link to Chenggang''s blog for you, because it's written in Chinese. Our insular American web browsers generally can't display Chinese characters, but you can find out more by looking up his name at technorati.com or google.com.

Vista Lust?

Okay, Microsoft's new operating system, Vista, launches at midnight tomorrow. Isn't that a lot of hoopla for an operating system? Sit tight if you can fight the desire for Vista. Your computer would need more memory, a bigger hard drive, a faster processer, new graphics card, and a DVD drive just to load it. Plus, many peripherals such as printers, backup systems and digital cameras won't work on Vista without udpated software.

If you don't believe me, here's the viewpoint from The Chicago Tribune's Jim Coates today. He's everyone's favorite print columnist and he says:

"... and many experts are telling their clients (correctly, I think) to stick with Windows XP until their next machine. This is because much of Vista focuses on ease of use and beautiful displays one can get by without for a while."

SeaMonkey

Our loyalty to Netscape as the most secure browser, with best features, is likely coming to an end.

I'm currently evaluating SeaMonkey from Mozilla as an alternative.


Many clients report Netscape crashes when opening web pages that are created with advanced graphics, flash screens end embedded video.

Netscape v. 8.3 is stable, but many of us are holding on to v. 7.2 because it is the last version to include email. Newer versions are browser only, exactly like IE and Firefox.

But Netscape was always fantastic. It was relatively safe from hackers, offered tabbed browsing, robust email with an excellent junk filter, labels to sort mail by priority and sub-folder support.

Then there was the outstanding ability to edit web pages and publish them on the fly. I used this feature every week. The HTML editor was unique to Netscape. Copy-cats IE and Firefox didn't add that to their browser, and couldn't seem to figure out a way to include email.

SeaMonkey, from the original makers of Netscape looks like a good replacement. You can download the product here: http://www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/
or wait til I have a chance to conclude a 30-day test of the program. Write to me at Helen@cclarity.com if you have questions or opinions about SeaMonkey.

Tips for Creating Strong Passwords

1. Use more than the minimum number of six characters, since longer passwords are generally more secure than shorter ones.
2. Use punctuation symbols in your password, such as a period ( . ) or an exclamation point ( ! ), and a mix of upper and lowercase letters.
3. Replace a letter or two with a number or symbol that looks similar, such as @ for a or 1 for i.
4. Avoid common words or well known information about yourself (such as birth date and family members' names) as part of your password. Instead, use a word or phrase that is easy for you to remember but difficult for others to figure out.
5. Use a memory aid. One common method for creating strong passwords is to create a phrase that only you would understand to use as an aid for remembering your password (mnemonic).

For example, a common mnemonic used to help school children remember the notes for the lines of the G clef musical scale (EGBDF, from bottom to top) is "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge." An associated password for that mnemonic could be gClef_3gbdf.


Why Create a Strong Password?

Online criminals are, unfortunately, very sophisticated at figuring out passwords. The strong password requirements that BizLand enforces are far more effective at keeping your account secure than simple everyday words.

Here's a test you'll likely fail:
Go to http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/privacy/password_checker.mspx
and see how quickly your password fails to pass their basic security check.

Any questions? Contact helen@cclarity.com

Coincidence? I don't think so

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Here is my book cover, for Computer Ease, launched in November, 2005.



And here is the Nov. 6, 2006 New Yorker.

I'm getting a kick out of the similarity to my book.

Vista update

Microsoft Vista, the operating system to replace Windows XP will begin shipping at the end of this month, and will be on most new computers by next month. Before it's even on the market, Microsoft has launched the "Vista Ultimate Extras" package. As I've said before, Vista is indeed a refreshing and exciting interface, but none of the glitz matters if we still just want to do our work the same way. There are long-term, significant improvements in security, but don't get caught in the hype. For example, the two biggest features of the Ultimate Extras package are: Texas Hold'M Poker and DreamScene to animate your screen wallpaper. As I said, the hype won't improve productivity, so either buy it for fun, or wait til you get a new computer and spend time learning some of the more worthwhile features.

Out With the Old?

Let's make a clean sweep at the end of the year by talking about defragmenting your hard disk.
It's not as simple as it used to be, due to today's large hard disk sizes, but is still essential to keep file fragments from getting scattered.

