Clean the Hard Drive Before Dumping Your PC

<h2>Clean the Hard Drive Before Dumping Your PC </h2>
<h2>If you're getting rid of your old computer, chances are there's sensitive data on it. Make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. </h2>
By Kim Komando
<p>If you're getting rid of your old computer there are some things you should know about it. </p>
<p>Chances are there's sensitive data on it. If you're like me, that PC's hard drive contains a compilation of your personal and <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/india/smallbusiness/product_overview.mspx">business</a> life. If the wrong people were to grab it, they could hurt you and your business very seriously. </p>
<h3>Is the Data Really Gone? </h3>
<p>Here's the problem: An index of files is maintained for the hard drive, telling it where things are stored. When you install a file, especially a big one, it is scattered around the hard drive in bits and pieces. On your command to open the file, the hard drive checks the index, then gathers the pieces and reconstructs them. </p>
<p>When that file is deleted, the links between the index and the file disappear. That tells your system that the file is no longer needed and that hard drive space can be overwritten. But the deleted file remains on your computer. Only when it is overwritten do you begin to be safe. Even then, a specialist might be able to recover the old data. </p>
<p>Assuming you just deleted everything in preparation for saying goodbye to your PC, it is unlikely that the sensitive information has been overwritten. It's still sitting there, and anybody with the right software could find it. </p>
<h3>Do You Trust the Recipient? </h3>
<p>How you handle this really depends on where the computer is going. If a trusted employee or your Aunt Minnie is getting it, you can probably just delete everything. If you're selling it or giving it away to a stranger, you might want to do some more work. </p>
<p>So here are my four suggestions. </p>
<h3>1. Give the Computer to a Trusted Employee, Friend or Family Member </h3>
<p>If you trust who you give it to, I wouldn't put a lot of effort into destroying data. Recovering deleted data isn't automatic. A thief or con artist will have to get some specialised software and learn to use it. Lots of boring data would have to be sorted to find the good stuff. The average (honest) person isn't going to bother. </p>
<p>So if you give the PC to someone you trust, you should simply delete the files. More extensive work probably isn't worth the effort. Just be sure the recipient is honest. </p>
<h3>2. Reformat the Hard Drive and Re-install the Operating System </h3>
<p>Reformatting a disk prepares it to accept a new operating system. It also wipes out everything on the hard drive. That's your goal. </p>
<p>Reformatting will keep most people out of your old files. But specialised shareware exists to reclaim files after reformatting. If you do not know who will get the computer — or you do know and you don't trust them — stronger measures are required. </p>
<h3>3. Buy Software and Overwrite the Disk, Again and Again and Again </h3>
<p>If you don't know much about computers, this might be easier than Step 2. There are several programs that write gibberish to the hard drive. They promise that nobody will be able to find your files after the software is utilised. </p>
<p>Norton's SystemWorks includes an application called Wipe Info. OnTrack's DataEraser offers a similar feature, as does Jetico's BCWipe. There are more such applications on the Internet. </p>
<p>You can leave the operating system and other files on the hard disk, if you want. These programs can be set to overwrite only the unoccupied areas. The process can be slow, because they write to the disk repeatedly. You might want to run it overnight. </p>
<h3>4. You're Totally Paranoid, so Get Out the Acetylene Torch </h3>
<p>I'm not kidding. The only absolute and assured way of protecting your data is to destroy the hard drive. To do that, you need to remove it from the computer. </p>
<p>The Pentagon shreds its hard drives. That should work, assuming you can find a hard-drive shredder. I've never seen one. </p>
<p>You need to destroy the platters inside. Try smashing them with a hammer. Destroying them with a torch should work. </p>
<p>Step 4 seems excessive to me. But you're right to be paranoid about this. Identity theft is becoming more and more common. Be careful, no matter who gets the computer. </p>

Are You Still Not Backing up Your Data?

Planning for a worst-case scenario isn't alarmist. It's common sense. By putting together a data back-up plan you can avoid a business catastrophe!

You should know this by now: Computers can and do fail. And nasty viruses can take down your system by creeping through your antivirus software

and firewall.

The problem is that you usually get no warning before it's too late.

This has happened to many. In extreme cases, it has put companies out of business. And the worst part is this: It's completely avoidable. By backing

up your data, you can retrieve all or most of what you lose.

Yes, there is a hassle involved. But you owe it to yourself — and your business — to take stock of your backup plan (or lack thereof) by reviewing

these tips.

Most Important: Back up Your Customer Databases and Payroll Records

What's the heart and soul of your company? People have different opinions, but certainly your customer or client database has to rank high.

Inside one or two data files are all the nitty-gritty details including what they buy, when they buy, how they pay and so forth. Contact lists also are

databases, and you might have yours combined with your customer list.

So, where would you be if you lost your database? How would you feel if you attempted to open your database and it wasn't there? Not good, I'll bet.

So you should be backing up.

Also mission-critical for backups are your employee payroll records. You don't want to lose the information that you have to report to the tax

department. Your employees don't want problems with them either. And they certainly don't want to be paid late.

Protect Your Registry Settings

You should be backing up all of your data. But if you don't, a third item you should have high on your priority list for regular backups is

your Windows Registry. This is the huge database that tells your computer how to run. Without it, you have an expensive paperweight.

