Nature and Technology

In this issue:

• Growing Adaptable Technology
• Is it Time to Migrate?
• Go “Green” this Spring
• Data Breach…A Technology Wildfire

Do you find yourself sighing over a missed sales lead, avoiding a monthly review of your business results because information is not in one place, or simply frustrated over the amount of work needed to get a job done?
Clever and thoughtfully deployed office automation may be the solution.

Astound your friends with more time-saver Windows keyboard function key tips:

F9 –      Sends and receives emails in Microsoft Outlook and refreshes a document in Microsoft Word.

F10 –    Activates the menu bar of an open Microsoft Windows application.

Feel like a magician with more time-saving Windows keyboard function key tips:

F5 –    Functionality depends on application:

Web Browser – Refreshes webpage
Word – Opens Find&Replace window
PowerPoint – Starts a slideshow

F6 –    Moves the cursor to the address bar in most Internet browsers.

Abra abracadabra… “wanna reach out and grab ya!”  In keeping with The Steve Miller Band, we want to reach out and grab your attention to turn you on to some time-saving things to do with Windows function keys.

F1 –  Help!  Almost every program opens a Help screen with this key.

eReaders are the new wave of literary technology—allowing access to thousands of books on a single, light-weight device. Thanks to their excellent screens and long battery life, eReaders are ideal devices for avid readers—especially considering features like customizable font styles/sizes, a built-in dictionary, and access to a variety of written media (e.g., books, magazines, newspapers). Here are some of our favorites and why:

Marybeth Smith, COO, has enjoyed her Kindle Paperwhite since 2010! I use my eReader anywhere and everywhere.

Your computer network, much like a good story, is comprised of several elements. An IT environment is a lot like a web; each individual piece works together to create the digital tapestry that allows you to conduct your business.
Behind the scenes, your workstation is connected to your company’s information through various network resources (the individual threads of Charlotte’s web).
While your workstation is made up of various pieces, it communicates with your network through something called a NIC (Network Interface Card). You’ll be able to see where the spiderweb begins since this is where your network cable plugs into.

The owners of growing businesses face a very real challenge where their technology infrastructure is concerned.  As your business grows, the IT solutions that once worked so well for you may no longer make sense.  Maybe you put a fantastic inventory management system in place that did everything you needed it to do, but that was when YOU had to take care of the inventory.

This past April, technology allowed us to usher in a member of the next generation—April the giraffe and her calf!  Much like in the animal kingdom, new technology is being developed and born into the digital world every day.  New technology, much like baby animals, needs time to grow and mature into their fully developed potential.

Enhancing the security of your online accounts is important for staying safe online.

Turn on two-factor authentication on critical accounts like email, banking and social media.
Secure your router by making sure it has a strong password and does not broadcast who you are through its name (e.g., “the Jones Family” or “123 Elm Street”).
Make better passwords by combining upper and lower case letters with numbers and symbols.