Question:

I have never been able to set up out-of-office email replies.  I’ve looked up instructions, but we don’t seem to be set up for that.  How can I set this up?

Signed,

Gone Fishing

Dear Fishing;

If your job includes receiving emails from clients/customers, it’s imperative to let them know that you are a) not in the office; b) when you will be back, and ; c) who to contact for immediate assistance.

Here’s how:

1.  Log into your Windows Live Mail (or other) account.

2.  Click “Go To Hotmail”

3.  In the top right corner, click “Options”, then “More Options”.

4.  Under “Managing Your Account”, choose “Sending Automated Vacation Replies”

5.  Click “Send Vacation Replies to People Who Email ME”.  Type in your reply.

6.  Uncheck “Only Reply to My Contacts”, so the reply will go to everyone that emails you, whether or not they are in your contact list.

7.  Click “Save”.

8.  Remember to turn off the automated replies when you return from vacation!

If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to:  geek@tbyd.ca.  We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!

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Dear Geek,

I have a colleague who constantly uses shorthand in his emails and texts.  It’s so bad, I often need a translator.  What can I do?

Signed,

Translation Please

 

Dear Translation,

If your colleague is using shorthand abbreviations in official company emails and texts, that’s a no-no and someone should point that out to him.  However, if the emails and texts are casual communication between people, the only thing you can do is to learn the lingo. I’ve included a short list to get you started.  Don’t be embarrassed to ask your kids…they’re the ones that invented (and keep expanding) the language!

AFK:  Away from keyboard.  Used when you’re stepping away from your computer.

AFAIK:  As far as I know.

BBIAB:  Be back in a bit.

BRB:  Be right back.

SFSG:  So far so good.

WDYMBT:  What do you mean by that?

NVM:  Never mind.

LOL:  Laugh out loud.

LMAO:  Laughing my *ss off.

GJ:  Good job.

PROPS:  Respect and acknowledgment.

JK:  Just kidding.

WBU:  What about you.

IDK:  I don’t know.

IDC:  I don’t care.

W/E:  Whatever.

BTW:  By the way.

L8R:  Later.

GTG:  Either ‘good to go’ or ‘got to go.

TTYL:  Talk to you later.

IMHO:  In my humble opinion.

KK:  Acknowledging receipt of the message.

HMU:  Hit me up.  Meaning please contact me in some way.

WUT:  What.

PLZ:  Please.

TBH:  To be honest.

TYVM:  Thank you very much.

 

If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to:  geek@tbyd.ca.  We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!

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Dear Geek,

I am having a problem with my wireless keyboard.  Yesterday it worked fine, but today it’s not working correctly.  When I try to type, it either misses typing letters, or it takes several taps (or pounds) on it to start working.  What can I do?

Sincerely,

A Few Letters Short of an Alphabet

 

Dear Short Alphabet,

The first thing I would suggest to check is the batteries.  Many people forget that wireless keyboards and mice run on batteries, and many an expensive (an embarrassing) calls to tech support have been caused by this.  Wireless keyboards and mice usually have a radio frequency adapter that plugs into a USB port on your tower (or laptop).  Make sure this is plugged in all the way, as this is the second most frequent culprit of non-working keyboards and mice.  Other than that, ensure your keyboard and/or mouse is within range of the adapter (approximately 10 feet or so), or it could be dropping keystrokes.  Objects obstructing the signal could also affect the keyboard/mouse function.  Ensure that books, speakers, etc. have not been placed between the adapter and the keyboard and/or mouse.  If none of these help, you likely need a new keyboard.

 

If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to:  geek@tbyd.ca.  We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!

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Dear Geek;

I have my computer, printer, etc. plugged into a power bar.  A friend told me this isn’t good enough, and that I should have something called a “UPS”.  What is that, and do I need one?

Sincerely,

Power-less

Dear Power-less;

In the world of power fluctuations, power failures, and power surges are very common.  If you aren’t fully prepared for them, your equipment, and your data, are at risk.  There are 3 main options to protecting your equipment.

1.  Power Bar:  The poor cousin of the three.  Most power bars available, include a built-in circuit breaker.  This provides some protection against power surges.  It is a great, affordable option for devices that aren’t critical (ie. lights, fans, radios).

2.  Surge Protector:  The blue-collar worker.  Similar to power bars, but surge protectors can detect when power surges are larger than an “acceptable level” for your devices.  In a surge protector, excess power is re-routed to a grounding wire and fuse, which will burn out when power exceeds what it can handle.  Surge protectors provide adequate protection for vital devices such as monitors, printers, tvs, entertainment systems, and smartphones.  Something to note:  surge protectors can come with different “joule ratings”.  The higher the joule rating, the more excess power the surge protector can take .