Most backup programs allow you to back up the Registry automatically. If not, you can easily do it manually. Here's how:

• Click Start > Run.

• In the box, enter "regedit" (without the quotes). Click OK.

• In the Registry, click File > Export (or Registry > Export Registry File in Windows 98). Navigate to your backup medium. It will probably be drive

E:.

• Name the file and click Save.

You don't need to back up Windows or your applications, such as Microsoft Word. If the worst happens, you can always re-install them. But

information you create must be protected.

Store Your Backups Off-Site

To really be safe, the backup medium (tape, CD or DVD, etc.) should be removed from your site. If you are backing up to tape, for instance, and you

leave the tape cartridge in the machine, you'll be protected if the hard drive fails. But if the equipment is stolen, or the office burns to the ground, the

backup will be lost.

The safest procedure is to use a different tape or disk each day. Keep all but the current day's backups off-site — at your home, perhaps.

Forget About Doing Backups with Floppies

The earliest backup medium was the floppy. These are no longer practical. They hold hardly any data, so a large collection would be needed for a

backup. You would have to sit at the computer for hours, swapping the floppies in and out. Don't even think about it.

Tape has been the medium of choice for a number of years. Tapes are relatively slow, but the process can be automated. You can schedule the

backup for when you're sleeping.

Tape drives and the tapes to go with them are relatively expensive, too. And the software can be difficult. Tape is a great backup medium, once you

understand it. It has its drawbacks in terms of the time and work involved. But once you get a system running, it can go smoothly.

Here are some other options:

• Back up to a burner — a CD or DVD drive. Neither holds nearly as much data as a tape. If you decide to go this route, be sure your software allows

automated backups. A CD or DVD will work well if your data is not voluminous. CDs will hold up to 700 MB; most DVDs will hold 4.7 GB.

• Use a Zip or Jaz drive. These are made by Iomega. Zips hold 250 MB of data; Jaz holds 2 GB.

• Use an external hard drive. These hold a vast amount of data. They attach to the computer via high-speed connections such as USB 2.0 or FireWire.

Hard drives are fast, so the backup wouldn't take much time. But an external hard drive is relatively bulky, so you would get tired of taking it home.

Another Option to Consider: Backing up on an Internal Hard Drive

You could use a second internal hard drive, although that would mean leaving the backup in the office. Windows automatically accommodates multiple

hard drives. You could simply copy your data from the master hard drive to the second one, known as a slave.

If having two hard drives appeals to you, consider a RAID system. RAID stands for Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks. These systems can be

complicated but a two-disk system is simple; you set it up as a mirror.

When you save something, it automatically saves to both drives. The second drive looks just like the first. So if one fails, you have a perfect copy. And

RAID will automatically switch you over to the working drive.

Some motherboards have RAID capability built in. If yours doesn't, a RAID card can be added to the computer.

However, a RAID system would leave your backup inside the computer. That leaves you vulnerable to fire or theft.

Need More Security? Consider an Online Backup Service

If you're especially concerned about safety, you might want to consider an Internet backup. There are many firms on the web that will store your data

for you, for a monthly fee. You can run the backup automatically.

Don't consider this route unless you have a high-speed internet connection. Backups by dial-up modem could tie up your phone lines for hours at a

time.

Also, Microsoft SharePoint offers the ability to store copies of your most-vital business documents in a secure area that you can access through the

Internet. SharePoint is available as part of Windows Server 2003.

Facelift Your Website

How many times have you refreshed the graphics or content of your website? Twice? Once? Not at all?

Many businesses are still hosting first-generation sites that went up at the turn of the millennium. Likewise, the majority of these sites are passé by today's "make-it-useful" standards. Sometimes embarrassingly so.

Internet-savvy businesses will refresh the content on their websites regularly. Think about the impression a site that's a year out of date will have on visitors.

It takes a little dated information for visitors to conclude they've hit a dead end . Plus, when a big-deal client clicks on your "urgent" invitation to attend an upcoming seminar, only to find that the event came and went a year ago he will feel annoyed and foolish. And you'll be toast.

So consider this a noisy wakeup call. It's the 21st century. Is your website still looking like it's 1999?

Site Specific Suggestions

Business sites obviously run a gamut. But for the purposes of site facelifts, differences boil down to how frequently you must make changes. Consulting services may update sites only quarterly or even annually. Ecommerce sites or research companies may require updates by the hour.

Whatever your needs, you can now find appropriate and affordable off-the-shelf software and third-party service providers to do the job. You can, for instance, put a fresh "skin" on your old site without disrupting any functionality.

Here are 11 ideas culled from web marketers and developers that can modernise your site without excessive costs.

1. Reduce the Number of Site Pages

Focus on redesigning only the core 10 to 15 pages, suggests Matt Greer, chief executive at Zeeo Interactive, a Web design services company. You can then archive any remaining popular or highly trafficked pages into Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word documents that are suitable for download.

2. Make the Site a Marketing Tool

If you're not yet capturing data basics, such as which sites and search engines visitors are clicking from or which pages get most visitors, get started now.

Use pre-packaged software or a web services provider to capture detailed information about site visitors. "The first question to ask is: 'When visitors come to your site, what do you want them to do?' " says Erin Duckhorn, spokesperson for Crucial Technology, an online memory upgrade provider. Once you have answers, you can define the tracking metrics and develop the content, navigation and structure that will quickly satisfy your targeted visitors.

