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Showing posts from 2014

Things you DON'T want on your website

Now, this admission will reveal my age.  I have been a part of designing websites through ~every single aspect~ shown on this infographic chart from Who Is Hosting This . Click here to view the infographic. You may need to click again on the image to make it large enough to read. From gradients to web counters, I have done them all. Take my advice and do not ask me to add these things to your website unless you are wanting a "retro" look. Except maybe drop shadows, I like drop shadows. They may have their place depending on the design.☺

Digital Marketing for the Small Business

OutMarket has put out in interesting white paper on " 15 Ideas to Grow with Digital Marketing ".  Online marketing is not just for the big guys but is easily available for small businesses and you need to take advantage of that opportunity to level the playing field in your industry. The article provides some of the first steps in developing your online marketing plan and well worth reading. Some small business owners want to save funds and do it themselves but you might want to consider hiring this out to an online marketing specialist so you can focus on YOUR business. Twitter, Facebook, Google Analytics and social media monitoring can monopolize your time, taking you away from running your business. Shameless plug, McAllister Park Design can help you with your online marketing and increase your exposure online to potential clients. We will work with you as a consultant to help you develop a plan or as your regular marketing guru, your choice.

My Favorite Apps/Software

Do you know the difference between an app and software?  Well, if you try and look it up online, you will get a variety of answers. What we do know is that "app" is short for "application".  Past that point, the line is pretty blurred as we often use the word "software" pretty extensively for any "application" that runs on a computer.  But there is a definition. An app is computer software that is designed to help the user perform various light weight tasks on the computer (but more often referred to an application on a phone or tablet) while software is usually things like your operating system and system files on your computer.   Does it matter? Probably not. With that out of the way, I want to list a couple of my favorite apps.  Hopefully, you will find them helpful in your business as well.  The great part is that they are low cost and free since I tend to be frugal when it comes to business "apps".  I also want the app to cro

Why Should I Hire a Professional Web Designer?

Well, to tell you the truth, there are many reasons to hire a professional but there are Your nephew might know computer games but that doesn't make him a web designer. times that you can settle with a DIY website. But avoid your geeky nephew that can throw up that a bargain website. Unless he is a professional, that is one situation I suggest you avoid. Companies need a web presence. They need to have their information available to their customers such as products, services, hours, contact information, ordering, menus, specials, and much more. With a simple site, this might be workable on your own. There is no doubt that software and websites with templates and stock images makes it much easier today than even just a few years ago.  But if it is too much, call a professional.   If you are looking at e-commerce, call a professional. If you want custom features, call a professional. Just my suggestion. You might also consider just doing a consultation with a designer. The

School's Out and DMC is Back!

Good Morning, Daily Mouse Readers! I am back and ready to go, sharing information for your business, your online presence, marketing, social media and using your computer productively and effectively for your business. Building your business online is just as important as your personal presentation, sales pitch and branding. Do you have your information online to support your customers coming to your location?  Do you provide them with your products, menus, specials, hours and directions?  Do you want to encourage them to contact you or to look elsewhere? Let me give you an example. I need my coffee in the morning! I love coffee and my coffee maker died last week. I went looking for a new one that had the features I wanted.  Yes, I am a little finicky about my coffee maker. I prefer a thermal pot so I don't burn the coffee. My experience is that coffee makes last longer if they don't have a burner running for hours daily, not to mention keeping the cost down for elect

Taking a Hiatus

Due to a heavy work project load, an internship and homework (I will be graduating in the fall), I am taking a hiatus from the DMC for the summer.  I will still post links on occasion and write articles as I find time but it won't be daily until September.  I promise to come back with new information, great tips and maybe even some audio and video blogging to mix things up a bit. Blessings! <>< Becky

Net Neutrality

What is net neutrality? Net neutrality is the concept that all Internet traffic should be treated equally. I am an advocate for Net Neutrality where the startups, and the little guy has as much of a chance at success at the big guys such as Amazon, ESPN or Google The fact is that without that neutrality this tiny speck of a blog may never see the light of day.   This is a big BIG issue and you need to be aware of the potential changes to the Internet that could be happening. Voice your opinion, let them know. Please send your thoughts to openinternet@fcc.gov or post your comment on the form: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/upload/display?z=p0e2m More on the hearings can be found here: http://mashable.com/2014/05/15/fcc-net-neutrality-live/?utm_cid=mash-com-fb-main-link

