Computer Woes

Be careful with your technology. Geeks have known this for years.

Get More Real Estate on your PC Screen

Screen space is a precious commodity these days with email, Twitter, IMs, internet, and work programs all competing for screen time. Here are two quick tips to squeeze a bit more space from your screen:

Auto Hide Your Taskbar

1) Right-click on the taskbar and select "Properties" from the context menu. The "Taskbar and Start menu Properties" window should open.

2) Right-Click Taskbar Properties

3) With the "Taskbar" tab open, put a check in the box labeled "Auto-hide the taskbar".

4) Also make sure there is a check in the box labeled "Keep the taskbar on top of other windows".

5) Click "OK" to save the changes and exit the properties window.

Maximize Your Browser Screen

1) Simply Click F11 and your Browser Screen will hide menus and the Address Bar. Click F11 to bring them back.

Now you have two simple tools to squeeze every ounce of space out of your monitor!

Geeks - We Are Today's Rock Stars!

In an information society, Geeks are the stars!

Why do you need to backup your stuff?

Why do you need to backup your stuff? You can always create more stuff, right? It doesn't work that way in real life, and it doesn't work that way for your data.

Who uses more Hard Drives? You, me, or Google? We can study the impact of a single failed Hard Drive in your computer, but that doesn't make you an evangelist for data backup unless you have lost data. Google has more Hard Drives than you can imagine. They know what is happening with data, and they closely track the health of their systems.

They completed a study in August 2007 that tracked a 5-year history of Hard Drive failure.

1 Year ~ 7%
2 Years ~ 8%
3 Years ~ 8%
4 Years ~ 6%
5 Years ~ 7%

This shows that your Hard Drive has around a 25% chance of a serious error in a three year span.

Why are you not backing up your data?

Central Virginia Electroincs Recycling Day 4/25/09

Saturday, April 25

Ukrops- Short Pump , 3460 Pump Road (Henrico)

9 am - 2 pm

This is a regional event and you do not have to live in Henrico County to participate. First Market Bank will be providing document shredding. Call 340-0900 for more information.

Saturday, April 25

City of Hopewell Public Works parking lot, 103 S. Hopewell St. (Hopewell) Directions

9 am- 2 pm

Accepted items and fees listed below on this webpage.This is a regional event and you do not have to live in the City of Hopewell to

participate in the electronic collection. Document shredding will be available to City of Hopewell residents only.

Call 340-0900 for more information.

Saturday, April 25

Mechanicsville Convenience Center (Verdi Lane)-Hanover

9 am to 1 pm

This event will offer e-cycling with a different contractor(AERC). Call AERC at (804)798-9295 for fee information.

Household Hazardous Waste collection and paper shredding available to Hanover County residents only.

Accepted Items and Fees

Fees are charged to recycle the following items. These items require special handling due to the leaded glass and mercury they contain. Payment is accepted by cash or check.

Televisions, plastic $5 each

Televisions, wood-encased $10 each

Computer monitors $5 each

Items accepted at no charge include:

Computer systems (hard drive, CPU)

Computer accessories (cables, wires, keyboards, mice, speakers, etc.)

Printers, scanners & copiers

Fax machines

VCRs & camcorders

Stereos

Microwaves

Anything with a plug!

Even dirtier IT jobs

I was interviewed for an article on InfoWorld recently. Technology Moves (PC Disconnect/Reconnect) is the #7 Dirtiest IT Job in America! Here are two excerpts:

"Disconnect machines from one site, reconnect them at another. It sounded so simple Garth Callaghan couldn't quite believe someone would pay his company, 127tech, to do it. Now he employs three full-time employees and 30 contractors, who spend half their time unplugging and replugging machines for commercial movers in Richmond, VA.

But don't think they don't earn their money."

"Occupational hazards include dust bunnies the size of basketballs, displays coated in soot, keyboards with enough food lodged in them to feed a small third-world country or, in one recent case, caked with a viscous layer of cosmetics."

Click Here for the Full Article: Even dirtier IT jobs: The muck stops here More dirty tech deeds, done dirt cheap

Blast Text (SMS) Messages

Do you ever need to send a 'blast' Text SMS to employees or friends? It's easy to do!

1) Set up new contacts in your email program with the contact name and cell phone number/email. The cellphone number/email is detailed in Step 3. I add SMS to the person's name so that it's easy to differentiate between contacts. For example, Garth Callaghan becomes Garth CallaghanSMS.

2) Create a group list including all of your contacts that you'd blast at the same time. Name the group list something easily identifiable like SoftballTeam or KeyEmployees.

3) Cell Phone Number/Email is as easy as using the following equations:

Alltel: phonenumber @message.alltel.com

AT&T: phonenumber@mmode.com

BoostMobile: phonenumber @myboostmobile.com

Cingular: phonenumber@cingularme.com
Nextel: phonenumber@messaging.nextel.com

Sprint: phonenumber@messaging.sprintpcs.com

T-Mobile: phonenumber@tmomail.net
Verizon: phonenumber@vtext.com

Virgin Mobile: phonenumber@vmobl.com

where phonenumber = the 10 digit phone mobile number

4) You will have to ask your contact which carrier they use in order to complete this exercise.

5) Remember to limit your email SMS 140 characters or less. Practice brevity!

6) You should always confirm that it is ok to do this with your contacts. If they don't have a SMS plan, you will cost them money with each message. Picking up the phone and contacting them is always an option!

Happy Texting!