As files are written to a hard disk over time, their fragments get saved in non-contiguous spaces. You'll know it because when you go to open files, you hear the hard drive working to pull the fragments from each space on the disk. If it takes longer and longer to open frequent files, you'll know they are being stored in non-contiguous space.

Think of it like looking through your office for random pieces of paper that all belong in one folder. You waste time hunting for the scraps and putting them back together in the right order. Long term, there is a risk of being unable to grab all the pieces, which is how files become corrupted.

The larger the file, the longer it takes to find all the remnants. So if you routinely work with very large files, defrag is an important tool.

When drive heads have to work harder, seeking fragments across a large space, chances of a drive crash increase. This problem is compounded by today's super large drives.

What to do?
Go to Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools and you'll find Disk Defragmenter. When you open it, click Analyze or Details and look at the map - even if it says only 0% or 4% fragmented, run the program anyway.

It's best to run Defrag overnight, because you can't use the computer while it is reorganizing files. If you're impatient you can use a utility like Diskeeper to maintain the disk over time, or look into the new Defrag utility Microsoft is launching with Vista.

"I only have eyes for ... all your data," says Google

A Chicago Tribune article today addresses privacy concerns with using some online software, specificallly Google Desktop. Too many web users think of such offerings as a free service or cool tool, but the profit motive of billion dollar companies should send a warning message.... they're in it for the money.

When Google offers their Desktop tool, allowing you to store and track searches, including searching files on your own computer, you are allowing Google to read, store and track your data for years, until 2038 in the example cited in this excellent article by the Tribune's David Greising and John McCormick.

"Google's Desktop program, a virtual file management system, scans all of the users data - text files, tax returns, electronic wills and such. It indexes and stores the data on enormous server "farms" all around the world.
Desktop even automatically stores copies of deleted files. "

Lest you think it is not within their right to do so, the article points out a fact I repeat over and over to clients: Read the privacy statement, even the legalese. By agreeing to such terms, you're signing away your privacy rights.

The irony in the Google cool factor is that you can search your desktop on your own, using Windows Explorer or third-party products like EnFish that don't report the data back to the vendor.

You pay a price for "free" services.

Any questions, email Helen@cclarity.com

Can you un-backup your data?

Most of us have learned (the hard way) to back up our critcial computer data regularly. Whether you choose floppy, zip, CD, USB or another method, make sure you can recover files from a backup too.

If you use a program that creates a backup set, you won’t be able to recover just the one file you need. You’ll have to revert back all the files in the set. And, you'll have to use the same program you used to create the backup. That could spell trouble.

If you have old, old backups that you need, you should modernize the backup media over time. For example, if your great American novel is backed up on a 5-1/4 inch floppy disk, it’s not likely you’ll be able to find a computer with that drive size. The same is becoming true with 3-1/2 inch floppy drives. Most new computers now ship without a floppy drive. They've become obsolete, in favor of more portable USB thumb drives.

CDs can become unreliable - as though the data fades right off. The coating on CD’s does not last forever. For long-term storage they should be kept upright in cases, away from light sources, heat and humidity.

Popular and inexpensive USB thumb drives have at least a ten year data retention ablity. And we hope USB ports will be around that long. This year they are the #1 stocking stuffer for tech fans of all ages.

Even file formats can be a problem. Files created in very, very old versions of Quicken, Word, and obsolute programs will not easily convert to new programs - so if your computer records go back more than ten years, keep upgrading them to new software and new backup devices over time.

So, as you make a year-end backup, make a note in 2007 to review your backup media and make sure you aren't backing up your data to an unreachable void.

Multi-tasking: Enough already !

I wrote previously about the London study indicating multitasking had the same effect on the brain as marijuana. And, not in a good way.

Another study explains that drained, confused feeling we all experience... can't focus, lose details, fatigue easily - it's not iron-poor blood, it's technology, if not used well.

A study by FirStep Inc., Pennsylvania business strategists, says U.S. office workers get interrupted on the job as often as eleven times an hour. Cost to businesses? It's a staggering $588 billion/year.

Read more:

• Add in the distracting lure of checking e-mails, surfing the Internet and chatting by computer, and workers interrupt themselves nearly as much as they are interrupted by others, experts say.