Getting a Higher Education at a Lower Cost

This morning I was in "dialog" with a friend on Facebook about higher education. In Finland, people have universal "free" access to higher education* and also receive a monthly grant while attending school.  So, now I will get on my soapbox. Unless you are going for a doctor or lawyer, a liberal arts degree should be purchased within your financial means. And there are exceptions here with less expensive school, Peace Corps, military nursing loan repayment and medical loan forgiveness programs . If you can't afford to attend a high cost college, don't take out a loan! Find a way to get an education that fits your budget.  If you are low income, you have access to the PELL Grants. In Georgia (my state) there is the HOPE grant and HOPE scholarship.  If you don't have money to pay for going away to school, do your first two years at a community college or technical college where your grant money will go much farther and pay for all those core classes at

Typical Tuesday: Busy

This has been an extremely busy day with clients, a real estate closing and more, so I am passing on a little bit of fun instead of some computer tip. Hey, we have to have fun sometimes!  I was a courier for 10 years and this one just struck me as absolutely funny.  Enjoy! ☺

Maintenance Monday: Keep it cool!

Cooling is so important! One of the biggest dangers to your computer is heat.  Too much heat reduces the life of your computer.   Today's tip is to keep your computer cool. One of the biggest threats to keeping your desktop cool is dust. Because of the fans on your computer dust will collect in and around the vents and even on the inside if kept on the floor, near pets or in a room with the windows open or even just a warm environment.  With a dry cloth, wipe down the vent panels of your computer. If you are in a very dusty location use a can of bottled air to blow out the dust on the inside of your system. If you aren't comfortable with doing this, contact a professional. Make sure there is plenty of room around the computer!  Airflow helps keep your system cool and if it is blocked, you are raising the temperature inside your computer and putting it at risk. If your computer desktop inside a desk slot, be sure to keep the door open while it is running. Laptops are n

Microsoft had to patch Windows XP | ZDNet

There are still people out there running XP even with the various suggestions to upgrade or change ( see our previous article ).  If you are still running Windows XP, there actually is a new patch out there for your system.  Read More Here: Microsoft had to patch Windows XP

Cut the Cable Cord and Save!

As I believe I have written about in the past, we no longer have satellite or cable television.  We gave it up a number of years ago when we realized we were paying about $10 per show since we didn't watch that much TV. And the shows were were watching were shows such as Alton Brown's Good Eats , Mythbusters and the Andy Griffith Show!  For a while my husband and son did watch Braves ball games but with their busy schedule, that fell by the wayside.  We did consider downgrading our package but then we wouldn't have any of the channels we wanted to watch.  Yes, I am aware that we could be considered boring old fogies. So, I after a failed experiment with creating a media computer,  I decided to purchase a Roku.  There are many similar boxes out there, such as the Apple TV or Chromecast.  I like our Roku boxes and with YouTube being added recently to our newer streaming box, it is an added bonus as there is a lot of material on YouTube to follow and enjoy.  The cost of t

Washable Computer Keyboards

There is almost always a cup of coffee on my desk. Yes, ALWAYS.  But there is a risk. Once a keyboard is wet, it is a gonner.. toast, terminated. When my daughter was much younger, in elementary school, she was home after school and wanted to help clean house so she took my proprietary keyboard from my Amstrad 8086 Dual Floppy computer (now a museum piece). and washed it.  As in, put it in a sink of soapy dish water and washed it.  It was very expensive to replace the micro-controller for that keyboard let me tell you! Well, it isn't really new but there are some washable keyboards on the market now.  Logitech has a the scrubbable, submersible, spill-proof, K310 Keyboard that has pretty good reviews.  Kensington K64407US Pro also has a washable keyboard with anti-microbial protection for a little bit less money.  There are also washable mice but those are usually covered in silicone which I personally would prefer to not hold onto throughout the day. I did find the Seal Sh

Write yourself in the future.