3. Set up an E-mail Program

Create an incentive for visitors to register or give you their email addresses.. Once you have addresses, send out useful emailings. But make sure who have explicit permission to do so - and don't cause more harm than good by bombarding them.

4. Create an Online Reward for Prized Customers

Treat your best customers with perks or discounts. "You can give them their own area of the site without any special technology," says Wally Bock, a web consultant. You can also, of course, email special offers.

5. Speed Loading Time

Fancy graphics and animations are obstacles in the path of getting to information. Make sure your visitors can easily find what they're after.

6. Give Visitors Greater, Self-directed Control

In the past two years, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has reworked fairmonthotels.com [link] to expand online booking capabilities. Now, guests who make online room reservations can book dinner or spa services at the same time. The site has also added a "Fairmont Planner" that matches individual resort properties to guest profiles or needs, as well as a "virtual concierge" that offers more details about services.

7. Invest in a Content Management System

Stop relying on static HTML. Instead, invest in a reliable CMS (Content Management System) which lets you update your own website content without getting a developer involved. If you update content a lot, this will pay for itself quickly.

8. Ensure Visibility on Search Engines

The old home page of BreastCancer.org [link], a non-profit informational group based in Pennsylvania was dominated by a giant image of the organisation's logo, an illustrated character called Polly, which prevented search engines from finding the site. "The makeover moved a smaller Polly to the upper right corner of the home page and used text and text links to guide the not particularly Web-savvy users of this site toward the essential information they came looking for," says Ilise Benun.

9. Align the Site to the Organisation

You mighty've reinvented your business a half-dozen times over the past few years. How appropriate is your site now? What about secondary channels or pages? "Many businesses grow their sites in piecemeal fashion," notes Kevin McLaughlin at Public/i, a public relations firm. "As new sections are added over time, the same messages or positioning is not always reflected in the copy throughout the company's entire website." Make sure your site's messaging is always in tune with offline marketing.

11. Add Testimonials or Success Stories

"Very few sites do this and there's no question that they add major credibility for buyers," says Philippa Gamse, a web strategy consultant. Ask long-time customers for quotes or permission to post their case histories and their satisfaction with your services.

Any of these ideas will help update your online presence. But the real advice is simply not to get lazy. Pay attention to your website whenever you shift direction or significantly grow the business. All marketing and messaging must be seamless — consistent, uniform, multimedia and multi-channel.

10 Tips for Using Instant Messaging for Business

Here's the scene: A couple dozen professionals at a big advertising agency quietly type away at computer screens near each other, in an open room devoid of office walls and partitions.

An occasional laugh punctuates the silence. But no one is talking. They are communicating with one another almost exclusively through instant messaging (IM).

"When I'm visiting this firm, I can't help but notice this [lack of people talking]. Seems odd to an outsider, but this is now pretty much their corporate culture," says Helen Chan, analyst for The Yankee Group, a US-based technology research group, who has friends at the agency.

A technology designed initially for one-on-one personal chats has reached the workplace. Many business people are choosing text-based Instant Messaging over phone calls and email. They prefer its immediacy and efficiency in getting real-time information from partners, suppliers and colleagues working remotely.

Instant messaging is essentially the text version of a phone call. At businesses large and small, more and more people are using it to communicate. For many, it serves as a backstop for e-mail problems and other emergencies — witness the spikes in usage after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The Wall Street Journal notes that more than 100 million people are now sending instant messages. In a report, "IM: The Sleeping Giant," technology consultant Gartner Group predicts that by 2005, instant messaging will surpass email as the primary online communications tool.

That said, IM will benefit businesses that work in teams or on projects more than it will many retailers, independent professionals and others. That's because IM enhances collaboration, but does not lend itself to opening new relationships. However, aside from the opportunities for time and cost savings, there are risks and downsides to its use.

Whether you're a business owner or an avid IM user, or both, here are 10 instant messaging do's and don'ts.

1. Do adopt a user policy for instant messaging. If you're an owner, your employees need to know whether you view instant messaging as an appropriate vehicle to communicate with, say, customers or business partners. Any policy should contain at least general guidelines for its use. You may not think this is important — unless you know the story about the hedge fund manager who caused a major commotion by allegedly using IM to spread inaccurate rumours about a publicly traded software company. (Word got out, the software company's stock plunged, and the hedge fund manager and his company got into some serious trouble.)

2. Don't use instant messaging to communicate confidential or sensitive information. Take a lesson from the above example. If your company is in the business of providing professional advice regarding stocks, finances, medicine or law, chances are it's not smart to do so through instant messaging. IM is better suited to quick information about project status, meeting times, or a person's whereabouts.

3. Do organise your contact lists to separate business contacts from family and friends. Make sure your employees do the same. Eliminate even the remote possibility that a social contact could be included in a business chat with a partner or customer — or vice versa. MSN Messenger[link] lets you organise your contacts carefully.

4. Don't allow excessive personal messaging at work. Yes, you make personal phone calls at work, send personal emails, and allow your employees to do the same. But you encourage them to keep it to a minimum and (hopefully) do the same yourself. For instant messaging go even further. Urge that personal chats be done during breaks or the lunch hour — or that the chats generate new customers or revenue to the business.