3.  UPS a.k.a. Uninterruptible Power Supply:  The rich relative.  An UPS contains an internal battery which, in case of a temporary total power failure, can keep your equipment functioning for a short amount of time.  Usually, just long enough for you to shut everything down…safely.  A UPS is invaluable for computers, servers, etc.  Anything that could cause a loss of data, or damage to the equipment, if not shut down properly.  A bonus to the UPS, it will protect your equipment against damage from any power fluctuations.  Most UPSs will provide surge protection to equipment plugged into the battery backup outlet.  Most also have additional surge protection outlets (without battery backup), for other computer equipment (ie. printers, monitors, etc.).

In short, your friend is partly right.  In an ideal world, your computer tower should be plugged into a UPS, and your computer peripherals (monitor, printer, etc) into at least a power bar, preferably a surge protector.  Price may influence your decision, as power bars start at approximately $5, whereas UPSs start at around $60.

If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to:  geek@tbyd.ca.  We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!

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I know that some of you noticed that I didn’t post on the blog last week (I got your emails!).  I could give you all sorts of excuses, however, I prefer to give you my…

TOP 10 REASONS I DIDN’T BLOG LAST WEEK

(In reverse order)

10.  My mom forgot to cut the crusts of my PB & J sandwich, so I couldn’t function.

9.  I heard the new iPhone 5 was going to  have a different port.  I spent my time tossing my current iPhone-supporting devices, and researching whether anything was available with the new port yet.

8. The Comic Book Insider, Season 2, Episode 13 & 14 came out.  Enough said.

7.  Watched ‘Ancient Aliens’.  The t.v. show presents the hypothesis that humanity’s early development was influenced by extraterrestrials.  I spent the remainder of the week fabricating foil hats for myself & my loved ones (aka: my cats).

6.  Heard someone else had the same costume idea as I did for Comic-Con.  Had to re-design the whole thing.

5.  Google celebrated Star Trek’s 46th Anniversary with a characteristic doodle.  A very spirited debate over ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Star Trek:  The Next Generation’ ensued…and it got ugly.  Let’s just say that pocket protectors weren’t the only things flying!

4.  ‘Zombie:  B.C.’ was unveiled at Saboten Con 2012 in Arizona.  It’s set one million years B.C where we witness the first zombie attack ever.  I spent my time scanning it for loopholes, instead of blogging.

3.  I spent my time reviewing the plot of “Hansel & Gretel:  Witch Hunters”.  The basis of the plot:  15 years after being traumatized by the Gingerbread House incident, sibling Hansel & Gretel have become a formidable team of bounty hunters who track and kill witches all over the world.  I became involved in an internet debate over whether this is plausible, and whether or not Little Red Riding Hood could kick Hansel & Gretel’s butts.

2.  I heard the U.S. Army was set to phase out their Futuristic Digital Camo Uniforms.  Spent the day discussing with a colleague whether or not these uniforms would hold up in Mine Craft.

1.  ‘The Walking Dead:  The Complete 2nd Season Limited Edition Blu-Ray Boxed Set was released.  I HAD to watch the 8 scenes that were deleted, the 6 Webisodes, and the 11 “never-before-seen Featurettes”.  It changed my life.

 

I know this wasn’t an “Ask The Geek” blog, but I felt that I had to explain myself.  I promise to be a better geek next week!

If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to:  geek@tbyd.ca.  We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!

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Dear Geek,

I am changing jobs in a week.  In my current job, I had use of a laptop for work purposes.  Is there anything I should do before giving it back?

Signed, 

Wanna Stay Private

 

Dear Private,

In today’s world, hardly anyone stays at one job for all of their lives.  So, chances are, you will move from one company to another at least once in your working life.  Unless you work with Fred Flintstone at the Quarry, your job involves a computer.  Turning in your work computer, before you’ve gone through the necessary steps may jeopardize your personal security, leave you ill-prepared for your new job, and may even unknowingly burn bridges.   Follow these 5 easy steps, and you should be good to go.

1.  Back Up Your Documents:  

I know, you’re thinking “new job, clean slate”, right?  However, you never know when your old files may come in handy.  Especially Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, or Excel files.  If they were important to you in your current job, they may be of assistance in your new job.  Even if it means you don’t have to start from scratch, could ‘pad’ your resume, or help you to prepare for a future presentation.

To Do:  Back up these files using an external hard drive, CD-R, or USB thumb drive.  If you don’t have access to any of these, you could email the documents to yourself.  Or you could use an online storage solution which provides users with up to 5 GB of data for free, and can be accessed easily from almost any device.