Here is a cute freebie...  OhLife will send you an email in the distant future.  Might be a great opportunity for high school grads to send themselves a letter or new parents to their children. The possibilities are endless. Just pop over to OhLife's website and add your email. They say they don't spam.  Oh and what else does OhLife have? They allow you to write yourself a private blog, probably more like a diary, just for you.  Write the story of your life!☺

More on Passwords

Once again. You are much better off using a password management program that using the same password on multiple websites.  Here is a good video to help you come up with a GREAT master password. Take THAT hackers!

Home Insurance Inventory

We recently changed insurance companies ( USAA is highly recommended, if you qualify).  That started to make me think... we have "replacement cost " coverage on our homeowners policy instead of a " actual cash value policy ". In that manner, it saves us from getting a pro-rated replacement cost instead of a true replacement cost.  It also got me thinking.  Do I actually KNOW what I own?  We walk through our home daily. Do you know what you have in the closets or how much software is on your computer?    We pay for insurance to replace the contents of our home in case of a disaster or theft, but if we can't identify the contents,we might end up getting less of a settlement than we would otherwise, because we just didn’t report everything.  A software program wouldn't necessarily help if you don't keep the results offline or away from your home, so I recommend a cloud-based program.  Know Your Stuff   is a free online program to record your home invento

Maintenance Monday: The Recycle Bin

While working on a unprotected PC computer plagued with viruses (which is content for another blog entirely), one thing I noticed about the user. They never cleaned out their recycle bin. EVER! Is that really a good decision? You can set it up to bypass the recycle bin automatically, but I really don't recommend that. There are a times that you need to rescue something you accidentally deleted. Bottom Line: If you intended to delete it, why use the recycle bin as a storage area when it could be filed properly on your computer and less likely to be accidentally erased.  After all, emptying the Recycle Bin permanently deletes all items in just a couple of clicks. So you need to clean out your recycle bin to open up space on your computer and improve performance.So, for Maintenance Monday, clean out your recycle bin, usually found on your desktop. Right click and select "Empty Recycle Bin". But what if you don't have a recycle bin on your desktop?  Well, let

Friday Funny: Google

My husband's comment was, "Do you think Google has too much time on their hands?" Well, even geeks need to play.. so check out. These are called Google Easter Eggs and it is a lot of fun going on this Easter egg hunt. Go to google.com and type in the word "tilt" (without the quotes) and check out what happens.  Want to see what google looked like in 1998? Type in "Google in 1998" and see what happens.  Do you know what recursion means?  Well Google does.  Type in "recursion" Type in ‘zerg rush’ into Google and shoot the o's with your cursor before they clear the page. Now look for the next one in Google images.  Type in "atari breakout" and you get to play this old, addictive game.   So, now you know... Geeks have an interesting sense of humor.  ☺

Throwback Thursday: Email

Protect Yourself from the HeartBleed Bug

The big internet news is the HeartBleed bug that isn't on your computer but a security risk found on some websites that use a certain type of encryption called OpenSSL. As I suggested last week, you might want to change your passwords on the websites you use, especially if you use the same password for many of your sites (that is a NO-NO!). But which sites are still affected? Are your passwords still at risk? Hopefully, I can help you with some of these issues to give you a little peace of mind. So, how do you know if the website you are visiting used the OpenSSL or has updated their security? Browser helpers called extensions are now popping up to alert you to websites that have not updated. For the Chrome browser you can ChromeBleed extension and with the FireFox browser, you can get the HeartBleed Checker or the FoxBleed Add-on . As of this writing, Internet Explorer and Safari have yet to have an add-on, so I encourage you to consider using a browser with the extension fo

Don't be Bamboozled! Dwayne Johnson is not Dead.

It is so easy to get bamboozled online and this "death hoax" is just one way of duping you into clicking, liking and sharing. Meanwhile in the background, you may be giving permission to download malware, pesky software or rogue Facebook apps.  How can you avoid these?  Check legitimate news sources or check hoax sources to be sure it is legitimate.  If you have already shared, ‘liked’ or commented on the hoax, please remove the shared post, comment or unlike it, because this will help stop this hoax from spreading to other social networking users. ☺

Protect Yourself: Heartbleed Bug

The Heartbleed Bug a nasty flaw that is VERY bad and could effect your personal data. Unfortunately, this isn't something on your personal computer but on the software the provides your online services.  At the very least, you should change your online passwords, especially for services where privacy and security are major concerns. Please see previous articles on securing your passwords or using a password program to help you remember the tougher passwords. The good news is that "most major service providers should already be updating their sites, so the bug will be less prevalent over coming weeks." If you have a website, you can check to see if your site is vulnerable by going to HostGators tester . Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/heartbleed-bug-explainer-2014-4#ixzz2yPbe4aVd http://www.businessinsider.com/heartbleed-bug-explainer-2014-4

Online Shopping Safety

TrendMicro put together this very good infographic. Take heed when shopping online.