• "With instant messaging on your desktop and alerts and e-mail notifications, you set yourself up for it," said John Putzier, founder of FirStep Inc. business strategists in Prospect, Pennsylvania.

• A typical manager is interrupted six times an hour, one recent study showed, while another found the average cubicle worker is interrupted more than 70 times a day.

• Other research has found office workers getting interrupted every 11 minutes, even as another study said nearly half of workplace interruptions are self-imposed.

• A study by Basex found office distractions take up 2.1 hours of the average day - 28 percent - with workers taking an average of five minutes to recover from each interruption and return to their original tasks.

• Still another study found a group of workers interrupted by e-mail and telephones scored lower on an IQ test than a test group that had smoked marijuana."

Feeling worse now?
A large part of the problem, and the problem with email in general is that we have no way to separate the critical from the comical. At first the sense of busy-ness and jumping from task to task might feel good. You're getting a lot done, staying on top of what matters, but there is something terribly seductive about being plugged in. Soon it turns into overload and as you keep pushing buttons, switching gears and jumping among topics, you don't realize your effectiveness drops rapidly.

Don't embrace the over-connected nature of technology if it is wearing you down. Control the intrusions, and enjoy greater satisfaction. Imagine: Start a task and finish it without switching to five or six other non-urgent interruptions.

Like any good habit, it takes practice. Give yourself two weeks over the holidays to break the cycle of always-on, and stop responding to every interruption. Let me know how it works for you, and remember you can ask questions anytime on Computer Clarity's forum at http://www.cclarity.com/questions.html .

But remember... Just because it's up 24 x 7, you don't have to be.

Happy Holidays,
Helen

Computer requirements to run Vista and sample pricing

CNET.com is running daily updates on Vista now that corporate users are testing it.

The recommended minimum specifications are:
* A 1GHz processor.
* 1GB of RAM.
* A 40GB hard drive with 15GB free space.
* A graphics card that supports DirectX 9 with a WDDM driver.
* 128MB dedicated memory for the graphics card.

Note that if your graphics card is not supported then you will not be able to run the new Aero interface (including some animations and the Glass look) and some included software, such as the DVD creator, will refuse to launch. If you are questioning whether or not your graphics card is supported check with the manufacturer's website...most have lists of supported cards. Note, however, that for the most part integrated grapics are not good enough.

To find out if you meet the requirements to use the various features and display the advanced graphics of Windows Vista, it is highly recommended that you click here to download and run the Vista Upgrade Advisor first. (Requires Windows XP.) You can also click here for a similar online test from ATI.

========================================================

Official Vista Pricing:

Full Retail:
* XP Home w/ SP2: $199
* Vista Home Basic: $199
* Vista Home Premium: $239
* Vista Business: $299
* XP Pro. w/ SP2: $299
* Vista Ultimate: $399

Upgrades:
* XP Home w/ SP2: $99
* Vista Home Basic: $99
* Vista Home Premium: $159
* XP Pro. w/ SP2: $199
* Vista Business: $199
* Vista Ultimate: $259

Those who already own a license to a copy of Vista can purchase additional licenses by purchasing the associated License Pack, which costs an average of $20 less than the above listings.

Also for comparison, equivalences are:
Windows Vista Home Basic = Windows XP Home
Windows Vista Home Premium = Windows XP Media Center Edition
Windows Vista Business = Windows XP Professional
Windows Vista Ultimate = No matching SKU

Waiting for Vista

While you're delaying the purchase of a new computer so you can wait for one running Vista instead of Windows XP, keep these thoughts in mind, courtesty of Computer Clarity:

1. Timing: The retail version of computers loaded with Vista will be in 2007.

2. Vendors are now offering computers that are "Vista ready" meaning the processor and memory are up to Vista standards, and some are offering a free upgrade to Vista when it comes out. Why? Because they fear everyone will stop buying computers until Vista launches, and PC makers will have the weakest holiday season in years.

3. Price: New computers loaded with Vista will be very expensive, especially compared to today's great bargains in the $400 range for both desktops and laptops.

Example: The Vista operating system is priced at $399 for the Business version, $239 for Home Premium, and $199 for Home Basic (all subject to change).

So if you wait to buy a new computer, it looks like you'll be seeing prices over $1,000.