2.  Keep Useful Programs:

Coworkers often share tidbits, or useful (and sometimes free!) office tools with each other.  If your new job is in a similar, or related area, these programs may be useful to you still.  However, remembering where to download these tools can be difficult.

To Do:  Similar to the solutions offered in step 1, you can easily upload these programs onto an external hard drive, CD-R, USB thumb drive, or to an online storage solution.

3.  Save Old Contacts and Emails

Saving your email logs and contacts can be very valuable (and time-saving) when looking up information, references, and when networking.

To Do:  Most companies use Microsoft Outlook as its email client.  If your current company is one of them, there are 2 ways to save your emails and contacts.  One way is to manually drag and drop the email/contact name you with to save, to your desired folder.  The second way is helpful if you want to copy everything over.  Select the “File” drop down menu>”Import and Export…”> “Export to a fil”> choose “Personal Folder File (.pst)”> Select “Personal Folders”.  Make sure to click the “include subfolders checkbox” to copy all your data into a folder of your choosing.  Doing so will allow you to easily import all of your old Outlook content to different computers.

4.  Clear History

History can come back to bite us.  Especially on a computer.  Make sure to clear your Internet history, cookies, cache, passwords, bookmarks, and on and on.

To Do:  Most web browsers make it fairly easy to clear all of this information.  For this example, I’ll use Internet Explorer.  Go to “Tools”, “Internet Options”, click the “Delete” button.  To delete individual bookmarks, click the “star” button to access the “Favorites” tab.  Then choose “Organize Favorites” from the drop-down menu.

5.  Delete Personal Programs and Files:

The computer was provided to you as a “loaner” and you should return it, in similar condition as it was given to you, which means deleting all your personal information, programs, and files.  By doing this, you also ensure that any personal documents or information won’t be left for some stranger to peruse through.

To Do:  Make sure you search through all the storage spots on the computer.  This includes the Desktop, Downloads, and My Documents, in addition to any other save destinations you may have used.  If you can’t find a specific file you REALLY want to delete, use Windows’ search feature to look for jpgs, bmps, mp3s, etc.   Remember to empty the “Recycle Bin”!

If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to:  geek@tbyd.ca.  We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!

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Dear Geek,

We changed over our servers yesterday and were having some problems with them.  Someone advised to clean out the “cache” – What is it, and does it really need cleaning?

Sincerely,

Cache-Poor

Dear Cache-Poor,

Cache is related to the browsing history.  It is more the files that the browser saves, in order to load pages quicker when you go to view them the next time.  Not only does this take up space on your computer, but sometimes pages come with bad or malicious files, so its recommended to clear them at least once per week if possible.  The Cleaner program we use does this on a regular basis for us, helping to keep systems clean, and running smoothly.

For instructions on how to clear your browser’s cache (for all major browsers), with screenshots, click here:  http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Your-Browser’s-Cache

If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to:  geek@tbyd.ca.  We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!

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Dear Geek;

My clients and friends are receiving spam that appear to be from my email address, but I’m not sending these emails.  What do I do?

Sincerely,

Spammed

Answer:

If your friends, coworkers, and clients are asking why you are sending them ads for penis enlargements, it likely means that your password to your email account has been compromised (unless you’ve gotten a new gig, and just haven’t told anyone yet).  Your newly ‘unlocked’ email is now helping out your not-so-friendly neighborhood spammer.  “Spammer” is likely using your email to send spam to everyone in your address book (plus some other lucky recipients, as well).  As if Spammer wasn’t having enough fun with just your email, you can also assume that any important personal information that was in your email archive (ie emails from other sites that contain your passwords there) is compromised as well.  You have your work cut out for you, not to mention that you have some ‘splainin’ to do to your clients and co-workers.

To try to wrestle control of your email back, or at least save your reputation, try the following:

1.  Try to log into your email account.  If you get an “Incorrect Password” error, it means that Spammer changed your password, and you may have lost access to that email account permanently.  You can try contacting your email provider, to see if it can stop the Spammer from sending any more spam, and you can try asking them to restore your account.  However, you may find yourself needing to create a new account.

2.  If Spammer hasn’t changed your password, change your password IMMEDIATELY!  Once Spammer is locked out, you can begin the process of contacting everyone in your address book to explain the situation (or, if you check your account’s “Sent” folder, it may tell you who Spammer sent spam emails to).  Be sure to assure them that you alone have control of your email account again.

3.  Now that you have control of your email account once again, it’s VERY important to change all your passwords to any sites you visit.  Spammer could have used your email account to gain access to passwords to your other accounts as well.