Recent Facebook Changes

So, when I opened up my Facebook the other day, I noticed things looked different. Of course that was just after I wrote a tutorial on changing the settings for game requests on Facebook which is not not absolutely correct. Ugh!  So, what did they change?  Well, just a few things which are mostly cosmetic in nature. The made the pictures in the news feed larger.  Woohoo! The font is larger.  (Well, we could do that manually with Zoom In and Zoom Out, right? ) Some minor design style or size changes with a few of the icons such as "Add Photos/Videos" and “People You May Know” sections.  Added a little bit of color (blue) on the side panels which used to be white. All of the changes were visual so it had no impact on how things show up in your news feeds. I like the new look, not a major overhaul but minor improvements. This mixed with the recent decision to drop "Sponsored Stories" from hogging my news feed is also a good move even if it did take a laws

Blocking Facebook Game Requests

Block Apps on Facebook Not a fan of Candy Crushville or Farm/City Life ? Are you tired of your friends asking you to play games via Facebook?  Well, in defense of those that do play, the game will encourage the player to "invite their friends" and will automatically hit their friend list.  Although I don't usually do the invites if I can help it, there are occasions that it accidentally happens.  The good new is that you can block those apps from sending you messages forever in just a few steps. On your desktop or laptop, sign into Facebook.  Grab the name of the app you want to block (I just copy the title with Ctrl/c). Click the gear on the upper right hand corner of your Facebook page.  Go to "Settings" on the drop-down menu.  In "General Settings" , then go to "Blocking" listed on the left hand side. Scroll down to the category, "Block apps".  Enter the name of the app in the text box and hit the enter key. Once

Happy Anniversary, Internet!

"According to Pew, Sir Tim Berners-Lee. Lee wrote a paper on March 12, 1989 proposing an “information management” system that became the conceptual and architectural structure for the Web.  He eventually released the code for his system—for free—to the world on Christmas Day in 1990."   Pew Research Internet Project The fact is that the Internet has become an important part of our lives, expanding our communication, our knowledge and our entertainment.   I know my first computer, an Amstrad 8086, dual floppy drive opened my universe through the Prodigy system.  Around 1994, with the purchase of an upgraded computer, we moved to AOL and almost immediately went to the Internet filled with millions of pages even at that time.   My first website was created shortly thereafter and moved the site to my first domain, autumnwinds.com on July 1st, 1996. We have come a long way since that time although social networks were there, even back in the Prodigy days. There are sti

Interesting Social Media Facts

Source: http://webmag.co/social-media-facts/

Don't Wait Until it's Too Late

Often backups are considered when it is too late. Be proactive and save your important documents. A friend of my son's has put together an article about your options on backing up your important computer files.  Check out this Tumblr article , Basic Computer Security: Have a Backup Plan!

Maintainance Monday: Facebook Apps

My cousin, who shall remain nameless, has some sort of app that keeps asking me my birthday. I have decided I don't really want the app as I know she has access to my birthday in a couple of different locations.  My thought processes (which can be very bouncy at times) took me to the list of  my FB apps that actually do have access to my information in some way or another.  Yikes! What a list!  Where did some of these come from?  I don't truly know, but I am going to do some "spring cleaning" today. App Settings General Account Settings On your desktop or laptop, sign into Facebook.  Click the gear on the upper right hand corner.  Go to "Settings" on the drop-down menu. Click on the Apps on the left side menu (see image) Click the "X" on the right to remove the app you don't use.  Click the "Edit" to find out more about the app You can change the "Visibility of app" by selecting who sees the posts, Publi

Shameless Plug: Get Your Business Online

I am a web designer. I blog on the side (often it is even less than "on the side"), so I want to encourage you to get your business online. The State of Georgia wants you to have an online presence.  Google wants to encourage you to do the same.  So, get your business online (and I can help accomplish that goal).

