From time to time you will find yourself taking a professional development class. It could cover communications, conflict management, business writing, or some other area. It might be a class that’s internal to your company, or it might be a class you attend outside, with people from other companies. In any case, your company (or you personally) made a substantial investment in this training. Here are pointers for management — and for you — to ensure both of you gain maximum value from the class.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: Management should attend

I wish I had a dollar for every time, during a session I teach, a non-management attendee said to me, “Calvin, your material is great, but you need to be saying this to our bosses.”  On the other hand, lest I become too vain, maybe there are others who said to themselves, “This was a waste of time, so our managers should suffer as well.”

In either case, management increases its credibility among staff by attending the same training. Unless it does so, the chances are great the management may undercut the philosophy that the class is attempting to impart.

By the way, if you hold to the “waste of time” view, please see point 5 below.

#2: Separate managers from subordinates

It’s generally inadvisable to have managers in the same entire class with direct subordinates. The presence of the former could inhibit the latter from speaking up, particularly when organizational issues and policies are being discussed.

Two alternatives address this concern. First, management can attend its own separate session. Second, management can attend the same session as direct subordinates, but 30 to 45 minutes from the end, can be excused. At that point, staff attendees who have issues can raise them. In other words, that’s the time attendees can start saying, “Calvin, you’re right in what you’re saying, but that won’t work here because…”

#3: Management must respect class time

If management is sending staff to training, it has to respect that time. The “tap on the shoulder” to handle an issue that takes “just a second” of course never takes that long. It ends up taking that attendee out of class completely. When that happens, it defeats the purpose of having that person attend class. Management needs to respect the time that the attendee is in class.

#4: Distribute attendance among many departments

Given the choice of having many attendees from one (or only a few departments) vs. having only a few attendees from many departments, I choose the latter. From a practical standpoint, this strategy reduces the burden on those who aren’t attending class but still must support business operations. From an organizational standpoint, the latter approach can help build morale by giving an attendee exposure to other departments and department workers.

#5: Recognize the value of the training

From time to time, when I talk about skills in communicating with customers, I see people with rolling eyes and folded arms. No doubt they’re saying to themselves, “Why am I wasting my time here? I could be writing a program / configuring a router / completing a problem ticket.”

That’s why I often open with a quiz: what do Operating System/2, Betamax, and the Dvorak keyboard all have in common? Answer: They were technically superior to their competition but nonetheless became obsolete. In the same way, technical people who rely only on their technical skills for career success could be in for a shock, because skill in working with others is at least as important, if not more so.

Try to keep an open mind. Will some training turn out to be a “bomb”? I hope not, but even in that case, you can still benefit. Sit down and analyze why you thought the session failed. Then, before your next session, resolve to discuss those concerns with the instructor if you can.

#6: Make sure your job is covered during your absence

You can do your part to avoid getting the aforementioned tap on the shoulder by the boss. Make sure your co-workers and customers are aware of your absence. Adjust your voicemail greeting and set an e-mail or instant message autorespond, if you can. Make sure they know of any open items or issues and how they should be handled.

#7: Have specific personal objectives

Your time in class will be far more meaningful if you set personal objectives for yourself beforehand. Read up on any class descriptions and syllabi or topic list. Then, go over mentally the areas where you believe you most need improvement. When you set your objectives, make sure they are measurable — and more important, that they’re realistic.

#8: Speak up

The biggest shock to many would-be law students is the total irrelevance of class participation in one’s final grade. Nonetheless, I still remember Professor Woodward’s advice in contracts class. He said that we still should speak in class, because doing so forces us to master the material. In other words, we may think we know the material, but having to articulate it is the acid test.

You probably won’t get a grade for your professional development class. However, you probably will pick up the concepts more quickly, and retain them better, if you speak up.

#9: Apply exercises and activities to your job

Those exercises where you walk the maze, build the toothpick tower, or sequence the 15 items to help you survive the desert aren’t there just for the heck of it. They’re there because they deal with some skill that’s important to your job. The instructor or facilitator, in discussing the exercise afterward, should be making that association. If not, make it yourself. Write a note to yourself about the lessons you learned from the exercise. In particular, ask yourself how these lessons apply to your job and how you might act differently having gained the insights you did.

#10: Write a letter to yourself

At the end of sessions I lead, I ask attendees to write a letter to themselves about what they learned. I then take those letters and simply hold them for about three months, after which I return them to their respective authors. I do so because many attendees remember clearly the material immediately after class. However, in the weeks that follow, their memories may dim. Seeing the letter refreshes their memory and reinforces the class session.

If the leader of your session doesn’t follow this practice, consider doing it on your own. Write a letter, seal it, and just put it somewhere that it won’t get lost. Maybe write a note on the outside, such as, “Open on [date three months from now].”

Calvin Sun works with organizations in the areas of customer service, communications, and leadership, and has conducted numerous training sessions in these areas. You can contact him at csun@calvinsun.com.

Windows Server 2003 felt like a refresh of Windows Server 2000. There were few radical changes, and most of the improvements were fairly under the surface. Windows Server 2008, on the other hand, is a full-size helping of “new and improved.” While the overall package is quite good, there are a few surprises, “gotchas,” and hidden delights you will want to know about before deciding if you will be moving to Windows Server 2008 any time soon.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: The 64-bit revolution is not complete

There have been 64-bit editions of Windows Server for years now, and Microsoft has made it quite clear that it wants all of its customers to move to 64-bit operating systems. That does not mean that you can throw away your 32-bit Windows Server 2008 CD, though! Over the last few months, I have been shocked on more than one occasion by the pieces of Microsoft software that not only do not have 32-bit versions, but will not run under a 64-bit OS at all. This list includes Team Foundation Server and ISA Server. If you are planning on moving to 64-bit Windows Server 2008, be prepared to have a 32-bit server or two around, whether it be on physical hardware or in a VM.

#2: Who moved my cheese?

While the UI changes in Windows Server 2008 are not nearly as sweeping as the Aero interface in Vista, it has undergone a dramatic rearrangement and renaming of the various applets around the system. In retrospect, the organization of these items is much more sensible, but that hardly matters when you have years of experience going to a particular area to find something, only to have it suddenly change. Expect to be a bit frustrated in the Control Panel until you get used to it.

#3: Windows Workstation 2008 might catch on

In an odd turn of events, Microsoft has provided the ability to bring the “Vista Desktop Experience” into Windows Server 2008. I doubt that many server administrators were asking for this, but the unusual result is that a number of people are modifying Windows Server 2008 to be as close to a desktop OS as possible. There have always been a few people who use the server edition of Windows as a desktop, but this makes it much easier and friendlier. These home-brewed efforts are generally called “Windows Workstation 2008,” in case you’re interested in trying it out on your own.

#4: Hyper-V is good, but…

Hyper-V was one of the most anticipated features of Windows Server 2008, and it’s surprisingly good, particularly for a version 1 release from Microsoft. It is stable, easy to install and configure, and does not seem to have any major problems. For those of us who have been beaten into the “wait until the third version” or “don’t install until SP1″ mentality, this is a refreshing surprise.

#5: …Hyper-V is limited

Hyper-V, while of high quality, is sorely lacking features. Considering that it was billed as a real alternative to VMWare and other existing solutions, it is a disappointment (to say the least) that it does not seem to include any utilities for importing VMs for products other than Virtual PC and Virtual Server. Even those imports are not workaround-free. Another real surprise here is the lack of a physical-to-virtual conversion utility. Hyper-V may be a good system, but make sure that you fully try it out before you commit to using it.