Good luck (you may need it)!

If you have a question for our Resident Geek, send it to:  geek@tbyd.ca.  We’ll translate it from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!

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YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TROUBLE BELIEVING THIS POST.

Most small businesses don’t believe it.  Which is exactly why this post is necessary.

In fact, if I didn’t see it first hand, I wouldn’t believe it either…

This post isn’t based on a question that was sent in by anyone.  It’s based on observations that we have made over the years regarding cyberattacks.  Small businesses owners know that the threats are out there.  There have been many well-publicized attacks recently.  

So why the lack of concern?

It’s based on the naive notion of small business owners, that their business is too “small potatoes” to be hacked or a victim of a cyber attack.  Small business owners believe that the hackers will bypass them for the larger businesses, and the bigger potential cash haul.  Not so.  Larger businesses tend to have up-to-date and heightened cyber-security, because of the larger cache of information, etc.  According to a poll by Symantec, half of small businesses polled, reported believe that they are not targeted specifically “because they are a small business and therefore are not a target for cyberattacks”.

In fact, according to Symantec.cloud, “since the beginning of 2012, 40% of targeted attacks have been directed toward small businesses, compared to only 28% that have been directed toward large enterprises. Symantec states that in 2011, they blocked more than 5.5 billion attacks, an increase of 81% over 2010.  Google recently revealed that its security team finds approximately 9,500 new malicious websites every day.  Small businesses are gravely underestimating their risk!

Several of our customers have had up to a few hundred attempted data hacks in a single day!  By putting the appropriate measures in place, we helped to block and eliminate these hack attempts.

So what can small business owners do to stay safe from Internet-based threats such as malware, viruses, etc?  Educate employees about Internet safety, train them to be wary of email attachments and links from unknown sources.  Keep your security software up-to-date.  Use secure (hard to crack), unique passwords.  Make sure you back up your website, computer network, and information.

According to Symantec, 61% of small business owners don’t have a written plan of what they would do, if they fell victim to a cyber attack.  1 in 10 small businesses have suffered from a data hack.  So, when it does happen, they don’t have a clue of where to start.  What if, despite all efforts, your business gets hit by a cyberattack?  What steps should you take?  Encourage employees to inform you immediately, if they spot a virus or malware, rather than trying to fix it themselves.  Call an IT provider that is experienced in backup and disaster recovery.

WE CAN HELP!  If you’re worried about the cyber-security of your business, or have questions about cyberattacks, please contact us at 204-800-3165, or at helpdesk.ca.

 

Question:

I’ve recently started a new job that has me sitting at a desk more than my previous one.  I’ve since noticed that the muscles in my neck have been aching.  At first I thought that this was due to the stress of a new job, but it’s been several weeks and it hasn’t gone away.  Any ideas?

Answer:

Sitting at your desk for hours at a time can cause stress on your body, which will manifest itself in the form of neck and back pain, and sometimes even pain in your wrists or hands.  Bad posture can aggravate the problem.  If your company has access to an ergonomic expert that can examine your workstation and make changes specific to your needs, I would take advantage of it.  It could make a world of difference to your everyday aches and pains, and possibly head off long-term problems such as tendinitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

For now, to decrease the amount of stress placed on your back, sit with your chair placed as close as you can to your desk.  Now sit with your upper arms parallel to your spine.  Your entire back, from top to bottom, should be pressed against your chair back, in order to distribute the pressure evenly across your back.  If you don’t mind receiving a few strange looks from coworkers, you can try using an anti-burst exercise ball to sit on instead of a typical office chair.  It forces you to engage your muscles to maintain your balance, and it forces you to frequently change positions.  The exercise ball as an office chair isn’t for everyone, and you may have to try a few different ones to find the one that works for you.  You can even get ones that have a back on it.

To decrease the stress on your neck, adjust your monitor, so that it is sitting so that when you look straight, your gaze is aimed at the centre of the screen.  If the height adjustment on the monitor isn’t flexible enough for your needs, try placing the monitor on a base (you can purchase ones, or a small but sturdy box will do), then adjust the monitor height from there.  Now move the armrests on your chair until they lift your arms at the shoulders.

If you do a lot of typing and/or use the computer mouse frequently, investing the $10-20 in a hand exercise ball could help with hand cramps, etc.

Lastly, ensure that you take breaks to get up and stretch at least once an hour.  Take a short walks several times a day to loosen up your muscles, even if it’s just to the water cooler for the latest office gossip.

Your body will thank you.

If you have a question for the Resident Geek, email geek@tbyd.ca.  AND we’ll translate the answer from Geek-lish to English, so it actually helps!