A New Google Tool: Google Keep

Google Keep is a simple, basic note/list maker, kept on your Google Drive which makes it available to your desktop and your Android phone. This means that your lists and notes are synced and easily accessible at your computer or on the road.  You can add pictures, colors, set alarms and even archive your notes. At this point, it doesn't seem to be integrated with other apps, but I have a feeling that won't be long. After all, it is a newly released application. Will it replace apps like Evernote?  Probably not but not every individual needs the vast functionality of Evernote.  So, make your grocery list, your reminders and tasks. Google Keep will do the job just fine, ready and waiting in your Google Drive. Google Keep is currently available for devices running Android (4.0.3 and up) or through the Google Keep Web site . Notes will automatically sync between the Web site and the Android app. Cons: Well, for some reason, Google Keep is not listed in the apps on my desktop

Did You Know? Keyboard Shortcuts

Click here to see the full infographic . When you get to the link, use your mouse to click for larger view. Social analytics firm Quintly compiled a list of shortcuts for Facebook — as well as Twitter, YouTube, and Google Plus — in the infographic below. Click on this infographic link and you will find some really neat shortcuts that might just ease your social media time.  Don't forget to read some of the little comments. Did you know that you can play "snake" with every youtube video? I didn't know that!☺

How to clean a TV screen | How To - CNET

I took a closer look at my TV screen the other day. Yikes! Obviously the dog didn't shake until she was in front of the television.  So, off I went to do my research. How do I clean this thing?  How to clean a TV screen | How To - CNET

Workrave Review: Avoid RSI and Eye Strain

For those of that that spend hours at hour computer working, playing or social networking, we need to take regular breaks for our eyes, wrists, joints and back. We also should limit the amount of time we spend on the computer for our health and well being.  For people that work at the computer from home, this is very important. Workrave is a FREE software program available for GNU/Linux and Microsoft Windows.  You can set the preferences to remind you about micro-breaks, rest breaks, your daily limits and even can monitor your network if you work on multiple  computers. One of my favorite parts of Workrave is the exercises that in recommends to keep you moving and reduce the risk of injury. So how long is too long to be on the computer? Our bodies can only take so much, so make 8 hours an absolute limit of your computer face time, and yes, that means your phone too. Note: If you receive an error message while trying to install it (as I did when installing it on my Windows 8 sys

Backing Up Your Computer Files

Well, my computer is running just a little slower today as I write this, not because I am playing some high graphics game, but because I have been lax at backing up my files. My 1TB secondary hard drive is kept for business purposes but hard drive .  I spent yesterday archiving and deleting older files that I no longer need to DVDs and today, I am backing up the rest of the business drive to a flash drive for easy access. Now, most people don't have 98GB of files and documents on their drive but if you did, you might consider a PNY 128 GB flash drive like I just picked up, for about $40.  I remember the days when I was excited to get a 5MB hard drive for $100 but I digress.   There are also online services and cloud ( see yesterday's post ) that will automatically sync or back up specific folders on your system that you select. There are a number of paid online backup services like Mozy , Carbonite , which would be quicker to restore to your computer in case of a catas

OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Box: Which cloud storage service is right for you?

 Are you considering using "cloud storage"?  Check out this software review. OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Box: Which cloud storage service is right for you? | Software - CNET Reviews

Search Google anonymously with Firefox add-on Searchonymous | How To - CNET

Looking to do some searching for information you want to keep anonymous?  Check out this CNET Search Google anonymously with Firefox add-on Searchonymous | How To - CNET article. 

Are you Prepared?