#6: NT 4 domain migration — it’s not happening

If you have been putting off the painful migration from your NT 4 domain until Windows Server 2008 was released, don’t keep waiting. The older version (3.0) Active Directory Migration Tool (ADMT) supports migrations from NT 4, but not Windows Server 2008. The latest version (3.1) support migrations to Windows Server 2008, but not from NT 4. Either migrate from NT 4 before changing your domain to be a Windows 2008 domain or get your NT 4 domain upgraded first.

#7: The ashtrays are now optional

In prior versions of Windows Server, a lot of applications came installed by default. No one ever uninstalled them because they did not cause any harm, even if you didn’t use them or installed an alternative. Now, even the “throwaway” applications, like Windows Backup, are not installed by default. After installation, you need to add “features” to get the full Windows Server suite of applications. This can be frustrating if you are in a hurry, but the reduced clutter and resource overhead are worth it.

#8: Licensing is bewildering

Continuing a hallowed Microsoft tradition, trying to understand the licensing terms of Windows Server 2008 feels like hammering nails with your forehead. So maybe this isn’t so much a surprise as a gotcha. The Standard Edition makes sense, but when you get into the issues around virtualization in Enterprise and Datacenter Editions, things can be a bit confusing. Depending upon your need for virtual machines and the number of physical CPUs (not CPU cores, thankfully) in your server, Enterprise Edition may be cheaper — or it may be more expensive than Datacenter Edition. One thing to keep in mind is that once you start using virtual machines, you start to like them a lot more that you thought you would. It’s easy to find yourself using a lot more of them than originally expected.

#9: There’s no bloat

Maybe it’s because Vista set expectations of pain, or because hardware has gotten so much cheaper, but Windows Server 2008 does not feel bloated or slow at all. Microsoft has done a pretty good job at minimizing the installed feature set to the bare minimum, and Server Core can take that even further. Depending upon your needs, it can be quite possible to upgrade even older equipment to Windows Server 2008 without needing to beef up the hardware.

#10: Quality beats expectations

Microsoft customers have developed low expectations of quality over the years, unfortunately, with good reason. While its track record for initial releases, in terms of security holes and bug counts, seems to be improving customers are still howling about Vista. As a result, it has come as a real surprise that the overall reaction to Windows Server 2008 has been muted, to say the least. The horror stories just are not flying around like they were with Vista. Maybe it’s the extra year they spent working on it, or different expectations of the people who work with servers, but Windows Server 2008 has had a pretty warm reception so far. And that speaks a lot to its quality. There is nothing particularly flashy or standout about it. But at the same time, it is a solid, high quality product. And that is exactly what system administrators need.

Few bloggers can match Toni Bowers for stirring up interesting debates, raising tough questions, bringing attention to IT employment trends, putting ridiculous ideas in their place, and giving workplace issues a sardonic kick in the pants. Here are 10 career blog posts you don’t want to miss.

Longtime TechRepublic editor Toni Bowers launched her career blog in 2006 and has steadily delivered a kaleidoscope of workplace insights that help managers (or anyone who has a manager) cope with the politics, personalities, and plot twists of life in the IT biz. Here are some of her favorite entries. We’ve also compiled them into a PDF download.

#1: Lessons in diplomacy, or how to effectively employ the Mafia death stare

#2: The problem with corporate terminology

#3: Why are managers afraid to manage?

#4: Five ways to make a good impression in your new job

#5: 3 things your resume could do without

#6: Don’t discipline entire staff for mistakes of one person

#7: Lessons my big brothers taught me

#8: Could your employer fine you for being unhealthy?

#9: Aspiring to be a blip on the corporate radar screen

#10: Why some co-workers will never admit to mistakes

As the push for businesses to adopt eco-friendly practices gains momentum, IT leaders are searching for ways to bring greener technologies and more environmentally responsible strategies to their organizations. See how you can boost efficiency and reduce costs by going green.

“Going green” is the hot new trend in the business world, and that naturally filters down to the IT department. Implemented correctly, eco-friendly tactics can make your operations more efficient and save you money.

The goals of green IT include minimizing the use of hazardous materials, maximizing energy efficiency, and encouraging recycling and/or use of biodegradable products — without negatively affecting productivity. In this article, we’ll look at 10 ways to implement green IT practices in your organization.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: Buy energy efficient hardware

New offerings from major hardware vendors include notebooks, workstations, and servers that meet the EPA’s Energy Star guidelines for lower power consumption. Look for systems that have good EPEAT ratings (www.epeat.net). The ratings use standards set by the IEEE to measure “environmental performance.” All EPEAT-registered products must meet Energy Star 4.0 criteria.

Multicore processors increase processing output without substantially increasing energy usage. Also look for high efficiency (80%) power supplies, variable speed temperature controlled fans, small form factor hard drives, and low voltage processors.

#2: Use power management technology and best practices

Modern operating systems running on Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)-enabled systems incorporate power-saving features that allow you to configure monitors and hard disks to power down after a specified period of inactivity. Systems can be set to hibernate when not in use, thus powering down the CPU and RAM as well.

Hardware vendors have their own power management software, which they load on their systems or offer as options. For example, HP’s Power Manager provides real-time reporting that shows how the settings you have configured affect the energy used by the computer.

There are also many third-party power management products that can provide further flexibility and control over computers’ energy consumption. Some programs make it possible to manually reduce the power voltage to the CPU. Others can handle it automatically on systems with Intel SpeedStep or AMD Cool’n'Quiet technologies.

Other technologies, such as Intel’s vPro, allow you to turn computers on and off remotely, thus saving energy because you don’t have to leave systems on if you want, for example, to schedule a patch deployment at 2:00 A.M.

#3: Use virtualization technology to consolidate servers

You can reduce the number of physical servers, and thus the energy consumption, by using virtualization technology to run multiple virtual machines on a single physical server. Because many servers are severely underutilized (in many cases, in use only 10 to 15 percent of the time they’re running), the savings can be dramatic. VMWare claims that its virtualized infrastructure can decrease energy costs by as much as 80 percent.

The same type of benefits can be realized with Microsoft’s Hyper-V virtualization technology, which is an integrated operating system feature of Windows Server 2008.

#4: Consolidate storage with SAN/NAS solutions

Just as server consolidation saves energy, so does consolidation of storage using storage area networks and network attached storage solutions. The Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) proposes such practices as powering down selected drives, using slower drives where possible, and not overbuilding power/cooling equipment based on peak power requirements shown in label ratings.

#5: Optimize data center design

Data centers are huge consumers of energy, and cooling all the equipment is a big issue. Data center design that incorporates hot aisle and cold aisle layout, coupled cooling (placing cooling systems closer to heat sources), and liquid cooling can tremendously reduce the energy needed to run the data center.

Another way to “green” the data center is to use low-powered blade servers and more energy-efficient uninterruptible power supplies, which can use 70 percent less power than a legacy UPS.

Optimum data center design for saving energy should also take into account the big picture, by considering the use of alternative energy technologies (photovoltaics, evaporative cooling, etc.) and catalytic converters on backup generators, and from the ground up, by minimizing the footprints of the buildings themselves. Energy-monitoring systems provide the information you need to measure efficiency. This Microsoft TechNet article discusses various ways to build a green data center.

#6: Use thin clients to reduce GPU power usage

Another way to reduce the amount of energy consumed by computers is to deploy thin clients. Because most of the processing is done on the server, the thin clients use very little energy. In fact, a typical thin client uses less power while up and running applications than an Energy Star compliant PC uses in sleep mode. Thin clients are also ecologically friendly because they generate less e-waste. There’s no hard drive, less memory, and fewer components to be dealt with at the end of their lifecycles.

Last year, a Verizon spokesman said the company had decreased energy consumption by 30 percent by replacing PCs with thin clients, saving about $1 million per year.

