What to do with an old computer
A few ideas on how to dispose of your old computers.
Wireless Network is Bad for Business
Wireless networking can corrupt your business database applications.
Data not centralized on a server
A story about an office that has all of their data on each workstation and an unreliable data backup solution.
IT Support is like Hiring a Babysitter
Getting new clients in IT Support is like hiring a babysitter. You can't just get anyone off of the streets.
Replacing and remapping the server
Remapping an old server can be tricky if you leave the old server on the
Remote Control Support
Well, I don't know how long a good thing like this will last. But I was looking around on the Internet and I was searching for an inexpensive remote control solution. For my company, Progressive Office, we frequently need to be able to remotely control a client computer. The benefits to this capability are obvious. Some problems can be resolved remotely. And because the subscription to my current remote control solution was up for renewal, I started looking around for a new solution.
I found one! I now use CrossLoop. I setup the account and now we have the ability to remotely control any computer from any computer. It is very stable, easy to use and it's FREE. The only problem I had was that I learned that it would not support my dual monitor setup. So, I had to disable the second monitor before trying to take control of a computer. Otherwise, it has worked perfectly.
ChatStat is no longer free (see article below). So, I don't know if this will last either. But I used to pay about $100 a month. So, hopefully, if they do start to charge, it will be a lot less than $100.
Progressive Office is a Computer IT Support company in Washington, DC.
Bad Power Supply
How do you know when you have a bad power supply? Well, the symptoms are fairly basic. I had a client call me last week. He said his computer would not turn on. So, I asked him to tell me if anything came up on the monitor. He said, "No, the monitor is blank". So, I asked if he could see any lights come on the CPU and he told me that the CPU's LEDs were also dark. So, I asked him to put his ear to the power supply and tell me if he could hear the fan turning. He said it seemed quiet.
So, as a final test, I asked him to carefully look at the power supply and to tell me if the fan is spinning. He said it was not. Therefore, the power supply was bad. The next trick was in looking up the exact make and model and finding a generic replacement that would fit into the system. We did and we were able to get his computer back up and working the same day.
Call Progressive Office if you need IT Support at 202-462-4290.
Stop Using Outlook NOW
Is it me? I hate Outlook. The interface is horrible. The application is under constant attack. Using it just plain scares me. I know that if I use Outlook that I am going to be way more vulnerable to a virus attack. So, about two years ago I stopped using Outlook. I have been using Gmail. I use it to handle both my business and my personal email. So, I have my personal Gmail account and I use the same account to check my business email. Gmail let's you check unlimited POP accounts from the single Gmail account.
Free Business and Legal Documents
Sometimes the best computer advice I can give is to develop proper procedures and to have everything documented properly. Well, I was looking for a legal document 
and I was prepared to have to go to a legal document website and pay for it if I had to. But then I came across http://www.docstoc.com and discovered a website that has hundreds (maybe thousands) of legal, professional and business documents for free.
The website describes itself as a place to find and share professional documents. There is no cost so I am sure you need to be careful because some documents need to be designed to address the peculiarities of the state you are living or working in. But it had what I was looking for and it seems like a very useful site. I also downloaded a document so that I could feel like I was contributing. So, I am posting it here and I hope that you are able to take advantage of this resource. If you do, leave a comment. I would very much like to know what you think of the site.
Progressive Office, Inc is an IT support company in Washington, DC.
Will VOIP Lead to Free Phone Service?
I discovered a product today that is truly remarkable. You may have already heard of Skype. You may be using it. Skype enables you to make free phone calls to other users of Skype and to make low-cost phone calls to other land lines. But now there is a VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) phone system that delivers nearly free phone service to any phone in the US and Canada.