5. Do be aware that instant messages can be saved. You may think IM is great because you can let your guard down, make bold statements, chastise a boss, employee or co-worker, and have it all wiped away from the record when you are done. What you aren't realising is that one of the parties to your conversation can copy and paste the entire chat onto a notepad or Word document. Some IM services allow you to archive entire messages. Be careful what you say, just like you would in an email.

6. Don't compromise your company's liability, or your own reputation. The courts may still be figuring out where instant messages stand in terms of libel, defamation and other legal considerations. It's likely that any statements you make about other people, your company or other companies probably aren't going to land you in court. But they could damage your reputation or credibility. Be careful what you say.

7. Do be aware of virus infections and related security risks. Most IM services allow you to transfer files with your messages. Alexis D. Gutzman, an author and eBusiness consultant, says her recent research for a book found that IM file attachments carrying viruses penetrate firewalls more easily than email attachments. "Instant messages [carrying viruses] will run and dip into a firewall until they find an opening," she says. You'd be wise to learn more about the quality of your own firewall protection, to decide whether or not to restrict transferring files through IM.

8. Don't share personal data or information through IM. Even if you have the utmost trust in the person or people you are messaging, including personal information you'd rather keep confidential (like a phone number) is not a good idea. That's because the text of your chat is relayed through a server en route to your contact. "If anyone is on the connection and can see that traffic, they can see the personal information," says Chris Mitchell, lead program manager with MSN Messenger. Not likely, perhaps. But it's better to send such info through an encrypted email, or not at all.

9. Do keep your instant messages simple and to the point, and know when to say goodbye. How you should use IM is hard to stipulate. Kneko Burney, director of eBusiness research at Cahners In-Stat Group, prefers it simply for seeing if a colleague is at his or her desk, available for an in-person or telephone call. "It's like peeking into someone's office." Gutzman, on the other hand, sees IM as a way to do quick research and get fast information from consultants and even lawyers. She recently used IM in researching a book, saving entire messages in her personal archives. Both agree, however, that you must limit your inquiry, get to the point right away, and avoid unnecessary blather. "With instant messaging, you don't need a lot of pleasantries," Gutzman says. "I pretty much can say, 'How's it going?' and then get on with my question."

10. Don't confuse your contacts with a misleading user name or status. IM user names, like email user names, should be consistent throughout your company. And users should do the courtesy of updating their status throughout the day, so contacts know whether they are available for messages.

10 Financial Yardsticks for Your Small Business

Time and again, accountants and consultants who specialise in small businesses say that such enterprises don't pay enough attention to cash flow. That's the measure of how much money you really have in the business.

Be Wary of Big Contracts

"Small entrepreneurs wind up taking big orders that get them in trouble," says Ronald Lowy, who heads a college business administration department. "They want the big contract, but they're not getting enough money at the front end of it and they don't have the cash reserves to pay workers and other bills while they're waiting to get paid themselves. They might show a profit on an accrual basis, but from a cash-flow standpoint, they don't."

Judith Dacey, a certified public accountant, calls a cash-flow statement "probably the most important thing in telling you if your business is on or off target." As an example she describes how board members of a non-profit group were not examining their cash-flow statements.

"They were hiring people and spending money on membership campaigns, and doing all of these things based on money they thought they had from looking at the profit-and-loss (P&L) statements," Dacey says. "They didn't realise that the profit-and-loss statement was an accrual statement, which basically means you are including paper promises of payments to come, not money that you have in the bank."

The non-profit board became aware of the difficulty only when the organisation bounced a check. Employees had to be laid off, and belts were tightened. "That could have been avoided if they'd seen the cash-flow statements," Dacey says. "A cash-flow statement tells you here's the cash that has actually come in and that you can work with."

A statement of cash flow starts with the bottom of your profit and loss statement — the line that shows your net income. Several adjustments are made to that number. The details are a little complex but a good accounting program that does a P&L and a balance sheet will also calculate this statement for you.

Tracking the Big 10

If you've established a way to track cash flow, then you can go on to organise and track 10 financials for your business. That's a big list, but don't panic: As with profit and loss statements, you can take advantage of software programs to automate tracking for many of the following:

• Your Assets

Tracking your equipment, furniture, real estate and other holdings should be easy. But to have a true idea of the value of your business, you also have to track changes in the value of those assets. More than one small business has found itself located on a piece of land that's worth more than the business itself. Similarly, you also will want to track the declining value of assets such as computers and office furniture.

• Your Liabilities

On the face of it, this is easy — liabilities are what you owe. But what you owe isn't always as obvious as a bill from your landlord. Payroll taxes are a liability that depend on the size of your payroll. Loans are a clear liability, but in repaying them you'll want to be able to track how much of a payment is applied against principal and interest.

•What does it Cost You to Produce What You Sell?

If you're buying a finished item for resale, this is relatively easy. It's trickier if you have to calculate all the factors, such as labour, that go into manufacturing a product.

•What's it Costing You to Sell What You Sell?

Advertising, marketing, labour, storage and the catch-all category of overhead — it's useful to know how much it costs you to get a product sold as well as what it costs you to create it.

•What's Your Gross Profit Margin?