#7: Use more efficient displays

If you have old CRT monitors still in use, replacing them with LCD displays can save up to 70 percent in energy costs. However, not all LCD monitors are created equal when it comes to power consumption. High efficiency LCDs are available from several vendors.

LG recently released what it claims is the world’s most energy efficient LCD monitor, the Flatron W2252TE. Tests have shown that it uses less than half the power of conventional 22-inch monitors.

#8: Recycle systems and supplies

To reduce the load on already overtaxed landfills and to avoid sending hazardous materials to those landfills (where they can leach into the environment and cause harm), old systems and supplies can be reused, repurposed, and/or recycled. You can start by repurposing items within the company; for example, in many cases, when a graphics designer or engineer needs a new high end workstation to run resource-hungry programs, the old computer is perfectly adequate for use by someone doing word processing, spreadsheets, or other less intensive tasks. This hand-me-down method allows two workers to get better systems than they had, while requiring the purchase of only one new machine (thus saving money and avoiding unnecessary e-waste).

Old electronics devices can also be reused by those outside the company. You can donate old computers and other devices still in working order to schools and nonprofit organizations, which can still get a lot of use out of them. Finally, much electronic waste can be recycled, the parts used to make new items. Things like old printer cartridges, old cell phones, and paper can all be recycled. Some computer vendors, such as Dell, have programs to take back computers and peripherals for recycling.

#9: Reduce paper consumption

Another way to save money while reducing your company’s impact on the environment is to reduce your consumption of paper. You can do this by switching from a paper-based to an electronic workflow: creating, editing, viewing, and delivering documents in digital rather than printed form. Send documents as e-mail attachments rather than faxing.

And when printing is unavoidable, you can still reduce waste and save money by setting your printers to use duplex (double-sided) printing. An internal study conducted by HP showed that a Fortune 500 company can save 800 tons of paper per year (a savings of over $7 million) by printing on both sides.

#10: Encourage telecommuting

The ultimate way to have a greener office to have less office. By encouraging as many workers as possible to telecommute, you can reduce the amount of office space that needs to be heated and cooled, the number of computers required on site, and the number of miles driven by employees to get to and from work. Telecommuting reduces costs for both employers and employees and can also reduce the spread of contagious diseases.

If you’re one Word 2007 support call away from a nervous breakdown, these tips may help. Susan Harkins addresses the most common areas of confusion and offers practical advice for helping users conquer the steep learning curve.

Word 2007 has been out for a while now, so you’re probably pretty familiar with it. However, despite your best efforts, many of your users might still be struggling. In fact, some of them probably took one look at the new version, closed it, and never opened it again.

Let’s face it: For anyone who’s been using a previous version of Word, opening Word 2007 (or any of the Office 2007 applications) is a bit like landing on an alien planet. It’s completely different and not terribly intuitive. Some users are going to need bit of help and encouragement before they’re willing to embrace Word 2007. Easing them into embracing Word 2007 will cut down on calls to you and help them be more productive.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: Help users find their favorite commands

The Ribbon is by far, the most controversial change to the Office 2007 products. However, you’re in luck in this department because Microsoft provides a downloadable Excel worksheet that maps Word 2003 menu commands to Word 2007 Ribbon tabs, groups, and commands. You can distribute the worksheet as is or quickly create handouts. This worksheet will help your users conquer their apprehension by allowing them to start using Word 2007 much quicker.

Users can also access an online guide via Help. Simply search on Word 2003 To Word 2007, click Interactive: Word 2003 To Word 2007 Command Reference Guide, and then click Start The Guide to watch the demo. Of course, the local system must have a live connection to the Internet for this to work.

Better yet, download the Word 2007 Guide: Word 2003 to Word 2007 interactive command reference guide and then show users how to use it. All they have to do is point to a 2003 command or tool, and a tip window shows them exactly where to find it in Word 2007.

#2: Explain the Ribbon

Word 2007’s Ribbon is so different that it can be a bit overwhelming. Break down its geography so your users will understand the way it works. The Ribbon has three components:

• Tabs represent the active area of commands. There are seven of them across the top of the Ribbon. Clicking a tab will determine the Ribbon’s groups.
• Groups display related items together.
• Commands are the familiar buttons, tools, and menus that execute a task or display settings.

Encourage your uses to spend some time familiarizing themselves with each tab and its many groups. And don’t forget to introduce the dialog box launcher — that’s the small arrow in the bottom-right corner of some groups, such as the one shown in Figure A. Dialog box launchers display more options related to the group, often in the form of the more familiar dialog box interface.

Figure A: Use a dialog box launcher to display more options.

#3: Change the new format if necessary

Most users don’t think about file formats; that’s your department. Word 2007 blurs the boundaries a bit because 2007’s format isn’t compatible with earlier versions. Word 2007 files are XML-based, but don’t expect that to mean much to your users. This format creates smaller files and is more secure than previous formats, which is important to you. However, your users will want to know why they can’t open Word 2007 documents in earlier versions of Word. There’s really no way around that limitation. If it’s a problem, show users how to use Word 2007 while saving files in a previous format, as follows:

1. Click the Office button and then click Word Options (in the bottom-right corner of the resulting dialog box).
2. Choose Save in the left pane.
3. Select an alternate file format from the Save Files In This Format drop-down list shown in Figure B and click OK.

Figure B: Change the default file format so previous versions of Word can open documents saved in Word 2007.

After you make the switch, users can open Word 2007 documents in previous versions of Word. Be sure to introduce users to the new extensions:

• .docx identifies standard Word 2007 documents.
• .docm identifies Word 2007 documents that contain macros or VBA code.
• .dotx identifies Word 2007 templates.
• .dotm identifies a Word 2007 template that contains macros or VBA code.

Word 2007 can open documents created in older versions, but options new to 2007 won’t be available.

#4: Help users find their favorite configuration options

Your users are probably used to configuring things via the Options dialog box on the Tools menu, but there’s no such place in Word 2007. They’re going to be lost when they can’t find the options they need. Show them how to click the Office button and select Word Options when they would normally go for the Options dialog box. Most of Word’s configuration settings are in there somewhere.

As you can see in Figure C, the old tab interface is now a list to the left. Click one of these items to update the options and settings to the right. The downside is that the options aren’t organized exactly the same way, so your users still might have to look around a bit. There’s little you can do to make this adjustment easier beyond pointing out the change and encouraging them explore.

Figure C: Users will find Word 2007’s configuration settings via a new interface.

#5: Customize the Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar is one of my favorite new features because the Ribbon displays only items for the selected tab. By adding commands to the Quick Access Toolbar, users can have ready access to what they need, regardless of the tab that’s currently in use.

The toolbar comes with a few options, but it’s easy to customize. Now, you can do this for your users, but it’s so easy, you should just teach them how to do it for themselves. That way they can adapt it as their needs change.

To add a command to the Quick Access Toolbar, click the appropriate tab or group (on the Ribbon) to display the command you want to add. Then, right-click the command and choose Add To Quick Access Toolbar from the shortcut menu. To remove a command from the toolbar, right-click that command and choose Remove From Quick Access Toolbar.

It’s important to remind users that not every tool on the Ribbon is a traditional command. That means that not every tool can be added to the Quick Access Toolbar. If Add To Quick Access Toolbar isn’t on the shortcut menu, you can’t add that tool.

Occasionally, users will want to add a command that they can’t find on the Ribbon (because it’s not there). Fortunately, they can add these commands to the Quick Access Toolbar, as follows:

1. Click the Office button and then click Word Options.
2. Choose Customize in the left pane.
3. From the Choose Commands From list, select Commands Not In The Ribbon.
4. Scroll through the list and highlight the command.
5. Click Add.
6. Click OK.