I heard about a lady that had her wallet stolen the other day. Not only did she have thousands of dollars charged to her credit cards but she lost old photographs in the wallet that can never be replaced.  What can you do to protect yourself?  First, get digital scans of any old photographs that you want to preserve. In this digital age, this should not be a problem. Copy those photographs to a cloud storage such as Google, Dropbox or Flickr. If you decide you don't want to rely on other servers, copy them to a disk and store them in a safe deposit box with your important documents. In case of fire or a computer crash, it would be best not to keep it at home. Now, take everything out of your wallet and take inventory!  Most of us could not come up with everything in their wallet or purse. Write down the 1-800 # for your card in case of loss or theft. Don't include the card number!  Make copies of any important business cards or other information you want to keep or is irrepla

The Day We Fight Back

Please see the notice below . It is self explanatory. Today, February 11th, 2014 is The Day We Fight Back against mass surveillance. The government can "claim" that this is to make you safer, but the collection of data is NOT making you safer. “ NSA surveillance does little to prevent terrorism, says think-tank report”: “there was only one case out of the 225 that was initiated by NSA evidence. The case involved a cab driver named Basaaly Moalin who was convicted of sending money to Somalian terrorist groups. While successful, the case did not involve any direct threat of attack” Please take a moment and contact your legislators.  This is VERY important for our security and freedom.

More Spring Cleaning: Cleaning your Keyboard

Nasty, Dirty Keyboard! Morguefile by By Alvimann Snack crumbs, a layer of dust, dirty fingers... take a glance down at your keyboard and you will know right away that it needs a cleaning. Unless you have a washable keyboard , it will be beneficial and necessary to clean your keyboard with a little more finesse . What you will need: Can of compressed air or keyboard vacuum, melamime foam (brand name Magic Eraser or an off brand sponge eraser), cotton swabs (Q-Tip brand name is best as the cotton is secure) and some  isopropyl alcohol. Do not use ethyl-based rubbing alcohol. Lint-free cloth.  Disconnect your keyboard from your computer. If you are not using a USB keyboard, shut down the computer first before disconnecting the keyboard.  Shake the keyboard upside down to get as much out as possible. Vacuum or use compressed air (while keyboard is upside down) to remove as much dust and crumbs as possible.  You can also use your hairdryer (NO HEAT) to blow the crumbs if you do

How to Clean the TV Screen

Husband comes in from the garage with dirty hand and turns on the TV. Your child with sticky hands tries to reach the balloon on the cartoon he is watching. There are numerous ways the television screen gets dirty and messy, but STOP, don't haul out the glass cleaner!  The new televisions aren't the same as the old style. Learn how to clean them properly and protect your expensive electronics.  Click the link below. How to clean a TV screen

Is the website down?

You are trying to get to a website but you keep getting an error message! Ugh! Well let's see if we can figure out what is going on. Can you get to another website? Try Google.com or Yahoo.com.  If they answer is no, your problem is probably your connection. You will need to troubleshoot your internet connection and possibly contact your ISP. If the answer is yes, you can see the search engine website, move onto the next step. What is the error message you are receiving? - The webpage cannot be found (HTTP 404) - This means this page is no longer there. Try going to the website's home page. Were you able to view the home page? Yes? Great. If the answer is no, move onto the next step. - The website cannot display the page (HTTP 500) - If you get this message, the website is having server problems. The website could be having server problems or it may be shut down.  Try again later and see if your results are the same. - Is the website requiring some sort of plugin or ad

Free Christian E-books

I am willing to shout this from the mountain tops. I am a Christian, not because I am perfect,  or by any 'good' thing that I ever did. I am saved because I accepted the free gift of salvation from God. That being said, I prefer clean, decent books to read. I don't require them to always be about God or Jesus but I dislike swearing, lustful sex, violence, drugs, excessive alcohol et al. in my reading material. Some might consider that wimpy but hey,  I read for pleasure and enjoyment, so that is my criteria for reading material. Of course, I also enjoy reading computer and technology books so I am wimpy and geeky. ☺ I use my Kindle Fire HD (a gift at Christmas) almost exclusively for reading and I am cheap, cheap, cheap (in other words, broke, poor, just shy of being a vagrant.) So, I used to watch come dedicated bloggers that look through the stacks on Amazon looking for those freebies, many of which are quite good, but hey.. 1 out of 20 are Christian or clean re

How to Minimize Your Risk of Password Theft - Techlicious

Happy frosty Monday here in Northwest Georgia. It is 21º here  with a wind child down to 9º. This is really nothing compared to farther north with sub-zero temperatures.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to others in colder and snowier areas. Let's start out the week protecting ourselves from password theft. What can you do about it? Check out this article from Techlicious.com . How to Minimize Your Risk of Password Theft - Techlicious