This is calculated by dividing your total sales into your gross profit. If your gross profit margin is staying consistent or trending upward, you're probably on track.

Being able to track a declining margin can give you a heads-up that you must adjust your prices or your costs. In the worst cases your gross profit and profit margin disappear altogether. At that point, you'll be like the fellow who lost money on every sale but figured he could make it up in volume. Don't do it.

•What's Your Debt-to-asset Ratio?

This ratio can let you know how much of the stuff you have in your company is actually owned by someone else — your lender. Having this ratio climb can be a bad sign. It can happen as part of a major expansion, but it can also indicate that you're getting in over your head.

•What's the Value of Your Accounts Receivable?

This is the money you are owed. If accounts receivable are on the rise, you may be getting a warning that the folks you sell to are starting to stumble.

•What's Your Average Collection Time on Accounts Receivable?

This is probably one of the most aggravating pieces of information for cash-strapped businesses, because it tells you how many days you're acting as 'banker' for the people who owe you money.

•What Are Your Accounts Payable?

The flip side of accounts receivable. An increase in your accounts payable may merely reflect a larger amount of purchases overall. But an increase that hasn't been planned or managed can be an internal warning that your company's financial strength is waning.

•What's Happening With Your Inventory?

There are occasions, even in this just-in-time business world, when building up a significant inventory can be a good thing.

If prices for items you sell or use in production are relatively low, putting some of your money into inventory may make sense.

Being able to track your inventory can tell you whether business is increasing or slowing down. It also tells you how much money is tied up in this unproductive asset.

Knowing what's up with your cash flow is essential to your business. But sometimes the figures can be difficult to understand. Don't ever be afraid to turn to professionals for some help.

7 Things to Look for in a New Desktop PC

7 Things to Look for in a New Desktop PC If you're not a techie, buying hardware can be an arduous task. Use these tips for buying a machine that best suits your business needs.

Does your old clunker make wheezing noises when it boots up? Has your typing become faster than your computer? Tired of looking at the Windows hourglass for minutes at a time?

Perhaps it's time for a new desktop computer.

Computer manufacturers continue to struggle with weak business. Meanwhile, component manufacturers are making their goods smaller, faster and cheaper. The upshot: You can get a good deal on a powerful machine.

I can't recommend individual machines. They might not be on the market when you read this. Instead, let's go through the components that make up computers. Use these to help decide what you need.

Following are seven points to ponder before you buy:

The Microprocessor

This is one of the most expensive parts. Microprocessors for Windows machines are made by Intel and AMD. Those for Apples are made by IBM and Motorola. So here's my first piece of advice: Don't worry so much about who makes the chip. All four are good. For Windows machines, you have a choice of the AMD Athlon XP, the Intel Pentium 4 and the Intel Celeron, an economy chip. The Pentium 4 and Athlon XP are upper end chips. The fastest Pentium 4 runs at 3.2 Gigahertz — a very fast speed indeed. It's also very expensive. The comparable AMD chip, the 3200+, is slightly less expensive.

You may need these fire-breathers if you're doing lots of video editing. Ditto if you're working with computer-aided design or playing advanced games. Otherwise, look to chips running at 2.4 GHz to 2.6 GHz (or 2400+ to 2600+, in AMD-powered machines). They're cheaper, and they perform nearly as well as the top-end chips.

Intel's Celeron is a budget chip. If you do typical office duties and surf the web, you probably wouldn't notice the difference between a top-end Celeron and a Pentium 4 running at the same speed. But you could save some money.

Apple and AMD chips run at lower speeds than those made by Intel. AMD uses the + symbol, as in 3200+, to imply that its chips are faster than comparable Intel microprocessors, despite running more slowly. Indeed, tests often show that to be the case.

Apple claims that its top-end machines are faster than those running Windows. That is a matter of controversy; there are websites devoted to debunking Apple's claims. Apple's chips run at much lower speeds, so they are difficult to compare directly. If you're interested in an Apple computer, test one at a store, then test a Windows machine. Apple computers are more expensive than comparable Windows machines.

Both Apple and AMD have new 64-bit microprocessors. They can crunch twice as much data as 32-bit chips. But there are virtually no programs that take advantage of this power now. That will change in the future, but these expensive new chips don't offer as much value today.

The Operating System

Windows XP and Apple's OS X are also difficult to compare. But there's really no need. Both are stable and fast. You'll probably be satisfied with either.

Windows XP comes in two flavours: Home and Professional. Windows XP Professional has all of Home's goodies, plus some other stuff. Most of it is networking capability. Professional costs more.

But it does have some nice features. One is Remote Desktop, which allows you to access one computer from another. For instance, you could sign onto your office computer from home and check your email. It also allows you to encrypt files and folders.

Random Access Memory

You will need a minimum of 256 megabytes of memory. If you can afford it, get 512 MB. I'd go to one gigabyte for demanding applications, such as video editing. Memory is relatively inexpensive, so don't skimp.

Hard Drives are Big and Bigger

If you do a lot of video work, you need a big hard drive. Video files are huge. Hard drives at 200 to 250 GB are common and relatively inexpensive.

Otherwise, the gargantuan drives common today far outstrip the customer's needs. Even low-end machines today have 40 GB hard drives. You are unlikely to fill that. I recommend putting your extra money elsewhere.