Users can also use this method to find an elusive command when everything else fails. They might find it quicker than some of the methods reviewed in #1.

#6: Demonstrate (or suppress) the Mini Toolbar

The selected tab determines which commands are available at any given time, so the commands users might need aren’t always available. They can add those commands to the Quick Access Toolbar (#5) or use the Mini Toolbar. This toolbar displays a number of common commands. For instance, if you point at selected text, Word 2007 displays a faded version of the Mini Toolbar. Click a formatting option on the Mini Toolbar instead of clicking the Home tab and hunting for the same tool.

On the other hand, some of your users may find the Mini Toolbar intrusive. If that’s the case, disable it as follows:

1. Click the Office button.
2. Click Word Options.
3. Select Popular in the left pane.
4. Deselect the Show Mini Toolbar On Selection check box in the Top Options For Working With Word section.
5. Click OK.

#7: Introduce Key Tips (and reintroduce keyboard shortcuts)

The traditional menus use an underscore character to indicate a hotkey, or keyboard shortcut. For instance, the letter F in File is underscored. Most users know that pressing Alt + F will display the File menu. Word 2007’s Ribbon doesn’t support hotkeys the same way — it offers Key Tips instead.

To display Key Tips for the Ribbon, Office button, or Quick Access Toolbar, press the Alt key to display the labels as shown in Figure D. Then, with the labels displayed, press the appropriate key for an action. For instance, pressing H will display the Home tab. Just keep pressing keys (as long as they labels are available) until you complete your task.

Figure D: Pressing Alt displays Word 2007 Key Tips.

Ctrl + C, Ctrl + X, and Ctrl + V still work to copy, cut, and paste. In addition, users with good memories can continue to use the Alt shortcuts. Word 2007 still supports them, but there are no display clues to remind users.

#8: Explain the features of the Zoom tool

Zooming in on text and other content is as easy as ever, if you can find the tool! There’s a new Zoom tool in the lower-right corner. It’s a slider: Slide to the right to zoom in, slide to the left to zoom out. This tool really isn’t hard to find and your users will probably find it on their own, but you might have to show them how to use it more efficiently:

• Click the percent number to the left to open the Zoom dialog box to specify a zoom percentage or specify multiple pages.
• Hold down the Ctrl key while turning the mouse wheel forward to zoom in; turn the mouse wheel backward to zoom out.
• More zoom options are on the View menu in the Zoom group.

#9: Open the header and footer sections

In earlier versions, users chose the Header And Footer command from the View menu to access those sections. In Word 2007, it’s incredibly easy, but you might have to learn the method by accident the first time. That’s why you need to show your users how to open a header or footer section the easy way. Simply double-click the section — that’s it! Word automatically positions the insertion point marker in the section and you’re ready to go.

When you’re in the header or footer section, you can use the Design tab, which Word displays automatically. After you finish, simply click Close Header And Footer in the Close group or double-click the section tab.

#10: Obtain word count and other statistics

Word count is critical to me and it might be to you. In 2003, you display the Word Count toolbar, but that’s gone in Word 2007. Now, the word count is on the status bar. You don’t have to do a thing. If nothing’s selected, the word count considers the entire document. Select text and the control displays the number of selected words and the total word count, as shown in Figure E.

Figure E: Word 2007 displays the word count on the status bar.

That’s probably easy enough for most users to find on their own. What you might need to show them is the additional statistical information that they can also display. Simply right-click the Word Count tool to display the Status Bar Configuration menu shown in Figure F, which displays the statistics for the current document. To add a statistic to the status bar, simply select it. Of course, you can remove statistics by deselecting the item.

Figure F: Add statistics data to the status bar.

#11: Work with templates and add-ins

Your users probably have a few favorite, or required, templates, and they’ll have trouble getting those to work in Word 2007. That’s not because the templates aren’t compatible, but because users won’t be able to find the feature. All the commands for working with templates are on the Developer tab, along with macro and XML commands. (It’s an odd place for sure.) The problem is, the Developer tab isn’t enabled by default. Instruct your users to enable this tab as follows:

1. Click the Office button.
2. Click Word Options.
3. Select Popular in the left pane.
4. Select the Show Developer Tab In The Ribbon check box in the Top Options For Working With Word section.
5. Click OK.

To attach a template, click the Developer tab. Then, click Document Template in the Templates group.

#12: Free up screen space

Word 2007’s takes up a little more space than the traditional menu/toolbar interface, and you can hide those if you like. If users mostly enter and format text, they don’t need the Ribbon often, especially if you show them how to use the Mini Toolbar (#6). Fortunately, your users are just a double-click away from hiding the Ribbon and gaining an extra inch of working space. To hide the Ribbon, double-click the active tab. This action is a simple toggle, so double-clicking the active tab will display the hidden Ribbon.

I have been around the Linux community for more than 10 years now. From the very beginning, I have known that there are basic differences between Linux and Windows that will always set them apart. This is not, in the least, to say one is better than the other. It’s just to say that they are fundamentally different. Many people, looking from the view of one operating system or the other, don’t quite get the differences between these two powerhouses. So I decided it might serve the public well to list 10 of the primary differences between Linux and Windows.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: Full access vs. no access

Having access to the source code is probably the single most significant difference between Linux and Windows. The fact that Linux belongs to the GNU Public License ensures that users (of all sorts) can access (and alter) the code to the very kernel that serves as the foundation of the Linux operating system. You want to peer at the Windows code? Good luck. Unless you are a member of a very select (and elite, to many) group, you will never lay eyes on code making up the Windows operating system.

You can look at this from both sides of the fence. Some say giving the public access to the code opens the operating system (and the software that runs on top of it) to malicious developers who will take advantage of any weakness they find. Others say that having full access to the code helps bring about faster improvements and bug fixes to keep those malicious developers from being able to bring the system down. I have, on occasion, dipped into the code of one Linux application or another, and when all was said and done, was happy with the results. Could I have done that with a closed-source Windows application? No.

#2: Licensing freedom vs. licensing restrictions

Along with access comes the difference between the licenses. I’m sure that every IT professional could go on and on about licensing of PC software. But let’s just look at the key aspect of the licenses (without getting into legalese). With a Linux GPL-licensed operating system, you are free to modify that software and use and even republish or sell it (so long as you make the code available). Also, with the GPL, you can download a single copy of a Linux distribution (or application) and install it on as many machines as you like. With the Microsoft license, you can do none of the above. You are bound to the number of licenses you purchase, so if you purchase 10 licenses, you can legally install that operating system (or application) on only 10 machines.

#3: Online peer support vs. paid help-desk support

This is one issue where most companies turn their backs on Linux. But it’s really not necessary. With Linux, you have the support of a huge community via forums, online search, and plenty of dedicated Web sites. And of course, if you feel the need, you can purchase support contracts from some of the bigger Linux companies (Red Hat and Novell for instance).

However, when you use the peer support inherent in Linux, you do fall prey to time. You could have an issue with something, send out e-mail to a mailing list or post on a forum, and within 10 minutes be flooded with suggestions. Or these suggestions could take hours of days to come in. It seems all up to chance sometimes. Still, generally speaking, most problems with Linux have been encountered and documented. So chances are good you’ll find your solution fairly quickly.

On the other side of the coin is support for Windows. Yes, you can go the same route with Microsoft and depend upon your peers for solutions. There are just as many help sites/lists/forums for Windows as there are for Linux. And you can purchase support from Microsoft itself. Most corporate higher-ups easily fall victim to the safety net that having a support contract brings. But most higher-ups haven’t had to depend up on said support contract. Of the various people I know who have used either a Linux paid support contract or a Microsoft paid support contract, I can’t say one was more pleased than the other. This of course begs the question “Why do so many say that Microsoft support is superior to Linux paid support?”