The Video System

The video system sends the picture to the monitor. Many inexpensive computers use the main-system RAM to run video. The video processor is built into the motherboard (the main circuit board). This works, but is less desirable.

Better computers have a separate circuit board, called a video card. This includes the video processor and memory. For video cards, 64 MB of RAM is pretty standard. That's more than enough for day-to-day computing.

However, if you are doing video work or playing advanced games, get a card with 128 MB of RAM. Truly hardcore game players can get cards with 256 MB of RAM.

The Monitor

Do you need to buy a monitor? Most people get one without thinking. But monitors don't necessarily come with computers. Often, you can lower your cost by refusing the monitor. If you're satisfied with your current monitor, it should work OK with your new computer.

There are two basic types of monitor, as mentioned above: CRTs and flat-panels. CRTs are the cheaper option: I would not buy a CRT monitor that was less than 17 inches. Keep in mind that that measurement is diagonal, and includes a portion of the screen hidden behind the bezel. A 17-inch CRT will have a visible screen size of 16 inches or less.

Flat-panel monitors are far more expensive than CRTs. They come in two flavours: analogue and digital. Digital signals are produced natively by the computer; they do not need to be converted. Analogue signals are converted from digital by the video system. Some consider digital signals clearer.

CDs and DVDs

All computers come with optical drives — either CD or DVD. All but the very cheapest have burners. ("Burning" is the process of making a CD or DVD.) CD-RW burners are still the most common, but DVD burners are available on more expensive machines.

DVD is wildly popular, but remains troubled by incompatible standards. You're likely to see DVD+R/RW or DVD-R/RW on a computer. They are incompatible, but most players can handle R discs made on either. R means a disc can be recorded once. RW stands for rewriteable, meaning a disc can be recorded numerous times. DVD burners can also make CDs.

I recommend that you purchase a CD-RW, at least.

One final point: I hear from so many people wondering when the best time to buy a computer is. There will always be something faster, better, hotter, cooler, bigger or smaller coming. If you need a computer, buy one now.

5 Ways Blogging Can Help Your Business

Not long ago, a diary was a deeply personal thing — a journal of thoughts and observations, kept under lock and key and often buried in a dresser drawer.

The Web has a way of changing things. Now, a diary of thoughts, observations and insight — posted on the Internet — may be a way to boost your business.

Web logs, or "blogs" as they're better known, have become a way to engage readers and potential customers of businesses big and small.

A blog is a journal posted on a Web site, updated on a regular basis and containing news, opinions, ideas and brainstorms. It might also have links to other sources of information, other Web sites and other blogs.

Many blogs cut both ways, inviting readers to post feedback on what they see. While that can apply to everything from sports and entertainment, it can also generate interest — and, ultimately, income — for your business.

No, blogs aren't for everyone. But see how they can accomplish these five basic business objectives.

1. Expose a new or little-known product or idea

For Grant Smith, blogging makes a world of sense on a number of levels. Smith operates a business that provides streaming video e-mail and related video communications products. Since many prospective clients might know little about video e-mail, Smith says his blog is a natural way to provide specifics.

"I began blogging to get established in the technology," Smith says. "It can have a positive impact for business. Readers are always looking for more ways to find out information about companies and for ways to interact."

That, in turn, can lead to a more informed customer and a more time-effective sales process. Rather than taking time to pitch your product or service to a client who may not need it, a blog supplants you as an information source. If a prospect contacts you, that's great. If not, you've wasted no time in explaining something that generates nothing in return.

2. Improve your search engine rankings

Blogging also puts you in touch with prospects in other ways. As any company with a position on the Internet realises, Web site visitors that come via Google, MSN and other search engines can provide numerous leads. Blogs can add to the frequency with which search vehicles identify you and your company, particularly if your blog allows readers to post a response.

If done properly, blogs have a tremendous benefit relative to search engines, according to Brad Fallon, president of SEO Research, a search engine marketing firm. "With blogs that allow comments, every new post and every new comment becomes an additional Web page filled with additional keywords to be picked up by the search engine spiders," he says.

3. Position yourself as an expert in an industry or field

Blogging also can also prove an effective marketing tool to establish yourself as an authority in your field. Not only can that generate leads, it also sends a positive message about your credentials through the marketplace and also gives your business a face and a personality.

4. Influence public opinion

Blogging also allows users to bypass traditional journalistic venues and, in effect, become a publisher of their own thoughts and viewpoints. For Steve Rubel, vice president of client services at a public relations firm, blogs are also fast becoming a powerful influence on public opinion.

"Blogs have evolved into legitimate alternative sources of news on niche and micro-niche topics," Rubel says. "Anyone with a passion and dedication could become an amateur journalist. I feel some of these sites — in aggregate — are having just as much sway on public opinion as larger, more established media brands."

5. Engage in a forum openly with your customers

Just as important, blogs that solicit reader comments can provide a sense of immediacy with your customers. In one respect, that's a ready source of feedback on what you're doing right and what you need to improve.

"My blog provides a forum for customers to give feedback after plunking their money down," says Fallon. "The result? While the normal market is lucky to have one-half of 1% of customers send an unsolicited testimonial, I have already collected glowing testimonials from over 15% of my customers."