#4: Full vs. partial hardware support

One issue that is slowly becoming nonexistent is hardware support. Years ago, if you wanted to install Linux on a machine you had to make sure you hand-picked each piece of hardware or your installation would not work 100 percent. I can remember, back in 1997-ish, trying to figure out why I couldn’t get Caldera Linux or Red Hat Linux to see my modem. After much looking around, I found I was the proud owner of a Winmodem. So I had to go out and purchase a US Robotics external modem because that was the one modem I knew would work. This is not so much the case now. You can grab a PC (or laptop) and most likely get one or more Linux distributions to install and work nearly 100 percent. But there are still some exceptions. For instance, hibernate/suspend remains a problem with many laptops, although it has come a long way.

With Windows, you know that most every piece of hardware will work with the operating system. Of course, there are times (and I have experienced this over and over) when you will wind up spending much of the day searching for the correct drivers for that piece of hardware you no longer have the install disk for. But you can go out and buy that 10-cent Ethernet card and know it’ll work on your machine (so long as you have, or can find, the drivers). You also can rest assured that when you purchase that insanely powerful graphics card, you will probably be able to take full advantage of its power.

#5: Command line vs. no command line

No matter how far the Linux operating system has come and how amazing the desktop environment becomes, the command line will always be an invaluable tool for administration purposes. Nothing will ever replace my favorite text-based editor, ssh, and any given command-line tool. I can’t imagine administering a Linux machine without the command line. But for the end user — not so much. You could use a Linux machine for years and never touch the command line. Same with Windows. You can still use the command line with Windows, but not nearly to the extent as with Linux. And Microsoft tends to obfuscate the command prompt from users. Without going to Run and entering cmd (or command, or whichever it is these days), the user won’t even know the command-line tool exists. And if a user does get the Windows command line up and running, how useful is it really?

#6: Centralized vs. noncentralized application installation

The heading for this point might have thrown you for a loop. But let’s think about this for a second. With Linux you have (with nearly every distribution) a centralized location where you can search for, add, or remove software. I’m talking about package management systems, such as Synaptic. With Synaptic, you can open up one tool, search for an application (or group of applications), and install that application without having to do any Web searching (or purchasing).

Windows has nothing like this. With Windows, you must know where to find the software you want to install, download the software (or put the CD into your machine), and run setup.exe or install.exe with a simple double-click. For many years, it was thought that installing applications on Windows was far easier than on Linux. And for many years, that thought was right on target. Not so much now. Installation under Linux is simple, painless, and centralized.

#7: Flexibility vs. rigidity

I always compare Linux (especially the desktop) and Windows to a room where the floor and ceiling are either movable or not. With Linux, you have a room where the floor and ceiling can be raised or lowered, at will, as high or low as you want to make them. With Windows, that floor and ceiling are immovable. You can’t go further than Microsoft has deemed it necessary to go.

Take, for instance, the desktop. Unless you are willing to pay for and install a third-party application that can alter the desktop appearance, with Windows you are stuck with what Microsoft has declared is the ideal desktop for you. With Linux, you can pretty much make your desktop look and feel exactly how you want/need. You can have as much or as little on your desktop as you want. From simple flat Fluxbox to a full-blown 3D Compiz experience, the Linux desktop is as flexible an environment as there is on a computer.

#8: Fanboys vs. corporate types

I wanted to add this because even though Linux has reached well beyond its school-project roots, Linux users tend to be soapbox-dwelling fanatics who are quick to spout off about why you should be choosing Linux over Windows. I am guilty of this on a daily basis (I try hard to recruit new fanboys/girls), and it’s a badge I wear proudly. Of course, this is seen as less than professional by some. After all, why would something worthy of a corporate environment have or need cheerleaders? Shouldn’t the software sell itself? Because of the open source nature of Linux, it has to make do without the help of the marketing budgets and deep pockets of Microsoft. With that comes the need for fans to help spread the word. And word of mouth is the best friend of Linux.

Some see the fanaticism as the same college-level hoorah that keeps Linux in the basements for LUG meetings and science projects. But I beg to differ. Another company, thanks to the phenomenon of a simple music player and phone, has fallen into the same fanboy fanaticism, and yet that company’s image has not been besmirched because of that fanaticism. Windows does not have these same fans. Instead, Windows has a league of paper-certified administrators who believe the hype when they hear the misrepresented market share numbers reassuring them they will be employable until the end of time.

#9: Automated vs. nonautomated removable media

I remember the days of old when you had to mount your floppy to use it and unmount it to remove it. Well, those times are drawing to a close — but not completely. One issue that plagues new Linux users is how removable media is used. The idea of having to manually “mount” a CD drive to access the contents of a CD is completely foreign to new users. There is a reason this is the way it is. Because Linux has always been a multiuser platform, it was thought that forcing a user to mount a media to use it would keep the user’s files from being overwritten by another user. Think about it: On a multiuser system, if everyone had instant access to a disk that had been inserted, what would stop them from deleting or overwriting a file you had just added to the media? Things have now evolved to the point where Linux subsystems are set up so that you can use a removable device in the same way you use them in Windows. But it’s not the norm. And besides, who doesn’t want to manually edit the /etc/fstab fle?

#10: Multilayered run levels vs. a single-layered run level

I couldn’t figure out how best to title this point, so I went with a description. What I’m talking about is Linux’ inherent ability to stop at different run levels. With this, you can work from either the command line (run level 3) or the GUI (run level 5). This can really save your socks when X Windows is fubared and you need to figure out the problem. You can do this by booting into run level 3, logging in as root, and finding/fixing the problem.

With Windows, you’re lucky to get to a command line via safe mode — and then you may or may not have the tools you need to fix the problem. In Linux, even in run level 3, you can still get and install a tool to help you out (hello apt-get install APPLICATION via the command line). Having different run levels is helpful in another way. Say the machine in question is a Web or mail server. You want to give it all the memory you have, so you don’t want the machine to boot into run level 5. However, there are times when you do want the GUI for administrative purposes (even though you can fully administer a Linux server from the command line). Because you can run the startx command from the command line at run level 3, you can still start up X Windows and have your GUI as well. With Windows, you are stuck at the Graphical run level unless you hit a serious problem.

Your call…

Those are 10 fundamental differences between Linux and Windows. You can decide for yourself whether you think those differences give the advantage to one operating system or the other. Me? Well I think my reputation (and opinion) precedes me, so I probably don’t need to say I feel strongly that the advantage leans toward Linux.

Oh yeah. You’re going to work for yourself, be your own boss. Come and go when you want. No more kowtowing to The Man, right?

Running your own computer consulting business is rewarding, but it’s also full of numerous and competing challenges. Before you make the jump into entrepreneurship, take a moment to benefit from a few hundred hours of research I’ve invested and the real-world lessons I’ve learned in launching my own computer consulting franchise.

There are plenty of launch-your-own-business books out there. I know. I read several of them. Most are great resources. Many provide critical lessons in best managing liquid assets, understanding opportunity costs, and leveraging existing business relationships. But when it comes down to the dirty details, here are 10 things you really, really need to know (in street language) before quitting your day job.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: You need to incorporate

You don’t want to lose your house if a client’s data is lost. If you try hanging out a shingle as an independent lone ranger, your personal assets could be at risk. (Note that I’m not dispensing legal nor accounting advice. Consult your attorney for legal matters and a qualified accountant regarding tax issues.)

Ultimately, life is easier when your business operates as a business and not as a side project you maintain when you feel like it. Clients appreciate the assurance of working with a dedicated business. I can’t tell you how many clients I’ve obtained whose last IT guy “did it on the side” and has now taken a corporate job and doesn’t have time to help the client whose business has come to a standstill because of computer problems. Clients want to know you’re serious about providing service and that they’re not entering a new relationship in which they’re just going to get burned again in a few months time.

Incorporate. Form an LLC. Have questions about whether an S-Corp is right for you? Talk to an accountant. Then hit LegalZoom.com. The site will walk you through a questionnaire (you’ll need to have the advice of your accountant at the ready to answer the queries), and then it’ll file the appropriate paperwork for a fraction of the cost an attorney would charge.

#2: You need to register for a federal tax ID number

Next, you need to register for a federal tax ID number. Hardly anyone (vendors, banks, and even some clients) will talk to you if you don’t.

Wait a second. Didn’t you just complete a mountain of paperwork to form your business (either as a corporation or LLC)? Yes, you did. But attorneys and online services charge incredible rates to obtain a federal tax ID for you.

Here’s a secret: It’s easy. Just go to the IRS Web site, complete and submit form SS-4 online, and voila. You’ll be the proud new owner of a federal tax ID.

#3: You need to register for a state sales tax exemption

You need a state sales tax exemption, too (most likely). If you’re in a state that collects sales tax, you’re responsible for ensuring sales tax gets paid on any item you sell a client. In such states, whether you buy a PC for a customer or purchase antivirus licenses, taxes need to be paid.

Check your state’s Web site. Look for information on the state’s department of revenue. You’ll probably have to complete a form, possibly even have it notarized, and return it to the state’s revenue cabinet. Within a few weeks, you’ll receive an account number. You’ll use that account number when you purchase products from vendors. You can opt NOT to pay sales tax when you purchase the item, instead choosing to pay the sales tax when you sell the item to the client.

Why do it this way? Because many (most) consultants charge clients far more for a purchase than the consultant paid. Some call it markup; accountants prefer to view it as profit. But you certainly don’t want to have to try to determine what taxes still need to be paid if some tax was paid earlier. Thus, charge tax at the point of sale to the customer, not when you purchase the item.

#4: You need to register with local authorities

Local government wants its money, too. Depending on where your business is located and services customers, you’ll likely need to register for a business license. As with the state sales tax exemption, contact your local government’s revenue cabinet or revenue commission for more information on registering your business. Expect to pay a fee for the privilege.

#5: QuickBooks is your friend

Once your paperwork’s complete, it’s time for more paperwork. In fact, you’d better learn to love paperwork, as a business owner. There’s lots of it, whether it’s preparing quarterly tax filings, generating monthly invoicing, writing collection letters, or simply returning monthly sales reports to state and local revenue cabinets.

QuickBooks can simplify the process. From helping keep your service rates consistent (you’ll likely want one level for benchwork, another for residential or home office service, and yet a third for commercial accounts) to professionally invoicing customers, QuickBooks can manage much of your finances.

I recommend purchasing the latest Pro version, along with the corresponding Missing Manual book for the version you’ve bought. Plan on spending a couple of weekends, BEFORE you’ve launched your business, doing nothing but studying the financial software. Better yet, obtain assistance from an accountant or certified QuickBooks professional to set up your initial Chart of Accounts. A little extra time taken on the front end to ensure the software’s configured properly for your business will save you tons of time on the backend. I promise.

#6: Backend systems will make or break you

Speaking of backend, backend systems are a pain in the you-know-what. And by backend, I mean all your back office chores, from marketing services to billing to vendor management and fulfillment. Add call management to the list, too.

Just as when you’re stuck in traffic driving between service calls, you don’t make any money when you’re up to your elbows in paper or processing tasks. It’s frustrating. Clients want you to order a new server box, two desktops, and a new laptop. They don’t want to pay a markup, either. But they’re happy to pay you for your time to install the new equipment.

Sound good? It’s not.

Consider the facts. You have to form a relationship with the vendor. It will need your bank account information, maybe proof of insurance (expect to carry one million dollars of general liability), your state sales tax exemption ID, your federal employer ID, a list of references, and a host of other information that takes a day to collect. Granted, you have to do that only once (with each vendor, and you’ll need about 10), but then you still have to wade through their catalogs, select the models you need, and configure them with the appropriate tape arrays, software packages, etc. That takes an hour alone. And again, you’re typically not getting paid for this research. Even if you mark hardware sales up 15 percent, don’t plan on any Hawaiian vacation as a result.

Add in similar trials and tribulations with your marketing efforts, billing systems, vendor maintenance, channel resellers, management issues, etc., and you can see why many consultants keep a full-time office manager on staff. It’s no great revelation of my business strategy to say that’s why I went with a franchise group. I have a world of backend support ready and waiting when I need it. I can’t imagine negotiating favorable or competitive pricing with computer manufacturers, antivirus vendors, or Microsoft if I operated on my own.

Before you open your doors, make sure that you know how you’ll tackle these wide-ranging back office chores. You’ll be challenged with completing them on an almost daily basis.

#7: Vendor relationships will determine your success

This is one of those business facets I didn’t fully appreciate until I was operating on my own. Everyone wants you to sell their stuff, right? How hard can it be for the two of you to hook up?

Well, it’s hard, as it turns out, to obtain products configured exactly as your client needs quickly and at a competitive price if you don’t have strong vendor relationships. That means you’ll need to spend time at trade shows and on the telephone developing business relationships with everyone from software manufacturers and hardware distributors to local computer store owners who keep life-saving SATA disks and patch 5 cables in stock when you can’t wait five days for them to show up via UPS.

Different vendors have their own processes, so be prepared to learn myriad ways of signing up and jumping through hoops. Some have online registrations; others prefer faxes and notarized affidavits. Either way, they all take time to launch, so plan on beginning vendor discussions, and establishing your channel relationships, months in advance of opening your consultancy.

#8: You must know what you do (and explain it in 10 seconds or less)

All the start-your-own-business books emphasize writing your 50-page business plan. Yes, I did that. And do you know how many times I’ve referred to it since I opened my business? Right; not once.

The written business plan is essential. Don’t get me wrong. It’s important because it gets you thinking about all those topics (target markets, capitalization, sales and marketing, cash flow requirements, etc.) you must master to be successful.

But here’s what you really need to include in your business plan: a succinct and articulate explanation of what your business does, how the services you provide help other businesses succeed, and how you’re different. Oh, and you need to be able to explain all that in 10 seconds or less.

Really. I’m not kidding.

Business Network International (plan on joining the chapter in your area) is on to something when it allots members just 30 seconds or so to explain what they do and the nature of their competitive advantage. Many times I’ve been approached in elevators, at stoplights (with the windows down), and just entering my car in a parking lot by prospective customers. Sometimes they have a quick question, other times they need IT help right now. Here’s the best part; they don’t always know it.

The ability to quickly communicate the value of the services you provide is paramount to success. Ensure that you can rattle off a sincere description of what you do and how you do it in 10 seconds and without having to think about it. It must be a natural reaction you develop to specific stimuli. You’ll cash more checks if you do.

#9: It’s all about the branding

Why have I been approached by customers at stoplights, in parking lots, and in elevators? I believe in branding. And unlike many pop business books that broach the subject of branding but don’t leave you with any specifics, here’s what I mean by that.

People know what I do. Give me 10 seconds and I can fill in any knowledge gaps quickly. My “brand” does much of the ice breaking for me. I travel virtually nowhere without it. My company’s logo and telephone number are on shirts. Long sleeve, short sleeve, polos, and dress shirts; they all feature my logo. Both my cars are emblazoned with logos, telephone numbers, and simple marketing messages (which I keep consistent with my Yellow Pages and other advertising).