Product Links

• Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003

• Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003

• Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Tools

• Solution Advisor

• Product Advisor

5 Tips for Estimating Your Start-up Costs

<h3>Before you take out a second mortgage, use these rules to figure out the realistic costs of setting up a business. </h3>

<B>Have a Solid Plan — Then Change It </B>
<p>Most business start-up stories say that you have to have a business plan. And you do. But that's not the beginning and end of figuring out your start-up costs. </p>
<p>Jeff Shuman, who directs entrepreneurial studies at Bentley College, says, "The conventional wisdom is that an entrepreneur sees an opportunity, comes up with a business plan to capitalise on it, determines the capital that needs to be raised, raises the capital and then applies it to building the business described in the business plan." </p>
<p>There's one major problem with that model, says Shuman. It all hinges on getting the business right the first time, and that doesn't often happen. "In reality, it's likely that some of your initial assumptions are pretty good and others aren't going to be worth the paper they're written on," he says. </p>
<p>Shuman and others say that figuring out your start-up costs means regularly reviewing your assumptions and changing your initial model. Writing a plan is good because it forces you to write down everything you are going to need to start your business. </p>
<p>But that initial plan is likely to change repeatedly as you learn new things and incorporate them into the plan. </p>
<B>Be Willing to Pull Back </B>
<p>It's tempting to add up everything you need for the full-fledged business you imagine, and decide it's what you need to start out. </p>
<p>But pulling back and looking for a smaller model can give you a way to get started while also saving money. Shuman uses the example of someone who calculates the total cost of starting a retail business in a local shopping centre. </p>
<p>"You could start that way and write a business plan based on that amount," he says. "But maybe you'd be better off renting a stand and testing what the demand is for your products at that location." </p>
<p>This consumer testing reduces your initial start-up costs. The result is that the initial cycle of your business is dedicated not so much to generating profits as to generating information. "With this, you can fund your business on a cycle-by-cycle basis," Shuman says. "When you go for the second cycle and for expanding your business, the numbers are now based not on focus groups or surveys but on real-world experience." </p>
<B>Calculate Prices and Time Correctly </B>
<p>Calculating your initial cash flow is part of figuring out your start-up costs. It's an area where businesses are sometimes less optimistic than they should be. "Small business owners may under-price their product or service, thinking they have to come in at the lowest price point to compete," says Barbara Bird, who chairs the business management program at an American university. "They don't necessarily need to do that." </p>
<B>Correctly Estimate Your Start-up Time </B>
<p>Yes, when beginning a business, time can be money. Let's say you're going to have fixed costs such as a monthly lease. If you have to make improvements to a space before you can actually open for business, those fixed costs are going to be additional start-up costs until you can actually open for business. I've watched many entrepreneurs draw up a timeline for their ventures and get tripped up on the safety and inspection requirements imposed by local agencies. </p>
<p>For that reason, I think one of the first places a prospective new business owner should go is to the local government planning or license department. Construction permits and inspections can push a prospective opening date back by months. If you fail to take into account the cost of this time, you could be short of working capital right at the start. </p>
<B>Be Realistic About the Cost of Money </B>
<p>Many <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/india/smallbusiness/">small business</a> owners finance their ventures by running up big balances on their personal credit cards. Others tap the equity in their homes. </p>
<p>But self-financing isn't a practical option for larger ventures. Tom Emerson, who directs the <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/india/smallbusiness/partners.mspx">entrepreneurship</a> centre at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, says start-ups should figure in the cost of capital when determining initial expenses and cash flow. "The cost is usually based on what the interest would be, were that cash invested in something with similar risk on the market" Emerson says. "It's usually a figure that is a few percentage points or more above the prime rate." </p>

5 Tips and Tricks for Using Word for Business

<p><b> Handy features can save you time and money </b></p>
<p>Most people don't use every feature built-in with their software applications. We tend to pinpoint those we find helpful and call it a day. <br>
  <br>

Here are five features within Microsoft Word, the word-processing software in Microsoft Office that I use in my business to save time and money. <br>

</p>
<ol>
  <li><strong>Create and design your company's letterhead, choosing from an array of free clip art from Microsoft. </strong><br>
      <br>
    One thing every business needs is official letterhead. You don't have to buy it. If you know the design you want, you can create it in Microsoft Word and save it as a template to use time after time. <br>
    <br>
    Creating a letterhead doesn't have to be complicated; it can be as simple as the company name, address and telephone number. Word provides a wide variety of fonts, and you can vary type sizes. <br>
    <br>
    You may want to add art to your letterhead. You can scan in your logo and use it in your letterhead. Or there is another option. <br>
    <br>
    Microsoft maintains a huge collection of free clip art. For instance, if you want to add a flower, Microsoft has more than 1,000 designs. The clip art collection is available to registered users of Word. You'll find it at Microsoft Office's Design Gallery Live. <br>
    <br>
    Microsoft also offers free templates for letters, labels and forms. They're located in the Template Gallery. (Most run in Word, although some require other software programs. For example, the project management templates require Microsoft Project 2000 or a later version.) <br>
    <br>
  <li><strong>Send the same letter to many people without addressing each separately. </strong><br>
      <br>
    Sometimes you need to make an advertising pitch to all of your customers. Or you want to announce a change in your staff. This can seem daunting but it doesn't have to be. Word's Mail Merge tool simplifies things greatly. <br>
    <br>
    Basically, Word uses a list of names and addresses from a table. The table can be created in Word, in Microsoft Access or even in Microsoft Outlook. All are part of Microsoft Office. <br>
    <br>
    This obviously works best with planning. You'll probably need a database and Access is the better way to go for that. But the learning curve here is much steeper than putting everything in Excel (also part of Microsoft Office). I'll use Excel as the example but keep in mind that you have more choices. <br>
    <br>
    Start this process with your letter. The same letter goes to everyone; you can't do a lot of customisation. When you write the letter, leave space for the person's address and the salutation. <br>
    <br>
    When setting up Excel, you obviously need the person's name and address. You'll also need a salutation field. If Rocky Jones is one of the people receiving the letter, you might want the salutation to be Dear Rocky. If your relationship with Dr. Rocky Jones is more formal, the salutation might be Dear Dr. Jones. So the names in the Salutation column would be "Rocky" or "Dr. Jones." <br>
    <br>
    Next, open your letter. Click Tools &gt; Letters and Mailings &gt; Mail Merge. Follow the wizard's directions on the right side of the screen. To select recipients of your letters browse to your list of contacts in Excel, Outlook or another database. <br>
    <br>
    In addition to letters, you can address envelopes and labels with Mail Merge. It can make life a lot easier. <br>
    <br>
  <li><strong>Add a watermark to a document so everyone knows that it is a draft. </strong><br>
      <br>
    If you are circulating a proposal to your staff, you don't want it mistaken for the finished product. A good way to avoid that is a watermark that says "Draft," "Confidential," "Sample" or anything else you'd like. <br>
    <br>
    A watermark is clearly visible on the document, but does not damage the legibility of the writing. You can even establish it in a variety of colours. <br>
    <br>
    You can also use a picture for a watermark. Suppose you run a flower shop. You can use a drawing or picture of a flower that would appear on everything you print. How cool is that? <br>
    <br>
    To use the watermark, click Format &gt; Background &gt; Printed Watermark. Make your selections and click OK. If you expect to use a watermark regularly, create a template (see No. 1 above). <br>
    <br>
    Remember that there is a fine line between cool and irritating. If people must struggle to read the document because of the watermark, they may give up. Be sure you have "semitransparent" or "washout" selected. <br>
    <br>
  <li><strong>Keep an eye on changes that people are making to documents. </strong><br>
      <br>
    When a sales plan or another document is returned to you, it is sometimes difficult to see changes made by others. Word has a simple way to show them to you. <br>
    <br>
    Here are the instructions for Word 2002/2003: First, open the newer Word document. Click Tools &gt; Compare and Merge Documents. Browse to the original Word document. Click it once to highlight it. In the lower right corner, click the drop-down box and select "Merge Into Current Document." <br>
    <br>
    For Word 97/2000: Click Tools. Go to Track Changes. Click Compare Document. Find the original Word document and click it once so it is highlighted. Click Open. <br>
    <br>
    Sometimes, the development of a document is so arduous that we lose sight of what we're trying to do. Looking back at previous versions can help. <br>
    <br>
    That's easy to do in Word. Click File &gt; Versions. Select "Automatically save a version on close." Every time you close the document, that version will be saved. <br>
    <br>
    When you want to look at an old version, follow the same path. All of the versions will be listed in the box. The most recent will be on top. Highlight the version you want and click Open. <br>
    <br>
    You can turn off this "versioning" feature by clearing the check mark from "Automatically save a version on close." Or, you can delete individual versions. Just highlight the ones you want to dump and click Delete. <br>
    <br>
  <li><strong>Use a shortcut for many of your tasks. </strong><br>
      <br>
    For some tasks, I can work faster using the keyboard than the mouse. You probably know the standards: Ctrl+C to copy, Ctrl+V to Paste, Ctrl+Z to Undo, Ctrl+A to Select All and Ctrl+P to Print. But here is a list of other shortcuts you might find helpful as you use Word. <br>
    <br>
  </li>
</ol>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
  <tr>
    <td width="166" valign="top"><p><strong>Keystroke </strong></p></td>
    <td width="456" valign="top"><p><strong>Result </strong></p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Alt+Ctrl+C </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Copyright symbol </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Alt+Ctrl+Period </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>An ellipsis </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Alt+Ctrl+R </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Registered trademark symbol </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Alt+Ctrl+T </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Trademark symbol </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+B </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Bold text </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+E </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Centres a paragraph </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+End </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Skips to the end of a document </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+Enter </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Inserts a page break </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+F </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Opens the Find menu </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+G </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Go to a page, bookmark, footnote, table, comment, graphic or other location </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+H </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Opens the Replace menu </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+Home </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Skips to the beginning of a document </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+I </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Italics text </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+N </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Creates a new document </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+S </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Saves a document </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+Shift+F </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Changes the font </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+Shift+P </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Changes the font size </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+U </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Underline text </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+W </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Closes adocument </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Ctrl+Y </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Redo the last action </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Esc </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Close an assistant or tip window </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Shift+F3 </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Changes the case of letters </p></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td valign="top"><p>Tab </p></td>
    <td valign="top"><p>Move between cells in a table </p></td>
  </tr>
</table>