I have baseball hats for casual trips to Home Depot. My attaché features my company logo. My wife wears shirts displaying the company logo when grocery shopping. After I visit clients, even their PC bears a shiny silver sticker with my logo and telephone number.

Does it work? You better believe it. Hang out a shingle and a few people will call. Plaster a consistent but tasteful logo and simple message on your cars, clothing, ads, Web site, etc., and the calls begin stacking up.

Do you have to live, eat, and breathe the brand? No. But it helps. And let’s face it. After polishing off a burrito and a beer, I don’t mind someone asking if they can give me their laptop to repair when I approach my car in a parking lot. Just in case they have questions, I keep brochures, business cards and notepads (again, all featuring my logo and telephone number) in my glove box. You’d be surprised how quickly I go through them. I am.

#10: A niche is essential

The business plan books touch on this, but they rarely focus on technology consultants directly. You need to know your market niche. I’m talking about your target market here.

Will you service only small businesses? If so, you better familiarize yourself with the software they use. Or are you targeting physicians? In that case, you better know all things HIPAA, Intergy, and Medisoft (among others).

Know up front that you’re not going to be able to master everything. I choose to manage most Windows server, desktop, and network issues. When I encounter issues with specific medical software, dental systems, or client relationship software platforms, I call in an expert trained on those platforms. We work alongside to iron out the issue together.

Over time, that strategy provides me with greater penetration into more markets than if I concentrated solely on mastering medical systems, for example. Plus, clients respect you when you tell them you’re outside your area of expertise. It builds trust, believe it or not.

Whatever you choose to focus on, ensure that you know your niche. Do all you can to research your target market thoroughly and understand the challenges such clients battle daily. Otherwise, you’ll go crazy trying to develop expertise with Medisoft databases at the same time Intel’s rolling out new dual-core chips and Microsoft’s releasing a drastically new version of Office.

The following is a list of security mistakes I see all the time. They’re not just common, though — they’re also extremely basic, elementary mistakes, and anyone with a modicum of security knowledge should know better than to make them.

Note: This information originally appeared as an entry in our IT Security blog. It’s also available as a PDF download.

#1: Sending sensitive data in unencrypted e-mail

Stop sending me passwords, PINs, and account data via unencrypted e-mail. Please. I understand that a lot of customers are too stupid or lazy to use encryption, but I’m not. Even if you’re going to give them what they want, in the form of unencrypted sensitive data sent via e-mail, that doesn’t mean you can’t give me what I want — secure communications when sending sensitive data.

#2: Using “security” questions whose answers are easily discovered

Social security numbers, mothers’ maiden names, first pets, and birthdays do not constitute a secure means of verifying identity. Requiring an end user to compromise his or her password by specifying a question like that as a means of resetting the password basically ensures that the password itself is useless in preventing anyone who is willing to do a little homework from gaining unauthorized access.

#3: Imposing password restrictions that are too strict

I’ve seen an unacceptable number of cases where some online interface to a system that lets you manage your finances — such as banking Web sites — impose password restrictions that actually make the interface less secure. Six-character numeric passwords are dismayingly common, and the examples only go downhill from there. See “How does bad password policy like this even happen?” for another example in more detail.

#4: Letting vendors define “good security”

I’ve said before that there’s no such thing as a vendor you can trust. Hopefully, you were listening. Ultimately, the only security a corporate vendor really cares about protecting is the security of its own profits and market share. While this may prompt a vendor to improve the security of its products and services, it sometimes prompts exactly the opposite. You must question a vendor’s definition of “good security,” and you must not let vendors tell you what’s important to you.

#5: Underestimating required security expertise

People in positions of authority in corporations often fail to understand the necessity for specific security expertise. This applies not only to nontechnical managers, but to technical IT managers as well. In fact, standards working groups such as the one that produced the WEP standard often include a lot of very smart technologists, but not a single cryptographer, despite the fact they intend to develop security standards that rely explicitly on cryptographic algorithms.

#6: Underestimating the importance of review

Even those with security expertise specific to what they’re trying to accomplish should have their work checked by others with that expertise as well. Peer review is regarded in the security community as something akin to a holy grail of security assurance, and nothing can really be considered secure without being subjected to significant, punishing levels of testing by security experts from outside the original development project.

#7: Overestimating the importance of secrecy

Many security software developers who make the mistake of underestimating the importance of review couple that with overestimation of the importance of secrecy. They justify a lack of peer review with hand-waving about how important it is to keep security policies secret. As Kerckoffs’ Principle — one of the most fundamental in security research — points out, however, any system whose security relies on the design of the system itself being kept secret is not a system with strong security.

#8: Requiring easily forged identification

Anything that involves faxing signatures or sending photocopies or scans of ID cards is basically just a case of security theater — putting on a great show without actually providing the genuine article (security, in this case) at all. It is far too easy to forge such second-generation (or worse) low quality copies. In fact, for things like signatures and ID cards, the only way for a copy to serve as useful verification is for it to be a good enough copy that it is not recognized as a copy. Put another way, only a successful forgery of the original is a good enough copy to avoid easy forgery.

#9: Unnecessarily reinventing the wheel

Often, developers of new security software are re-creating something that already exists without any good reason for doing so. Many software vendors suffer from Not Invented Here disease and end up creating new software that doesn’t really do anything new or needed. That might not be a big deal, except that new software is often not peer reviewed, it makes security mistakes that have already been ironed out of the previous implementation of the idea, and it generally just screws things up pretty badly.

Whenever creating a new piece of software, consider whether you’re replacing something else that already does that job and whether your replacement actually does anything different that is important. Then, if it is doing something important and different, think about whether you might be able to just add that to the already existing software so you will not create a whole new bundle of problems by trying to replace it.

#10: Giving up the means of your security in exchange for a feeling of security

This is a mistake so absurd to make that I have difficulty formulating an explanation. It is also so common that there’s no way I can leave it out of the list. People give up the keys to their private security kingdoms to anyone who comes along and tells them, “Trust me, I’m an expert,” and they do it willingly, eagerly, and often without thought. “Certificate Authorities” tell you who to trust, thus stripping you of your ability to make your own decisions about trust; Webmail service providers offer on-server encryption and decryption, thus stripping you of end-to-end encryption and control over your own encryption keys; operating systems decide what to execute without your consent, thus stripping you of your ability to protect yourself from mobile malicious code.

Don’t give up control of your security to some third party. Sure, you may not be able to develop a good security program or policy yourself, but that doesn’t mean the program or policy shouldn’t give you control over its operation on your behalf.

When that phone rings, the clock starts running. The sooner you can resolve the caller’s problem, the better off both of you will be. Here are some tips to help.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: Remember Occam’s Razor

One useful principle I’ve learned is that of Occam’s Razor: The simplest explanation for a situation is often the correct one. Yes, your customer’s blank monitor might have been caused by sunspots, in connection with an electrical storm this morning. But isn’t it more likely that the signal cable or the power cable is loose or unplugged? Eliminate the simple causes before trying the more complex ones.

#2: Ask carefully about the “simple” causes

Be careful in determining these simple causes. Your customer, particularly one who has technical ability, may be offended. To minimize this possibility, consider apologizing in advance, or using “the system” as your foil. For example: “I’m really sorry to ask, but you did already check to see that it’s plugged in, right?” Alternatively, you could say, “I’m sorry, I have to ask this, or else I’m in trouble with my boss….”

#3: Use open-ended questions at the start

Open-ended questions are designed to gain as much information as possible from the customer. In the case of problem determination, you want such information, because you want to eliminate or focus on particular causes of the customer’s problem. Open-ended questions generally require sentences to answer; they can’t be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” Using a courtroom analogy, an attorney who’s doing a direct examination of a witness will use open-ended questions. That’s because the witness is either the client or someone who’s allied with the client.

#4: Use closed-ended questions to confirm

Closed-ended questions are designed to confirm your current understanding. At this point, you’ve gained valuable information from the customer and now want to confirm it. For example, you could ask, “You’re saying you did install release 3.5, is that correct?”

Be careful not to move too quickly into asking closed-ended questions because you might shut yourself off from valuable information.

#5: Empathize with the caller

Customers who call with a problem have more than a technical issue. They almost always have an emotional reaction as well. It’s important to address this emotional aspect, because the way you do so determines their satisfaction with your work. Take a second to say you’re sorry for the problem and that you want to get it resolved as soon as possible.

#6: Help the caller help you

If you need information from the customer, make it easy for him or her to provide it. Are you looking for a serial number from an equipment label or tag? Then tell the customer where it is (e.g., the first line or second line of the tag). Also, if you can, tell the customer the structure or format (e.g., it’s a six-digit numeral or it’s a10-character alphanumeric, with three letters followed by seven digits).

#7: Explain why you’re asking them to do certain things

A customer with a technical problem has enough anxiety as it is. If you ask that customer to do seemingly unrelated tasks, you could increase that anxiety, causing a negative reaction. To reduce this possibility, explain to the customer why you’re asking him or her to do something and how it relates to resolving the problem. If your customer is technically proficient, describe the result of what you’re doing. It can save time and may prevent insulting the customer’s intelligence. For example, instead of saying, “Okay, click on Start, then highlight Run, then type regedit,” consider saying, “Okay, we need to edit the registry. If you want, I can step you through how to get there.”

#8: Identify what’s unique about this customer

What’s different or special about this customer, if others don’t have the same problem? Is this customer in a different building, or attached to a different server, or using a different release of software? Knowing the answer could help you narrow things down.

#9: Determine what’s changed recently for this customer

Similarly, you’ll want to ascertain whether anything has changed with regard to the customer. Has he or she moved to a new location or had a system upgrade? On the other hand, was the customer left behind when others went to that upgrade?

#10: Does the problem “stalk the swap”?

If you’re dealing with hardware or equipment issues, check to see whether the problem “stalks the swap.” If it does, you have pretty good assurance that the piece you swapped is the piece that’s causing the problem. Let’s say you’ve narrowed a connectivity problem to either the network adapter or the patch cable between the PC and the wall jack. When you replace the network cable with a new one, the problem goes away. To make sure, though, take that old cable and use it with another PC that has a good connection. If the connectivity problem appears with the second PC, you can be pretty sure the cable was the problem.

#11: Document the problem after it’s resolved

Once the problem is fixed, document it in your problem ticket. If you have no ticket system, at least let your co-workers know via an e-mail or text. Also, discuss what happened with the customer if he or she did something that caused the problem. If you can prevent it from happening again, both you and the customer benefit.

Calvin Sun works with organizations in the areas of customer service, communications, and leadership. You can contact him at csun@calvinsun.com.

One of the nicest aspects of Firefox is the ability to add extensions. And there are plenty to choose from. Some do little more than alter the aesthetics. But you’ll find others out there that you can’t browse without. No matter what your purpose in browsing, there is a killer-app extension just waiting for you. Let’s take a look at my top 10 extensions.

Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: Morning Coffee

This extension allows you to set a group of Web sites that will open (each in its own tab) with the click of a button. This will save you from having to roam through your bookmarks (while drinking that first cup of wake-me-up in the morning) to view your favorite sites. And you don’t have to limit yourself to personal browsing, either. I also use this extension to open up all the Web-based admin tools for sites I administer. You can even set sites up to open only on certain days (or every day). So news junkies or overworked administrators rejoice: This extension will make your browsing life a little easier.

#2: NoScript

This is one of the best tools for making sure your browsing experience is secure. With NoScript, you can disable active content from any site you don’t trust. Unless you configure it to allow JaveaScript, Java, and other executable scripting to run from a site, NoScript will completely block the script, keeping you browser safe from known and unknown exploits. And don’t think because you are using FireFox in Linux that you’re perfectly safe! Use this extension regardless of platform.

#3: ColorfulTabs

If you’re like me, you generally have a LOT of tabs open in Firefox. Sometimes this isn’t a problem. But there are times when the tabs can get a bit overwhelming and need a bit of organization. To help with this, ColorfulTabs gives each open tab a different color, making it easier to distinguish between them. With this simple extension, you can color-code tabs either randomly or according to URL. You can also set tabs to fade. Another fun feature is that you can set a background image for tabs.

#4: BBCode

This helpful extension adds BBCode, HTML, and XHTML symbols and formatting to the context menu. BBCode also allows you to add up to 10 custom tags to your menu. This extension shows itself when you’re in a forum and you right-click a text area where you can select the tag you want to add from the menu. This extension will make your forum work quite a bit easier, as well as faster.

#5: Buggybar

This extension is invaluable to Bugzilla power users. With this extension, you will have a Bugzilla Chrome sidebar available which will readily show all bugs that relate to a bug list you have created. As of version 0.2, Buggybar works with all instances of Bugzilla.

#6: Clear Cache Button

I don’t know about you, but I always set up my browsers to clear their cache at exit. But what about those times you want to clear the cache but not exit the browser? Instead of navigating through the menu structure, you can add this simple extension. It provides a button that gives you complete cache clearing with a single click.

#7: TimeTracker

Okay, this is not really a tool that will aid or better your browsing experience. In fact, this little extension will remind you how much time you spend browsing. I have found this little gem useful in a number of circumstances. Whether you are in need of a quick five-minute break from number crunching or you just need to know how much time you spend on a specific Web site, TimeTracker will keep track of how long you browse. What is nice about this is that the tool times across sessions. So when you close the browser, the timer stops, and when you open the browser back up, the timer starts again. You can reset the timer by right-clicking the status bar timer and selecting Reset.

#8: iMacros

This extension automates pretty much anything you do in Firefox. From opening up sites to filling out forms and even administration work — you can automate it with iMacros. The iMacros extension has a sidebar that shows favorite macros. It also has a record feature that allows you to create macros by simply clicking Record, going through the motions of the macro to be created, and clicking Save. These macros can be as complex as you need them to be. When you want to run them, you simply navigate to the macro in the iMacros sidebar and click the Play button. The only downfall I have found with this tool is that you can’t assign key combinations to run macros. Other than that, this extension is a must-have for power browsers.

#9: Fasterfox

This extension does one thing: It makes Firefox load pages faster. Speed of page loading can be increased by allowing simultaneous connections and prefetching. This extension is currently in the experimental stage because of the release of Firefox 3. To install it, you have to log into a Firefox account to download. The extension is worth the hassle. The speed increase is noticeable.

#10: BlogRovR

We all read blogs. From my TechRepublic Linux and Open Source blog to the countless other blogs available, we all read them daily. And this takes time. Instead of wasting time going to the blogs, let this handy extension fetch them for you. You do have to sign up for an account using this extension (they promise they won’t spam you.) and you will be asked to install another sidebar (Stickies), which is not necessary. Once you have this installed, you just enter the blog URL, and BlogRovR will begin fetching the information for you. Warning: If you have NoScript installed, you have to allow the BlogRovR page to run scripts or it won’t be able to fetch pages for you.

So that’s my list of 10 extensions, from various categories, that will make your Firefox experience better. Some of these extensions are for power users and some are for everyone. What extensions have you found that make your daily browsing better?